Another year, another discussion of the Union Pacific trail. And two other regular items. There are also five proclamations and five appointments, including two to the Library Board and one to Parks & Recreation.
Item 15: Union Pacific (UP) Trail right-of-way was brought back at the request of two Council members (Zahra and Charles) and was, at the request of Council member Whitaker –for no apparent reason — put off until January 16. Twenty people, most of whom had come to speak in favor of the trail, spoke against the delay. Expect another 20 or so speakers. The City has a $1.78 million grant for the trail. The estimated cost is $2.2-$2.5 million, with much of the difference paid for with Park Dwelling fees (See item 16 below).
Item 16: Policy for distribution of Park Dwelling Fees. Each new development must pay a park development fee to the City to address the need for more park facilities for the increase in population due to the development. This item would consider how these fees are distributed geographically. Current policy would allow use anywhere in the City. (Most parks are overwhelmingly in the northern part of Fullerton.) Two revisions are proposed. Both would restrict 50% of the funds to be used closer to projects with over 20 dwelling units. The City could receive over $12 million from projects in the pipeline.
Item 17: Make the current interim police chief the permanent chief. That would be Jonathan Radus, who has been with the department since 2002 and interim since September.
Agenda for January 16, 2024: Agenda-January 16
Environmental Study for Union Pacific Rail to Trail Phase 2 area: Environmental Report for UP
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Categories: Community Voices, Health, Local Government, Local News
I love how drawings along the so-called Trail to Nowhere (thanks, Jane!) never show the barbed-wire fences, and piles of junk, abandoned cars, parking lots and graffitied walls that run along it. It’s a deliberate attempt to hide the truth.
I think everyone knows what an abandoned lot looks like. Kind of the point, if you develop it it won’t look like that.
And the long proposed use for that trail per the 2012 bicycle master plan which the council directed parks to implement was supposed to be a class 1 bicycle trail.
For some reason this council decided to abandon the plan after the grant was made and with no alternative and no revision to the bicycle master plan.
Dysfunction junction.
John: “…if you build it, they will come.”
In the “City of Education,” it’s shocking and appalling that we don’t have better bicycle infrastructure (ESPECIALLY radiating around ALL schools). This CouncilMajority likes to use the excuse that “no one uses the bike trails,” to shelf/delay plans/development. But I’d argue that it’s because: bicyclists don’t want to be killed/want to be able to ride safety; and there is no infrastructure/safety thus the absence of “users.”
Another issue is that most existing infrastructure is N-S when a lot of commutes are W-E. If I could take a trail instead of going down Chapman I absolutely would…
I do not think any future construction projects would have the place look like a dump when trying to show what it could look like. Also, it is a portion of the trail that will eventually link up with neighboring cities and pass by the newly refurbished Hunt Library, so it is not a path to no where as Bushala followers like to call it.
That is exactly what this trail looks like.. a dump and dangerous!!
Also it is unprofessional to be name calling when you are a part of this so called newspaper…
Or all the used syringes or the memorial crosses of people who have died along that trial!!!
And now the sections show nice new buildings as neighbors. Nope, nothing like that exists.
That is the proposal with a projection of what it may look like with the Housing Incentive Overlay Zone completed by developers such as Bushala Bros.
Yay! The CouncilMajority did the right thing and approved the UPTrailGrant$ to be used as intended! Hooray!
They did?? Glad to hear. Thanks for providing the update for those who couldn’t make it tonight!