Environmentalists Oppose Latest Iteration Of George Snyder Trail Plan

FAIRFAX CITY, VA — Fairfax City Council members will consider at their Tuesday night meeting whether to acquire three parcels of land east of Chain Bridge Road and north of Fairfax Boulevard to connect segments of the existing George T. Snyder Trail.

Once completed, the 2-mile trail would serve as an east-west link between Draper Drive Park and Chain Bridge Road in the Northfax area.

The council will host a public hearing on three "quick take" condemnation of permanent and temporary easements from these addresses:

• 3521 Chain Bridge Road (Fairfax Chain Bridge Hotel, LLC)
• 10402 Eaton Place (Fairfax 123 Hotel Limited Partnership)
• 10270 Fairfax Blvd. (WillowWood Land, LLC)

During the council's two regular meetings in September, bicycling advocates and environmentalists spoke out in support of and in opposition to the city's current plans for the trail.

City resident Doug Steward did a little bit of both.

"I've been bicycling in this area since moving here in 2004 and there's no good east-west connection," he said, at a recent public hearing. "It's [Route] 50 or there's not much else. This trail is going to provide a vital route for me and many other bicyclists. It's also going to provide an important regional connection between the Cross County Trail on the east side and on the west side near the Harley Davidson [dealership]."

Stewart added that the trail would bring more people into the city and businesses would benefit. However, he acknowledged there would be a significant loss of trees and a greater impact on stormwater than how the trail was originally imagined.

Tom Blackburn, a master naturalist and advocacy chair for the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, evaluated the George Snyder Trail Plans on the city website.

"Construction of the George Snyder Trail will turn a natural path that follows the existing terrain into an artificial, manufactured surface that is hugely destructive to the ecosystem of the surrounding urban forest," he said, in an Oct. 20 letter.

"About 380 feet of the trail is on boardwalks and another 535 feet is on bridges," he wrote. "The remainder — 4,120 feet, or 55 percent of the project, is on as much as 11 feet of fill dirt or excavated as much as 7 feet below grade. Sixty-seven percent of the project will be constructed above grade on fill dirt, excavated below grade, or on boardwalks and bridges."

In order to create a berm for the 10-foot-wide trail platform to sit on, fill dirt will need to be added "25 to 50 feet wide, perpendicular to the trail," according to Blackburn.

Related: Threatened Trees Saved As City Council Denies Funding Endorsement

To construct the sections of the trail that are below grade, a 50-feet of soil will need to be removed to create a slope to separate the trail from the surrounding terrain.

Blackburn also noted that about 900 feet of retaining walls would be needed to install the trail. While some walls would only be 2 feet in height, other sections would need to be as high as 11 feet.

"The construction of the trail will cause damage to trees and soil for the entire length of the trail that will not be rectified in the lifetime of anyone currently alive," Blackburn wrote. "Most tree roots are within 18 inches of the surface of the soil. Even if trees escape being cut down to accommodate the trail or associated construction activity, the excavation to install the pavement and aggregate, the excavation to place the trail below grade, and the 30-to 50-foot wide excavation to integrate it into the surrounding terrain will cut the trees' roots, destabilize them, and likely kill them."

In order to integrate the above-grade sections of the trail, fill dirt will be added to the surrounding terrain, covering the root flare and trees will suffocate due to lack of oxygen or die because its bark and outer layer of wood rot, according to Blackburn.

"It takes between 500 years for an inch of topsoil to form naturally," he said. "Construction will destroy or cover the topsoil for the entire portion of the trail that will be constructed above or below grade. That will cause substantial and long-term damage to the ecosystem of the forest, since macroinvertebrates live in or rely on the topsoil, contribute to decomposition and feed the larger animals in the food chain, including birds, reptiles and mammals."

Councilmember Kate Doyle Feingold has spoken out against the George Snyder Trail as it's currently planned, calling it damaging and unnecessary.

"There are great alternatives out there that have been proposed where we can achieve the connectivity that we want without it being so harmful to the environment," she told Patch on Monday. "Connectivity is important. Alternative modes of transportation, those being available are important, but the reality is here because of the number of trees that are going to be destroyed we are never going to see a reduction in CO2 (carbon dioxide) from people using this trail."

In addition, much of the new trail would be located in marshland and transverse the Resource Protection Area and floodplain of Accotink Creek, according to Doyle Feingold.

In January, a group of city residents calling itself the Fairfax Environmental Forum started a Change.org petition calling on the council to "stop the destruction of woodlands in Fairfax City." As of 5 p.m. on Monday, it had 1,937 signatures. The group also released a report about the current plans for the trail.

On Sunday, a group of former elected officials and current business leaders sent a letter to councilmembers to complete the final segments of the trail.

The letter's justification for moving the project forward is that the trail has already been vetted by and previous city councils, residents have weighed in, and environmental studies have been conducted.

"The design of the trail accommodates the goal of ensuring that its impact on existing trees and the watershed is kept to a minimum, and the plan preserves and protects trees to the maximum extent possible," the letters says. "Additionally, the trail's design contains safety provisions that include substantial sightline and lighting to enhance the safety for all users."

Fairfax City Council is hosting a public hearing on the three "quick take" actions at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, in Council Chamber, located in Room 100 of the City Hall Annex, 10455 Armstrong St. More information about the meeting is available on the city website.

The following is the full text of the letter from the former elected officials and business leaders:

Dear Mayor Read and City Council:

As former elected officials and community leaders, we request that you take immediate action to complete the George Snyder Trail as a dedicated, off-road paved trail.

The Snyder Trail will provide a critical, east-west connection to our existing trail system in the City and region and provide our residents with safe access to our close-by natural environment and recreational opportunities for persons of every age and ability. The trail has been subject to extensive review and comment by the public, as well as trail specialists from our region and the Commonwealth and this feedback has been incorporated into the final design. The trail has also been supported consistently by previous City councils, and is a priority in our comprehensive plan, our Parks and Recreation Master Plan, our bike way and intermodal plan, and our Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, as well as numerous citizens throughout our community and region.

The design of the trail accommodates the goal of ensuring that its impact on existing trees and the watershed is kept to a minimum, and the plan preserves and protects trees to the maximum extent possible. Additionally, the trail's design contains safety provisions that include substantial sightline and lighting to enhance the safety for all users.

There has been a considerable amount of public comment on the Snyder Trail and the proposal before the Council reflects much of the input received. We believe this project will add substantially to the city trails inventory, making our community even more walkable, accessible, and connected.

In short, let's get this done. This trail will provide current residents and future generations with an invaluable asset that will ensure that the City of Fairfax continues to be the distinctive and quality community we all enjoy. Thank you for your service to our city. Please vote in favor of the Snyder Trail.

Michael DeMarco
Former Councilmember

Jennifer Rose
Executive Director, Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce

James Feather
Chair, Planning Commission

Sara Ross
Chair, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

John Mason
Former Mayor

David Meyer
Former Mayor

Mike Fabio
Fairfax Citizens for Smarter Growth

Beth Young
City of Fairfax Economic Development Authority