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Milford commission to hold work session after reports of motorized-vehicle damage at Mile Slip
Summary
Members of the Milford Conservation Commission discussed erosion and trail degradation at Mile Slip caused by ATVs, side-by-sides and other wheeled vehicles and agreed to schedule a work session to develop targeted, durable responses with landowners and town staff.
The Milford Conservation Commission agreed to develop a plan to address erosion and trail damage at Mile Slip after members described repeated use of a cart path and adjacent access routes by ATVs, side‑by‑sides and off‑road vehicles.
Commissioners discussed complaints raised in an email from resident Steven Badger describing heavy traffic to the summit and erosion on Mouseslip Road; members said the activity includes four‑wheelers, ‘‘side by sides’’ and other wheeled vehicles and cited repeated wet conditions that worsen damage. The discussion identified the power‑line corridor and a nearby private property users allow as likely access points.
Members did not adopt a formal policy at the meeting. Instead they agreed to treat the problem as a distinct agenda item and to schedule a work session to develop possible responses, including placement of gates or boulders at strategic points, targeted signage, cameras and coordination with neighboring landowners to reduce access. The commission also discussed operational limits on Class 6 roads (which may allow gates and bars subject to public access rules) and noted that placing gates or boulders on a Class 6 road carries legal and enforcement constraints.
Commissioners and volunteers cited examples from nearby communities where residents and conservation volunteers used camera evidence to deter bad actors; the commission discussed whether neighbors might retrieve SD cards from cameras and report sightings to law enforcement and Fish & Game. Members warned that physical measures can be circumvented and recommended strategic placement to make bypassing difficult.
The commission asked staff to circulate Steven Badger’s email and related observations to members in advance of the work session and to prepare a short list of options and likely tradeoffs for review with DPW staff and affected property owners. No funding decisions or formal enforcement actions were made at the meeting.
