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Residents ask council to pause Gans Creek mountain-bike ordinance; callers urge relocated route, more public engagement
Summary
Multiple residents urged the council to recall or pause the ordinance approving a mountain-bike event/trail at Gans Creek Wild Area and asked for a year of community meetings and an environmental review of sinkhole, erosion and wildlife concerns; speakers said alternatives exist and requested relocation rather than cancellation.
Several members of the public used scheduled and general-comment periods at the March 17 meeting to urge Columbia City Council to reconsider the ordinance allowing a mountain-bike course and related events at the Gans Creek Wild Area.
Public speaker Sutu Forte told council she had collected nearly 300 signatures and asked for a 90-day hiatus last January that was denied; she asked for an amendment to relocate the mountain-bike tournament rather than cancel it, citing concerns about sinkholes, erosion and wildlife at Gans Creek. Later in general comment, Sue Tu Forte asked whether councilors would walk the Gans Creek Wild Area and again asked for recall of the ordinance to allow a public meeting with bike groups, environmentalists and staff.
Speakers said they were not universally opposed to mountain biking in Columbia, but urged more public process, an environmental appraisal of sensitive areas and relocation of the event. Staff and council responses during the meeting did not indicate a formal referral or vote to recall the ordinance; councilmembers said they would respond to the public comments during general council comments.
Councilmember Betsy (last name not specified) and others said the mountain-bike proposal has supporters and opponents and that parks staff were revisiting alignments around sensitive features such as the Heron rookery; council discussion noted that some trail segments (crossing the creek or near the rookery) are not approved at present.
No formal motion to recall the ordinance was made during the meeting. Speakers said they will continue to pursue meetings with staff and return to future council business as needed.
