Not really news, but back in January, the Fairfax County planning commission and Board of Supervisors decided to drop two trails in Huntley Meadows Park from the Countywide Trails Plan and Bicycle Master Plan. FABB writes:
Although there are no trail designs or funding for these trails, they were proposed to be located mostly along utility right-of-way on the northern and southern perimeters of the park.
The County used an out of turn Plan Amendment process to remove the trails, a follow on from the Embark Richmond Highway Comprehensive Plan Amendment that was recently adopted. The request to remove the trails came from the Fairfax County Park Authority and the Friends of Huntley Meadows citizens group who oppose any new access to the park.
The Board ultimately agreed that the damage to the environment and historical resources would be too large.
The damage done to Huntley Meadows Park, a regional gem, would outweigh any benefits. The original master park plan that placed the trails on the map was done prior to any true knowledge of what existed in the park. We have since discovered rare flora and fauna that needs protection and the wetlands have been more fully mapped.
In some ways this is similar to the CCT/Little Falls Parkway case, except that the planning staff recommendation was against what trail and bike advocates wanted and the planning board approved what was recommended.
The Staff report argues that the land has changed significantly since these trails were first identified more than 30 years ago. And that as part of a former of a military installation, acquired through the Federal Lands to Parks Program
its wetlands are therefore regulated by Section 404 of the Clean Water Act. The path project would be subject to Federal review and permitting, which would increase project cost and complexity.
The report also states that the "planned minor paved trail would have significant impacts on archaeological resources in the park. Multiple sensitive archaeological resources exist within the planned trail’s path including the nationally significant northern boundary markers of George Washington's estate." And there might be munitions there that will also increase costs.
The planned shared use path within the northern portion of Huntley Meadows Park would offer transportation benefits as a potential direct east-west, pedestrian and bicycle connection from Telegraph Road to Lockheed Boulevard and the Richmond Highway Corridor area; however, this connection may be closely replicated at least in terms of distance by an alternative connection through nearby neighborhood roadways. The planned minor paved trail along Hayfield Road and the southern and eastern perimeter of the park also presents mobility and access benefits for the neighborhoods to the south to the park and improved east-west connectivity, which are difficult to replicate in terms of distance with the
current alternative connections.Staff supports future consideration of alternative routes or facilities to provide improved east-west connectivity in this area that do not significantly impact natural or cultural resources.
It's hard, in the face of concern from your planning staff, to preserve facilities you don't think you have money for anyway. Hopefully some other alternatives can be identified that will create the kind of connectivity that these were to provide.
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