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Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces - Moreno Valley

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CHAPTER 4–P ARKS , R EC . & OPEN SPACE MORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLAN4. PARKS, RECREATION AND OPEN SPACE ELEMENT4.1 Setting<strong>Open</strong> space is a major feature within the<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> study area. For the purposesof this General Plan, open space includesl<strong>and</strong> that is planned to remain in a naturalcondition or substantially free of structures.It does not include vacant property plannedfor future development, except for hillsideproperties where a large percentage of suchproperty will remain in a natural condition.<strong>Open</strong> space comprises a relatively largepercentage of the study area <strong>and</strong> bordersthe City on three sides, giving it a settingunlike any other community in the region.<strong>Open</strong> space l<strong>and</strong> can be classified intoseveral categories, depending on theprimary purpose for which it is used. Itincludes l<strong>and</strong>s for preservation of naturalresources (e.g. wildlife habitat), productionof resources (e.g. farming), public health<strong>and</strong> safety (e.g. floodplains), low-densityresidential development <strong>and</strong> outdoorrecreation (e.g. parks). Figure 4-1 is a mapof open space l<strong>and</strong>s within <strong>and</strong> around thestudy area.4.2 <strong>Open</strong> Space4.2.1 <strong>Open</strong> Space for the Preservationof Natural ResourcesA large amount of the study area consists ofopen space l<strong>and</strong>s managed for thepreservation of natural resources. Theseareas include the Box Springs MountainReserve, the San Timoteo Canyon Parkproperty, the Lake Perris State <strong>Recreation</strong>Area <strong>and</strong> the San Jacinto Wildlife Area.These areas are also used for hiking,horseback riding <strong>and</strong> other uses.The Box Springs Mountain Reserve <strong>and</strong> theSan Timoteo Canyon Park property areowned <strong>and</strong> operated by Riverside CountyRegional Park <strong>and</strong> <strong>Open</strong> Space District.They are primarily mountainous naturalopen space parks.The Box Springs Mountain Reserve islocated at the northwest corner of <strong>Moreno</strong><strong>Valley</strong>. The Reserve consists of threenoncontiguous l<strong>and</strong> areas, two of which arewithin the City’s sphere of influence.San Timoteo Canyon Park property islocated east of the City’s sphere of influencealong the north side of State Route 60.About 1,100 acres of the property, includingthe Badl<strong>and</strong>s L<strong>and</strong>fill is jointly owned by theRegional Park <strong>and</strong> <strong>Open</strong> Space District <strong>and</strong>Riverside County Waste ManagementDistrict.Lake Perris State <strong>Recreation</strong> Area, locatedsouth of <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>, is about 8,000acres in area. The <strong>Recreation</strong> Areacontains a major reservoir, natural openspace <strong>and</strong> facilities for boating <strong>and</strong> fishing,picnicking <strong>and</strong> camping. About 1,600 acresof the property was dedicated to the State ofCalifornia as mitigation for loss of wildlifehabitat due to development of the <strong>Moreno</strong><strong>Valley</strong> Ranch Specific Plan. The LakePerris State <strong>Recreation</strong> Area serves as oneof several habitat reserves for theendangered Stephen’s kangaroo rat.The San Jacinto Wildlife Area in thesoutheastern corner of the study areaconsists of gently sloping grassl<strong>and</strong>s, sagescrub <strong>and</strong> natural <strong>and</strong> man-made wetl<strong>and</strong>sthat support migratory birds <strong>and</strong> residentwildlife. Bird watching <strong>and</strong> hunting arepopular activities. Some of the adjoiningproperty is owned by private organizationsdedicated to hunting <strong>and</strong> wildlifeconservation.Several open space areas are located alongsoft-bottomed drainage courses within theplanned communities of Sunnymead Ranch<strong>and</strong> Hidden Springs. The City also ownsPage 4-1 July 11, 2006


