Posted: 6/12/07
County board approves trails committee requests
By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
The wheels are turning on a proposed recreational trail, which would run from Houston to La Crescent. The Houston County Board approved a resolution on June 5, which sets the project in motion.
County EDA Director Joyce Iverson and Holly Larson of the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, made a presentation to the board and basically had three requests.
ïTo have the county act as the purchasing agent when acquiring land for the trail;
ïTo approve the process for land acquisition;
ïTo approve the conceptual corridor between Houston (where the Root River Trail currently ends) and Mound Prairie (which is the next segment of the proposed trail).
Larson explained with previous trail projects, trail promoters found landowners were more receptive dealing with local governmental agencies. In many cases, the counties in which the trails were located acted as purchasing agents, would acquire the land from the property owners, and then sell the land to the state for trail development.
According to Iverson, the Houston County Trails Committee hopes to locate the next segment of the trail from Houston to Mound Prairie between CASH 21 and Highway 16, utilizing either the old railroad right-of-way or a close proximity to the Root River.
The process the trails committee will utilize to make the proposed trail a reality was reviewed by the county board. That process includes:
ïCounty board approves conceptual corridor recommended and authorizes the EDA through the County Trails Acquisition Committee to contact landowners affected in the conceptual corridor.
ïLandowners are interviewed about current uses and whether trail use would be compatible and if not compatible, to ask landowners for alternate routes that would be compatible.
ïCommittee seeks routes where feasible around landowners not interested in selling or leasing their land.
ïThe committee would request options for the county to purchase the land from willing sellers.
ïEDA Trails Sub-committee presents options acquired by the Acquisition Committee to the county EDA.
ïThe county EDA recommends the land purchases to the county board
ïThe county purchases the land per options obtained for the trail alignment.
ïThe DNR purchases the land for trail alignment from the county.
Iverson and Larson explained county land purchases usually involve several departments i.e.- the highway department, surveyor, county attorney, and an independent appraiser.
Commissioner Ann Thompson felt the county highway department should be involved with the project, since a portion of the trail might be running along county road right-of-ways.
Commissioner Larry Graf voiced concern about county departments being used to assist the project. Iverson replied the group had already received a $100,000 grant, which will be used for up-front costs like surveying, but cannot be used for land purchases.
Commissioner Tom Bjerke asked what the response has been from landowners already contacted about the proposed trail.
Iverson replied not all of the landowners in the corridor have been contact yet, but responses have varied.
"How are you going to handle unwilling property owners?" Graf asked.
Larson stated the land acquisition specialist from the DNR couldnít attend the county board meeting, but said they try to piece together a workable route utilizing properties of supporting landowners.
"Not everyone is against trail development," Larson said. "We do have people in favor of recreational trails and try to work with these people."
Bjerke said he was all in favor of the trail extending futher into Houston County. He made the motion to approve the requests. His motion was seconded by Graf.
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