*** Plan needed to preserve Wenatchee foothills trail access ***

Wenatchee, Washington -- 02/23/2005
City needs rules for development, trail advocates say

A proposed 18-home subdivision off Castlerock Avenue
probably won't block public access to foothills trails in the
future, as some feared.

But long-term access to the network of trails that cross the
sage-covered hills west of the city will remain uncertain until
advocates submit a master trail plan to the city.

"Without that plan we can't have any effect on development,"
said Andy Dappen, a member of the Foothills Trails Coalition.

The coalition and the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust are working on
a long-range plan for current and future trails and trailheads between
Saddle Rock and Horselake Road that could be submitted to
Wenatchee planners by the end of the year. The document likely
will be adopted into the city's comprehensive land-use plans,
providing leverage to require developers to offer public right-of
-way to the trails, said Cyndy Butler, senior planner for Wenatchee.

Without it, the city can't make developers do anything for trails,
she said.

"The city has no adopted standards for trails," she said.

Until the plan is complete, Dappen said, the trails group would
like the city to do whatever it can to encourage trail access in
residential developments like the one that received preliminary
approval Feb. 15 from the city Planning Commission.

The planning commissioners approved the 5.5-ace residential
development between the western end of Castlerock Avenue
and Rocklund Drive. An hour before the meeting, Butler said
she received 19 e-mails from people concerned that the housing
development would block future access to the trails on Castle
Rock, a landmark rock formation in the foothills at the western
edge of town. The 18 single-family home sites stretch in an "L"
formation north

of Castlerock Avenue and then west up the hillside.

The public cannot currently access the foothills trails from that
area because of private property, but advocates hope to negotiate
with property owners for some access in the future, said Hans Slette,
stewardship director for the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust.

"We wanted to make sure that development does
not preclude a future trail access point," he said.

Butler said the planning commission heard testimony from trail
advocates, but trail access was not incorporated into the application,
submitted by property owner Bill Pershall. However, the development
will include a new city street that should ensure continued access to
the
foothills, Butler said.

The City Council will make a final decision
on the application at a March 10 meeting.

Dappen said that, at the very least, "We want them (the city)
not to wall off access for potential development of the trail
system in the future."

Pershall's property adjoins land owned by Goodfellow Bros. Inc.,
which controls much of the ground around the base of Castle Rock.
"Our hope is that we can negotiate some access in the future (with
Goodfellow Bros.)," Slette said.

Dappen said trail advocates feared Pershall's development would
cut off the approach to Goodfellow's property from Castlerock
Avenue, making negotiations with Goodfellow moot.

Dappen said the trails coalition is also concerned about continued
access to trails from Sage Hills Drive and from the Broadview
neighborhood because of residential development.

"The city needs to hear from citizens that they value the foothills and
value access to trails and recreation in the foothills," Slette said.

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