ANAHEIM : Official Calls Trail System Fragmented

The city’s trail system in the Anaheim Hills is fragmented because of property owners who have built fences and walls to block the dirt paths used by hikers, equestrians and bicyclists, the head of the parks department said this week.

Speaking to the City Council, Parks and Recreation Director Chris Jarvi said homeowners often don’t want trails running near their property because of “fears that are much worse than the reality.”

“Those fears include crime, loss of privacy, flies and property value reduction,” Jarvi said.

He showed the council photos of a dog run one property owner built on a trail. Another photo showed a blockade with a sign that read, “Trail ends here,” to discourage hikers.

The city has 21 miles of developed trails in the rural area of east Anaheim and has plans to build 37 more miles of trails. It spends $34,000 annually to maintain the system and an additional $10,000 to $40,000 annually for improvements, Jarvi said. The council earlier this year approved an ordinance that would require future individual home builders in the hills to give a strip of property to the city for trails before they receive their building permits.

A similar ordinance has long applied to large developers.

Previously, the builders could build after promising to give the city a trail strip. Jarvi said it is many of these owners who have built over a planned trail.

Jarvi said the city is negotiating with these owners to get the trails back. He said ultimately the city could simply take the trails back, but he would prefer a negotiated settlement.

“I don’t think we should use condemnation, but I don’t think we should say we won’t,” Jarvi said. “If we don’t have that option, many of these homeowners will just hold out forever.”