May 2016 Advocacy Minutes
Advocacy Meeting Minutes
May 2, 2016 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
4499 Ruffin Road, San Diego
Ben Stone – Advocacy Committee Chairperson/Vice-President SDMBA
Welcome and Introductions (Ben Stone) Meeting began at 6:10; 23 attendees
Guest Speaker: Mr. Jon Green; Back Country Land Trust: XXX acres, enough or a 10-12 mile loop. Wright’s Field in Alpine, native grassland. Burrowing owl, endangered butterflies and San Diego Thornmint. Landlocked area. Environmental issues: was originally slated to be a Golf Course. Neighbors fought it and won. Some of the property encompasses historic trails that are on private land. Jon wants to make sense of the cobweb of trails that currently exists. 75% of visitors enter from East through private land. More trail heads near post office and Joan McQueen Middle School. Starting to clean trash and limit dirt bikes. Critical time to partner with us and equestrians to preserve these multi-use trails. Eventually a trail will connect Crown Hills area N of 8 with ElCap reservoir.
Mission Trails Master Plan Meeting May 3rd CAC Update (Kevin). 6:30 p.m. Public review for plan in works for over 10 years. Going to also be talking about the Stowe Connection. June 2017 the full city council will vote. Also KTU&A contract ends. There will be separate environmental reviews for each individual part of the park. SEQUA $200,000 range.
IMBA Survey 5/3 through 5/17 – (Kevin) Kevin has vocalized opinion on wilderness with IMBA. Big member survey will be released tomorrow. Very important source of feedback for IMBA. Fill it out; it will determine which direction IMBA is to take on future wilderness designations. Wilderness designations highly restrictive. CA represents 25% of their overall membership and feels underrepresented. 50% in Alaska; much of the remaining 50% here in West. Even “proposed wildnerness areas” can exclude bikes. 60% of our dues go back to IMBA so we deserve to be heard! We also don’t want connectivity compromised due to excessive wilderness designations.
San Diego River Park Foundation– (Ben) update Trying to purchase land so proposed wildness can be revoked.
-Temescal Creek and surrounding land ownership
-Forest Service connections and mapping software
San Diego River Trail would lead to Kelly Ditch Trail; pretty raw trail between William Heise State Park to Lake Cuyamaca (8 miles). Girl Scouts own several parcels between Lake Cuyamaca and Temescal Creek. Trail will run south and to West of El Cap. Connect with the Flume Trail and connect over to Lake Jennings. Zipper Trail. Gets into Santee from Walker Preserve. Whole trail from Heisse 38-45 miles. SDRPF has healthy and enthusiastic volunteers.
Forest Service Objection Meeting outcome and thoughts (Evan, Susie & Ben) Two weeks ago meeting at Cleveland National Forest offices. Off-roader (motorized) routes (47 miles) being decommissioned due to erosion. Bikes will still most likely be allowed. They say it’s cheaper to build new trails than to decommission older ones. Will Metz, head ranger of Cleveland National Forest, is also a MTBer.
New Mount Laguna Recreation Ranger (Susie). New Ranger Lindsay who is a MTB rider. Wants to team up with us. New volunteer agreement for SDMBA to be finalized by Mark Constantino very soon. June 10 meeting in order to discuss Laguna potential.
MCAS/Stowe Trail update – (Ben & Kevin) There’s talk about a deal, Congressman Duncan Hunter views us favorably. Bottom line is that Castlerock and Fanita developments are going to be abutting Marine property. Marines are motivated to find a solution. We should find out their proposition soon.
Open Volunteer positions List (Ben) May 21: Explore MT Day and June 11: Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. Volunteer positions open in Treasurer and Sponsor Committee. Liaison at Wright’s Field/Alpine. Liaison with San Diego Canyonland for potential partnership project.
2017 Arch Ride recap (Susie): overwhelmingly positive, no significant injuries or issues. Justify cost to members, still lots of improvements to make it even better.
Updates (Non-discussion items)
Tecolote Trails plan – (Evan) – (In progress 2016 build 2017)
Deerfield Bike Park update (Kirk) In progress w/ City
Valley Center Bike Park/Crows Nest – Project Plan(Minette)
Del Mar Mesa Surrounding Development (No update)
Update: Rock House / San Diego Wildlife Refuge- update (Jose/Jason)
5/19 afternon, outreach at Mother Miguel Trailhead
Update: Otay Valley Regional Park – (Susie)
Jose G. to attend CAC meeting this week. Need results of public comments.
