Saturday, March 21, 2009

Santa Rosa Valley Riders Blog

We have been made aware that Ventura County is considering allowing a Thousand Oaks model airplane club to be issued a permit to use the new Santa Rosa Park. This morning Linda Parks informed me that: The Parks Department will accept the Thousand Oaks Soaring Society's Permit Application for Santa Rosa Park, but will defer decision until the Fall based on usage. If you have any comments about model airplane usage in our Santa Rosa Park, please forward your comments to: Ron.VanDyck@ventura.org. Go to www.SantaRosaValleyRiders.com to log your visit to the Santa Rosa Park!

9 comments:

  1. Also, if you write to Mr Van Dyck, remember to mention that the Model Airplane Airfield is just down Pleasant Valley road near the college. They have lots of open spaces and facilities just a few miles away!
    Ellen Covella

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  2. More on Santa Rosa Park from Gusie - PLEASE READ AND SEND LETTERS
    As of this morning, it's even easier to connect to the Santa Rosa Valley Riders Blog!
    On your computer, link to this address:
    www.santarosavalleyriders.com
    Initially you need to sign and from that point on just click into the blog and LOG your Santa Rosa Park usage. We plan to send this to the City of Thousand Oaks to verify our heavy use of the park and the need to complete Phase II. The site will also be utilized in including updates on the Santa Rosa Park progress as we get them.

    In addition to the other points I brought up in my last e-mail, here are a couple more points that were brought up that may be incorporated into your correspondence or conversation with Mr. Van Dyck, here they are:

    1) the incompatibility of small airplanes near horses can endanger riders, and people picnicking. Our $1.5 million park shouldn't be made off limits by discouraging people who want to use it as they have historically - to ride horses - or to use the new improvements to
    picnic. The soaring society can use any parking lot or vacant field, not a $1.5 million community park.


    2) Santa Rosa Valley has historically rallied to contribute towards the improvements in our area. I can assure you that the willingness of the community to raise funds to help Phase 2 get installed once trail access is granted -- WILL BE MUCH LESS LIKELY if horse riding is discouraged.

    Next: We must turn out in force next Saturday, March 28 for the park dedication at noon. If possible bring a horse and trailer (there are no ties there yet). If you can’t do either of the above please come with appropriate attire to say you are an equestrian. The Soaring Club plans to attend as well and we must overwhelm them. I am willing to trailer some horses in for the BBQ but there isn’t any place to tie them except to someone’s trailer.

    Please call me or email me with questions; we are in the final hours of this park and we can’t lose it now. I took letters to most everyone I know in Santa Rosa Valley with horses - let me know that you have sent a letter (the email address to send your letter is: Ron.VanDyck@ventura.org) and if you are planning to make it to the opening on Saturday!

    Sincerely,

    Gusie

    Gusie contact information: 805-491-2007 Home ; Cellular: 805-338-6642 Email address: etijan@roadrunner.com

    Remember: NEVER EVER GIVE UP!!

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  3. Besides the extreme danger and life risk... to those of us on horseback while "soaring" is taking place..... Also consider the dangerous impact it could have along Santa Rosa Road with drivers getting distracted watching them in the sky! We can see some serious auto accidents/deaths happen along an already dangerous heavy trafficed road....

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  4. Thanks to the research that Carole Hagel provided me, coupled with the information from Mark Burley and Ruth Means I was able to create this historical history of the park to provide to Ron Van Dyck:

    March 23, 2009

    Ron.VanDyck@ventura.org
    Deputy Director
    Ventura County Parks Department

    Dear Mr. Van Dyck,

    My name is Rosemary Allison and I am a long time resident of Ventura County and since 1987 of Santa Rosa Valley. I am a member of the Santa Rosa Valley MAC as well as past Chair of the Santa Rosa Valley Community Association. I am very concerned about the information that is being released from your office regarding the Santa Rosa Park that has been in development for over 15 years. This community has been working alongside the County with the help of our Supervisors during that time period; Judy Mikels, Frank Schillo and Linda Parks and the City of Thousand Oaks in an effort to establish a recreational equestrian facility that is sorely needed, not only for the residents of Santa Rosa Valley, but for the whole of Ventura County.

