In our last issue (October 2, 2025) we posed some serious questions about the wisdom – even the legality – of Sonoma County’s plans to spend $2.7 million for railroad property ostensibly owned by Union Pacific for a Class One bike trail along Eighth Street East.
In response to that story, Ken Tam, of Sonoma County Parks Department, provided the following answers. We are reprinting the questions along with his answers and our analysis of the answers.
- Why is the County paying twice for a County road (8th Street East) in connection with the purchase of the railroad right of way? In 1925, the Board of Supervisors accepted deeds from property owners negotiated by the railroad for the 40’ wide strips to the west of the original 8th Street between Schellville Road and Denmark Road.
County response: The County has a purchase agreement with Union Pacific to negotiate the purchase of Union Pacific’s remaining property interests along the 8th Street East corridor. Union Pacific’s property interests are identified in the preliminary Title Report and the recorded Record of Survey.
Editorial analysis: Their answer does not address the previously negotiated property sale to the County of Sonoma, leaving the question of why the county seems prepared to purchase property it already owns.
- Why is the County buying a 55’ wide strip that was never deeded to the railroad (NWP) between Denmark Street and Napa Street? The railroad’s “perpetual franchise” expired when it filed for abandonment in 1986.
County response: Same response as above.…