Despite widespread county support, Yamhill County Commissioners are planning to do a favor for a small, but well funded and vocal opposition group and kill the Yamhelas Westsider Trail Project, a planned public rail to trail walking, bike and equestrian path. 

We need to let them know how important this project is to seniors, families, economic development and all Yamhill citizens who love outdoor recreation. Now is the time to be investing, not divesting in Yamhill county!

**To Donate to the Yamhelas Westsider Trail Go Here**

Some helpful background information:

This is not an issue of cost. Stopping work on the trail could actually force the county to repay up to $3 million in grants that were made for the express purpose of developing a trail. While commissioners are exploring the possibility of selling the county owned land the trail would run on to cover these costs. The issue remains that they would be wholesaling Yamhill assets and funneling the money out of the county. In addition to being costly, this would harm the county’s reputation as a trustworthy grant recipient for any future grants.

The Trail through farm land is NOT illegal! The Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) did NOT reverse the Conditional Use Permit decision, they issued another remand, which is just asking the County for more detailed information about how it will protect farm property and practices.

The current Master Plan process will answer many of the questions and issues that LUBA, adjacent landowners and some county commissioners have had. Stopping it would be premature and hypocritical.

This is not a property rights issue. The Trail right-of-way was owned by the railroads for 150 years before the County bought it in 2017. It has been a transportation corridor all this time.

More info on the Yamhelas Westsider Trail can be found on their website: http://www.yamhelaswestsidertrail.com