    I beg your indulgence to allow me the opportunity to give you a little of the background of this land. I moved to the Conejo Valley in 1976 and at that time Ventura County residents enjoyed riding horseback from Lynn Ranch to Santa Rosa Valley through this trail and land. At that time the area scenery included watching the sheepherder who camped between and allowed their sheep to graze the hills of Santa Rosa Valley. That practice continued until after I moved into Santa Rosa Valley in 1987.
    As printed in Spring 1994 Santa Rosa Valley Voice:
    “If you go out to Santa Rosa Valley Park, you can choose between any of eight decrepit looking picnic tables for a sit down. Oh, and don't forget to read the sign giving you the park hours before you head home. For those of you who don't know where it is, go south on Hill Canyon Road—which is right next to the Rancho Santa Rosa Flowers stand—cross the concrete bridge over the arroyo, and the park is on your right. So, if the county is holding about $150,000 in funds earmarked for Park projects in the valley, what's the hold up on improvements on the parkland? You! All we need are volunteers to help!
    The County was supposed to be in negotiations with Thousand Oaks, to swap part of the county park area for developments on the rest of it. However, since T.O. is presently short one council member, due to the election of Frank Schillo to the Board of Supervisors, they have suspended talks until after their replacement election or indefinitely, whichever comes first.
    The SRVCA proposed that the County release some of the funds they are holding on our behalf. We will use this to buy materials and put in the basics by using volunteers from the Santa Rosa Valley. These improvements would be regarded by the county as temporary. This would include simple grading for parking, putting in arenas and baseball diamonds and creating a multi-use trail around the perimeter. Thanks to Blake Boyle and Andy Oshita of the Parks and Harbor Department and to Ron Blakemore of the Regional Trails and Pathways Program, this is now in the planning stage. Connie Clay, assistant to Supervisor Mikels, explained that any expenditure will have to be approved by the Board of Supervisors, Ms. Mikels has already agreed to help the SRVCA and facilitate this. Also County policy stipulates that any purchases need to go out for competitive bid.
    So why spend money now for developments which may have to be moved or destroyed in a later long term agreement with T.O. to build better facilities? First, there may never be a golf course built by the city, in which case we can't expect to get additional funding from them. If not, then the full fifty acres of the park will have to be built with whatever money we can get from the County and from our own community. Second, the State of California originally gave the money to buy the parkland and the County has to show plans for development by September of this year or risk losing the park. If we have already gone beyond planning to building, there can be little doubt that the park is viable in County hands.
    The County has held this land in agriculture for twenty five years and now that they have finally turned it over to be a park, we should make the most of it.
    If you have any expertise or equipment that can help or if you’re just able to give the sweat of your brow, call and volunteer.”

    As printed in May 1994 Santa Rosa Valley Voice:

    The Santa Rosa Riders organized an event that was dubbed "Park and Ride" as the equestrian group trekked to the new Santa Rosa Valley Park. Twenty five riders traveled the length of the valley, passing under the main road by way of the recently installed underpass, ending up at the park. In preparation for the visit, the Parks and Harbor Department cleared a section of the facility, which is still only in its infancy.
    This fifty acre parcel was held by the county for twenty years before being turned into a park in the past year as originally intended. As usual, financing was the problem. The County is holding income from the previous leasing of the land, but this is not enough to develop all the facilities this community needs. .
    In 1994, when the City of Thousand Oaks showed an interest in the land as part of its proposed Hill Canyon golf course, they offered a useless eight acre strip of land next to Santa Rosa Road, in exchange for annexing the entire fifty acres for their golf course. They also offered the County 10% of the golf course revenues. This might have seemed attractive to our Parks Department which has to survive on money it raises from its own facilities and gets no financing from the County tax base. But due to a strong response from this association and valley residents, that proposal was rejected by the county.
    An alternate plan was suggested. That in return for only 1 part of the fifty acres, the City of T.O. would provide money for the County to develop the rest of it. The difficulty is in the details and the city was not prepared until recently to get into negotiations. This association, with help from County officials, then drew up conceptual plans that in the long term would include all fifty acres. The City of Thousand Oaks subsequently agreed to meet for further discussions. Our Supervisor, Judy Mikels, who is a strong supporter of the park, met recently with T.O. personnel to start the process and these negotiations are continuing. Ms. Mikels is determined to arrive at an agreement that will provide a viable park for the Santa Rosa Valley. When discussions with the City had stalled earlier in the year, the SRVCA had proposed to the County that using volunteer labor and equipment, we would be able to get basic park facilities started with the money the County had already collected. This would make the park useful to local residents much sooner, as negotiations and subsequent financing from Thousand Oaks could take years. Although we are waiting for the next stage of talks for a go ahead on this plan, the response to the last newsletter asking for volunteers and equipment was overwhelming. A small army of people who live in the Santa Rosa Valley is ready to help. One of the equestrians on the "Park and Ride" said it all: "Let us at it and we'll soon have it going!"

