Tag Archives: Parks

WILDOMAR’S VERY OWN RAINMAKER

The prescient prognosticators of Wildomar seem to have a clog in the synaptic cleft causing the nerve impulses to wander into the stratosphere of the imagination.

In the Measure Z Oversight Advisory Committee “independent audit” the rainmaker relived an out of body experience explained below.

Park rehab activities at Regency – Heritage park sustained significant damage during an afternoon spring storm in which over 5 inches of rain was received in 2 hours on the freshly planted slopes. The park is part of the County flood control system and acts as a storm drain channel. With the severity of the storm and micros bursts, the channel was inundated with debris which has hampered the parks timely restoration.

Freshly Planted?, the Great Day of Service was held on October 26, 2013. This rain event sounds about as fictional as the narrative provided the League of Cities.
http://www.cacities.org/Member-Engagement/Helen-Putnam-Awards/California-City-Solutions/2014/Great-Day-of-Service-City-of-Wildomar
In which it was claimed $100,000 in donations was raised. (Only if one counts the “anonymous donor”, not, as even with the 40K promised this fell far short of 100K.

The first month with days in the spring season.

The first month with days in the spring season.

This audit is for the 2013-2014 fiscal year with the parks reopening on April 12, 2014.
In most north temperate zone locations, spring months are March, April and May, with spring beginning technically on March 20, 2014 and ending on June 20, 2014.

The month the parks opened shows just under a quarter of an inch

The month the parks opened shows just under a quarter of an inch


The bulk of Aprils rainfall, .200 fell on the 24th and 25th of the month.

Using the data available from WeatherCurrents.com for Wildomar which has a weather station which is located in the City of Wildomar near Durango Ct. and Union St, this places the weather station 3200 feet or 6 tenths of a mile as the crow flies from Regency Heritage Park and 2000 feet from Marna O’Brien one finds this statement to be complete fabrication of someones extremely vivid imagination as the whole rainfall season for 2013-2014 shows less half of the stated rainfall of one micro burst.
Seasonal Rainfall
Like “Punxsutawney Phil” (who was dropped on his head or “Concord Charlie” maybe even the lastest to join “Mojave Maxine” these predictions while fun to hear are about as accurate as shooting spit-wads in a hurricane.

Another bit of fiction in the claim is that Regency Heritage Park is a part of the County Flood system. Although there is an enormous volume of water channeled towards this park only a standard 10 foot wide easement for the free flow of water exist in county records.

IT STARTED OUT AS A 5.8 ACRE QUIMBY ACT DEDICATION, WHAT IS IT TODAY?

It is a strip of land approximately 150 ft wide by about 940 ft in length that is dying from a lack of attention.
Even after planting numerous plants (2,881 per the Planting Plan) and then spending almost $10,000 in emergency environmental permits and burrowing owl studies in this park, rebuilding the dog park at a cost of $10,500 for DG and fencing, this parkland has been all but abandoned by the city of Wildomar, excepting the expenditure of $950 for a bronze plaque.
All one has to do is look at the water bills which in the past have been $1452.28 for July of 2009, $1,827.37 in August of 2010, $1,243.18 in October of 2013 and is now down to $87.65 for May to June of 2014 (one month after re-opening the parks).
This parkland started out life in October of 1992 as the second Quimby land dedication, with Windsong Park being the first, in the then Ortega Trail Recreation and Park District. It’s value at the time was put at $237,133 with the improvements such as a park sign, access road, fencing, basketball court and bbq. It was soon determined that of the 5.8 acres accepted, 2.5 acres contained flood control channels. Of the 3.3 acres left a strip approximately 36 feet wide running the entire 940 foot length of the park contains a slope of 11% which exceeds the County of Riverside standard for Quimby donated parkland, the standard being 5% this is exceeded by more than double. Add to this a strip of land approximately 10 feet wide

Current 10 foot wide Channel that runs complete length of the  park

Current 10 foot wide Channel that runs complete length of the park


Sediment Removed?. This channel to be widened to 40 feet x 6 feet in depth. Note the slope to the right, unplayable

