December 2017 Advocacy Minutes

 

Advocacy Meeting

December 4, 2017 6:00 - 8:30 p.m.

4499 Ruffin Road, San Diego, CA

Ben Stone - Advocacy Committee Chairperson/Vice-President SDMBA

 

  • Welcome and Introductions (Susie Murphy)

  • Questions or comments?

 

  1. Guest speaker:  Michael Stickels, PQ Bridge Eagle Scout Project

    Local Boy Scout, Eagle project of new wooden bridge at tunnels/Penasquitos

Canyon; Worked with his troop to plan and build with permission and cooperation                    of land managers.  Also races for Canyon Crest Academy/SoCalLeague/NICA.  

 

  1. Guest speaker:  Jeremy McGhee, adaptive mountain biker

Local adaptive athlete/mtb’er/surfer/skiier.  Grew up in SD.  Advocating to get adaptive athletes off the Pavement and out in nature.  He doesn’t know if he can access a trail or not because the information isn’t available.  Can explore areas with friends to see if a trail is passable with his bike or not.  Working with MTB Project to map and inventory adaptive trails - Starting with San Diego.   Very interested in connecting trails and also Coast to Crest Trail.  Jurisdictions must provide ADA access on trails and there is the budget to work on these projects.  Working on Washout near the horse arenas with managers from SDRP.  

 

  1. Guest speaker: Ted Stroll, President, Sustainable Trails Coalition

STC has a bill introduced in the Senate in 2016 to allow reasonable access to Wilderness trails and other backcountry trails to mountain bikes and other heart powered conveyances. This expired as it was not passed in that session.  Waiting for Senator Lee to reintroduce in the Senate.  Now introduced in the House by

McClintock in 2017.  Ted is testifying on 12/7/2017 in front of Sub-Committee on Federal Lands in support of the Bill. The environmentalist groups have started to protest strongly and will also testify this week.    

 

How can you help? Email Congressman Scott Peters and Duncan Hunter this week to express your views on this legislation H.R. 1349 and S.3205, the Human-Powered Travel in Wilderness Areas Act.

Letter template here:  http://www.sustainabletrailscoalition.org/how-to-help-index/#write-congress

 

  1. Calaveras/CDFW Update (Kevin Loomis)

The situation with CDFW regarding Calaveras continues with a focus on cooperation to figure out a compromise that can allow for a responsible management plan. A meeting was held on October 17 with CDFW staff, SDMBA and environmental advocates.  SDMBA started a petition

ahead of this meeting that gained 1500 signatures in just a few days that was addressed

to local state legislatures and CDFW staff.  In the spirit of cooperation, we agreed to take the petition down temporarily in exchange for an agreement to hold a community meeting in early 2018.   This meeting will include CDFW staff, local advocates and organizations, concerned trail users and citizens, and government officials. SDMBA will publicize this meeting as soon as details are known.      

 

  1. Black Mountain Update (Matt Bartelt/Kyle Gunderman)

Arsenic studies are wrapping up and results are showing very high levels of the non

Biologically active material.  City considered capping but reroute may also be

considered.  The Plan for the Black Widow Trail is being finalized by the City with input

from SDMBA.  

 

  1. Mission Trails Regional Park MPU Update (Kevin Loomis)

San Diego City Council was supposed to vote to approve the MPU in the summer

of 2017.  It was delayed because of objections by CDFW and other entities over access to East Elliott which included some mitigation property.  A large field meeting was held last Friday that Included environmental groups and advocates including Kevin Loomis (SDMBA), CDFW, USFW, and City of San Diego and MTRP rangers. An alignment was agreed on that would get riders through East Elliott, up and over to Spring Canyon.  This is huge progress and now the MPU can be put before the City Council for approval for fiscal year 2018.  City has purchased two private parcels to make these connections and continues to work on acquisitions.  

    

  1. Pamo Valley - Request for Proposals - Orosco Design (Susie Murphy)

Draft of Pamo Valley Master Plan has been received from IMBA Trail Solutions.  We are

Reviewing it for edits/revisions at this time.  A Request for Proposals has gone out for

Qualified trail design firms to submit bids for Phase 1: Orosco Ridge.  If anyone needs

More information on this RFP process contact BenS@sdmba.com

 

Old Business (Non-discussion items)

  1. Tecolote Trails plan - (Evan) - (In progress 2016 build 2017)

  2. Sycamore Goodan Ranch Update (Ben late 2017)

  3. Fanita Ranch Trails Plan (Ben Stone) (Unknown)

  4. Castlerock project date June 2016 grading has begun (One year) Ben

  5. Black Mountain/Black Widow (Matt 2017)

  6. Sweetwater Summit Bike  Park (Jason Showalter)

  7. Del Mar Mesa Surrounding Development

  8. Rock House / San Diego Wildlife Refuge- update (Jose/Jason)

  9. Otay Valley Regional Park - (Jose)

  10. Tijuana River Valley (Jose)

  11. Palm Canyon Update (in Progress October-November)

  12. San Diego County PLDO Funds

  13. Village 13 Projected Date (First Quarter 2017)

  14. Mission Trails Master Plan (Summer 2017)


Next meeting: Monday, January 8  6 p.m.  4499 Ruffin road

                       *date pushed back due to holiday

 

Attendees:

Kevin Loomis

Susie Murphy

Tristan Gonzalez

Minette Ozaki

Evan Sollberger

Julie Klein

Ted Stroll

Jeremy McGhee

Seth Hanson

Jose Galaz

Mike Lowry

Matt Allen

Kyle Gunderman

Andy Darragh

John Nobil

Bob Ponting

David Dunn

Eddie Ro

Jeff Godun

Philip Erdelsky

David Hekel

Krisztina Scheeff

Laura Wojtysiak

Mark Kirchner

Alison Harmon

Jason Breindel