Seeking a $200,000 state grant, the Williamsburg Environmental Group wants to hear from residents about the proposed multi-use trail from Freedom Park to Lois Hornsby Middle School.
As part of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation’s Recreational Trail Program grant application process, which the James City County Board of Supervisors approved at its April 10 meeting, WEG must submit public comments for and against the proposal to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.
The project has an estimated cost of about $600,000, which is expected to decrease, James City County Park Administrator Nancy Ellis said. The Recreational Trail Program grant would cover $200,000, and the county’s Parks and Recreation capital improvement funds would cover the rest. If the grant is awarded, it will go before the supervisors for acceptance.
The county will submit a printed copy of the notice and an explanation of public involvement, along with a count of public comments for and against the trail, to the DCR.
The required public comment period opened Dec. 15 and will last 30 days.
“[Williamsburg Environmental Group] is under contract by the county to perform a variety of environmental tasks required by the grant,” Ellis said. “One requirement of the grant is to conduct a public hearing to allow the public to comment on the project as a whole. This was also included in the contract for WEG to complete as part of their services.”
To make a comment or for more information, contact Williamsburg Environmental Group, attention Christine F. Conrad at 5209 Center St., Williamsburg, VA 23188 or call 757-220-6869.
No comments have been received as of Dec. 19.
The project, originally approved in 2007, “is seeking a reimbursement grant from the Recreational Trail Program and must conduct an environmental review to indicate possible resources that could be impacted,” states the public notice. The grant is an “80/20 matching grant” but the maximum grant amount is $200,000, Ellis said.
In 2007, a portion of the trail on Jolly Pond Road was constructed but, because of a lack in funding at the time, not completed, said John Horne, general services manager of James City County.
“The trail already exists, but not paved and without improvements that the storm water division has recommended that will improve the existing erosion in Colby Swamp,” Horne said. “This type of paved trail is very popular in other parts of the county.”
The trail will be 8 to 10 feet wide and will have 5,120 feet of paved surface and 800 feet of boardwalk that crosses Colby Swamp, according to an April memo to the board. The aim of the project is to “provide stable and safe access from freedom park to the Jolly Pond school site that houses Hornsby Middle and Blayton Elementary Schools,” states the memo.
According to the public notice, the estimated length of the trail is 1.8 miles. The project incorporates an existing dirt and gravel road which will be paved over for most of the project; 0.15 miles of new trail will be constructed. “The new segment of trail will be located to avoid tree clearing, and no impacts to wetlands are expected. In addition, the trail has been aligned to avoid impacts to a colony of small whorled pogonia, a state threatened rare plant species,” states the public notice.
The project bid will begin in January and construction on the trail should begin in April and be completed by June, Horne said.
