YORBA LINDA : Residents Seeking Limits on Trail Use

Along the miles of trails that wind through the city, the traffic is mostly children walking or riding to and from school and an occasional horseback rider.

But in some areas, the dust raised along the trails isn’t from children’s feet or horses’ hoofs, but from cars and trucks. A little-known policy allows residents to obtain a permit to drive their vehicles on the trail.

A number of residents have called on the city to stop the practice of granting permits and argue that the use of the trails should be limited to pedestrians, bike and horse riders.

But the City Council decided Tuesday to continue allowing cars and trucks to share the trails with children, horseback riders, bike riders and joggers. Ignoring pleas from residents to at least force permit seekers to receive council approval, the council gave full authority for granting permits to City Manager Arthur C. Simonian.

“Do you really want to pass an ordinance giving sole discretion to the city manager to grant permits?” Joe Markus asked the council. “Keep control of the trails with the City Council. The trails should be protected to that degree.”

Carol Metz, president of a local equestrian group, said trails should be treated the same as ball fields and parks.

Motor vehicles on trails “interfere with my recreational space,” Metz said. “I couldn’t get a permit to drive my truck through a baseball field.”

City officials say there are fewer than 10 residents with permits allowing them to drive cars, trucks and recreational vehicles on the trails. Most are on the west side of town and are held by residents who want better access to their back yards.

“A few are for people with RVs who only move them a few times a year,” City Engineer Roy Stephenson said. “The rest are for people who need access for hauling manure and hay on a weekly basis.”