Tijuana River Valley (Bell Program in Progress May aim)
Palm Canyon Update (in Progress Decision June)
Castlerock project date June 2016
San Diego County PLDO Funds
Next meeting June 6, 2016
Kevin Loomis
Susie Murphy
Julie Warner
Ben Stone
David Hekel
Jon Green
Dave Johnson
Philip Erdelsky
Minette Ozaki
Dom Dias
Matt Bartlett
Mark Webb
Jeff Tanzola
Kristy Guitierrez
Andy Darragh
Rudy Regalado
Mike Jennings
Walt Devine
David Wells
Seth Hanson
O’Neil Straub
Kamala Slight
David Briens
Doug Johnson
Bob Ponting
May 2, 2016 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
4499 Ruffin Road, San Diego
Ben Stone – Advocacy Committee Chairperson/Vice-President SDMBA
Welcome and Introductions (Ben Stone) Meeting began at 6:10; 23 attendees
Guest Speaker: Mr. Jon Green; Back Country Land Trust: XXX acres, enough or a 10-12 mile loop. Wright’s Field in Alpine, native grassland. Burrowing owl, endangered butterflies and San Diego Thornmint. Landlocked area. Environmental issues: was originally slated to be a Golf Course. Neighbors fought it and won. Some of the property encompasses historic trails that are on private land. Jon wants to make sense of the cobweb of trails that currently exists. 75% of visitors enter from East through private land. More trail heads near post office and Joan McQueen Middle School. Starting to clean trash and limit dirt bikes. Critical time to partner with us and equestrians to preserve these multi-use trails. Eventually a trail will connect Crown Hills area N of 8 with ElCap reservoir.
Mission Trails Master Plan Meeting May 3rd CAC Update (Kevin). 6:30 p.m. Public review for plan in works for over 10 years. Going to also be talking about the Stowe Connection. June 2017 the full city council will vote. Also KTU&A contract ends. There will be separate environmental reviews for each individual part of the park. SEQUA $200,000 range.
IMBA Survey 5/3 through 5/17 – (Kevin) Kevin has vocalized opinion on wilderness with IMBA. Big member survey will be released tomorrow. Very important source of feedback for IMBA. Fill it out; it will determine which direction IMBA is to take on future wilderness designations. Wilderness designations highly restrictive. CA represents 25% of their overall membership and feels underrepresented. 50% in Alaska; much of the remaining 50% here in West. Even “proposed wildnerness areas” can exclude bikes. 60% of our dues go back to IMBA so we deserve to be heard! We also don’t want connectivity compromised due to excessive wilderness designations.
San Diego River Park Foundation– (Ben) update Trying to purchase land so proposed wildness can be revoked.
-Temescal Creek and surrounding land ownership
-Forest Service connections and mapping software
San Diego River Trail would lead to Kelly Ditch Trail; pretty raw trail between William Heise State Park to Lake Cuyamaca (8 miles). Girl Scouts own several parcels between Lake Cuyamaca and Temescal Creek. Trail will run south and to West of El Cap. Connect with the Flume Trail and connect over to Lake Jennings. Zipper Trail. Gets into Santee from Walker Preserve. Whole trail from Heisse 38-45 miles. SDRPF has healthy and enthusiastic volunteers.
Forest Service Objection Meeting outcome and thoughts (Evan, Susie & Ben) Two weeks ago meeting at Cleveland National Forest offices. Off-roader (motorized) routes (47 miles) being decommissioned due to erosion. Bikes will still most likely be allowed. They say it’s cheaper to build new trails than to decommission older ones. Will Metz, head ranger of Cleveland National Forest, is also a MTBer.
New Mount Laguna Recreation Ranger (Susie). New Ranger Lindsay who is a MTB rider. Wants to team up with us. New volunteer agreement for SDMBA to be finalized by Mark Constantino very soon. June 10 meeting in order to discuss Laguna potential.
MCAS/Stowe Trail update – (Ben & Kevin) There’s talk about a deal, Congressman Duncan Hunter views us favorably. Bottom line is that Castlerock and Fanita developments are going to be abutting Marine property. Marines are motivated to find a solution. We should find out their proposition soon.
Open Volunteer positions List (Ben) May 21: Explore MT Day and June 11: Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. Volunteer positions open in Treasurer and Sponsor Committee. Liaison at Wright’s Field/Alpine. Liaison with San Diego Canyonland for potential partnership project.
2017 Arch Ride recap (Susie): overwhelmingly positive, no significant injuries or issues. Justify cost to members, still lots of improvements to make it even better.
Updates (Non-discussion items)
Tecolote Trails plan – (Evan) – (In progress 2016 build 2017)
Deerfield Bike Park update (Kirk) In progress w/ City
Valley Center Bike Park/Crows Nest – Project Plan(Minette)
Del Mar Mesa Surrounding Development (No update)
Update: Rock House / San Diego Wildlife Refuge- update (Jose/Jason)
5/19 afternon, outreach at Mother Miguel Trailhead
Update: Otay Valley Regional Park – (Susie)
Jose G. to attend CAC meeting this week. Need results of public comments.
Tijuana River Valley (Bell Program in Progress May aim)
Palm Canyon Update (in Progress Decision June)
Castlerock project date June 2016
San Diego County PLDO Funds
Next meeting June 6, 2016
Kevin Loomis
Susie Murphy
Julie Warner
Ben Stone
David Hekel
Jon Green
Dave Johnson
Philip Erdelsky
Minette Ozaki
Dom Dias
Matt Bartlett
Mark Webb
Jeff Tanzola
Kristy Guitierrez
Andy Darragh
Rudy Regalado
Mike Jennings
Walt Devine
David Wells
Seth Hanson
O’Neil Straub
Kamala Slight
David Briens
Doug Johnson
Bob Ponting