May 2009

A group of citizens including some public officials has recently formed a two counties "Friends" group to support the establishment of a 18.5 mile rail-trail between the two cities on a discontinued Norfolk-Southern RR rail corridor. The group has posted a PETITION to request State and local governments to partner to create the first State Rail-Trail. On May 7th, the Hendersonville City Council unanimously adopted a resolution supporting a regional trail between Hendersonville and Brevard on the discontinued Norfolk-Southern RR corridor. The resolution specifically mentions the recreational, tourism and economic benefits of such trails as well as the need to preserve the corridor for possible future rail service.

Michael Oliphant, the NCRT contact in Hendersonville and leader of the local citizen rail-trail effort, made a fine presentation on behalf of the resolution. Blue Ridge Now.com recently reports that recreational enthusiasts are continuing to pursue a rails-to-trails project in Henderson and Transylvania counties, but Norfolk Southern railroad seems unwilling to abandon the line.

A suit against Norfolk Southern attempting to stop a railbanking was recently dismissed by a federal court in Asheville. Individuals have agreed to tasks including to insure that NCDENR continues to be motivated to make this trail the first state owned and managed rail-trail, obtaining the positive formal resolutions from three governmental units in Henderson County and obtaining the public endorsement of the trail by the developer redeveloping the shuttered Ecusta paper mill near Brevard. This developer initially asked that the rails not be taken up pending its decision on what uses would be envisioned at the brownfield redevelopment. Subsequently, their plans have not included any industrial uses in the redevelopment.

Connecting up with the Brevard Bike Path (as described above) would connect this trail to the Mountains to the Sea Trail. This would add some additional cachet or distinction to this trail. Also state law, NCGS Sec 113-34.1 provides specifically that the NC Department of Administration may acquire lands to turn over to NCDENR for the purpose of developing and managing the MST. And it specifically provides that no new legislation is required as is required in the case of adding new state parks. This project reporter believes that the trails act permits the acquisition of land for the NCDENR for a state trail without requiring legislative approval as a new state park. A new state trail connecting to the MST would have an additional basis for such an argument.

For more info on Brevard area projects contact Michael Domonkos at (828) 884-7648.