PERRIS BLVDBoxSpringsMountainRegionalParkRECH ES AN TI MOTEOCANYON RDCANYON RDCITY OFMORENO VALLEYSPHEREBox SpringsMountainRegional ParkPIGEON PASS RDPERRIS BLVDSAN TIMOTEO CANYON RDBOX SPRINGS RDp Z215DAY STCACTUS AVEFREDERICK STIRONWOOD AVECOTTONWOOD AVESUNNYMEAD BLVDEUCALYPTUS AVEHEACOCK STINDIAN STPERRIS BLVDJACLYN AVEALESSANDRO BLVDCITY OF MORENO VALLEYLASSELLE STCOTTONWOOD AVECACTUS AVEMORENO BEACH DRIRONWOOD AVENASON STREDLANDS BLVDMORENO BEACH DRLOCUST AVETHEODORE ST|ÿ 60 HighwaysNatural <strong>Open</strong> Space, <strong>Parks</strong>,FIGURE 4-1Badl<strong>and</strong>s Norton Younglove ReserveOPEN SPACESanitaryL<strong>and</strong>fillStreetsMajor StreetsGolf Courses, Flood Basins, <strong>and</strong>other <strong>Open</strong> AreasALESSANDRO BLVDGILMAN SPRINGS RDHillside Residential<strong>and</strong> Rural ResidentialFlood PlainState <strong>and</strong> County <strong>Parks</strong>San Jacinto Wildlife AreaBadl<strong>and</strong>s L<strong>and</strong>fill<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong><strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> SphereVAN BUREN BLVDMARCH ARBJOHN F KENNEDY DRIRIS AVELASSELLE STIRIS AVEDAVIS RDCITY OFMORENO VALLEYSPHEREMarch ARBWaterbodies±5,000 2,500 0 5,000Lake Perris State <strong>Recreation</strong>SAN JACINTOWILDLIFE AREA0.5 0.25 0 0.5 1MilesFeetDate: July 11, 2006State Plane NAD83 Zone 6File: G:\arcmap\planning\gen_plan_updates\openspace.mxdp Z215WEBSTER AVERAMONA EXYOLEANDER AVEKINE AVELAKE PERRISGEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMSThe information shown on this map was compiled fromthe Riverside County GIS <strong>and</strong> the City of <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>GIS. The l<strong>and</strong> base <strong>and</strong> facility information on this mapis for display purposes only <strong>and</strong> should not be relied uponwithout independent verification as to its accuracy.Riverside County <strong>and</strong> City of <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> willnot be held responsible for any claims, losses ordamages resulting from the use of this map.


CHAPTER 4–P ARKS , R EC . & OPEN SPACE MORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLANtwo natural open space areas. One openarea is adjacent to the <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>Equestrian Center, located at the northeastcorner of Redl<strong>and</strong>s Boulevard <strong>and</strong> LocustAvenue. A second natural open space areais located north of Sunnymead RanchParkway, on the east side of PerrisBoulevard.Natural open space can also be foundwithin the steeply sloping areas designatedRural Residential <strong>and</strong> Hillside Residentialon the General Plan l<strong>and</strong> use map. Theseareas contain wildlife habitat, watershedbenefits <strong>and</strong> scenic values that can beconserved even as these areas aredeveloped. Natural open space can beconserved because these areas areplanned for low-density residentialdevelopment. Low-density developmentrequires a minimal amount of l<strong>and</strong>disturbance.4.2.2 <strong>Open</strong> Space for Public Health <strong>and</strong>SafetyA substantial amount of l<strong>and</strong> within the studyarea cannot be developed due to publichealth <strong>and</strong> safety concerns. These includeareas subject to air crash hazards, flooding<strong>and</strong> cemeteries.March Air Reserve Base, located southwestof the city limits, was once an active dutyaerial refueling <strong>and</strong> deployment base. Theairfield is a joint-use military reserve base<strong>and</strong> civilian airport. The l<strong>and</strong> at each end ofthe runway is subject to significant danger ofaircraft accidents during takeoff <strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong>ing.The l<strong>and</strong> below the l<strong>and</strong>ing approach,designated as the clear zone, is within thestudy area. It is located at the northeastcorner of Heacock Street <strong>and</strong> Ole<strong>and</strong>erAvenue. Only open space uses areappropriate within the clear zone.Part of the southeast corner of the planningarea is within the floodplain of the SanJacinto River. The resulting floodwater,known as Mystic Lake, has been known toinundate the area for months <strong>and</strong> sometimesyears at a time. The l<strong>and</strong> use designation forthe area is Floodplain. Only uses consistentwith the protection of public health <strong>and</strong> safetyare allowed within this area.Man-made lakes <strong>and</strong> flood control basinsare also important open space features.Man-made lakes are found within thecommunities of Sunnymead Ranch <strong>and</strong><strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> Ranch. A network of flooddetention basins <strong>and</strong> flood channels exist orare planned throughout the study area.Although public access is restricted to mostflood control facilities, plans for publicrecreational uses have been made forseveral flood detention basins, includingPoorman’s Reservoir, the Nason Basin <strong>and</strong>the Elder Basin.A cemetery is yet another form of openspace set aside for public health <strong>and</strong> safetypurposes. Cemeteries are open space usesalthough they typically include accessorybuildings such as mausoleums. Thesoutheast corner of State Route 60 <strong>and</strong>Gilman Springs Road is designated for useas a cemetery.4.2.3. <strong>Open</strong> Space for the Production ofResources<strong>Open</strong> space for the production of resourcesincludes open space used for agriculturalproduction <strong>and</strong> open space used for themineral production. The acreage within thestudy devoted to these uses is expected todecrease.Agricultural open space within the studyarea has diminished over time as farmingbecame less economically viable incomparison to commercial, industrial <strong>and</strong>residential development. The viability offarming is further impacted by the high costof water, the cost of l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> propertytaxes, conflicts with surrounding urban usesPage 4-3 July 11, 2006


