Clarksburg Branch Line Trail Extension

Attorney for two landowning families (about 4.5 of the 6.5 trail miles) objected that the trail bisects their farms, disputed claims of no opposition, cited Farm Bureau and environmental letters, raised pesticide-spraying liability concerns, and asked the city to sit down and consider an alternative route on the deep water channel.

Returned to strongly support the trail, describing her seven years of leading Delta bike rides, the danger of the South River Road zigzag, the absence of homeless-encampment problems on the similar Del Rio Trail, and European examples of trails coexisting with farms and vineyards.

Said easement issues on the Del Rio Trail were worked through, noted thousands of rail-trails nationwide coexist with farmland, and argued a Bay Area-to-Lake Tahoe trail link would be a world-class destination and economic driver.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy trail development manager explained the rail-banking process and the six-year federal takings statute, noted 60–75% of trail spending comes from the local region, and cited national and Ventura County examples of trails coexisting with agriculture.