In the August 1, 2023 City Council meeting, a Walnut Creek resident wrote a letter to City Council that very eloquently captures what is at stake in our community. Please take the time to read the letter at the end of this email from a resident that lives near Shell Ridge.
THE TIME IS NOW TO VOICE YOUR CONCERNS!
It is imperative that our community attend the PROS (Parks, Recreation and Open Space) meeting on Monday, August 14th at 6pm at City Hall. There is "strength in numbers" and we need to demonstrate our support for preserving Lime Ridge Open Space. When we moved to the area 25+ years ago we were told that the hills would never be developed. It appears our current city staff has forgotten that taxpayers purchased this land to be kept in its natural state.
1)If you cannot attend the meeting in person, a ZOOM option will be posted in the PROS meeting Agenda on the following city website:
https://www.walnut-creek.org/government/public-meeting-agendas-and-videos
2)Or you may write in to state your concerns. A sample letter is available on our website http://www.protectlimeridge.org
3)If you support our cause, please email us to get a yard sign at protectlimeridge@gmail.com
Letter to City Council from Walnut Creek Resident:
" I am a long time resident of Walnut Creek. I have been following the discussion of proposed changes to the Lime Ridge Open Space and the creation of mountain bike flow trails. I have watched with concern and sadness, the deterioration of the Shell Ridge Open Space due to mountain bikers trail cutting and riding on clearly marked ‘no bicycle’ trails, along with physical altercations between aggressive cyclists and hikers. The net effect is deterioration of the space and erosion and scarring severe enough that it does not heal during the rainy season.
Overall, mountain bikes appear to be largely responsible for the fact that each year the Open Space is in poorer shape than the year before. This is a marked change. I have been hiking and running at Shell Ridge since the 80s, and for decades, it was managed and protected in a way that preserved its beauty and wildlife for future generations. My observations above are clear evidence of the difficulty of balancing the preservation of our Open Space with mountain bike use, even in circumstances which restrict where they can be ridden. Unfortunately, environmental stewardship does not appear to be a core value for some riders, and it only takes a few to cause permanent damage.
What then do we expect to happen if flow trails are created at Lime Ridge? Obviously, the scale of the damage will dwarf what we already see at Shell Ridge. Also, it creates a terrible precedent in which stewardship and preservation take a back seat to the demands of a subset of trail users.
The fundamental issue is that the proposed changes at Lime Ridge cannot and will not protect and preserve the resource. Allowing Flow Trails favors a subset of current users, and a single use, over all current and future users who wish to preserve open space for all of its uses.
I ask that Walnut Creek City Council reject any proposed changes which fail to ensure the preservation of our resources for all users and for future generations of residents. Please protect and preserve our Open Space. "
Thank you!