CHAPTER 4–P ARKS , R EC . & OPEN SPACE MORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLAN<strong>and</strong> the lack of agri-business support in thearea.Agricultural l<strong>and</strong> within the study area isgenerally leased to farm operators. Few, ifany, of the farms are owner-operated. Themajor types of agricultural uses are grazing<strong>and</strong> farming of dry grains, truck crops <strong>and</strong>tree crops.A limited amount of temporary grazing <strong>and</strong>dry grain farming occurs within the studyarea. For example, sheep sometimes grazeon open grassl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> on cut grain afterharvest. Irrigated vegetable crops, includingpotatoes are grown in the northeasternportions of the study area. Melons aresometimes cultivated in small amounts. Afew citrus orchards, avocado groves <strong>and</strong>Christmas tree farms remain in the northern<strong>and</strong> eastern sectors of <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>.To provide an economic incentive topreserve agricultural l<strong>and</strong>s, the State ofCalifornia passed the California L<strong>and</strong>Conservation Act, commonly referred to asthe Williamson Act, in 1965. Under this act,agricultural l<strong>and</strong>s are taxed at theiragricultural value rather than their value forhigher valued uses. In exchange, thel<strong>and</strong>owner enters into a contract to retain hisor her l<strong>and</strong> in agricultural use for at least 10years. Once a "Notice of Nonrenewal" isfiled, it is ten years until the contract expires.At the time that the first General Plan wasadopted, hundreds of acres within the studyarea were under Williamson Act contracts.Notices of Nonrenewal have since been filedfor these areas. At this time, no l<strong>and</strong>s withinthe study area are under Williamson Actcontract.At the time that the first General Plan wasadopted, the University of California FieldStation, located between Lasselle <strong>and</strong> NasonStreets <strong>and</strong> south of Brodiaea Avenue, wasused to raise experimental crops suited todry <strong>and</strong> semi-dry climates. The Universitylater decided to move its research operationsto a station in the Coachella <strong>Valley</strong>. Amixed-use specific plan was adopted for theproperty in 1999, <strong>and</strong> was subsequentlyamended in 2005 as a gated age-qualifyingcommunity.Mineral extraction, including the mining ofs<strong>and</strong>, gravel <strong>and</strong> rock is another type ofopen space use. The mineral potential withthe study area is very limited. There is onlyone active s<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> gravel quarry on recordwithin the study area: the Jack RabbitCanyon Quarry. It is in a drainage courselocated at the northeast corner of JackRabbit Trail <strong>and</strong> Gilman Springs Road,adjacent to the Quail Ranch Golf Course.4.2.4 <strong>Open</strong> Space for Outdoor<strong>Recreation</strong><strong>Open</strong> space for outdoor recreation includespublic <strong>and</strong> private outdoor recreationfacilities. Public recreation facilities in<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> include state, county <strong>and</strong> cityparks as well as public golf courses. Privateoutdoor recreation facilities include privategolf courses, driving ranges <strong>and</strong> other privateoutdoor recreation facilities.Two private outdoor recreation facilities areowned <strong>and</strong> operated by homeowner’sassociations in Sunnymead Ranch <strong>and</strong><strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> Ranch. Two private golfcourses were in operation as well: the<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> Ranch Golf Club in <strong>Moreno</strong><strong>Valley</strong> Ranch <strong>and</strong> the Quail Ranch GolfCourse in the southeast corner of the studyarea.4.3 <strong>Parks</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Recreation</strong><strong>Parks</strong> <strong>and</strong> recreation facilities <strong>and</strong> servicesare an important component of the quality oflife in <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>. The City of <strong>Moreno</strong><strong>Valley</strong> <strong>Parks</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Recreation</strong> Departmentprovides parks <strong>and</strong> recreation facilities in<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> through partnerships withother public agencies <strong>and</strong> the private sector.Page 4-4 July 11, 2006


