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Residents don't want to give up chunk of properties for Volusia County bike path

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Some residents in Volusia County are fighting to keep their land as county officials get one step closer to building a bike path.

The path would run along Osteen-Maytown Road and would take 30 feet from some residents' front lawns.

Emotional Volusia County resident Byron Peavy and several other homeowners addressed council members Thursday morning before the council voted in favor of asking the state for property it legally owns because of a deed drafted in the 1930s.

"It was the right thing to do and I am sure the residents - once this goes in - are going to be very happy with it," said Volusia County council member Patricia Northey.

Peavy and most of his neighbors disagree with Northey. Peavy said the county has right of way that they  could use to avoid taking such a large portion of his yard.

According to Peavy the county has sufficient land to construct at 7-foot buffer, the 12-foot bike path and still leave 6 feet for drainage.

Residents proposed that idea to commissioners.

"Why not make this bike trail on the 25-foot right of way?" Channel 9 reporter Roy Ramos asked Northey.

"I think you heard that there are drainage issues," said Northey. "If we want to build on the existing ditches, the cost of that is exorbitant and we can't afford the cost of building on ditches."

That leaves the only area for a drainage ditch in the front yards of residents.

County officials said if the county is to construct the bike path, they will be very careful with residents' landscape, and offered to pay for reconstruction of any fences and entrance gates that may need to be moved.