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Archive for the ‘Advocacy’ Category

Friends of the Angeles Formation Meetings

Monday, April 18th, 2011

The Forest Service and the National Forest Foundation (NFF) are planning to host several meetings with existing and potential supporters of the Angeles National Forest to determine public interest in forming a Friends of the Angeles organization. The meetings will be held during the last week of April in three locations. A CORBA representative will be attending, and we hope to see other mountain bikers and multi-use trail advocates attend as well.

During the course of each meeting, there will be talk about the challenges the Angeles National Forest faces–particularly in light of the Station Fire–and how a Friends group could help. There will be a discussion of what form such a group might take, what supportive activities it might take on, and the steps involved in creating the organization.

All users of the Angeles National Forest to attend one of these sensing sessions, both to provide input and also to hear what others have to say. These meetings will provide an opportunity for us to share what we are already doing as “friends” of the Angeles, and how our efforts may be helped by an official Friends organization.

The information gathered at the meetings will be used to shape a Friends group that truly meets the needs and passions of all who care about the well-being of the Angeles National Forest.

Other similar groups can be found in the Inyo National Forest (Friends of the Inyo) and the San Bernadino National Forest (San Bernadino National Forest Association). The National Park Service has a web page with information on how to start a Friends group at http://www.nps.gov/partnership/friends_groups.htm.

If you have questions about the meeting, call Kathy Peterson, the partnership coordinator for the forest at 626-437-5789.

Meetings will be held:

Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Angeles National Forest Supervisor’s Office, 701 N. Santa Anita Ave, Arcadia, CA 91006.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 6:30 pm. – 8:30 pm
Big Pines Information Center, Angeles Crest Highway (Hwy 2), Wrightwood, CA 92397.

Thursday, April 28, 2011, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
San Gabriel Canyon Gateway Center, 1990 North San Gabriel Canyon Road (Hwy 39), Azusa, CA 91702

Tags:Angeles national Forest, friends of the angeles, Station Fire
Posted in Angeles National Forest, Trail Access | Comments Closed

Urgent Meeting Regarding MTB Access in Palos Verdes

Friday, April 15th, 2011

Palos Verdes Nature Preserve State Of The Preserve Workshop
Saturday, April 30, 2011 9:00 am to 12:30 pm

The City of Rancho Palos Verdes will be collecting public input at this workshop to prepare recommendations for amendments to the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve Trails Plan. This will include trail use changes and the Filiorum Reserve. The City Council will then consider the recommendations later this summer.

In the past, opponents of off-road bicycling have turned out in large numbers, so it is crucial for lots of cyclists to attend. This is a great opportunity for those who otherwise feel intimidated by public speaking to voice their opinions. Typically, small groups sit at table to discuss topics. No public speaking is needed. See below for more information.

Do you want more trails to ride? Do you want to ride trails in the newly created Filiorum Reserve? CORBA PV will be posting recommendations and suggestions soon.

Please join our mailing list to keep posted on the latest information. info@mtbpv.org.

Tags:Advocacy, Palos Verdes
Posted in Advocacy, Palos Verdes, Trail Access | Comments Closed

Hikers, Bikers and Equestrians Share Trails

Monday, April 11th, 2011

Today, Sunday April 10, about one hundred trail users descended upon Sunol Regional Wilderness Park in the Bay Area’s East Bay Regional Parks district. But this was no ordinary group of trail users. Among the multi-use advocates were about 40 mountain bikers, 30 hikers and 30 equestrians, all riding together as a diverse group.

This was a kick-off event for the 2011 California Trails and Greenways Conference, a California State Parks hosted event bringing land managers, planners, trail advocates and trail users together. The theme of this year’s conference is “Engaging Youth and Diversity.”

Today’s ride was a clear demonstration that multi-use principles can work. Cyclists, Hikers and Equestrians can share trails successfully when there is mutual respect from each group. One of the cyclists, a CORBA friend in a CORBA jersey, even swapped “vehicles” with an equestrian (pictured). Events like this bring the trail user community together and everyone wins.

The day started with a fire-road climb to Camp Ohlene, where lunch was served. For the return trip the trail chosen was a very narrow singletrack with some exposure, that is normally closed to bikes and equestrians. It was about six-miles each way, with 1400′ of elevation change. Even on narrow singletrack trails like this, everyone can peacefully co-exist no matter how they choose to experience our open spaces.

