Carnegie SVRA Public Comments on General Plan, Expansion & EIR due June 29

[Lucky Jones]

CARNEGIE SVRA PRELIMINARY GENERAL PLAN AND DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT
The Preliminary General Plan and associated draft environmental impact report (Draft EIR) for Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) are being circulated for public review and comment for a period of 45 days, beginning April 23, 2015. These documents, and the Notice of Availability, may be viewed online at http://www.CarnegieGeneralPlan.com/document-library.

Written comments should be submitted no later than June 8... edit: June 29, 2015, to the following address:

California Department of Parks and Recreation
Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division
c/o AECOM, attn. Carnegie SVRA General Plan
2020 L Street, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95811
Comments can be submitted electronically at http://www.CarnegieGeneralPlan.com/DEIR-comments, or by e-mail at carnegiedeircomments@gmail.com.

Hard copies of the Preliminary General Plan and Draft EIR may be reviewed at the following locations during normal business hours:

http://www.carnegiegeneralplan.com/document-library

Maybe it's not your thing, but it IS local, so it CAN affect you and your future off road riding areas.

 

[budman]

Thanks guys. This is important as there are way to few riding areas for off road in NorCal.

 

[Butch]

From Don Amador, Blue Ribbon Coalition (BRC):

ACTION ITEM ONE – Send in a pro-Carnegie email to ALL of the Livermore City Council members (each member as an email box where you can cut n paste an email). I have crafted a sample letter that you may use to send or better yet… craft your own email. Either way – send an email today and ask your rider network to do the same.

LINK to LIVERMORE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
http://www.cityoflivermore.net/citygov/council/default.asp


SAMPLE LETTER:
I strongly support the Preliminary General Plan, Draft EIR, and Notice of Availability of the Draft EIR for Carnegie SVRA.

Carnegie SVRA became a unit of the State Park system in July 1980. The original 1,575-acre site, which had been used by off-highway vehicles (OHVs) since the 1940s, was operated as a private motorcycle park from 1970 to 1979 before being purchased by the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks) using dedicated OHV Trust Funds. Legislative action (California Public Resources Code, Section 5006.48) authorized State Parks to plan, acquire, and develop the site for OHV use. From 1996 to 1998, State Parks used legislatively appropriated OHV Trust Funds to acquire an additional 3,100 acres of neighboring lands to provide expanded OHV recreation opportunities. The additional acreage was classified as SVRA lands and added to Carnegie SVRA. The additional acreage is referred to as the expansion area.

This plan will help meet the regional demand for managed OHV recreation that includes dirt-bikes, ATVs, SxSs, 4WDs, and SUVs. The original 1,575-acre SVRA has long been enjoyed by the off-road motorcycle community. However, there were few opportunities for the larger OHVs. The expansion area will provide important touring and backcountry type experiences for 4WDs and SxSs on sustainable trails.

This project complies with existing statutes (SB 742) and subsequent revisions which authorizes and directs California State Parks to implement and administer a program to manage and enhance off-highway motor vehicle recreational uses, and motorized off-highway access to non-motorized recreation (Public Resources Code, Sections 5090.01 et seq.)

I believe the environmental analysis was substantive and thorough and will help ensure that planned actions such as trail construction will not cause significant environmental impacts.

I urge you and the council to support this plan.


ACTION ITEM TWO – Attend the May 11, 2015 Livermore City Council Meeting REGULAR MEETING - 7:00 PM

COUNCIL CHAMBERS
3575 PACIFIC AVENUE
LIVERMORE, CA 94550

 

[budman]

Sent... copied you butch. :thumbup

 

[Butch]

the May 11 meeting has been postponed... a week? more to follow.

 

[Lucky Jones]

Copied from today's email:

RED ALERT-Livermore City Council Meeting on Mon 5/18
The Preliminary General Plan and Draft Environmental Report (EIR) for our park’s expansion are on the agenda of the Livermore City Council. Let’s show up in big numbers and demand to be heard on behalf of our recreation rights.

Please attend this meeting and let your friends, especially those who live or work in Livermore, to attend also.

Livermore City Council Meeting
Monday May 18th, 2015 at 7:00 PM
3575 Pacific Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550

Come early to get seats-last City Council meeting was standing-room only.

