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Home My WebLink About36-Council Office CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION ". , , , Date: January 26, 2004 ORIGINAL Subject: Resolution of the Mayor and Common Council Supporting the Concept of the Electric Avenue Greenbelt and Historic Site Project and Reserving Approximately 4.68 Acres of Land on the East Side of Electric Avenue Between 40th Street to just North of Northpark Blvd. as Public Park Property From: Councilman Neil Derry Dept. Council Office Synopsis of Previous Council Action: None Recommended Motion: That Resolution be adopted. Jl~ (f) Signature ~ Contact Person: Councilman Neil Derrv Phone: 5178 Supporting Data Attached: Ward: FUNDING REQUIREMENTS: Amount: Source: (Acct. No.) (Acct. DescriDtion) Finance: Council Notes: Agenda Item No. ~i ~ lOLl , . f 36 i<.C:::i::,':l::l:2.CD4rLi S CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO - REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION STAFF REPORT RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE CONCEPT OF THE ELECTRIC AVENUE GREENBELT AND HISTORIC SITE PROJECT The Community Redevelopment Alliance of San Bernardino, a California Public Benefit Corporation, wants to improve the old Pacific Electric Arrowhead Hot Springs Line right-of-way on Electric Avenue by creating a landscaped greenbelt, with walking trails and a static replica trolley car which will house various displays oflocal history. The land for this project is approximately 4.68 acres located on the east side of Electric Avenue, between 40th Street to just north of Northpark Boulevard. The City of San Bernardino has owned the property since 1966. During the 1970's, this property was dedicated as a right-of-way to accommodate the future widening of Electric Avenue. For this reason, the property is proposed to be "reserved" at this time as public park property. To develop this project at this location the property will need to be vacated to accommodate a public park project. To assist the Community Redevelopment Alliance of San Bernardino in its endeavor to create the Electric Avenue Greenbelt and Historic Site Project, the City has prepared a resolution supporting the concept of the Electric Avenue Greenbelt and Historic Site Project and reserving approximately 4.68 acres of land on the east side of Electric Avenue, between 40th Street to just north of Northpark Boulevard, as Public Park Property. It directs the Director of the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department to assist the organization in developing the parameters of this Project and directs City staff to initiate proceedings to accomplish the reservation for public park property. RECOMMENDED ACTION: That the resolution be adopted. Carlos Jo From: Sent: To: Subject: Christian Tobar [gatewaycityca@yahoo.com] Monday, January 26, 2004 5:56 PM Carlos_Jo Re: Electric Avenue Greenbelt and Historic Site Project Jorge, Thanks for writing. The name of the project as "Electric Avenue Greenbelt and Historic Site" is fine. Here is some information about the history of the Arrowhead line and the land records. The land is a former Pacific Electric Railway right-of-way. It was originally an electric trolley line built in 1907 for passenger service from San Bernardino to the Arrowhead Hot Springs Hotel. The Arrowhead Hot springs Line ran from a station on Third Street, north on D Street to Highland Avenue, then east to Mountain View Avenue. At Mountain View Avenue, the line turned north and continued to Electric Avenue. It then ran in a private right-of-way north and northeast through the foothills and into Waterman Canyon to Arrowhead Hot Springs. The empty land on the east side of Electric Avenue is part of the old right-of-way. In 1917, the Pacific Electric began shipping water with tanker trains from a reservoir near the Arrowhead Hotel. Passenger service was discontinued in 1942, but the water train continued to run until 1960. The line was abandoned and the track was removed in about 1960. In 1965, the Pacific Electric Railway merged with the Southern Pacific Railroad and disappeared as an operating entitiy. The old Arrowhead Line right-of-way on Electric Avenue was sold to the City of San Bernardino in 1966. This is recorded as a Corporate Grant Deed in Book 6749 Page 180 in the San Bernardino County Hall of Records. The project being suggested is to improve the old Pacific Electric Arrowhead Hot Springs Line right-of-way on Electric Avenue with a landscaped greenbelt and a static replica trolley car which will house various displays on local history. One suggested site for the replica trolley car is on the right-of-way, on the approximate northeast corner of Electric Avenue and Northpark Blvd. The Greenbelt and Historic Site is proposed for the right-of-way from 40th Street to just north of Northpark Blvd. According to a map obtained from San Bernardino Parks and Recreation, the total linear feet from 40th Street to north of Northpark Blvd is 4,337 feet. The total area is 202,819 square feet. If you need anything else or there is any way I can be of help, please let me know. Thank you! Christian Tobar 1 r January 13, 2004 Christian Tobar 103 East 491b Street San Bernardino, CA 92404 a ,':i'! . 