The photo shows an example of a natural trail being proposed in the Residences East subdivision that would connect Puerto Drive to Stonehouse Park. It is opposed by the Rancho Murieta Association (RMA), which won support for an asphalt trail at the Jan. 17 meeting of the Rancho Community Services District Association (CSD) Board. Courtesy photo

RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - Although the Rancho Murieta Community Services District (CSD) has no jurisdiction over the community’s parks, it still became involved in a dispute between developers and the Rancho Murieta Association (RMA). It played out at a CSD board meeting on Jan. 17.

The clash centered on a one-mile trail that would connect Puerto Drive to Stonehouse Park inside the Residences East and West subdivision where grading is expected to begin this year. Developer Bob Keil and his partners are proposing a natural surface trail. The Rancho Murieta Association is insisting on the construction of a Class I asphalt trail that would be 12 feet wide with 2-feet shoulders It would be far more costly than an unpaved trail.

Developer Bob Keil spreads his arms to give an idea of the trail width. He said the RMA-preferred trail would mean felling many trees. Courtesy photo

After both sides laid out their arguments, the CSD Board voted 4:1 to side with RMA.

The CSD involvement stemmed from the formation of a five-member Parks Committee to make decisions about developing parks more than 30 years ago. The RMA has two representatives, the development community has two, and CSD has one – Director Linda Butler.

CSD Director Linda Butler opposes a paved trail. Courtesy photo

Scott Adams, the RMA board president, said he and other directors met with Keil five times over the past six months to discuss the trail without making any progress. Keil then requested a meeting of the Parks Committee for approval of his trail so he wouldn’t have to go back to the county.

RMA President Scott Adams says a paved trail for the subdivision was approved 20 years ago and is needed to deal with increasing traffic. Courtesy photo

In asking that the matter be placed on the CSD Board agenda, Adams said that the two RMA representatives had been directed to vote for the paved trail while the two developer representatives would be voting for a non-paved trail. That made CSD the tiebreaker.

“The RMA Board respectfully asks that (1) you direct your Parks representative to reject Mr. Keil’s unilateral request for a Parks meeting and (2) if a Parks Committee meeting is held, you direct your parks representative to oppose any motion that deviates from the Parks prior approved Class I trail design,” his letter said.

Shortly after the discussion began, Director Stephen Booth made a motion to hold the meeting but to direct Butler to vote against the natural trail. But he didn’t get a second. Towards the end of the discussion, Director Martin Pohl made the motion to reject the meeting, which passed 4:1. Butler was the no vote.

Developer argument

Keil said the Residences project went through an environmental impact report (EIR) process before the county approval in 2007. “What was approved by the county was a six-foot-wide DG (decomposed gravel) path,” he said. After Keil showed it to the Murieta Trail Stewardship, they warned him the path would be slippery and wash out frequently. The group referred him to a trail architect and a trail builder. He then approached RMA for approval of a change from DG to a natural trail surface.

Keil said that RMA rejected his plan saying a Class I trail design was required. Keil said an asphalt trail wasn’t approved until 2013 or 2018. Sacramento County also has told him that asphalt path isn’t currently permitted and would require another EIR.

Keil said building a Type I paved trail would require extensive grading and the removal of many trees. “No one seems to be talking about the devastation to the area,” he said.

RMA argument

Adams said the Parks Committee unanimously adopted the county trail specifications and approved a trail system with Class I trails in 2003.  One of the developers voting for it was Bob Cassano who then owned the Residences East. Adams said they met with Keil five times and were willing to discuss a non-paved trail as long it satisfied the characteristics expected by RMA and the residents. That included the accommodation of everything from golf carts to wheelchairs, space for two-way traffic and the accommodation of heavy traffic year round.

Adams said that Keil hasn’t submitted site specific information and his most recent proposal looked like a bike path.

Adams said after the trail is built, RMA be responsible for maintaining it. He expects it to be heavily used because it would give residents the option of avoiding the substantial traffic on Puerto and Guadalupe Drives to get to Stonehouse, which is the busiest park in the community.

Butler’s comments

Butler began her remarks by saying her direction would have to come from the entire board. However, having visited the site with Keil she had her own thoughts.

“I don’t see how you can expect that one-mile trail to take care of our traffic problems,” she said.

She also referred to problems with speeding golf carts on the paved path (that isn’t a Class I) connecting the north and south. “I think it would be nice if something was done in this community that was not directed at golf carts, “ she said. “This just seems to me like they are asking for trouble.”

Other director comments

Booth said the new houses being built will increase traffic, and he likes the idea of diverting substantial golf cart traffic off the main roads.

Booth also said he had talked to John Merchant earlier in the day, Merchant is a former CSD and Vice-President of SOLOS. “Even though he is the champion of natural trails, he favors the paved pathway for the same reasons that I described,” Booth said.

Pohl said the trail needs to be safe. The Class I design would provide safety and would be easier to maintain. He also noted that the trail standard had already been set, “I’m not in favor of changing the standard,” Pohl said.

Director Randy Jenco said that since RMA would end up owning the path and maintaining it. “I don’t know why we would do anything other than what they want as far as the path,” he said.

President Tim Maybee told Pohl he liked his motion not to hold a Parks Committee meeting “because that pushes everybody back to the negotiation table.”.

Pohl, Jenco, and Maybee are all previous members of the RMA Board of Directors.