I strongly support biking, running, and hiking access to Ragged Mountain. The multi-use trails have already been built and have been getting consistent use for years now. RWSA are the experts regarding water quality of the reservoir and maintain their position that cycling and running will not harm the water quality. Albemarle's extremely outdated code regarding activities around the reservoir is long overdue for an update that reflects RWSA's most up to date information regarding water quality. Access to the outdoor activities availible at Ragged Mountain are a critical asset to the Charlottesville community and limiting the area to hiking only goes against the majority of the public's interest.
I support running, hiking, and biking around Ragged. It's a healthy and safe outdoor activity which we desperately need more of, in this county and in this country at large. Taking away spaces for time outdoors, to connnect with friends/family/as a community is not what I want our county to be about. It's safe and fun, and I hope we return to the previous status quo allowing trails for all. Thanks!
I wanted to take a moment to express my strong support to continue bike access and running to this trail system at Ragged Mountain Reservoir. I truly believe that biking trails at Ragged Mountain Reservoir are a great addition to the recreational activities available to visitors. Not only does it provide an exciting way to explore the natural beauty of the area, but it also promotes a healthier lifestyle and encourage outdoor exercise. Biking enriches the recreational offerings of the area and creates a vibrant outdoor destination for everyone to enjoy. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to seeing biking become a prominent feature at Ragged Mountain Reservoir.
I'm a former county resident and current city resident. I have enjoyed hiking, running, and biking at Ragged Mountain over the years. I find it to be one of the more family/child/beginner friendly biking destinations close to the city and accessible without a car via the road or connection to Hayward Forest Trails, and the Rivanna Trail. Per my understanding of the RSWA water quality is not affected by erosion from biking. To be honest, it's probably improved from CAMBC and bikers building better trails with erosion mitigation in mind. I urge you to change to ordinance to continue bike access (and running) to this trail system. I would also encourage the master plan as I understand it of hiking/foot travel trails and separate biking trails to better the enjoyment of all.
As a coach of the Albemarle High School Mountain Biking team and also an avid hiker, I implore you to please change the County code to revert to the status quo and allow biking and hiking at Ragged. Enabling greater access to the outdoors for all ages and abilities should be a core mission of the BoS with respect to the trails at Ragged. These trails are critical as a safe and easy riding location for younger and less experienced riders. Some claim that biking or running will erode the trails. Have the trails been ruined since biking was first allowed in 2016? I've been enjoying Ragged for hiking and biking since we moved here 20 years ago and the answer is clearly no. The benign impact of runners and bikers at Ragged over the past eight years shows there hasn't been an actual issue with their use of the trails except as a point of legal dispute between the county and the city. Please listen to your constituents and return running and biking to Ragged.
Dear BOS. I want to voice my support for allowing biking on the trails at bikes at Ragged Mountain Reservoir. It is a beautiful place that can easily accodate multiple modes of recreation. Mountain bikers are courteous and ad to safety on the trails. Allowing our area to retain more bike trails will alleviate overcrowding at any one location during peak riding times. You should encourage biking for all citizens. It keeps teenagers off the streets.Keeping these trails will benefits the most people of our community. It is unfair to restrict this healthy activity. There is already a dedicated hiking only trail at RMR, so biking has no impact on walkers. Biking does no harm to the reservoir. CAMBC trail builders create collaboratively and professionally built trails.They will continue to carefully replace trails that are inundated when the reservoir approaches its future capacity. Please bring biking back to Ragged Mountain Reservoir! Thank you, Chip King, Charlottesville
Thank you for additional time on this very worthy issue. Please help renew the faith in representatives that hear the majority voices and work towards a fair and inclusive conclusion for all city and county citizens.
Hi there. Wanted to dispel the inaccurate portrayal that there are only two places that are hiker only. Here's the list!
Shenandoah National Park - 15 miles of trails, plus 30 miles of the Appalachian Trail = 45 miles of all hiker only are on the 14,681 acres inside Albemarle County.
James Monroe Highlands - 4.5 miles, 535 acres
Charlotte Humphris Park - 1.5 miles, 25 acres
Totier Creek - 3.0 miles, 209 acres
Fernbrook Natural Area (Nature Conservancy) - 2.0 miles, 63 acres
Sugar Hollow - 4.0 miles
Ivy Creek - 7.0 miles, 219 acres
Ragged - 7.0 miles + lakeside trails , 980 acres
We know that hiker only trails are important, and that's why I support the community plan we all created in 2016 that includes hiker only trails at Ragged, and one shared loop around the reservoir.
