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Politics & Government

Ives Trail on Path to Completion

When Planning Commission gives OK to a final private property easement, only the DOT will stand in the way of Danbury's historic greenway.

The long-planned Ives Trail Greenway that will allow hikers to traverse environmentally important and visually interesting land in Danbury, Bethel, Redding and Ridgefield is a step closer to completion, with an easement to be considered for approval this month.

The easement was obtained over property near Lake Waubeeka owned by Danbury businessman Noel Roy. In exchange for the easement, the last one involving private property along the trail’s path, the city will give Roy a small parcel of landlocked land next to the trail.

The Danbury Planning Commission is expected to recommend that the city acquire the easement at its Feb. 16 meeting.

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The final easement needed to complete the 14-mile trail, said consultant Jack Kozuchowski, who is working with the city on the trail acquisitions, crosses Connecticut Department of Transportation land. Kozuchowski said the DOT told him it will begin an appraisal of the property and submit an agreement to the city within a few months.

The trail opened in 2006 and extends from Tarrywile Park, through Rogers Park to the Terre Haute property in Bethel. It also crosses through Wooster Mountain State Park to trails in Bennetts Pond Park and Pine Mountain Park in Ridgefield.

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Plans call for the Ives Trail to eventually be connected to the 27-mile Norwalk River Valley Trail.

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