The Allegany County Planning and Economic Development Committee voted to authorize an application for the county forest recreational trails development grant and approved contracting with Larson Design Group to design trails on county-owned forest land.

The committee’s action authorizes staff to apply for a grant of up to $300,000 to develop small loop trails on two county forest parcels and approves using previously allocated American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to pay Larson Design Group to prepare site designs and engineering. Committee members discussed whether trails will be multi-use, possible equestrian considerations and the county’s ongoing maintenance responsibilities.

The grant application, due in July, would require a local match of about $60,000, some of which could be provided as in-kind contributions, the committee was told. Committee members were told the grant would support design and initial construction but that annual maintenance would be an additional long-term county expense. A staff speaker said the grants require that trail projects be available to the public long term, noting the language was not precise about the duration: “it doesn't as far as I can see, it doesn't say exactly what that means, would have to be open to the public for 25 years or something. So it's a long term Commitment.” That remark was part of the committee discussion and not a definitive interpretation of the grant terms.

Committee members identified the targeted parcels as the Travis Lot and the Dixon Lot; staff said those parcels are in the Birdsall/Birdsville and Angelica areas of the county. Members noted the county currently lacks a dedicated county-park system and that many existing regional trails (for example, the Finger Lakes Trail, the Greenway and the WAG Trail) are maintained by other groups rather than the county.

On the professional-services contract, the committee was told Larson Design Group will perform GPS and mapping work and that the county expects to receive the resulting geospatial data layers from the firm; staff said they would confirm that data ownership will rest with the county. The motion to accept Larson Design Group’s proposal was approved; one committee member recorded a “no” vote.

Committee members asked that the design process specifically consider whether the trails should be motorized or nonmotorized, and whether equestrian uses are appropriate; staff said those issues would be resolved in the design phase and that horse/equestrian access raises separate design and maintenance issues.

The committee directed staff to proceed with the grant application and to finalize the contract with Larson Design Group, with the understanding that final implementation and construction would follow later design work and funding approvals.