Commentary
By Chris "Dances With Hornets" Vargas
In
August leaders of the various mountain bike clubs met with Kevin Thomas, the new
Director of the County of Orange Harbors, Beaches and Parks.
The meeting was organized by Cheryl Thiele. In attendance were Cheryl
Thiele of the Nature Conservancy Mountain Bike Docents, Joe Lopez of the South
County Billy Goat Racers (BGR), Robin Lemonds of SHARE and Chris Vargas,
Executive Director of Events and Policy for the Warrior's Society.
Christian
Destefano was also invited by Cheryl to represent one of the biggest supporters
of trail work and mountain biking in Orange County, the Shimano Corporation, as
was Chuck Densford, who represented Psycle Werks Bikes, a major sponsor of the
Warrior's Society.
Kevin Thomas invited Operations Superintendent Tim Miller and Jim Meyer
of Trails4all, an organization involved in trail access issues.
As
most of you know, I have written many commentaries criticizing the way the past
directors and managers of the county parks managed and planned the use of the
county parks.
Their focus has been primarily to create reserves without taking into
consideration the need for recreation-specific parks.
The increasing popularity of alternative sports and the need for
recreational areas for them have been ignored.
This lack planning has resulted in the county trying to make the existing
parks accomplish too many things: preservation (mandated by the NCCP, a state
law, that allows recreation only as long as it does not severely impact the
habitat), recreation (which is only allowed as I mentioned, if it does not
impact the reserves) and watershed preservation.
It is our belief that the reserves should still allow recreation but that
other areas need to be set aside specifically for recreational activities such
as downhilling, BMX, cross-country mountain biking, equestrian and running
events.
These areas' main purpose, unlike the reserves, would be to serve the
recreational needs of the county, specifically our youth.
A
good example of this need was the reopening of the motocross track near Irvine
Lake.
The closure of this track, due to improper permits, created a stir among
the off-road crowd, so much so that Supervisor Todd Spitzer himself stated that
there is a need for such a track in Orange County.
The political pressure exerted by citizens that participate in this sport
resulted in temporary permits being issued, allowing the track to reopen pending
the permanent approval of permits.
This gives me hope that the supervisors are now beginning to realize how
important recreation, and recreation-specific areas, are to the quality of life
of the citizens of Orange County.
We
must all realize the political power that we have to influence the direction of
the county and the success of those citizens who united to reopen this motocross
track.
There are thousands of responsible mountain bikers in Orange County who
have the political power to have their voices not only heard but acted on.
Our success in fighting the wilderness designations and working with the
Sierra Club to create a new protective area that will allow recreation but still
offer the same protections as wilderness are evidence of this.
I
bring this up because the reason we met was to discuss issues such as law
enforcement, events and recreation-specific areas.
We were encouraged by Kevin's opening statement in which he stated that
he believes there is a need for recreation-specific areas in combination with
enforcement to address the current conflicts that are occurring in the reserves.
He was a refreshing change from the past managers' "deer in the
headlights" management style, which focused on reserves and reserves only.
We are tired of hearing a
past director state that he supported mountain bikers but then turn around and
tell equestrians that he did not like them.
Talking out of both sides of your mouth does not make you any friends,
especially if the two groups lack confidence in you and are on friendly terms.
Kevin
was not promoted from within the county system; he was hired from the outside.
His past employer was San Bernardino County, and one of his
responsibilities was to manage the Glen Helen Motocross Park, a
recreation-specific park.
It appears that the county has taken to heart our concerns and has
realized that it needs someone with the experience to "right" the ship that
is the county park system.
I
have spoken to a few park rangers who tell me that the word on Kevin is that he
is thoughtful and has a reputation for thinking out of the box.
One ranger told me that Kevin had told him that he has directed his
planning staff to look for areas suitable for recreation-specific parks.
Now
back to the meeting.
As I mentioned, Kevin expressed support for recreation-specific parks.
He said that due to liability concerns, if such a park or parks were
created, more than likely they would be run by a concessionaire.
He expressed the understanding, which I have pointed out in my
commentaries, that most governments have realized the wisdom of creating
skateboard parks, not only to provide an area for this activity but to provide a
safe area to do so out of traffic and away from public and private facilities.
