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January 9, 2005

Supervisors meet to discuss countywide park system

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They would only be starting what might be a long journey, should they choose to go forward.

The park district proposal remains in its infancy. There is no list of future parks, though the King Ranch and Lynch Canyon in the hills between Fairfield and Vallejo are among those mentioned in the past.

Nor is it clear how much money is needed to pay for rangers, park maintenance and other financing needs. Still another question mark is whether to seek a tax to fund the parks.

Supervisors would fill in the details later after more public hearings. Tuesday's meeting is more about keeping options open.

State legislation is needed before the county can put a park district on the ballot. The deadline for submitting new bills to the Legislative Counsel is Jan. 21, a county agenda report said.

The board must decide whether to seek such legislation this year, leaving open the possibility of a 2006 ballot measure.

"It is still a multi-step process," Supervisor Duane Kromm said.

Parks Services Manager Anthony Norris said a "voyage of discovery" would still lie ahead for the board.

But Supervisor Mike Reagan proposed a different approach. He talked of working out the details on a park district first, then seeking legislation, if the county decided to go ahead. Many more people need to be heard from on the issue, he said.

"Just because the Legislature has this artificial deadline doesn't mean we have to do something before we're ready for it," he said Friday.

Supervisors meet at 8:30 a.m. in their chamber at 580 Texas St. The meeting will open with a closed session on another topic.

The East Bay Regional Park District in Contra Costa and Alameda counties is an example of a Bay Area park district.

This district runs 65 parks, such as Tilden and Briones, where people can hike and explore. Most of its money comes from property taxes and other assessments in the two counties.

What a Solano County park district would look like remains to be seen. But a local group has been laying the groundwork.

Friends of Solano Regional Park District held meetings for months. The group lists such supporters as Kromm, Fairfield City Councilmembers Marilyn Farley and Jack Batson, former Assemblyman Tom Hannigan and Brent Schoradt of the Greenbelt Alliance.

It has put together what it calls "guiding principles" for a park district and submitted them to the county.

A park district needs a governing board. This board could be directly elected or a mixture of elected and appointed representatives, the principles said.

Financing is a key issue. Options include grants, private donations, parcel tax, sales tax and bonds, the principles said.

The Trust for Public Lands is working on a financial study for a Solano County parks district. Supervisors could discuss the result of this and a county financial study in spring.

A local park district would have no powers of eminent domain, the Friends of Solano Regional Park District principles said.

Protecting agriculture is a big issue. An attempt in 2002 to form an open space district failed when farmers protested that people might hike on or near their land, hurting their operations.

Among the things proposed by Friends of Solano Regional Park District to protect agriculture:

- Rangers and fire patrols.

- Fencing, signs and public education to prevent trespassing.

- Appropriate hours of operation with restricted access during sensitive seasons.

- Buffer areas in the parks.

- Work to prevent the spread on invasive species and disease.

The county's Agricultural Advisory Committee discussed the proposed park district on Dec. 8, 2004.

"They're still getting their arms around the protection of agriculture," Norris said.

Friends of Solano Regional Park District approached the county about legislation that would allow a park district ballot measure.

Reach Barry Eberling at 425-4646 Ext. 232 or at beberling@dailyrepublic.net.

At a glance

Who: Solano County Board of Supervisors

What: Countywide park district

When: Tuesday, 8:30 a.m.

Where: Supervisors chamber, 580 Texas St.

Info: 421-7900

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