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Trail Segments & Volunteer Opportunities Chain Bridge to Kirby Road Kenyon Place to the Potomac School Brookhaven Road to Old Dominion Drive Trail Segments & Issues: - Most of this is along the federal park lands of the GWParkway - PATC maintains trail along Pimmit Run Chain Bridge to Ft Marcy (it then leaves Pimmit and follows the Potomac) - A social trail extends along the planned route to a cul-de-sac off Kirby Road (via a wooden bridge over Little Pimmit Run). A public trail access easement exists on this cul-de-sac, despite ìNo Trespassingî signs at the bridge (evidently aimed at cars). - Just downstream of the end of the cul-de-sac are two private properties, one vacant and one with a residence. SECTION 1 NEEDS: - volunteer to contact the two owners - trail maintenance for the public stretch below the cul-de-sac 2. Kirby Road to Kinyon Place (Potomac Hills) This is the toughest section. There are at least 3 possible routes, all requiring new right-of-way A. Along Pimmit Run B. Along Kirby Road C. Along Little Pimmit Run to Levin Preserve, and 1/4 mile along Colleen Place A is the most scenic but requires right-of-way agreements with 6-8 landowners, including many residents. There is a homeownerís (private) trail on the properties off Claiborne Place. FTAS has contacted some of these landowners B requires a trail along 1/4 mile Kirby Road and right-of-way across a large private vacant lot. The Fairfax Co comprehensive trails plan calls for trails along both sides of Kirby here, but none exists. A social trail exists on the north side of Kirby Road; but it is not clear if it is entirely on public land. A and B also need one additional right-of-way on a second vacant lot, ìuselessî since it lies in the flood plain C is considerably longer and (depending on a survey) may require right-of-way from one private owner to reach a long stretch of existing public trail along Little Pimmit Run. It will cross that stream (FCPA plans to build the crossing next year), cross Maddux Lane, Levin Preserve, and Kirby Road, and down Colleen Place. SECTION 2 NEEDS: - (B) right-of-way across vacant buildable 5-acre lot and across one unbuildable vacant lot - (A) same as (B), plus six other private lots - (C) right-of-way across one private unbuildable lot - (all) Money; surveying, legal, and appraisal work 3. Kinyon Place (Potomac Hills) to Pimmit Bend Park - The Potomac Hills section below Potomac School is public access and FTAS-maintained - Going upstream, the trail then crosses 3 private properties: Potomac School, a private residence, and the Highland Swim Club. - Potomac School must grant FCPA a trail easement when the other easements are obtained. The school may not be required to build the trail. Any trail must cross Pimmit Run twice on school property. - FTAS and NVCT are talking with the private landowner. - FTAS is discussing trail issues with representatives from the Highland Swim Club. - A crossing would be needed over the major tributary, Brian Branch. SECTION 3 NEEDS: - ongoing negotiations with the three parties - three major stream crossings 4. Pimmit Bend Park to Old Dominion Drive - A FCPA-maintained trail exists along the long Pimmit Run stretch in Pimmit Bend Park. It stretches from Brian Branch Road to Brookhaven Drive. There is access also from Forest Villa Drive in Potomac Hills. - A crucial property was donated to the NVCT in 2000. The trail will cross Pimmit Run onto this property and then to FCPA parkland. - To stay on public right-of-way, the trail must cross Pimmit Run twice more. - The last stretch before Old Dominion is on a 10-foot public access easement on the property of the Old Dominion Square HOA. FTAS has been in contact with this HOA. - A private contractor has offered to build this trail to county standards, but sooner and more cheaply. It would charge less than cost, donating some labor. FTAS has worked with Supervisor Mendelsohn and Rick Thoesen to facilitate this, since normally FCPA builds trails on park land. SECTION 4 NEEDS: - ideally, approval of state recreational trails grant (decision June 2001); $150,000 has been identified, the grant seeks to double this - Part but not all can be done for the available amount. We need to work with the county government to allow the contractor to build the trail soon. 5. Old Dominion Drive to Old Chesterbrook Rd. - there is one right-of-way required, across an inaccessible, all-flood-plain lot. - Between Old Dominion and this lot is a developer-built public stonedust trail. - There is an FCPA trail easement connecting this lot to Old Chesterbrook Rd. - One Pimmit Run crossing is needed near Old Chesterbrook Rd. - The state recreational trails grant would cover this section as well. SECTION 5 NEEDS: - Negotiations with the landowner 6. Old Chesterbrook Rd. to Westmoreland Rd. - A public trail exists along this entire stretch, with the exception of a ten-foot stretch, near two wooded posts within sight of Old Chesterbrook Rd. The owner of this property has given verbal permission for FTAS to route the trail there and erect a sign indicating the trail route. NVCT is working to finalize a formal easement agreement with this owner. SECTION 6 NEEDS: - finalizing the easement (by NVCT) - volunteers to maintain this segment, including very difficult, weedy sections under power lines. 7. Westmoreland Rd. to Great Falls St. - FCPA park land exists under the power lines on the north side of Pimmit Run, though there has been some neighborhood opposition to an asphalt or stonedust trail there. People commonly walk this mostly grassy area. - Between the grass and the stream, in the narrow wooded strip, is a dirt trail which FTAS has used in its recent hikes with Rick Thoesen and Vince Callahan. - On the south side of Pimmit the trail could cross McLean Little League (MLL) property, to connect with public park lands extending to Great Falls St. - FTAS and NVCT is actively negotiating with MLL for a trail easement. - The trail would have to cross a streamlet just beyond the MLL fields, to connect with a social trail to Great Falls St. SECTION 7 NEEDS: - finalizing the McLean Little League easement (by NVCT) - volunteers to maintain this segment. 8. Great Falls St. to Olney Park - The land here is owned by FCPA, except for the Dulles Road underpass, owned by WMATA. - Old (abandoned) Idylwood Road runs west from Great Falls St. The north half of the street is public, the south half apparently belongs to the nearby homeowners. - The County, tired of repeatedly restoring the old roadís bridge over Pimmit Run, has destroyed the roadís bridge over Pimmit Run. To cross, a hiker must negotiate the rip rap and cross the Run here. - Just after the crossing, an even older, abandoned road angles to the right; this is above the wetland and serves as a good trail route. - The social trail goes under the Dulles Access Road bridge (eight feet of clearance), and continues along the south side of Pimmit Run. - Another branch turns right to cross Pimmit Run and join the trail network at Olney Park. SECTION 8 NEEDS: - obtaining formal access from WMATA (same problem exists for Cross-County Trail; we need to make sure the FCPAís CCT solution also works for Pimmit) - volunteers to maintain this segment 9. Olney Park to Lemon Road School and Tysons/Pimmit Library, Route 7 - Pimmit Run is channeled in a culvert between Olney Park and Route 7. It is commonly used as a bicycle route for neighborhood children, though some of it is on private property. There is a wooded buffer on both sides - There is one private property whose lawn extends to the Pimmit Run culvert on the south side, between Olney Park and Lemon Road Park, probably precluding the trail staying on that side. - The trail could stay on the south (more scenic) side, and then descend into the culvert. It could cross the private property in the culvert (with an easement), then follow public land on the north side, cross the culvert again to Lemon Road Park and Lemon Road School. This way, the most scenic practicable, the trail would be in the culvert only briefly. - A public sidewalk/stairs connects the School on the south side to Pimmit Drive on the north side. This trailhead, or the nearby Tysons Pimmit Library, marks the natural western terminus of the Pimmit Run Trail. SECTION 9 NEEDS: - begin negotiations with owners - volunteers to maintain the Olney Park segment |
