Meetings will take place June 24 and 25, 2013, 7 – 9 p.m. in Gaithersburg and Silver Spring (respectively); Public input sought on new “Loops and Links” framework.
SILVER SPRING, MD—Montgomery Parks, part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission is seeking public input at two upcoming meetings about updates to the Countywide Park Trails Plan (CWPTP) scheduled at the following dates, times and locations:
June 24, 7 – 9pm
M-NCPPC Montgomery Parks Shady Grove Training Room 16641 Crabbs Branch Way Gaithersburg, MD 20855 June 25, 7 – 9 p.m. M-NCPPC Montgomery Regional Office Auditorium 8787 Georgia Avenue Silver Spring, MD 20910
The Countywide Park Trails Plans was originally approved in 1998 by the Montgomery County Planning Board to provide a vision for paved and natural surface trails in parks throughout the county. Montgomery Parks is collaborating with a trails working group to update the plan to better address the needs of county residents.
Preliminary plan recommendations will be presented at the meeting. Staff will be seeking feedback on the new plan framework and ways to make the plan simpler while also meeting the needs of trail users. The plan amendment will also identify strategies to add trails to more populated areas in the county.
Background on CWPTP Amendment:
For the past 18 months, Montgomery Parks’ planners have been collaborating with a “Trails Working Group” to improve the plan and help target future trail funding where it is most needed and will be most effective. The group has analyzed potential obstacles and determined criteria for prioritizing trail work, as well as creating more loop experiences and striking the right balance between destination trail experiences with ones that are closer to where people live and work.
The new plan framework presents a more realistic approach compared to older plans which identified a broader universe of possibilities.
About the Trails Working Group:
The Trails Working Group is composed of Montgomery Parks staff, representatives from major trail user groups, a park stewardship advocate and a sustainable trails advocate. The group has met monthly since October 2011 to advise Montgomery Parks on the plan amendment and work through the plan objectives.
For more information visit our website at www.MontgomeryTrails.org or contact the project manager, Chuck Kines, at Charles.Kines@montgomeryparks.org or 301-495-2184
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