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Home My WebLink About2017-07-26Dryden Rail-Trail Friends and Task Force Minutes of July 26, 2017 Meeting Dryden Village Hall Attendance: Bob Beck, Bruno Schickel, Dan Lamb, Steve Winans, Todd Bittner, David Cutter, David Keifer, David Fogel, David Bravo-Cullen, Robert O’Malley, Mark Witmer, Alice Green Call to order (7:06 p.m.) – Bob Beck Follow-up from Community-Design Workshop of June 17: Summarize & discuss ideas generated and plan next steps – David Cutter, Reed Huegerich, Alice, Todd, Bob Highlights of the session were reviewed. Comments from all six working groups have been transcribed. David Cutter and Alice said they hadn’t had time since the workshop to do further analysis, aside from noting the general trends: the majority of attendees were in favor of keeping the Railroad theme; they want trail amenities to be made locally by volunteers when possible (except for items that might be manufactured as a naming right or special fund raising opportunity); they envision a mixed use trail, with clear guidelines for users. Further summarization of the data gathered at the design workshop, and planning for action steps to follow up, will be the responsibility of the planning committee: Alice, Bob, Todd, Bruno, David Fogel and Diane TH. Dan offered that his Cornell public policy students might take on the data analysis as a fall project, but the task force is hoping to complete it sooner than the end of the semester. Dan also suggested using the “word cloud” technology to cluster ideas from the brainstorming sessions. The committee will work by email to consolidate sections by theme, and address such issues as guidelines for equestrian users. Bob said the task force wants to invite more creative ideas, including drawings and illustrations, when considering next steps. There was a discussion of planning for trail maintenance, which could include neighborhood group sponsors for different sections, a model used for many other trails. Such volunteer groups could be trained and coordinated with the town Department of Public Works. Grant application submission (7/27) to NYS OPRHP with many letters of support and Town resolution – John, Bruno, Bob, Judy, Dan, Todd John Kiefer and Bob have done the major application work. The Dryden Town Board has approved the application, which now requests funding for 5.5 miles of trail. Judy Pierpont and Bob gathered twenty-one letters of support Report on major new Trail Easements and Pledges – Bruno, Bob, Dan, Todd The July deadline for the state parks grant application prompted several landowners to complete their easements for the trail. • Lawyers for the William George Agency raised 13 different issues with the easement; all were answered, and they finalized the permission. • A neighbor next to the crossing at George Road was concerned about unwanted dogs near her property at first, and then became a supporter after a conversation with Bob and Bruno. They suggested a fence and gates could be installed. She voluntarily removed an invisible dog fence buried on her portion of the rail bed. • Varna area trail owners who recently granted easements after long consideration included Brian Stratton and Steve Lucente. • With the impetus of the grant deadline, Ken Lynch, Executive Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, agreed to provide a letter of intent to complete the easement for Game Farm section of the trail. This was a result of an April meeting with Dan, Bob and Todd, and follow up contacts by Dan. The letter of intent was received July 24, in time to be included in the grant proposal. • Bruno is about to close on former railroad property he’s purchasing to donate a trail easement to the town for a section of the trail east of Route 366 at Etna. • NYSEG has taken the easement request to the next corporate level, and a property owner next to Saunders Concrete Company is ready to sign. Proposal to complete George Rd. crossing this fall - Bruno The Task Force voted unanimously to accept donations of fill and gravel, heavy equipment and volunteer labor organized by Bruno to bring the trail up to grade for a crossover at George Rd. Taking advantage of free fill from construction excavation in downtown Ithaca, Bruno said truckloads of dirt and gravel can ramp the trail up to a 5% grade for the crossing. Doing the project this fall will require removal of many small and medium black locust trees, a few large sized trees and many stumps. Some of the locust logs may be used to build amenities like benches and kiosks for the trail. Jack Simrell of Etna will donate cutting of large trees, and Dennis Mix of Mix Brothers, Inc. has pledged time and equipment for stump removal and earth moving and to transport many truckloads of gravel to the site. Bruno estimated these donations represent about $12,000 worth of materials and assistance. He said volunteers are still needed, along with one or two culvert pipes, signage for the crosswalk and striping for the road. DPW Superintendent Rick Young and William George Agency’s Pat Foote will review the scope of the work. With a quorum of 6 of the 11 appointed task force members, David Bravo Cullen made the motion to proceed with the George Road crossing project. David Fogel seconded the motion which was approved unanimously. If all the pieces fall into place, the trail section connecting the villages of Dryden and Freeville could be opened this fall, Bruno said. Report on July trail clearing at Etna with Dryden youth, w/Lexi Hartley of Cornell Cooperative Extension – Milo, Alice, Judy Auble-Zazzara Eleven teens participated in a 4-day project to clear a section of the trail on Rachel and Ross Adkins’ land, west of Route 366 in Etna. The teens were enthusiastic workers and expressed interest in being part of future trail development activities. Judy Auble-Zazzara, whose home is adjacent to the trail opening, was a gracious host for the teens, arranging for them to be headquartered at Houtz Hall and to park their van in her driveway. Some parents came to look over the trail progress. The youth and trail work got good media coverage. Report on Rail Trail booth at Dryden Lake Festival (July 22) – Alice, Bob, Bruno The Rail Trail project had a presence at the Lake Festival, with many visitors stopping by to look at the large trail maps, ask questions, and express support for the project. Our yellow and black “Friends of Dryden Rail Trail banner was prominently displayed. Bob, Bruno and Alice volunteered time, and Alice provided the pop-up tent, tables, chairs and more. Inspection of Game Farm area railroad bridges Town DPW staff (Howie and Mel), who have experience in rehabilitating and maintaining railroad bridges on the Jim Schug trail, inspected (with Bob and John Kiefer) the two old trestles in the Game Farm section recently. They found them structurally sound and determined that they will be able to make them safe by adding railings, and to maintain them once the easement is secured. DOT response to letter from Barbara Lifton concerning Fox Bridge & Rte. 13 crossing and follow-up with Mahlon Perkins, Town Board, Fernando de Aragon – Todd, Bob The DOT this month responded to an inquiry from Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton regarding the “FH Fox” Bridge over Route 366. Their letter indicated the DOT does not own the bridge, only the land under the concrete abutments on either side. They have however been inspecting it and indicate that the bridge is structurally sound. For trail use, they would require some additional railing or fences on top of the low sidewalls. It appears that former Dryden Attorney Mahlon Perkins owns the bridge, and may be willing to convey it to the county or town. Bob said the county isn’t interested, but the town will accept ownership in support of the trail project. Barbara Lifton also agreed to meet with DOT officials in the near future (with Todd, Bob and Fernando) to talk about options for the trail to cross Route 13. It’s likely a study will follow after crossing options are identified. Financing for the crossing may be considered under transportation funding. David BC raised the issue of village easements for both Dryden and Freeville, and suggested a future discussion of pocket parks in Freeville and other locations. No August meeting With many summer vacation and travel plans, it was agreed that we would forgo our regular August meeting. Adjournment 9:12 pm Next meeting – 7 pm Wednesday, September 20 at the Dryden Town DPW Building Prepared by Alice Green