Thank you for considering the views of everyone, while allowing activities that do no harm, including running and cycling.
Ragged Mountain Reservoir is a wonderful community asset. I urge the County BOS to update the current code to allow for various activities like running and mountain biking. As a longtime resident and avid mountain biker and runner, I love the trails at Ragged Mountain. They are not only beautiful and well-maintained but also easily accessible from my home via the Rivanna Trail connector. It seems unfair to restrict access based on an outdated code, especially when experts say it’s safe for our drinking water and at a critical time when more outdoor activities are recommended for improved mental and physical health. Shared trails are also a key attraction for many seeking a better quality of life in Albemarle County. They bridge communities together and foster healthy activity. Let’s take this opportunity to make a positive change for the community.
I support mountain biking at Ragged Mtn Reservoir. The most restriction I would support is a separate trail reserved for pedestrian use. Shared bike/ped trails will benefit from continued maintenance by CAMBC. Wildlife tend to ignore bikers and are spooked when they see hikers and runners. There should be some attempt to discourage ANY trail use when the trail is muddy.
As a wildlife conservationist deeply committed to environmental stewardship, I believe the decision to restrict biking and similar activities in this area should be based on solid evidence of their impact on wildlife. Current research suggests that biking does not significantly disrupt wildlife when compared to the effects of extensive construction projects that have historically taken place here. Moreover, the trails in question were specifically designed for multi-use and have been diligently maintained by CAMBC. There are already 74 miles of designated hiker-only trails in Albemarle County, providing ample space for non-cycling activities. Thus, I would advocate for a balanced approach that considers the facts on recreational impacts, ensuring that conservation efforts are effectively targeted and inclusive of the community's needs.
I am a life long resident of Albemare County. Over the years more green spaces are being sacrificed to development, The Ragged Mountain Natural area is a true gem that must be preserved. The places that are the richest & most beautiful are the same places that humans demand access to. It happens that base-rich substrates and landscapes produce qualities across the board that make them highly desirable places, for plants and animals (humans included). For this reason the Basic Oak-Hickory Forests of the Piedmont must be treated with care if the region’s biodiversity is to be restored and preserved. The property of RMNA is, therefore, an ideal place for encouraging conservation practices and behavior & facilitating gentle and nurturing biodiversity research, observation, and education. The RMNA must be preserved and no bikes allowed. When Biscuit Run opens this fall there will be multiuse paths for bikers. I urge you to vote to not allow Bikes in the RMNA. Stephanie Lowenhaupt
I feel like these trails can be shared by hikers, runners and bikers as they have been in the past. Bikes have no more of a direct impact on the trail system then do hikers or runners. I hope you will reconsider you position on this
Jim McCullen
I am a voter in the Rio District of Albemarle County and am a mountain biker. I am a native of the city and have lived in the county for 13 years in the Northfields neighborhood. As the eternal beginner biker, Ragged Mtn is an essential location for me to practice, ride and enjoy. I am not able to ride OHill as it is too technical and difficult for me as an almost 50 year old. My teenage son and I can enjoy Ragged together as it offers both of us enough challenge and enjoyment. I have seen no research or info to suggest the ill effects of biking at Ragged. The biking community has been an essential if not THE essential community that has built and maintained the trails there. I am also an avid hiker. The biking community have offered numerous solutions to resolve problems posed by the walking community and they are reasonable and workable. Other areas like Preddy creek are now overcrowded often due to the lack of access at Ragged. Please reopen to the respectful biking community!
Allowing biking at Ragged Mountain Reservoir would enhance recreational opportunities, promote health, and foster community engagement. Biking is a low-impact exercise suitable for all ages. With sustainable trail design, biking can coexist with hiking and preserve the area's natural beauty and water quality. Increased usage increases community involvement in upkeep, ensuring Ragged Mountain remains a vibrant and cherished space. At the end of the day, we should be looking for more opportunities for people to recreate outdoors, not less.
As a hiker and regular visitor of Ragged Mountain Reservoir, I embrace the open access to this land across all user groups. The bikers especially seem to be among the most active and engaged groups in building and maintaining local trails throughout the community, and I trust that the longevity of a beautiful area such as Ragged relies on the coexistence of these users.
