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Committee recommends Alternative 4 for equestrian access at Banshee Reeks, directs 12‑month further assessment
Summary
After a consultant assessment, the Transportation and Land Use Committee recommended Alternative 4 — up to 4.5 miles of trails suitable for equestrian use under current preserved conditions — and directed staff to pursue additional analysis for more equestrian mileage within 12 months; the committee approved the recommendation 4‑yes, 1‑absent.
The Transportation and Land Use Committee voted on May 21, 2025 to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve Alternative 4 from an independent equestrian‑use assessment of the Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve and to direct staff to conduct further analysis to identify additional equestrian trail mileage within 12 months.
Tommy Cureton, assistant director for maintenance, parks, sports and events (PRCS), summarized the consultant Grouse Trail Works’ scope and findings. The consultant followed U.S. Forest Service guidance for equestrian trail design and analyzed preserved conditions against the restrictions of the property’s Virginia Outdoors Foundation (VOF) easement. Cureton said the report produced four alternatives for equestrian access with rough cost estimates, and that the report “did not provide suggestions related to modification of current trails” (such as adding switchbacks to reduce slope) because those modifications were not in the original scope.
Alternatives and reported approximate trail mileage: Alternative 1 (no action plus completing an Evergreen Mills loop): existing Evergreen Mills trail of 3.8 miles (the consultant suggested completing a loop but noted that crossing the landfill entrance would be required); Alternative 2: the most conservative option with 2.0 miles of equestrian‑suitable trail; Alternative 3A/3B: upland routes near the visitor center of 2.3–2.4 miles that minimize stream crossings; and Alternative 4: all trails that could accommodate equestrian access under current conditions, totaling about 4.5 miles. PRCS staff noted that combining Alternative 4 with the Evergreen Mills loop (Alternative 1) would yield about 8.3 miles of equestrian access between the preserve and the Evergreen Mills Trail.
The PRCS report to the committee included a high‑end fiscal estimate for Alternative 4 of $596,570 to $794,620. Cureton said those figures are rough, do not account for volunteer labor offers, and do not include potential VOF‑required reviews or master plan updates. PRCS staff told the committee that an update to the Banshee Reeks master plan would be required if the Board approves Alternative 4, funding has not been identified, and VOF review will be necessary because of environmentally sensitive areas in the easement.
Committee Chair Tacrone made a motion recommending Alternative 4 with direction to staff to conduct further assessment for additional equestrian mileage within 12 months; the motion was seconded (second speaker not specified) and passed with 4 yes and 1 absent. The committee’s recommendation and direction to staff will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for final action.
