Orono council narrowly denies $15,000 design study for mountain‑bike trail at golf course

The Orono City Council on [meeting date] voted 3–2 to deny a $15,000 request from the parks commission to produce a full design and cost estimate for a proposed youth‑oriented mountain‑bike trail at the Orono Orchards Golf Course.

Park-commission supporters, including several area coaches and team directors, had urged the council to authorize a relatively modest design step that staff and the commission said would answer key questions about access, wetlands setbacks, golf‑course sight lines and costs. "We need $15,000 to get it to the next step," park commissioner Rick Carter (speaker 14) said, explaining the funds would pay a trail designer to work with users, neighbors and golf‑course staff and return a final cost estimate.

Opponents on the council raised concerns about limited parks maintenance dollars, the golf course’s backlog of infrastructure needs, potential safety conflicts where trails could be visible from fairways, and the city’s long‑term maintenance and liability responsibilities for a city‑sited trail. One council member (speaker 6) argued the city should prioritize backlog maintenance at the golf course and other parks before adding new infrastructure.

After debate, the council member (speaker 6) moved to deny the $15,000 design proposal. The motion passed on a recorded vote, 3–2. The motion’s sponsor cited unresolved questions about golf‑course impacts and the city’s capacity to support a new facility; backers of the design step said the study would have answered many of those issues and that most construction costs would likely be sought through grants and private fundraising.

Council members and staff said the park commission’s concept will remain on the CIP and could return to the council if future funding or an alternative location is proposed.