Plans continue for SLR River Park

Members and guests of the Bonsall Chamber of Commerce were informed at a June 23 community meeting that there is still a while to wait for the much-anticipated San Luis Rey River Park.

Plans for this park were once introduced in mid-2003, and has been in development with Caltrans, County of San Diego Parks and Recreation Dept., and the Bonsall community since. Once completed, it is estimated that the park will include 1,700 acres of property running parallel to State Route 76, and would be approximately nine miles long, beginning near East Vista Way and ending near Interstate 15. Plans include a combination of active and passive recreational opportunities, with over 20 miles of trails along the San Luis Rey River corridor.

Mark Massen, senior park planner from County Parks and Recreation Dept., let Chamber members know that while there does not seem to be a lot of physical progress being made, there are significant steps being taken to insure that once the project is able to start, it will be able to do so quickly.

"I don't get to make any final decisions [on when construction begins]," explained Massen. "My role as park planner is to be on the front line with Caltrans and to coordinate in conjunction with them to make sure that [the community's] interests are heard."

In order for work to begin on the river park, Caltrans must be finished with the State Route 76 expansion project. The latest completion date has been stated as the end of 2017.

Land that was acquired as part of the construction mitigation for the road would be then transferred as part of a agreement between the parks department and Caltrans, allowing for the park to develop.

"The plans for State Route 76 began in 1962, and the final segment is set to be finished in 2017 or 2018," said Massen. "It would be presumptuous of me to give you a date, since we have only been working on this for a little over a decade. All I know is that we can begin once Caltrans is done. It's a challenge to plan things like this out 50 years in advance, and Caltrans had money in the bank [for the expansion]."

Massen referenced other park projects similar to the river park project in the county, such as the Otai Valley and Sweetwater parks, which each took multiple decades to complete.

Massen said the river park would take "tens of millions" of dollars to complete, and in order to help alleviate the cost, he has been seeking grants for preserving land or for active recreational sites. In addition, properties being considered for the park that are not currently owned by the parks department are still in negotiations.

"The river park will be built pretty much on a flood plain, which makes it a challenge to plan, and adds additional costs, such as Army Corps permits. I don't know when we will have all of the money, but we are moving along," said Massen. "We are moving pretty fast compared to other county projects. We are moving as quickly as any movement can be."

Approximately 475 acres have been acquired for the park, and Massen stated that the other properties being considered will not be seized by eminent domain.

"We don't pursue properties," he said. "We still have a deficit of 400 acres. The most recent acquisition was in 2009, when we purchased Dulen Ranch from the Vessels family."

Another time-sensitive element of concern is a permit from the Army Corps regarding certain parcels of land.

"The director of parks must make a decision by 2017 or start over with mitigation," said Massen.

Other areas being considered are owned by the Army Corps, the Fallbrook and Bonsall school districts, and the water district.

"On some of those land parcels, we would like to attempt to at least have a trail connection," said Massen. "We are pretty proud of the fact that we've gotten three-fourths of our land, or at least an idea of when we will get it."

Massen also stated that the parks department can start on some sections of the river park trails once there is a specific direction they can head to. He referenced certain trails on the northern side of the SR 76 that would feed into the Fallbrook trails system.

"We have to be mindful of opening up these trails," he said. "Where would they go to? We may open pieces of the park with a 'soft open' to try them out, and then even close them if there is a possibility of too much unwanted activity. As soon as we have something logical, we will be ready, and I will present the community with all they need to begin this part of the project."

Massen stated there has been discussion about connecting the park's trails to existing Oceanside trails; however, there are no current connecting properties on the northern properties to Melrose Drive.

"Holly Lane is the most viable option, but it is privately owned," said Massen. "We are currently talking to the owners, and are also planning to discuss connections with the Valley Center park plans on the eastern side of the I-15."

Trails for pedestrians, equestrians, and bikes are all being considered, and may cover different parts of the park so that there is no congestion. Currently, trails have not been designated for specific use. The Bonsall Bridge would also be transferred to the parks department, and it would be improved so that it could be safely incorporated.

In addition to the trails, the master plan calls for 40- to 60-acres of active recreation. The rest will be considered passive recreation, including the trail system. The active recreation sections of the park would be located at the western-most and eastern-most sections of the park, and would require significant community input before construction would begin on them.

"We want the community to have a sense of ownership, and want the elements of the park," said Massen. "When we sent out surveys, ballparks were what were needed and wanted most on both ends of the park, but we would need to verify that this need is still there before we begin."

The San Luis Rey Tribe and City of Oceanside have already discussed maintenance and operation costs relating to the park. Massen said there are plans to have staff on ground patrol.

"Staff from Live Oak Park and Guajome Park would be responsible for trails and maintenance, and if that does not work, we have to arrange for a third party to provide those services," said Massen.

Massen stated that as further decisions and updates are made available, he would return to have more discussion with the community.

"I work for all these interests," he said. "I truly believe that government works best here at the local level, and as we draw closer to the beginning, I want you to give me input."