He
also wanted our input into the need for established enforcement policies in the
reserves.
We expressed our support of this effort but also expressed a belief,
which Kevin shared, that areas for activities such as downhilling must be
created in tandem with enforcement.
We expressed our frustration that with no effective policy that
incorporates both enforcement and recreation-specific areas as outlets for these
activities, the conflicts will keep occurring.
We
discussed the possibility of staging events in the reserves.
Kevin stated he could not support "race"-type events but ones based
on poker rides or long-distance rides in which going fast was not the focus, but
finishing, could be possible.
Race-type events would be better suited in a recreation-specific park.
We
also discussed other areas and past policies, but Kevin cannot go back in time
and correct the mistakes of the past management.
We all believe that he will consider our concerns and attempt to address
them.
Kevin
could not have come at a better time if he is indeed everything we think he is.
As Chuck Densford of Psycle Werks stated to me, "We must act now to
have our concerns addressed.
Over the next 15 to 20 years the county will be planning what to do with
the remaining open space."
Chuck is right. For example, with the development of Rancho Mission
Viejo, a lot of land will be dedicated to open space.
We must be sure that the need for recreation-specific areas, and not only
reserves, is addressed.
Shidan
Towfiq, a founding member of the Society and director of the club, and Larry
Branham, our South County Advocacy Representative, will be working with the
Rancho Mission Viejo Company on this issue.
We have discussed the development of the ranch and agree that the
development of the ranch should be allowed to proceed as long as the need for
reserves, recreational areas and trails are addressed and the public does not
bear the cost of infrastructure improvements needed to address the impact of the
development.
Although
we have heard from the anti–property rights and anti-recreation activists
about their opposition to the development of the ranch because it is a
"pristine" area, we do not agree with their assumptions.
Although this area is home to many endangered species, to call this area
that has been used to graze cattle for many years and is covered with invasive
non-native plants such as mustard, artichoke thistle, bull thistle and Russian
thistle and some non-native animal species pristine is stretching the truth just
a bit.
The
last time this area was pristine was over a hundred years ago—and even then
cattle grazed it.
Yes, we must preserve this area, but we must also do so with reason and
not at the expense of property rights, which are the bedrock of our nation.
That is not to say developers should be able to develop their land
without restrictions; they should be allowed to develop their properties if it
is done thoughtfully and if the impact on the public is addressed and mitigated.
Equestrians, wilderness cyclists and trail runners must be careful not to
align themselves with these groups that do not support property rights or our
right to responsibly enjoy our wild lands.
It is better for us to work with these property owners and find a
solution that does not attack the very freedoms that we are now at war to
protect.
But
I digress.
The point I am trying to make is that there is hope, with Kevin, that the
need for recreation-specific parks will be addressed when open space is created
in Rancho Mission Viejo and other areas.
Kevin
stated that he would attempt within reason to do the right thing for as many
interests as possible in the regional parks, but if county risk management, or
the Board of Supervisors disagree, he must abide by policy that is set by the
Board.
We
all agreed to meet again in January to discuss the future of the parks further.
The next meeting will involve all the user groups so everyone's voice
is heard.
All those representing the various mountain bike clubs and companies said
much more at the meeting that was positive, constructive and helpful, but I
don't have time to go into all of it, so let's just say they represented our
sport very well.
Special thanks to Shimano and Christian Destafano and to Psycle Werks and
Chuck Densford for the support and positive input and insight they gave.
And many thanks to Cheryl "Medicine Spirit" Thiele for her kind and
wise spirit and for arranging this meeting.
And
last but not least, thanks to Kevin Thomas for taking the time to listen and for
the fresh and innovative insight he brings to the county park system.
We know that Kevin has stepped into a quagmire in his present position
and has to put out a lot of fires created by the past management.
We wish him the best of luck and offer him our complete support.
We thank the County, especially Tom Wilson, for realizing the need to
address the current problems within the county park system and for hiring
someone who thinks "outside the box."
It is our hope that our enthusiasm is not in vain but that the hiring of Kevin Thomas does indeed mean the beginning of a new era in the county parks.
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