10.1-204 - Statewide system of trails.
§ 10.1-204. Statewide system of trails.
A. The Department is authorized to enter into such agreements and to acquireinterests as may be necessary to establish, maintain, protect and regulate astatewide system of trails in order to provide for the ever-increasingoutdoor recreational needs of an expanding population, and in order topromote public access to, travel within, and enjoyment and appreciation ofthe outdoor, natural and remote areas of the Commonwealth. Notwithstandingany other provision of law, the Department shall not develop, establish, orextend any system of trails, including linear parks or greenways, in anycounty having the county manager form of government, unless it has submittedto the appropriate local agency, commission, or board, a plan of development,where such plan is required by local ordinance, for the proposed system oftrails.
B. The statewide system of trails shall be composed of:
1. Scenic trails so located as to provide maximum potential for theappreciation of natural areas and for the conservation and enjoyment of thesignificant scenic, historic, natural, ecological, geological or culturalqualities of the areas through which such trails may pass;
2. Recreation trails to provide a variety of outdoor recreation uses in orreasonably accessible to urban areas; and
3. Connecting trails or side trails to provide additional points of publicaccess to recreation trails or scenic trails, or to provide connectionsbetween such trails, or to provide access from urban areas to major outdoorrecreation sites.
Each trail shall be limited to foot, horse or nonmotorized bicycle use, or acombination thereof, as deemed appropriate by the Department. The use ofmotorized vehicles by the public shall be prohibited along any of the scenic,recreation or connecting trails. This statewide system of trails may contain,at the discretion of the Department, camping sites, shelters, and relatedpublic-use and management facilities, which will not substantially interferewith the nature and purposes of the trails.
(1971, Ex. Sess., c. 136, § 10-21.3:1; 1972, c. 413; 1984, cc. 739, 750;1988, c. 891; 1993, c. 755.)