Additional Information on Singletrack Paths
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In order to follow up on questions and comments posed at the annual meeting, several HOA board members met recently with Councilor Laura Weinberg. The purpose of the meeting was to gather more information about the staff report on single track trails throughout Golden, including along the eastern border of VMR.
Based on this conversation, there are some important points for residents of VMR to know about the background of the issue and opportunities for public comment going forward:
- There is not a project on the table at this point. For the past six years, various Golden residents (including some from VMR) have been interested in the idea of single-track trails and have asked how a project that is not city-driven could be pursued. Councilor Weinberg asked the city to figure out what next steps would be needed to address these residents’ proposed ideas. The staff report came out of this request, and is a compilation of the research and ideas of the individuals.
- The next step would be for the Parks and Recreation board to identify one of the segments in the city as a pilot project. Once a segment is identified, it would follow a process similar to that of the Complete Streets projects (like N. Washington and 44th Ave trail). Official maps would be proposed and drawn using input from city engineers, land surveyors, drainage experts, etc. and there would be opportunities for public comment. The Parks and Recreation board would identify criteria for success.
- The maps in the staff report were created by an individual, not by the city, and do not take into account engineering, drainage, etc. For any section selected as a pilot, official maps would be proposed and drawn using input from city engineers, land surveyors, drainage experts, etc. and there would be opportunities for public comment.
- The current maps do not clearly show where a single-track path would go if it was indeed selected for the pilot (next to the berm, into the berm, on top of the berm, etc.). It is unlikely that the city would modify in any way a berm that had been built for the specific purpose of mitigating traffic sound above approved levels. Other paths that have been made throughout the city are all below or beside (not on top of or into) berms or other similar features.
The next official Parks and Recreation board meeting will be December 19, 2017 (the meeting scheduled for November 21 was cancelled due to lack of a quorum). The agenda will be published by December 15. Assuming the agenda is similar to the one originally issued for 11/21, there will likely not be public comment specific to this issue, however, there will be general time for comment.
If residents from VMR so desire, they could use this time to voice their opinion about VMR being selected for the pilot (be it for or against). They could also use this time to express concerns about any future modifications to the berm.