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Officials say Belvoir Ranch trails should open this summer; officials note TCE plume and the need for cultural surveys
Summary
City staff updated the board that Belvoir Ranch trail openings are on track for summer, exploratory engineering and cultural surveys for potential development were authorized, and staff described a legacy TCE plume tied to former missile‑facility operations that will require costly remediation and federal monitoring.
Charles told the board the Belvoir Ranch trails are on target to open this summer and that the council authorized exploratory access for geotechnical and cultural surveys to evaluate potential development opportunities.
He cautioned that the land surrounding the ranch includes remnants of former missile facilities and that historical fuel‑handling created a trichloroethylene (TCE) plume now monitored by the federal government. "Essentially, it's bringing groundwater to the surface, essentially bubbling it and oxygenating it, and then it releases the TCE," Charles explained, describing remediation as technically feasible but costly and time‑consuming. Staff identified consultants conducting testing and stressed federal oversight of the contamination plume.
Board members asked whether new development would protect trail areas and whether interpretive signage and historic‑preservation input could be incorporated at trailheads; staff encouraged historic‑preservation board participation in interpretation planning.
