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Bethel Area Trails – NEWS-MEETINGS-MINUTES |
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Bethel Area Trails – Present: Mike Hoeh, Jim Mitchell, Burnham Martin, and Sylvia Vander Sluis Sylvia served as facilitator for this meeting. She began the meeting by reviewing the meeting’s main purpose: to review the draft sign and amenities plan as well as the draft project plan. She also briefed Mike and Jim about the December meeting and feedback received since then. Following some questions and clarifications, the group reviewed the draft sign and amenities plan page by page. During the review, Burnham noted that he had drafted the sign specifications based on sign programs of several conservation agencies, combined with experience with community trails. Feedback has been incorporated in the revised draft, and major points of discussion and agreement are noted below. The existing trailhead signs at the Bethel Recreational Pathway are attractive, but are an expensive design to reproduce in other locations. The committee agreed that a simpler and consistent sign design would be appropriate. The committee also recognized the need to discuss this point with town officials. The subject of providing trailheads with trash cans came up. The committee felt strongly that trash cans are troublesome and unnecessary and recommends against them. Guidance to trail users could be provided to pack out what they bring in. Regarding signs on the trail advertising businesses, the committee felt they are inappropriate. The recommendation is to show direction and distance to village services in general, but not to clutter the trail with specific business signs. Committee members felt it would probably be fine to move
the canoe trail kiosk at the The Grafton Loop Trail was built by a coalition of trail groups and the Maine Appalachian Trail Club manages it. Signs there will follow their guidelines. Everyone agreed that it is important to more strongly associate the MLT with the Gateway, by using a sign. The Land Trust already has “conservation property” signs, which could be used for this purpose, although they may need to be larger to be visible to drivers. The discussion of kiosk design focused on the need for
simple and sturdy design. The Grafton Loop Trail is an example of such a
design. The kiosk at Committee members noted that we still need to get feedback
regarding the Mike agreed that he would serve as a representative of MLT’s outlying trails on the committee. The draft sign plan review took long enough that there was insufficient time to address the project plan. The committee will review that plan at a later date. |