If you can’t attend, send a message to your city officials listed here: http://www.cityoflivermore.net/citygov/council/default.asp
OK here we go. Finally the years of research, meetings, more research and more meetings are reaching a conclusion about the new Preliminary Carnegie Master Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report which when approved, will eventually open the gate to the additional 3,100 acres purchased in the 1990’s. Please be aware that the people who tried to close Carnegie 4 years ago have NEVER given up and will be flooding State Park administrative offices with emails and opposition letters. We MUST outdo them. Here are the steps to finally getting this done.

If you can’t attend the meeting in person, below are some other things you can do.

1. Send a support letter or email before June 8th to: http://www.carnegiegeneralplan.com/DEIR-comments
In a simple statement, document your approval for the plan.
Block implementation of any specific items that will take place over many years and have to get environmental approval after additional user input. We HAVE to get our foot in the door and see this project approved after waiting and supporting it for over 15 years.
2. Join the Park’s mailing list at:
http://www.carnegiegeneralplan.com/get-involved
3. Be informed. Below are frequently asked questions and answers:
http://www.carnegiegeneralplan.com/faqs
See an overview and schedule of implementation below:
http://www.carnegiegeneralplan.com/project-overview
Our generation has a challenge to get this new recreation area open for future generations. It is our civic duty and when accomplished it will prove our mettle and make those who end up using the new park for years to come proud of our efforts.

We hope to have your support and we thank you for it.

Dave Duffin, Board Chairman
Carnegie Forever Inc.

 

[Butch]

I just did a search for "carnegie ohv comment period deadline" and the first six hits were for the Tesla park OHV haters.

We gotta get more aggressive on this.

The seventh hit was Amador's QWR blog. Thank you Don.

 

[Butch]

I just submitted this comment:
The Carnegie SVRA is exceptionally well located to both serve and be insulated from the public.

It is near metropolitan areas such that people are not driving hours to recreate, and it is in hills that are undesirable for most other human exploits.

On this site:
http://carnegiegeneralplan.com/DEIR-comments

 

[Lil Los]

Done

 

[Butch]

I just did a search for "carnegie ohv comment period deadline" and the first six hits were for the Tesla park OHV haters.
The seventh hit was Amador's QWR blog. Thank you Don.

My guess at this stage of the game is the State Parks can do whatever they want, and will likely adopt the plan. AMA and "Carnegie Forever" feel that way.

My concern that the OHV division may have to accommodate political pressure, which the OHV Haters seem to be much better than applying. If it appears there are 10x number of people who oppose expanded operations than OHV enthusiast, that will affect things. At this point the Haters are far more vocal. I understand they out numbered us at the Livermore City Council meeting.

I think at this point we need to make lots and lots of comment on this link:

http://carnegiegeneralplan.com/DEIR-comments

I think we can expect CORVA, the AMA and BRC to support the inevitable legal challenges as operations continue and trails are expanded.

 

[Butch]

Alameda County Board of Supervisors will be meeting tommorow to discuss this.
You can bet the haters will be there.

AMA post copied by Brewster and then by me:
Alameda county meeting Tuesday, June 23!!! AMA d36 posted this up. Be sure to go here and read:
http://www.acgov.org/board/bos_cale...NISTRATION/Set Matter Calendar/CDA_219861.pdf

District 36 Red Alert...Carnegie
Well we are finally down to the last ditch effort by those who don't like the Carnegie expansion. To that end they have brought this to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors. We as concerned users and advocates of Off Highway Recreation really can make a difference by writing the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, as well as / or attending the Alameda County Board meeting outlined below.
And if you think our responses are unnecessary please go here and see what we're up against. Note: this is a long read but even skimming over it will give you the full impact that anti-OHV forces are hard at work.

You can email your letter supporting our family recreation to:
elizabeth.mcelligott@acgov.org Please ask her to forward them to Board President Haggerty and fellow Board members.
Remember to be polite and extol the many virtues of off highway recreation, such as the sustainable nature of State Parks Riding areas. The fact that Carnegie is open space more than half of the time. Not to mention the benefit to the many local businesses that are frequented by Carnegie users. The letter needs to be in by June 22.

