Thursday, September 20, 2012

Tesla Continues to be Hot Issue at Concord Meeting




OHVers made a great showing at the District’s public meeting in Concord last night.   About 130 people crowded into a room with seats for 65.   About 40 off-roaders were in attendance and they included a big turnout from the Diablo 4WD club, Red Neck Roosters MC, BRC, REID Racing, Carnegie Forever, and CORVA.  ClubMoto’s Captain Kirk and his son were there too.

 

The three main topics that rose to the top of the discussion list continued to be OHV or no OHV use at Tesla, future OHV use on District lands, and dog walking.  The Mayor of Concord showed up and visited with the 4WD club.

 

After talking with several District staff members, I got the impression they regretted the anti-OHV tone and direction of their various narratives to date.   However,  I don’t think they appreciate the fact that many of us feel they have a corrupt CEQA process where local anti-OHV groups had undue influence on the District’s board members and staff in creation of the 2007 Master Plan Map and current planning effort.

 

In my considered opinion, their anti-OHV narrative is best highlighted in their official June 11, 2012 comment letter on the Carnegie General Plan. 

 

Here is link to the District’s June 11, 2012 Comment Letter on the Carnegie General Plan
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/east_bay_district_comment_letterjune11oncarnegieplan0001.pdf

 


Again, the following East Bay Regional Park District response (Sept. 13) to one of HQ’s longtime friends, Scott Sinclair, shows a high level of arrogance, ignorance, and callous against OHV recreationists in general,  Carnegie SVRA staff,  and proposed OHV use at the Tesla property which is part of Carnegie SVRA.

 

EBRPD Response to Scott Sinclair
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/East_Bay_Sinclair_Sept.pdf

 
 *Note their response did not address the March 2007 tour and two April 2012 tours with Save Tesla Park advocates.   BRC found out about those tours via our public records act request.  BTW – did any OHV groups get invited to the May 11, 2012 tour?   I also believe if you look at the District’s own “surveys” you will find them to be biased or slanted to achieve a certain result. 

I continue to be concerned about what continues to be a truncated quasi-CEQA lite planning process related to the District’s new master plan.


HQ believes that OHV users to must continue to attend the upcoming meetings in Oakley, Fremont, Dublin, and Richmond.   The level of your participation will help decide if the District provides future OHV recreation and if they will back-off their current effort to prohibit OHV recreation on the Tesla property at Carnegie SVRA.


 

Here is BRC News Release on Public Meetings with link to formal BRC comment letter http://www.sharetrails.org/news/2012/09/10/recreation-group-cites-east-bay-parks-violation-sunshine-laws
 

Also, feel free to check for updates with my good friends at the Carnegie Forever Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/groups/CarnegieForever/permalink/10150997989856599/
 

 See you at upcoming meetings.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

OHV Commission and Users Continue Fight with East Bay Parks



The following East Bay Regional Park District response (Sept. 13) to one of HQ’s longtime friends, Scott Sinclair, shows a high level of arrogance, ignorance, and callous against OHV recreationists in general,  Carnegie SVRA staff,  and proposed OHV use at the Tesla property which is part of Carnegie SVRA.

EBRPD Response to Scott Sinclair
http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/East_Bay_Sinclair_Sept.pdf

 
*Note their response did not address the March 2007 tour and two April 2012 tours with Save Tesla Park advocates.   BRC found out about those tours via our public records act request.  BTW – did any OHV groups get invited to the May 11, 2012 tour?   I also believe if you look at the District’s own “surveys” you will find them to be biased or slanted to achieve a certain result. 

  

Their response only further highlights the need for OHV users to attend the upcoming meetings
 in Concord (TONIGHT), Oakley, Fremont, Dublin, and Richmond.   The level of your participation will help decide if the District provides future OHV recreation and if they will back-off their current effort to prohibit OHV recreation on the Tesla property at Carnegie SVRA.

The OHV Commission recently voted unanimously to  challenge the District Board’s effort to ban OHV use on our Tesla property.   It is important to note that even the “environmental appointees” voted strongly in favor of the OHV commission telling the District to butt out!


Here is BRC News Release on Public Meetings with link to formal BRC comment letter http://www.sharetrails.org/news/2012/09/10/recreation-group-cites-east-bay-parks-violation-sunshine-laws

Also, feel free to check for updates with my good friends at the Carnegie Forever Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/groups/CarnegieForever/permalink/10150997989856599/

 See you in Concord tonight!


Wednesday, September 12, 2012

OHVers Rock the House at East Bay Park's 1st Public Meeting

OHV Leaders from Carnegie Forever and AMAD36
Sign Into Event
 
The Recreation HQ wants to salute the 40-50 off-roaders who showed up to the East Bay Regional Park District’s 1st public meeting for the District’s Master Plan.   OHV leaders and enthusiasts respectfully engaged the District staff and other stakeholder groups during the meeting and at various data collection sites/discussion tables.
 
HQ estimates that approximately 300 people crowded into a hall that had seating for about 110 people.  This meeting was in Oakland and it gave OHVers in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties the chance to let the District know about the agency's lack of OHV opportunity.   The District is 112K acres and contains 65 parks.  However, not one square foot of parkland is designated for OHV use by the over 28K registered non-street legal OHVs in their jurisdiction.
 
HQ wants to STRONGLY urge all OHV enthusiasts to attend the remaining public meetings in Concord, Oakley, Fremont, Dublin, and Richmond.   The level of your participation will help decide if the District provides future OHV recreation and if they will back-off their current effort to prohibit OHV recreation on the Tesla property at Carnegie SVRA.
Here is BRC Alert with list of meeting sites and sample letter
 
Here is BRC News Release on Public Meetings with link to formal BRC comment letter
 
Finally, feel free to check for updates with my good friends at the Carnegie Forever Facebook page
 
This is your opportunity to participate in the public planning process.  I hope to see a lot of you at the upcoming meetings.
 

Thursday, September 6, 2012

DEFCON ONE ACTION ALERT - Fight Efforts by Greens and East Bay Parks to Ban OHV at Tesla


***Sept 8 - CORRECTION - The BRC Sample Letter is citing data from the 2007 SPOA report (not 2009 as is in the sample letter)  The data is from the 2007 SPOA, Table 133, pages 162-163.  Sorry for any mixup.  *******************************

This is a DEFCON ONE Action Alert from HQ.  As many of you already know, far-left anti-OHV groups led by Save Tesla Park and PEER have been collaborating with East Bay Regional Park District to prohibit OHV use on the new Tesla property at Carnegie SVRA.

 
You must attend the District’s public meetings which start next week throughout Contra Costa and Alameda Counties.  You must also send in a comment letter and also go on their Master Plan blog/forum and post comments as well.  (links to Master Plan, blog, forum, etc. in alert below)
 

BRC has issued an alert today with contact info, a sample letter, and overview.
 

BRC September 6  - Carnegie/Tesla Alert and Overview
http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/2012/09/06/extreme-environmental-groups-collaborate-with-east-bay-region-park-district-to-impose-closureagenda-on-propose

 
Be watching for a formal and detailed BRC comment letter.  Also, the OHV Commission has placed this issue on their agenda for the Sept. 15 meeting in Placerville.   HQ will be there.