Santiago Creek Committee:
I am concerned that the staff and this committee are not taking advantage of the "Santiago Creek Vision Plan". It is the most recent plan and incorporates the recommendations made in earlier Santiago Creek plans. It contains a listing of open lands along the creek, their zoning and ownership and proposed projects (mostly planting of native trees, shrubs etc). There is also an excellent summary in the back part of the Plan that talks about the history of the creek and other pertinent information. I suggest this committee take advantage of this information instead of redesigning the wheel.

There are a number of the open parcels along the creek that are owned by the City of Orange. The first thing this Committee could do is to continue landscaping these sites with native trees/shrubs. The Santiago Creek Greenway Alliance which has planted and watered many areas still has about $10,000 in the bank account which could be used for purchasing native trees/plants.

Secondly, I recommend you ask Frank Sun to appear before this committee to tell you about the progress on extending the trail from Cannon to Santiago Oaks Regional Park. This plan had been underway for several years with a grant from OCTA. I want to call your attention to the pedestrian bridge that is needed at the east end to cross the creek and enter the Park. I have personally recently appeared before the County's Harbors Beaches and Parks Commission where I presented the Vision Plan to them and asked for their help in getting the County to pay for this pedestrian bridge - after all it would provide a pedestrian and bicyclist entry into a County Regional Park. I am asking for this committee to follow up on this effort.

Shirley Grindle