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There are only 9 days left to submit comments on the River West Fresno Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR). Comments are due by April 15, 2017. Read on for background information about the project, or skip ahead for specific ideas for your comment letters.
River West Fresno is a 400+ acre property just west of Highway 41. Over $10 million public and private dollars were invested in this site to bring it into public ownership. In the time since it was acquired, another $2 million has been allocated for planning, habitat enhancement, and environmental review of the proposed trail and access plan. There is a new segment of the Lewis S. Eaton Trail planned for this site, as well as picnicking and hiking access to an area larger than Woodward Park.
We encourage you to submit comments on the DEIR that request equitable vehicle access to the site for Fresno residents - urge the Conservancy Board to approve the project with all three potential public access locations: Palm & Nees, Riverview Drive, and Perrin Avenue under-crossing on old Highway 41.
There is an active effort to prevent Fresno citizens from driving on a public road (River View Drive) to public property (Fresno River West, aka Spano River Ranch), and we need your help! Please take the time to submit a comment letter today requesting access.
Here are some other points to note:
1. The Palm & Nees access point is not currently in public ownership, and is governed by a City of Fresno easement that states that it will only be used for river access under the same conditions that Riverview Drive is used.
2. In order to reduce any potential traffic impacts related to site access, it is appropriate to spread the potential visitors among three access sites rather than concentrating all of the visitors on one or two.
In order to better visualize the project and alternatives described in the DEIR, you can check out the videos by clicking the links below.
Click here for the Proposed Project and Alternative 1
Click here for two versions of Alternative 5 with Landfill issues
As a reminder, the River Parkway Trust is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that was formed in 1988 to create the San Joaquin River Parkway. The San Joaquin River Conservancy is a State agency that was formed in 1992 by assembly bill 2452 (Costa) to create the San Joaquin River Parkway. We work closely together because we have the mutual goal of creating the Parkway, but the Conservancy Board is the decision-maker on this particular project. The River Parkway Trust is providing this information as a service to the community.
We encourage you to send comments on the DEIR to the Conservancy Board.
Please urge the San Joaquin Conservancy to provide effective and equitable access to the River West Fresno property on the Fresno side of the river by providing vehicle access and parking from both the Riverview Drive and the Palm and Nees access points.
Be sure to send your comments on the DEIR to Melinda Marks by April 15, 2017.
Send your comments to:
Melinda Marks, Executive Officer
San Joaquin River Conservancy
5469 E. Olive
Fresno, CA 93727
If you have questions, please respond to this email or call us at 559-248-8480.
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