At Tuesday’s county board of supervisors meeting, the board voted whether to initiate the process of eminent domain for the completion of the Bob Jones bike trail.
The trail is to help bridge a 4.5 mile gap between the bike trails in San Luis Obispo and Avila Beach, and would need to use approximately one acre of land that is currently owned by Ray Bunnell.
Bunnell has refused to sell this part of his 146-acre property, which has prompted the county to consider eminent domain to complete the project. At Tuesday’s meeting, this failed to reach the 4/5ths vote, as supervisor John Peschong recused himself due to a conflict of interest, and supervisor Debbie Arnold dissented in her vote.
County officials say it is unlikely they will be able to hold on to previously secured grant funding for the trail, as they would need to finalize work and designs, hire a contractor, and break ground within five months.
