No ruling made on Columbia trail lawsuit

A judge heard arguments Tuesday in the city of Columbia’s efforts to condemn land for a fitness trail extension near the southeast edge of the University of Missouri campus.

However, a ruling is not expected for several weeks.

The city council in February approved a $2.8 million trail connecting east Columbia to central Columbia, called the Shepard to Rollins trail. The hearing Tuesday involved a piece of land that was sold by a private owner to a non-profit while the city was making plans to use the property for a trail.

The city wants to acquire the land to make a trail connector, but the new landowners, It’s Our Wild Nature, do not agree with the trail idea.

Columbia Parks and Recreation Director Mike Griggs said the city took the original landowners to court Tuesday.

“We try to negotiate with property owners since day one about letting us have the easement … so we can work together while we develop it, but they did not want to go that route. So unfortunately, we’re going that route right now,” Griggs said.

Griggs said the original owners wanted to develop the land, while the new owners are more nature focused.

It’s Our Wild Nature representatives questioned city ordinances to authorize the easement Tuesday and spoke about their concerns over how blazing a trail through the land would affect wildlife.

When originally considering the trail plan, the city had the option to buy the land or to use eminent domain if a sale could not be arranged, but the first option was taken off the table.

“Next thing we knew it was sold, we weren’t even told about it, ’til after the sale happened,” Griggs said.

The judge asked both parties to send him documents by Dec. 28 so he can review them and make the final decision.