The idea of connecting the Polly Ann Trail and Scripter Park via a safety path took a step closer to reality at the Dec. 23 Oxford Village Council meeting.
Council approved the “concept” of creating a village safety path through the proposed Melvin J. Estates property, a 12-unit condominium development located between the end of Lakeville Court to the south and the Polly Ann Trail to the north.
Dan Ludwig, the developer, has “agreed in principle,” according to Manager Mark Slown, to give the village a “private easement (“in perpetuity”) for a public safety path” through his property in exchange for the municipality’s agreement to maintain it, which would include snow plowing, salting, repairing asphalt, cutting the grass around it, etc.
The manager estimate the annual cost of maintenance would be approximately $1,000, which he described as “modest.”
“The safety path would be similar to the Lakeville Road safety path, which the village currently maintains,” Slown wrote in a memo to council.
Slown told council such a path “would allow (Scripter) park and (Polly Ann) trail users to safely access both facilities.”
“I personally don’t see a problem with it,” said village President Steve Allen. “As a matter of fact, it’s kind of a ‘win-win’ for the community.”
On Dec. 16 the village planning commission approved a site plan for Melvin J. Estates contingent that council approve the Master Deed for the development and “agreement be reached between the developer and the village regarding a possible safety path connection (through the developer’s property) between Scripter Park and the Polly Ann Trail.”
Slown noted the developer’s site plan already shows the safety path and it runs through the “center” of the development.
Because pedestrians using the proposed safety path would have to cross Lakeville Road to go between the village park and trail, Slown said signage and painted white lines indicating a pedestrian crossing would be installed just like they have been on W. Burdick, Glaspie and Louck streets.