Sediment Removed?. This channel to be widened to 40 feet x 6 feet in depth. Note the slope to the right, unplayable


that CURRENTLY contains a concrete lined drainage channel running the entire length and you are left with just less than 2 acres of usable parkland. It was originally determined the developer was only required to donate 1.8 acres of parkland to satisfy their Quimby requirement. Looks like they succeeded.
When the County of Riverside turned over this parkland, after spending several million dollars on renovation, to the City of Wildomar the County failed to turn over, and the City of Wildomar failed to pursue all 5.8 acres of the original dedicated land (Even though city staff told the city council on July 22, 2009 that the county had turned over all of it, Staff Lied). This is a problem because the title to the flood control channel and associated access roads is currently held by the County of Riverside Economic Development Agency (EDA) leaving the maintenance of these channels, access roads and fences in limbo because this agency doesn’t really have a budget for maintenance, just ask the folks in Mead Valley. These flood control channels leading to Palomar and Grand Ave are also ideal for a trail Class One Trail as well as being necessary for the completion of the Murrieta Creek Trail link to Lake Elsinore.
Standing on Grand Ave. looking east towards Regency Heritage Park.

Standing on Grand Ave. looking east towards Regency Heritage Park.


In the channel which is accessed thru broken gate and fence looking back towards Grand Ave. Notice the accumulated debris.

In the channel which is accessed thru broken gate and fence looking back towards Grand Ave. Notice the accumulated debris.


Looking from where Union St. now ends at the channel back towards Grand Ave. Debris waiting to enter the park.

Looking from where Union St. now ends at the channel back towards Grand Ave. Debris waiting to enter the park.


From Union St. looking towards the park.

From Union St. looking towards the park.


CURRENTLY was used to describe the concrete drainage channel because in the Lakeland Village Master Drainage Plan this 10 wide strip is to be widened to 40 feet in width by 6 ft in depth.
This is the proposed new open channel "A" contained in the Lakeland Village Master Drainage Plan DEIR released in January 2014 by Riverside County Flood Control.

This is the proposed new open channel “A” contained in the Lakeland Village Master Drainage Plan DEIR released in January 2014 by Riverside County Flood Control.


The question remains is the widened area to be shared by the slope as well as the flat or is all going to be contained in the flat, narrowing this park even further. When the city manager was asked about this future prospect for this park he feigned ignorance. He has been sent the information on the Lakeland Village Master Drainage Plan.
This new drain will result in the removal of a 15 feet strip running the entire length of the dog park requiring the fence be moved along with the several of the apparatuses recently renovated.
The ends of the PVC pipe are 20 feet from centerline of the existing channel

The ends of the PVC pipe are 20 feet from centerline of the existing channel


Along with narrowing the existing dog park this channel will result in a loss of walkway,
The upright PVC in the can is 20 feet from the centerline of the existing channel near the basketball courts

The upright PVC in the can is 20 feet from the centerline of the existing channel near the basketball courts


the rebuilding of a bridge,
Each black mark is 1 foot, the top of the existing bridge is 2 feet with the bottom at 18 inches. The blue bag is 6 feet, the new depth of the proposed channel.

Each black mark is 1 foot, the top of the existing bridge is 2 feet with the bottom at 18 inches. The blue bag is 6 feet, the new depth of the proposed channel.


The edge of the new channel will extend out to the end of the PVC making it necessary to remove the existing circle at the park along with the existing planter.

The edge of the new channel will extend out to the end of the PVC making it necessary to remove the existing circle at the park along with the existing planter.


the possible loss of a gazebo,
The end of the PVC is 20 feet off the centerline of the existing channel.

The end of the PVC is 20 feet off the centerline of the existing channel.


the moving of numerous existing water lines and irrigation support apparatus.
Existing water valve servicing the parks irrigation system.

Existing water valve servicing the parks irrigation system.


This is an aerial taken by the County of Riverside in 2011 showing the existing channel.

This is an aerial taken by the County of Riverside in 2011 showing the existing channel.


This is the same aerial with the proposed channel whited-out.

This is the same aerial with the proposed channel whited-out.


This impending channel has been proposed in the Lakeland Village Master Drainage Plan which was released to the Public for comments back in January after several years of work being done on it by County Flood Control. Apparently the City of Wildomar only talks to County Flood Control when a developer needs something.
This parkland is in desperate need of a Parks Council to guide its future and the City of Wildomar needs its staff to separate the flood control aspects of it from the Parks and Trails aspects. I wish the Measure Z Oversight Committee all the luck in the world in determining what is expenditures for parks, trails and flood control.
If anyone is interested in reading about the history of the old Ortega Parks District there is a good synopsis at http://www.bsa.ca.gov/pdfs/reports/2002-106.pdf which is the State of California Audit of the district after bankruptcy.
The Lakeland Village Master Drainage Plan can be found at http://www.floodcontrol.co.riverside.ca.us/ bottom of the page under CEQA/Section 18 is the Draft Program EIR for the Lakeland Village MDP it is about 60 megabyte.