Don't have time to write a letter?...go here for suggested comments you can cut and paste. (Scroll down for Don's suggestions).
The upcoming meeting, should you be able to attend:
Alameda County Board chambers 5th floor
1221 Oak street
Oakland, CA 94612
Tuesday June 23 11:00 am.
Meeting Agenda (scroll down to Page 10 - 11:00 am - General Administration)
Please Help us by distributing this information to all of your connections that ride and care for Carnegie.
Thank you in advance for your help!
Dave Pickett
AMA-District 36 LAO

 

[Butch]

This just sent:

Please consider the planned expansion at this state park as an opportunity for preservation of habitat.

Review of the proposed plan shows that most the terrain remains undisturbed, with trails to explore that open space, and state resources applied to manage and maintain that open space.

The OHV community is not the destructive force portrayed by some. Please consider real facts and community needs and endorse this park.

Thank you.

 

[Butch]

Did any of you make the meeting yesterday in the middle if the day? The OHV haters did.
Amy Granat of CORVA told me we were well represented, though outnumbered. BRC and AMA supported us too.

If we can get thousands, or tens of thousands ot emails in support of the proposed General Plan it will realy make a difference.
Please comment here:

http://carnegiegeneralplan.com/DEIR-comments

Apparantly it was a bit ugly.
This was posted on SBR:
http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/threads/147070/#post-2006536
I was there at the meeting. Basically the Supervisor is in bed with the Friends of Tesla. He made numerous remarks about a Holiday party being ruined because of the way the "board" would vote, He flew over the expansion with guess who EBMUD who are also supports of friends of tesla and the pathetic letter from the AC "Development Agency" who said they ask 10 people from both sides their opinion but the letter was one sided as the Supervisor wanted it. The other Supervisors just sat there and looked into space clueless as to what was going on. When it came time to vote there pretty wasn't any objection or rejections from the other board members just a "yea" and on to the next order of business. There are 60k registered OHV's in the county of Alameda Co and our voice was squashed except for who stood up and spoke. It appeared to be about 50/50 to me but they were there in force but really didn't have much st say other than it's back up against my house, more traffic, migration of some sort plant (which could be true but really). I should have mentioned the Lawrence Livermore Lad High Explosive test facility located directly across the street which is a massive eye sore also where they do prescribed burns.

We NEED to send in out thought and comment before the June 29th deadline as after that who knows where we will be. Hopefully the State will proceed as planned barring any ridiculous law suits which I'm sure they will see.

CORVA setup and sweet page with pretty good resources so check it out and send in your comments

http://www.corva.org/Carnegie-SVRA-Expansion

If you are a resident of Alameda Co as I am please send these turds your thought on the job they are doing representing the people of Alameda the minority not the majority.

http://acgov.org/board/

 

[Butch]

This is good too:
http://thegeneralsrecreationden.blogspot.com

 

[Lucky Jones]

I sent them a little love letter, hoping to help:

I support the General Plan for the expansion of Carnegie Park.

When I worked there in 1989 - 1990 as a Ranger's assistant, I grew to love the place. How incredible it was to have so many enthusiastic people visiting during riding season. Hundreds of riders and families on some weekends, keeping me busy and them enjoying an outdoor activity.

When the hillclimb returned after being gone, the atmosphere was incredible, so many people wanted to be a part of the event. I believe it was ten solid hours of selling tickets and checking in bikes on that Saturday alone.

On regular weekends alone, the park was crowded and the area would have benefitted with more land, but it was not to be.

I think it is well past time to grow. If the expansion is done responsibly, the new areas won't be overworked, and the old areas can have some chance at recovery.

Riders and their families need a place to go, make that place Carnegie Park and approve the expansion.

 

[Butch]

Three more days to make comments.
The haters are sending in hundreds.

Please ask your friends to send in a comment, and forward it to two more friends, and they do the same...

"Buddy, pal, we have an opportunity to triple the size of our riding area at the Carnegie SVRA outside Livermore. Can you send an email to
http://carnegiegeneralplan.com/DEIR-comments

And say some like "I am a taxpayer and a voter and I request you adopt the proposed General Plan"; can you forward this to at least two friends to do the same."?"

 

[Butch]

two more days

 

[Butch]

seven more hours to make comments...

 

[budman]

:bump

 

[Butch]

San Joaquin County Supports Carnegie!!!
About an hour left for your comments!