What is at stake is a citywide ban on bikes on dirt, and parking on street near the Fremont Older trail head at the end of Prospect Road. People have been riding bikes illegally on the parker ranch trails for at least 5 years. The current incantation of the bike “b” line consists of a series of jumps and berms that look like a lot of fun.
You Tube
Here is a well written article that appeared in the Los Gatos News that explains that the current bike trail has done environmental damage and will cost the city $84,000+ to re mediate damage done on private property. The Los Gatos News
The city has already had one meeting to address this concern.
Here are the minutes
ROMP does not condone acts of vandalism, illegal trail building and use. However, there are some items at risk here that are very important.
1) City wide ban on bikes on trails. Current plans for Sanborn park include the potential of trails from downtown Saratoga into Sanborn park. This possible trail would provide alternatives for youth and adults to access Sanborn park by bike without having to ride along the dangerous route 9 where a few cyclists are killed by motorists every decade.
2) Parking Ban on Prospect Road and Parker Ranch Rd. Many people use the Fremont Older trail head at the end of Prospect Rd. A ban on parking could greatly limit the access to this popular preserve when visitorship is high and the only parking is available on Prospect Rd.
3) There is tremendous pent up demand for this kind of riding in the Bay Area. The City of Saratoga should seriously consider developing an area where youth can dig and build jumps for riding their bikes on. A ban on bikes on dirt would prevent that.
Please attend the meeting on August 7 at the “North Campus” 19848 Prospect Rd. at 6 pm. If you cannot attend the meeting, please write to the city council at council@saratoga.ca.us.
