Current Turnbull Canyon Issues

Ok Everyone, I know I am posting on this a lot but here's the latest info I got from Terri:

Hi Kim,

Please forward to anyone interested in the MTB access issue at Turnbull Canyon.

Thanks!


As a reminder, the Transportation Commission meeting scheduled for Thursday, June 2, 2011 includes issues related to bicycles in Whittier, including parking and recent resident complaint(s) for mountain bikers parking on Beverly Boulevard. The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber in City Hall. The agenda is below:

AGENDACITY OF WHITTIER
PARKING AND TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION
REGULAR MEETING
TIME: 6:30 P.M., June 2, 2011
LOCATION: CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER, WHITTIER CITY HALL
13230 PENN STREET, WHITTIER, CA 90602
CALL TO ORDER
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
ROLL CALL

Commissioner John McCandless
Commissioner Doug Halliday
Vice-Chairperson James Snedden
Chairperson Al MartinezORAL COMMUNICATION​

This is the time for the public to address the Commission regarding any item of Parking and Transportation business other than items on the Agenda. The Commission cannot take action or express a consensus of approval or disapproval on any oral communication. Please state your name and address when you step up to the podium. Speakers must limit their comments to three minutes.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Approval of Minutes

Approval of minutes for the regular meeting of April 7, 2011.​

2. Mountain Bike Riders on Beverly Boulevard and Turnbull Canyon Road-Survey
The Commission will consider a recommendation to receive and file a report on the Mountain Bike Riders

on Beverly Boulevard and Turnbull Canyon Road Survey.
NEW BUSINESS​

3. Mar Vista Street from Colima Rd. to Villaverde Dr. - Bike Lane
The Commission will consider a recommendation to Abandon a “No Stopping Anytime” zone on the south side of Mar Vista Street from Colima Road to 335 feet east of the centerline of Colima Road; and forward a recommendation to City Council to rescind conflicting portions of Resolutions No. 4108.

STAFF COMMENTSCOMMISSIONER COMMENTS/CONFERENCE REPORT​

ADJOURNMENT
NEXT MEETING: July 7, 2011, 6:30 p.m.
​

Each resident will have 3 minutes to speak so PLEASE plan on saying something! If you have more to say than what can fit into your 3 minutes, you can email and send letters with as much information as you want. Here is a list of things to consider, issues, and concerns that should be raised at this meeting and in letters and emails to the City of Whittier and Habitat Authority regarding restricting mountain biking in Turnbull Canyon and parking in Whittier:

1. Tell them why you like to ride mountain bikes.
2. Tell them how mountain biking has improved your life.
3. Tell them that you visit Turnbull Canyon often with you and/or your family.
4. Tell them how many years you and/or your family has been visiting the area using bicycles and other recreation.
5. Tell them how important the area is to you and/or your family.
6. Name your favorite trails.
7. Name the places that you like to visit using mountain bikes.
8. Tell them that you are concerned about network of trails and access.
9. Tell them that you are concerned about potential access limitations and how this would impact you.
10. Tell them that we need to keep and help improve mountain biking in Turnbull Canyon

 

I will be there tonight. If I don't know you, come and introduce yourself. I'll be in a CORBA polo shirt, kind of orange colored. I'm heading over there in an hour or so to try to get some pedaling in first.

 

I spoke with a resident yesterday who sought me out to let me know who the person is who's making the complaints. She pointed out his house to me.

She went on to let me know that most of the residents on Beverly don't have issues with the Mt. bikers just this one person who she described in her own words as "wacko".

If you'd like to avoid his home, its on Beverly, 3 or so houses west of Alta on the south side of the street.

 

I know which one it is as well..too bad one person can drum up so much noise. Thanks

 

Are the other residents stating this in the town halls or are they sticking together?

 

At tonight's meeting of the Transportation Commission there were only three speakers making public comments to the board, all in favor of mountain biking. Nobody else from the public spoke at the meeting. The Commission seem generally supportive of recreational activities including mountain biking, but if there is a problem with parking they have to do something about it. They will be waiting to receive the data from the surveys that have been sent out to local residents before moving forward.

 

I was at Turnbull just yesterday. I parked at the dirt lot at the trailhead. Did two runs down A side with my friends and then a park ranger came up to us saying there have been several complaints about mountain bikers making tons of noise and changing tires on resident's front lawns and drinking from their hoses. He then said an elderly woman was recently run down by a mountain biker! I know this guy is only doing his job, and he was actually very polite. But he did have to run down the rules to us: Keep speed to under 15 mph, stay on the fire roads, and to use his words, 'There is NO singletrack up here'. My question to that is, does this mean that A Side and Rattlesnake are now off limits?