    As printed in Fall 1995 Santa Rosa Valley Voice:

    SRVCA Chairman Dan Peyton, has been informed by Supervisor Mikels' office about the ongoing discussions between Lin Koester, Chief Administrative Officer for Ventura County and the City of Thousand Oaks regarding the Santa Rosa Valley Park.
    The City has now reportedly made a proposal that the County would exchange the south half of the park area in return for a $250,000 upfront payment and some future golf revenues. This is a sliding scale starting at one dollar per round played, but not exceeding $72,500 per year for the next twenty-five years. T.O. would commit to equal access and green fees for all golfers. The County would then use this money, along with revenue collected already, to build a park. This would include ball fields, an equestrian center and ultimately a community building. The SRVCA still intends to use as much volunteer labor as possible to make this money stretch further.
    One issue that at first gave concern to our association's Board of Directors was the proposal that Thousand Oaks would annex into the City their half of the park as well as the 100 acre parcel in the Santa Rosa Valley they already own. This other acreage is also going to be part of the golf course. At first blush this seemed to be an encroachment of the City into the Santa Rosa Valley. However, the Ventura County legal counsel indicates that when a city owns county land, they already have control over codes, zoning etc. In this sense, the 100 acres is already effectively annexed. The SRVCA intends to ask for certain assurances from the City over the long term use of this land before approving this annexation. We would want its use to be consistent with the community character of our valley.
    Additionally, this association is seeking commitments that there will be a multi-use trail along the floor of Hill Canyon. Another important consideration is that there will be trail access across the golf course to connect the new Santa Rosa Valley Park to the undercrossing at the Santa Rosa Road, which opened earlier this year. We are hopeful that these negotiations will soon come to an agreement which is acceptable to Thousand Oaks, Ventura County and the residents of this valley.

    As printed in Winter 1997 Santa Rosa Valley Voice:

    OUR COMMUNITY WILL LEASE SRV PARK FROM COUNTY
    Cost is $1 per year and a lot of hard work!
    In December, the Parks and Harbor Commission approved an innovative scheme for the Santa Rosa Valley Park. This plan has been a cooperative effort between Supervisor Mikels and her staff, Blake Boyle of the Parks and Harbor Department and our association. It was proposed that our community will lease the park from the County for $ 1 per year and then we will receive the available park funds as a grant to make improvements. This will enable us to stretch the cash already assigned to the park with volunteer work and additional donations. About $230,000, which is available now, is already in trust for the park. Revenues from Thousand Oaks and the golf course may not be available for a few years.
    First Things First Once this lease is approved by the Board of Supervisors, a non-profit corporation will be created to administer the creation of the park. This is needed to cover the legal and financial needs which are different from the existing SRVCA set-up. As lease holders of the park, this locally controlled entity will be in charge of scheduling events, maintenance and development. The next important issue is the installation of a water supply. As the ground water rights were previously owned by the County, this is a more complicated issue that might be expected. The rights and fees involved go beyond the Camrosa Water District to other agencies, not under the County's control. Unless we can get some relief on this issue, most of the money in trust could be used just on getting water rights. Reclaimed water from the Conejo Creek will not be available to irrigate the park for at least 18 months. However, Camrosa is able to supply potable water for all needs immediately.
    Cutting the Red Tape
    Under the existing park status, certain uses are already approved without a Conditional Use Permit. Getting a C.U.P.can be time consuming and expensive, requiring environmental reviews that could slow down our park development. We intend to go ahead first with the uses already allowed, which still requires approval from the Planning Division. These include a picnic area, a trailhead, an equestrian facility, a barbecue area and parking. Surprisingly, ball fields require a C.U.P., but open fields (including grassy areas) are okay. The current initial plan includes pen grassy field areas large enough for a future official baseball diamond and football/soccer field. It is difficult to know when the water issue will be resolved and the go-ahead obtained for the first phase of park development. We are all eager to start work on building the Santa Rosa Valley Park. Even though the process seems to be taking its own sweet time, Dan Peyton tells us that there has been a tremendous amount of cooperation from all the County agencies above. We would like to thank them all for their continued efforts on our behalf.

