Bingham land parking pondered

Hikers and other recreationists will likely have access in the future to Bethel's 2,300-acre Bingham Trust land, but providing them a place to park may take a little work.

The second of two public hearings organized by the Bethel Conservation Commission to gather public opinion on possible uses of the parcel took place last week.

The question of where to park occupied much of the discussion, among the dozen people who turned out.

A consent agreement, established last year with the state, outlines restrictions on the use of the land. The agreement prohibits motorized vehicles.

"You'd be looking at trails, but you'd have nowhere to park," said former selectman Dennis Doyon at the hearing. "Can the agreement be redefined to allow roads and parking?"

BCC member Jarrod Crockett, who helped negotiate the consent agreement, said such a proposal would require going back to court, where the agreement was in part worked out. A more viable option, he said, would be to use the adjacent property of the Bethel Water District.

The Bingham land formerly belonged to the BWD, and the district still owns 111 acres off Chapman Hill Road.

BCC member Landon Fake said the road on that parcel is steep, and might need work to provide regular public access.

Doyon suggested that wherever parking is established, the town should also consider providing basic sanitation facilities.

Crockett speculated selectmen might consider establishing a "Bethel Park Authority" for the long-term management of parking and similar issues.

Also discussed were ideas for the location of recreation trails.

Forester Sherm Small presented a slide show of Chapman Brook, which is located on the property. The brook served as the town’s water source until 2007, when it was devastated by heavy rains, that led the BWD to abandon it as a source and dig wells elsewhere.

The deeply eroded brook would be difficult to cross by trail near the current BWD land, he said. But by utilizing existing skidder roads from wood harvesting, he said, a trail could climb the north side of the brook to higher terrain, where the erosion lessens and a low-impact crossing could be built.

Trail building, he said, "could dovetail with timber harvesting. You include it in the harvesting plan and just make it part of the job. You'd have the men and equipment there."

Other ideas

Those gathered also discussed land-use ideas from the December hearing and offered a few new ones, including promoting the growth of edible perennial plants ("a forest garden") that could provide free food to the area's needy. Possible sources include fruit and nut trees and edible tree leaves.

Doyon also urged the town to preserve the tradition of hunting on the land. BCC Chairman Jackie Cressy agreed it was an important use, but wondered if a compromise might be reached to allow hikers to also enjoy the fall season on the land.

Doyon, noting that hunters are required by law to obtain permission to hunt on private property, suggested a town permit system might help coordinate various uses by requiring everyone to obtain a permit at the town office.

“I would hate to see [hunting] prohibited,” he said. “There’s less and less land all the time.”

Next steps

With the conclusion of the hearing process, the BCC will next prepare a presentation to selectmen.

The selectboard might then consider directing the BCC or an ad hoc committee to work with the BWD on a land management plan. In January of 2013 the town must present a proposal to the state for managing the property.