Foothills Sentry February 2020

Foothills Sentry Page 8 February 2020 By Andie Mills The final outreach workshop to collect the community’s input regarding a new park at Crawford Canyon Road and Newport Ave- nue, Jan. 16, was a collaboration between OC Parks, OC Public Works and the public. The currently unsightly trian- gular-shaped site is covered with debris and overgrown with weeds and trees. It offers design chal- lenges, including a 60-foot ease- ment, sewer, gas and power lines, and a significant 32-foot grade. Travis Ebbert, a senior design- er with OC Parks, presented two proposals for the 2.5-acre site, both incorporated playground equipment, trees and a natural setting requested by the public in a prior meeting and online sur- vey. The two maps were similar, with the exception of walkways that were straight in one concept and meandering in the other. A majority of neighbors and resi- dents – many of whom plan to walk dogs or enjoy the pastoral respite -- preferred the winding paths that curved through the park, making a quarter-mile loop. Safety first Many people voiced concerns about a lack of safety fencing, particularly along Newport. Both designs placed berms along New- port, which would not act as a sufficient barrier between the park and roadway. As resident Bret Nelson, a former Cub and Boy Scout leader put it, those would be “an attractive nuisance” for kids. They cited La Veta Park, with wrought iron fencing along the street, as a good safety ex- ample. Neighbors were also con- cerned about park egress and in- gress, for both vehicles and those on foot. There are existing side- walks along a stretch of Craw- ford Canyon, but there is a long – and dangerous -- gap between nearby Panorama Elementary School and the park. Pedestrians would be forced to walk along the curved narrow roadside. At present, there is no entry from the east side of Crawford Canyon. Residents voiced concern, too, that pedestrians entering from the homes off Hyde Park may try to jay-walk across Newport instead of walking down the length of the park, to enter at the Crawford Canyon and Newport intersec- tion. A crosswalk at Hyde Park was suggested. The vehicle entrance is designed for ingress for autos southbound on Newport; vehicles would also exit, traveling south. Newport is a heavily traveled roadway, and concerns were raised regarding rapid acceleration and decelera- tion, U-turns or sudden left-hand turns (by vehicles traveling north) during fast and heavy traffic. Park parking Area homeowners asked about adequate parking. They said the The plans for Crawford Canyon Park in North Tustin include meandering trails and landscaping; parking and safety are public concerns. OC Parks Senior Landscape Architect Travis Ebbert summarizes the comments of the neighbors at the Crawford Canyon Park collabora- tive planning meeting. Long-awaited Crawford Canyon Park is on the drawing board small private road off Crawford Canyon should not be opened to traffic or used for parking. They also prefer that neither Country Lane nor Country Haven be- come congested with parking. The group applauded the lack of bathrooms (no transients) and barbecues (no odors), and secu- rity lighting that would not dis- turb neighboring homeowners or entice late-night partiers. Citizens were also happy with the pro- posed natural design elements, with native plants and mid-size trees offering shade near the play area. The group suggested other amenities: more benches at the playground for parents; a long slide, handball courts; trash cans and doggie stations because, a resident noted, “there are more dogs than kids” on these streets; a drinking fountain; a control gate at the entrance to prohibit overnight parking. The collective voices suggested decomposed granite (DG) not be used, as it is dangerous for those on bikes and scooters. Groundbreaking is not antici- pated until 2021, with the open- ing slated for 2022. The county will receive $850,000, as part of the Clearwater at North Tustin Development Agreement. Santiago Oaks Park’s Horse Ambassador volunteer program is expanding and seeking ad- ditional horse and rider teams. Equestrian ambassadors ride the park’s trails to interact with hikers and bikers to spread the word about trail safety -- spe- cifically, how trails can be safely shared with horses. Volunteers are required to attend an eight- hour orientation and receive free first aid and CPR training. For more information, contact Santiago Oaks Regional Park Ranger Shelly Meneely at (714) 973-6623 or shelly.meneely@ ocparks.com . Horses and riders needed