    In Autumn 1999:
    "Save Hill Canyon" Ride
    On Saturday August 14, 1999 thirty horses and riders trekked through Hill Canyon to express their opposition to the proposed City of Thousand Oaks golf course. Led by trail boss Bob Vaiana, president of the Santa Rosa Riders, these were mostly members of our local riding group but they were also joined be equestrians from the nearby city. Linda Parks, mayor of Thousand Oaks, rode as their guest to show her support for keep¬ing this beautiful canyon in its natural state. Ms. Parks was riding a Tennessee Walking Horse, named Porsche, loaned to her for the ride by Ruth Means, a director of the Santa Rosa Valley Commu¬nity Association. Starting from Santa Rosa Valley Park, the equestrians rode across the running waters of the Conejo Creek and past the oaks, sycamores, and other trees scattered throughout the canyon. There is an extensive trail system winding through the wetland habitat. Along with the riders, about 70 hikers and bicyclists toured the canyon followed by journalists.
    This event was organized by the Santa Rosa Valley Riders in association with the Hill Canyon Conservancy.

    On October 8, 2007 in the Ventura County Star you were quoted in the newspaper story that stated:
    They're blazing a wider trail to a new park in the Santa Rosa Valley.
    The single-lane road leading to the proposed Santa Rosa Equestrian Park and the Hill Canyon Wastewater Treatment Plant will be widened to accommodate park users.
    Hill Canyon Road has been a topic of negotiations between the city of Thousand Oaks and Ventura County officials, which will culminate Tuesday night when City Council members will be asked to sign off on an agreement between the two entities.
    The county has owned Santa Rosa Park since 1968. Currently, the land is rural with a few picnic benches. There are no utilities or irrigation at the site.
    The Santa Rosa Equestrian Park will be developed on the 50-acre parcel, which is along Hill Canyon Road, a private road that runs from Santa Rosa Road to Thousand Oaks' Hill Canyon Wastewater Treatment Plant.
    The city has had primary use of the single-lane road, which provides the sole access to the water treatment plant.
    "It's like a long driveway," said Mark Watkins, the city's director of public works.
    The potential for conflicts between chemical-carrying trucks going to and from the treatment plant, and trucks towing horse trailers, sparked concern among officials, and negotiations ensued.
    The agreement that will go before the City Council calls for the county to construct acceleration and deceleration lanes on Santa Rosa Road where it intersects with Hill Canyon Road.
    The county will also expand Hill Canyon Road so it is a 20-foot wide two-lane roadway from Santa Rosa Road to the southeast corner of the park.
    The city will contribute $160,000 toward the proposed road improvements and will grant the county an easement for an equestrian trail and other utility easements.
    The payment will be made once the improvements are completed.
    The park cannot undergo its improvements until the road work is done.
    "The project itself has been talked about for many years and has changed over the years from when we acquired the land," General Service Agency Park Director Ron Van Dyck said.
    Everything from a sports facility, complete with a recreation center, to a golf course has been envisioned for the land.
    The plans for an equestrian center were developed with help from the Santa Rosa Valley community.
    Once completed, the park will include three horse riding arenas, a circular training pen, 180-seat covered grandstand, restrooms, storage, announcer's tower, host trailer, manure collection bin and parking for 30 vehicles and 40 trucks with horse trailers within a graded, unpaved area.
    The picnic area will be relocated.
    The park's equestrian amenities will not be part of phase one of the park's construction, Van Dyck said.
    Instead, the work, which has gone out to bid, will include improvements to the picnic area, trail access and the restrooms. After years of batting around ideas for the park, the project was jolted into action by the receipt of grant money, which has an expiration date. "We really can't delay much longer," Van Dyck said.
    As you can tell from the above mentioned history – the community has been involved and has kept a close watch over the plans to develop Santa Rosa Park into an equestrian park that can be enjoyed by all of Ventura County. We are thrilled that Phase one is complete, but we expect that County of Ventura in liaison with the Parks Department will continue to work towards the completion of the Park as it was envisioned.
    I would appreciate a response to this email and particularly the answers to the following questions:

