This is a post in support of the Waterdog Open Space Stewarts:

The Belmont Parks, Recreation, and Open Space (PROS) Master Plan process is making its way through the Parks & Recreation Commission and ultimately to the City Council. The Master Plan is a planning blueprint for the next 15-20 years to guide the city’s network of parks, facilities, and recreational services for the future, including the Waterdog open space.

There is a small but aggressive group of anti-recreation activists in Belmont whose goal is to severely limit mountain biking from the Waterdog open space area. They are waging a campaign to have Waterdog designated as a “nature preserve” in the Master Plan, which would severely limit recreational access to the trails. If they succeed, mountain bike access to Waterdog could be lost for the next 20 years. They are very organized and have a dedicated website that vilifies mountain bikers. This group is working hand-in-hand with the local Sierra Club chapter to skew the survey results against continued multi-use access.

The PROS Master Plan Committee’s survey is live, so it is urgent that viewpoints supporting shared use are represented. Please take 5 minutes to fill out the survey. The survey is only open until April 23, 2021.

Oftentimes people think surveys don’t matter, but this one is very important. The PROS Master Plan Committee will be reviewing the results of the surveys—if the majority of survey results have negative comments about mountain biking, the committee could recommend restrictions or bans.

You do not need to be a resident of the City of Belmont to fill out the survey. In his State of the City address, Belmont’s Mayor encouraged all park and open space users to fill out the survey, even if they don’t live within city limits. Please spread the word to others you know who use the Belmont parks and trails so their voices can be heard too.

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Here are the positions SVMTB supports:

Question 1) Open Space
Question 4) Bike
Question 5) Select Waterdog Lake Open Space (John Brooks. Waterdog Lake and Hidden Canyon). Select all that are appropriate. 
Question 7) Select “Bike pump track”
Question 8) 
Strongly Agree:                          
• Repair and maintain existing trails
• Widen and improve select existing trails
• Add additional trails
• Add more signage for trail safety and etiquette

StrongDisagree:
• Reduce/limit number of trails
• Designate certain trails for certain uses
• Prioritize habitat protection

Question 9) Strongly Agree: Volunteer opportunities (trail work, restoration, etc.)
Question 16) Waterdog is the only place in Belmont and San Mateo County where cyclist have access to local trails. It is a wonderful place for children to learn to ride their bikes and for an after-work fitness ride. Waterdog’s trail were built by mountain bikers and the volunteer opportunities allows us to give back to community.

MidPen is stepping in to renovate and then take ownership of Dirt Alpine… Arguably the route has been neglected by its current owners, San Mateo County, since it was built in 1895 for $7,216. The estimated $2.55 Million renovation will cure its erosion problems and convert most of its length to trail width. The work is described in the first 28 pages of this 300 page plan the District is now seeking comments on. We are very supportive and hope you will be too. As its the only bike accessible trail from the populated eastern half of the peninsula to the expanse of bike accessible open space areas along Skyline, its the most important trail on the peninsula. These improvements will insure its survival into the future. Most of the work will be above “the bypass” lots of repair/replacement to culverts, drainage improvements, regrading to prevent “a creek” from running down the center of the road in the winter and a complete redo of the “dam break” wash out about 2/3rds of the way up the hill. (see illustration above) Below the bypass they’ll build a new pair of retaining walls just inside the gate. These projects should be fully designed, permitted and constructed by the summer/fall of ’22. we are told the route will be closed for 3 months during the construction, so plan your out of area cycling vacations accordingly. This Winter MidPen plans to design a new, less steep, “bypass section” to be constructed, hopefully, in the summer of ’23. SVMTB lobbied for the inclusion of this route in the 2013 MidPen Vision plan, lobbed for its inclusion as a top funding priority in the 2014 measure AA Bond Measure and campaigned for the bond measure which passed by the slimmest of margins. Soon the work will begin.

ACTION ALERT: All it takes is 2 minutes of your time to help mountain biking. For more information, check out the Bay Area Ridge Trail page.

