Cal4Wheel attends California OHV Commission meeting February 27

This meeting was like most meetings, long and dry, with comments from CORVA, Friends of Oceano, AMA District 36, Cal4 Wheel and more. Topic for the meeting was about the Transformation of the OHV Division into the Parks and Rec. Further topics brought up were Carnegie and Oceano.

On the Transformation, most speakers found that the Parks and Rec Division is not providing leadership that is responsible or knowledgeable of the OHV park users. OHV high level positions are not being filled, creating a lack of leadership for parks. One of these parks is Oceano. Without leadership, Oceano has no clear leader to maintain the park. Some comments made: There is a lack of trust from the OHV users of the Parks and Rec Management, “a ship without a rudder”, the OHV division is losing the past culture that has represented OHV stake holders, and a suggestion to keep OHV office staff together at one office sight (the need for stake holders in the community).

There were also questions about what OHV should be funding on some of the project and proposals that have been built and proposed to be built, like the Oso Flaco parking area that has no OHV entrance.

It was pointed out that the fencing off of 48 acres was not accomplished per the modeling of the area before the fencing was installed. There was also the point that 48 acres could be opened up to compensate for the closed 48 acres.

The temperament of the Commission seems to be very pro-user and suggested that the OHV Division was lacking the qualified people and supervisors needed to accomplish the work needed to maintain the parks. One question raised by Tom Lemmon, a commissioner on the Board, was for the OHV Parks lawyers, once and for all, find out which Department has the decisive and final decision over Oceano: the California Coastal Commission, the Air Quality Board, or California Parks and Recreation/OHV Parks?

It was brought up that the once partnership between OHV Parks and users to provide safety training has been lost and needs to be reviewed.

The history of the dunes and open riding was brought up.

These are just a few of the points brought up by the people that talked to the commissioners.

Thank you to Allen Schrage, Tom Phillips, Dirk and Danette Starksen, and John McCready for attending the meeting, and for Jim Bramham, Don Spuhler, Jared Macleod, Karen Suty and Jeff Blewett for speaking on behalf of Cal4Wheel OHV users.

Please Go To cal-span:California state meetings for the complete video of the meeting.