OHV and Nature Can Coexist at Carnegie/Tesla?

The Recreation HQ would like to give an update on the East Bay Regional Park District’s planning effort and how their narrative has apparently softened a bit when it comes to new OHV use on the Tesla property which is part of Carnegie SVRA.

I thought the Bay Nature article below did a pretty good job of weaving through the concept that managed OHV recreation and resource protection are not mutually exclusive and can and do co-exist on many state and federal lands.

Oct. 15 Bay Nature Article

http://baynature.org/articles/can-off-roading-and-nature-coexist/

 

What appears to be a new era of cooperation between the District, OHMVR, and user groups would not have happened without thousands of OHVers and their families showing up at various public meetings and sharing their views both verbally and in writing with District staff and board members.

 

I believe the various letters from OHV groups including BRC’s documents obtained by a public records act request had helped illustrate to the District that it was engaged in a less than robust quasi-CEQA process with unclear goals and objectives. 

 

HQ Blog with Orig. BRC CEQA Concerns and Overview

http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2012/09/tesla-continues-to-be-hot-issue-at.html
 

In addition, I feel that the OHV Commission’s interest in seeing that OHMVRD and the users don’t get railroaded the District’s public-process - that left out the OHV community as legitimate stakeholders—will have an important role in new outreach by the District to OHV groups and clubs.

 

Link to Oct. 15 OHMVR Commission Letter to the District

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/East_Bay_OHV_Commission_letter_10.15.2012.pdf
 

Let’s hope the end result will be mutual cooperation and respect between the District, OHMVRD, OHV clubs, and environmental groups.  We need to be ready to review the draft policy document when it comes out in January or early February.   Mike Anderson, the District’s lead planner, told me at the Dublin meeting that the public would get a chance to review and comment on the draft policy document BEFORE it goes to the park board for approval.

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Update on Dublin Meeting for East Bay Park's Master Plan

 Park Board Member, Amy Wieskamp, Gives Welcome at Dublin Meeting

 

 

The Recreation HQ attended the public meeting in Dublin last night regarding East Bay Regional Park District’s General Plan.  The ongoing issue of the District “reaching in” to the Tesla property and the fact that the District does not offer one single acre of OHV recreation to the residents of CCC and Alameda counties (over 28K + registered non-street legal OHVs owned by residents who pay prop WW taxes to support the District in those counties) were topics brought up.

HQ also talked with Mike Anderson, the District planning lead, about next steps in the planning process. Mike said it looks like they will not be able to develop a draft plan for public review and comment until January 2013.  He also said there is not deadline for the public comment period.  However, HQ believes that users should try and get comments in before October 10, 2012.

 

HQ encouraged Mike to post this information on the District website so the public can be assured that they will have an opportunity to review and comment on the draft master plan BEFORE the park board casts a final vote.   HQ also got to meet one of the board members, Amy Wieskamp, and hopes that she will consider our input regarding OHV use at Tesla and on other District properties.

 

Thanks to all who came out to the meeting and/or who have been attending the meetings.  Getting involved in the public process is how things get done.  However, I would issue one word of caution to those of you who are posting on other blogs and forums.  It does not benefit our cause or add to our credibility as a user community when a few folks post derogatory and highly inflammable personal comments about District staff or directors.  It is perfectly fine to take them to task on policy issues but keep the personal attacks off the web.  They don’t help.

 The next and final public meeting of this series is Oct. 9 at:

Richmond Memorial Auditorium

Bermuda Room

403 Civic Center Plaza

Richmond, CA 94804

7:00 – 8:30pm

 Again, it is important for OHV to show up and make pro-OHV or other policy comments at the various flip chart stations.  Thanks again to all of you who are taking time out of your busy schedules to attend.

 

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East Bay Park Meeting Tonight in Dublin - Be There

Bowser from the Save Carnegie Xmas Rally Says Be There Tonight!

 

 

There is the next to the last public meeting tonight (Oct. 3) in Dublin regarding East Bay Park District’s General Plan which includes the Tesla property which is part of Carnegie SVRA.  HQ understands that there has been a number of communications between OHMVR Division staff and District staff regarding this ongoing controversy.   I hear some progress is being made in that regard.  However, HQ remains concerned that the District still has a CEQA-deficient process in place that illegally placed the Tesla property on their 2007 General Plan Map.

The Recreation HQ will be there tonight.

Dublin Unified School Dist. Board Room

7471 Larkdale Ave.

Dublin, CA 94568

7pm to 8:30 pm

It is important for OHV to show up and make pro-OHV comments at the various flip chart stations.

Also, HQ expects the much anticipated OHV Commission letter to District Park Directors should be delivered soon.

 

If you want some more info … go to my blog link below: http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com/2012/09/tesla-continues-to-be-hot-issue-at.html

See you there.

 

 

 

 

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.

Again, here is BRC Alert with list of meeting sites and sample letter http://www.sharetrails.org/alerts/2012/09/06/extreme-environmental-groups-collaborate-with-east-bay-region-park-district-to-impose-closureagenda-on-propose

 

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.