Three Polk County residents failed Monday, April 11 in their attempt to persuade the Saluda Board of Commissioners to withdraw its support for Rails to Trails. The Rails to Trails project is a proposal to transform a stretch of local railway on which trains have not traveled for years into a trail for walking, biking and horseback riding.
Saluda originally approved a resolution of support for the Saluda Grade Rail committee late last year.
“We’re deeply concerned that the resolutions of support are still being used by the committee,” said John Blanton, who spoke on behalf of his uncle, Robert E. Edney.
Edney owns 100 acres that borders the railroad for about ½ mile.
Mayor Fred Baisden said he felt the issue was currently null and void after county manager Ryan Whitson reported speaking with a Norfolk Southern representative who said the company had no intention of relinquishing the section of railroad in question.
Blanton said he believes the committee provided various governing bodies with pie-in-the-sky ideals of what the Rails to Trails project would do for the area. Now, he said he thinks the committee could continue to push efforts at a higher level because of the letters supporting them from local cities.
Ellis Fincher, who lives on White Oak Mountain, said he believes converting existing rail into public trails would leave property owners vulnerable to crime and other unwanted behavior.
“I’m sure they gave you their biased opinion about what Rails to Trails is and honestly I’m here to give you my biased opinion,” Fincher said. “There’s also the issue of decency when you go along a long stretch or pathway.”
Fincher said he’s concerned people would litter, use wooded areas as restrooms and cause other mischief along the proposed trail.
Fincher said his business has abutted a rail area for 35 years and he’s been victim to numerous vandalisms, break-ins and an arson that remains under investigation.
Fincher also expressed frustration over what he felt was a committee’s ability to take land.
“There are means in which this committee can go about taking land… they give you five ways to go about obtaining property on their website,” Fincher said. “It’s a 72-page document that tells these people how to go in and take from other people.”
Saluda commissioner John Morgan said he is not on the Saluda Grade Committee but is in support of the committee’s plans.
“I think we’ve gotten the cart before the horse but I think it’s premature to ask us to rescind at this point because the railroad company hasn’t made a decision on what they will do with it and I would hate for us to flip-flop,” Morgan said.
Morgan said he believes the project could serve as a beneficial use for the railroad, bringing in new tourism activity to the area. He asked the property owners if they had ever seen or used a trail area in other parts of the country that had successfully completed a rails to trails project. The property owners said they had not.
Morgan said he has seen others, particularly a trail where he used to live in Washington, D.C. that worked well.
Other commissioners agreed with Morgan and decided not to take action to rescind their support.