Resident urges county not to reduce Pierce Creek equestrian trails, asks for gun-range limits

Deb Ratliff of Shenandoah told county officials at a public meeting that she opposes reducing the equestrian trails at Pierce Creek Equestrian Park and urged leaders to avoid repurposing trail acreage for a storybook trail or other uses.

Ratliff said she sent an email and provided a hard copy of her remarks to the board and clarified she was offering opinions rather than asking for an immediate decision. “I was at the conservation board meeting in July, and unless I misunderstood everything, I was understanding that she was gonna close down some of the equestrian horse trails,” Ratliff said. She added that a follow-up text message she received suggested trails would not be closed, which left her unsure of the plan.

Ratliff described Pierce Creek’s equestrian facilities as used by horse owners, hikers, dog walkers, fishermen and campers and credited volunteers Joyce and Merrill Crews for developing the trails. She said riders and visitors bring business to nearby restaurants and supply stores and that reducing trail mileage “immediately impacts our local economic welfare.”

Ratliff said she is not opposed to storybook trails in principle but questioned whether children and families would use Pierce Creek given distance and natural hazards near the creek, including poison ivy and ticks. “The storybook trails might be a better option to organize within Shenandoah or Clorinda possibly due to proximity and easier access for the children and their parents,” she said.

She also raised concerns about a possible reopening of the gun range at or near the park, arguing animals and park users are disturbed by gunfire. As a compromise, Ratliff suggested posted, regulated times for the gun range — for example, one weekday or two Saturdays per month — and said schedules should be enforced to protect patrons and animals.

A meeting participant responded that the topic falls primarily to the conservation board, though the county board could still discuss it. No formal action was taken at the meeting; Ratliff said she was not seeking an immediate answer but wanted officials to know her concerns.

The discussion occurred during public comment; county staff or conservation-board representatives were not recorded giving a specific plan for trail closures or a schedule for any gun-range reopening during the meeting.