WHAT YOU CAN DO
Support this project by making a public comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Copy and paste the following letter, and email it to SFPUC Senior Planner Timothy Johnston at timothy.johnston@sfgov.org by 5 PM on August 10, 2020.
Be sure to fill in any optional additional comments, and include your city and zip code to help show that there is strong project support from both ratepayers and a wider regional audience.

SAMPLE COPY + PASTE LETTER:

Dear Mr. Johnston –
I am a resident of [CITY]. I am writing on behalf of the Bay Area Ridge Trail and Silicon Valley Mountain Bikers in support of the proposed Southern Skyline Boulevard Ridge Trail Extension Project. I support the staff recommended project and access program. None of the project alternatives achieve the stated project goals, nor the Ridge Trail mission to create a continuous trail, for all users, that encircles San Francisco Bay.
The Bay Area Ridge Trail is important to Silicon Valley Mountain Bikers because of its significant contribution to regional recreational values. [OPTIONAL: ADD IN SENTENCE ABOUT WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT TO YOU!].
I support opening the southern Peninsula Watershed lands for more responsible and inclusive recreational use.
Sincerely,
[YOUR NAME]
[CITY, ZIP CODE]

Silicon Valley Mountain Bikers is hosting a Volunteer Work Day at El Corte Madera Creek Open Space. It’s time to give the trails a little love before the rain starts.

At this MidPen led event, we’ll work to make the Resolution Trail ready for winter rains. We’ll clean out water bars and insure the route will drain properly. Why might one do this? It’s surprisingly fun and important for MidPen to know the mountain bike community cares about the open space. Group size will be limited to 15.

WHEN: 9:30 to 2:30 Saturday Nov 9.

WHERE TO MEET:

Please meet District staff at the Skeggs Point Parking Lot located at 15427-, 15463 Skyline Blvd, Redwood City, CA 94062. We will then walk across the street to the El Corte De Madera Creek Trailhead located at gate CMO1 off Skyline Blvd.

Google maps link: https://goo.gl/maps/AUPRHhmY6qF2

WHAT TO WEAR/BRING
To get the most out of your day with us, we recommend that volunteers wear/bring:

• Sturdy shoes (no sneakers, sandals, or open-toed shoes)
• Layered clothing: long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, jacket, etc.
• Gear appropriate to that day’s weather conditions (i.e. hat, sunscreen, rain gear, etc.)
• Day pack/fanny pack to carry your gear
• Lunch and reusable water bottle (alcoholic beverages are not allowed)
• MROSD will provide water and snacks

Please RSVP with charleskrenz@sbcglobal.net

Charlie Krenz
SVMTB Board

California State Parks is seeking public input on the Castle Rock Roads and Trails Management Plan. The purpose of the plan is to provide specific direction for the long term construction, maintenance, and management of the roads and trails in the park.

On June 5th, California voters will decide on Proposition 68, The Clean Water and Safe Parks Act. It’s a statewide measure that if approved by voters will authorize $4 billion in investments in habitat restoration, climate resilience, parks, water quality and flood protection throughout the state. Silicon Valley Mountain Bikers (SVMTB) is endorsing Proposition 68 because it aligns with our values of environmental preservation and sustainable access.

Here’s how funds will be allocated from the proposition that immediately impacts us here in the Bay Area:

• The Bay Area is eligible for $2 billion through competitive grant programs in areas ranging from drought preparedness and climate resiliency to coastal forest and wildlife linkages conservation.

• $3 million towards the protection and restoration of Los Gatos Creek and the Guadalupe River watershed in San Jose – one of the largest and most important watersheds in the South Bay.

• Over $200 million to the Bay Area to support clean water, habitat restoration and accessible parks here in our communities. $20 million of this is targeted towards the restoration of San Francisco Bay wetlands and bay shore habitats funding projects similar to our work at Bair Island.

• Over $1 billion to prepare California’s communities for drought, wildfires and other threats that we face as the climate changes. It will also provide clean drinking water to communities in need.

Proposition 68 is also endorsed by both the Mercury News and the San Francisco Chronicle.