Summit ran along the trail, seemingly fearless as his tailbobbed back and forth. Whatever trauma he had from almost plummeting to his death a week earlier didn’t seem to have affected him very much. Although I couldn’t help but notice the way he hugged the mountainside when the trail got a bit steeper.
That was fine by me. A little bit of caution on a hike was never a bad idea. I liked the fact that he was trusting his instincts. Just like the way he looked back at me every few minutes, checking in like the good pup he was.
Our little group kept a good pace as we moved through the trail system that made up the biggest multi-use area of the entire network. As the section that was closest to town, this was the space that contained a nature park school area made up of tree stumps set in a circle, and an open field space where groups would often picnic. Never mind the spiderweb of mountain bike trails and beginner hiking paths that people liked to walk their dogs on.
It also happened to be the part of the Trickle Creek trails that was set to be impacted the hardest by Jess’s development proposal.
As if she could read my mind from her position at the head of our group, she paused in a clearing, calling all of us over.
“If you look at the maps I gave you, this is where the edge of the development will come to.” She waved her hand to indicate a line of trees that would cease to exist if she got her way. “Which means that the bit of the pathway that we just walked through would have to be changed a little bit.”
“You mean, it would have to be destroyed.”
Chase turned to shoot me a look. So far, I’d bit my tongue and kept my opinions in check, but there’d been little need. Until now.
“It would bemodified,”she said smoothly. “We are aware that the Trickle Creek Trail Society has been making use of this land up until now, and obviously, any changes in the waythings have been done will be met with a little bit of objection,” she continued. “However, the reality is, the proposed development is on private land that has been loaned to the trail society up until now.”
I opened my mouth to object, but she wasn’t wrong. It was a detail I had only recently learned myself. It was widely known that the thousands of acres of wilderness on the edge of town that we enjoyed so much had been donated and put in a nature preserve. I’d assumed that includedallthe land.
I’d assumed incorrectly.
“Okay, Dots.” I folded my arms, smirking a little at the scowl that crossed her face at the use of the old nickname I’d pulled out. “I assume you’re going to show us what the new plan is then?”
“Absolutely, I am.” She reached around and pulled a new stack of papers out of her pack, handing us each one before continuing. “This is a sketch of the proposed changes. As I mentioned, the end of the development will come to that line of trees there, which, as Preston so clearly pointed out, will eliminate the current access point.”
She shot me a bright smile. I didn’t want to return it, but I couldn’t help myself. Shedidseem to be making an effort to get along with me; there was no harm in meeting her halfway. Especially considering I wasn’t even remotely concerned that she and her development project would come out on top at the end of all this. I might as well be a good winner.
I held my tongue as Jess continued to explain how, when they designed the housing development, they’d kept the trail system in mind with green spaces that would link up and lead to a pathway that skirted the very edge of the proposed houses.
Becky stepped forward, holding out her map. “Just to clarify, Jess, this area here will be the new access path?”
Jess peered over her shoulder. “Correct.”
“But that means that the mountain bike skills park will be destroyed,” Mason chimed in.
Good catch, kid.
Still, I kept quiet while Jess attempted to explain to Mason that, unfortunately, the area he called the skills park would have to go, but because it was never on approved land, it was, in fact, a liability for the current landowners.
Not surprisingly, Mason didn’t appear to be satisfied with her answer. He grunted and crossed his arms, a scowl on his face.
Chase asked a few questions about how wide the new trail would be and what access would look like for the public during the construction phase. Jess handled all the questions professionally with polished, prepared answers. All the while, Tilley scribbled notes on her clipboard.
I waited until everyone else had finished before I spoke up. “What about the animal trails that run through that area? Are there any accommodations going to be made for the elk that pass through this area? Or the fact that the section at the north end is part of a grizzly bear corridor?”
Jess nodded. “We are consulting with a wildlife expert on the animal impact,” she answered easily. “But early discussions indicate that both the elks’ territory as well as the grizzlies’ is substantial enough that this small piece shouldn’t be a very big disruption to them.”
I was fairly sure she’d say that.
“What are your plans for the spring runoff?”
“The what?” The practiced smile slipped a little as my question caught her off guard.
“The runoff that fills these little creeks.” I pointed to the stream that ran parallel to the trail. “This is only one of many,” I continued. “And it’s not very full right now. But if we go a little farther up, you’ll see there are at least half a dozen more. They pop up every spring during the thaw, anddepending on the snowpack in the mountains, can become quite substantial.”
“Is that what caused the flooding last year, Preston?” Mason, who was proving to be more and more useful to me, asked.
“Sure was.” I nodded. “In fact, last spring’s runoff was more than projected, and it actually caused quite a bit of erosion on that upper slope there.” I pointed to where Jess had already indicated there would be a building. “But I’m sure you have a plan in place for water management.”