CHAPTER 4–P ARKS , R EC . & OPEN SPACE MORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLAN4.3.1. <strong>Recreation</strong> Service LevelSt<strong>and</strong>ardsThe State of California recognizes aminimum level of service st<strong>and</strong>ard forparkl<strong>and</strong> of 3 acres per 1,000 residents.The minimum st<strong>and</strong>ard was established inthe Quimby Act (Government Code Section66477).<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> experienced a lack offunding for ongoing maintenance of existingpark <strong>and</strong> recreation facilities. The City waslimited to an annual fee for parkmaintenance equal to $87.50 per lot,through its Community Service District,Zone A, parcel charge (SDA#94). TheCounty of Riverside originally establishedthe tax. It became a city tax afterincorporation. A proposal to increase thisfee was placed on the ballot in 1996 <strong>and</strong>was rejected by voters. Since incorporation,the City also received an annual lump sumad valorem portion of property taxes fromthe County of Riverside, which was appliedto the <strong>Parks</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Recreation</strong> budget, but isnot specifically dedicated to maintenance.Immediate needs for neighborhood <strong>and</strong>community park sites have been derived onthe basis of an estimated January 2005population in <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> of 165,328 <strong>and</strong>the st<strong>and</strong>ard of 3 acres of parkl<strong>and</strong> per1,000 residents. The total acreagerequirements have been calculated asshown in Table 4-1.The City has enacted an ordinancerequiring new development to dedicate l<strong>and</strong>or pay fees to help the City toward its goalof meeting the level of service set forthherein. Only acreage usable for activerecreation applies toward meeting thisst<strong>and</strong>ard.Unless new parks are developed, theexisting park facilities will be strained as theCity continues to grow. Table 4-2 showsthat l<strong>and</strong> set aside for future parks wouldnot meet the minimum park acreagerequired at build-out. Certain areas of thecity have the greatest need for acquisition<strong>and</strong> development of parkl<strong>and</strong>. Figure 4-2identifies areas where future acquisitionwould be most beneficial.Table 4-2Future Park AcquisitionsPlanned Population atBuild-outAcreage Required byPark St<strong>and</strong>ard (3acres/1,000 population)Year 2005 Parkl<strong>and</strong>Planned Future ActiveParkl<strong>and</strong>Current <strong>and</strong> PlannedFuture Parkl<strong>and</strong>304,966915 acres335 acres319 acres610 acresTable 4-1Parkl<strong>and</strong> NeedsYear 2005 Population 165,328Acreage required by 3acre/1,000 person496 acresst<strong>and</strong>ardAcres Under MinimumRequired305 acresYear 2005 Parkl<strong>and</strong>Deficit335 acres161 acresPage 4-5 July 11, 2006


CHAPTER 4–P ARKS , R EC . & OPEN SPACE MORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLAN4.3.2. Park Planning <strong>and</strong> User NeedsMany of the issues presented in the 1988General Plan relate to the formula drivenst<strong>and</strong>ards set by the National <strong>Recreation</strong> &<strong>Parks</strong> Association (NRPA). Since that time,the NRPA has taken a more deferentialapproach to community judgment withrespect to sizing the different types of parks.Many communities felt the nationallyprescribed minimums by park type were notfeasible. The NRPA’s approach is needbased. It recognizes that each communityhas unique needs <strong>and</strong> it should determinewhat mix of facilities best meet its needswithin its own financial ability. The processallows a wider range of opportunities forcitizens to become active stakeholders <strong>and</strong>more involved in the decision-makingprocess.<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> should select a facility menuthat best suits the needs of its citizens.Naturally not every need can beaccommodated under this process,however, rational basis for allocatingresources <strong>and</strong> maximizing recreationbenefits can be established. Rather than seta st<strong>and</strong>ard such as one baseball diamondfor every 6,000 people, the City’s park <strong>and</strong>recreation facilities should be able tochange as needs, tastes, types ofequipment <strong>and</strong> leisure choices change overtime.The NRPA recommends market research<strong>and</strong> community involvement in parkplanning. Specialized facilities should bedeveloped only with strong market data tosupport a need for