American River Parkway
Environmental Destruction and Crime Threaten "Jewel" of Region...

The capital region is maturing and that can be seen in many of its aspects, from the creation of vibrant new cities, the increased energy of downtowns, people and business migrating in instead of out. For those of us who have been here for generations, it is particularly rewarding to see the growth and appreciation of all that our region has to offer. The maturing process is also evident in the consciousness of the development community regarding natural resources and is indicated by the folding in of parkways, greenways and open space into new developments, many connecting planned trailways with the American River Parkway. Overall, we see an acknowledgement that creating homes and places for people to live and work is very conducive to preserving and accessing the natural resources many come to our community to enjoy.

In North Sacramento however, the community's access and enjoyment of it's greatest natural resource, the American River Parkway has been restricted, due to the problem of illegal camping, primarily by the homeless. While the North Sacramento community is understanding and accepting of the fact that a community needs to treat those of distressed circumstances with compassion and dignity, it is also vital that the same generosity of spirit be extended to the distressed community unable to enjoy the natural resources within it's boundaries.

We, as a region, can do both, and as a business organization and one of the few organized groups working to improve the North Sacramento community, we believe that the larger community has as much stake in the future of our part of the Parkway as of theirs. The time is fast disappearing when we can live isolated from one another.

Problem: Crime, Trash & Habitat Destruction

Since 2000, the North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce has been writing letters, convening meetings, documenting with pictures, and offering tours of the destruction and deplorable conditions in the Woodlake Reach of the American River Parkway. All of the this effort has been much ignored by the City, County, and even environmental groups in Sacramento who should share our passion for the Parkway.

Finally, after endless complaints of huge illegal campgrounds with rampant drug use, burning of parkway trees for fuel, pollution from human waste running into the river, and attacks on joggers and bicyclists, County Parks initiated a ranger presence in 2001. They quickly wound up hauling away 60 tons of refuse the first year they were there.

According to Ranger Dave Lydick. "That first year, 2001, our rangers -- just our rangers, not counting all the other people doing it -- our rangers picked up 60 tons of trash from those campsites," Lydick said, "It was amazing how fast those campers would drag in stuff: sofas, beds, batteries to run TVs. And there was no sanitation, so the places pretty soon would get so filthy they couldn't stand it anymore, and they'd move on, just leave the mess for us to clean up while they started a new huge camp nearby," he said. Supervisor Roger Dickinson reported recently at a 2004 Chamber luncheon that for 2003, in our part of the parkway - they gave 154 citations, made 14 arrests, and hauled away 40 tons of garbage.

While the problem has been reduced, it is still prevalent. Recent reports indicate the camps, though smaller, are still there. Directly contrary to established criminal justice crime reduction procedures, there has never been a consistent enforcement focus on the area of highest Parkway crime, which is in North Sacramento.

What the Chamber has found in the Parkway has been shocking: Stolen property, Fire damage, Cutting of tree's and federally protected elderberry beattle habitat, trash & debris, stripping of stolen wire (from HVAC systems in nearby business park), IV needles, Pornography, fecal matter, paper (including notices to appear, appointment slips for drug couseling, and probation instructions), water pollution discharge, reports of attempted assaults/rapes, bicycle muggings, notices to appear in court and probation notices, and damage to signs and public property.

Why the Parkway Matters

The Parkway is a major resource, connecting much of the community, and we all know how much everyone, outside of North Sacramento, enjoys the Parkway experience. As a regional resource, consider these facts:

• The Parkway is an economic engine that "generates an estimated $259,034,030 in annual economic activity in the local economy." (American River Parkway: Financial Needs Study. Dangermond Group, July 2000).
• Lake Natoma was rated "Best All Round Rowing Facility in North America", by Rowing News, in its April 6, 2003 issue, "As an all-around facility, Lake Natoma may be the closest North America comes to a Bled or Lucerne."
• "The parkway gets a million more visitors than does Yosemite National Park." Parkway in Peril, Sacramento Bee Editorial, January 2, 2004.

As a business community, it is very much in our interest to understand and work for, the idea that the preservation of high quality natural assets, such as the Parkway, is a vital economic and quality of life decision affecting the entire community. The economic benefits of parks are extensive and include: 1) Increased property values, 2) supports home sales, 3) influences commercial property values 4) supports Tourism & recreational use (health), 5) the known problems on Parkway are creating a disincentive for folks to visit nearby businesses.

Economic revitalization has been realized in cities across the country such as Portland, Chicago, Austin, and Dallas that have embarked on major greenway projects (often along Rivers) to attract business. When Dallas recently lost out to Chicago, to attract Boeing, a major effort was begun to create new downtown parks for Dallas.

North Sacramento Left Out of the Process

The Chamber has continually pointed out to the City and County of Sacramento, who are the leads on stewardship and planning of the Parkway, that the North Sacramento Community has been continually left out of the process and not included at the table when decisions are made about the American River Parkway. Most recently was the blatent exclusion of the Chamber, the Parkway's most vocal advocate lately, in the American River Parkway Plan (ARPP) update advisory committee. The Plan, created in 1985, only makes reference to the Woodlake Area (WA) of the Parkway, to say that a plan that for that section will be done after acquisition. That section was acquired by the County in 1989 and since then, the promised planning for the Woodlake Area has never been done. The County claims that planning will be included in the update process, but due to the exclusion of local representation, the Chamber fears it will be largely planned by those from other communities.

As the poorest community next to the Parkway, one is left to wonder if the County's actions are by design. It raises serious environmental justice issues for any Agencies funding improvements in the parkway, opening the City and County to unnecessary liability.

Stand up for the Parkway

We, the North Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, call on the larger community to realize the importance of the American River Parkway to our community, and work with us to ensure open, safe, and enjoyable access to all responsible uses, for all of the people of our community.