SARANAC LAKE — Following mostly negative feedback on a proposed 500-mile off-road vehicle trail network, Franklin County officials say they will remove off-road vehicle use on trails that flow into the Adirondack Park.

“It’s clear that certain areas in the southeastern portion of the county, especially those within the Park, do not support ORV use,” said Phil Hans, director of economic development and tourism. “We value this input and are revisiting the trail system accordingly.”

The county plans to release updated maps that will “feature enhanced clarity and detailed coding to clearly depict the allowable uses of each section of the trail,” according to a news release. The lack of detail in the county’s initial package of material released under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) was another common complaint from commenters.

“Let’s get the maps,” said Peter Shrope, supervisor for the town of Brighton in Franklin County.

The towns of Brighton and Franklin boards both passed resolutions against the project proposal.

Shrope said he hasn’t heard directly from the county, and he wasn’t sure if the press release alleviated any concerns.

“You can’t respond to a suggestion,” he said. “You have to respond to something concrete. I think that’s great that you’re saying they’re going to do this. I haven’t seen it, but when it is public and comes out, we’ll deal with it as a board and see how everyone feels about it.”

It’s unclear when those maps will be released, but Hans said once they are, the county will hold a public forum. This will be in addition to a required public hearing under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.

Updated materials and notices of public hearings are expected to be posted here: https://tinyurl.com/4n6uwxs6.

In a released statement, Franklin County Legislature Chairman Edward Lockwood thanked the public for sharing their comments.

“Your voices have been heard, and our tourism office is committed to ensuring the trail system reflects your input,” Lockwood said.

The county unveiled its draft scoping document for the trail proposal in June and received more than 100 comments, according to the news release. The Adirondack Explorer filed a Freedom of Information Law request for the comments and received 94. Of the 94, 90 commenters expressed concerns ranging from public safety, to environment, to legal questions.

The Adirondack Park Agency’s Executive Director Barbara Rice had said in a comment letter that the plan “lacks sufficient detail to enable proper analysis.”

An APA spokesperson told the Explorer recently that the plan was too premature and incomplete to come before the APA board anytime soon. The APA is charged with overseeing public and private development in the 6-million-acre park.

Residents, mostly in the Adirondack Park, decried off-road vehicle trails. The proposal did not reflect the rules and regulations governing the Adirondack Park and its Forest Preserve.

“Based on the feedback, we’re pivoting,” Franklin County Manager Donna Kissane said. She told the Explorer that the goal is to provide a 500-mile trail network, much of it for off-road vehicles, but not to develop something opposed by county residents. “Sometimes you meet people where you’re at,” she said. “It’s not our intention to cause unrest as we look to find a nice trail system for our visitors.”

Jeff Binga, president of the New York State Off-Highway Recreational Vehicle Association, said “people must realize there are people who enjoy the motorized side of things. He said there are 125,000 registered ATVs based on 2018 data and probably hundreds of thousands more not registered in the state.

A report by the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2003, referred to in Franklin County’s SEQRA filing, noted that private land owners are wary about the expansion of off-road vehicle trails because the vehicles can go anywhere and would be difficult to regulate. It said a need for education on many topics of use would be necessary.

(James M. Odato contributed to this report. Read more stories from the Adirondack Explorer at www.adirondackexplorer.org.)