5 ~;~ 't: 03 Mr. Neil Derry San Bernardino City Councilman, Fourth Ward 300 North D Street . San Bernardino, CA 92418 SUBJECT: Request land be reserved for Electric Avenue Greenbelt and Historic Site Project Dear Mr. Derry, I would first like to thank you for all your help with our project. Although we are still in the very early planning stages, I have been getting very positive feedback from residents and it seems we are getting more support every day. Your comments in the article in The Sun were also very encouraging. Thank you! However, one very important issue is the land itself. We feel that in order to confidently begin fimdraising or applying for grants, we need to have assurance from the City that the land on Electric Avenue will be reserved for the purpose of the greenbelt and historic site project. I realize this project will be a long term effort, and that at this point there is no guarantee that it can even be done, but for our own protection it would be very helpful if we could have some written statement from the City that the land will at the very least be set aside and left unaltered so this project can be studied. I have not seen nor heard of any other proposals for Electric A venue, and when we last met you had not mentioned any planned projects. But for peace of mind, a written statement would be very helpful. Please write back or telephone me at (909) 886-3581 and advise me what possibility there is for this and any other suggestions you have. Thank you! Sincerely, ~1~ Christian Tobar f .rt:'W;l!t'. .' GREG YOJTKO I THEPRESS.ENTERPRISB Chrlstla!' T~~~~,s,tanding near the intersection of Electric Avenue and 50th Street, envisions a park on the strip of/and along Electric Avenue. . :....>:-. ,~Bl1rk project on track .'.,~..);t. . ,"71ii{Qry buff working to remember old railway with a greenbelt '2i:,~,-:~>~,,'f:;;,'~~'~:j~t, ., ,.;,.,,,. ,j;. . BY KAREN GAUDETTE TUESDAY, JANUAl\'i~ THE PRESS. ENTERPRISE SAN BERNARDINO The street sigli bears testament to an earlier time, when red electric trolleys clattered through San . Bernardino, ferrying passengers to and from the Arrowhead Hot Springs HoteL Christian Tobar always had wondered how Electric Avenue got its name. Six years after deciding to lInd out, he's leading an effort to remember the old Pacific Electric Railway path by creating a historic park. With the support of three northern neighborhood associations, he hopes to make a greenbelt out of what is now a rock-studded, dirt right-of-way along the east side of Electric between 40th Street and Northpark Boulevard. The narrow, lO-block -long park Ideally would hold a replica trolley, complete with historical photos, maps of the railway's routes throughout Southern Califor- nia and an exercise path studded with benches.. PI.EASE SEE GU_ILT, .. TlIlsundatelJ photo shows where the railway line once crossed High- way 181n the north end of San Bernardino. . GREENBELT CONTINUED FROM 81 But what matters most to To- bar Is that a major part of San Bernardino's history would get its time In the limelight. He thinks the park could help San Bernardino residents and vis- Itors understand and take more pride In the city's past "People would think it was the end of the world up here," Tobar said recently while ambling along the dIrt !lath, referring to last year's tragic fires and mud- slides. "We need something posi- tivenow." Many of his neighbors agree. Mary Cox, vice president of the Wildwood Park Neighborhood Cluster Association, said the va- cant right-of-way often ends up a dumping ground for garbage. Councilman Nell Derry, who represents the community, said residents would benefit from an additional place to relax In north San Bernardino. "If we can get this built It'll re- ally improve the area," Derry said Lemuel Randolph, San Bernar- dino's parks director, said he supports the concept and has placed it on a list of potential park projects around the city that could be up for state grants later In the year. He's not yet sure how much the project would cost In case the cIty can't come through, neighborhood leaders have formed a nonprofit organl- zatlon-Communlty Redevelop- ment Alliance of San Bernardi- no-to gather donations and compete for additional grants to make the Idea and other area im- provement projects a reality. The railway's history in San Bernardino is a long one. nlE PRESS ENTRaPRtS Tobar's research found that the San Bernardino Valley Trac- tion Co. built the tracks In 1907. Electric trolleys carried passen- gers from a station at Third and D streets In downtown, then fol- lowed D north to Highland Ave- nue. At Highland, the line curved east and continued up the middle of Mountain View Avenue-what now Is a greenbelt Farthernorth, the line traveled on private rIght- of-way along Electric Avenue on up through the foothills to the hO' tel . , Pacific Electric later bought the hot springs line to expai1d its vast network, and continued car- rying passengers until 1941. Trains hauled water from the springs until 1960, when the line was abandoned. The tracks were removed In 1961. For Tobar, a 26-year-old litera- ture student at San Bernardino Valley College and railroad en. thusiast, discovering this piece of neighborhood history has led him to libraries, train museums, the online auction site eBay and through the foothills. "I've never been Involved in anything like this before," he said. "I used to hate history In high school. It was memorizing names and dates. But this, it's something you can go out and see every day and touch." He grew up tiding the elevated trains and Amtrak in train-hap- py ChIcago. He moved to Califor- nia with his family as a boy, and his family made San Bernardino their home In 1994. In 1997 he began compiling