Parks, Rec receives OK for Trustland Trails

South Whidbey Parks and Recreation District is moving ahead with proposed trails included in a recent plan.

The trails will be added to the existing network of the Trustland Trails, which are located near the intersection of State Highway 525 and Craw Road.

During a board of commissioners meeting Wednesday night, park district Executive Director Doug Coutts said that 19 comments from members of the public on the proposed trail plan were received.

The majority of comments were supportive of the plan, Coutts said, though a few did express concerns.

Some citizens recommended restricting horse traffic on the ADA loops, which Coutts was amenable to. Others shared concerns about the environmental impacts of the third trail, slated to be built in 2021.

Coutts reminded meeting participants that the parks department follows the path of least impact when constructing trails. Because the proposed plan did not encroach on any critical areas, such as slopes or wetlands, he said, it does not require any permits and was approved by the county Panning Department.

Coutts also addressed security concerns, saying that any new construction would be at least 50 feet from the boundaries of private property owners.

The commissioners agreed it would be best to start with the first two trails in the proposed plan, one of which is an ADA loop. Both trails can be built as soon as this year.

The board approved the plan unanimously but also agreed to look more into the third trail, which the public expressed the most concern about. The trail runs parallel to an existing length of trail, although at a different elevation.