Flightline Progress Blog

Flightline users.

I am meeting with the County on the 11th at the site to discuss the next steps in terms of public use/trails/mountain bikes on the County property which we manage that contains the Flightline mtn bike track.

I have already spoken with them, and they have given me a summary of what they think is going to be needed.  Things may change after our meeting, but unlikely.

So here is a summary.

1.  If mountain bikers want the right to bike on the County property, they will have to form a group and work with the County to delineate a trail system.  Your group will need to meet with the County to determine exactly what steps to take.  In other words, this is going to be a formal process.

2.  Since this is change to the planned use of the area, you will have to do a biological impact analysis to conform with federal, state and local laws.  It is likely that there will be “mitigation” for impacts related to building trails, etc, and the impact analysis will need outline the mitigation measures.  I know several companies that can help you out with this kind of analysis.

3.  The trail plan will go out to the public for public review, and then to the County Supervisors for approval/denial.  This may take up to 2 years, so be patient, but it is the way things work and in the end, if you get permission to ride, it will ensure that all the bases are covered.  This is what all members of the public have to do when they ask for use rights and several groups, like horse back riders, have done it successfully.

In the meantime, our organization has to work within the guidelines of the Conservation Easement and enforce the no biking rules.

You will have to contract with a firm to do your impact analysis, proposal etc, as our organization does not have the funds to do this kind of work for you. But, I can provide some information which will save you time and money.

In the next month, I’d like to do the following.  We will map all existing “trails” using GPS.  I would like to meet with some of you, to look over these maps and discuss your interests in terms of future alignments.  Most of the Flightline trail will or will be blitzed by the development and so we need to discuss connectivity issues.  I know that the UC reserve to the north is posted No Trespassing, and the other areas to the north are ag land.  The development will cut all access to the east (I think).  So my guess is that you’ll end up with a loop trail, but I don’t know until we map it.

So I’ll report back after the 11th, and then go from there.  Let me know when you want to meet.