Decision withheld on off-roading area
By: CHRIS BAGLEY - Staff Writer | ∞
PERRIS -- A county land-use panel delayed action Wednesday on a proposal for 70 acres of off-road trails in Aguanga, but one panel member said the plans face a rough, steep climb.
The trails for motorized vehicles would be one component of a 523-acre park between Vail Lake and Sage Road, about eight miles east of Temecula. Plans submitted by Canyon Lands LLC and its officer, Renee Laurence of Yorba Linda, show separate off-roading areas for children, young teens and adults. The plans also include a paintball battlefield, a fishing area along an existing 9-acre pond, trails for BMX bicycles, a picnic area and some 300 acres of open space for conservation.
The Riverside County Planning Commission delayed action on the proposal during a meeting in Perris. The proposed park overlaps several half-mile squares of land that the county's general plan, its blueprint for future development, has designated for habitat conservation since 2004, said Larry Markham, the company's development consultant. A county environmental agency and Canyon Lands are negotiating over which parts of the land should be set aside, Markham said.
County land-use planners have recommended that the Planning Commission deny Canyon Lands' request. The company has already begun bulldozing and reshaping delicate terrain without the proper permits, planners said in a report filed last week.
Planning Commissioner John Roth praised the plan's concept but said the habitat issue looms large.
"The problem is that like anything in real estate, it's about location, location, location," Roth said. "It seems like we need something that's not sited in a critical habitat."
Planning Commissioner John Petty, whose district includes Aguanga, asked commissioners to withhold comment until they hear directly from Canyon Lands' representatives. Laurence was not at the meeting Wednesday afternoon and couldn't be reached for comment afterward.
Canyon Lands' owners bought the property before Riverside County adopted the general plan in 2003, Markham said. State agencies finalized the conservation aspects of the county's plan in 2004.
Ida Martin, an Aguanga resident who spoke against the project Wednesday, displayed aerial photographs that showed what she described as Canyon Lands' efforts in late 2003 and 2004 to strip vegetation from wide swaths of the land, including erosion-prone areas along the pond, which remains from the days when the property was mined for sand and gravel. Rains can easily wash soil and silt out of the pond into nearby Temecula Creek and farther downstream into Vail Lake, Martin said. Citing those actions and the current habitat designation, Martin urged the panel to deny the request outright.
"Why prolong the death of this application?" said Martin, one of four people who spoke against the project Wednesday.
Vegetation appears to have returned to most of the pond banks and several other parts of the property, which includes a segment of Temecula Creek, a flat expanse just north of the pond, and several small canyons that extend northward. One such cleft is covered with grass, and a hundred goats grazed there Wednesday afternoon as the whoosh of the occasional car on nearby Highway 79 punctuated the sound of a steady breeze.
A representative of a trade group funded by manufacturers said opponents had mischaracterized Canyon Lands' actions at the site. By blocking a commercial venue within easy driving distance of populated areas, the county would maintain the incentive for rogue riders to use off-highway vehicles on hundreds of dirt lots across the county, said Meg Grossglass of the Off Road Business Association.
The matter has become more urgent in Riverside County since early last year, when the Board of Supervisors approved new restrictions on off-roading on residential property, though the county has held off on enforcing the rules until officials can review an environmental study detailing how the rules might divert street traffic and off-road riding.
"There is virtually no legal place for people to recreate with their families on OHVs," Grossglass said. "Is there any piece of land that's acceptable to put anything on?"
-- Contact staff writer Chris Bagley at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2615, or cbagley@californian.com.
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come on wrote on May 31, 2007 8:28 AM:Yes there is plenty of land acceptable. Look at all the thousands of acres with houses on them. Any of those acres were acceptable.
County Land Use Planners need to change mind wrote on May 31, 2007 9:41 AM:From reading the article, it is very obvious that a family recreational area is needed. The rules & regulations appear so tight for people wanting outdoor recreational riding, that this seems to be a great solution. Having a family friendly location that is specifically designated for off road activities seems both prudent and responsible. Please do what you can to make this happen!!!
JackS wrote on May 31, 2007 11:23 AM:I have been following the news reports regarding this proposal, and it seems that this is a classic "not in my back yard" dispute. How much open-space do we need to cover with houses before we realize its value? This project will benefit thousands of people who enjoy the outdoors. Land-use planning needs to take into consideration recreational activities. There will always be disgruntled nearby homeowners, but proposals to develop private parklands are few and far between.
All 4 It! wrote on May 31, 2007 11:46 AM:I read articles where the public chimes in regarding off-roaders rights. People constantly complain about driving off-road vehicles on the public streets, noise and what a nuisance they are. As a father of a bunch of desert rats, having another area to ride closer to Temcula would be awesome! Tracks such as Elsinore, Cahuilla, Pala / La Jolla are okay, but an off-road park would be great, instead of track riding. Give the off-road crowd a place to hang out. It's far enough out on 79 that it should not be a disturbance for anyone. There are so many off-roadres in Riverside and San Diego county alone. This would be well used activity area for years to come.
