Since 2007, Oakland Township has had a millage of up to 0.25 mils ($0.25 per $1,000 of taxable value) to fund connecting safety paths within the township that are not already within parks and funded by Parks Department or bordering subdivisions and funded by builders initially and then maintained by individual Homeowner’s Associations.
Libby Dwyer, citizen chairperson of the all volunteer, unpaid, 7 member Safety Paths and Trails Committee (SPTC) says resident surveys show the #1 resident desire is a safe path to the Paint Creek Trail. She presented two options to the Board, this one and a path down Gunn Rd. from Adams to Paint Creek Trail. While the Board made no formal motion, it was obvious they favored the Gallagher Rd. path.
The most populated and highest tax base area of the township is the southwest portion. A 2012 plan to connect them to the Paint Creek Trail via a safety path down Adams Rd. from Delta Kelly elementary school to Paint Creek Trail was favored by the 2008 Board of Trustees, but was rejected in early 2013 by the new 2012 Board which contained 5 new members of 7 total. Their primary reasons for rejection were:
- Safety path is too steep (it did not meet national path standards for maximum slope) and would be a hazard especially to daredevil youth on bikes
- The Board was unwilling to invoke “eminent domain” to place some of path on private property frontages.
- The Board felt long-term maintenance costs of the boardwalk “trestle” sections would be much higher than estimated by the previous Board.
The new 2012 Board of Trustees then decided to replace the Trails Planner paid job (40% of a township employee’s full-time duties) with a 7 member volunteer committee consisting of:
- Representative of Board of Trustees
- Representative of Planning Commission
- Representative of Parks and Recreation
- Four citizen members
SPTC plans trails, but must get Board of Trustees approval to go ahead with a project.
The previous Trails Planner had done a lot of work with PEA, the township’s engineering firm to develop feasibility of various routes. Safety paths in Oakland Township are made difficult by hilly terrain (potential for unsafe slopes) , wetlands (requiring very expensive boardwalks) and the desire to avoid eminent domain. Recently SPTC, using that work as a foundation, did a comprehensive 15 page master plan which is an addendum to our master plan and can be seen at this link:
The 40 minute presentation and Board discussion of the proposed Gallagher path can be seen at Chapter 8 of the video of 8/14/2018 Board of Trustees meeting. Videos can be found by going to the township website http://www.oaklandtownship.org/. Click on “Watch Live Streaming” at far lower right and click your way to this Chapter.
The SPTC website says this
“The SPTC generally meets on the first Wednesday of the month in the Township Hall at 6:00pm. Citizen comment is always welcome. Always check the township website for time and location updates. Most meetings are televised live on Comcast channel 17 or on the township website where recordings of past meetings can be viewed. If you can’t attend in person, please email your SPT comments to Dale Stuart, Township manager, at dstuart@oaklandtownship.org.”
Link to SPTC website
http://www.oaklandtownship.org/township_departments/safety_paths_and_trails.php
Oakland Township Sentinel 