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08/01/2006: "SJI Trails Committee Draft Plan Ready"

(Alice Hurd, Susan and David Dehlendorf at Council Presentation)

After years of work, and with the aid of a grant of technical assistance from the National Park Service, Trails, and Conservation Assistance, a Draft Plan for connected trails on San Juan Island has been "created for the purpose of fostering coordination between public and private groups and individuals", to plan for the future, as the committee moves forward on the creation and maintenance of connected trails for non-motorized trails. Some of the trails will be intended for specific uses, such as walking, bicyclists or horse riding, and some will be multi-use trails.

Now that there is a draft plan, the committee hopes to obtain funding to meet the goals of the plan. Some of the committee members recently made a formal presentation to the County Council of the plan, and received a warm reception and encouragement from the Council to continue working with the private and public sectors to implement a plan of action. Councilman Bob Myhr told the group that he hoped the draft plan could be a model for similar efforts on Lopez, and with a nod toward Chairman Lichter, Orcas Island too; going so far as to extend an invitation to the group to come to the other islands to give a presentation. Dave Zeretzke, the spokesman for the group, said a new group similar to the San Juan group was being formed on Orcas.

Chairman Lichter is a devoted hiker, and recently returned from a two week trip in England. He told the group that in England trails on all private property is accessible to the public for hiking, and that there are no problems with the property owners, and he had found the trails to be free of letter. He also pointed out the health benefits that can come from the use of the trails, noting that there are less obese people in England than in the States.

Zeretzke said the Committee hopes to have three to five new non-motorized trails each year, from 2006 to 2012, that will connect "major destinations". The committee has put up a Website that contains the draft plan, maps of the existing trails, and a map of potential new trails, as well as other information. Zeretzke told the Council that the Committee is asking the public to read the draft plan and make comments, and that after receiving input a final plan will be adopted.