Coming to the nuisance wrote on May 31, 2007 12:10 PM:All the suburbian NIMBYs came to the nuisance of ATV activity when they moved to the area. The Temecula Valley should be designated as a protected ATV historical district. The valley is pretty much the birthplace of freestyle. This park is much needed. There are no BMX tracks betweeen Kearny Mesa and Perris. I guess kids who really want to race BMX should simply do drugs if they can't make the trek to Kearny or Perris.
Move to Alaska wrote on May 31, 2007 12:34 PM:Forget having our politicians vote in favor of CLEAN family fun, recreation, and sports activities. Such a litigious group of scaredy-cats they are. Kids can't freestyle anywhere, bike riding on roads or bike lanes is far to dangerous cause of the drunk and drugged drivers. Nowhere to ride, nowhere to enjoy family outings, nowhere to fish, so let's get in our cars and grab a case of beer and race the freeways. Southern California is all about developers and lets not forget protecting the bugs in the habitats. They are more important than people. Move to Alaska - lots of open space.
Tony wrote on May 31, 2007 2:35 PM:Pray tell the butterflies and red-tailed frogs! Seriously, enough is enough. 70 acres for a dedicated off road park is a drop in the bucket compared to the vast land out there that is not being utilized. Give off-roaders a break for once. First there's too much noice. Then we hurt the insects. What's next?
What's Next? wrote on May 31, 2007 3:09 PM:Dear Riverside County Planning Comission: Now is your chance to help someone help you. This park is needed. It can be done safely, and environmentally conciously. You all know it. Instead of allowing roadblocks to be thrown up constantly, recommend a course of action that makes sense for all. In the end you will be heros. We need a place to recreate with our families! Dare I say that Riverside County should be looking for ways to help with the costs of a project that gives back to the community.
beth wrote on May 31, 2007 3:21 PM:There are wants and needs. We don't need more destructive and polluting activity in Temecula. Manufacturers prey on the wants of irresponsible "children" when they are killing the human habitat with greed and without fore-thought. There are hundreds of thousands of acres within a few hours drive, where soils, water courses, and wildlife are being destroyed legally by off-roading. Go join these irresponsible folks, if you must! It doesn't belong in SW Riverside county unless it is placed in an area where the destruction doesn't matter.
Carbon neutral wrote on May 31, 2007 4:46 PM:I'll bet Beth has a carbon neutral certification issued by Al Gore's company. What about the BMX track? By the way, the "B" stands for bicyle - just like those ridden in Communist China, which is place Beth likely admires. The Riverside County Planning Politburo knows what is best so it will tell you what you can and cannot do with your private property.
Mike wrote on Jun 2, 2007 4:43 PM:OK folks, it's time to start using your selfish brain for a small space of time... think outside your severely regulated cozy tract house neighborhood. Yes, wouldn't it be nice to hop in your truck, drive a few miles to tear it up, after all, it's not in YOUR back yard is it??? Oh boy, 500 acres!! Get real. That's just a speck of land when your talking about OHV use. That kind of noise travels for miles and those homes dotting the hills and valleys around there will never be the same. Do you really think it's OK to go and take someone elses home, investment, retirement, peace and quiet away from them because YOU like to ride bikes close to home??? You don't want you local government regulating land use but you DO want your government to take care of your selfish recreational wants....... Why don't you quit whining and do what our parents did and what the vast majority of dirt bike riders still do, pack it up and take your bikes to the desert. And Hey, what a revelation, lets put a BMX bike in every garage and end teenage drug use??? I'm so sick of hearing that worn out line of garbage. How about teaching your children respect of others property, and way of life. How about enjoying a good space of quality time interacting with your kids on a long weekend in the desert. The anticipation of getting there is half the fun.
Martin51 wrote on Jun 6, 2007 3:14 PM:This piece of lands needs to be looked at in terms of it's best and highest use. Riverside County needs to solve the problem of a new jail location. There aren't many large parcels available to suit this need. A jail facility can be developed at this location with little impact on the environment. In addition, with the available water and large farming and ranching areas available, there may be ways for the prisoners to work the land and make it somewhat self sustaining to lessen the cost burden on the citizens of California.
Mennar wrote on Jun 7, 2007 8:16 PM:I just saw this article and I can't believe this. A Jail? Are you nuts? We have enough issues with unwanted people here and don't need any more riff-raff than we already have. Our family moved here to get away from those types of individuals.
Andrew wrote on Jan 10, 2008 1:04 AM:everybody in southern california, who ownes an off road vehicle I.E. motorcycle, other 4 wheel vehicles, knows how hard it is to find a place to take it, virtually impossible to find any where to use it,WE NEED THIS TO HAPPEN,hopefully it would include trucks as well and buggies.,thank you
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