MOVE WILDOMAR TO THE HEAD OF THE LINE

One of the culprits, stupid long sprayers in planter boxes. One of the results of having a part-time groundskeeper.

One of the culprits, stupid long sprayers in planter boxes. One of the results of having a part-time groundskeeper.


Wasting water outdoors amid the state’s drought will begin hitting Californians in the wallet under get-tough restrictions being proposed by state regulators, with fines of up to $500 a day.
More improper sprinklers selected by city employees

More improper sprinklers selected by city employees

The State Water Resources Control Board is scheduled to adopt emergency regulations intended to put teeth into conservation efforts that so far have produced disappointing results.

“We are in a drought of historic proportions,” board Chairwoman Felicia Marcus said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “Many urban water users don’t realize how bad this drought is. The latest numbers released show water usage state-wide has actually increased 1% since the governors proclamation issued in January.

Broken sprinklers with no employee in sight. He was at his other city job.

Broken sprinklers with no employee in sight. He was at his other city job.


Another view of the broken sprinkler.

Another view of the broken sprinkler.


Water prevented from entering bioswale by clogged filters

Water prevented from entering bioswale by clogged filters


Its more than just a little bit of water.

Its more than just a little bit of water.


Its not only the parking lot that is being improperly watered.

Its not only the parking lot that is being improperly watered.


San Francisco is concerned about these new regulations because of the need to hose down alley ways and sidewalks for health and safety reasons. This appears not to be a problem in Wildomar’s parks? There is no full time employee to observe what needs to be cleaned.
Notice the staining on the pillar which is hidden from street view at night. The height suggest its not just 4 legged dogs doing this.

Notice the staining on the pillar which is hidden from street view at night. The height suggest its not just 4 legged dogs doing this.

MAYBE ITS ON THE TO-DO-LIST

UPDATE: With 50 hours to go at 4:07 and again 4:09 received an e-mail notification that the regular meeting of April 24, 2014 has been adjourned to May 1, 2014 same time, same place due to a staff scheduling conflict.

Notice with an agenda of an upcoming event scheduled to occur on April 24, 2014 at 6:30 pm in the council chambers located at 23873 Clinton Keith Road.

The City of Wildomar who has pledged on several occasions in the past to adhere to the requirements of the “Brown Act” has failed once again in its duties to due so. Will they as they have in the past step back and have a do over on a different date or will plow ahead totally disregarding its citizens right to be properly informed in a timely manner with all of the pertinent information.

What the hell am I talking about.

CITY OF WILDOMAR MEASURE Z OVERSIGHT ADVISORY COMMITTEE scheduled for Thursday Night, April 24, 2014 has not been properly noticed 72 hours prior, per the Brown Act. In order for that to have occurred notice would have had to been post by 6:30 pm on Monday April 21, 2014.

FILET MIGNON

While taking some updated photo’s of Marna O’Brien Park I came across a previous photo’s of a an area I worked on as a volunteer.

What I started with after plants were place during GDS

What I started with after plants were place during GDS


The area started out with plants too close together as well as too close to the sidewalks. After some prodding I was allowed to move them to a proper spacing and removed the dirt from along the sidewalks so the bark would be contained by the sidewalk rather washing over it.
After moving the plants to the proper spacing and moving dirt from the edge

After moving the plants to the proper spacing and moving dirt from the edge


Everything looked fantastic after “Bark in the Park Day” with 35 Hesperaloa parviflora (Red Yucca) planted and doing fine.
Looking Good

Looking Good

The changes are dramatic and not in a good way. As of April 17, 2014 there are 10 plants left

What it looked like on opening day

What it looked like on opening day

The culprit
One big A- – gopher.

We could use an owl here as well.

We could use an owl here as well.

Per the City of Wildomar Parks Subcommittee Agenda Packet of September 14, 2013 these plants are valued at $9.00 each, therefore this gopher is eating filet mignon having consumed $225.00 worth of plants. This is just one small area in one park

A TELL TALE FUTURE THROUGH A DIRT TROUGH

Something as simple as a dirt trough is so indicative of the past and the future of Wildomar.

