ADAMS TWP — Adams Township's planning commission made headway on guidelines for developing township trails Monday night after offering a public work session.

“The premise of this is really to talk,” said Martin McKinney, head of the planning commission.

Adams Township has the potential to be involved with a few regional trail systems, according to Phil Gryskewicz, project manager for the engineering consultant Olsen Crafts Associates. This includes the proposed Commodore Perry trail system.

“That is something that we would like to tie into as a regional planning effort,” Gryskewicz said.

Gryskewicz suggested considering that Commodore Perry be one of the township's top priorities when it comes to developing future trails.

Gryskewicz also said the township has a few sidewalks that abruptly end in some places. Addressing these broken links could contribute to the overall future of Adams' trails.

“There are a lot of chinks in the chain,” Gryskewicz said. “I think that's were we kind of need to focus some of our attention.”

Overall, Gryskewicz said the township should consider tying trails into the Adams park. Brett Schultz, vice chairman of the planning commission, said while he liked the ideas presented, he wanted to know how they could be funded.

“These are grandiose ideas. I love them,” Schultz said. “How do we advance this without the ability to spend money?”

“I think the first step is to have a plan,” McKinney said. “If we don't have a plan, we're dead in the water.”

Township officials said there is potential for government grant funding for regional trail development. Pete Ferraro, a founding member of the local nonprofit organization Trails Adams Area, offered the township its services as a community lobbying group.

Ferraro also asked the planning commission to look into developing the former Butler Short Line system as a trail component.

McKinney said the key to moving forward is to have some documented ideas to present to groups and residents.

“You have to crawl before you walk and walk before you run,” McKinney said. “I think we're crawling along.”

Members of the planning commission asked to have updated trail ideas and copies of other potential trail development documentation for the next work session.