facilities. In some cases,these needs could be filled by the privatesector.Adopting this approach, <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>involved the community in identifying keyrecreational <strong>and</strong> open space issues <strong>and</strong>priorities. The process involved focus groups<strong>and</strong> interviews, children <strong>and</strong> youthinvolvement <strong>and</strong> community issuesworkshops to determine the priority issues.The residents expressed a desire for a newgymnasium/multi-purpose facility, a regionalpark <strong>and</strong> a performing arts/cultural center.Another top priority issue was the integrationof equestrian, pedestrian <strong>and</strong> bicycling trailsinto open space, parks, residentialdevelopments <strong>and</strong> the larger regional trailsystem.Top priorities among elementary <strong>and</strong> middleschool students were amusement parks,water parks, team sports <strong>and</strong> the naturalworld. Top priorities among middle schoolto high school students includedskateboarding, rollerblading, roller hockey,team sports, <strong>and</strong> go-kart riding.In response to the community’s expresseddesires, a skate facility for roller blading,skateboarding <strong>and</strong> roller hockey wasconstructed in 2003. The facility is locatedat 15415 6 th Street on property leased fromthe March Joint Powers Authority. Inaddition, a multi-purpose community centerwas constructed in 2005 at the southwestcorner of Aless<strong>and</strong>ro Blvd. <strong>and</strong> FrederickStreet, The community center includes agymnasium <strong>and</strong> other recreation facilities aswell as facilities for conferences, banquets<strong>and</strong> the performing arts.Page 4-7 July 11, 2006


CHAPTER 4–P ARKS , R EC . & OPEN SPACE MORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLAN<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> should investigate thefeasibility of adding the followingrecreational features to meet the expresseddesires <strong>and</strong> needs of the community:1. A regional park that could berelatively large (in excess of 250 acres)providing a sense of remoteness,spaciousness, diversity or use <strong>and</strong>environment or small <strong>and</strong> of historical,geographic, cultural or special recreationalinterest;2. Fields for team sports toaccommodate the growing trend in youthteam activities; <strong>and</strong>3. Amusement facilities.In addition to the above, the City was alsoconsidering the feasibility of developing apublicly owned <strong>and</strong> operated municipal golfcourse.The General Plan recognizes threecategories of parks: neighborhood park, thecommunity park <strong>and</strong> the regional park.These categories focus on the functions ofthese parks. They are discussed in greaterdepth in Section 4.3.4.4.3.3. <strong>Recreation</strong>al ServicesThe City of <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> <strong>Parks</strong> &<strong>Recreation</strong> Department offers 79 youthprograms, 88 senior programs <strong>and</strong> 31 adultprograms <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> facilities served anestimated 417,180 youth <strong>and</strong> adults forbaseball, softball <strong>and</strong> soccer. <strong>Parks</strong> <strong>and</strong><strong>Recreation</strong> coordinated the City’s 4 th of Julyparade <strong>and</strong> festivities, involvingapproximately 35,000 participants. TheDepartment operated 9 elementary <strong>and</strong> 1middle school after-school programs <strong>and</strong>coordinated sports facility reservations for38 school sites. The Department alsooperated 8 after-school middle schoolsports programs, serving an estimated1,500 children.Youth sports programs included suchactivities as football, baseball, basketball,roller hockey, soccer, tennis, bowling,gymnastics, swimming <strong>and</strong> track. Variousadult sports activities include softball,tennis, basketball, soccer <strong>and</strong> golf. Specialinterest programs included numerousclasses such as dancing, computers, dogobedience, aerobic exercise, day camps,swim programs, after school fun club, teennights <strong>and</strong> sports.Organizational groups in <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>providing recreational opportunities includesoccer associations, football leagues,baseball <strong>and</strong> soccer leagues, basketballleagues, swim teams, track teams, rollerhockey in-line leagues, equestrian clubs,golf associations <strong>and</strong> walking clubs.The senior center was opened in March of1993. The number of seniors participating atthe center continued to increase annually.The center offers exercise classes, fitnessequipment, crafts, painting, ceramics,billiards, dancing, meals, cards, bingo, trips,tours <strong>and</strong> special events. Senior citizenswere also offered a wide range of specialservices, including weekday lunch programs,health clinics, paralegal service, income taxassistance <strong>and</strong> transportation.<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> Senior CenterPage 4-8 July 11, 2006


