The Planning Commission hosted a series of community discussions in early 2021 to develop a policy regarding the use of Tunbridge’s Legal Trails. In April, the Trails Committee was established to carry on their work. Follow this link to see the committee’s upcoming meeting agendas and recent minutes.
Trails Status
Tunbridge’s trails (designated on this map), are listed below at their current status. At least one trail steward per trail will be appointed by the Trails Committee. The trails steward will at times choose to close the trail if maintenance is required or in the case of seasonal or weather-related events. The Selectboard has the ultimate control over the use of the Legal Trails.
- Cross Road (LT-1, 0.73 miles) – Closed while under planning review. Trail Steward is Jonathan Bicknell (email)
- Baptist Hill (LT-2, 0.7 miles) – Closed while under planning review. Trail Stewards are Rudi Ruddell (email) and Thornton Hayslett (email)
- Orchard (LT-3, 0.72 miles) – Closed while under planning review. Trail Stewards are Rudi Ruddell (email) and Thornton Hayslett (email)
- Falls Hill (LT-4, 0.3 miles) – Open to walking only. Trail Steward is Susan Salster (email)
Shared Resources
- Legal Trails final recommendation – Sept. 2021
- Resource guide – updated March 7, 2021
- Official town highway map showing the legal trails
- Tunbridge Conservation Commission letter
- Strafford Public Trails System Guidelines
- Tunbridge Town Plan excerpts:
2013 | 2017 | 2021 (draft) - Article about public rights-of-way
- Vermont Mountain Bike Association map
- Roads and Highways document from Vermont Land Use and Training Collaborative
- The History and Law of Vermont Town Roads
by Paul S. Gilles - Map of the Little River Mountain Bike Trails
- Mountain Bike Position Statement from the American Hiking Society
- Letter and legal opinion submitted by John Echeverria
- Response from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (April 2021)
- Response to VLCT submitted by John Echeverria
- Recreational Trail Building and Wetlands from Vermont Wetlands Program Public Guidance, 2020
- Randolph’s Trails Policy submitted by Todd Tyson
- Trails Committee draft survey
- Trails Committee Draft Interim Report for the selectboard
- Trails Committee Interim Report for the selectboard
- Tunbridge Legal Trails Fact Sheet (draft)
- Kingdom Trails loses trails for mountain bikers – Bicycling magazine
- Trails Committee themes
- Falls Hill Trail materials
-
Notes from the Vermont Horse Council’s website
- Norwich residents worry Appalachian Trail will close unauthorized offshoots – Valley News
- Build It and They Will Come – Yankee magazine
- Community Communications Subcommittee Summary (draft)
- Conservation Commission position paper (draft)
- Stakeholder input (Aug./Sept. 2021)
- Paul Gillies correspondence
- Legal Trails recommendation (draft)
- Legal Trails recommendation with group feedback (draft)
- Legal Trails recommendation (Sept. 22 draft)
- Legal Trails info sheet
- Response from the Vermont League of Cities and Towns (Oct. 2021)
- John Echeverria et al v. Town of Tunbridge order of dismissal (Dec. 2022)
- Trails Stewards Memorandum of Understanding (July 2023)
Public Comments
- Letter from John Echeverria – Sept. 13, 2020
- Statement from John Echeverria – Feb. 24, 2021
- Comments from Kevin Rose – March 10, 2021
- Slide presentation by Michael Sacca – March 10, 2021
- Submitted testimony – March 10, 2021
- Memo from John Echeverria – March 12, 2021
- Submitted testimony – March 21, 2021
- Submitted testimony – March 28, 2021
- Submitted testimony – April 4, 2021
- Submitted testimony – April 11, 2021
- Trails vs. Class 4 Roads from John Echeverria – May 5, 2021
- Submitted testimony – May 5, 2021
- Baptist Hill Trail notes from John Echeverria – May 24, 2021
- Baptist Hill Trail notes from John Echeverria – June 20, 2021
- Letter from Cal Heminway – July 2021
- Letter from George White – July 2021
- Submitted testimony – September 2021
- Letter from Cal Heminway’s attorney – June 26, 2023
- Submitted testimony – June 2023
- Response to Heminway’s attorney – Sept. 13, 2023
Legal Trails Community Discussions
Feb. 10, 2021
Agenda | Minutes | Video
Feb. 24, 2021
Agenda | Minutes | Video
March 10, 2021
Agenda | Minutes | Video
March 24, 2021
Agenda | Minutes | Video