CORBA board members Danusia Bennet-Taber and Steve Messer, and CORBA Advisor and founding Director Jim Hasenauer are among the conference attendees, along with representatives from mountain bike advocacy groups from as far away as San Diego and Arcata. It’s a great opportunity to network with trail advocates and land managers and learn from each other, working towards our common goals.

Over the coming days there will be multiple presentaitons on best-practices for trail design, trail maintenance and management. Among the presenters are CORBA founder Kurt Loheit, a nationally-recognized trailbuilding guru, Nat and Rachel Lopes of Hilride, representatives from California State Parks, California Department of Transportation, the Alliance for Biking and Walking, and numerous land managers, trailbuilding experts, advocates and volunteer program coordinators from around the state.

The conference gets underway on Monday, April 11 with a series of day-long concurrent workshops. Over the following days there are over 80 concurrent sessions covering topics as broad and diverse as California’s trails.

Tags:Advocacy, California state parks, imba, multi-use, trail management
Posted in Advocacy, California, Youth | 1 Comment »

A New Look and Chapter for CORBA

Saturday, April 2nd, 2011

In late December 2010 CORBA announced it was applying to become a chapter of the International Mountain Bicycling Association. The transformation is now complete, and CORBA is now a Chapter of IMBA. The partnership creates a stronger, unified voice for mountain bikers by linking our data base with IMBA’s, to name but one of several benefits that will enable CORBA to better serve off-road bicyclists in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and surrounding areas.

Becoming an IMBA Chapter affiliate does not change CORBA’s local efforts and relationships with other advocacy groups and land managers. In fact, it will strengthen our efforts. Now when you join CORBA, you will also be getting an IMBA membership as well. And if you join IMBA, you have the opportunity to indicate CORBA as your local affiliate. Join or renew today and help us keep your local trails open to bicycles!

Tags:Advocacy, CORBA
Posted in Advocacy, CORBA News | Comments Closed

Franklin Canyon Fundraiser

Friday, April 1st, 2011

Reposted from an email sent to CORBA by Ellen Scott. For more information email epaulascott@gmail.com. For additional details click here for a previous article on this blog.

Okay Friends and Preservers of the Hastain Trail in Franklin Canyon!

We are officially ready to fund raise and the kick off for this event is Saturday, April 9th from 8 A.M. to 1 P.M. It’s a picnic breakfast, brunch, lunch fund raiser in the meadow by the ranch house in Franklin Canyon. Bring your own food and/or bring food to share, whatever you like. Picnic and then hike or hike and then picnic. Come early if it looks like it will be a hot day, come late if it’s cool. Bring your happy selves and your guitar or your harpsichord and your checkbook. If you can’t make it, send your check with someone who can. Make it out to Stephen Jones. His credentials and information follow.

Land Use Attorney Stephen Jones has consulted with us pro bono to this point and is ready to proceed as we have a strong case for ‘Implied Dedication to Public Use.’ (Thank you to those who have come forward with information regarding use of the Hastain Trail from the mid 1960’s to 1972.) Stephen Jones will continue to work for us at half his normal rate and comes highly recommended.

Mr. Jones’s current information is as follows;

Stephen L. Jones (St. Bar No. 71383)

Overton, Lyman & Prince, LLP

500 South Grand Ave., 19th Floor

Los Angeles, CA 90071

Tele. (213) 683-5373

Fax. (213) 627-7795

Background: Presently involved in major easement dispute in Malibu

1999-2000 Represented Benedict Canyon Homeowners in defeating

an oversized project.

1976-1983 Atty. with Latham and Watkins (Land Use and Real Estate

Litigation)

1976 JD from University of Michigan

1967-1969 Member of the Institute of Advanced Studies

1967 PHD in Mathematics from University of Wisconsin

Fun Information: Stephen Jones has been a U.S. Chess Master since 1962. He was

the U.S. Senior Chess Champion in 2002 and has held

miscellaneous titles in between.

Pertinent quote: Don Loze of the Benedict Canyon Homeowners Association referred to

Mr. Jones as, “…the best Land Use Attorney in the city… an expert

litigator.”

Tags:Advocacy, Los Angeles
Posted in Advocacy, Los Angeles, Trail Access | Comments Closed

Solving the Speed Dilemma

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

By Mark Langton

Opponents to bicycles on singletrack trails give plenty of reasons why they feel bikes shouldn’t be there. And there is one that is actually legitimate; bicyclists sometimes go too fast, and some trail users feel their safety is threatened. It’s a simple fix; slow down when you see other trail users, or if you suspect there may be trail users in close proximity. Ideally, slow to their speed and make the encounter a pleasant one–like you’re passing a friend. If you do this, opponents will have nothing to complain about and might even enjoy the encounter!

