Now is the time to act!
If you are local to City of Fairfax, please plan on attending the Public Hearing Sept 26th 7:00pm at City Hall!
Our City Council and Mayor are primed to allow the George Snyder Trail construction to go forward in spite of the obvious flaws and failings of the proposed plan. September 26 is the very last public hearing on this project. At that time, City Council will vote on the remaining permissions needed to build the trail. Four elected officials must vote no to stop this travesty and send the plans back to the drawing board.
WHAT CAN WE DO?
It belongs to us. This isn't some developer proposing something on their privately owned land. This is our elected leaders representing us regarding land we own as a community. The way to stop this is to raise our voices and tell them loud and clear we want this woodland protected from bulldozers and asphalt. Send emails from now until September 26 and attend the Council meeting. Talk with your neighbors, share this email. Our best, last chance to stop this is to fill Council Chambers with people who oppose the destruction of this lovely, publicly owned woodland. Share the petition if you haven't already.
Please ask the City of Fairfax to pause this project! Please ask the City to consider an alternative routing of the bike road out of our forest and flood plain.
There is an alternative route that will satisfy all the requirements for the GST, all the connections without sacrificing an intact forest.
Cardinal Road is a perfect Neighborway and runs parallel to the forest trail. Cardinal Road already has signs stating it is the GST. At one terminus, a very short connection to 123 already exists and connects to a property with easy access to Rt. 123. A short connection could also be made to Willow Wood Plaza. The other terminus could be achieved through Ranger Rd. Park which exits on existing trails to Fairfax Blvd; and through Draper Dr. Park, also on already existing trails to Draper Dr.
GST is a 2 mile trail, that was originally proposed as a $200,000 stone dust trail that has morphed into a $14 million bike road because of 'free money.' GST is now in the millions of dollars over budget. Unless additional 'free money' can be secured, I believe we, the residents and businesses of the City of Fairfax, are on the hook for this overage.
This is not fiscally sound!
We can no longer view forests simply for our recreation. An intact forest intercepts, slows and filters hundreds of thousands of gallons of water from entering the Accotink Creek. Slowing the water before it further floods those down stream already dealing with many flooding issues.
We need everyone to contact our Mayor and Council.
We need everyone come to the Public Hearing on Tuesday Sept 26th!!
Please join us to ask for responsible management of our resources, both natural and financial. Please pause project and consider Cardinal Road as an alternate route.
Email addresses of Mayor and City Council:
Catherine.Read@fairfaxva.gov; Kate.DoyleFeingold@fairfaxva.gov; Billy.Bates@fairfaxva.gov; Jeff.Greenfield@fairfaxva.gov; So.Lim@fairfaxva.gov; Tom.Ross@fairfaxva.gov; Jon.Stehle@fairfaxva.gov