Council reviews request for $50,000 study on second access to Yankee Island/Highlands open space

The council reviewed a $50,000 capital request to fund a property access study and approval process for a proposed second access to the Yankee Island/Yankee Highlands open space and the Connecticut NEMBA mountain‑bike trail network. Staff said the request would fund a consultant to assess property access, permitting and approvals, and to prepare materials needed for inland wetlands and other regulatory reviews. Council members questioned whether the work required outside consulting or could be performed by in‑house staff using existing mapping and GIS resources; some councilmembers said they preferred an internal approach unless staff time constraints or a lack of specific engineering expertise made an outside consultant necessary. Staff said a meeting with inland wetlands and state representatives had been delayed and that the plan would return after those approvals and an agreement with the state were worked out. Staff identified stakeholders who have been working on the effort, including Mike Liddon and Francisco Perez, and said they would coordinate further meetings and return with a recommendation after confirming the inland wetlands schedule and the level of technical work required. The request remained on the capital list for consideration during the August budget vote.