Community Meeting for Proposed Yorba Linda Equestrian Center @ Vista Del Verde Site

PUBLIC MEETING E-MAIL NOTIFICATION –YORBA LINDA EQUESTRIAN FACILITY PUBLIC OUTREACH SUMMARY REPORT:
The Yorba Linda City Council is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, January 18, 2011 at 6:30pm. This meeting will take place in the City Council Chambers at 4845 Casa Loma Avenue. One of the items on the agenda will be the discussion of the potential development of an equestrian center and stabling facility at the Vista del Verde Option Site, which is adjacent to Vista Del Verde Park. You are invited to attend the Yorba Linda City Council Meeting to provide public input on this proposed project.

At this meeting, staff will present a report informing the Yorba Linda City Council of the findings and public comments received from the community regarding the recent discussion on the potential development of an equestrian and stabling facility at this site. The discussion regarding the potential development of an equestrian center and stabling facility within the City of Yorba Linda has been ongoing; but most recently, discussion has taken place regarding the Vista Del Verde Option Site as one of the potential sites to further investigate for development. Based on all recent discussion and public input received from the community (including public input at the January 18th meeting), staff will seek City Council’s direction on how to proceed with the proposed project from this point forward.

If you should have any questions relative to this matter, please contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 714-961-7160.

Bill

William J Calkins
City of Yorba Linda │ Director of Parks and Recreation
4845 Casa Loma Avenue │ P.O. Box 87014
Yorba Linda, CA 92885-8714
Office+ (714) 961-7160
Fax+ (714) 572-3762
E-mail+ wcalkins@yorba-linda.org <mailto:slarson@anaheim.net>
“Parks Make Life Better!”

I have proudly served this community for the past 4 years. During this time I have kept my promise:

• to improve community communication
• protect our open space and trail system,
• plan for responsible, community- directed development,
• protected our community from increased crime
• support our business community and
• maintain a fiscally responsible City government.
  
  The equestrian community is facing considerable challenges that need to be addressed.

• People are buying equestrian properties and converting them to non-equestrian uses

• As the community has grown up around the trail system, there are areas that are no longer safe to cross

• As portions of the city were developed, trails were included but not always successful in making them equestrian friendly- steep inclines, crossings on blind curves, crossings where there are metal grates, such as casino ridge

• There are portions of the trail system that are not interconnected or do not align as you cross a street

• The equestrian community is threatened as the economy shrinks and household dollars and “new riders” become scarce.

• We do not have an adequate emergency system to handle our larger animals. Many of your members performed heroic feats during our fire emergency to save horses that were in danger. Although their actions are applauded, they placed themselves and the animals they were saving in danger.

I believe we can do something to encourage the equestrian lifestyle in our community and hopefully stem the tide of homeowners purchasing your properties for non-equestrian uses and improve the participation of the community in equestrian activities.

• I support and feel we can together do a better job of marketing the equestrian lifestyle and encourage others to participate:
  • an equestrian day in the City on Bernardo Yorbas Birthday or some other notable individual
  • along with a community outreach program

• I cannot change the heavy traffic challenges (for example in the town center) that create a huge risk to your animals and you the rider, but together we can strengthen the trail system by evaluating the entire trail system and continue to correct the crossing challenges.

• I have and will continue to work with the developers for the Murdock and Sage properties so their trails are connected appropriately and at a grade level that is safe for the rider and horse

• I do support the concept of a community stable or equestrian center. If the City has a parcel of land that is viable, I support privately funded facilities with a low cost land lease.

• Our current codes allow for private homeowners to house horses in greater numbers on their properties with a CUP. We can make that process easier to allow for the additional stalls, if the need presents itself.

• I support coordinating efforts with the Equestrian Coalition of Orange County  to formalize a large animal evacuation plan. I do not support the City performing this function because I know you are all sensitive to having the horses counted and the possibility of licensing. I believe this goal can be accomplished- equestrian to equestrian without government intervention.

I understand you are disappointed in the Equestrian Study that spent 70K of your dollars without a positive result. I did not support that study because it focused on one site only and one type of facility only.  I feel the outcome could have been different had multiple sites and sizes of facilities been reviewed.

I have and will continue to advocate on your behalf to improve safety on the trails, prevent encroachment and support the equestrian lifestyle in the City of Yorba Linda.
I hope to have your support in the upcoming council election.

The Yorba Linda Country Riders are celebrating their 40th year as an equestrian club in Yorba Linda. Their Anniversary Show, held at the Paxton Equestrian Center, was held Sunday, June 13 highlighting Western and English riding along with an outstanding demonstration of the Norco competition team! They kicked up a lot of dust as they raced around the arena with precision and grace. Congratulations to all the winners during the competition today and here’s to many more years of supporting the equestrian lifestyle.

