Rail trail complaint investigated, closed

NEW SCOTLAND — A recent complaint about debris dumped on the Albany County Rail Trail in Slingerlands has been investigated and closed, according to a county representative.

“We are convinced at this point that there is not an issue,” said Mary Rozak, the director of communications for Albany County.

The complaint was originally filed with the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, which manages open portions of the trail that is owned by the county.

“We have had a report on that,” confirmed Mark King, of the land conservancy, to The Enterprise. “It is a valid concern.”

King said that, because the report was a property-rights situation, the conservancy turned the report over to the county to investigate.

The property in question is owned by Sean Cronin of Font Grove Road, according to the complainant. Cronin did not return calls before press time.

“There has been an investigation, and it has been concluded,” Rozak told The Enterprise.  

Rozak said that an excavation on a property along the rail trail caused some debris to fall into a drainage ditch owned by the county.

“There has been some large trees and brush close to the border of the rail trail, but the debris is still clearly on the owner’s property,” she said. “During excavation, tree debris had fallen on the trail and the drainage ditch, which is county-owned. The debris was removed immediately from the trail and the property owner is currently in the process of emptying out anything that is in the drainage ditch.

“The proper steps are being taken,” Rozak continued, “and have been taken to make sure that anything on the property owner’s land has minimal impact and is immediately cleaned up if it falls on the rail trail.”

“This is probably a rare, or unique, situation,” Rozak told The Enterprise. “The majority of complaints have to do with people having dogs on the rail trail or not picking up dog droppings.”

In the case of tree debris blocking the trail or a county ditch, she said, “The property owner is not in violation of any laws or regulations.”

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