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Open Space board gets timeline and community input on four proposed West Side trailheads
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Summary
Staff updated the Open Space Advisory Board on completed work and next steps for two near-term trailheads (Bear Ridge, Mountain‑to‑River) and a broader Hunt Communities plan for four West Side trailheads; board members pressed for safety, parking separation, trash/bench placement and clearer naming and park‑permit signage.
Staff and consultants told the Open Space Advisory Board that two trailheads are nearly ready and that a broader four‑site trailhead program is moving through city review.
Gilbert Guerrero of Capital Improvements said crews have "already installed the sidewalks up to that trail," screened parking areas, painted the ADA parking space and are finishing an information kiosk and picnic seating at the Bear Ridge site. He said a contractor walkthrough is scheduled later this month; "once that's done, by the following week, Monday or Tuesday, we should be open to the public," he said, noting the water meter for irrigation remains pending but "that’s not holding us up" for a soft opening.
Shane Mercer presented a separate Hunt Communities initiative that would deliver four initial trailheads in the West Side — a currently named Lost Dog trail head (staff used the tentative name “Lost Puppy” in design documents), High Plains, Lenoria Point and a Franklin Hills site — with amenities such as a 20×25 shade structure (Ramada), picnic tables (one ADA), benches, bike racks and repair stands, water stations, trash and dog‑waste receptacles, trail signage and ADA ramps. Mercer said subdivision plats for four trailheads were submitted April 9, review and approvals are anticipated by city reviewers and plan approval could lead to construction starting in January, with a phased program aiming for completion of the four sites by 2028.
Board members focused on on‑the‑ground logistics. The chair noted a visible transition at Bear Ridge that appears to drop toward an EP Water drainage channel and urged staff to consider fences or other deterrents so trail users do not enter the drainage. Staff said they will raise the concern in regular coordination with EP Water. Members also asked that trail parking be clearly separated from adjacent business or church parking; Gilbert Guerrero said the trailhead will have a separate driveway and an entry monument to discourage spillover.
Members recommended simple amenities to reduce litter and improve user experience — "always put a trash can," one member said — and asked that art or entry elements be designed to host unobtrusive trail counters and provide photographic sight lines (natural mountain backdrop) to support both stewardship data and marketing. Mercer and design engineer Adrian Ontiveros confirmed landscaped areas will include ponding/sumped features to control stormwater runoff and irrigation impacts.
The board flagged the tentative “Lost Puppy” label as inconsistent with local history and asked staff to consult the District 1 representative and open‑space stakeholders on naming. Mercer said staff are open to renaming options and will accept suggestions from the board and community.
Next steps cited during the meeting: staff will complete the contractor walkthrough at the near‑term sites and confirm a soft opening date for Bear Ridge; continue plan reviews with the City Plan Commission and permit processes for the four Hunt‑initiated trailheads; and return to the board with updated photos and status reports. The board also requested that staff coordinate with EP Water on drainage concerns and with parks about whether and when to schedule ribbon‑cutting events.
