Rail-to-Trail Project Proposed

IN 2 WEEKS. VOTERS IN BONITA SPRINGS WILL DECIDE IF THEY WANT TO RAISE THEIR PROPERTY TAXES TO PAY FOR A WALKING RUNNING AND CYCLING TRAIL. THE REFERENDUM ON THE PRIMARY BALLOT WOULD ALLOW THE CITY TO PURCHASE THE DEFUNCT SEMINOLE GULF RAILWAY CORRIDOR AND CONVERT IT TO BE PART OF THE BONITA ESTERO RAIL TRAIL WGCUS YOUN JOO PARK REPORTS. >> THESE OLD RAILWAY TRACKS ARE RELICS OF SOUTHWEST FLORIDA'S HISTORY. NEWS TRACKS ARE OVERGROWN WITH VEGETATION. THROUGH SEVERAL DECADES OF INACTIVITY. BUT NOW THESE FORGOTTEN RAILROAD TRACKS ARE THE CENTER OF PUBLIC FOCUS. THIS ATTENTION WILL REACH AN APEX ON AUGUST 18 WHEN THE FATE OF THE UNUSED TO RAILWAY CORRIDOR WILL BE DECIDED AT THE POLLS BY RESIDENTS OF BENITA SPRINGS. THE PROJECT IS CALLED BURT IN THE STANDS FOR THE BONITA'S ESTERO RAIL TRAIL. THIS RAILWAY CORRIDOR SPANS OVER 11 MILES. THE BIRDS PROPOSAL ENTAILS BUYING THE REAL PROPERTY AND CONVERTING IT INTO TRAILS FOR PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS HERE'S TUCH HAD AWAY CONSERVATION DIRECTOR FOR THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND >> WE NEED A STILL REAL THRILL. KORDA WILL PROVIDE A SAFER, DEDICATED SPACE FOR CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS IN CHILDREN SO THAT THEY CAN USE IT SAFELY AND GET TO WHERE THEY'RE GOING. THE COST OF THE LAND PURCHASE. >> 60 MILLION DOLLARS TOTAL FOR PHASE ONE OF ACQUISITION. THE LION SHARE OR 48% OF THE COST WILL BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF BONITA SPRINGS RESIDENCE. AND A YES VOTE ON AUGUST. 18TH WILL MEAN THAT PEOPLE AGREE TO PAYING 35 MILLION DOLLAR BOND OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS. MAYOR MIKE GIBSON AT BONITA SPRINGS SAYS THE COST FOR INDIVIDUAL HOMEOWNERS, WHICH BE MINIMAL. SO FOR THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD, IT WOULD BE. >> JUST SHY OF $60 A YEAR VOTERS HAVE RAISED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BIRD PROJECT. >> THE FIRST CONCERN IS ABOUT MONEY. WHY SHOULD THE CITY FOOT THE BILL FOR THE RIO TRAIL PROJECT THEN COURTNEY LEE SAYS THE LARGE PRICE TAG GIVES HIM PAUSE. FUNDING SHOULD BE COMING OUT OF THE DISAGREEMENTS. ARE THERE? >> JUDE RICH FAIL OF BONITA SPRINGS SAYS THE TRAIL RUNS BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH. >> OUTSIDE OF CITY LIMITS. THIS IS A MULTI. >> COUNTY PROJECT WHY IS THE CITY? WE SHOULD BE AROUND THE COUNTY LEVELS. YOU KNOW, BOTH COUNTIES THING OR A STATE LEVEL BECAUSE THERE'S MULTIPLE COUNTS OF ALL. THEY SHOULD PAY FOR IT. >> DUCK HAD A WAY OF THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND SAYS THE PROJECT HAS NOT RECEIVED FUNDING AT THE COUNTY STATE OR FEDERAL LEVELS HE SAYS WHAT COMPLICATES THIS MATTER IS THERE ARE 3 INDEPENDENT ENTITIES INVOLVED IN FINANCING THIS PROJECT. WE EACH HAVE THEIR OWN BUDGETS AND PARTIES AND FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS AND OBLIGATIONS. AND SO. >> THE VILLAGE OF ESTERO IN COLLIER COUNTY WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY OTHER FUNDING STRATEGIES THAT WOULD NOT REQUIRE THEM TO GO IN FRONT OF THEIR VOTERS TO SEEK AUTHORITY TO BORROW MONEY. WHEREAS THE CITY OF BONITA SPRINGS HAS DIFFERENT BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS THAT DUDE POINT THEM TOWARDS THE NEED TO GO IN FRONT OF THE VOTERS. THE SECOND CONCERN. >> IS WHETHER THE PRICE TAG ACCURATELY REFLECTS THE APPRAISAL MAN SURVEY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT. DAVID JAY IS THE CHAIRMAN OF U.S. A TAX FIGHTER'S DOT ORG AND SAYS HE WANTS TO SEE THE APPRAISAL OF REAL PROPERTY VALUE. WHAT HOMEOWNER BUSINESS WOULD BUY SOME PROPERTY. >> WENDY, REALLY STATE APPRAISAL IS NOT PROVIDED NOT EVEN CONDUCTED UNTIL AFTER THE ELECTION. >> DOC HAD AWAY FROM THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND SAYS THAT SALE HAS NOT CLOSED. WE'VE HAD MULTI MULTIPLE APPRAISALS ON THE SCORE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PAYING A PRICE THAT IS SUPPORTED BY THE MARKET. >> DAVID JAY COUNTERS THAT RESIDUAL CLEANUP AT THE RAILROAD SITE COULD INCREASE THE COST OF ACQUIRING THIS PROPERTY. >> WHEN YOU ARE ONLY TALKING ABOUT BUYING THE DIRT AND YOU'RE IGNORING THE IMPROVEMENTS AND THE BRIDGES AND THE 100 YEARS OF CLEANUP. THAT'S A HUGE PROPERTY TAX BILL. >> CHARLES HYNES OF THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND SAYS THIS ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERN WILL BE FULLY INVESTIGATED AND PEOPLE NEED TO REALIZE IS THESE ARE REAL MORE DOORS. YOU'RE NOT BUILDING YOU'RE NOT GROWING FOOD. >> YOU DON'T ACTUALLY BUILD IN THE AREA WHERE MAYBE THE TIES HAD SOME KOREA SO TYPE OF STUFF LEAKING USE THAT AS A PAPER TRAIL. >> THE 3RD CONCERN IS ABOUT HOW MUCH MORE MONEY IS NEEDED TO FUND THIS PROJECT. RESIDENTS WONDER ABOUT FUTURE HIDDEN COSTS OF DEVELOPING A TRAIL. MAINTENANCE AT THE TRAIL IS NOT AS COMPLEX ACCORDING TO CHARLES HYNES OF TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND AT ITS. >> 12 FEET, 15 FEET OF ASPHALT THE REPAVING EVERY DECADE. WHEN YOU TRIM SOME SOME GRASS ON THE SIDE. SO THE ACTUAL MAINTENANCE OF THE TRAIL ITSELF. >> IT'S NOT AS POPULATION GROWTH CONTINUES IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA. THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND SAYS THE TIME IS RIPE FOR THE RAIL TRAIL CONVERSION BECAUSE IT WOULD BE HARD TO PLACE A TRAIL ONCE A COMMUNITY ALREADY HAS COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL UNITS FOR WGCU