Franklin City officials outline planned prescribed burns at Victory Creek to control invasive species

Franklin City Parks Commission staff presented plans to use prescribed burns at the Victory Creek Trail to manage invasive species and restore native grassland. The commission heard that the project would be carried out as a three-year rotation, burning roughly 25 acres a year within the 80‑plus acre special-park area.

Commission staff said the burn is intended to improve grassland health and reduce invasive hawthorn. “It would be a three-year rotation, and 25 acres each year,” a staff member said. City staff also said a formal burn plan would be prepared by the burn contractor; the plan will list personnel and equipment, including involvement by the fire department and vehicles equipped with water tanks.

The commission discussed operational details and public outreach. Planning staff said the date has not been set and will depend on weather and the contractor’s schedule. Staff said the burns would be conducted by outside crews that perform prescribed burns across the county and that a written burn plan will be produced before any ignition. The commission pressed staff on communications: members urged signs in the park and a sentence in the city newsletter to reassure nearby residents about runoff and other concerns.

City Forester Tom Ria and planning staff described ecological and safety precautions. Staff noted some temporary changes in surface vegetation and said wetlands and floodplain areas would be avoided consistent with the site’s conservancy status. Staff also acknowledged the potential for smoke plumes and said they would try to minimize overlap with school activities when possible.

Commissioners asked for specifics about invasive plants targeted and the effect on adjacent woodlands; staff said hawthorn is a major target and that burns will generally focus on grassland areas while avoiding woodland canopy. Several commissioners suggested that the Parks Commission communicate with the public because the commission receives many inquiries; staff encouraged commissioners to refer residents with questions to planning staff and indicated the common council may also receive questions.

No formal motion or vote to authorize the burns occurred at the meeting. Staff said the Department of Public Works is moving forward with planning steps and that the process will include a burn plan and required safety coordination before any burn is scheduled.