Page 197 - MFB State Annual Meeting 2018 -- RESOLUTIONS BOOK

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commission to control site plans for mobile home parks and return that responsibility to the local authority.
Taxes on the land and improvements to this land, and the lots thereon, should continue to be paid by the park/community owners. 
#95 ABANDONED RAILROADS
1 The changing of a railroad right-of-way from its
2 intended use should result in compensation to property
3 owners whose land had been originally purchased or
4 condemned for the purpose of the railroad right-of-way.
5 All unused railroad rights-of-way not preserved for
6 future railroad traffic should be reverted to, or offered
7 for sale at or below fair market value, to the current
8 owner of record of the underlying parcel of real estate
9 from which said right-of-way was originally obtained.
10 Whenever determined not possible, landowners shall
11 be compensated for the condemnation of the land or a
12 change to a non-railroad use.
13 The Michigan Department of Transportation
14 (MDOT), who controls the abandoned railroads, should
15 allow the adjacent property owner to clear and remove
16 the railroad bed to return it to agricultural production.
17 We propose a state standard be developed by
18 MDOT requiring removal of non-service or abandoned
19 grade crossing signage within a set time period after
20 public notification of rail line non-service or
21 abandonment.
22 In areas where trails run through production
23 agriculture and other private lands, the authority
24 responsible for the trail should build and maintain
25 fences to keep trail users on the trail and install gates
26 so that property owners have access to both sides of
27 their property if the trail divides the property. All users
28 of the trails shall stop or yield at all crossings,
29 regardless of whether public or private.
30 We urge county Farm Bureaus to become involved
31 when master plans are being developed for trails in their
32 area. We urge the Department of Natural Resources to
33 oppose any proposed trail that does not adequately
34 meet the criteria designated in the Michigan Trailways
35 Act. We urge the same criteria be used when local trails
36 are proposed. Local trailway advisory councils and
37 planning commissions should adequately address any
38 potential conflicts with current uses of adjacent
39 properties such as irrigation, pesticide applications and
40 other accepted agricultural practices.
41 We support the recreational use of horses on
42 converted railroad trails. 
State Policies – Page 111