Consider that in recent weeks several comments have been made on blogs and in local news papers, particularly in reference to the Yearling and Lookout Trails in Malibu Creek State Park, and State Park’s considering opening them to bicycle use. From this recent Malibu Times article comes this quote from Agoura Hills resident and equestrian Ruth Gerson:

“The problem with multiuse trails [is others have to] default to mountain bikers because the bikes are so fast–the pedestrians and equestrians have been hit,” she said.

While safety should obviously be of the utmost concern, there is little evidence that supports allegations that pedestrians and equestrians are being hit by bicyclists frequently or consistently. In fact, in the more than 24 years of CORBA’s existence, there are few documented accounts of bicyclists colliding with other trail users.

As riders, we understand that there are some bicyclists who have the skills to ride at a higher rate of speed while under complete control. However, if the speed creates a hazardous situation for other trail users, then that speed is not justified. If the simple act of slowing down for blind corners and in the presence of other trail users could eliminate the argument for not allowing bicycles on trails, wouldn’t you do it?

I look at it as belonging to a community, enjoying the outdoors together, albeit via different modes of travel. We should extend the kind of courtesy to each other on the trail as we would to our family members.

Danusa Bennett-Taber, Jim Hasenaur, and Steve Messer contributed to this article.

Tags:multi-use, safety, trail etiquette
Posted in Trail Access | Comments Closed

Local Trail Users Fight with Developer over Hastain Trail

Thursday, March 24th, 2011

Nestled in the hills between Beverly Hills and Studio City is a section of Santa Monica Mountain Conservancy land frequented for many years by hikers, trail runners, and mountain bikers. The Hastain Trail, which leads up to the ridge between Franklin and Coldwater canyons has been in use for more than 40 years. Recently the trail was blocked by a fence, and sections of the pristine ridge were bulldozed.

There has been an outcry from trail users against the development. While the trail does pass through private land, apparently neither the previous nor the current landowners had ever made attempts to prevent or dissuade the use of the trail until the fence was erected earlier this year.

Even more frustrating is that the MRCA had the funds to purchase the private parcels at their appraised value and preserve this last remaining open space in 2005. Hadid, the current owner, paid more than their appraised value, something the MRCA is unable to do.

The Save Franklin Canyon protest

According to an article in the Los Angeles Daily News the developer had begun grading with an expired permit. Another in-depth article appeared today in the Studio City Patch listing the expired permits. We refer CORBA news readers to those two articles for a more complete coverage of the situation.

The loss of more open space and a very popular trail in the middle of our urban landscape is something that affects us all. Ellen Scott, a local hiker, has begun a grass roots effort to salvage the Hastain Trail, perhaps through legal action, or perhaps through negotiation with the developer. It appears there may be grounds for a prescriptive easement, or some other form of compromise between the developer and the trail users, though Hadid has thus far avoided negotiations.

The group held a protest last Saturday, March 19, 2011, in which local hikers and mountain bikers carried placards expressing “Save Franklin Canyon,” and “We Need This Canyon.”

For more information or to get involved in the efforts to salvage this popular trail, visit the group’s web site at http://SaveFranklinCanyon.com.

Tags:franklin canyon, hastain trail, santa monica mountains conservancy
Posted in Los Angeles, Trail Access | Comments Closed

“Change in Trail Use” Meeting Sees Big Turnout

Friday, March 4th, 2011

Karl Knapp addresses the audience. Photo by: Michael McClure

On Wednesday night the Angeles District of the California Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR) hosted a public meeting regarding a recently submitted Change in Trail Use proposal for Lookout and Yearling Trails in Malibu Creek State Park. Approximately 125 people packed the Administration Center’s conference room, where Angeles District Acting Superintendent Craig Sap and CDPR Roads and Trails Operations Manager Karl Knapp explained the process and answered questions. Sap concluded this segment of the meeting by saying that anyone is welcome to call or email him with questions and concerns (818-880-0396, csap@parks.ca.gov).

In an earlier blog we discussed the Change in Trail Use (CTU) process which included the CDPR flow chart (see link at the end of this story). No significant additional information came out of this meeting, except perhaps the clarification by CDPR that CORBA did not request the rerouting of a couple of sections of the Yearling and Lookout Trails. In fact it was already the State’s intention to realign portions of the trails due to instability, prior to the Change in Trail Use evaluation. Key points of the CTU proposal were that the process is still ongoing and will need California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) approval; since modifications in the trail have been recommended, a Project Evaluation Form will need to be submitted; and funding is still needed.

