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Representative Nolte seeks program to map abandoned railroad centerlines to ease boundary disputes
Summary
House Bill 1318 would direct the state land surveyor to establish centerline geometry for abandoned railroad rights-of-way so private surveyors and landowners have a consistent reference for property boundaries; the sponsor proposes contracting the work incrementally and estimates modest annual costs.
Representative Nolte introduced House Bill 1318 to address boundary problems created by abandoned railroad rights-of-way. Nolte said surveyors and landowners frequently lack a clear centerline for abandoned track, which complicates property surveys and can produce conflicting boundary lines. "This option would be to require the state land surveyor to perform that function and create the geometry that would be provided to any surveyor," Nolte said, describing a program to establish centerline points that private surveyors could use.
Nolte proposed a gradual approach: the state would write specifications and contract out surveys in small increments (his example estimate was as little as $20,000 per year) rather than trying to clear the entire inventory at once. He explained that valuation schedules and historic deeds sometimes record the railroad geometry, but in many situations the centerline is lost and brush, farm equipment or plowing have removed visible traces. The proposed system would give surveyors a common, datumed centerline to reference when establishing adjoining property boundaries.
Committee members asked clarifying questions about ownership reversion for easements versus fee title, the scale of abandoned lines and whether the Department of Agriculture or the land surveyor's office had capacity to implement the work. Representative McHugh and Representative Brumley noted similarities to the state's re-monumentation program for public land corners and suggested contracting out work and leveraging advisory committees. Vice Chair Brown said he favored contracting the surveys, observing that the Department of Agriculture likely lacks capacity to do the work in-house. Nolte said the land survey advisory committee would help prioritize segments once established. The hearing closed with no formal opposition on the record and agreement from members that the proposal merits follow-up work on fiscal and implementation details.
