Officials from Schoharie Area Long-Term Inc. want more public input on a proposed 38-mile multi-use trail in the county.
They have already received 500 surveys on the trail, which would run from Esperance to Blenheim.
Most of the surveys collected have been from residents of Cobleskill, Middleburgh, and Schoharie.
In order to get more public input, SALT has scheduled four landowner information meetings in October, according to Jin Kim, SALT's Schoharie Creek Trail Study Coordinator.
Landowners along the Schoharie Creek as well as the general public are invited to the meetings.
"We want everyone to know that their participation in the study and, if feasible, the development of a trail is completely voluntary," the coordinator added.
"We will listen to landowner concerns and ideas that so that the study reflects wants and needs of the community."
SALT will maintain a database of landowner interests to help identify which landowners support a potential trail running through their property, which landowners do not, and which landowners feel they need more information before making a decision.
The landowner information meetings will be:
• Tuesday, October 4 at the Blenheim town hall on Route 30 in North Blenheim.
• Thursday, October 13 at the Apple Barrel Country Store on Route 30A in Schoharie.
• Monday, October 17 at the Middleburgh library on Main Street.
• Tuesday, October 25 at the Esperance village hall on Church Street.
In addition to collecting surveys and holding the landowner meetings, SALT officials have released the request for proposals for a consultant to complete the feasibility study.
SALT, along with the project advisory committee, formed for this study, will interview and selected a firm by the end of this month, according to the coordinator.
SALT is still collecting surveys about the trail.
The survey can be accessed by linking to www.saltrecovery.org/schoharie-creek-trail-feasibility-study/
Designs and cost estimates are expected to be released next January and more public meetings will be held next May and October.
The draft feasibility study is scheduled to be done in July 2017 with the final to be completed in December 2017.
The trail, according to officials, is looked upon as an economic development too which would drive traffic to downtown areas along the creek and increase access to the creek.
The trail may be used for hiking, biking, strollers, cross-country skiing, snowmobiles and horseback riding. Not all uses would be for the entire length of the trail.