Trail Loss Auburn-Cool Area N.Ca

[Linda_Merims@ne.3com.com]

Steve said:

> Hi Folks: The local water district is proposing to seriously
> limit if not prohibit the access and use of trails in the
> Auburn, Cool, Pilot Hill, Georgetown, Kelsey, Greenwood areas...


The ordinance proposed at the bottom of Steve's post sounds
like the stance taken by most Massachusetts (and I've been
told, New England) water districts.  They simply regard
the watersheds that surround their reservoirs as CLOSED
to all activity.  The Diamond Hill Reservoir (RI) that
branches off my trail system has signs proclaiming a $500
fine if you are caught on the watershed property.

We thought this was one of the things that the West had
all over the East--open (or nearly) access to watershed
lands.  Now it sounds like this district is taking the
same "closed is safest" attitude.

One thing people REALLY NEED TO UNDERSTAND when they go
to one of these hearings is that it is best to have a
WRITTEN version of your position, and to hand that in
at the same time you make your oral statements.  Such a
hearing can have true legal standing and what you say is
actually a form of testimony.  To get your testimony into
the official record, it needs to be written on paper and signed.
It is permanent.  It is concrete.  Your oral statements
are ephemeral.

A large number of horse people attended a Metropolitan
District Commission meeting regarding access to the Ware
MDC watershed.  Many spoke, but few handed in their
testimony on paper.  As a result, the MDC declared that
there was little opposition to their effort to severely
restrict horse access on the watershed.

Best of luck to you...

Linda B. Merims
lbm@ici.net
Linda_Merims@ne.3com.com
Massachusetts, USA



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