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3/1/06 Meg Caldwell, Chairperson California Coastal Commission 200 Ocean Gate, Suite 1000 Long Beach, CA 90802 Subject: File # 5-05-476, Horse Arena, Upper Newport Bay Dear Meg, I am in receipt of a copy of a letter from Sylvia Marson that was sent to you on Feb. 10th asking you to oppose this project. As I read this letter, I was appalled at Ms. Marson’s obvious lack of knowledge regarding the history of this project and how out of touch with the community she is. As the Project Advisory Chairman for the Santa Ana Hts. Redevelopment Agency, I have worked on this horse arena project for 6 years. Let me give you some background…. Santa Ana Hts. IS and ALWAYS will be an equestrian community. We cherish our equestrian heritage and protect it fiercely. In 2000 the Project Advisor Board,(or PAC as we are better known), decided to create this horse arena project in the Delhi Channel since most of the equestrians in the area were already using this land for jumping and riding using old tires and discarded wood as a make shift facility. The PAC felt this was a hazard and we needed to create a safer more controlled atmosphere for the equestrians. We took our recommendation to our Supervisor who then took it to the Orange County Board of Supervisors. The project was approved. We have worked diligently with OC Harbors Beaches and Parks along with the County Redevelopment Agency to come up with a location and design that satisfied the residents and the County Agencies involved. In 2003 Santa Ana Hts. was annexed to the City of Newport Beach. That’s when the City became involved in this project. They took a look at this project and the background work that had been done, and the City Council voted to move forward with it as well. We have had a trails subcommittee that has consisted of equestrians and non equestrians working with all the various governmental agencies since the inception of the arena idea. We have discussed this project with the community at literally ever single PAC meeting since 2000…that’s a lot of discussion! Now all these years later, Ms. Marson and her group pop up out of no where a few months ago and demand this project not be approved? Where have they been for 6 years? It’s not like this has been a well kept secret! Does this group really believe that the County , the City of Newport Beach staff and Council, not to mention the residents of Santa Ana Hts. have hap hazardly stumbled on this project to ruin the very Back Bay we live in? The whole thing is absurd. How down right arrogant of this group and Ms Marson. Last month our subcommittee and the City sat down with this group to explain the background and the work that had been done. They answered all questions and walked away feeling they had come to an understanding. And then low and behold the letter from Ms. Marson is written. Everyone is scratching their heads in disbelief. The ONLY thing that makes sense to me is that the naturalist group has another agenda, and that agenda is to use this land for their own purposes and ultimately ban horses from the Back Bay totally. I can assure you that this community, the PAC, and the City of Newport Beach, as well as the County, all support the equestrian aspect of Santa Ana Hts. Santa Ana Hts is a strong and focused community that is well aware of the water quality issues we face. We have complied with every governmental request on this long journey. And have been guided through the process by the County and the City of Newport Beach. *Our PAC was instrumental in donating 2 million dollars to help build the Interpretive Nature Center. *We have adopted a stringent program in the neighborhood to make sure that the horse poop is picked up along the trails along with fines for those who don’t comply. *The Back Bay Equestrians have an “adopt a trail program” that insures volunteers walk the trails daily to scoop up horse poop. This program has been enormously successful *We have a “Poop Can Program” supplying small trash cans along the trails so folks walking dogs or horses can clean up after their animals more conveniently. Those cans are maintained by the homeowners along the trails. *We urge homeowners to use the ET Controllers to water lawns and all that information is on our website. This community overwhelming supports this project and I urge you to let the process move forward for the safety of the equestrians and to preserve the wonderful nature of Santa Ana Hts. Please take a moment to look at our website and become familiar with this project as well as our community. Ms. Marson seems to think that the arena only benefits a few, she couldn’t be more wrong. It seems that Ms. Marson and the Newport Bay Naturalist are the few …….. This group calls themselves”naturalists” well, what is more “natural” than horses riding free along the wonderful trails of the Back Bay. The horses were here way before the “naturalists” who showed up two months ago.…. Feel free to contact me Sincerely Barbara Venezia PAC Chairman CC: Newport Beach City Council CC: Supervisor Silva CC: PAC CC: City Mgr. & Assist City Mgr. Newport Beach CC: John Moorlach **************************** |
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