Franklin Township Trails Advisory Committee delays 518 property walk
Hunting season has postponed another look at the wooded tract, while two possible open-space purchases could provide access to its back end.
Two hosts walk through the week’s edition in conversation — 518 property trail development and access, negri property acquisition due diligence and, and what’s coming next. Generated by Aware, from this week’s verified summaries.
The committee expects a clearer view after hunting season, when vegetation dies back; access to the property's back end still depends on pending purchases.
A wooded tract remains off the trail map for now. The Franklin Township Trails Advisory Committee had no major update on the 518 property and agreed to wait until after hunting season to walk it again. Members recalled waiting until February the previous year. With vegetation lower, they said, they could better see the land and reconsider where a trail might go. One member pointed to February 15 as the end of hunting season.
Access may change before a route takes shape. The chair said the Open Space Advisory Committee is working to preserve two additional properties, either of which could open a way into the back end of the 518 property. The purchases are at different stages, so the first to close could determine where the committee starts its next look. The chair described the surrounding open space as mostly wooded and largely township-owned.
Finding a route through the tract will take more than an access point. Members described wet spots that complicated earlier trail flagging and pushed the marked route toward property lines. They also discussed an open corridor, a utility line corridor and a protected utility feature that would need attention before public access, particularly for children. The Franklin Township Trails Advisory Committee plans to revisit the property after hunting season and take another look at its trail mapping once the land purchases are settled, potentially by next spring.
Negri Property Acquisition Due Diligence and Driveway Access Discussion
A separate open-space purchase has made progress on the property itself, but driveway access remains unsettled. The Franklin Township Trails Advisory Committee heard that the house has been demolished and the well capped, with the township still conducting due diligence. Demolition was a requirement of the purchase. The chair said title research found no recorded easement granting access by the driveway.
The title work showed that the driveway is technically state-owned. The chair described searching county records and working with title searchers without finding formal access documents, and suggested the arrangement may date to an informal agreement involving former farm property. That leaves a gap between the driveway's established use and what the records show.
For now, the chair expects the driveway to remain in use and maintained, and said they did not expect the state to block access. Members noted that losing the route would make it difficult to bring in materials for projects such as a bird blind. The township is considering a longer process to acquire the driveway area, but the Franklin Township Trails Advisory Committee made no change to its current access plans.
Trails committee tracks mowing and burn requests
The Franklin Township Trails Advisory Committee heard that mowing was completed at one open-space property, while two others still await work. The chair said paperwork for a prescribed burn was submitted for the mowed site and another property was placed ahead of it in priority.
Pending mowing and burn scheduling will determine when the township can carry out maintenance at those open-space sites.
Astronomy club plans workshop and meteor watch
The Franklin Township Trails Advisory Committee reviewed a November 7 telescope workshop and a proposed December 13 public meteor-shower watch with astronomy club representatives. They discussed dark viewing locations, advance notice to police for nighttime events and a longer-term observatory idea that would need plans before consideration.
Residents may get two chances to observe the sky, but the meteor watch still needs a location.
Trails committee keeps joint hike on agenda
The Franklin Township Trails Advisory Committee revisited a postponed hike with the township’s stigma-free council. Members suggested aiming for next September and exploring whether an existing county community-health program could help organize it.
Keeping the hike on a future agenda gives the postponed event another chance to reach residents.
Girl Scout restores six trail kiosks
The Franklin Township Trails Advisory Committee heard a Girl Scout describe her Gold Award project restoring six trail kiosks with more uniform displays and a QR code for reporting trail conditions. She also held a community night and led hikes, funding the work through fundraising and sponsorships rather than township money.
Trail users now have clearer kiosk displays and a way to report conditions without attending a meeting.
- Franklin Township Trails Advisory Committee. The committee opened public comment. One member of the public spoke to thank the committee and Tara for work supporting a Girl Scout Gold Award project and referenced prior Eagle Scout projects as a win-win for the township and scouts. Public comment was then closed.
What we didn’t fit in this Sundays edition
Franklin Township had 20 more items this week. Here are sixfour — the rest are on Aware.
- GOVERNANCESomerset County Trails Grant Program Update. The committee reported that the Somerset County Trails Grant application materials were largely complete (mapping and narrative), but submission was waiting on required cost estimates from DPW. Members discussed asking the township manager to help move the process forward to avoid missing the opportunity.
- GOVERNANCENegri Bird Blind Work Plan and Materials (Stain Purchase and Volunteer Work Day). Members discussed ongoing work at the Negri bird blind, including ordering and picking up stain and planning volunteer work at 10:00 a.m. Sunday. They also discussed replacing fence posts and restoring a cutout section of fencing near the bird blind.
- GOVERNANCEBudget Requests Discussion (Open Space Trust Fund / 2027 Budget Planning). The committee discussed potential projects to submit for budget consideration through the Open Space Advisory Committee, including driveway improvements at John Clyde, benches, signage, a storybook trail, an ADA-compliant ramp at the bird blind, and other branding and interpretive ideas. No formal approvals were recorded; members planned to prioritize at the next meeting.
- GOVERNANCEOpen Space / Capital Project Updates (Consultant Work and Other Projects). The chair provided updates on broader open space and capital items, including consultant work in a scoping stage and early cost figures discussed for a project involving removal of decorative fencing and a bocce ball court. The committee also noted prior equipment purchases and that more information would follow after an Open Space meeting.
- GOVERNANCECommunity Outreach Idea: Partnering with Houses of Worship / Interfaith Council. The committee discussed outreach to houses of worship and the township interfaith council to promote trails and hikes as a way to build community unity. A member described an interfaith council meeting schedule and suggested sharing flyers and digital materials through a contact list.
- GOVERNANCETrail Conditions and Interpretive Information Discussion. Members briefly discussed trail conditions and interpretive needs, including bench placement observations, ongoing trimming work, and the value of interpretive signage and informational materials for hikes. They discussed creating a cheat-sheet style information handout and sharing an existing trails plan link.
- GOVERNANCEEmail List, Registration, and Communications Tools Discussion. The committee discussed challenges managing hike registration emails and explored options for an official township email address or a platform to store and use email lists without advertising. Members noted issues with Recreation postings and sign-ups for Audubon hikes and planned to coordinate with Tara and Recreation.
- GOVERNANCETrail Profile Articles Submission to Franklin Times. The committee noted that two trail profile articles had been submitted to the Franklin Times but no draft or publication had been received yet. Members discussed that the paper may only publish one issue at a time and that delays could be months.
- GOVERNANCEMinutes: Discussion of June and September Minutes (Tabled). The committee discussed approval of June and September meeting minutes but decided not to use meeting time to review them and tabled the minutes to the November meeting.
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