POST FALLS - Dispute over the ownership of a small parcel of land along the railroad tracks and the county licensing office here has prompted county commissioners to remove it from the tax rolls, at least until the dispute is resolved.

But disputed property owner and longtime Post Falls businessman Bob Templin said he has no intention of reclaiming the property.

"I am just going to let the issue go," Templin said, after the commissioners took action to remove it from the tax rolls on Tuesday.

Kootenai County commissioners voted unanimously during their regular business meeting to sign a settlement agreement that would remove a portion of the property along the tracks between Spokane Street and Henry Street from the tax rolls because it appears the property may be city- or railroad-owned right of way, according to recent surveys.

Kootenai County's Civil Deputy Prosecutor David Ferguson told the board of commissioners that a settlement with Templin had been negotiated that would have the county remove the property from the tax rolls and refund the property taxes that Templin paid on the property since about 1995.

The refunded taxes will total $8,000.

Ferguson said if Templin were to come back at a later date, show evidence that he owns the property and refund the $8,000 in taxes, the agreement would require the county to restore the property to the tax rolls.

Templin said at this stage in his life, he is not interested in fighting to regain ownership of the property.

"I am 89 years old," he said, adding he didn't want to burden his family with a property dispute. "They are sending a check, and I am OK with that."

Templin said the dispute came to light when the county surveyed the property and discovered the surveys he submitted in 1994 were not accurate.

Templin explained the property lies along an old street corridor called South Railroad Avenue. He said he bought the property, along with a bunch of other property in the area, from a company called Glacier Park, which was owned by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.

He sold a portion of that parcel to Kootenai County to build its satellite licensing department on North Railroad Avenue, and he applied to put the remainder of the property back on the tax rolls.

"Tom Moore was the assessor back then, and I worked with Tom get a new tax number for that property," he said.

Templin said at least a portion of the property will probably revert back to the city and possibly BNSF.

BNSF Spokesman Gus Melonas said the railroad is looking into the ownership issue, and Post Falls City Engineer Bill Melvin said the city should probably look into the ownership issues as well.

"There are portions of land in that part of the city where BNSF is in there by easement," Melvin said. "It's probably time we go back and take look at those to see where we are at."