First Posted: 5/6/2014

The Glenburn Township Zoning Hearing board approved two handicapped parking spaces at the end of Arch Avenue for the Countryside Conservancy Trolley Trail during a board meeting on Monday.

Zoning hearing board members Don Webster and Frank Berardelli voted to approve the parking spaces, while Gretchen Jennings board member did not vote.

“Parking spaces were considered for Old State Road and North State Street but it is not feasible with the intersection,” said Tim Wilson of TPW Design and the landscape architect for the Countryside Conservancy. “The parking spaces are needed to meet the Americans with Disabilities Act along with the requirements of the grant.”

Keith Williams, a Clarks Green resident and Director of Advocacy for the Northeast PA Center for Independent Living, was in attendance for the zoning meeting.

“The parking spaces will allow people with mobility disabilities to enjoy the trails,” said Williams, who is disabled and uses a motorized wheelchair. “People using wheelchairs and scooters can benefit from the grounds and trails. Someone who has difficulty walking and does not use a wheelchair may want to use the trail. There are many elderly in the area. The trail is good for all of us and for all kinds of people with disabilities. It is a win win situation for having the parking spaces there.”

Christine Dettore, a Dalton resident and Planning Commission member, wrote the ordinance for the trail.

“The trail will take pedestrians from point a to b,” she said. “The ordinance does not define a trail head. The trail head will be where the parking spaces will be. There is a special exception for trail heads in the ordinance.”

The Countryside Conservancy was awarded $566,000 in 2011 from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources through the Community Conservation Partnerships Program. The trail is thee miles long and runs from Clarks Summit to Dalton. It follows the route of the Northern Electric Trolley which stopped running in 1932.

“This has been in the works for 13 years. Land deeds for the trolley were sold off,” Executive Director Bill Kern said. “We had to buy some back and others were donated.”

Rutledge Excavating was awarded the trail work contract on March 7.