Aliso Wood RMP information Fair

[Big Guy]

WHAT: Aliso-Woods RMP Information Fair
WHEN: Tuesday February 21, 2006 5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
WHERE: Soka University of America
Pauling Theatre/Hall
1 University Drive
Aliso Viejo, CA 92656-4105

WHO: All recreation users who want to affect the development of the
RMP for this park.

Aliso-Wood Canyons Wilderness Park has been operating under an Interim Management Plan for many years and now the permanent Resource Management Plan (RMP) is being developed and implemented. This is our (the public's) chance to affect both the development and the implementation of the plan. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know about the efforts by the Athens Group (the Montage) to grab acres of public land from the park and develop a golf course for private use. Due to great efforts by many groups, the Board of Supervisors showed common sense and denied this land grab. The Montage is biding its time, waiting for Tom Wilson's spot on the Board of Supervisors to become available (end of 2006). Waiting in the wings to fill Tom's seat is Pat Bates. Ms. Bates is definitely a supporter of a golf course and the Montage I'm sure will be aiding her election to the Board of Supervisors.

We need to get a strong, unimpeachable RMP in place before Tom's tenure is over. If Pat Bates gets a seat on the county Board, her voice will be the swing vote that approves development of the golf course in Aliso Canyon.


While there is still time, please make a phone call to Tom Wilson's

office at (714) 834-3550 to voice your opposition to the golf course.

Time is of the essence!

Hope to see you at the Information Fair!


Keith Eckstein

President, SHARE Mountain Bike Club

 

[TurboJared]

I called! All you have to do is call and a polite lady asks for your name and possition in the matter. PLEASE CALL. Albeit I have yet to ride these trials I think it is a crime to waste ANY trails for golf greens, condominiums, and pious crap!

 

[Von-Skipp]

Well I called and stated I was against the golf course. Real easy to do!

 

[LBmtb]

Called just now and left a message since nobody's there (10pm).

 

[Big Guy]

I was at the meeting last night. There was about 50 people from different groups. The problem now is that there is no long term plan for the park. This is why Mr.Wilson is pushing to get this long-term Rescourse management plan in place before the end of his term. The plan will be defined by a private consulting firm (LSA). The main priority of the plan is protect the wilderness aspect of the park. The recreational activities are second. When asked if a golf course was part of the pan, the aswer was no. A representative of the Montage group also stated that they did not want to expand their golf course anymore.

There was after that a forum where everyone had a change to voice their concerns, suggestion, problems. The opinions were ranging from the ecologist who does not want any human activities in the park to the biker who want to open all the illegal trails. But the best thing was that every one listened to everyone elses ideas in a respectful manner.

The bike community was well represented with members of SHARE, the Trail Angels and Team Basso. I think we projected a responsible image of the biking community. There will be 3 more public hearings. They plan to have the RMP in place in December 06.

I will post the information about the next event

Serge

 

[LBmtb]

Somebody from Tom Wilson's office called me today. Apparently it would be REALLY difficult for there to actually be a golf course developed on there. That put my mind at ease.

There's going to be an onsite (at Aliso) meeting on the 25th of March . .

 

[Big Guy]

That is what I realizes when I went to the meeting. The RMP is happening from a push from Tom Wilson's office. This more than likely means "no golf course". This does not mean that the biker have access to all the trails we came to love. We need to still be active and let them know that we exist. Otherwise, we will be outspoken by a hiker who go spooked by a mountain biker once or an environmentalist who found a new specy of blood sucking leeches in your favorite trails.

It takes a lot of positive to erase a negative impression. Even though mountain bike clubs maintain most of the trails, everyday, a hiker get spooked. Pain makes a stronger impression. We all remember our bad expriences, it's human nature. It's how we survived and evolved to rule the world.

Keep that in mind the next time you will meet some hikers on Cholla or Coyote trail. You are taller, faster, younger and better looking, He only wanted to go for a walk to impress his first date. Put yourself in his shoes: small, weak, slow and scared. Just be polite and say "hi", he'll fell like you're thinking he's one of ours and inflate his torso.