    1. Has the County of Ventura changed its position on the future of this park?
    2. As this land has historically been an equestrian area for trail riding, will there be any restrictions for equestrian use in Phase I?
    3. Can you understand our concerns with the parks department contemplating the issuance of a permit to a soaring club that the completion of Phase II may be delayed or in jeopardy?
    4. If there are ANY changes in your policy, or the use of this park the members of the Santa Rosa Valley MAC would anticipate notification and the ability to provide input from the Parks department.
    5. We were told that the improvements to Hill Canyon Road when it was widened and painted, this was completed to ensure a safe merge for horse trailers onto Santa Rosa Road.
    Please understand that we feel that the completion of this equestrian park is a win-win situation for all sides as the completion of this park will bring the Parks Department a lot of recognition for the placement of a public facility that can be utilized by all of the County of Ventura’s equestrian community. Over the years Santa Rosa residents took it upon themselves to work on this project and as you put in these words, “it has been delayed for far too long”. Without your commitment to proceed with the planned park project, Santa Rosa Park will be delayed for years to come, if not indefinitely.

    In conclusion we need your commitment towards the completion of this park.... Please recognize the importance of this regional benefit to improve the quality of life for all of your equestrian residents in Ventura County. Utilize your position to ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS COMMUNITY.

    Sincerely,
    Rosemary Allison
    Telephone: 805 491-2100
    Address:
    11521 Sumac Lane
    Santa Rosa Valley, Ca 93012

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  5. Thanks for setting this up, Rosemary

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  6. Letter from Laura Means
    Mr. VanDyck,

    As a Santa Rosa Valley homeowner, equestrian, retired Ventura County Sheriff's Deputy, and veteran of the Ventura County Sheriff's Mounted Enforcement Unit, I have to voice my concern about the proposed soaring club in the Santa Rosa Valley. Anything suddenly flying low over the head of a horse being ridden on our trails, or at the equestrian park, is a recipe for disaster. The Santa Rosa Valley is known as an equestrian community. We don't have anywhere else to go, the soaring club has plenty of places to go. Does anyone remember the disaster the hot air balloons caused with the horses in our Valley? Some people had to sedate their horses on Sundays or lock them in stalls.

    For those who don't understand the mentality of the horse, something flying over their heads will panic the most solid horse in the world. It will be next to impossible to train every horse in this Valley to accept an object flying overhead. It doesn't happen often enough. It's a tiger or some big monster to them. They will see it as "coming at them from above". This is very different than a car coming down the road, which happens all the time and they are seasoned to accept this.

    For example, officers on the sheriff's department were required to utilize their own mounts and go through a monthly certification program that subjected their horses to the most unusual stimuli. During regular training, we trained our horses to accept huge crowds, firecrackers under their feet, smoke bombs, walk inches from flares, and my horse was a veteran of the Rodney King disturbances. These horses were so solid they could be ridden quietly down the "midway" of the rides at the Ventura County Fairgrounds to break up gang disturbances. They would walk peacefully inches from moving trains. We did all this often enough. The helicopter training was rarely held, and not all horses fully accepted it.

    I have seen these same solid and fully certified horses bolt, rear, buck, and generally panic during occasional helicopter fly over training. During the first training, my unusually quiet horse had to be secured in a solid wooden stall at the fairground for a second fly over. His panic was so severe he broke his halter, kicked out of the stall, and ran for his life! He would walk through flares and let an angry mob slap him with posters, but don't put anything flying a few hundred feet above his head.

    The point is, the soaring club cannot be permitted anywhere in the Santa Rosa EQUESTRIAN Valley. Even if they have scheduled days, who is going to remember not to ride our horses in certain areas on certain days? I hope this is not taken as a gesture against the soaring clubs, there are just other places they can go. We cannot go elsewhere.

    Laura Means

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  7. From Principe resident:
    I saw the note on the RC flying club wanting to use the new park. Our Principe neighborhood can hear some of what goes on there, so I'm a little concerned about the noise from them. I work next to where many of them fly now and while it's fun to watch, the noise can get annoying over time - we wouldn't want to let a soaring club start a precedence that could lead to motorized craft. We are so blessed with peace and quiet here; let's be sure we safeguard that.

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  8. I trailered my horses over to the park on 3/31 and 4/9. The trails are beautiful and we had one of the best rides ever. I plan to trailer my horses for a trail ride at least twice per week.

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