While the Devils Thumb Homeowners Association retains the right to deny public access to the Fern Meadow Trail from Stony Hill Drive, they did agree to continue to permit public access at three other points, Bear Mountain Drive, Cragmoor, and Wildwood. Formalization of these access points would do much to alleviate the two-tier access problem in this area. This assumes that the access points would be added to be official Open Space map, and perhaps, an interim brochure to be distributed until the next edition of the map becomes available. Also required would be appropriate signage directing visitors to area trails. This is especially important that the end of Cragmoor Drive where currently unmapped and unmarked trails provide critical connections to the area's official trail system. Given the limited amount of parking which is available in this residential area and close proximity of "Skip" service it is also important that signs direct visitors from Skip stops to the trailheads. At the OSBT meeting that I attended last December there seemed to be broad support for these changes. The key question, of course, is whether these changes will actually be made or whether the supporting statements that were made were merely designed to blunt public criticism. These are the sort of changes which could easily be perpetually delayed pending the completion of endless studies and planning processes.
I am also troubled by wording in the agreement that states that these access points can never be developed into "trailheads." Here I see an ambiguity in the meaning of the word "trailhead." While the agreement seems to imply that trailheads mean parking lots, picnic tables, and restroom facilities, I see a danger that it could be interpreted more broadly. Specifically I'm concerned that future DTHA attornies motivated by the NIMBY syndrome might argue that the agreement prevents the development of transit-oriented trailheads which might include bicycle parking areas, bus stops (perhaps for, weekend open space access buses), and interpretive and directional signs. After all, it is ambiguous language in the original plat for the subdivision which has lead to the lengthy dispute which the DTHA agreement sought to resolve. What I fear is "Catch-22" access in which areas will remain open as long as they're widely used. If, however, the visitor use increases significantly, DTHA attornies a likely to look for a way to restrict public access. After all, it was public use that precipitated the original closing out the Stony Hill Drive trailheads which used to be widely enjoyed.
Cragmoor Drive. At this point this umarked and unmapped trailhead
provides the best public access to both the official and unofficial Shanahan
Ridge area trails.
For a discussion of easy solutions to inequitable access problems surrounding
the Shanahan Ridge Homeowners Association click
here.