Local property owners against the Rails to Trails initiative, a proposal to convert the area’s currently unused railbed to a trail system, have apparently made their points effectively.
After hearing from those against Rails to Trails for months, the Polk County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Monday, April 4 to rescind a resolution commissioners issued Dec. 6, 2010 in support of the initiative.
Commissioner Reneé McDermott made the motion to rescind the resolution after reading a written statement (see page 5 for her full statement).
“The Rails to Trails issue is, indeed, moot,” McDermott said.
Polk County Manager Ryan Whitson announced last month that he had spoken with Norfolk Southern, owner of the rail line, which said the rail line will not be given up because the line is still active.
Commissioner chair Ray Gasperson said he recently spoke with the same Norfolk Southern representative, who explained “in no uncertain terms” that the line is still active. Gasperson also said he was told there is an abundance of coal in this country and if they start exporting coal out of Charleston, S.C., there’s “no doubt you’re going to see a train on this line.”
Commissioner Tom Pack said he approved the resolution in December thinking it was a good thing, but not knowing at the time that the railroad is owned by taxpayers in this county who own to the middle of the tracks.
“The people that own [railroad property] are not for [the Rails to Trails proposal,]” said commissioner Tom Pack. “We need to rescind [our support] and that’s it.”
Property owners against the rails to trails have attended commissioner meetings for months asking the county to rescind the resolution of support. Property owners have told commissioners about issues they already have with people trespassing on their property. It is illegal to walk on the railroad tracks.
“I do not want people parking in my back yard to have access to this railroad,” said Joyce Kimpton, whose house abuts the tracks. “I do not want to have to worry about who is on that track.”
Kimpton said just last Friday there were people on the track with backpacks and it’s a danger to her. She said having a father who was murdered in Polk County and a husband who was killed by a drunk-driver, she knows that people don’t obey the law.
Rails to Trails committee chair Andy Millard told commissioners that the committee never had any intention of pushing the idea through over the objections of property owners.
“We’ve learned a lot of things,” Millard said. “One of the things that happened was the people that live along the tracks and own to the middle of it got blindsided with this and that was tough. They are legitimate concerns and things that need to be looked at.”
Millard said the committee understands the action commissioners are taking with rescinding their support and appreciates all the county has done.
“We are going to continue our work but do it very cautiously, very slowly and with sensitivity of those with concerns.”
Commissioners also on Monday agreed to send letters to anyone who has received the county’s resolution of support, including Norfolk Southern and Congressman Heath Shuler, to let them know the county has rescinded its previous support.