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2021 Mill Mountain Trails Plan

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2021 Mill Mountain Trails Plan MILL MOUNTAIN TRAILS PLAN 2021 AMENDMENT 2021 MILL MOUNTAIN TRAILS PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The first Mill Mountain Trails Plan was developed in 2005 and adopted by City Council in 2006. Now, fifteen years later, Roanoke Parks and Recreation has initiated this Amendment to recognize the progress on plan implementation, to build on regional changes in outdoor recreation, to identify opportunities for additions to the trail network, and to continue management guidelines that protect the natural resources of Mill Mountain Park. Sound conservation and stewardship are essential elements in Roanoke’s philosophy regarding access to its natural landscapes, as evidenced in the conservation easement on Mill Mountain Park and reiterated in this Amendment to the Trails Plan. To develop this Amendment, the Parks and Recreation Department formed a Task Force including staff, trail volunteers, trail users, Pathfinders for Greenways, Blue Ridge Off- Road Cyclists, and Roanoke Valley Greenway Commission. The process included multiple presentations to neighborhoods and groups and many opportunities for public input. The Task Force assessed the physical conditions of the eleven existing trails and Mill Mountain Greenway and developed recommendations for maintenance and improvements. In addition, the Task Force evaluated seventeen trail corridors proposed by the public and recommended fifteen be included in the plan on the following pages. i ROANOKE PARKS AND RECREATION Key issues that emerged during the amendment process include: Mill Mountain Park, with its Star, Zoo, Discovery Center, greenway and trails, is one of the region’s top attractions, which contributes economic vitality to the region by drawing talent and investment to the area. The trails and greenway on Mill Mountain make the park an “active” place to go. They provide free space for the daily activities of residents as well as a special tourist destination. Mill Mountain is used by people with a wide variety of skill sets and with different goals for their personal physical, mental, social, and spiritual health. Because greenways and trails are the face of the region for many visitors and residents, they should be well marked and maintained, providing a pleasant experience for all. Multi-use trails, open to users traveling in different ways, provide the most trail for the most users. While many mountain bikers would love to make Mill Mountain a “bike park”, the Park is much more than one activity, and bike-specific facilities must be developed with consideration of other users and resource concerns. All user groups need to practice common courtesies, good trail etiquette and safe usage practices. The growing trail network requires increasing staff, maintenance budgets, and volunteer commitments. The vision for the trails on Mill Mountain is to provide a sustainable network of trails that provides opportunities for residents and visitors to enjoy the natural beauty of the Park through a wide range of activities, including hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, trail running, bird watching, nature study, and dog walking. The Amendment recommends retaining all the official trails and expanding the trail network in order to have more trails and loops for users of different skill levels and modes of travel. The Amendment also recognizes citizens’ desire for better connectivity to the Mountain and includes several neighborhood connections and new trail corridors to satisfy that need. Many of the official trails will be improved through maintenance and minor rehabilitation. New trails will be developed, reviewed on a case by case basis for sustainable alignment, compliance with easements, benefits to users, long term health of the forests and streams, and resources for construction and maintenance. Shared use trails will be the norm, but single use trails will be allowed and have been identified as such in the plan. “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life. “ John Muir ii 2021 MILL MOUNTAIN TRAILS PLAN iii ROANOKE PARKS AND RECREATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS CITY OF ROANOKE The Citizens of Roanoke The City of Roanoke is grateful for the hundreds of citizens and visitors that assisted in this process by taking the time to fill out and submit surveys, attend public meetings, and contribute through the online feedback methods of engagement. The plan on the following pages represents input transformed into objectives and priorities for Mill Mountain Trails and Greenway and Roanoke Parks and Recreation. Once adopted, this plan will be included as a part of the Mill Mountain Park Management Plan, Parks and Recreation Master Plan, and the City of Roanoke Comprehensive Plan. Neighborhood Associations Parks and Recreation Advisory Board Riverland-Walnut Hills Joshua T. Dietz, Chair Southeast Action Forum Chris Bryant South Roanoke Neighbors Melanie C. Crovo Pete