Cost nixes plans for Southlake Equestrian trail

The Council decided not to build an equestrian and multi-use trail connecting Texas 114, Countryside Bible Church and Ride With Pride after finding out how much it would cost.

Ken Baker, Southlake director of planning, estimated it would cost about $2 million to build the half-mile trail. The city has to follow Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines on the grade of the trail while also taking care of drainage issues. Baker said that’s what added significant cost to what really is a short trail. The city would likely have had to purchase land from the church, too.

The price also included developing a new 4.5-acre park on Texas 114 on land the city already owns. Baker showed plans for a circle driveway with a parking lot. There were even plans to connect the trail to White Chapel Boulevard.

Ride With Pride on Highland Street would use the trail for its horses, as would people who live in the area, but it’s unlikely anyone would drive a horse trailer to the site for a short half-mile trail, several council members said.

"I think it’s time to pull the chute on this," said Councilman Gary Fawks, who was on the Council when the city bought the land on Texas 114. "It’s more than just a trail. It brings up a whole host of issues. We didn’t buy it to make it a horse park."

Doreen Bruton, owner of Ride with Pride, said the original trail dates back to the late 1970s. There was even a dedicated easement put in by the developer of the Fox Hollow neighborhood in the 1990s. And the city-owned land along the highway was intended to be an equestrian trailhead, Bruton said.

In 2008, Countryside Bible Church closed the easement. City officials said it was because the trail brought up liability issues as it crossed church property.

"It is sad that our society is so afraid of litigation," Bruton said. "I have been trying to get the trail back for us and all of the neighbors who live on Shady Oaks who also have horses."

This story was originally published February 4, 2016 at 1:47 PM with the headline "Cost nixes plans for Southlake Equestrian trail."