Hybrid Governance - Churches, Cyclists & Hikers, Homeowner Associations (HOA), Individuals, & Park Authorities

Shared Streams

We will double public access miles for any given Park Authority.

Shared Information

Shared information brings time, energy, money, and standards together.

Shared Responsibility

Volunteer Time, Sponsor Money for Materials, Park Authority Oversight.

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Lessons Learned One Year On….

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When Scoutmasters take an interest, Eagle Scout candidates who choose to do footbridges (that appear to be usable by horses) are rendering a major public service — they connect the Scouts to the land and the public to the land, and they offer a major alternative to the County trails that are far removed from the water views that come with stream trails.

Park Authorities do not have the manpower, budget, or interest to do stream trail maintenance and new construction. At the same time, because these are public lands, construction is forbidden unless the Park Authority approves the Eagle Project. Under the leadership of Chairman Sharon Buluva, a process has been established for Fairfax County that could be a model for other counties. Hats off in particular to the County insurance manager, who certified the projects as “covered” if approved. The process includes a laminated “stake notice” at the site for 30 days.

Eight formal lessons shared with a recent Eagle Advisor:

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Design, Eagle Projects, History

Eagle Project 001 Completed

Hats off to Life Scout Nick Dunie and his team, shown below with the completed bridge and supporting photos. Nick has set a new national standard that we hope to pilot first across Fairfax County, then VA-MD-PA, and then nationally.

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Among the lessons learned from Nick’s experience are the importance of tax maps and accurate azimuth bearings to known houses to ensure all stakeholders know exactly where a bridge is planned in relation to property lines; site visits by engaged stakeholders; the adequacy of 10″ treated joists (12″ is waste, weight, and wash resistance — the three W’s); and the added value of doing trail clearance and validating a new project for another Eagle candidate. Powhatan District, Troop 55, and Nick’s family and friends have done us all proud.

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The Miller Heights Neighborhood Association and the Fox Lake Property Owners Association have both expressed their appreciation for Nick’s contribution to the community; StreamTrails.org has inspected the work and signed off; the bridge will fall under Fairfax County Park Authority for insurance, legal, and safety purposes.

If you like what Nick has done, please go to the Fairfax County Park Authority Needs Assessment, Idea #61 here: http://tinyurl.com/Stream-Trails, and vote for the idea. Share this short URL with others. With all due humility, elevating Stream Trails across this land is not only life-affirming, it may be the single most important change in the modern history of Park Authorities nation-wide, affirming citizen needs and citizen access in a manner never before so respected.

Footbridges, Miller Heights

Eagle Project 001 — Footbridge

This Scout has set a gold standard for what I hope will become a national program. The briefing can be viewed below or downloaded as a six-slide pdf:

Eagle 01 Planning Package (6 Slides) 1.8

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This will be updated once fully documented, approved, and built.

Eagle Projects, Footbridges, Miller Heights

Site Update: Miller Heights Reports & Nominations

Slide5Today we have loaded 4 Nominations (6 bridges) and 7 Reports (3 Trims and 1 Tree Removal Protecting 2 Embankments, 3 Tire Removals).

All Nominations and Reports still require additional details.  Work in progress!

Site Update

Maps for Fairfax County

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20 maps have been posted at the Maps page. Each represents a specific bounded Stream Trails area that one or more Scout troops or cycling organizations or any other combination of sponsors could choose to adopt for action.

Maps

Hybrid Governance of Stream Trails

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In October 2014 the Fairfax County Park Authority destroyed a perfectly good footbridge that had been in place, with two others, for over a decade. Built by the Miller Heights Neighborhood Association with the advice of structural and flood engineers, it was one of three footbridges enabling easy passage for both pedestrians and dogs, and bicyclists, from Vale Road to the north down to Oakton Road in the south.

We are pleased to report that the footbridge has been rebuilt by the County, with both an apology and a commitment to take a “second look” at the existing strategy and policies related to stream trails and citizen-built bridges.

Chairman Sharon Bulova and her staff, as well as Park Director Kirk Kincannon and Park Division Director Todd Johnson, responded with intelligence and integrity to citizen protests.

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Design, Enhancements, Footbridges, History, Horsebridges

Donate!

Donations to maintain this web site are earmarked and begin an email dialog with Robert Steele, who will assist Eagle Advisors when asked to do so. Generally Eagle Scout projects do NOT fund-raise, too much of a hassle, friends and family pay the $250 estimated cost of the materials and pizza party for Scouts.