CHAPTER 4–P ARKS , R EC . & OPEN SPACE MORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLAN4.3.4. Local Park <strong>and</strong> <strong>Recreation</strong>FacilitiesThe <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> Department of <strong>Parks</strong><strong>and</strong> <strong>Recreation</strong> owns <strong>and</strong> operates over335 acres of parks, trails, <strong>and</strong> park facilities<strong>and</strong> manages over 195 programs <strong>and</strong>services for youth <strong>and</strong> adults. Refer toFigure 4-2 for locations of existing parksites. The planned parks <strong>and</strong> futureacquisition areas shown on Figure 4-2 areconceptual <strong>and</strong> subject to change.a. Regional <strong>Parks</strong>Lake PerrisRegional parks meet those needs not servedby national facilities, community <strong>and</strong>neighborhood parks or private recreationalfacilities. These parks are either relativelylarge (in excess of 250 acres), providing theimpression of remoteness, spaciousness,diversity of use <strong>and</strong> environment, or aresmall in size, <strong>and</strong> of historical, geographic,cultural or special recreational interest.<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> does not operate a regionalfacility; however, the following paragraphsdescribe regional facilities that are readilyaccessible to <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> residents.The State of California Department of <strong>Parks</strong><strong>and</strong> <strong>Recreation</strong> owns <strong>and</strong> operates the LakePerris State <strong>Recreation</strong> Area. The majorfeature of the recreation area is Lake Perris,a component of the State Water Project.Located along the southern periphery of the<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> study area, the facility offers8,300 acres of a variety recreationalopportunities, including swimming, fishingboating, sailing, water skiing, <strong>and</strong> scubadiving <strong>and</strong> also offers opportunities forhikers, bikers <strong>and</strong> equestrians <strong>and</strong> rockclimbing. The San Jacinto Wildlife Area isoperated by the State of California,Department of Fish <strong>and</strong> Game <strong>and</strong> providesaccess to about 5000 acres of undevelopednative habitat.The County of Riverside currently owns <strong>and</strong>operates Box Springs Mountain Reserve<strong>and</strong> the San Timoteo Canyon park property.Box Springs Mountain Reserve is locatedapproximately three miles north of StateRoute 60, west of Pigeon Pass Road <strong>and</strong>encompasses 1,155 acres of open space<strong>and</strong> day use. Box Springs MountainReserve presently offers hiking <strong>and</strong>equestrian trails. The San Timoteo Canyonpark property, which includes the NortonYounglove Reserve, is located east of theCity’s sphere of influence on the north sideof State Route 60.b. Community <strong>Parks</strong>Community parks traditionally range from 15to 20 acres with at least 2/3 of the acresdeveloped for active recreation. They serve20,000 to 30,000 residents within a 20-minute drive from their homes. The greatersize <strong>and</strong> accessibility of community parksallow for more active play <strong>and</strong> are intendedto serve a wide variety of active <strong>and</strong> passiverecreation activities, which may includesports fields, tennis courts, family <strong>and</strong> grouppicnic areas, children’s play apparatus,community buildings, water sports, ponds,riparian areas, specialized activity areas<strong>and</strong> l<strong>and</strong>scaping. Night lighting of activityareas is appropriate at community parks toincrease the availability <strong>and</strong> utilization ofcourts <strong>and</strong> playing field facilities. Parkinglots <strong>and</strong> restroom facilities are typicallyprovided at community parks. The Cityowns <strong>and</strong> maintains 10 community parksencompassing approximately 185 acres.Page 4-9 July 11, 2006


