NEWS REGARDING THE PROPOSED ARENAS! 
     
Santa Ana Heights Joint Use Channel Maintenance/Equestrian Facility

A copy of the “Mitigated Negative Declaration” for this project is currently available for review at the Muth Interpretive Center. It is also available at NPB public libraries (call first) and city hall. You can also view/download it at

http://www.city.newport-beach.ca.us/PLN/SantaAnaHeights/SAHeights.html on the City of Newport Beach’s website. There is additional information at this site, such as drawings. Some of these files are large and slow to download, so be patient. The report is a PDF file of almost 13 megs. You will need Adobe Reader.

I emphasize that this is a process that all projects in the coastal zone go through. This is the public’s first opportunity to formally comment on the “Negative Declaration”. See below for the full process and tentative dates.

If you wish to comment, I recommend you do the following:

READ THE DOCUMENT and review other documents online first
Address you comments to specific items by Roman numeral, title, paragraph, i.e. “IV. Biological Resources, paragraph (b)” followed by your comment.
Provide specific data and facts to support your comments.
If you don’t understand a particular item, ask for clarification as your comment or call the city.
Comments must be mailed to the specific address located at the bottom of the first page of the report.

This comment period is from June 11 to July 11, 2007. The following is a tentative schedule (These dates are subject to change.) for the overall process:
30-day Initial Study/Negative Declaration [Mitigated] (IS/ND) comment period - June 11- July 11, 2007 – Currently in process.
Review and response to comments received on draft IS/ND - July 11-25, 2007
Staff report preparation - July 23- August 3, 2007
Posting the subject site, newspapers advertising and mailing notice to residents ~ 8/8/07
Finalize IS/ND for NPB Planning Commission (PC) hearing by 8/14/07. The final IS/ND will contain all technical attachments, Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program and Errata (if applicable)
Finalize staff report, IS/ND & drawings for Planning Commission and general public 8/17/07
PC hearing date 8/23/07 (This is a public posted hearing and the public can comment as well as submit comments to the commission ahead of time.)
Filing of Notice of Determination with the County and Office of Planning & Research - 8/24/07
Appeal period - 8/24-9/6/07 (14 days)
California Coastal Commission (CCC) filing -9/7 or after depending on CCC scheduling. (This is a public posted hearing and the public can comment as well as submit comments to the commission ahead of time.)

I personally support this project. The NBNF board has not taken a formal position. I have worked hard for this project to be a net plus for the bay. I make the following points in support of my position: This area is currently being used as an unofficial horse workout area. The area on top of the knoll that this project will restore is currently being used as a horse arena and is in the Reserve. The area currently used, closest to the bike trail, is in the Reserve. This area will not have arenas. The area for the proposed arenas is not in the Reserve or Preserve, but on county flood control property. There is a critical shortage of upland habitat. The restored knoll will add upland habitat. My hope is that this will be the first step in the restoration of the whole area from the Delhi Channel to the trail off the end of Mesa Drive. The project will redirect to settling/percolation ponds, urban runoff that currently flows directly into the bay via Delhi Channel. By having a designated area for the horses to work out under formal control, activities will be easier to monitor. Maintenance will rest with the Back Bay Equestrians. They can be held accountable because it is a specific area under their control and care. Enforcement and water quality monitoring will rest with the City of NPB. They have staff that will be assigned this task. There are current strong state laws regarding discharge into the bay and monitoring thereof. I have seen no evidence or data indicating that this project will result in an influx of horses into the area beyond the current level.

**Information provided by Dennis Baker of NBNF

MEETING MINUTES

Back Bay Equestrians General meeting 6:30 PM Tuesday July 10, 2007
Peter and Mary Muth Interpretative Center

 
Welcome and Self Introductions Starting with the Board Members
 
Guest Speaker   Ranger Mike Escarcida of the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve spoke with us. The Rangers are aware of the jogger that has been seen using aggressive behavior towards Horse Back Riders.   He reminded us that if we are approached by any strangers inappropriately, to please come straight to the Interpretative Center and report the incident.  

New trail signs have been ordered and will be installed showing exactly where equestrians are allowed to ride.  These signs will be larger and easier to read than the current signs in use.  Citations can be given out to anyone riding in areas that don’t allow horses.  The most important purpose of the Nature Preserve is to its natural habitat.  That means there will be areas where horses, dogs and people will not be allowed to enter in order to protect the habitat.  Ranger Mike also stated that the preserve is re-vegetating areas that may have been used as trails in the past.  These areas were never “legal” trails and they are being re-vegetated to help the habitat in the area.  A suggestion was made that we would like to see more trails available for Riders.  Mike asked that we contact the head park ranger and make our request official.


Mission statement:    Jayne discussed the mission of the BBE is to preserve our Equestrian Community, encourage equestrian activities and encourage unity throughout the neighborhood.  She asked members to do their part to promote peaceful relations among club members and the community as a whole.  She also stated that the most important project for the BBE Board at this time is to see the completion of the arenas. Once this project is complete the Board will look at suggestions from the general membership as to what kinds of activities the club, as a whole, might be interested in.
 
