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Residents press for more trail mowing at Pleasant View and Victory Creek
Summary
Park users told the commission trails have become overgrown after reduced mowing this year; a resident says the city can mow Franklin-owned parcels and urged the commission to resume more frequent trail cutting.
Rob Birnie, who lives near Pleasant View and Victory Creek parks, told the commission the trails have become overgrown and underused and asked the city to increase mowing frequency. “The trails are so overgrown, you almost can't find them anymore,” Birnie said, urging the city to resume the three-to-four annual cuts the parks received in prior years.
Birnie said he spoke to MMSD staff who told him Franklin may mow the city-owned portions of the property; he asked the commission to make a recommendation or resolution. Parks staff explained that mowing schedules this year were adjusted around prescribed burns and fire-break requirements and that the department currently performs a fall mowing plus work tied to burns. Commissioners discussed volunteer or 'friends of the trails' options to supplement staff capacity and noted liability and conservation-easement constraints in some areas.
No immediate funding change was approved; commissioners asked staff to coordinate next steps with the alderman and to explore volunteer and interagency approaches to restore and maintain trails.