 

wow...I've never seen anything ilke this...changing tires on a lawn, drinking from someone's water hose?? Someone being run down I can see..especially on A-line/side (Friends s/t). Be polite our there and don't be afraid to confront a fellow biker who may not be aware of the situation...OR just being an arse!

 

A-side is definitely a legal singletrack trail open to bikes. In fact it's even on the Habitat Authority maps with the correct trail user designation (it's called Mariposa). The only part of A-side that may be questionable (ie not on the map) is the very last part that lets you down at Friends and you have to go over the little gate. There's no signs though saying no bikes allowed. But top part, is most definitely legal and singletrack! 7th loop is also on their map too (albeit a different one). Dunno about rattlesnake but have never ever heard that it's illegal (and have never seen any signs either)! It's just not on their official map......

A-side: http://www.habitatauthority.org/pdf/Sycamore_Hellman%20trails%20map%20color.pdf
(Mariposa)

7th loop: http://www.habitatauthority.org/pdf/Hacienda_Hills trails map%2
(Awhingha/Native Oak)

Do you remember the name of the male ranger? The only one I can think of is Ranger Ken, one of the rangers in charge there. And he knows for sure that mtbers are allowed there (haha they always use mtber as examples during our Trail Watcher training). If you can remember the name of the ranger who told you that, I will look into why he would say something like that.

P.S. Looking more closely at the Hellman park map, it clearly says that bikes are allowed on Mariposa (by diagram), only trail user apparently not allowed on A-line are horses. Never realized that!

P.S.S. Looking at that map makes me sad, Sycamore Canyon Trail is less than a mile away from my house... if only bikes were allowed, I could ride Turnbull from my front door!!! *Wishful Thinking* though since DOGS arent even allowed on that trail!

 

There are a few official maps near various trailheads, both on the Whittier side and the Hacienda Heights side. Yes, there are a couple of trails that are hiking-only, but there's plenty of singletrack that's open to bikes.

I've never seen any of the miscreant behavior described above. It sounds like BS--just horror stories to try to force an agenda.

 

Basically someone complained and now they are running choppers in the day and rangers are approaching mountain bike riders.

I figure that if there is a parking and noise issue on weekends that they ought to be looking at hikers that by far out number MTB people as far as usage and parking. The weekends are a mad house with huge groups of people walking/running.

These type of things have been going on since the 90's

 

Changing, I have seen. But loud noise, property abuse, and overall disregard for courtesy to the residents, I have not. I feel almost the same way as KBL on this one...

 

I got to meet Ranger Ken today. He repeated what has been said before. He took out all the jumps on 7th Told him about a downed tree blocking the trail on the 7th street climb near the last switchback.

 

i guess i gotta hit this place before its too late.

 

msamusick...can you please elaborate about what Ranger Ken repeated from before? Gives us an update about what his frame of mind is about us riding in Turnbull. Did he say why he took out the jumps?

 

He said that Turnbull is a wilderness preserve and not a mtb park and that's why the jumps were taken out. I was really enjoying them too...
All in all he didn't seem to be against us and realizes that it's a couple of boneheaded tards that are causing the problems.

 

Wow, I thought it was Whistler, Thanks Ranger Jim for clarifying!

 

I was back again yesterday and saw more jumps flattened out but that tree is still blocking the trail. Nice to see the important things getting taken care of...

 

Just to play devil's advocate here, but if I did not have the means to move that tree by myself and had to wait for equipment and additional personnel, but am capable of removing the jumps, then I would do that instead of sitting around and waiting for the tree to get moved first.

 

BINGO! The rangers at Puente Hills work with LIMITED resources and manpower (prob why we get away with all that we get away with...). The Habitat Authority actually contracts their services from the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (same as Santa Monica Mtns). Especially on 7th, that is the authority of LA County and LA Co. hardly EVER gets out there to do maintenance on the trails. The rangers will be back to remove that tree but they will have to go back and get additional equipment (ie chainsaw) and perhaps another ranger to get it moving. As much as I love the jumps too, they may be considered a liability with other trail users.

Ranger Ken is a great guy and is not against mtb presence in the Preserve (from what I can tell) BUT the rangers do deal with a lot of hassle that just a few jerk mtbers create so you can understand why they think its necessary to remind and educate all mtbers. The rangers are not the enemy and are doing their job; trying to make it safe for all trail users to be out there so we can all continue to use the trails. Do I agree with EVERYTHING they do, maybe not, but we need to work with them and make friends with them. Heck, maybe next time offer to help out/lend a hand at removing the tree if the ranger is by him/herself and you want it taken care of faster...