Perimeter‑trail scouting report outlines 1.7‑mile loop and access hurdles; committee to stake boundaries and pursue engineering

Committee members reviewed a draft scouting report and GPS/KML materials from a field walk that identified a roughly 1.7‑mile perimeter loop behind the softball fields. The report highlights several chokepoints, most notably three culverts where Seneca Creek passes under Camino Real, which would require engineering work to provide a durable crossing.

The group discussed two loop options (including an additional west‑side loop) to increase usability and opportunities for skills features and fitness stations along the trail. Staff recommended a boundary survey and staking exercise as the next step so engineers can design crossings and bridge elements only where needed; Dennis Engineering (or a comparable firm) was recommended to carry out engineering tasks once the survey is complete.

Committee members also discussed easement and access issues: several informal user routes on Trailforks are not Forest Service‑designated and some trail segments rely on informal crossings of private land. The group advised focusing initial submissions to the Forest Service on a targeted set of connectors that appear feasible (e.g., Elliot Barker connectors, a connector by the water tanks, and an old roadbed near Lady Slipper) to reduce the scope of required agency and cultural reviews.

Next steps: schedule boundary survey, convene a subcommittee for field staking, and engage engineering resources to produce bridge/crossing cost estimates that can be folded into grant applications and design phases.