Town officials are looking at ways to extend an existing off-road recreation trail on the Kayaderosseras Creek in the West Milton area for another mile to Rock City Falls.
The town’s Open Space Committee will hold a meeting at 7 this evening at the Milton Community Center to explore ideas and the willingness of landowners to grant easements.
A plan in place since 2003 has called for developing a “greenbelt trail” along the Kayaderosseras, which runs through the more rural western part of the growing town.
“We believe can have both business here and open space,” Town Supervisor Dan Lewza said Thursday.
What’s currently being discussed are ways to link Boice Family Memorial Park, which runs for about a mile along the creek, to Rock City Falls. The town has Cottrell-Harrington Park along the creek there as a possible destination.
A fact sheet developed by the committee lists possible routes as continuing to follow the Kayaderosseras: following an existing abandoned railroad grade, following existing paths and logging trails, or following property boundary lines where landowners are willing.
The town will not use any property unless the property owner agrees, officials said. Any agreement to buy land or easements would need approval from the Town Board.
“We’re entirely reliant on the good will of property owners,” said Larry Woolbright, a member of the Open Space Committee.
The committee has sent letters directly to more than 100 landowners and is hoping some will attend this evening’s meeting.
“To the extent we can, we would love to follow the creek,” Woolbright said.
According to Lewza, the town is still in the early stages of developing a park system, and the process may take years.
Boice Park was established several years ago on land donated to the town as a condition for approval of a development. The trail system has been built in bits and pieces, reaching a length of one mile last fall, Woolbright said.
He said Boy Scout Eagle projects could lead to picnic tables and other improvements there this year. The park can be accessed from Rock City Road.
Milton has grown from roughly 10,000 people in 1970 to 19,000 today, but most of the suburban-style development has been in the eastern part of town. There is now an effort to concentrate commercial development in a “town center” around Geyser Road and Rowland Street.
“Basically we are trying to expand the town center but also have our open space, and I think we can do that,” Lewza said.
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