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The Fauquier County
Connections Plan addresses the need for additional trail and
greenway connections in the County for pedestrians and
bicyclists to libraries, parks, shopping, historical sites
and scenic areas, particularly in the nine service
districts. The Plan identifies general greenway locations,
design guidelines, and maintenance cost estimates for trails
as well as recommendations for improving the Fauquier County
Subdivision Ordinance to include better sidewalk and trail
standards for new development.
Recognizing that
trails and greenways contribute to a high quality of life,
improved health, and allow for citizens to use sustainable
modes of transportation, staff recommends that The
Connections Plan be referenced in Fauquier County
Comprehensive Plan in Chapter 9-Public Facilities and
Utilities and Chapter 10-Transportation.
Topic Update:
The public hearing for this
item was closed on September 13, 2007 and scheduled for
October 11, 2007 as a consent agenda item. In addition, an
afternoon work session has been
scheduled with the Fauquier County Department of Parks &
Recreation for their presentation of a fiscal impact
analysis on existing, County-maintained trails and
anticipated maintenance costs to the County associated
with this Plan Amendment. The Parks & Recreation Board will
also explain the importance of having a network of primary,
public trails maintained by the County.
Planning Commission
Recommendation:
The Planning Commission held
a public hearing on the Amendment in May 2007 and
unanimously recommended it for approval on June 28, 2007,
with the text additions to the Fauquier County Comprehensive
Plan and The Fauquier County Connections Plan as represented
below. The intent of this language was to clearly state
that in the view of the Planning Commission, trail
construction and maintenance should not be the
responsibility of the County, except in unique circumatances
where other private and public groups are unable to assume
the burden and where the trails connect to major centers of
activity in service districts.
The following
underlined text is recommended to be inserted in The
Connections Plan:
Approximately 140 miles of
public trails are proposed in The Fauquier County
Connections Plan for walkers, bicyclists, and equestrian
riders in the service districts. Through public-private
partnerships with the Virginia Department of Transportation
(VDOT), developer commitments and the Fauquier County
Capital Improvements Plan as approved by the Board of
Supervisors, land acquisition and construction of trails
will become realized. The costs and effort associated with
trail maintenance will need to be shared amongst the
Fauquier County Parks & Recreation Department , VDOT,
homeowner associations (HOAs), participating community
groups and non-profit organizations. Maintenance costs
should be the responsibility of HOAs first, VDOT second and
as a last resort, if the trails benefit the County outside
neighborhoods, the County could be responsible for the
maintenance costs.
The following
underlined text is recommended for Chapter 9-Public
Facilities and Utilities (page 18) of the Fauquier County
Comprehensive Plan to describe The Connections Plan and
allow it to be adopted by reference.
Introduction
The Fauquier County Parks
and Recreation Board is dedicated to the enhancement of the
quality of life for all people in Fauquier County. Working
in a partnership with the people, the Department shall
provide the leadership to assure that citizens receive high
quality recreational facilities and services.
Walking and bicycling are
two popular activities for recreation and transportation
that promote environmental sustainability and good health
benefits compared to the automobile. An increasing number
of residents have expressed a desire for more pathways that
provide safe places to bicycle and walk. The Fauquier
County Connections Plan is adopted within the Comprehensive
Plan by reference. It describes the need for interconnected
greenways within the County and their benefits that add to
quality living and tourism opportunities in Fauquier
County. The Plan also identifies trail locations within
each of the nine service districts and makes recommendations
for trail design and maintenance.
The following
underlined text is recommended for Chapter
10-Transportation (page 23) of the Fauquier County
Comprehensive Plan to describe the relevance of The
Connections Plan with respect to transportation and point
readers to the appropriate plan for greenways.
FUTURE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ROUTES
Walking and bicycling are
two alternative modes of transportation that Fauquier County
encourages and supports for public health, recreation and
travel.
The Board of Supervisors
adopted the Preliminary Bicycle and Pedestrian Facility
Assessment Plan for Fauquier County in 2001. That plan, and
as it is periodically updated, is incorporated into this
chapter by reference. The Assessment Plan highlights
relevant opportunities in all Service Districts, and it
represents an iterative process for improving pedestrian and
bicycle access countywide.
Fortunately, information
Information
developed in this
report needs to be considered in the strategic planning for
future transportation systems. Such coordinated multimodal
planning will result in safer, more efficient, long-term
local access separated from through traffic. As with highway
planning, bicycle and pedestrian planning needs to be
coordinated with VDOT.
The Fauquier County
Connections Plan (2007), adopted by reference in the
Fauquier County Comprehensive Plan, focuses on the need for
safe pathways and greenways for pedestrians and bicyclists
in the County. Greenway locations for each of the nine
service districts are identified, as well as design
recommendations that will promote safe travel. Design
principles and standards for each type of pathway (e.g.
multiple-purpose, greenway, equestrian) will need to be
defined and considered for inclusion in the Fauquier County
Subdivision and Zoning Ordinances and the Design Standards
Manual (DSM) so that trails built by different entities are
consistent, and provide safe and adequate connectivity where
possible.
Trails, bike paths and
similar pedestrian connectors are a low County priority
outside the designated service districts, unless such
connectors provide key links to and between centers of major
activity. Facilities outside the Service Districts may be
completed as part of a VDOT-funded secondary or primary road
improvement project, by developers, or as part of a Board of
Supervisors-approved project through the 5-Year Capital
Improvements Program. At the time of dedication or
proffered rezoning, the County’s standard process is to
review the cost and benefits of each discrete proposal.
Considerations shall include the type of trail (e.g.
multiple-use versus blue way, greenway and equestrian) and
maintenance cost and responsibility.
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