Greylock Glen Trails Ready for MEPA
 Photos by Christopher Marcisz
Community Development Director Donna Cesan explains a point during the Glen Advisory Committee meeting Thursday. |
The news came as the Advisory Committee for the proposed Greylock Glen Outdoor Recreation and Environmental Education Center Project met Thursday afternoon at Town Hall. They discussed the final preparations for submitting the first stages of the Glen proposal to the state for environmental review. That would precede the more elaborate development which includes a campground and lodge and conference center.
Cathy Garnett of the Department of Conservation and Recreation and a member of the committee explained that the filing, an Environmental Notification Form, will be submitted to the state in accordance with the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act on March 31.
She said the form will reflect the years of research and discussion that has gone on in the past two years.
"We really want this to reflect that," she said. "Everyone will have as much information as we have. We want to be as transparent as possible."
After that, in the middle of April, the state will hold a "scoping session" in Adams on the proposal. The comment period will continue for 21 days after that, and then a decision is expected 10 days after that.
For the meeting, Harold Dodson of Dodson Associates, the landscape architect for the trail portion of the project, presented a report he described as "75 percent" complete on the work. It included details on the way trails would be built, including the critical data about the 90 water crossings and wetlands that are proposed.
"It seems like a lot of work, but each is a wetland crossing and, by law, you have to provide details," he said.
Altogether, the plan encompasses 32 miles of trails, which will affect 19.5 acres out of the roughly 1,063 acres at the Glen.
Dodson said the preliminary cost estimate for the basic trail work comes to about $2.7 million. The total cost including more advanced signage and a snowmaking system would bring the cost to about $5 million.
He said some of the work could be done by groups with experience in trailwork, including the Student Conservation Association or the Appalachian Mountain Club. Bidding could begin later this year.
"Realistically, we would be looking at a year from now [to begin work]," Dodson said.
About a dozen people attended the afternoon meeting, and raised questions about funding for the project. For the early stages, funding comes from the town and matching grants from the state.
Adams Community Development Director Donna Cesan said the MEPA process will help define the rest of the project, but that development partners for later phases of the project will be responsible for much of that work.
"It's designed to be economically sustainable," she said. "It's not expected to be a drain or have any impact except a positive one on the town's taxpayers."
When the MEPA process is complete, the project would go through the local permitting process, including the town Conservation Commission and the Planning Board. Then work could begin on the final phases for the campground and conference center. The design work for that phase, being done by Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., has narrowed the development area to 28.5 acres of the total 1,063 acres at the Greylock Glen.
"The most important thing is to get through the MEPA process," Committee member George Haddad said. "It's been slow, but it's getting there the right way."
Cesan also said the Committee should consider setting up a Web site on the project, which she said could both keep the public informed on the project's progress and help market the project to potential bidders.
Related Stories:
| Greylock Glen Ski Trails Must Pass MEPA Muster ADAMS - 03-20-2009 - "How they calculate disturbance will have a dramatic affect on the trail system." — Cathy Garnett |
| Green Living Guidelines Reviewed for Greylock Glen ADAMS - 05-14-2009 - "It's almost like a cookbook." — Steven Derdiarian |
| Public Forum Planned for Greylock Glen Trail Proposal ADAMS - 06-12-2009 - "We are trying to get the best system for the best amount of money." — Harry Dodson |
| Greylock Glen Plan Gets Round of Applause ADAMS - 07-24-2009 - "This is your proposal — we're not here to sell you anything tonight." — Leo Roy |
