NYNJTC: Minutes 12/7/2006

DRAFT Minutes
New York-New Jersey Trail Conference
Trails Council
December 7, 2006

1. Trails Council Chair Pete Heckler called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. at the Trail Conference office in Mahwah, N.J. Present were: Pete Heckler - Chair, Larry Wheelock - Trails Director, Eddie Walsh - Trail Projects Director, Bill O’Hearn - Conservation and Advocacy Director, Heidi Adami - Volunteer Coordinator, Katy Dieters - Membership and Volunteer Associate, Estelle Anderson, John Blenninger, Bob Boysen, Jim Canfield, Tom Carr, Daniel D. Chazin, Ellen Cronan, Jane Daniels, Walt Daniels, Jakob Franke, Jim Gebhard, Gary Haugland, Bob Jonas, Ron Luna, John Mack, John Moran, Glenn Oleksak, Sandy Parr, Carol Petricevic, Larry Pohl, Ollie Simpson, Brian Sniatkowski, Bruce Thomson and Denise Vitale.

2. Ollie Simpson, A.T. Supervisor in Dutchess County, introduced herself to the Trails Council.

a. T-Shirts. Larry Wheelock announced that t-shirts are available for all maintainers. He suggested that all supervisors contact Heidi Adami to obtain t-shirts for their maintainers.

b. Reopening of Long Path around Mud Pond in Shawangunks. Jakob Franke announced that the section of the Long Path in the Shawangunks between Mud Pond in Minnewaska State Park Preserve and Verkeerder Kill Falls near the Sam’s Point Preserve, which had been closed by the previous landowner for the last seven years, has been reblazed by a trail crew, and that the park is soon expected to announce the reopening of this trail.

c. Proposed Buddhist Monastery in Shawangunks. Jakob Franke pointed out on a map the location of a proposed Buddhist Monastery on Bear Hill, near Cragsmoor, in the Shawangunks. He stated that we would probably oppose this proposed development, unless the buildings will not be visible from our trails.

d. Article in The Record. Pete Heckler commented on an article that appeared last week in The Record which reported on a recent drop in attendance at national parks. He noted that the article stated that part of the reason for this decline was the fact that motorized vehicles are prohibited in these parks.

4. Minutes. The minutes of the Trails Council meeting of October 5, 2006 were approved as submitted.

5. Conservation and Advocacy Report. Bill O’Hearn distributed to the Trails Council copies of a conservation and advocacy report and reported on the following items:

a. New Jersey Trails Plan. He commented that the consultants who are formulating the revision of the New Jersey Trails Plan are still pushing for multi-use trails, and noted that we will be arguing that single-use trails should be defined and recognized in their report. He reported that Annette Schultz of this group would like to interview three or four Trail Conference leaders on Friday, December 15th. He also pointed out that we have been asked to identify our two top priorities and our vision of what an ideal trails program would look like in three years. Bill O’Hearn noted that the draft updated New Jersey Trails Plan is scheduled to be distributed in January 2007, and that copies will be sent to 800 people who submitted e-mail addresses. Although no public hearings have been scheduled on this document, he pointed out that public comment will be available via the website.

b. Highlands Regional Master Plan. He reported that the New Jersey Highlands Council Regional Master Plan was released on November 30th. He noted that it is over 250 pages long, and that the staff is reviewing it to determine whether the Highlands Trail is given enough prominence and protection. He encouraged everyone to review this document and provide him with any comments. Bill O’Hearn also noted that the document will include a compliance plan, and he stated that he is trying to incorporate into this plan a requirement for an ordinance against ATV use. He pointed out that six hearings will be held around the state on the Highlands Regional Master Plan and encouraged all those interested to attend one of these hearings.

c. Land Purchases. He reported that the Trail Conference will be purchasing the Feretti property on the Shawangunk Ridge, which will enable us to connect the main portion of the Shawangunk Ridge Trail to Port Jervis. He also reported that the Trail Conference has acquired two parcels of land in Washington Township (Morris County, NJ), which will provide a route for the Highlands Trail.

d. Insurance Certificates. He reported that he will be coordinating all renewals of certificates of insurance that the Trail Conference provides to landowners who allow hiking trails to be maintained on their property.

e. Kellogg Property. He reported that we are working on a project in Byram Township that will reroute the Highlands Trail through the Kellogg property. He noted that we are working closely with the municipality on this project.

f. Town of Warwick. He noted that the Town of Warwick has over $400,000 available towards the design of trails, and reported that the Trail Conference will be working with the town to design a trail network in the area.

g. Highlands Trail. He reported that we are working towards extending the Highlands Trail from the Hudson River to the Connecticut state line.

6. Report of Publications Committee. Daniel Chazin reported that the new digital edition of the North Jersey Trails map set is almost ready to be sent to the printer.

7. Lenape Trail on Shawangunk Ridge. Jakob Franke reported that trails have been established along property that is currently owned by the Trail Conference on the Shawangunk Ridge, just north of Port Jervis. He explained that a six-mile loop trail has been constructed, beginning in the Town of Deer Park, just east of Port Jervis, with a white-blazed trail extending north along the ridge for three miles and a red-blazed trail returning via a lower route. He also pointed out that it has been proposed to name the white-blazed trail the “Lenape Trail,” as the land on which it is located is known as the Lenape Ridge. Jakob Franke explained that we intend to extend the white-blazed trail (upper route) three miles north to connect with the Shawangunk Ridge Trail. As to the red-blazed trail (lower route), he stated that it will be briefly co-aligned with the white-blazed trail and then extended about two miles east to Route 6, near the Greenville/Deer Park town line, where parking is available. After a brief discussion, it was moved, seconded and unanimously carried that these new trails be adopted by the Trails Council.

