Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Recreation Trails topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mountain Bike Bristol proposes multi-use trail network on 2,000‑acre parcel; hearing continued to June 23
Summary
Mountain Bike Bristol and landowner A. Johnson presented plans for a network of hiking, biking and cross‑country ski trails on about 10% of a roughly 2,000‑acre parcel under a 10‑year lease; the DRB requested ecological surveys, jurisdictional opinion and permit documentation and continued the hearing to June 23.
Samantha Morrisey, representing Mountain Bike Bristol, told the Development Review Board that the project proposes a network of trails for hiking, biking and cross‑country skiing on a roughly 2,000‑acre parcel owned by A. Johnson Company.
"Trails are planned for hiking, biking, and cross‑country skiing, while also providing for hunting, logging, and sugaring uses to continue on the property," Morrisey said, and described an ADA‑accessible trail sited away from the main route.
The presenters said the trail work would be undertaken under a ten‑year lease with the landowner and that the Bristol Recreation Club, a 501(c)(3), will serve as fiscal sponsor. Dave Rosin explained the club's role and said the trails will follow Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) best‑practice standards. Morrisey said the first phase of trail construction may be completed by the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps this summer, with more complex trail work possibly subcontracted to a design/build group.
The plan envisions parking strategies that rely primarily on town parking, with potential parking on Bristol Rec Club property and an ADA parking area adjacent to the accessible trail. Morrisey said signage and education measures will be part of the management plan and that the trail network would avoid ecological resources such as vernal pools and peregrine falcon cliff areas.
Members of the public raised concerns about hunter‑biker interactions, wildlife impacts and town liability; Morrisey said trail designers will consider seasonal closures and that VMBA insurance protocols would be followed for landowner protection. She also said the proposed trail footprint would be about 10% of the parcel and that maps and usage estimates will be developed.
DRB Chair Kevin Brown asked for additional documentation before further review. The board requested a jurisdictional opinion from the Land Use Review Board (LURB), an ecological survey, confirmation of any necessary DEC stormwater permits, a copy of the lease between A. Johnson and Mountain Bike Bristol, and documentation of VMBA best practices and insurance coverage. The Board indicated it may require phased approvals and a clearer legend on any map supplied.
A motion to continue the hearing was made and passed unanimously; the DRB set the continuation for June 23 at 7:00 pm.
