By Scott Unger • Of the News-Register • 

End of the road? A look at a decade-plus of planning and controversy of the Yamhelas Westsider Trail

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Comments

NJINILNCCAOR

This trail would be a great thing.

tagup

I agree…. And It should be put to a vote!

Bigfootlives

“It truly amazes me,” he said, “that there is so much passion about whether or not to allow people to walk and cycle on an abandoned railroad grade that travels along farmland.”

I agree with Casey Kulla, I must not be getting enough sleep. Put it on the ballot county wide and build it or make it go away. There is a reason it has not gone to a public vote.

madmacs

The actions of the commission surrounding this have been abhorrent and overtly corrupt. Starrett and Johnson are indeed planning to transfer portions of the trail land to their donors to kill this once and for all. Yamhill County deserves better than this.

treefarmer


We need to remember what derailing the trail project cost Yamhill County taxpayers. It is very disturbing that a few wealthy donors would be able to hijack ~ to serve their own interests ~ a project that has so much benefit for, and support from, the citizens of our county. (Is everyone familiar with the conventional wisdom ~ elections have consequences?) We made progress in the last election for Commissioner (all the big money, huge garish signs, and false information that flooded social media did NOT succeed in returning Berschauer to the Board.) Supporters of the trail can have hope that the issue may be kept alive until term limits end Starrett’s reign of parochial support for her elite donors. May we all study the candidates and select the one who will ACTUALLY REPRESENT the interests of ALL citizens.

M. Isaac

One thing that I am very curious about, Berschauer testified before both the Board and Planning Commission that the trail was put in the plan in order to bring in mass transit and METRO. In addition, both times she ran this was a main issue that she campaigned upon - namely to keep METRO out of Yamhill County. I am curious, and maybe one of her supporters can explain to me, if that was a serious threat as she maintains, why didn't she propose to remove the trail during her tenure? If she had four years to make that proposal, why didn't she pursue that as an option?

Beau

Q

Otis

Why write this before the meeting?

Ron

Should’ve kept the tracks. Everybody would’ve been on board ! Funny All aboard the conductor would say. They should’ve spent the money importing an old locomotive and a few rail cars from Willamette Pacific and made a tourist ride. Just like the old steam locomotive in Garibaldi or the Mount Hood railroad and the one to the south by Sweet Home. It would’ve been a big family draw to Yamhill County. And surely like everybody else the county would’ve been able to receive grants to keep it operating.

manyhands

The Yamhill County Planning Commission’s Dec. 4 hearing on the Yamhelas Westsider Trail was a waste of time. It quickly became obvious these “public servants” had already made up their minds to get rid of this treasured public asset.

Asked if he’d ever served as petitioner to LUBA on the trail, Commissioner Mark Gaibler said he didn’t know. But a quick Google search showed: “Mark Gaibler has served as a petitioner in multiple cases before the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals concerning the Yamhelas Westsider Trail. He was one of several property owners and farmers along the proposed trail who filed appeals against Yamhill County’s actions related to the trail’s development.”

In 2020, the George family of hazelnut fame donated large sums to elect anti-trail activist Lindsay Berschauer county commissioner. In turn, Berschauer and fellow anti-trail commissioners Mary Starrett and Kit Johnston appointed Christy (George) Cooke to the planning commission. Rather than recuse herself at the hearing, George claimed her family’s donations to anti-trail commissioners and subsequent appointment by them would not influence her vote.

Commissioners Steven Belt and Lee Schrepel, owners of land adjacent to the trail, did recuse themselves. But they did not follow standard protocol of leaving the hearing. They not only remained seated, but offered comments throughout.

Commissioner Brett Veatch, a real estate agent specializing in agricultural land, reclined in his chair, closed his eyes and looked to be napping. Maybe he was dreaming of some land coming up for sale soon?

It was no surprise then when every participating commissioner voted to get rid of the trail.

Sadly, Mary and Kit will arrange the sale of this treasured public asset to people who already have so much and now will have more. It’s a classic case of the greedy catering to the rich at the expense of the poor.

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