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Home My WebLink About05-13-1998 Trails at Parker Ranchf • Trail Information and Trail Volunteers for Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz & San Francisco Counties Larry Perlin, City Manager May 13,1998 City of Saratoga 13777 Fruitvale Saratoga, CA 95070 Re: Trails at Parker Ranch Dear Larry, There are a number of issues to be confronted as regards the trails we've walked. So as not to confuse any of us, I'd like to approach the solutions to your various problems in several • different letters. The first part of this proposal will deal with the highest priority areas, which have earned their rank by virtue of either land "movement", public safety issues, erosion, poor design, or a variety of other sins. In any case, these are the places that need to be fixed "asap". Trail work that we consider Priority 2, will follow. Priority 1..... The highest priority trail work and that which poses a significant public safety hazard is located south of Prospect, west of Parker Ranch Court and also west of the terminus of Star Ridge Court. Let's use the water tank as the major landmark in describing the location of work. The tank almost exactly divides - in half -the trail in question. 1. "Tank"trail.... total length: 2,200 linear feet; variable slope: 0 - 33% A. Northern 1,100'... slope: 0 - 10%..... Cost: $4,680. The northerly half of the trail is that part which has experienced considerable movement, exposing the large San Jose Water line. (This break is located approximately 425" south-southwest from the triple intersection of Prospect, Parker Ranch Road, and Parker Ranch Court.) As of 2/4/98, this pipe has suffered additional damage and was observed actively leaking (an almost continual stream) at ... Please Go To Next Page ... 3921 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303. (650) 968-7065 TRAIL CENTER i Parker Ranch, cont'd 5. 13. 98..... the joint. We do not intend to fix the pipe or the landslide. The existing trail forms a drainage channel for water. It will continue to be muddy, unstable, and probably slide in other areas. We propose a re-route for a major portion of this section of trail. Approximately 50' north of the slide, we will build a switchback to route the trail farther up the slope, away from areas prone to movement. We anticipate the re-route will be, variably, 20' to 40' uphill from where the trail now exists. This may or may not necessitate changing the easement. Twenty feet on the map (provided by the Planning Dept.) measures a whopping 1/32nd of an inch. Forty feet = 1/16th inch. (This =sign measures 3/32nds of an inch) The re-route could be well within current easements, but I am not the authority to make that pronouncement. Are-route averaging 25' uphill doesn't appear to cause any "visual intrusion" to the residents. The property owners' will need to be supportive of this project. B. Southern 1,100'... slope: 10 - 33%..... Cost: $4,670. The southerly half of the trail is steep and eroded. It does not follow natural contours, but makes a straight path down the hill, and a steep one at that. Again, we • suggest a re-route which will work with existing contours in order to avoid erosion and make the trail more "user-friendly" as regards the degree of slope. Straight, steep trails can be more like rock climbing than hiking. C. Estimated number of workdays for 2,2001in. ft. = 8 workdays (approximate) The work for the northern section, (A., above) and the southern section, (B. above) of 2,200 feet, includes: 1. the re-route and switchbacks 2. crosslope grading for drainage 3. graded drainage features (drain dips, water bars as needed) 4. tread width of 3' (overall width, approx. 3'-6" to 4'-0") TOTAL COST OF TANK TRAIL, I.A. and B., (2,200 L.F.) .......................................... $ 9,350.00 2. "Star Ridge/ Diamond Oaks" Trail .... total length: 4101inear feet; variable slope: 0 - 15`Y° This is the trail that meanders east-southeast from the intersection of Star Ridge Court and Picea Court. The trail winds its way to the trail near the terminus of Diamond Oaks Court. We are offering three .alternatives for your consideration. ... Please Go To Next Page ... Parker Ranch, cont'd 5. 13. 98..... Each will have its own advantages and its own price. The lowest cost alternative will make the existing trail usable. The two higher cost options will result in a trail that will last longer with less repair and maintenance. (Need I say that the highest cost option equals the longest lasting and least amount of annual maintenance?.....) "Star Ridge/ Diamond Oaks" Trail .... cont'd... Option A. (estimated # of workdays: 1/2 day) Cost: $ 450. 1. Remove downed trees from trail 2. Provide a 50' inside ditch to aid drainage 3. Provide 6 drain dips (shallow drainage swales) Option B. (estimated # of workdays: 1.5 days) Cost: $1,025. 1. All work in Option A., plus ... 2. Widen tread to 3'-0" overall width 3. Re-grade tread to improve drainage Option C (estimated # of workdays: 2 days) Cost: $1,475. 1. All work in Option A., plus ... 2. All work in Option B. not affected by re-route... 3. Re-route 300'of 410' total length away from natural drainage 4. "Close" abandoned portion of trail with brush, limbs Before anyone decides that Option A for $450 is the best value, please understand that Option A represents the very minimum amount of work and that, depending on the rains and erosion, you may be faced with the same amount of work every year. This is why we feel Option A is NOT the "best value". We want you to have a good understanding that the quality and longevity of our projects is a direct function of informed decisions, good planning, and consistent execution. This concludes the Priority 1 work that we consider most severe or important based on public safety, erosion, amount of use, etc., etc. ... Please Go To Next Page ... J Parker Ranch, cont'd 5. 13. 98..... Priority 2 ..... This work involves trail issues that either pose public safety problems of a moderate or lesser degree than Priority 1s, or have to do with making repairs so as to reduce future maintenance costs. One of the Priority 2 issues is trail signage which is in disrepair, missing, in need of additional units, or in some cases, in need of removal. Additional mitigation issues include closure of old trails by shrub plantings whose location invites erosion, non-use, or even an attractive hazard; bicycle trail barriers- a 2 x 8 installed across the trail- low enough to step over, too high to ride over; "brushing" -the trimming of brush interfering with the use of the trail- in several areas. We estimate the following Priority 2 items to be necessary.... 1.) Signage ..... signs will be supplied by client Cost : $ 220. a.) Install approx. 5 (five) trail signs. b.) Relocate approx. 7 (seven} trail signs. c.) Remove two signs on metal posts. 2.) Trail Closures.... two locations... planting. Cost : $ 850. a.) Install 10, five gallon shrubs (5 each location) to camouflage old trail entrances. Includes fertilizer tablets and monthly watering through Oct. 1, 1998. Suggest native, drought tolerant, match existing species in area, if applicable. b.) Approx. 5 cubic yards of topsoil, seeded -one location 3.) Bicycle barriers ... two locations... lumber supplied by client Cost : $ 200. a.) Replace one barrier b.) Raise, relocate two barriers 4.) Brushing ... five locations in varying degrees; Labor Cost : $ 200. estimated at 3 hours for a four person crew. Priority 2 total ......................... $ 1,470. • ... Please Go To Next Page ... Parker Ranch, cont'd 5. 13. 98..... Additionally, we need to inform you as tostandard conditions under which we operate: Items furnished by the Trail Center: a) Supervision by trained crew leaders and workday supervisors. b) Trail building tools, and gloves. c) Slope of trails typically does not exceed 10% d) Publicity to solicit volunteer trail workers e) Beverages and snacks for volunteers at end of work days Items furnished by client! agency: a) Access to the worksite during daylight hours for the duration of the project. Workdays are Saturdays, from 8 am until 4 pm. b) Construction materials as may be needed. Although we do not foresee any building materials or manufactured drainage structures to be needed, any such materials are to be furnished, purchased, or generally provided by client/agency. Larry, I appreciate this opportunity to work with you. Let's get together to review this proposal, answer questions, and plan. Sincerely, s Sandy Nichols Executive Director r~ ~J