State lays out plans for Muckross estate

Since the state acquisition of the property known as the Muckross estate, planning has been in motion to clean up the land, set new rules, and work on a new “master plan,” according to Ethan Phelps, regional manager for the state park.


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2016-09-14 / Front Page State lays out plans for Muckross estate By TORY JONES BONENFANT toryb@eagletimes.com The Muckross estate in Springfield. — TORY JONES BONENFANT The Muckross estate in Springfield. — TORY JONES BONENFANT SPRINGFIELD — Since the state acquisition of the property known as the Muckross estate, planning has been in motion to clean up the land, set new rules, and work on a new “master plan,” according to Ethan Phelps, regional manager for the state park. “We’re happy about that. It’s been a four-year process,” Phelps said. Phelps provided an update on the park to the Springfield Selectboard at a regular meeting Monday evening, Sept. 12. The state kept the name that local residents are familiar with, dubbing the new park “Muckross State Park,” he said. The Muckross estate, located up a gravel road off Paddock Road, is now public property owned by the state of Vermont, which acquired it on July 8. The 204-acre state park will have an emphasis on environmental education, in recognition of the wishes of the former property owner, the late State Sen. Edgar May. At this time, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (VDFPR) is beginning work on the “master planning process,” which will include several opportunities for public input, Phelps said. The state is also beginning to design plans for reconstructing the entrance road, and to allow a plow to clear access in winter to allow for emergency vehicle access. Some cleanup is also continuing on the property, he said. Phelps said that new guidelines have been established, such as no parking in front of the gate or on surrounding private property. The access road and park are open to foot traffic only at this time, he said, with no bikes, ATVs or motorized vehicles allowed for now because it is a new park with no interim management plan yet. However, users can park vehicles in nearby park and ride lots or hike in via nearby trails. Springfield Town Manager Tom Yennerell said that some people have expressed interest in connecting the nearby 85-acre Hartness Park by way of mountain biking through trails to the new state park, and asked about zoning regulations for recreational land and mountain biking. Phelps said that it is the hope of the VDFPR that the state will have some access for bicyclists, and that they hope to connect with Hartness Park at least with a foot trail for now. Phelps said he has had positive communication with landowners that they may be willing to work with the DFPR. The state is “not envisioning camping” as a part of the park’s use at this time, he said. While the state offers camping at a number of developed sites, that type of use is not seen as an “appropriate fit” for the Muckross property, he said. Yennerell recommended that Phelps connect with the Vermont Mountain Bike Association (VMBA) to discuss access possibilities, as the group has worked with land managers in the past, he said. Use of state land for activities such as biking trails has to be proposed by trail associations, but it may be a “little different” with Muckross because the park is brand new, he said. A few weeks ago, the state hosted a day camp for the second year in conjunction with All-4-One and the YMCA. About 105 students up to eighth grade took part this year in four 1-week sessions, he said. Phelps said the park has had some “interspersed recreational use so far,” and weekend foot traffic. He has had a few questions about hunting, also, he said. Rules require that people be more than 500 feet from a building, because Muckross is a public land now, he said. Selectboard Chair Kristi Morris asked Phelps about property taxes, or specifically, about payment due to no property taxes associated with the property, because it would qualify for “PILOT,” or Payments in Lieu of Taxes. “Payments in Lieu of Taxes" also known as PILT, are federal payments to local governments that help offset losses in property taxes due to non-taxable federal lands within their boundaries, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior. Phelps said those payments will have to be approved by legislation. Right now, park organizers are working to establish a “friends group” to gather feedback and help sustain the educational opportunities associated with the park, he said. Although space at the entrance is “a bit limited,” the department is working on erecting a sign to identify the park at some point, and an information kiosk, he said. Also present at the meeting was one of the park’s “most significant partners,” neighboring property owner Phil Drinker, who Phelps said has supported the state’s efforts with his own time, money, labor, expertise and knowledge. Drinker, who lives on Park Farm Road, “really helps us a lot,” and helps maintain the site, Phelps said.