A plan delayed is a plan denied

They showed up at just about every meeting demanding severe restrictions to recreational use, including having Waterdog open space designated a “nature preserve,” excluding bicycles from all single-track trails, and completely decommissioning the popular lake loop trail. This is the same group of people who sparked widespread outrage last year when they tried to get the Crystal Springs Cross Country Course’s permit revoked to the detriment of high school athletes. In response, the City Council wisely passed a resolution supporting continued use of the course.

This group’s relentless lobbying has robbed the commission and council of the time to focus on other aspects of the master plan. Despite this headwind, the city arrived at a well-reasoned, scientifically-backed framework on how the parks and open space trails can best serve the entire community. The transparent process included 19 Parks and Recreation Commission meetings, four City Council meetings, five advisory committee meetings, 11 focus groups, a communitywide survey with more than 2,800 responses, and a dedicated website (www.belmontPROSplan.com). It also received more than 1,500 community emails, the majority in support of maintaining the status quo of multiuse trails. Finally, the city retained an experienced consulting firm whose ecologists, biologists and land management professionals performed an in-depth field study and analysis. It would be hard to imagine a more comprehensive effort by a city to create a community-driven plan.

The independent environmental consulting firm concluded the habitat in Belmont’s open space is healthy, and that existing multiuse recreation policies are not causing any significant harm to the environment. For example, the trails consist of 1.3% of the land in the open space and, of that 1.3%, less than 10% had significant erosion. The PROS process found no reason for radical changes to Belmont’s 30+ year inclusive policies of allowing hikers, cyclists, trail runners and dog walkers to share and enjoy all of the trails. Data from the PROS plan confirmed more than 80% of the community wants to keep these inclusive policies in place. The PROS plan includes new policies to balance recreation and conservation by adding safety features to trails and protecting riparian habitat.

The Belmont Parks and Recreation Commission voted unanimously to approve the PROS plan at its July 6 meeting. It is important to remember this is a framework, not a blueprint, and still leaves room for the community to provide future input on specific trails and projects.

The council will finally vote on the PROS plan July 26, but the same handful of homeowners are making a last-ditch effort for a delay, including hiring a lawyer to threaten lawsuits. The 18-month process was not rushed, and the public had ample time to review the draft plan documents before the final revisions and finalization (The Open Space Element is only 87 pages minus tables).

We hope the council will take a similar approach it did when this small group tried to shut down the Crystal Springs Cross Country course last year — which is to stand up to it, honor the transparent process and tremendous staff effort that went into the plan, follow the science and implement the wishes of the vast majority of Belmont residents. The council should not wilt before the legal and political threats and delay the plan to oblivion. Over the past 18 months, everyone got a chance to be heard, and the citizens of Belmont don’t want the can kicked down the road just to placate a handful of homeowners. The citizens of Belmont want to move on, and they want the city to get back to work on other important projects eclipsed by the PROS process, such as the long-planned Barrett Community Center and pool. It is our sincere hope that our City Council has the fortitude to do what is right for Belmont and approve this plan at its July 26 meeting.

Thaddeus Block is a 17-year resident of Belmont and previously served on the Belmont Parks and Recreation Commission for eight years. Paul Sheng is a 10-year resident of Belmont. Both are fathers of school-age children and members of the Waterdog Open Space Stewards (www.waterdogstewards.com), a grassroots organization that advocates for habitat preservation and sustainable, inclusive outdoor recreation. They volunteer with the Waterdog Trailkeepers (https://www.facebook.com/groups/2079772678916626/), a group that performs trail maintenance and habitat restoration in Waterdog open space.