CAVE SPRINGS -- A trail planning meeting became a spirited public forum Friday morning when residents objected to the possibility of a trail running along their subdivision.
"I wasn't expecting everyone to be here like this," said Mayor Travis Lee at the top of the meeting. "I know Charlie Gentry has an issue with it going through his backyard, (but) it's just a proposed trail."
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Gentry was one of several Ridgewood subdivision residents who attended the meeting at the Illinois River Watershed Partnership building after recently learning a trail designed to connect to the Razorback Greenway could run behind their subdivision.
"We found out from a neighbor in our Ridgewood neighborhood," Gentry said before the meeting began. "At some point you'd think we would be notified."
Gentry said he understood the trail design was only in the proposal phase.
"We want to ask them to reroute the bike trail from the north edge of Ridgewood subdivision to a point further north," Gentry said.
Lee told residents in attendance the meeting was designed to be among city officials and engineers developing the trail, but they could air their grievances before the meeting started. However, they would have to remain quiet during the meeting.
Several residents spoke up.
"I own a quarter mile of farm property with a barn and nice fences," said Jim Weir, who owns property the proposed trail would run directly through. "I find out from a neighbor that a bike trail is coming across my property. Being a principal contributor to this trail and having a plan made without my knowledge concerns me."
Lee assured Weir and the rest of the crowd the trail isn't close to being developed, which prompted Ridgewood resident Mike Bedford to speak up and say he's afraid by the time the city gets around to talking to residents about the trail, the plan already will be finalized without community input. Resident Vickey Boozman agreed.
"I think the problem is government action without talking to the people first," Boozman said. "I think we would love for you to set a time with us."
Many of the residents said they support having a trail, but they want it moved from where it's proposed.
"We all think it's a great idea, we would just prefer another location," said Rudy Acosta, the Ridgewood resident who found out about the location of the proposed trail and notified his neighbors.
There is still time to have a coordinated discussion with residents, Lee said.
"This is my first trail, I'm just trying to make it happen," Lee said. "I'm sorry for not notifying everyone. It's not moving as quickly as what you guys think. We're still applying for grants."
At the end of the meeting, Lee and Acosta agreed to a community meeting about the trail at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20.
The proposed trail will be 4.3 miles, run through Lowell, Cave Springs and Rogers and connect to the greenway, Lee said after the meeting.
The trail would connect the three cities, but a majority of the trail would be in Cave Springs, said Cassie Elliot, grant writer for the city.
The city doesn't have a trail, Lee said.
The trail will cost around $2.5 million, and so far $350,000 in federal grants have been obtained, with four more grant applications pending, said Elizabeth Bowen, project manager for Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning.
Weir, who attended the meeting with his wife, Cindy, said though the trail's proposed location would run behind, not on Ridgewood property, it would come within 30 feet of his barn and would make his property and the property of his neighbor's less private and secure.
"I don't feel good about it coming through my property because I think there's a better route," Weir said. "Our concern is the security of our property."
Weir said the city could purchase a portion of his property as an easement for the trail, but said he's against the idea.
The trail design can be moved so to not encroach on private property or be too close to a residential area, Elliot said.
"(The proposed trail) is a concept," Elliot said. "In order to get grants you have to have a concept. It just means in that general vicinity."
During the meeting, Lee asked an engineer with McClelland Consulting Engineers to look into different locations for the trail.
"We just want to connect to the greenway," Lee said. "If all the landowners don't want the trail to run through their land, we'll have to pick another route."
NW News on 08/27/2016