in- formation about Electric Avenue and the old railUne, sticking his notes and historic photos In a big blue binder that now is packed with Information. Summer hikes in the chapar- ral-covered hillsides led him to find a rusting iron railroad tie plate, a pair of spikes and a nail dated 1927. He scoured libraries, train museums and even eBay, the Internet auction site, for postcards, maps, anything he could find that would tell the story of the now-silent Pacific Electric trolley system that once ran from San Bernardino to Los Angeles. He ra11Ied leaders of the Wild- wood Park, Kendall Hills and Ar- rowhead Suburban Farms neigh- borhood groups together behind the project Through his sleuthing he d1s- . covered thai the abandoned land belonged to the city, and last year pitched the idea to city leaders. Randolph, the parks director, praised the efforts of Tobar and the community. Much Is possible when residents pull together, he said ''It's so easy to call and say we need this or we need that," Ran- dolph said "But it's a much more rewarding effort when we're able to work collaboratively with citi- zens or groups who want to be part of the solution rather than just asking for results." . . . , I CCOlP~17 RESOLUTION NO. 2 . RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO SUPPORTING THE CONCEPT OF THE ELECTRIC AVENUE 3 GREENBELT AND mSTORIC SITE PROJECT AND RESERVING APPROXIMATELY 4.68 ACRES OF LAND ON THE EAST SIDE OF ELECTRIC AVENUE BETWEEN 40TH 4 STREET TO JUST NORTH OF NORTHPARK BOULEVARD AS PUBLIC PARK PROPERTY. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 WHEREAS, in ! 966 the City of San Bernardino obtained from the Southern Pacific Railroad Company a strip ofland which includes the area 40 feet east of Electric Avenue between 40th Street o just north of North park Boulevard; and WHEREAS, this strip ofland was previously owned by the Pacific Electric Railway and used as a right-of-way for its electric trolley line for passenger service from San Bernardino to the Arrowhead Hot Springs Hotel until 1942; and WHEREAS, the Pacific Electric Railway also utilized this land for shipping water with tanker trains from a reservoir near the Arrowhead Hotel from 1917 to 1960, when the line was abandoned and the track removed; and WHEREAS, the Pacific Electric Railway merged with the Southern Pacific Railroad and the old Arrowhead Line right-of-way was sold to City of San Bernardino in 1966; and WHEREAS, the City of San Bernardino subsequently dedicated this strip ofland for Electric A venue right-of-way purposes; and WHEREAS, the Community Redevelopment Alliance of San Bernardino, a California Public enefit Corporation and non-profit organization, proposes a project to be known as the "Electric venue Greenbelt and Historic Site Project" which is designed to improve the old Pacific Electric Arrowhead Hot Springs Line right-of-way on Electric Avenue from 40th Street to just north of orthpark Boulevard with a landscaped greenbelt, including meandering walking trails, and a static eplica trolley car which will house various displays pertaining to the City's local history; and WHEREAS, the Project may eventually involve currently unknown additional areas for alking trails wrapping around to Mountain View Avenue and 54th Street along the flood control channel; and WHEREAS, the City of San Bernardino wishes to assist the Community Redevelopment HTC[ electric.2.res] I . . . f I lliance of San Bernardino in helping the Project be developed and come to fruition. 2 NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL 3 OF THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO AS FOLLOWS: 4 SECTION I. The City of San Bernardino supports the concept of the Electric Avenue 5 Greenbelt and Historic Site Project by the Community Redevelopment Alliance of San Bernardino 6 for a landscaped greenbelt with meandering walking trails and a static replica trolley car to house 7 various displays on the City's local history and directs the Director of the Parks, Recreation and 8 Community Services Department to assist this organization in developing the components of this 9 roject and helping it come to fruition. 10 SECTION 2. The City of San Bernardino reserves approximately 4.68 acres ofland on the II east side ofEiectric Avenue between 40th Street to just north of North park Boulevard as public park 12 roperty to assist the Community Redevelopment Alliance of San Bernardino with its Project and 13 directs City staff to initiate proceedings to accomplish this reservation. 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 HTC[e1ectric.2.res} 2 .. .. . I ESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN ERNARDINO SUPPORTING THE CONCEPT OF THE ELECTRIC AVENUE 2 GREENBELT AND HISTORIC SITE PROJECT AND RESERVING APPROXIMATELY 3 4.68 ACRES OF LAND ON THE EAST SIDE OF ELECTRIC AVENUE BETWEEN 40TH STREET TO JUST NORTH OF NORTHPARK BOULEVARD AS PUBLIC PARK 4 PROPERTY. 5 I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was dwy adopted by the Mayor and 6 Common Council of the City of San Bernardino at a meeting thereof, held 7 on the day of , 2004, by the following vote, to wit: 8 COUNCIL MEMBERS: 9 ESTRADA 10 LONGVILLE II CGINNIS 12 13 14 . 15 CCAMMACK 16 17 18 19 AYES NAYS ABSTAIN ABSENT ~ ~ CITY CLERK The foregoing Resolution is hereby approved this _ day of ,2004. 20 21 22 JUDITH VALLES, Mayor City of San Bernardino 23 Approved as to 24 orm and legal content: 25 JAMES F. PENMAN, City Attorney ?fe . HTC[electric.2.res] 3