Eshelman Roanoke City Council Lauren E. Hartman Sherman P. Lea, Mayor William Modica Patricia White-Boyd, Vice Mayor Luke Priddy William D. Bestpitch Matthew Kelley Joseph L. Cobb Jared Rigby Robert L. Jeffrey, Jr. Jerome W. Stephens Stephanie Moon Reynolds Sue Williams Vivian Sanchez-Jones Mill Mountain Advisory Board Planning Commission David Perry, Chair Karri B. Atwood, Chair Ahondryea Brooks Sarah Glenn J. Matthew Bullington Kermit “Kit” Hale Whitney Feldmann Frank Martin, III Mary “Sissy” Kegley James E. Smith Amanda Marko Pamela Smith Jason Morgan Scott Terry-Cabbler Jeff Todd Niki Voudren iv 2021 MILL MOUNTAIN TRAILS PLAN City Manager’s Office Robert S. Cowell, Jr., City Manager Brent Robertson, Assistant City Manager for Community Development Mill Mountain Trail Plan Task Force Renee Powers, Trails and Greenways Coordinator, Roanoke Parks and Recreation, Chair Kat Andrew, Outdoor Recreation Coordinator, Roanoke Parks and Recreation Liz Belcher, Roanoke Valley Greenway Coordinator Dick Clark, Mill Mountain Trails Volunteer Shabnam Gideon, Past President, Blue Ridge Off-Road Cyclists Roger Holnback, Vice President, Pathfinders for Greenways; Greenway Commission James Revercomb, Greenway Commission Parks and Recreation Department Michael Clark, CPRP, Director of Parks and Recreation Cindy McFall, Parks Manager Donnie Underwood, Planning and Development Administrator Bill West, Urban Forestry Coordinator Matt Allenbaugh, Environmental Education Supervisor Transportation Division Hong Liu, City Traffic Engineer Andrea Garland, Traffic Engineer Western Virginia Water Authority Roger Blankenship, Director of Field Operations v ROANOKE PARKS AND RECREATION TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv TABLE OF CONTENTS vi FIGURES AND TABLES viii GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS, ABBREVIATIONS, AND TERMS ix CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PURPOSE OF THIS AMENDMENT 12 1.2 HISTORY OF TRAILS AND TRAIL PLANNING FOR MILL MOUNTAIN 12 1.3 REGIONAL CHANGES AND DEVELOPMENTS THAT INFLUENCE MILL MOUNTAIN TRAIL USE 12 1.4 ADDITIONAL PLANS TO SUPPORT MILL MOUNTAIN TRAILS 13 1.5 VISION FOR MILL MOUNTAIN PARK 14 1.6 GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STRATEGIES FOR MILL MOUNTAIN TRAIL SYSTEM 15 CHAPTER 2 TRAIL PLAN AMENDMENT PROCESS 2.1 PROJECT STUDY AREA 16 2.2 APPOINTMENT OF MILL MOUNTAIN TRAIL PLAN TASK FORCE 19 2.3 AMENDMENT STEPS AND TASKS 19 CHAPTER 3 PROGRESS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2005 MILL MOUNTAIN TRAILS PLAN 3.1 PROGRESS ON ESTABLISHING A TRAIL SYSTEM 20 3.2 PROGRESS ON TRAIL IMPROVEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 21 3.3 PROGRESS ON PARKING AND ACCESS 22 3.4 PROGRESS ON MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS 23 CHAPTER 4 INPUT TO THE 2021 MILL MOUNTAIN TRAILS PLAN AMENDMENT 4.1 METHODS FOR INPUT 24 4.2 SUMMARY OF ISSUES AND PROCESS FOR RESPONDING 28 4.3 RESEARCH AND REVIEW OF ISSUES 28 4.3.1 CONSERVATION EASEMENT REQUIREMENTS 29 4.3.2 TRAIL STANDARDS AND USES 30 4.3.3 SUSTAINABLE TRAIL DESIGN 30 4.3.4 USER CONFLICTS AND RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR 31 4.3.5 TRAIL BUILDING COSTS 33 vi 2021 MILL MOUNTAIN TRAILS PLAN CHAPTER 5 ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING TRAILS, CONDITIONS, NEEDS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 5.1 METHODS FOR ASSESSING CONDITION OF EXISTING TRAILS 34 5.2 METHOD FOR ASSESSMENT OF TRAILS BUILT SINCE 2005 35 5.3 DESCRIPTIONS AND CONDITIONS OF CURRENT TRAILS 36 5.4 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MAINTENANCE PRIORITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS ON CURRENT 40 TRAILS 5.5 TRAIL USES, DIFFICULTY RATINGS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS 44 CHAPTER 6 EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS FOR NEW TRAILS 6.1 DESCRIPTION OF NEW TRAIL PROPOSALS AND METHOD OF ASSESSMENT 46 6.2 FEASIBILITY AND RECOMMENDATIONS 48 6.3 TRAILS PROPOSED BUT NOT ADOPTED INTO THE PLAN 51 6.4 NEIGHBORHOOD CONNECTIONS 52 CHAPTER 7 TRAIL MANAGEMENT AND RECOMMENDATIONS 7.1 OPERATIONS AND OVERSIGHT 54 7.2 USER CONFLICT AND MANAGEMENT ISSUES 55 7.2.1 MOUNTAIN BIKE ONLY TRAILS 55 7.2.2 MORE TRAILS 55 7.2.3 E-BIKES 55 7.2.4 CHANGES TO SPECIFIC TRAILS 56 7.2.5 SINGLE USE TRAILS AND TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS 56 7.3 VOLUNTEER TRAIL MANAGEMENT PARTNERS, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES 57 7.4 NEW CONSTRUCTION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 58 7.5 MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING 60 7.6 SIGNAGE, WAYFINDING, EDUCATION, AND MARKING 60 7.7 SPECIAL EVENTS AND GROUP USE 63 7.8 PARKING AND ACCESS 64 7.9 NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION 65 7.10 PROHIBITED USES 66 7.11 AMENDMENTS AND UPDATES TO THE PLAN 67 APPENDICES 68 APPENDIX A TRAIL INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT FORMS APPENDIX B PUBLIC INPUT WRITTEN COMMENTS APPENDIX C REFERENCES AND SUSTAINABLE TRAIL DESIGN RESOURCES APPENDIX D CONSERVATION
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