Conservation, drainage and ADA concerns stall Norton rail‑trail transfer; residents urge caution

Select Board members were warned June 18 that the town should not accept the rail trail until drainage, wetlands replication and a pending legal matter are resolved, and public commenters urged caution over safety and ADA compliance.

Mr. Gould, the town manager, reported that Conservation is hesitant to sign off on the property because of stormwater and drainage issues and noted there is pending litigation on part of the trail that the town views as MassDOT's liability. "We're hesitant to take ownership of the property until those issues are resolved," he said.

During public comment, Kim Arena, a Friends committee member and resident of 8 Fordham Drive, flagged a stretch near the Doll property where the state placed loose gravel and questioned whether that surface is ADA‑compliant for wheelchairs and inexperienced bicyclists. "I'm questioning if that's even ADA compliant because that poses certainly a risk to inexperienced bicyclists," Arena said, adding that she had ridden many New England trails and had not seen gravel used in that way.

Town staff said the highway department has begun limited mowing and maintenance even though the town does not yet own the corridor, and noted that one earlier stipulation from the Land Preservation Society allowed a permeable surface to preserve filtration. Staff said material choices could be revisited if and when the town takes ownership.

Board members and public commenters discussed options such as outreach to Mansfield (where some connected work was completed), possible volunteer maintenance, sponsorship signage policy, and asking state agencies about ADA compliance and drainage remediation. Conservation sign‑off and the resolution of the legal matter were described as prerequisites before the town will accept ownership or take on long‑term maintenance responsibility.

The board did not vote to accept the trail; instead, members agreed to forward materials to the volunteer group and await Conservation Commission action and resolution of the outstanding issues.