UPDATE: The Planning Commission is deciding TONIGHT (Jan. 30) the fate of the two Huntley Meadows Trail amendments. Please contact the Planning Commission today with your comments on the proposed amendments. The Board of Supervisors hearing on the trail amendments is now set for February 5 at 3:30pm.
Help save two key park trails in Huntley Meadows that Fairfax County is proposing to remove from the Countywide Trails Plan and Bicycle Master Plan. Tell Fairfax County leaders to keep these planned trails by signing this Say No to Trail Removal petition today.
The petition will be delivered to the Fairfax County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors in advance of two public hearings being held this month to hear public feedback on the proposal to remove the trails. Supporters are also encouraged to sign up to speak at the hearings. The Fairfax County Planning Commission public hearing is January 16 followed by the Board of Supervisors public hearing on January 22.
The planned Huntley Meadows trails would run along the edges of the park mostly following the paths of two utility lines, a Dominion Power right-of-way and a Washington Gas right-of-way. These trails have been part of a Countywide master trails plan for decades and, as recently as 2014, were approved as part of the Bicycle Master Plan by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. The trails are also part of the current Huntley Meadows Park master plan.
The trails are at risk for permanent removal after a park friends group lobbied the County to use a Comprehensive Plan Amendment to the Embark Richmond Highway Plan. Comprehensive Plan amendments are not an appropriate way to address changes to trail plans.
Read an in-depth review of the issue from Virginia State Senator Scott Surovell.
Trails are planned as part of a comprehensive, multi-year, public process with inputs from all stakeholders. The process carefully considers the needs and challenges of many people and groups. Connecting communities to our parks is a top priority of the County’s Trails and Bicycle Plans and the Park Authority’s master plan. Removing the trails without any alternatives and without engaging the local communities is wrong. FABB needs you to help make it right.
Here’s what you can do:
- Sign this Petition – Say No to Trail Removal
- Write your District Planning Commissioner and Supervisor
- Sign up to speak at the Board of Supervisors Public Hearing. Use hearing number 2018-IV-BK1 or 2018-IV-TR1, and Hearing Date: February 5.
