City, developer and neighbors negotiate Mount Gilead–Roanoke trail easements; council set 18‑month escrow condition

Parks staff told the board the Mount Gilead–Roanoke connection is scheduled to begin construction Aug. 11 and is expected to take about nine months, but the larger trail alignment is contingent on easements and developer decisions.

“Construction beginning August 11, and that being a 9 month project,” a parks staff member said during the July 3 meeting. Staff and board members discussed how the sale of property to Landscape Systems and a development north of the creek altered the original plan, requiring either a multimillion‑dollar bridge to cross the creek or an alternative alignment on the south side of the creek.

Council guidance and escrow: a parks staff member told the board that the city manager and council set a timeline and financial arrangement with Landscape Systems. The council gave the city 18 months to try to acquire the necessary easements; Landscape Systems agreed to escrow funds at today’s construction costs to build the trail. The parks staff member said, “If we can't get the easements at 18 months, that money goes back to Landscape Systems.”

Trees and design changes: staff said the original trail design called for removing 51 trees but that design revisions led to saving 26 trees; board members noted many of the trees in the right of way are post oak, live oak and some hackberry and that a number of trees slated for removal were already dead. One parks staff member said some trees will be removed as part of construction but that contractors were asked at preconstruction meetings to avoid additional tree loss where possible.

Neighborhood concerns and route termination: board members recounted resident concerns that the trail could become a “path to nowhere” if it dead‑ends in a secluded area and could encourage vandalism or loitering. Staff said those concerns were raised to the city attorney and that the city weighed long‑term benefits of completing connections against short‑term concerns. Staff also described an effort to research which adjacent neighbors might accept an easement and said the city will attempt to acquire easements within the council’s 18‑month window.

Discussion vs. decision: the council-level direction to acquire easements within 18 months and Landscape Systems’ escrow were described by staff as an agreement approved by council; the board’s role was advisory and informational at this meeting.

What’s next: staff will pursue easement negotiations, proceed with the south‑side alignment where feasible, and begin construction on the Mount Gilead–Roanoke segment on Aug. 11 while continuing outreach to affected homeowners and HOA representatives.