Morrow County delays decision on Columbia River Heritage Trail update after landowner raises transparency concerns

Morrow County planners presented an update to the Columbia River Heritage Trail Concept Plan and proposed to adopt it as an appendix to the county’s recreation element, but the Board of Commissioners again voted to keep the record open and continued the matter to March 18 after resident objections about record completeness and possible undisclosed funding ties.

Planning director Tamara Mabbat told the board the heritage‑trail update is an update to the 2000 concept plan and that JUB Engineering assisted with public outreach and mapping. "We have identified amenities and potential connections to pursue funding and implementation," planning staff said. The plan distinguishes existing, formally recognized trail segments from conceptual future alignments.

County planner Stephen Rex clarified the exhibited alignment near Boardman and said the map shows the heritage trail roughly a quarter‑mile north of Jonathan Tolman’s property, and that the plan is conceptual — not a construction authorization. "The heritage trail is approximately a quarter mile north of Mr. Tolman's property," staff said while showing the vicinity map.

Jonathan Tolman again urged the board to hold the record open and argued the administrative record lacked documentation of nondisclosure agreements and funding associations he believes connect city planning work to Amazon and other private interests. "The city of Boardman has entered into nondisclosures with the parks master plan related statements and given me a bill for $16,656 reflecting the volume of materials," Tolman said, and he asked that those documents be added to the administrative record so they can be reviewed and certified for any appeal.

Staff and the applicant noted the plan is conceptual and said overlapping city park projects do not change the county action; they emphasized that many trail segments are existing facilities and that future implementation will require separate project‑level coordination with landowners and federal agencies. The county’s presentation described several conceptual connection options, including potential use of existing easements (for example, the BPA easement west of Boardman) as subject to feasibility and further coordination.

After debate on procedure and the correct motion language, the board voted to hold the record open under the 777 schedule and to continue the heritage‑trail hearing to March 18 at 1:30 p.m. Commissioners directed staff to accept supplemental materials under the 777 timetable, compile the administrative record, and return with recommended findings and any necessary clarifications before the board considers final adoption.