I have long valued Ragged Mountain Reservoir as one of the few places where I feel safe to enjoy nature and exercise alone in Charlottesville, without having to contend with road crossings and traffic. The presence of other runners, bikers, and walkers at Ragged Mountain has always enhanced my experience of this beautiful outdoor space, making me feel like I'm part of community of fellow outdoor enthusiasts. Restricting access to Ragged Mountain trails to hikers alone will have no positive impact on conservation, but it will have a negative impact on the outdoor community. Allowing runners and bikers to continue using the Reservoir trails will only increase the number of people who care about preserving this beautiful space and who are willing to volunteer their time to keep it accessible to our community for years to come. Both the health of our community and the well being of this outdoor space will benefit from multi-use access.
Dear BoS - I am a longtime resident of Western Albemarle county with 3 kids and two sets of grandparents who live here as well. Ragged Mountain Reservoir is a wonderful resource for so many in Albemarle county. Please reconsider updating the county code to allow a shared recreation use plan that would include human powered bicycles at Ragged Mountain.
One of the unquestionable solutions to our national health and mental health crisis in this country is people spending more time outdoors in nature. The county has an opportunity here, at no cost, to open up a large public space in the heart of our population center to two of the most common outdoor recreation activities (cycling and running) by simply changing an outdated, poorly planned ordinance. The failure to do so seems at best, suspicious. With so many other neglected and undeveloped public spaces (Biscuit Run, Hedgerow, Arrowhead, Western Park to name a few), opening and protecting user access at Ragged Mountain, at no cost, is a huge win for the county and a show of commitment from the Board of Supervisors to the health and well-being of the residents they are representing. Failure to do so shows a specific lack of commitment to the health and well-being of the residents they are representing. Thank you for your consideration. - John Andersen, 21-year county resident.
As a 22 year-long resident of the area I support updates to the Ragged Mountain Reservoir recreational use code.
- RWSA has no concerns about water quality impacts.
- Compared to the continued expansion of the reservoir, other recreational uses have minimal impact on the flora/fauna
- No additional trail infrastructure is needed since local volunteers have completed 7 miles of trails. Those same local volunteers are ready and able to complete the vision of the master plan with additional trails and maintenance assuming the code is updated.
- There are 70+ miles of hiker-only trails in the surrounding area. Yet few beginner-friendly biking trails within riding distance of Charlottesville. (my 13 yr old loves biking there)
- Adding to the growing interest in biking by all ages improves our community's health and drives revenue from tourism and for local business that support these activities, many based in Albemarle.
Thank you for considering this reasonable and responsible update.
I strongly support biking, running, and hiking access to Ragged Mountain. The multi-use trails have already been built and have been getting consistent use for years now. RWSA are the experts regarding water quality of the reservoir and maintain their position that cycling and running will not harm the water quality. Albemarle's extremely outdated code regarding activities around the reservoir is long overdue for an update that reflects RWSA's most up to date information regarding water quality. Access to the outdoor activities availible at Ragged Mountain are a critical asset to the Charlottesville community and limiting the area to hiking only goes against the majority of the public's interest.
I support running, hiking, and biking around Ragged. It's a healthy and safe outdoor activity which we desperately need more of, in this county and in this country at large. Taking away spaces for time outdoors, to connnect with friends/family/as a community is not what I want our county to be about. It's safe and fun, and I hope we return to the previous status quo allowing trails for all. Thanks!
I wanted to take a moment to express my strong support to continue bike access and running to this trail system at Ragged Mountain Reservoir. I truly believe that biking trails at Ragged Mountain Reservoir are a great addition to the recreational activities available to visitors. Not only does it provide an exciting way to explore the natural beauty of the area, but it also promotes a healthier lifestyle and encourage outdoor exercise. Biking enriches the recreational offerings of the area and creates a vibrant outdoor destination for everyone to enjoy. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to seeing biking become a prominent feature at Ragged Mountain Reservoir.
I'm a former county resident and current city resident. I have enjoyed hiking, running, and biking at Ragged Mountain over the years. I find it to be one of the more family/child/beginner friendly biking destinations close to the city and accessible without a car via the road or connection to Hayward Forest Trails, and the Rivanna Trail. Per my understanding of the RSWA water quality is not affected by erosion from biking. To be honest, it's probably improved from CAMBC and bikers building better trails with erosion mitigation in mind. I urge you to change to ordinance to continue bike access (and running) to this trail system. I would also encourage the master plan as I understand it of hiking/foot travel trails and separate biking trails to better the enjoyment of all.