8. Old Blue Trail in Shawangunks. Jakob Franke reported that the two-mile-long Old Blue Trail, which extends from High Point to Smiley Road along the Shawangunk Ridge, has been refurbished and reblazed in blue, with the approval of the park. He pointed out that the name “Old Blue Trail” is a temporary name, and that it is intended that the trail will be renamed. Larry Wheelock pointed out that this trail might become the route of the Long Path. After a brief discussion, it was moved, seconded and unanimously carried that this trail be adopted by the Trails Council.

9. Reroute of Long Path near Cragsmoor to South Gully. Jakob Franke outlined a plan to relocate the Long Path in the area of Cragsmoor in the Shawangunks. He pointed out that this relocation would eliminate a roadwalk of about 2-1/2 to 3 miles and a relatively unattractive section of trail. He explained that the Long Path would be rerouted to follow a woods road that parallels Route 52 and then turn southeast along South Gully to connect with the existing Long Path route near the Conservation Center of the Sam’s Point Preserve. Jakob Franke noted that approval for this new trail route has already been obtained from The Nature Conservancy and the Cragsmoor Association, subject to resolving some minor details. After a brief discussion, it was moved, seconded and unanimously carried that this reroute of the Long Path be approved by the Trails Council.

10. New Trail in Town of Mount Hope on Shawangunk Ridge. Jakob Franke outlined plans to construct two one-mile-long trails, together forming a figure-eight loop, on property owned by the Trail Conference in the Town of Mount Hope on the Shawangunk Ridge. He noted that the trail would link the Graham Fire Tower (now closed to the public, as the steps have been removed for liability reasons) with the Shawangunk Ridge Trail, which follows an old railbed further down the mountain. After a brief discussion, it was moved, seconded and unanimously carried that this new trail be approved by the Trails Council.

11. Pyramid Mountain. Ron Luna reported on various recent changes to the trails in the Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, a Morris County park. He noted that there is a 25-mile trail network in this area, of which five miles are outside park boundaries. Ellen Cronan pointed out that the trails in this park are maintained by Morris County, and that the Morris County Park Commission, rather than the Trail Conference, determines which changes will be made to the trails.

Ron Luna reported that in the Turkey Mountain section of the park (the portion that is east of Boonton Avenue), most of the Red Dot Trail has been closed, as a recent survey has determined that it traverses private property. However, he explained, the western end of this trail, which traverses an interesting wetland and passes a beaver dam, will remain open. Ron Luna also reported that the Blue Trail on Turkey Mountain will be extended south to an overlook, that a bypass will be built around the “100 Steps Trail” that steeply climbs Turkey Mountain from Boonton Avenue, and that the Green Trail has been relocated so that it no longer runs under the power lines. Finally, Ron Luna outlined a plan to construct an extension of the Yellow Trail around the west side of Turkey Mountain.

Ron Luna also explained that on the Pyramid Mountain side of the park, the lower ends of the Blue Trail and the Yellow Trail have been relocated, and the Blue/White connector trail been moved to avoid several deteriorated bridges. He also outlined plans to construct a connector trail from Pyramid Mountain down to Powerville Road, eventually connecting to Farny State Park and Split Rock Reservoir.

12. Highlands Trail – Windbeam Mountain to Wyanokie High Point. Bob Jonas provided an update on the status of the Highlands Trail route between Norvin Green State Forest and Windbeam Mountain that will traverse a tract of land acquired by the State. He stated that he would be presenting this trail section to the Trails Council for approval once the park has completed its approval process.

13. Stonetown Circular Trail Relocation. John Moran provided updates on the relocations of the Highlands Trail and Stonetown Circular Trail just south of Monksville Reservoir. (These relocations were approved by the Trails Council at the August 2006 meeting, and a modification was approved at the October 2006 meeting.) He stated that approvals for these relocations are nearly complete and that he will submit a further report to the Trails Council once all landowners have endorsed the new trail routes.

14. Workshops. After discussion, the spring trail maintenance and construction workshops were set for April 21-22, 2007. Ellen Cronan agreed to contact the Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corporation to find out whether the workshops could be held in their visitor center on Echo Lake Road in Newfoundland, New Jersey.

15. Memorials on Trails. There was a brief discussion about how to deal with memorials and other unauthorized structures on trails. Among the comments made by Trails Council members were the following: emotions surrounding many of these memorials are apt to be very high, and they should be handled with respect and concern; if the memorials are discrete, leaving them alone should be considered; agencies seem to avoid the issue, so perhaps the Trail Conference should consider taking a stand. It was also suggested that if a particular memorial deteriorates to the point where it becomes an eyesore, it should be removed, with the materials returned to the person who installed the memorial.

                                      Daniel D. Chazin
                                      Secretary
                                      (minutes of the second half of the meeting are taken from notes by Larry Wheelock)

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