City to take land for trail

Council to use eminent domain for Geyser Road project

City officials will use eminent domain on three properties in order to build the Geyser Road trail.

The action, passed unanimously by the Saratoga Springs City Council, “authorizes the city to take such actions as necessary to accomplish the acquisition of real property interests that are needed to complete the Geyser Road Trail projects.” according to Mayor Joanne Yepsen said.

Yepsen said one family in the area donated to pieces of land to the city for the trail construction while another landowner agreed to sell some land. Another family, the village of Ballston Spa and the Saratoga Bottling plant have all rejected purchase offers, the mayor said, prompting the city to use its eminent domain option.

“While we are disappointed that the three remaining property owners rejected the city’s purchase offers, we look forward to making this decade-long, community-desired plan a reality,” Yepsen said.

In July, after the city accepted an evironmental impact statement on the trail project, Saratoga Eagle and Slack Chemical provided a possible alternative route, asking the city to delay voting on using eminent domain to finish the project. Saratoga Eagle presented an independent report that said the option would be safer for people who would use the trail

Yepsen, however, said the alternative would add more than a

mile to the route, increase the cost of the project and would affect more property owners. The mayor did say the city considers the alternative option as a “possible, future supplement to the Geyser Road trail.”

The trail is a multi-use path that begins at the city line with the town of Milton continuing along the north side of Geyser Road to the intersection at Route 50.

The trail costs $3.3 million, and it’s fully funded state and federal grants.

Karl Sleight, who represents one of the property owners who declined to sell land for the trail, said, “The land donation by Saratoga Eagle and Slack Chemical represents the legendary community spirit of the citizens of Saratoga Springs. That land donation plus the confirmation by [indepdendent engineers] of the city’s unsafe path and the viability of the Duplainville Woods alternative are major developments.”

“It was disappointing to see so little interest by the city in this exciting alternative to the dangerous Geyser Road Trail,” Sleight said. “The mayor and the city council are dead set on affixing a permanent scar on the city’s landscape, rather than building an attractive addition to the city.

“At this point all options are under consideration to safeguard children who might someday unwittingly use the dangerous Geyser Road Trail. Stay tuned.”

At a council meeting Tuesday, Finance Commissioner Michele Madigan asked engineer Peter Faith about the project’s use of an eight-foot-wide trail while others are typically 10 feet wide.

Faith said officials discussed the matter with state Department of Transportation engineers, who said an eight-foot-wide trail would minimize the right of way impacts and cost.

Yepsen said construction on the trail should begin next spring.