As a coach of the Albemarle High School Mountain Biking team and also an avid hiker, I implore you to please change the County code to revert to the status quo and allow biking and hiking at Ragged. Enabling greater access to the outdoors for all ages and abilities should be a core mission of the BoS with respect to the trails at Ragged. These trails are critical as a safe and easy riding location for younger and less experienced riders. Some claim that biking or running will erode the trails. Have the trails been ruined since biking was first allowed in 2016? I've been enjoying Ragged for hiking and biking since we moved here 20 years ago and the answer is clearly no. The benign impact of runners and bikers at Ragged over the past eight years shows there hasn't been an actual issue with their use of the trails except as a point of legal dispute between the county and the city. Please listen to your constituents and return running and biking to Ragged.
Dear BOS. I want to voice my support for allowing biking on the trails at bikes at Ragged Mountain Reservoir. It is a beautiful place that can easily accodate multiple modes of recreation. Mountain bikers are courteous and ad to safety on the trails. Allowing our area to retain more bike trails will alleviate overcrowding at any one location during peak riding times. You should encourage biking for all citizens. It keeps teenagers off the streets.Keeping these trails will benefits the most people of our community. It is unfair to restrict this healthy activity. There is already a dedicated hiking only trail at RMR, so biking has no impact on walkers. Biking does no harm to the reservoir. CAMBC trail builders create collaboratively and professionally built trails.They will continue to carefully replace trails that are inundated when the reservoir approaches its future capacity. Please bring biking back to Ragged Mountain Reservoir! Thank you, Chip King, Charlottesville
Thank you for additional time on this very worthy issue. Please help renew the faith in representatives that hear the majority voices and work towards a fair and inclusive conclusion for all city and county citizens.
Hi there. Wanted to dispel the inaccurate portrayal that there are only two places that are hiker only. Here's the list!
Shenandoah National Park - 15 miles of trails, plus 30 miles of the Appalachian Trail = 45 miles of all hiker only are on the 14,681 acres inside Albemarle County.
James Monroe Highlands - 4.5 miles, 535 acres
Charlotte Humphris Park - 1.5 miles, 25 acres
Totier Creek - 3.0 miles, 209 acres
Fernbrook Natural Area (Nature Conservancy) - 2.0 miles, 63 acres
Sugar Hollow - 4.0 miles
Ivy Creek - 7.0 miles, 219 acres
Ragged - 7.0 miles + lakeside trails , 980 acres
We know that hiker only trails are important, and that's why I support the community plan we all created in 2016 that includes hiker only trails at Ragged, and one shared loop around the reservoir.
Thank you for considering the views of everyone, while allowing activities that do no harm, including running and cycling.
Ragged Mountain Reservoir is a wonderful community asset. I urge the County BOS to update the current code to allow for various activities like running and mountain biking. As a longtime resident and avid mountain biker and runner, I love the trails at Ragged Mountain. They are not only beautiful and well-maintained but also easily accessible from my home via the Rivanna Trail connector. It seems unfair to restrict access based on an outdated code, especially when experts say it’s safe for our drinking water and at a critical time when more outdoor activities are recommended for improved mental and physical health. Shared trails are also a key attraction for many seeking a better quality of life in Albemarle County. They bridge communities together and foster healthy activity. Let’s take this opportunity to make a positive change for the community.
I support mountain biking at Ragged Mtn Reservoir. The most restriction I would support is a separate trail reserved for pedestrian use. Shared bike/ped trails will benefit from continued maintenance by CAMBC. Wildlife tend to ignore bikers and are spooked when they see hikers and runners. There should be some attempt to discourage ANY trail use when the trail is muddy.
As a wildlife conservationist deeply committed to environmental stewardship, I believe the decision to restrict biking and similar activities in this area should be based on solid evidence of their impact on wildlife. Current research suggests that biking does not significantly disrupt wildlife when compared to the effects of extensive construction projects that have historically taken place here. Moreover, the trails in question were specifically designed for multi-use and have been diligently maintained by CAMBC. There are already 74 miles of designated hiker-only trails in Albemarle County, providing ample space for non-cycling activities. Thus, I would advocate for a balanced approach that considers the facts on recreational impacts, ensuring that conservation efforts are effectively targeted and inclusive of the community's needs.
