Friends of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail - Update

“To support the development, maintenance, and promotion of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail as a public resource offering a tranquil and scenic year-round multi-use recreation and transportation corridor; and especially to represent the interests of non-motorized trail users.”

Please read this and pass the information along to your friends!

1. Legislative Hearing on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail – August 7, 2006 from 6:00 – 8:00 PM

The House and Senate Transportation and Appropriations Committees, in conjunction with the Vermont Agency of Transportation (AOT), will hold what may be the only public hearing on the proposed lease for the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (LVRT) on August 7^th from 6:00 – 8:00 PM.

It’s urgently important that the voices of non-motorized users of what will be Vermont’s longest recreational trail make their concerns, comment and voices heard. Please try to attend the August 7^th public hearing at one of the 5 Vermont Interactive Television Sites listed in paragraph 3 below. If you cannot attend (or even if you do attend), please submit written comments as outlined in paragraph 4 below and pass the word on to your friends.

2. Position statement of the Friends of the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail (FLVRT)

The following summarizes the position of the FLVRT on a number of key issues related to the lease and the management of the LVRT. Please consider adding your voice in support of our position and/or offering any additional comments YOU feel should be considered.

1. The FLVRT’s position is that the use of motorized vehicles on the trail, except for snowmobiles during the winter months, is incompatible with the many non-motorized uses of this trail for health, safety and aesthetic reasons. In particular, the presence of ATVs on the trail is objectionable to walkers, joggers, hikers, bikers, horseback riders, and adjacent property owners, due to the inherent danger of collision and injury, the intrusion of noise on otherwise quiet trails, and the threat of property damage at points of access. Further, allowing ATV use of the trail is inconsistent with public representations regarding the use of the LVRT over the past five years.

2. The FLVRT do not object to a limited number of AVT crossings of the LVRT in carefully selected locations based on a public process and review criteria adopted by AOT as a rule.

3. The most efficient way to expedite the signing of the lease with VAST, and accelerate the development of the LVRT is to eliminate lease language that would allow approval of ATV doglegs or excessive crossings without adequate public process.

4. The public needs to be put back into the LVRT planning process. The lease should be modified to include language that mandates adequate public notice and opportunity for participation in future LVRT development decisions including:

i. The process by which the LVRT management plan is adopted and/or modified.

ii. A commitment to a public review of the lease at two-year intervals, at least in the early phases of the lease.

5. There needs to be a comprehensive evaluation by AOT, the Legislature and local and state law enforcement officials of what resources will be need to enforce public safety on the LVRT for ATV and other issues.

6. We recognize and appreciate the leadership position VAST has taken in helping to make the LVRT a reality. We also recognize that as the lessee, the VAST Board has ultimate responsibility for trail management. However we feel strongly that the proposed composition of the Trail Management Committee, which is advisory to the VAST Board, should be changed to reflect the fact that the predominate use of this Trail will be by non-motorized users. Such users should comprise the majority of this Committee and should be able to select their representatives.

3. Public hearing locations

The 5 Vermont Interactive Television sites at which you can watch and participate in this public hearing are at the locations listed below. Seating capacity at each site is limited so plan on arriving early and bring your friends!

Lyndonville

Lyndon State College, 1001 College Road, 802-473-1222/1221
St Albans
Bellows Free Academy, 4 Hospital Drive , 802-524-0238

Waterbury - State Office Complex, Stanley Hall Bentley Hall, Room 211 , (802) 882-1002

Johnson - Johnson State College Blair Park, 802-635-1432

Williston - 451 Lawrence Place, 802-288-1581

4. Other ways to offer comment on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail

Our goal is to have as many people as possible attending the August 7^th public hearing and speaking up for the interests of non-motorized users of the LVRT. However if you can’t attend or if you want to do more, please consider sending an e-mail or a brief written message to those listed below as well as your State Senator and Representative(s). Please send us a copy of your comments at FLVRT, PO Box 995, Morrisville VT 05661 or FriendsLVRT@aol.com.

Remember this may be our last opportunity to influence this process before a long-term lease for the management of the LVRT is signed. Please offer your views to:

1. Governor James Douglas, 109 State St, Montpelier, VT 05609 or call toll free 1-800-649-6825 or e-mail via www.vermontgov/governor/contact.html

2. David Dill, Deputy Secretary of AOT, 1 National Life Dr, Montpelier, VT 05633 david.dill@state.vt.us

3. Senator Richard Mazza, Chair Senate Transportation Committee, 777 West Lakeshore Dr, Colchester, VT 05446 no e-mail

4. Senator Susan Bartlett, Chair Senate Appropriations Committee (and Lamoille County Senator) PO Box 123, Hyde Park, VT 05655 senatorbartlett@aol.com

5. Representative Richard Westman, Chair House Transportation Committee, 2439 Iron Gate Rd, Cambridge, VT 05444 westman@vsac.org

6. Representative Martha Heath, Chair House Appropriations Committee342 Rollin Irish Rd, Westford, VT 05494 mpheath@aol.com

7. For contact information for your State Senator(s) and Representative(s) call the Legislative Council at 828-2231 or check on-line at www.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/legdir2.htm