After the discussion by Sap and Knapp, attendees were asked to gather at tables to ask questions and submit comments to agency representatives, including Angeles District Topanga Sector Superintendent Lynette Brody and National Park Service (Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area) Trails Planner Melanie Beck. During this part of the meeting, CORBA hand-delivered the results of our online petition with 550 signatures to State Parks officials.

We will post any new developments as we learn of them.

A more detailed account (with photos) of the meeting can be found here (the comments and opinions are solely those of the author, Michael McClure).

State Parks has provided us with a blank Trail Use Change package. The first page of this package is a flow chart of the entire process, and the other pages are the Trail Use Change Survey that is completed while evaluating the trail.

Tags:Advocacy, Malibu Creek State Park, Santa Monica Mountains, State Park
Posted in Advocacy, Santa Monica Mountains, Trail Access | 1 Comment »

Glendale Bike Skills Park – Show Your Support!

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

Glendale needs a Bike Skills Park. Southern California needs a Bike Skills Park. Sign our petition and let the City of Glendale know!

Italian Bike Park showing Wooden and Dirt features

Bike Park showing Wooden and Dirt features (Italy)

Bike Skills Parks are a dedicated area for bicycles and include features like a pump track, progressive tabletop jumps, balance training features, XC short tracks, and much more. They can include dirt features, man-made (cut) wooden features, natural wooden features, and rock features. They are becoming more and more popular as people realize the skill-building fun and health-promoting exercise they provide.

A great example is the Woodward West Bike Park in Fresno. The City of Fresno, local mountain bike advocacy groups and the community came together to make this park a reality. We would like to see that model emulated here in Glendale.

In 2007 and 2008, the CORBA trail crew assisted the City of Glendale in developing their Trails Master Plan. In that plan are several desired new trail corridors in the Verdugos, San Rafael Hills and the foothills of Mt. Lukens. The biggest and most significant addition to the Trails Master Plan is a Bike Skills Park.

In Glendale’s Citywide Trails Master Plan for the San Rafael Hills (available as a PDF here), a bike skills park location is identified as “A” on the San Rafael map. Subsequent to the City’s adoption of the Trails Master Plan, CORBA volunteers worked with the City to identify the most suitable location.

With City Parks staff, we identified what we believe is an ideal location for a Bike Skills Park project. There is access from existing park facilities, and it could easily be tied in to the trail network of Cherry Canyon and the San Rafael Hills. There are no nearby neighbors to disturb, and the location is surrounded by open space to the east and the 2 freeway on the western side. The land itself consists of debris fill from the construction of the 2 freeway.

Glendale will be revising its Bicycle Master Plan in 2011, and we want to see the Bike Skills Park included in that plan. As of this writing the public hearing dates for Glendale’s Bike Plan have not yet been set. When those hearings are held, we want to show how much demand and community support exists for a Bike Skills Park.

To demonstrate that need, we are gathering signatures on a petition. You can read and sign our petition online on iPetitions.com. If you prefer, you can print out a PDF version of our Petition and gather signatures from your friends, family and neighbors. If you choose the printed petition, please snail mail, email or fax the petition sheets back to us as they are filled.

(more…)

Tags:Bike Park, Bike Skills Park, Glendale
Posted in Bike Skills Park, High School League, Verdugo Mountains, Youth | 3 Comments »

LA Bike Plan Passes Unanimously

Tuesday, March 1st, 2011

Today the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed the Los Angeles Bike Plan. It is no longer a draft document.

Everyone’s goal at the March 1, 2011 Council session was to do whatever necessary to get the plan passed today. Councilman LaBonge needed to give his equestrian constituents something they could live with so that the plan could move forward. The result was an amendment (underlined) to policy 3.3.5:

Continue the existing off-road bicycle trail and analyze and explore opportunities for additional off-road bicycle facilities and continue to abide by LAMC section 63.44 B16. Any proposal to consider the use of mountain bikes on City park trails must first be thoroughly reviewed and analyzed by the Board of Recreation & Parks and its staff.

This simply puts in writing what will have to happen anyway before any changes to bike access to City Parks could be made. It was enough to placate the equestrian community, and did not really change anything. It was enough of a deal to get the Plan passed.