Property owner wants river's edge trail easement abandoned
<p>Parts of the trail in Columbia Falls that runs along the Flathead River from the Old Red Bridge to the Cedar Pointe subdivision was covered with debris from this spring's high runoff.</p>
The owner of riverfront property next to the Old Red Bridge says he wants the city to abandon the trail easement through his property.
Mark Cahill told the Hungry Horse News last week the city is unable to enforce the rules provided by the easement for a riverfront trail that runs from the Red Bridge across his property and a neighbor's to the Cedar Pointe subdivision on South Nucleus Avenue.
Violations of the easement agreement include people using power tools to clear the trail and people wandering outside of the 10-foot wide easement onto a foot trail once used by Loren Kreck, the property's former owner. Cahill said he's also seen dogs off leash, mountain bikes, camp fires, littering, vandalism to signs and drinking parties.
Cahill disagrees with city manager Susan Nicosia and other city officials who have said his problems will not go away if the easement is abandoned. Once the easement no longer exists, Cahill said, he could erect a barrier with an excavator if necessary to discourage people from entering the trail from the Red Bridge end.
Cahill said he met with Nicosia and police chief Dave Perry on July 25 and with public works director Lorin Lowry later the same day. Perry noted that enforcement was difficult when people wander down the trail at all hours of the day, and Lowry said maintenance of the trail is difficult because power tools and motorized equipment can't be used.
The trail is currently closed to the public because high-water conditions this year not only covered the trail with water but left large amounts of woody debris in places. With vandals knocking down signs at the trailhead, however, people continue to wander down the trail, Cahill said.
"I go down there almost every day and tell people the trail is closed," he said.