Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Horse Policy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Sudbury advisory committee urges Select Board to ban horses on Bruce Freeman Rail Trail
Summary
The Rail Trails Advisory Committee voted unanimously to advise the Select Board to prohibit horses on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail, after public comment and a discussion contrasting BFRT restrictions with horse use on the Mass Central Rail Trail.
The Sudbury Rail Trails Advisory Committee voted unanimously on Nov. 19 to advise the Select Board to prohibit horses on the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail (BFRT).
Member Glenn Pransky moved the recommendation and Christopher Menge seconded; the motion passed unanimously. The motion was framed by a committee explanation that the BFRT design does not accommodate horses and that northern communities already prohibit horses on that corridor.
Public comments reflected differing views. Resident Kirsten Roopenian said she collected about 100 signatures supporting a letter advocating continued horse use on parts of the Mass Central Rail Trail (MCRT) and asked the committee to consider signage requiring owners to clean up after their animals; Dotti Bisson said, from her perspective, BFRT use is generally not of interest to local riders and described historic usage of the trail shoulder when tracks remained.
Committee members discussed practical issues for horses on the MCRT — whether riders use the asphalt or soft shoulder, how adjacent town regulations vary, and whether additional fencing, signage or guidance from the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) is appropriate. Chair John Drobinski directed members to consult DCR for guidance about MCRT horse policies and permitted uses.
The committee did not adopt a policy change for the Mass Central Rail Trail at the meeting; its formal recommendation applies only to the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail and will be forwarded to the Select Board.
