Residents raise safety and property concerns as County considers 'rail banking' of rights-of-way

Dozens of residents told the County Council on March 19 that they oppose transferring or converting former rail rights-of-way for trail use and urged clarification of ownership and access rules.

Multiple residents — identified in the meeting minutes as Dee and George Windsor, Alford Sattoff, Wilson Todd, Lisa Phillips, Eric Windsor, Clark DeLong, Jake Windsor, Sheryl Wilmoth and Brian Nabb — raised concerns about public access crossing private property, criminal activity, littering, and dirt-bike use on rail corridors. Several property owners asked that the rights-of-way be returned to adjacent landowners rather than retained by the government.

Interim County Manager Jeff Powell cautioned that the term 'Rails to Trails' can be misleading and said the County's interest is to maintain the lines in case they are needed: "the name, Rails to Trails is misleading and that the rail lines are not being abandoned. The County's intention is to maintain the lines in the event that they are needed in the future." County Attorney Charles MacLeod explained the legal mechanics: when a railroad abandons rights-of-way, government may assume control; he said the State currently holds those rights and has offered them to the County. Councilman Mike Detmer suggested the more accurate term "rail banking."

No formal vote was recorded on the rail-rights question at the March 19 meeting. County staff indicated additional public hearings will be held before any final action and clarified that some segments (for example the active line from Hurlock to Linkwood/US 50) remain in service.