The Staunton Frontier Trail network is a citizen-led project to
enhance the city’s image and quality of life by providing an attractive
greenway that expands recreation options, encourages different modes of
transportation, strengthens the natural scenic character, and supports
economic development.
Goals, Objectives, and Strategies
Goal 1: A
well-organized public-private partnership guides the Staunton Frontier
Trail network’s planning, construction, and maintenance.
Objective 1.1: A trail leadership group is
organized.
Implementation Strategy 1.1.1: During Summer
2005, the city’s Planning Department uses 
its planning expertise to host, and
facilitate an initial meeting outside at the Stonewall Brigade
Bandstand in Gypsy Hill Park where various speakers explain the
greenway concept to the public and encourage the citizen-led formation
of a City Trail Group. Advertising begins a month in advance and
is spread as widely as possible – on all appropriate pages of the
official city website, in the local newspaper, on fliers in various
parks, the library, entertainment attractions, and other key
locations. The following individuals and groups are part of the
initial kick-off meeting: as many Staunton citizens as possible, the
Planning Director, the Parks and Recreation Director, the Economic
Development Director, the Tourism Director, the Staunton Downtown
Development Association, the Staunton Chamber of Commerce, the Valley
Conservation Council, the Bicycle Advisory Committee, the Lewis Creek
Advisory Committee, a member of the Virginia Department of Conservation
and Recreation, area garden clubs, area bike clubs, and a leading
member from a successful citizen-led greenway group (i.e. Friends of
Blacks Run Greenway, Friends of the W&OD Trail).
Implementation Strategy 1.1.2: The Trail
Group, a mix of public and private representatives from the groups
listed in 1.1.1, starts meeting monthly by September 2005.
Because good planning is the product of good preparation, the thrust of
the group’s early meetings is primarily to organize and to educate
(internally and externally): elect leadership, choose a name,
work to attain tax-exempt non-profit status (critical for receiving
charitable contributions and grants, and to hold titles and easements),
begin working on a trail logo, gain more in-depth knowledge of
successful greenway planning (including visits to other successful
Virginia projects), form an initial planning strategy, recruit
volunteers, and start sharing their vision with the community.
Objective 1.2: The organized Trail Group leads the
formation of an official city-adopted Staunton Frontier Trail
plan.
Implementation Strategy 1.2.1: By December
2005, the core beginnings of the Trail Group 
are fully organized and have a basic,
working website. A this time the Group begins work with the
city’s Planning Department, Parks and Recreation Department, Economic
Development Department, and other organizations familiar with such
projects (i.e. Valley Conservation Council; or the National Park
Service’s Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program) to seek
initial financial support for the project using sources and strategies
explained in the Funding and Right-of-Way Acquisition section.
Implementation Strategy 1.2.2: In January
2006 the Trail Group begins organizing and hosting community meetings
throughout the city to hear initial citizen input and to start
formulating project priorities including a preliminary trail route
based on the draft route designed in the Proposed Trail Route section
of this plan.
Implementation Strategy 1.2.3: After settling
on an initial proposed route by April 2006, the Trail Group begins
meetings with potentially affected property owners to ask for
additional input, answer questions/concerns (safety, route
attractiveness), and hopefully obtain buy-in to the project.
Various route right-of-way acquisition options (covered in the Funding
and Right-of-Way Acquisition section) are discussed such as the
conservation easement process. Depending on the results of these
meetings, the trail route may have to be adjusted.
Implementation Strategy 1.2.4: Concurrent
with the April 2006 network-wide property owner meetings, the Trail
Group starts serious right-of-way discussions with property owners
along the Phase 1 route.
Implementation Strategy 1.2.5: The finalized
Staunton Frontier Trail plan is taken before City Council by the Trail
Group to be adopted as an official update to the city’s comprehensive
plan by December 2006.
Objective 1.3: The Trail Group guides the trail
network’s phased construction.
Implementation Strategy 1.3.1: The Trail
Group acts as co-project-manager with the city’s Public Works
Department to develop each phase of the trail network. Menial
pre-construction tasks not requiring professional expertise are
accomplished by the Trail Group’s volunteers. Phase 1
construction begins by Winter 2006-2007 so the first section of trail
is operational by Fall 2007.
Objective 1.4: The Trail Group is responsible for
identifying and initiating trail maintenance
projects.
Implementation Strategy 1.4.1: The Trail
Group creates a feedback form on its website and encourages trail users
to report maintenance needs on-line or via phone.
