Commission sketches 'ultimate' West Mississippi trail alignment, agrees to keep a near-term option

The Parks Commission revisited alignment options for the West Mississippi regional trail and agreed to prepare two drawings: an 'ultimate' topography-based alignment that shows where a trail could go if land becomes available, and a separate near-term alignment that respects current property ownership and buildability.

Staff explained that one drawing would assume no homes exist on the corridor and follow natural contours, while the other would show what could be achieved within the constraints of existing parcels. Commissioners debated the optics and practicalities of depicting a route that would cross private properties, with several members voicing discomfort about literally drawing the trail through homeowners’ yards. Others argued the long-range alignment is useful for acquisition planning and system-level thinking.

After discussion, the commission reached consensus to produce the topography-based 'ultimate' alignment Zach requested, with the understanding that the trail would be revisited and redrawn if property conditions change. Commissioners also discussed probable features such as bridges at difficult slopes and routing that, for near-term implementation, would likely follow road corridors where necessary to avoid steep terrain and private yards.