I am a life long resident of Albemare County. Over the years more green spaces are being sacrificed to development, The Ragged Mountain Natural area is a true gem that must be preserved. The places that are the richest & most beautiful are the same places that humans demand access to. It happens that base-rich substrates and landscapes produce qualities across the board that make them highly desirable places, for plants and animals (humans included). For this reason the Basic Oak-Hickory Forests of the Piedmont must be treated with care if the region’s biodiversity is to be restored and preserved. The property of RMNA is, therefore, an ideal place for encouraging conservation practices and behavior & facilitating gentle and nurturing biodiversity research, observation, and education. The RMNA must be preserved and no bikes allowed. When Biscuit Run opens this fall there will be multiuse paths for bikers. I urge you to vote to not allow Bikes in the RMNA. Stephanie Lowenhaupt
I feel like these trails can be shared by hikers, runners and bikers as they have been in the past. Bikes have no more of a direct impact on the trail system then do hikers or runners. I hope you will reconsider you position on this
Jim McCullen
I am a voter in the Rio District of Albemarle County and am a mountain biker. I am a native of the city and have lived in the county for 13 years in the Northfields neighborhood. As the eternal beginner biker, Ragged Mtn is an essential location for me to practice, ride and enjoy. I am not able to ride OHill as it is too technical and difficult for me as an almost 50 year old. My teenage son and I can enjoy Ragged together as it offers both of us enough challenge and enjoyment. I have seen no research or info to suggest the ill effects of biking at Ragged. The biking community has been an essential if not THE essential community that has built and maintained the trails there. I am also an avid hiker. The biking community have offered numerous solutions to resolve problems posed by the walking community and they are reasonable and workable. Other areas like Preddy creek are now overcrowded often due to the lack of access at Ragged. Please reopen to the respectful biking community!
Allowing biking at Ragged Mountain Reservoir would enhance recreational opportunities, promote health, and foster community engagement. Biking is a low-impact exercise suitable for all ages. With sustainable trail design, biking can coexist with hiking and preserve the area's natural beauty and water quality. Increased usage increases community involvement in upkeep, ensuring Ragged Mountain remains a vibrant and cherished space. At the end of the day, we should be looking for more opportunities for people to recreate outdoors, not less.
As a hiker and regular visitor of Ragged Mountain Reservoir, I embrace the open access to this land across all user groups. The bikers especially seem to be among the most active and engaged groups in building and maintaining local trails throughout the community, and I trust that the longevity of a beautiful area such as Ragged relies on the coexistence of these users.
I have long valued Ragged Mountain Reservoir as one of the few places where I feel safe to enjoy nature and exercise alone in Charlottesville, without having to contend with road crossings and traffic. The presence of other runners, bikers, and walkers at Ragged Mountain has always enhanced my experience of this beautiful outdoor space, making me feel like I'm part of community of fellow outdoor enthusiasts. Restricting access to Ragged Mountain trails to hikers alone will have no positive impact on conservation, but it will have a negative impact on the outdoor community. Allowing runners and bikers to continue using the Reservoir trails will only increase the number of people who care about preserving this beautiful space and who are willing to volunteer their time to keep it accessible to our community for years to come. Both the health of our community and the well being of this outdoor space will benefit from multi-use access.
Dear BoS - I am a longtime resident of Western Albemarle county with 3 kids and two sets of grandparents who live here as well. Ragged Mountain Reservoir is a wonderful resource for so many in Albemarle county. Please reconsider updating the county code to allow a shared recreation use plan that would include human powered bicycles at Ragged Mountain.
One of the unquestionable solutions to our national health and mental health crisis in this country is people spending more time outdoors in nature. The county has an opportunity here, at no cost, to open up a large public space in the heart of our population center to two of the most common outdoor recreation activities (cycling and running) by simply changing an outdated, poorly planned ordinance. The failure to do so seems at best, suspicious. With so many other neglected and undeveloped public spaces (Biscuit Run, Hedgerow, Arrowhead, Western Park to name a few), opening and protecting user access at Ragged Mountain, at no cost, is a huge win for the county and a show of commitment from the Board of Supervisors to the health and well-being of the residents they are representing. Failure to do so shows a specific lack of commitment to the health and well-being of the residents they are representing. Thank you for your consideration. - John Andersen, 21-year county resident.
As a 22 year-long resident of the area I support updates to the Ragged Mountain Reservoir recreational use code.
- RWSA has no concerns about water quality impacts.
- Compared to the continued expansion of the reservoir, other recreational uses have minimal impact on the flora/fauna
- No additional trail infrastructure is needed since local volunteers have completed 7 miles of trails. Those same local volunteers are ready and able to complete the vision of the master plan with additional trails and maintenance assuming the code is updated.
- There are 70+ miles of hiker-only trails in the surrounding area. Yet few beginner-friendly biking trails within riding distance of Charlottesville. (my 13 yr old loves biking there)
- Adding to the growing interest in biking by all ages improves our community's health and drives revenue from tourism and for local business that support these activities, many based in Albemarle.
Thank you for considering this reasonable and responsible update.