Implementation Strategy 1.4.2: The Trail
Group organizes its volunteers at least once per quarter for trail
clean-up, beautification, and maintenance days. They accomplish
such tasks as planting trees and other vegetation, picking up garbage,
replacing broken or missing signage, etc.
Implementation Strategy 1.4.3: The Trail
Group coordinates with the city’s Public Works Department or necessary
outside contractors to prioritize and schedule heavier trail
maintenance requests requiring more expertise. Grass cutting is
the responsibility of the city department that handles such activities
for other city-owned properties.
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Goal 2: The Staunton
Frontier Trail network enhances community-wide recreation for all
citizens and visitors.
Objective 2.1: The trail connects key recreation
destinations across the city to create an integrated, balanced
recreation network.
Implementation Strategy 2.1.1: The trail
network is planned to connect Betsy Bell Park, Gypsy Hill Park, and
Montgomery Hall Park. Doing so not only encourages more
pedestrian and bike travel to the parks, but it also facilitates more
bike and pedestrian travel out of the parks. Increased travel
into the parks introduces more people to Betsy Bell and Montgomery
Hall. Offering an appealing option to travel outside of parks to
exercise helps alleviate some of the overcrowding in Gypsy Hill
Park. The end result is a more balanced use of all of the city’s
parks.
Objective 2.2: The trail incorporates public areas
not traditionally thought of as recreation
destinations.
Implementation Strategy 2.2.1: Trail network
connects at least some school properties to the rest of the recreation
network. By making it safer and easier for pedestrians and bikers
to get to these locations (total of 200+ acres), it is likely to
increase informal usage of the open fields, softball/baseball
facilities, tracks, playgrounds, basketball courts, tennis courts, and
other facilities.
Objective 2.3: The type of trail constructed
accommodates multiple recreational activities for people of all ages
and skill levels.
Implementation Strategy 2.3.1: The trail
route is primarily off-road. This attracts families as well as
elderly and disabled users who typically avoid mixing with automobile
traffic.
Implementation Strategy 2.3.2: In accordance
with AASHTO guidelines, the trail is constructed to accommodate two-way
bicycle traffic. This requires a minimum trail width of eight
feet with two feet of horizontal clearance on each side and eight feet
of vertical clearance. This width also allows enough space for
families and elderly users to feel more comfortable mixing with other
trail traffic.
Implementation Strategy 2.3.3: The trail
surface is asphalt paving in most areas although certain spur trails
may be surfaced with firmly crushed stone. Although asphalt is
more expensive, providing a smooth consistent surface will encourage
recreational activities and trail travel modes of all types including:
bikes, wheelchairs, in-line skates, skateboards, non-motorized
scooters, strollers, etc.
Implementation Strategy 2.3.4: Every possible
effort is made to limit the sustained trail grade to 5% or less.
This is very difficult in numerous spots and impossible in others
because of Staunton’s hilly topography and the mandate that the trail
link several very specific locations. In order to maintain a
reasonable grade, some areas require switchbacks (i.e. Betsy Bell
Park).
Objective 2.4: The Staunton Frontier Trail project
spurs other recreation enhancement initiatives at existing
facilities.
Implementation Strategy 2.4.1: The Trail
Group works with the Frontier Culture Museum to construct a wildflower
loop trail on museum property just northeast of the Octagonal
Barn. Each side of the trail is planted with a wildflower mix at
least partially donated by local flower clubs and nurseries.
Annual planting is organized by the Trail Group, local garden clubs /
nurseries, the FCM, and is advertised and open to the community.
This loop appeals to Shenandoah Crossings Travel Information Center
visitors and FCM visitors and provides a welcoming southeastern
terminus to introduce people to the Staunton Frontier Trail
network. The FCM considers the feasibility of offering paid
horse-drawn frontier wagon rides around the beautiful farm property -
including the wildflower loop.
Implementation Strategy 2.4.2: The Trail
Group partners with the Parks and Recreation Department, area bike
clubs, and mountain biking and hiking enthusiasts to design a
low-impact outdoor adventure park on the city-owned slopes of Betsy
Bell and Mary Gray. This area includes a section of the Staunton
Frontier Trail, unpaved hiking and mountain biking trails, and other
facilities such as a ropes course. The aim of this park is to
serve as a regional destination point for people living in Staunton,
Augusta County, and surrounding jurisdictions – primarily for
individuals who are age 35 and under.
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