Public pushes rails-to-trails conversion; commissioners grant fire district access to abandoned rail corridor

During the Oct. 16 public-comment period, two residents urged the Yamhill County Board of Commissioners to pursue turning a county-owned abandoned rail corridor into a bike-and-pedestrian trail, while another speaker urged the county to sell portions of the corridor to neighboring jurisdictions or private parties.

Melody McMaster of Newberg told the board the corridor is public land "that we can all enjoy possibly in the future as a bike and walking trail" and argued the trail could bring business to Carlton, Yamhill and Gaston while providing a safer travel corridor than Highway 47. McMaster said she had not heard support at meetings for light rail and suggested removing light-rail references from the county's transportation goals if that was a concern. She also urged the commissioners to consult adjoining farmers to address their concerns and look for compromises used by other rails-to-trails projects.

James Goings of McMinnville said he preferred selling parts of the corridor and described previous regulatory hurdles, urging a farm-impact study to secure farmer support. He told the board the county could recoup "1,600,000" (as stated in his remarks) from grants if the property were sold and said he supported removing the corridor from transportation plan status so the county could sell parcels to cities such as Carlton.

Later under other business the board considered an access agreement with the New Carlton Fire District (NCFD). The board called forward a fire chief representing NCFD, who said the corridor behind the station had become overgrown with "ladder fuels" and that clearing a fuel break on the county-owned rail corridor would protect nearby homes and city property in a significant wind event. The chief said the work would be done by district personnel for training and maintenance.

The boardmoved to approve the access agreement granting NCFD access to and use of the portion of the county-owned abandoned rail corridor adjacent to NCFD property located within Carlton city limits, effective upon full execution through August 2028. The motion passed unanimously. Chair and fellow commissioners thanked the chief for the proposal and acknowledged long-standing maintenance constraints on the corridor, including migratory-bird protections and other regulatory limits that previously restricted county action.

Ending: The public comments and the access agreement show competing views: some residents pressed for rails-to-trails conversion and recreational development, while others urged sale or prioritized farm impacts. The access agreement permits interim fire-mitigation work by the fire district but does not change the corridor's long-term status; the board did not adopt a final decision on conversion or sale at this meeting.