[Zark]

OK, these aren't public meetings, but those are coming. Things are happening that will affect all of us so its good to have an idea of the process. The public meetings will be important to get the bikers there in force.

Watch yourselves out there! Slow or stop for hikers and kill them with kindness, because the image we present will make a lot of difference!

Noah

The Front Country Trails Multi-jurisdictional Task Force to Begin Meeting


The City of Santa Barbara, County of Santa Barbara and the Los Padres National Forest Front Country Trails Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force has scheduled two meetings to begin the process to address issues and possible solutions related to use and management of the Front Country Trails. The Task Force includes 2 City Park and Recreation Commissioner, 2 County Park Commissioners, and 2 National Forest representatives.


The first meeting will be held Wednesday, January 24, 2007 from 4:00-5:00pm at Santa Barbara City Hall, Council Chambers, 735 Anacapa Street, 2nd floor. The purpose of this meeting is largely adminstrative, including appointments of Chair and ViceChair, establishing regular meeting times, and adoption of a Task Force statement of purpose.


The second meeting will be a Work Session scheduled for Saturday, February
3, 2007, from 9:00am-2:30pm, at the Louise Lowry Davis Center, 1232 De la Vina Street, Santa Barbara. The purpose of this meeting is informational in nature with staff from the three agencies providing the Task Force with background informaiton on jurisdictional boundaries, policies, practices, issues, and work previously conducted by the Front Country Trails Working Group (FCTWG)and the Los Padres Forest Association (LPFA).


The Task Force is anticipated to meet monthly and hold several special public hearings to gather input from hikers, bikers, and equestrian trail users, property owners, special interest groups, community organizations, and the public. All meetings will televised whenever possible, and conducted in accordance with the Brown Act.


For more information on meetings, please visit:
http://www.SantaBarbaraCA.gov/Government/Other_Committees/Front_Country_Trails_Task_Force/Agendas.htm



For those interested in receiving automatic email notification for all
future meetings of the Front Country Trails Multi-Jurisdictional Task
Force, the City of Santa Barbara offers an e-Subscription service at
https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/Government/e-Subscription/


Nancy L. Rapp
Parks and Recreation Director
City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department
Box 1990, Santa Barbara, CA 93102
PH (805) 564-5431
FAX (805) 564-5480


Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world: indeed it's the only thing that ever has. --Margaret Mead

 

[W4S]

Zark,

Do you know if they're still prosposing an odd/even type of deal? and if so, is it going to be held for all user groups, or just bikers? I remember that they were thinking about going that direction, but only for bikers. All other user groups could go any day. Thanks for the info.

 

[Zark]

Zark,

Do you know if they're still prosposing an odd/even type of deal? and if so, is it going to be held for all user groups, or just bikers? I remember that they were thinking about going that direction, but only for bikers. All other user groups could go any day. Thanks for the info.

In the first meeting, the idea of an even odd day plan was beat up pretty bad. It was for bikers only, hikers would have free reign. The even/odd would be difficult and expensive to enforce.

Honestly I'm not sure what would work, aside from giving or making a trail entirely to DHr's to take the pressure off the other trails/user groups.

 

[1000-Oaks]

In the first meeting, the idea of an even odd day plan was beat up pretty bad. It was for bikers only, hikers would have free reign.

That odd/even idea for bikes only is BS. It's like saying:

"We've been having some racial incidents at the water fountain lately, so to reduce conflict we're going to make it illegal for non-white people to use the fountain every other day."

 

[Zark]

Got some more information forwarded on to me. When I get dated for these public hearings I'll post it up.

Hello all,

Santa Barbara City and County along with the Los Padres National Forest district have finally started a "Trails Task Force" in response to the recurring (6-7 year cycle) trail issues of safety, conflict, and respect on our community's trails and also in response to public pressure for reducing and/or finding solutions for these issues.

Additionally, it looks like this task force may be focusing on the infrastructure of our trails - trail maintenance, trail design, signage, and trails management planning, which the three agencies have never coordinated on before. If this is the case, improvements in trail infrastructure (again, new to the three agencies) could significantly improve our trail system and significantly reduce user safety, conflict, and respect issues by building a strong base. Let's hope they can make some progress.

On January 24th, the Multi-jurisdictional Front Country Trails Task Force met publicly for the first time to elect a Chair and Vice Chair. This Saturday February 3rd the task force will be again meeting publicly from 9am to 2:30pm to come up to speed with a review slide show presentation from the Forest Service (Same as last April's public meeting) and the presentation of information collected over the past six years by the Forest Service, LPFA, and Front Country Trails Working Group.

The Task Force has decided to hold regular public meetings the first Wednesday of every month, 5:30pm - 7:30pm, to take public input and have discussions on focused trail topics.

All these meetings will open to the public and televised or recorded. Individuals wishing to comment on trail issues can signup right before the meeting for a two minute speaking time.

Your attention to trail issues and your input at the monthly meetings is very important. Please read these notes on the task force in the upcoming months and attend these meetings when possible.

For more information on the task force, meeting times, and meeting agendas follow this link:
<http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/Government/Other_Committees/Front_Country_Trails_Task_Force/Agendas.htm>

Regards,
Chris Orr
Trail Advocate.