Marna O'Brien Bio-Swale on March 1, 2014

Marna O’Brien Bio-Swale on March 1, 2014


When the County of Riverside rehabilitated the 3 parks, at the insistence of a group bent on incorporating a community into a city, the county left out several important features. One of these was a bio-swale not designed until December 2008, put out to bid until July 2009 and completed September of 2010 (at a cost of $129,737) even though the parks reopened in the summer of 2007. (These dates are important because Wildomar incorporated on July 1, 2008 after several years of study by the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO))
The reasons for the exclusion and later inclusion of this feature are many fold.
Chief among them was “devil may care” attitude first by the County of Riverside Redevelopment Agency (RDA) now the Economic Development Agency (EDA). This agency could just borrow the money and built what ever they wished wherever they wished, all on the cheap except to the taxpayers. Turns out money was spent on two parks not in the Redevelopment area (the one park within the boundaries currently receives enormous amounts of area runoff and is destined to become Open Channel A of the Lakeland Village Master Drainage Plan)
Regency Heritage Park After the bridge, water forced over due to accumulation of debris.

Regency Heritage Park After the bridge, water forced over due to accumulation of debris.


leaving the citizens inside of the RDA to foot the bill for 30+ years. The counties response – there close to the redevelopment area, no problem.
During the reconstruction of the parks, that the citizens closed when they defunded the previous parks district, the county paid no heed to any of the requirements of the California Water Code and totally ignored the California Regional Water Quality Control Board San Diego Region (Region 9) by failing to implement a Standard Urban Storm Water Mitigation Plan (SUSMP) or to even notify the Regional Board of this project when asked directly, on two occasions, if there were any projects started since 2005.
In response to a Notice of Violation issued in July of 2008, the County of Riverside after receiving a date certain by which a response was required, danced, telling the Water Quality Control Board they would install a bio-swale to cleanse run-off from the parking lot , install fossil filters and screens in the drain openings, stencil parking lot storm drains with “Only Rain in the Drain” signage and post educational materials pertaining to the Santa Margarita Watershed for public awareness on a bulletin board located at the concession stand/restroom complex.
Parking lot filter, installed by County of Riverside- maintained by City of Wildomar

Parking lot filter, installed by County of Riverside- maintained by City of Wildomar


There are several problems with this response.
1. Marna O’Brien Park is located in the Santa Ana Watershed, which some of us locals have known since 1984. This issue was maybe unknown to Riverside County and definitely unkown to the Region 9 Water Quality Board until October of 2008. I say maybe unknown to Riverside County because the drainage system is attached to the Bryant Street Storm Drain System which flows into Lake Elsinore after passing thru Regency Heritage Park. Because of this watershed issue Region 9 allowed Riverside County to not face fines from Region 9 at that time, referring the issue to Region 8 which failed to act.
2. Riverside Water Conservation District did not have a pollution criteria index for parks, instead the criteria for “Detached Residential Development” was used per the County of Riverside’s response. Riverside County has had a Parks District since 1926 and a Water Conservation District since 1945 and yet there is no criteria for parks. Really ?
3. Although a Bio-Swale was constructed it has fallen into disrepair and to date the city has failed to properly replant it rendering it total ineffective.
Not much natural filtering going on here.

Not much natural filtering going on here.


4. The County of Riverside never marked any of the drains nor did they erect any bulletin board displaying the educational materials promised.
Same blank walls exist all they way around both buildings.

Same blank walls exist all they way around both buildings.


The City of Wildomar was in the process of taking control of the parks from the county at the time all of these events were going on and either ignored these events or failed in their due-diligence to learn of this Notice of Violation. After having been made aware of it several months ago none of these issues have been properly addressed.
The filter on February 26th before the most recent rains on February 28th.

The filter on February 26th before the most recent rains on February 28th.


Parking lot flooded during rains of February 28th.

Parking lot flooded during rains of February 28th.


The City of Wildomar is unable and unwilling to address a simple item for which they have the funds to correct, yet we are to believe they can go on to manage a possible park in a retention basin, construct bikeways along Grand Ave and Clinton Keith (which will require numerous bio-swales due to the amount of impervious surfaces being added to the city) all of these with no monies for maintenance, good luck with that.

