(20)AR 061907 correspondence regarding Colton Regional Park Project

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r V11 1J LVC.l1 1J'JI 's.a�usl..•i a June 11, 2007 J UJ l G uulu-tt-CID Supervisor Josic Gonzalez 385 N. Arrowhead Ave, Fifth Floor San Bernardino, CA 92415-0110 ,k7(JJve r-. ul/ Ue THE E V' V' I L !L./' Li A 1, \ D S 1 �I `y 11:� 1`�. ��Y 1 �I �� `JL Dear. Supervisor..jGonzalez,... ... -. . RECEIVED .JUN 1 3'2M7 JOSIE GONZALES 5TH DISTRICT SUPERVISOf;, San Bernardino County Regional Parks and The Wildlands Conservancy (TWC) have worked hard on the Colton Regional Park project for over, five years: This work has included a Master Plan, which was accomplished with a $400,000 donation to 'the county from TWC, and the acquisition of the first 17 acres, for which TWC donated the acquisition cost to the county. There was a public hearing on this park as well as community meetings that garnered broad public support from Colton communities. This park also received broad support from the former Colton Mayor and former Colton City Council. The park has suffered several setbacks. The City of Colton voted to sell its interest in the La Sierra property, the first phase of the park, to the Hodgen and .Yeager construction. Delays by the City of Colton required San Bernardino County to spend $3.3 million in Proposition 40 funds on another project. Now Mayor Chastain has suggested that the 17 acres acquired for the park be sold to a developer and that the proceeds go to Colton's flood control protects. Next the council wants to explore another park location. Master planning for a new location will take years in delays. This will cause the county to reprioritize the 510. million in Proposition 84 funds earmarked for San Bernardino County to spend along the Santa Ana River Parkway, which the county was going to spend entirely on the Colton Regional Park. As you know, TWC wrote the Proposition 84 language for the Santa Ana River Parkway and played a major role in messaging voters. _. . . San Bernardino County Regional Parks Director Tom Potter and I realized that our organizations were not even thanked at a recent city council meeting for our efforts to create this much needed park. Instead we suffered the repeated suggestion by Councilmember Mitchell that it was "criminal" for the city to support the present location without exploring the development potential of the property and the relocation of the park. Since the city council's discussion to explore another location put the $400,000 we donated for the Master Plan at risk of being wasted, TWC has decided that it is best for our organization to formally withdraw future funding for this project. TWC will spend these private funds on a youth facility at Fairmount Park in the City of Riverside, where the mayor and city council members support the project. We offer the county and the City of Colton our best wishes and hope the 3f)G I 1 Oak Glen Ro�iC1 M 13 • Uak Glen, CA 92399 � (909) 737-8507 Fax ((.)Of)) 797-4a,-17 www.. wildlandsconservancy.org