CHAPTER 4–P ARKS , R EC . & OPEN SPACE MORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLANone of the City’s trail systems. BaysidePark <strong>and</strong> Vista Lomas Park are the onlymini parks in the City.<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> Ranch Golf Coursec. Neighborhood <strong>Parks</strong>Neighborhood parks range from 5 to 20acres in size, although the size may varydepending on the size of the neighborhood<strong>and</strong> the proximity to a community park.Neighborhood parks are specificallyoriented to serving residents within a ¼ to ½mile radius of their homes. Ideally, theneighborhood park should be built inconjunction with a school facility in order tomaximize community funds <strong>and</strong> costefficiency. Facilities in neighborhood parksare geared toward the recreation needs ofchildren <strong>and</strong> provide for the daily recreationneeds of residents in the areas surroundingthese parks.Linear parks fall within the neighborhoodpark category. These parks lie in utilityeasements or along the California aqueduct.Similarly, mini parks fall under theneighborhood park category <strong>and</strong> arecharacterized as a park of less than fiveacres. Because of their small size <strong>and</strong>/orconfiguration, these parks provide limitedactive <strong>and</strong> passive recreation opportunities<strong>and</strong> do not include restrooms or parking.Future mini parks will require a specificfunding mechanism for operation <strong>and</strong>maintenance, due to the high costs ofbuilding <strong>and</strong> maintaining these facilities.Where possible, mini parks should beadjacent to greenways, linear parks, <strong>and</strong>/orPreviously, the neighborhood park wasdefined as passive in nature. The trend,however, has been to include limited activerecreation opportunities such as hardsurface playing courts <strong>and</strong> multi-purposefields. Due to high dem<strong>and</strong>, neighborhoodparks now frequently provide practice <strong>and</strong>game areas for many of the organizedsports groups in the City, although heavyprogramming is not to be considered adesign feature of the neighborhood park.Passive recreation, such as picnicking,strolling <strong>and</strong> informal play is a priority for theneighborhood park. Unlike communityparks, on-site parking <strong>and</strong> restrooms are notprovided.There were 19 neighborhood parks in<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>, encompassing 150 acres.New development of neighborhood parksshould seek to achieve a balance betweenactive <strong>and</strong> passive park uses <strong>and</strong> toaccommodate a wide variety of age <strong>and</strong>user groups.d. School FacilitiesSchool facilities provide significantrecreational opportunities in <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>.By combining resources of public agencies,Page 4-10 July 11, 2006


CHAPTER 4–P ARKS , R EC . & OPEN SPACE MORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLANrecreational, social <strong>and</strong> educationalopportunities are made available to thecommunity in an efficient <strong>and</strong> cost effectivemanner. Riverside Community College <strong>and</strong>the many campuses of the <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>Unified <strong>and</strong> Val Verde Unified SchoolDistricts contribute substantially to the City’srecreational opportunities, providing bothoutdoor <strong>and</strong> indoor facilities. The <strong>Moreno</strong><strong>Valley</strong> Unified School District <strong>and</strong> the ValVerde Unified School District provideapproximately 80 additional acres of playingfields <strong>and</strong> ball courts.community social spaces. Other privatefacilities in <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> include for-profitenterprises, such as health <strong>and</strong> fitnessclubs, golf courses, etc., which are notconsidered in the level of service st<strong>and</strong>ard.4.3.5. Future FacilitiesDem<strong>and</strong> for parks <strong>and</strong> recreation willcontinue to increase with new population.Future parks sites have been identified <strong>and</strong>additional parkl<strong>and</strong> will need to be acquired.The planned parks <strong>and</strong> future acquisitionareas shown on Figure 4-2 are conceptual<strong>and</strong> subject to modification <strong>and</strong> refinement.4.3.6. Multiuse TrailsThe acreage of the school parks has notbeen included in the City’s inventory ofparkl<strong>and</strong> since there is no permanentcommitment to maintain the acreage forpublic park purposes. Also, public accessto recreation facilities on school sites must,of necessity, be limited. Even with accesslimitations, recreation facilities on schoolsites complement <strong>and</strong> enhance the City’sability to provide recreation services.e. Private Sector <strong>Recreation</strong> FacilitiesPrivate residential recreation facilities meeta portion of local dem<strong>and</strong> for recreationfacilities. Homeowners associations providepark areas, greenbelt areas, swimmingpools, tennis courts <strong>and</strong> community centersfor the exclusive use of their residents.Approximately 15,000 residents haveaccess to these private recreationalfacilities. While these facilities providespecific recreation amenities, they do notsatisfy the need for large sports fields <strong>and</strong>Although trails <strong>and</strong> open space are notincluded in the 3-acre per 1,000 