Blush Hill boat launch to get more parking
May 20, 2022 | By Lisa Scagliotti 
The state parks boat launch on the Waterbury Reservoir at the end of Blush Hill Road is growing in popularity and congestion. A new parking lot to be built nearby later this summer will provide off-road parking for seven vehicles with boat trailers. Photo by Gordon Miller
A popular boat launch on the Waterbury Reservoir is to get a new parking lot this summer with spots large enough for vehicles and their boat trailers.
The Waterbury Development Review Board on May 4 reviewed and approved plans from the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation to create a new parking area near the state boat launch at the end of Blush Hill Road.
State Forest Recreation Specialist Walter Opuszynski presented the plans that would build the lot on about a quarter-acre site on the east side of the road just above the existing parking lot and turn-around.
The spot has become increasingly popular over the past few summers, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020 and most state parks have experienced increased numbers of visitors.
The project plans call for creating the seven spaces, 50 feet in length, as well as a handicapped parking space and room for a seasonal porta-potty. The estimated cost is $116,000, according to the application.
Map courtesy Vt. Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation
Opuszynski explained that adding to the infrastructure to accommodate the public was included as a goal for the area in a permit Green Mountain Power received recently from the Federal Energy Regulation Commission.
In 2020, parking and vehicle congestion along lower Blush Hill Road above the boat launch led town officials to designate one side of the road as a “no parking” zone. While the move made it clear to visitors where to put their vehicles, it resulted in parked vehicles extending far up the road along residential properties.
Scott Seward lives in the house closest to the boat launch. “On a busy weekend, there are 20-30 cars and trailers parked a quarter mile up the road,” he told the development review board.
He and other Blush Hill residents who commented were skeptical that a new parking lot will alleviate congestion.
“Seven spots are a drop in the bucket for what we see here all summer long,” Ellen Berrinigs said.
Some suggested having a new place for trailered vehicles may attract more users given that the launch is not staffed and there is no user fee.
Nearby residents also offered suggestions beyond the parking lot proposal which the development board cautioned was out of its authority and not the purpose of that particular hearing. They suggested long-term changes to how the launch is managed such as restricting boat size or types, as well as adding a park staffer to oversee operations at busy times and even close the access when it gets very full.
Opuszynski said he was happy to see the public participation and that the state is eager to gather more feedback from park users and neighbors as part of its longer-range planning and management for the parklands around the Waterbury Reservoir. This summer, the parks department plans to track users at the boat accesses, he said, and a survey is being developed that will be accessible online.
The parking lot project needs several additional permits, Opuszynski said, and construction is scheduled for late August. The boat launch will remain open during that time with flaggers stationed near the site to help direct traffic.