 
Web Site info Kristin Bryson discussed her recent completion of our new website.  Kristin is one of our newest members and she has generously donated her time and talent to get this web site up and running in record time.  Thank you Kristin!  

Kristin suggested that all content for the site be submitted to Jayne Jones via the web site or to cakenpie@earthlink.net any pictures can be submitted to the web site and please have parents consent for pictures of children under 18.  Jayne suggested everyone visit www.backbayequestrians.com  a suggestion was made to change from .com to .org to help make it clear that we are a non-profit.  

 
Dues Peggy Cole discussed our new Membership Drive.  Dues of $30 are now due and payable for the July 1, 2007- June 30, 2008 year.  Membership applications were available at the meeting

 
T-Shirts Lisa Clement displayed our new BBE tee shirts and encouraged all to purchase one after the meeting adjourns.  The shirts are $15.00

 
Arena Update  
Blue Prints and Maps of the Arena Area were displayed (thank you to George Berger at the city of Newport for providing these documents) The BBE is looking for a club member that would like to volunteer as the Facility Coordinator once the arenas are complete.  The Board is currently drafting an operations plan and a manure maintenance plan for the arenas to be submitted to the City of Newport for approval. Discussion of a few arena rules and regulations are also being considered.

We ask that the club remember that the BBE will be expected to play a very important part in the maintenance, operation and overall use of the facility.  We are all very grateful to the city of Newport and the County of Orange for the opportunity to do so.  Working on this project has been a pleasure and a privilege for the BBE Board members.

 It was also noted that City Public meeting dates regarding the arena will be posted on the web site as soon as we confirm them with the city of Newport.  As of this meeting date the Project is still on track to go before the costal commission in the fall with a possible ground breaking of December 2007.  Questions were raised as to the type of footing that will be used and what the dimensions of the arenas are.  Footing will be installed by a contractor that specializes in building outdoor horse arenas.

 
Trail Update The Mesa Trail is still scheduled to go in along with the under grounding project.   A concern was expressed that trail signs would be appreciated on Mesa Drive for the safety of equestrians and would also help slow down the speed in which cars are traveling.  Tim Stokes suggested club members note the fencing being used at the new fire station.  This fencing is similar to the railing the PAC Trial Sub-Committee is considering using on the neighborhood trails once under grounding is complete.  

 
Adopt A trail Update Peggy Cole discussed the Adopt-A-Trail Program and also encouraged all to sign up and help keep our trails and streets manure free.  A sign up sheet was sent around.  Protocol for the program was outlined for new members.
Priority being to:
1)    Please pick up after your own horse whenever possible
2)    Please monitor the trail and streets around your home and pick up any manure seen in the area.

3)    Please sign up with the Adopt a Trail program to patrol the neighborhood to make sure the streets and trails are clean.

A question was asked if students could get high school community service credit for hours spend working on the Adopt a Trail Program.  Yes they can, our non-profit status allows for this.
 
Guest Speaker Kerry Shultz TRAP Chairperson for CSHA Region 12 explained the new TRAP program and encouraged all BBE members to join.  This program helps document the hours of trails use by Equestrians.  For more information and to sign up go to www.csha.com  and go to the Trails Riders Award Program.

Meeting adjourned at 8pm

Adopt-A-Trail Program

We’re sure that everyone agrees that being able to keep a horse and ride in Newport Beach is a pretty awesome privilege. Along with that privilege comes the obligation to be a good neighbor with our community. There are many of us working together to keep the trails and streets free from horse manure. The Adopt-A-Trail program was designed to take the burden off the rider from immediately having to pick up any manure their horse might deposit on the street or trail by having a system in place that “shares the load” so to speak. Participants in the program agree to pick up manure on a section of the trail on a particular day or days. That way, if you are unable to pick up the manure your horse might leave, you are “covered” by the others in the program. You can choose to be a part of the solution or part of the problem. If you are not volunteering in the Adopt-A-Trail program, then you should be picking up 100% of the manure your horse leaves on the trail or street. If you are not doing so, then you are part of the problem. There are numerous manure rakes and buckets stationed throughout the community and many residents on Cypress Street and Mesa Drive have opened their dumpsters for our use. Therefore, there are no excuses for not picking up the manure off our streets and trails. Many equestrians are covering more than their share of days and we would appreciate spreading the duties over the week. If you are riding the trails, you need to be participating in the program.

Please contact Carl Ruprecht for scheduling or to pass along any comments or suggestions.

Thanks to all who are striving to make this program work!

WILD ANIMALS? SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY?

RANGER SUE at the Upper Newport Bay Preserve asks...If you see any animals in distress, suspicious activity, homeless encampments, or any dangerous situations or violations, please call (949) 923-2270 to report. They can always use extra sets of eyes on the trails!!