Photo from a 2012 District Public Meeting
OHV enthusiasts often complain about the arrogance of
elected and unelected officials that are sent to Washington D.C. to make
decisions on our behalf. Sadly, that
unbecoming character flaw appears to have been adopted by the East Bay Regional
Park District’s staff and elected board members.
As many of you know, the District is updating their
Master Plan. A lot of you attended
several public meetings held throughout the East Bay Area last fall. Recently, the District issued their updated
final Draft Master Plan Update.
Link to Final Draft of Updated Master Plan
At those public “listening meetings,” the OHV community
often represented about 1/3rd to ½ of those in attendance. With over 28K registered non-street legal
OHVs in the District’s jurisdiction, the Park was not providing one-inch of OHV
trail. Historically, motorized recreation
was recognized as a viable form of activity that the District should provide
for. In fact, they operated a small OHV
park in the Oakland hills about 20 years ago.
We also submitted comments and made statements regarding
the District’s effort to stop the OHMVR Division’s planning efforts on the
Tesla property to site new OHV opportunity on said land purchased for that use
with monies from the OHV Trust Fund.
Link to the Tesla Fight
HQ has done an initial review and it appears that all the
OHV community accomplished was to further strength the resolve by District
leadership to formally BAN any consideration of OHV use on current or future
District park lands. In addition, the District
continues to insert itself into the OHMVR Division’s planning for future
motorized recreational opportunity on the Tesla property.
Link to Carnegie SVRA Planning Process
According the District’s Public Affairs Officer, Carol
Johnson, dates for upcoming public meetings will be discussed most likely on
May 23 at an executive committee meeting, though the agenda has not been formally posted as yet. The full Board of Directors will consider
adoption of the final draft document sometime in June. Johnson urges users to check the District’s website
for updates on Board agendas.
The District has proved local agencies and governing
boards are more than capable of brash arrogance that rivals anything I have
seen in Sacramento or Washington, D.C.
Getting poked in the eye hurts regardless of who does it.
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Posts
I didn't expect anything less from the narrow-minded EBRPD, but that doesn't mean I'll give up.
ReplyDeleteI think the Chabot Hill Climbs(the OHV park in the Oakland Hills) was operated by an individual but when the Park District bought it they "rehabilitated" it with Green Sticker money that they were awarded with the promise that the District would provide OHV opportunities elsewhere.The District lied.
ReplyDeleteThis current crap just shows that the Garamendi folks have more pull than a group of regular citizens.Thats why we need to raise hell about it! If you aren't mad as hell you are obviously not paying attention!
Bruce, do you have any old documentation on the Grant you mentioned here.
DeleteI would like to do some research on this.
Dave Pickett D36LAO@volcano.net
Sounds like it's time to get our local elected STATE representatives involved.
ReplyDeleteAfter all it is STATE OHV funds that bought the Tesla property for a STATE OHV area expansion.
Doug... the local STATE representatives are best friends with the Park and those who want to close it to OHV.
ReplyDeleteMr. Amador says "ALL LAND USE ISSUES ARE POLITICAL."
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, OHV MUST get off their butts and register, and VOTE.
As long as the current (sic) leadership is in place, things will not change.
This is the ONLY way to keep our money from being used against us.............
May I suggest everybody send Quiet Warrior a few bucks when they can.
Thanks Don for your sincere, educated, and passion in protecting OHV for all.
Dave Pickett
President AMA District 36 MC Sports Committee
I wish Bob Wick was still around-he knew all about the Park District and their failure to provide OHV opportunities after they bought Chabot Hill Climbs and took Green Sticker Grant money for rehab. I will try to see if I can find any documentation on that.So far no luck though.
ReplyDelete