Norfolk Southern to get land so it can build new Wabash maintenance facility

“In order to do that, they would like to move their property line 20 feet or so to the west,” Park Superintendent Todd Titus told the board.

He said he, along with two Park Board members and City Attorney Doug Lehman, visited the site last week and had no problem with the request.

“I think one of the things that really came to light when we were down there,” Titus said, “was we saw the thing staked out, and the railroad has quite a bit of property down there that we maintain as park property. What they are requesting is really a very, very small part of the project, but is a necessary part of the project.

“It involves property that they kind of use as their own already. There’s not going to be a whole lot of difference there, except that fence is going to be moved to the west.”

Board member Dee Byerly asked if the fence that currently surrounds the railroad maintenance facility is where the property line is.

The fence is on city property, Titus said.

“In fact, their maintenance facility encroaches slightly on our property,” he added.

Lehman reiterated that while the facility encroaches on city property, part of the park is on railroad property.

“We have been maintaining, mowing and taking care of – we’ve actually planted some plants on – part of their property,” he said.

Titus added there are some sites on the south side of the railroad tracks that the Riverwalk trail encroaches on railroad property. The railroad gave permission to put the trail in, he said, but didn’t relinquish all the rights of way.

The Paradise Spring Park was developed by a not-for-profit organization, and the city didn’t get involved until it began obtaining state grants for work at the site. The grants required the city to control the park.

“I don’t think it’s going to cause us any problems,” Titus said of the railroad’s request. “It’s an eye-opener when you go down there and think about future development down there.”