residentsparkl<strong>and</strong> st<strong>and</strong>ard, they are an importantelement of the park system <strong>and</strong> providesignificant opportunities for recreation.Equestrians, hikers <strong>and</strong> bicyclists all share aneed for trails, although their specificrequirements vary. Trails have two majorfunctions. First, they can providerecreational values associated with thenatural environment such as scenic values.Secondly, they can provide safe, off-streetlinkages between neighborhoods, parks,schools <strong>and</strong> other public facilities.Sidewalks <strong>and</strong> bicycle paths are addressedin the Circulation Element of the GeneralPlan.In 1991 the City Council updated theprecise trail alignments map, which isincorporated herein by reference. The Cityowns <strong>and</strong> maintained about 10 miles ofdeveloped trails. Refer to Figure 4-3 forexisting <strong>and</strong> proposed trail locations.Multiuse trails are popular with theequestrian community. The <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>Equestrian Center, dedicated in 2003,provides additional facilities of interest toequestrians. This 45-acre park is located atthe northeast corner of Redl<strong>and</strong>s Blvd. <strong>and</strong>Page 4-11 July 11, 2006


CHAPTER 4–P ARKS , R EC . & OPEN SPACE MORENO VALLEY GENERAL PLANLocust Avenue. The park featuresequestrian facilities, including an arena, withbleachers, a water trough, night lighting <strong>and</strong>parking for horse trailers.Citizens of <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> considerexpansion of the trail network a high priority.The Citizen’s Advisory Committee on<strong>Recreation</strong>al Trails, together with thecommunity of equestrians, has workedextensively on the development of a trailsystem. It is their desire to link all areas ofthe City together with a multi-use trailsystem <strong>and</strong> to enhance the City’sequestrian park by promoting thedevelopment of an equestrian communityaround the park. There is also a desire fora trail that crosses State Route 60.The City should continue to develop trails,but funding is an issue. General funddollars are not available to construct newtrails. Efforts should be made to obtainprivate funds <strong>and</strong> grants. It has becomecommon for cities with equestriancommunities to require development incertain zones to provide access to existingtrails <strong>and</strong> to construct new trails.Multiuse trails should be designed withconsiderations for safety, accessibility,proper design <strong>and</strong> construction, signage<strong>and</strong> relative location. The City’s trailnetwork should also connect to the county<strong>and</strong> state regional trail systems.Hidden Springs TrailPage 4-12 July 11, 2006


PERRIS BLVDBoxSpringsMountainRegionalParkRECH ES AN TI MOTEOCANYON RDCANYON RDCITY OFMORENO VALLEYSPHEREBox SpringsMountainRegional ParkPIGEON PASS RD!?!?PERRIS BLVDBOX SPRINGS RDp Z215DAY STCACTUS AVEFREDERICK STIRONWOOD AVESUNNYMEAD BLVDEUCALYPTUS AVECOTTONWOOD AVEHEACOCK STINDIAN STPERRIS BLVDJACLYN AVELASSELLE STALESSANDRO BLVDCOTTONWOOD AVENASON STCACTUS AVE!?MORENO BEACH DRMORENO BEACH DRLOCUST AVEIRONWOOD AVE!?REDLANDS BLVD!?THEODORE ST!?ALESSANDRO BLVDGILMAN SPRINGS RDSAN TIMOTEO CANYON RDMASTER PLANOF TRAILS|ÿ 60 StreetsHighwaysFIGURE 4-3Badl<strong>and</strong>s Norton Younglove ReserveSanitaryL<strong>and</strong>fill!? Trail Staging - Existing!? Trail Staging - ProposedImproved TrailMultiuse TrailProposed TrailRegional TrailState TrailProposed Subject to Feasibilityof Freeway Bridge or UnderpassBadl<strong>and</strong>s L<strong>and</strong>fillState <strong>and</strong> County <strong>Parks</strong><strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>VAN BUREN BLVDJOHN F KENNEDY DRIRIS AVELASSELLE STIRIS AVEDAVIS RDCITY OFMORENO VALLEYSPHERE<strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> SphereSan Jacinto Wildlife AreaWaterbodies* Trail locations are approximate±5,000 2,500 0 5,000!?Lake Perris State <strong>Recreation</strong>SAN JACINTOWILDLIFE AREA0.5 0.25 0 0.5 1MilesFeetDate: July 11, 2006State Plane NAD83 Zone 6File: G:\arcmap\planning\gen_plan_updates\master_trails.mxdp Z215WEBSTER AVERAMONA EXYOLEANDER AVEKINE AVELAKE PERRISGEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMSThe information shown on this map was compiled fromthe Riverside County GIS <strong>and</strong> the City of <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong>GIS. The l<strong>and</strong> base <strong>and</strong> facility information on this mapis for display purposes only <strong>and</strong> should not be relied uponwithout independent verification as to its accuracy.Riverside County <strong>and</strong> City of <strong>Moreno</strong> <strong>Valley</strong> willnot be held responsible for any claims, losses ordamages resulting from the use of this map.

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