Commissioners Signal Denial of Rail Corridor Trail Plan, Formal Findings Set for Jan. 21

By Tracy Christopher on Monday, January 12th, 2026 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News

WALLOWA COUNTY — Wallowa County Commissioners signaled what they described as an “essentially final” decision Wednesday night to deny a proposed plan amendment that would have advanced a recreational trail concept along the Wallowa Union Railroad Authority (WURA) corridor. While the vote itself was advisory, formal written findings will be drafted and considered for adoption at the Board of Commissioners’ regular meeting on January 21 at 9:00 a.m.

The special session followed a December 17 public hearing and an extended written comment period that closed December 29. Commissioners said the volume of public input was unprecedented.

“I think we’ve gotten more testimony on this issue than in the 19 years I was here before on any one issue,” said Commissioner Mike Hayward as the meeting opened. “The community has clearly spoken. Now it’s our turn to tell you where we’re at.”

Commissioner John Hillock recused himself due to a conflict of interest, leaving Hayward and Commissioner Lisa Collier to deliberate and vote.

Collier: Safety, EFU Impacts, and Railroad Function Drive Concerns

Commissioner Collier said she reviewed every letter, email, and conversation related to the proposal. While she acknowledged that some concerns could potentially be addressed, she identified several issues she said could not be mitigated.

Among her top concerns were:

Off-leash dogs and impacts on farming and ranching operations.
Public safety risks created by adding hikers, bikers, and horseback riders to a narrow corridor originally intended for rail service.
Strain on already over-extended emergency services in a difficult-to-access area.
The scale and complexity of the proposed Refinement Plan document.
Insufficient demonstrated demand for foot and bicycle traffic to justify a public trail as the highest and best use of the corridor.
The fact that WURA remains a working railroad, not an abandoned rail line.

Collier said, taken together, those factors led her to recommend denial of the application for a comprehensive plan amendment.

Hayward: EFU Compliance a Key Barrier

Commissioner Hayward outlined more than a dozen findings evaluating the proposal against county and state land-use criteria. He said the amendment met some standards but failed others.

Hayward acknowledged that the county’s Transportation System Plan (TSP) is outdated and largely aspirational, and that the proposed amendment does not directly contradict it. However, he noted several structural conflicts:

The underlying landowner, WURA, has not approved the plan outside the portion located within the City of Wallowa.
Much of the corridor lies within Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) zoning, triggering stricter state review standards under ORS 215.296.
Multiple farmers and ranchers submitted testimony describing operational impacts from a public trail.

While Hayward said he was not in a position to determine whether those impacts would be legally “significant,” he said he must defer to agricultural operators regarding their on-the-ground realities.

“Primarily because of the EFU ground and the burden to demonstrate compliance, I cannot support the proposed amendment,” Hayward said.

The motion was made to deny the amendment by Commissioner Collier, seconded by Hayward and passed unanimously, with no opposing votes.

Hayward also addressed concerns about consistency between the county’s Transportation System Plan and the City of Wallowa’s plan, noting that the city and county operate under different review criteria. Portions of the trail within city limits could theoretically meet approval standards that do not apply in EFU-zoned county land.

Next Steps: Findings, Notice, and Appeal Rights

Although the vote reflects the commissioners’ position, the decision does not become final until written findings are adopted on January 21.

Once adopted, all individuals who submitted testimony will have standing to appeal the decision to the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA). Notices will be sent immediately following the January 21 meeting outlining appeal procedures and deadlines.

Hayward said notification could begin as early as January 22.

The board adjourned the special session after confirming the next procedural steps.

See a companion story this topic here