Council approves final easements for Oxford Area Trail System Phase 5 after extensive public support and owner negotiations

Oxford City Council on March 11 adopted multiple ordinances to acquire permanent and temporary rights of way and memorialize easement agreements needed to construct Phase 5 of the Oxford Area Trail System, a stretch city officials described as the critical link that will connect the high school, middle school and existing trail segments.

The measures include two appropriation ordinances to take title or interests in parcels on or near Oxford Riley Road and Gardenia Drive, and separate ordinances authorizing easement agreements with Cobblestone Community Church Incorporated; South Farm Development Incorporated; South Farm Owners Association, Incorporated; HPCT Properties Incorporated; the Abraham and Eulan M. Kurunga Family Trust; and CSX Transportation Incorporated. Council also adopted an ordinance memorializing an existing easement with Cobblestone Community Church and several other already-negotiated agreements.

Phase 5 was described by city staff as the “critical link” that will connect Phase 3 with Phase 4, tie the high school to the middle school, and provide a northern connector to the city sidewalk network and future transit access. City staff told council the city must continue with the acquisition process to preserve more than $3 million in grant funding that supports the project; if the city delays, staff said those grant awards could be jeopardized.

Residents spoke in favor of the project during the ordinance hearings. Sehermini (address given to the clerk), a Dana Drive resident, said the trail will run behind her house and praised the safety and connectivity it will provide for children: “I just having my kids being able to connect in with the whole community, and kind of safely get out of our neighborhood, is really important to me.” Genevieve O’Malley Knight, Megan Kuykendahl, Paul Reedy and John Ralinski each described benefits for recreation, commuting, and student access, saying the trail will reduce car trips, increase children’s safe active transportation between schools, and improve quality of life. Jim Vinch, a recent Oxford resident, said he supported completion of the trail but urged care in any use of eminent domain: “You want to be very careful and thoughtful when you use eminent domain,” he said, adding that the trail “is in the public interest.”

A property owner with land affected by the Gardenia Drive easement, Chris Shoker, told council he had met with city negotiators and law staff and called the discussions “significant progress.” He asked only that negotiations preserve the owner’s ability to add to the property in the future. City staff said negotiations would continue with two remaining property owners and that the law director would keep working toward settlements while the council approved the ordinances required to keep the project on schedule.

Council members repeatedly described the trail as both a recreational amenity and a transportation connection that fills long-standing gaps in the city’s network. Council noted the trail addresses safety concerns for parents pushing strollers on roads without sidewalks, and provides a nonmotorized route to the high school that previously forced students to use the railroad right-of-way.

Roll-call votes on the ordinances showed unanimous support among present members. Several ordinances required six affirmative votes to proceed with the acquisition process; council achieved the required thresholds and adopted the easement and appropriation measures.

Construction scheduling discussed by staff anticipates continued negotiation with remaining property owners, followed by bidding and construction once right-of-way and easement commitments are finalized. Staff said the city would prefer fall removal or replanting work where applicable and that bidding would follow acquisition milestones.

Council and staff thanked the many residents, property owners and consultants who have worked on various phases of the trail over many years, and noted that the project dovetails with planned regional transit and other infrastructure work.

Votes at a glance: the ordinance to appropriate title and interest near Oxford Riley Road was adopted by roll call (Councilor Franklin: yes; Councilor French: yes; Councilor Bracken: yes; Councilor Prittridge: yes; Councilor Smith: yes; Mayor Snavely: yes). Subsequent easement ordinances with named property owners and CSX Transportation were also adopted by recorded roll calls that were unanimous among the members present.