A community meeting was held January 27, 2010 to present the Equestrian Feasibility study commissioned by the majority council.Approximately 75-10 people were in attendance. The study was narrow in focus, studying only one site within Yorba Linda, located on County property above the dam along side the lakebed. The results of the study are summarized as follows:

There are three available parcels in the lakebed dam area for potential development:
1. Along Lakeview: 3.3 acres
• There are three active oil wells on that pad that requires a service area left available for use
• Would potentially require widening of the pad adding to the cost
• Would potentially require a signal at Lakeview for safe ingress/ egress
• A member of the community asked how this area would be affected by the grade separation project planned for that area.

2. South of the dam: 4.4 acres
• There are two active oil wells near by
• The site is close to a school and residential property
• The area is in a valley that has limited air circulation and is not esthetically pleasing
• The site will require significant grading and slope easements

3. East of the dam off Ridge Way: 7.0 acres
• Near residential area with local street access
• Easiest to develop, less protected habitat concerns
• access issues: possible emergency exit or site for smaller stable/ arena usage

Some Key points made by the consultants and the community members who spoke:
1. This site overall is very challenging.
2. Two options were identified. Option one included a covered arena, stalls and various other amenities. Option two, a commercial option that housed a vet practice, an open arena and stalls
3. Costs range for Option one was: $5.5 M to $12.7 M; Option two was $3.5 M to 8.7 M
4. Where are the funds coming from? One speaker mentioned, “the same place we get the money for the ball fields”. The Country Riders President mentioned, there are grants and private donations available. No information was presented regarding a business plan or verified sources of funding.
5. About 20% of Yorba Linda horse owners board their animals outside Yorba Linda. At times, this is because they board where their trainer is located.
6. Orange County has lost approximately 2000 boarding stalls in the past 20 years
7. The 88 acre lakebed property is owned by Orange County Flood Control. Staff has indicated, if we wanted to build a project on a portion of the land, they County would require us to be responsible for the entire 88 acres. Due to the erosion and maintenance issues in the area, some speakers were concerned with the City becoming liable for the entire area.
8. In the 1990’s many equestrian facilities went bankrupt. The supply and demand for this type of facility is “squishy” and is adversely affected by the economy, usually it takes a longer time to recover once the economy improves.
9. The current trend: people are giving up their horses
10. There is limited outlook for an elaborate plan. If this plan would go forward, best to stick to basics.
11. Resident concerns:
• Need to preserve the lakebed, avoid over-utilization of the area adding to the erosion problems the area is already experiencing
• Access points onto residential streets for trailers, trucks and increased small streets.
• Safety of horse trailer ingress and egress on Lakeview.
• Questioned why only one site was studied. This was the majority Council direction.
• Why is this being funded with City funds for a small % of the population?
• Why not just cover the Paxton center?
• The past owner of one of the El Cajon stables, stated his stables were not filled to capacity and it was difficult to break even. Stated the cost to run and maintain 125 stalls would require stall fees of about $600-700/ month to break even. He was not in favor of this project being City owned and operated.
12. Some residents stated they would move their horses from outlying stables if we had a facility in Yorba Linda.
13. Yorba Linda has two stable facilities: one is private requiring lessons for horses boarded there. The other is public and is not full to capacity.

To View the Power Point made at the Community center regarding this study go to:
http://tinyurl.com/yjl6y3u
To View Prior posts regarding this topic on this site go to: http://tinyurl.com/lhflr8

Great News! The team from California was number one at the Western National 4-H Roundup Horse Classic Competition held January 6 – January 10 in Denver Colorado.
This is the FIRST & ONLY TIME in 90 years that California as been the TOP TEAM!!!
The California Team consisted of sixteen California 4-H members, ages 14 – 19. There were 32 states from the USA represented at the National competition, as well as Canada. Four volunteer coaches also attended the event, to chaperone and to coach.
Three competitors took first place, winning scholarships and trophies. They were Alyssa Perez and Shayla Duncan (Yorba Linda, Orange County) and Christine Allen ( San Luis Obispo) Alyssa and Shayla are members of the Yorba Linda Kountry Kultivators 4-H club ( Club has been existed over 30 years in Yorba Linda)

On July 23, the public outreach meeting for the proposed Equestrian Center was held at the Yorba Linda Community Center. Approximately 30 people were in attendance to provide the consultants input regarding their concerns, direction regarding the type of amenities to be included at the site and the need for the facility.
The list of amenities the equestrian groups would like to see included at the proposed center are:

• 100-200 box and outside stalls
• A 25 ft x 250 ft covered arena with seating
• Two lunging arenas
• Warm up area
• Hot walker
• Wash stalls
• Tack Room
• Veterinary Hospital
• Rest rooms/ Showers
• Managers Office
• Residence for caretaker
• Fountain and  a Horse Statue
• Dog/skate park
• Trail head
• Picnic area
• Community Multipurpose Building
• Community Garden
• Community/ Youth/ Therapeutic Activities
  

Consultants did mention that not all of these amenities will fit into the area being designated on the lake bed. This was a wish list and would be a starting point to see what would work in that area. The consultants are continuing to work on identifying which parcels of land in that area are available for development.

Concerns voiced at the Meeting:

There was be additional meetings regarding this project. If you are interested in giving input call the City Parks and Recreation Department at: 714-961-7100. When you call you have the opportunity to sign up for email updates on this project.