A project that has apparently been underway by the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources of over three years is closer to becoming a reality following action recently by Clinton County Fiscal Court, when they voted to accept a road into the county system to give access from the Wells Bottom area to the lower Cumberland River.
Last July, Tony Wheatley, staff assistant/land acquisition, and Eric Brooker of the engineering division with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, addressed the fiscal court about the local project they say had been in the works since 2008.
Brooker is currently overseeing the local venture, which was estimated to be at least a $140,000 project.
Wheatley said the department’s strategic plan called for increasing angler/fishermen access to the upper Cumberland River, and that was possible at an area at Wells Bottom in northern Clinton County. He added that a property owner in the area had agreed to sell land for the project and funds were in place in the form of a 75/25 matching Sport Fish Recreation grant.
Plans call for developing a parking lot, building an access road and fencing both sides since the property owner would still own land on either side of the bank accessing the lower river area.
The only hold up at that point last year was about 1,000 feet of roadway needed in which the county would have to take in to create public access.
At that time, the road ordinance in place required any road taken into the county road system was to have required four inches of blacktopping and it was estimated the cost to the county would have been around $15,000. However, since that time, the ordinance involving accepting county roadways has been amended.
Wheatley said at last July’s meeting the landowner would grant an easement for the road, but couldn’t pay for the blacktopping to be done.
The project will apparently, sometime in the future when funds become available, will include a swinging bridge from the bank to the island for anglers, trout fishermen and other visitors. “It’s a highly unique project,” Wheatley said.
The project, if completed, is expected to be a major tourism and economic boost to the Cumberland River area, including for Clinton County.
Back in 2008, Fish and Wildlife Resources, in an attempt to increase target areas for fishermen and visitor across the state rivers and lakes, “sent out feelers” and came into contact with a local family who owned the property in the Wells Bottom area.
Wheatley noted there was only two current access points to the Cumberland River at this time, those being below the dam and at Helm’s Bottom. He went on to estimate that opening the third access point would create up to a $300 to $400 thousand economic impact to this area, and noted even that was a conservative estimate.
“Most of the area around the upper Cumberland is private ownership, so there are limited access areas,” Wheatley said. He said the extra access point from Clinton County, the already estimated 36,000 number of anglers who use the river for fishing and tourism each year would likely only increase. He added that the shoal of the island at Wells Bottom would be one of the better fishing points on the Cumberland River.
In late July of 2011, the court, with the assistance from County Attorney Michael Rains with advice from the Department of Local Government, voted to amend its road ordinance to help clear the way for the access road.
The amendment to the ordinance reads, “It shall be the decision of the…fiscal court to accept, adopt and maintain new roads and extend existing roads into the…road system which lead to government and state lands. The acceptance of these roads shall be deemed to be for the improvement of public economic development”
Magistrate Ricky Craig, who represents the Wells Bottom area in the county, made the motion to amend the aforementioned ordinance, noting the economic growth benefits was “too good to pass up.”
The bottom line then estimated the road would be about 1,850 feet at an estimated blacktopping cost of $32,000. However, the court only accepted the road and left it up to Fish and Wildlife to complete the project.
At its regular meeting in January, the court voted to accept the access road–Rockhouse Trace Road–into the county road system.
The deed to the road has been prepared and granted to the county by the Winfrey Company.
Clinton County Judge/Executive Lyle Huff said all copies pertaining to the road deed and acceptance of the roadway into the county had been forwarded to the Division of Fish and Wildlife and it was to his understanding that the project would begin very soon after they have that in hand.
He said the only cost to the county, insofar as the road, would be to maintain it as a county road, like any other road in the county system.
Huff said that Winfrey Group LLC had been a willing participant in granting the deed for the roadway to allow access for the project.
The project will be beneficial to our youth, local fishermen, and families, the judge said, adding he felt there would be family functions such as picnics and other activities that would take place at the site in time to come.
“I’m pleased with the cooperation shown by the fiscal court, my office and the Department of Fish and Wildlife in making this project possible,” he added.
Fourth District Magistrate Ricky Craig, who represents constituents in the Wells Bottom area, located about 25 miles north of Albany, also commended his fellow magistrates, the judge/executive and the Department in their efforts.
“This will be a big boost for Clinton County and its economy,” Craig said in a brief telephone interview Monday. “I think it will also add to property value of homes in that area and will be a great place for entire families to fish and do other recreational activities.”
The magistrate said that added tax revenues, plus the possibility of additional homes being built in the area as an indirect result of the project will be a positive for the county even in years to come.
“If we (fiscal court) hadn’t of acted on it (project), another county would have,” Craig continued, in noting the department was looking for another access area from some point when they decided the area in Clinton County would be the best.