Trails & Paths committee urges safety, preservation and expanded trails; committee pauses on e‑bikes

The Trails & Paths Committee presented a multi‑year work program focused on safety, preservation, maintenance and expansion of Portola Valley's trail network.

Committee chair Gary summarized the committee's review of trail easements and recent work revisiting the town's Safe Routes to School plan with the school district; a draft trail map created by resident Dave Evans is published on the town website and a draft resolution that would specify permitted trail uses will be brought forward for council consideration.

On the question of electric bicycles, the committee said the town will not yet allow e‑bikes on the trail system because of the range of device types and unresolved state and county rules that could impose licensing, insurance or helmet requirements. "Until all that stuff is sorted out, it really doesn't make a lot of sense for us to start thinking too hard about how e‑bikes would work on our trail system," Gary said, citing safety concerns where horses, pedestrians and bicycles mix.

The committee also reviewed maintenance priorities, seasonal trail closures for fire abatement, use of the volunteer Veil Center on restoration projects (Eagle Trail and Toyon Trail this year), and coordination with the Stanford project and Hawthorns parking/loop design to improve trail connections. The council thanked the committee and encouraged continued work on easement validation and GIS mapping to protect trails from inadvertent loss during development.