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Abutters debate uses of town trail; Selectboard reaffirms ban on motorized vehicles
Summary
Abutting property owners disagreed over acceptable trail use after one sought to place stone for horse access and another defended prior work to access fields; the Selectboard reiterated the trail is for walking, horseback riding and bicycles and said farm equipment by abutters is allowed but motorized recreational vehicles are not.
A long-standing Class 4 road that the Selectboard converted to a trail in 2001 drew competing claims from two abutting property owners during the June 2 meeting.
Jim Walsh asked permission to place two loads of small stone on a wet section of the trail so horses could safely pass. Christine Dubois, whose property also abuts the trail, said she and her husband have previously installed about six culverts and yard after yard of stone so they can access fields with farm equipment. Chair John Roleau told the board the trail is intended for walking, horseback riding and bicycles and reiterated that "no motorized vehicles are allowed." Roleau said the town does not plan to maintain the trail; he described the matter as a landowner dispute and said the town would try to remain neutral while allowing abutters reasonable access to their fields.
Dubois asked whether the town would add signs reading, "Use at your own risk." The board declined that suggestion and emphasized that VAST (the local snowmobile group) may brush-hog and maintain the trail for safety of its members. The board's direction was that farm equipment for legitimate field access is acceptable for abutting owners, but the town will prohibit recreational motorized use.
