Some Gatewood Hill residents were hoping development of a park in their neighborhood would bring a new pedestrian pathway with it but city planners say the Orchard Street Ravine is too steep to support transverse trails.

Planners from Seattle Parks and Recreation want to build two short loop trails (less than a quarter-mile long) near the bottom of the ravine at Orchard Street and leave the steep slopes alone. They presented their proposal to about 50 residents at a public meeting at the High Point Community Center Dec. 13.

There's $175,000 budgeted for development of trails and preservation of the ravine that was included in the Pro Parks levy approved by voters in 2000.

The ravine also is part of a "green crescent" of public parks envisioned in the Morgan Junction Neighborhood Plan. The green crescent begins at the Myrtle Street Reservoir and swings southwest to the Orchard Street Ravine, then on to Solstice Park (formerly Lincoln Park Annex), around Lowman Beach Park, Pelley Place and up to the Eddy Street Ravine.

Planners studied four options for developing the new park and some options included building trails that would connect the higher northern edge of the ravine to its lower southern boundary. However the city has a policy against building on steep slopes. Karen Galt, who's planning the trail system for Orchard Street Ravine, said the upper parts of the ravine drop at a 45-degree angle.

Besides, there are plenty of sidewalks on Gatewood Hill that enable pedestrians to get around the ravine, she said.

"Don't develop if you don't have to," Galt said.

The new loop trails would be accessible from a cul-de-sac on Orchard Street. Keeping foot traffic on the new trails would avoid disturbing the ravine's steep slopes, protect vegetation and better anchor the hillside.

That announcement didn't set well with many of those at the meeting. Some residents had hoped the park plans would include a new, more-direct pedestrian pathway through the 1.7-acre ravine to connect the top of Gatewood Hill with California Avenue below and to the west.

"Why didn't you tell us no trails are allowed on steep slopes?" a man asked at the meeting.

Someone else complained about "trails to nowhere" and the "hidden" parking area on Orchard Street.

"Our vision of a trail was to get from Point A to Point B," a man told Seattle Parks and Recreation planners.

But Seattle Parks and Recreation planners are sticking by their policy to avoid building trails on steep slopes.

Mark Mead, arborist for Seattle Parks and Recreation, told the audience that half of the attendees at the last public meeting wanted trails built in the ravine and the other half wanted improved wildlife habitat. Parks employees frequently get conflicting advice from the public at different public meetings, he said. They thought loop trails would keep people on the flatter portion of the ravine while protecting native plants trying to make a comeback.

Another problem facing the Orchard Street Ravine is widespread growth of invasive, non-native species such as Himalayan blackberry, English ivy and clematis vines. Some of the trees in the ravine are being smothered by invasive plants.

"We're going to break some eggs here," Mead said. Much of the Orchard Street Ravine will have to be denuded and replanted to restore the native plants. A drip irrigation system also might have to be installed to help the new plants get established.

In 20 years, the Orchard Street Ravine could look like Fauntleroy Park, Mead said.

The Seattle Board of Parks Commissioners soon will make a recommendation to Parks Superintendent Ken Bounds. If he approves the project, work on the Orchard Street Ravine could begin in April and be completed next September.

Tim St. Clair can be reached at tstclair@westseattleherald.com or 932-0300.