YORBA LINDA : City Restricts Parking by State Park Patrons

Hikers, mountain bikers and joggers who use Chino Hills State Park near Rim Crest Drive may park on nearby residential streets only during daylight hours, the City Council declared this week after a heated public debate.

Residents had asked the council to prohibit park patrons altogether from using Blue Gum and Rim Crest drives, saying they are tired of being awakened by early-morning athletes and startled by bicyclists changing clothes in the streets.

“It’s like a 7-Eleven parking lot,” said Michele Weber, who lives near the park entrance.

After a two-hour public hearing, the council agreed Tuesday to allow public parking from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. At all other times, vehicles without resident stickers will be ticketed.

“If we find this isn’t enough, we will revisit it in six months,” Mayor Pro Tem John M. Gullixson said.

Bikers, hikers and other park users who attended the meeting said they were sympathetic to the homeowners’ concerns but argued that the city should not limit access to the park.

“These are public streets,” said Harriet Edwards of Fullerton. “They are not your private property.”

The council also agreed to consider building a parking lot on the Yorba Linda side of the park in partnership with the state Department of Parks and Recreation.