Rumination For March 6, 2014

Was thinking today about all the problems with getting the parks open in Wildomar and recalled a recent project proposed by the City of Wildomar in their 5 year Community Improvement Program for what is being called Gateway Park.
This is a proposed park at the corner of Malaga Rd and Mission Trail that is a pet project of the City Manager for the City of Wildomar with a proposed budget of $100,000 assuming that the city can acquire the property from the County of Riverside for $0. The entire purpose of this park is to make the City of Lake Elsinore move their “Welcome to Lake Elsinore Sign”across the intersection into the City of Lake Elsinore rather than being located in Wildomar which seems to really bother the city manager to no end.
Rather than spending $100,000 on this ridiculous make believe park project would it not be more feasible to spend this money on getting a joint use agreement and fixing up the playground area at Jean Hayman Elementary School to utilize as a real park for the residents of North Wildomar, especially since this closed facility has access to reclaimed water which was brought there after the school was closed.
Might even make sense to spend the money cleaning up a former park located at Gafford Rd and Great Falls Rd. which is located in a retention basin former controlled by Ortega Trails. The cement pad for a basketball court is still there in this all but forgotten area of Wildomar.

REGENCY HERITAGE PARK MORPHING INTO OPEN CHANNEL A

After reviewing the Draft Program Environmental Impact Report for Lakeland Village Master Drainage Plan available at http://www.floodcontrol.co.riverside.ca.us/, bottom of the page under Public Notices (CEQA/Section 18).
One can only wonder what is in store for the future of Regency Heritage Park.

Why is the City of Wildomar continuing to spend money on what is over time being transformed into a real flood control channel.

This park started life as a parcel of land dedicated as open space and drainage easement that was dedicated in April of 1992. The easement exist even without the dedication because this is a natural low spot in the topography of the area.

This parcel was subsequently acquired by Ortega Trails Recreation and Park District for use as a park. In the following years, 2005 and 2008, several drainage programs were completed adding to the runoff from the surrounding area that now flows through this park.

Terminus of Sedo-Bryant Street Storm Drain Stage 1 Completed 2008

Terminus of Sedo-Bryant Street Storm Drain Stage 1 Completed 2008


Sedco-Bryant Street Storm Drain which begins in the hills west of the park.

Sedco-Bryant Street Storm Drain which begins in the hills west of the park.


Unnamed Storm Drain that directs flow from Palomar Street east of the park

Unnamed Storm Drain that directs flow from Palomar Street east of the park

A portion of this drainage issue was addressed by the County of Riverside EDA when they rebuilt this park in 2007-08 as part of the rehabilitation of 4 parks in the area (Marna O’Brien, Perret Park, Regency Heritage and Windsong).

Current 10 foot wide Channel that runs complete length of the  park

Current 10 foot wide Channel that runs complete length of the park

The county added a drainage channel which collects water from three drainage facilities and guides it through the park. What the county failed to do was to continue this channel all the way to Corydon where it would tie into an existing facility that takes it under Corydon and on to the back basin of the Lake at Elsinore. This failure creates a lake at the south end of the park whenever it rains.

The terminus at the north end of the park of the current channel

The terminus at the north end of the park of the current channel


P12-22-13_13.49

Both the County of Riverside and the City of Wildomar also have failed in maintaining their MS4 systems (Storm Drains) which allows for enormous amounts of sediment and trash to collect at the current downstream terminus of these storm drains.

From the bridge in park looking south towards terminus of 3 drains

From the bridge in park looking south towards terminus of 3 drains


P12-22-13_13.39

That problem is about to be partially resolved by what is known as “Proposed Open Channel A” in the Lakeland Village Master Drainage Plan. The upstream origin of Channel A begins at the downstream terminus of Sedco-Bryant Street Storm Drain Stage 1. From there, the 40 ft wide by 6 ft deep trapezoidal channel extends westerly along the geographic low. At Corydon Road, the trapezoidal channel transitions into a 42 ft wide by 6 ft deep RCB. The 42 ft wide by 6 ft deep RCB would replace the existing 42 ft wide by 4 ft deep RCB. This Channel will be 1573 feet long, which takes it from the southeast end of the park to Corydon. It will have a 100 years flood capacity of 1,115 Cubic Feet a Second. (This is the same capacity as the outflow channel of the Lake at Elsinore.)

As a final note this may be the reason the City of Wildomar has never filed the Grant Deed for this property as it is still shown to be the property of Ortega Trails Recreation and Park District even though the County issued this Grant Deed on June 22, 2009.

Grant Deed issued June 22,2009 by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors

Grant Deed issued June 22,2009 by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors