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Residents say, Hikers? Not in our back yard
Leila Navidi
Forrest Fetherolf lives in Shadow Canyon Village in Anthem, just a few hundred feet from the trail that allows hikers access to Black Mountain. He and some neighbors are fighting Henderson’s plans to build a trailhead, where there are just parking spaces now, near his home. The city plans to go ahead with the plan, despite residents’ protests that hikers might bring violence to their peaceful neighborhood.
Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008 | 2 a.m.
This trailhead in the 55-and-older Sun City Anthem community in Henderson, for which the City Council recently approved enhancements, has drawn protests from some residents who say it threatens their safety and peace and quiet.
On the night when the Henderson City Council approved what is to be the city’s tallest buildings — the 30-story Park Heights towers — citizens showed up to discuss something much smaller: a 12-by-12-foot shelter, a sign, three benches and a trash can.
That would be the Anthem East Trailhead, which Henderson plans to build in the spring in the Shadow Canyon Village neighborhood, a picture of suburbia with tasteful desert landscaping.
For now, the trailhead is a six-spot parking lot alongside Shadow Canyon Drive. The trail leads to Bureau of Land Management land allowing access to Black Mountain, identifiable for its crown of communications towers.
But some Shadow Canyon residents are digging in their heels against the trailhead.
“The quiet lifestyle is what people bought into,” said Robert Frank, a member of the Sun City Anthem board of directors. “They bought into this to be away from a lot of activity and young people hiking.”
The 3-year-old, 514-home Shadow Canyon neighborhood is the newest in Sun City Anthem, a master-planned community of 7,100 homes for people 55 and older.
The Sun City Anthem board did vote 5-2 last year to give the city an easement that led to the creation of the trailhead. Frank cast one of the votes against the easement.
He is not the only opponent of the trailhead. Forrest Fetherolf, who lives about 300 feet from the trailhead, and some of his neighbors have collected more than 550 signatures on a petition opposing the project.
Fetherolf complained that on some weekends as many as 30 hikers park cars along Shadow Canyon Drive, a wide residential street.
The city decided to check that out, though, and last weekend found there were never more than three vehicles at the trailhead — all parked in off-street spaces, according to Mary Ellen Donner, director of Henderson parks and recreation.
The city has been working on plans for the trailhead since early 2006 and the trail has been part of the Anthem master plan since 2000.
Then again, Shadow Canyon was originally supposed to be the site of a golf course.
Now, the retirees say they are worried about crime increasing in the neighborhood as a result of the trail drawing visitors.
But a Henderson Police spokesman said only one burglary has been reported in homes adjacent to the trail this year. He also said with the creation of the trailhead the department will increase patrols.
Residents critical of the trailhead are also defensive of their yet-to-be-built community recreation center across the street from the trailhead, saying they don’t want their new, pristine bathrooms used by hikers.
For a lot of people, that’s what the issue boils down to.
As resident Matt Cook put it: “This is an age-restricted community and we want peace and quiet. We don’t want outsiders in our community.”
His neighborhood is not gated, however, and the streets are city-owned, meaning the homeowners association lacks the authority to restrict traffic.
And even if it did, the trail is not Sun City Anthem’s, it is Henderson’s.
Some hikers are at least trying to be mindful of the residents’ concerns. A posting at trails.com noted that residents are “quite upset that the trial access is in their private community. Tread very, very, lightly.”
To be sure, not all of the area’s residents share the quest for solitude. At the council meeting several said they use the trail often and were offended by their neighbors’ disparaging of hikers.
Resident Mike Carey told the council that the burglary probably wouldn’t have happened if there had been some hikers in the area at the time.
Donner said the city has been working closely with the residents. They had a temporary garbage can placed at the site and may place no parking signs on the street.
Additionally, the city encourages visitors to leave vehicles at a park a few miles away. The trail connects to that park.
City Council members said they don’t see much reason to change the plan to build the trailhead by the end of May.
Until then Fetherolf vows to continue fighting to keep people who “look like modern-day hippies” out of his neighborhood.
Discussion: 72 comments so far…
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So I guess that since I enjoy outdoor recreation such as going on a hike turns me into a modern day hippie. I guess that because I am far and away from the age of retirement I'm prone to causing disturbances, crime, being a nuisance and destroying retiree lives.
Perhaps I should stay aspire to be more "retiree"' stay at home and vegetate watching tv and eating tv dinners while I collect social security, drive like a drunk, not watch out for others and back out suddenly, make poor driving choices, be unreasonably slow taking up space in shopping aisles, being cranky in general, and always talking about how the "goold ole' days" were.
Imagine if access to some community resource were denied to people over 55! Oh, the howls of prejudice and injustice!
This is nothing but pure elitism. Matt Cook says he doesn't want "outsiders" in his community? Where is he from? Henderson? I doubt it. Therefore, a lot of people may consider him to be an outsider in the Las Vegas Valley at large. And Fetherolf looks like a baby-boomer to me, which would make him the right age to have been an original hippie. People like the aforementioned need to stop thinking that they have more rights conferred on them just because of their age. This is yet another reason I am glad I left the sad, sorry world of Southern Nevada behind me.
If Matt Cook wanted peace and quiet then he should have purchased an island somewhere out there in the middle of the Pacific. If outsiders irritate the community so much, then move. I'm 55 and don't even come close to that attitude. If I need peace and quiet, I find a nice quiet spot to hike or camp.
I am 58 years old and am continually amazed at the petty and childish behavior of my generation.
Maybe volunteering; mentoring or otherwise using ones time in a constructive manner would help alleviate some of the "grumps" in folks.
Comment removed by staff.
First off, the community isn't gated and they don't own the area of the trail. As far as I'm concerned, that means their toast.
Second, wow hikers. Those hell raisers. If they are hippies, won't they keep the trail clean? Worst thing they'll do illegally is probably smoke pot. And that's better than meth which half of the kids in the valley seem to have done.
As for outsiders, if this guy honestly thinks in that sort of mindset, I feel sorry for him. If he wants no outsiders, tack a zero at the end of his bank account, move to a GATED community where such fascist rules can be applied, and shut up.
"This is yet another reason I am glad I left the sad, sorry world of Southern Nevada behind me."
Yet you come here to read about it. You sound like a hypocrite! Southern Nevada is no doubt a better place since you left.
Yeah, those hikers are some scum, what with their granola bars and repulsive love of nature and beauty *insert eye roll*.
Don't the residents of this "exclusive" community realize that people are going to use the trail regardless? Building a trailhead with garbage cans, parking and benches will ensure that the area is maintained in a clean and orderly condition. I would love to have a hiking trail by my house that I can take my dogs on every morning, and have garbage cans to dispose of the doggie doo bags.
I think Mr. Cook and Mr. Fetherolf should go for a nice hike at the trail located conveniently behind their house and chill out. They might actually enjoy the view and the fresh air, and who knows, maybe they'll meet a couple of "modern day hippies" and see that they are actually pretty decent people.
Mike Trask must be commended for his "spin" on my comments. He demonstrated his ability to take a conversation out of context and spin it into false inflammatory statements to draw angry comments as stated above. Mr. Trask simply missed the main issue either by choice or lack of knowledge; he was given documents and photos to support Shadow Canyon Village resident concerns.
I have never said hikers are criminals or hippies. Our goal in Shadow Canyon Village is to limit increased pedestrian and vehicular traffic in our senior citizen community so we can enjoy our safe, secure, and peaceful community.
wow. About hikers, really? Hikers tend to care about the environment, have a social conscience, and even jobs!
Maybe their hearing aids were turned down and they thought the trail was meant for BIKERS. Bikers are cool, but can possibly bring more crime. Don't worry, old folks in Crab City...er Sun City, we're talking about nature loving HIKERS, not brawling motorcycle BIKERS. So, everything should be a go now, right?
But that's just it... You can't limit traffic around your neighborhood. You aren't Howard Hughes and you don't live in a gated community. As such, people can drive, walk, or do whatever since you don't own the streets or the area surrounding you. You already live in a retired community and therefore you have quiet neighbors. You don't have youngsters hotrodding through the neighborhood, because you are tucked away. You've already won. Trying to force the city to give you a zone around your community is greedy and unrealistic. If you really want peace, there's Mt. Charleston.
Wow! This guy! UGH! I mean hikers? With all the dirt bags you could have visiting your neighborhood why would hikers bother you? Here's and Idea all you rich retired people get together and purchase the land, put up a 20 ft fence and guard it. How entitled you are that you can say no ones allowed into your neighborhood. We all paid for the streets, sewers, water pipe and maintance. Wow I live near Lake Mead Blvd so If I cant come there we need you to not drive up Lake Mead Ever!!!!! A$$hol*!!
I had no idea that trail hikers like myself were the new bangers! I can now wear my uber expensive,high tech, moisture wicking NorthFace and REI clothing with pride and "represent" as I hike Black Mountain. Who knew folks in the Sun City Anthem 'hood would fear my white,80k yuppie ass from Henderson. For a moment there, I thought I was reading a story from "The Onion" but obviously truth *is* stranger than fiction.
A small percentage of people truly are pigs...they leave trash and damage wherever they have been. HOWEVER this is no reason to limit access to the vast majority of considerate citizens. Perhaps there could be a compromise, such as a curfew on the trail and parking area, maybe the assurance of regular patrols.
Wow....my fellow hikers really let them have it. I work on alot of trail planning and development issues in Henderson, plus I hike alot. People like trails, home values are actually raised if trails and parks are nearby.
Hiking/walking on Trails is a very quiet and passive recreation. Henderson is one of the best known cities in the west for trail development. I have heard this issue raised many times, but it is just a misunderstanding of what trails bring to your neighborhood and city.
The City of Henderson also has the very first "Trail Watch" program in Nevada. Volunteers who are the "eyes & ears" on the trails keeping them safe for all. Please join us.
This is crazy. In case anybody forgot we live in a desert, not the sierra's. I doubt the volume of hikers is as large as Chicken little describes.
I truly believe the downfall of our country is the entitlement attitude these homeowners have.
They were promised by the developer that they would live in peace and quiet. I flew in from Reno last night and we flew right over this area of land, was that an invasion of his airspace too.
No this guy needs a hobby or at worst a drink.
Ack. Hippies. They'll probably call it Yasgur's Trailhead or something and leave the place smelling like patchouli. I think Shadow Canyon residents will be safe. Their herb gardens may not.
This guy needs to take a hike and see who is actually hiking. It's easy to comment from the Lazy Boy. Thank you City of Henderson for standing firm.
Cool, a new trail for me to check out. Thanks for bringing it to my attention Mr. Fetherolf.
You young people with your hiking and your rock music and your 8-track tapes are a menace!
The City of Henderson has worked very hard to create the best trail system in the country, the Trail Watch program is a great asset as well. My family and I use the trail system, I'm sorry if the homeowners don't want us to use the trail but as a long time resident of Henderson and a taxpayer we will use any of the trails that the city has provided for us.
We enjoy walking on the different trails and seeing different areas, we are not there to cause problems. The trails are much safer than walking on the sidewalks or streets where you have to avoid traffic. In the two years that we have been walking the different trails we haven't had a single problem with other walkers or people on bikes.
If you are anti trail perhaps you should move to the Anthem Country Club and be in a guard gated community so that you'll be safe from all the walkers and bikers that are just out for a day of enjoyment.
In addition to agreeing with what the majority have said about hikers (kind, nature loving people who like to stay fit & spend time outdoors & who will often clean up trashed areas) we're overlooking the obvious...People have been climbing Black Mountain from there for years & years. This hike was listed in several local hiking books long before the neighborhood was ever built...If you wanted to live in a protected fortress, you should've done some research before you bought a home there. Most people would see the trail as a wonderful benefit...Get out & meet some nice hikers - some are probably your neighbors...
We have lots of great trails in Boulder City, and I can't say we have crowds of people, traffic jams, too much trash or lots of noise in and around those areas.
We also have an annual event in Bootleg Canyon Park (which has great biking and hiking trails) called Interbike where at least 10,000+ bike enthusiasts come to the park and use the trails. When Interbike happens, most of the residents in Boulder City don't even know it is going on.
Guess it is a matter of perception.
Ya hikers are criminals....LOL. Get a life dude.Maybe you should move to Sun City with the rest of the complainers.
I, too, wasn't aware of this hiking trail.
Thanks Mr. Fetherolf, I will now be using this trail too.
Don't worry, I'll be on the lookout for "young people" and "hippies".
In the end, these Baby Boomers will go down as the catalyst for the downfall of America as we know it. We went from the "greatest generation" to the "greediest generation" in just one generation!! Thank god they are finally getting old and senile.......
Check out the new cable FX Network Spring Line up of shows including the "Sons of Anarchy" spinoff...."Hikers of Anarchy"...
Fetherolf - "look like modern-day hippies".
So if they looked like old worn our snooty people like you they would be okay? Nice to know there are deep and valid concerns behind your effort Mr. Fetherolf. Lies too, apparently.
Shame on you Las Vegas Sun, you should be embarrassed for publishing a story with so many incorrect quotes and twisted comments. Your newspaper printed a story that does not even bear a resemblance to the "true story" of senior citizen opinions regarding an important issue occurring within in their community.
Even though two Las Vegas Sun editorial staff have personally apologized to Mr. Fetherolf for misstating his comments, the standing printed word continues to inflame others and pits two very fine and upstanding groups against each other (hikers and Shadow Canyon Village senior citizens). Hikers are outraged because, as you put it, "residents protest that hikers might bring violence to their peaceful neighborhood." This statement is untrue and only serves to further anger people.
In reality, the issue that Shadow Canyon Village residents have has absolutely nothing to do with hikers. The concern is with putting a City Park on 2/3 of an acre in the middle of our senior-citizen community. This "City Park" has 6 parking spaces and has no restroom amenities available. There are two City Parks located within just a few miles of Shadow Canyon Village that do offer adequate parking, playgrounds, benches, shaded areas, and restroom facilities. Anthem Hills Park is a 56-acre parcel with all the amenities you could wish for; the park located in Anthem Highlands is somewhat smaller but still offers visitors everything a "city park" should be.
Our community is an "age restricted community" and although it is not gated, the majority of residents in Shadow Canyon Village are highly opposed to the City Park; residents would like to preserve this unobstructed nature area.
For the record, I am a Shadow Canyon Village resident and had the opportunity to raise my children to appreciate nature through hiking. Once my children began walking and were steady on their feet, they received their first pair of hiking boots and a daypack. As a family, we had the opportunity to hike hundreds of miles on Washington State hiking trails; I hope to someday introduce my granddaughter to the same wonders of nature through hiking.
I encourage readers to seek the truth behind the Shadow Canyon Village resident concerns before passing judgment based on a biased article full of untruths.
Sounds like a plan for facilities similar to what can be found on Cypress Mesa in Sun City MacDonald Ranch, also in Henderson. I have frequented there since 2001 and rarely see more than two or three cars at a time and most of the trail users there are residents of the 55+ community, not 'outsiders' at all. My guess is that the trail was probably there before Anthem was.
Mick Jagger, an icon of the 55+ generation that is causing this stink, said it best:
"What a drag it is getting old!"
Talk about crabby old people! Mr. Cook and Mr. Fetherolf (plus the rest of the old folks that have signed the petition) need to get a life and quit moaning in front of their television sets. They should try hiking and reduce their body fat and their meds (and our national healthcare bill!).
The trail to Black Mountain existed long before anyone signed a purchase contract to buy in Shadow Canyon Village. Maybe the old folk should have been a little smarter in their purchase instead of being greedy trying to get a good deal from Pulte at the time!
Oh, by the way, I'm over 55, live in Anthem, am an avid hiker, and a volunteer for the City of Henderson Trail Watch program. I hiked Black Mountain approximately 20 times in 2007 and 2008. I have never seen more than five or six cars in the parking area. Generally, there is not more than one car there. And I have seldom seen hikers on the trail. The 550+ Shadow Canyon Village residents should make appointments for eye exams (or enroll in a remedial arithmetic course to learn to count cars). Better yet, join the City of Henderson's Trail Watch program and make a POSITIVE difference in our beautiful city!
Someone needs to publish that petition so we know who these haters are. Maybe we can do a little background check on all these signers and make sure they are all squeaky clean. Maybe we start watching them and see if they ever do anything that we don't like. Maybe the rest of us residents don't like the way these people live their lives. Maybe some of them have not been paying all there taxes correctly. Im sure we have some IRS agents that like to hike. Do all of them have the correct addresses on their licenses? We have some Officers that like to hike. Are some of them renting rooms in there houses and not reporting it. Im sure the state treasures office would like to know. Are some of them suffering from addictions they would not like the world to know about. I think its time for the World of Hikers to take a hard look at these people and see what we can find. I wonder how many of them view internet porn? I know some computer hackers that could check there home computers. Are the ones that sell MLM products reporting all that income? Are some of them taking a home office deduction they dont earn? I wonder what will be found?
Chris V: Unfortunately, we had upwards of 30 vehicles parked on Shadow Canyon Drive just recently and then 26 on another occasion. It would be no problem if three to six vehicles were all we had to deal with. I can't imagine many people wanting 20-30 vehicles parking in front of their home for several hours.
Just my opinion....
To Chris V. -
How do you know the vehicles belonged to hikers? Aren't any of your neighbors friendly enough to be having a party at their home? Or are they all curmudgeons?
As an Anthem resident, I'm embarrassed and ashamed to see the NIMBYs in my community acting the way they are. Please believe that we are not all like that. But I appreciate the wit and intelligence exhibited by many who have posted to express their dismay and justifiable ridicule.
The SCA Board of Directors member quoted in the article is up for reelection this spring and likes to use such concerns to divide the community and create friction between groups of residents, when instead we should all be working constructively together.
hello. The editorial board should apologize for the purposeful distortion of the facts on this blog so all the hikers and others can see what the story and facts are really about. I have to say the numbers of cars parked at the trail head access as confirmed by knw is correct .people that live here dont need to drive to the trail head easement that was given without the approval of the people that live here. the city park lady should come around on saturday morning not a tuesday afternoon to count cars, of course I understand she has to do everything she can to protect her job. betteryet is to come around at midnight and find people who are not supposed to be there doing things they are not supposed to be doing. that is the problem that is happening now. Parents are not parents anymore so the kids look for places like the small trailhead access parking lot to party.
I really find the article not accurate, but more importantly many of the comments made above are "out in orbit". The facts stated by many who live outside out SCA do not know what they are talking about. There are many pictures of the multiple cars that have been parked at the Trail Head, especially on weekends in warm weather. Quite a few have out of state plates. There are pictures of garbage stewn along the trail, which winds up in our backyards. There has been burglaries in the area. No one who lives here is against the trail itself-so get that straight! What we are against is the people that have been bused into here to go hiking, the cars that are clogging our streets and the total disrespect exhibited by outsiders for the private properties that provide direct access to the trail.Then there were the incidents of gunshots up there and teens partying with alcohol and drugs after dark.
Hike to your hearts content, but be mindful of the other problems we have had to endure as traffic at the trail head increases before you condemn all of us who live here and get all your facts correct before you hurl insults at us!
To Sharon. I see you are not familiar with the area that is under discussion here. Where the 30 cars are parked and they are on both sides of the street, the only thing around that immediate area is the trail head and the parking lot for 6 cars. for 100 feet in each direction there is nothing along the road. At the entrance to sun city there is a sign that says NO PARKING on any residential streets at any time. We residents can be given a parking ticket by the ciy of henderson for illegal parking and those signs are every 100 yards all throughout the town. I would say if people want to park and get tickets for illegally parking come on down.
To alanh:
Per my previous comments I am very familiar with the area...I've hiked Black Mountain approximately 20 times and live within walking distance of the trailhead.
Why don't you complain to the City of Henderson about illegal parking (now there's a big issue to take the time of our limited police force!) instead of bad mouthing the hikers? And why didn't you check the area out BEFORE you bought?
I read this article in the Sun this morning and was directed to this Website by a friend who is a hiker. I must say that this is being blown out of proportion by these Shadow Canyon residents. This is a public area owned by the city of Henderson and the BLM, not Shadow Canyon. We residents of Henderson (I'm in Solera) are able to use these trails. Remember, we're tax payers too, and our taxes go to help build and maintain these trails and facilities. Another point; I too am a hiker and I abide by the rule of "if you take it in, you take it out." Hikers don't drink while they're hiking and they don't leave trash behind. Most, if not all, are quiet people wishing to enjoy the nature that the residents of Shadow Canyon are so afraid to share. Finally, to all you who are equating people in their 50's and 60's to hippies, get real. If we were hippies we wouldn't be living in this upscale community.
Horrendous homophobic comments FallonSouth. Incredible that you would think them okay for general public consumption.
Good to know who you really are. Will keep that in mind when reading your future spew.
The Board member mentioned in the article is a cancer in our community, and many of us wish he would move. He doesn't care one bit about the trailhead. He just wants to try to divide this wonderful community. I believe Matt Cook and the others mentioned in the article are probably sincere, but *he* and his wife should tap their ruby red slippers and go back to Kansas or wherever it is that they came from.
To all hikers, young and old. Come, obey the rules, and enjoy your day on this wonderful trail.
Just a point of clarification, as nearly everyone seems to get this wrong. Black Mountain is not the north peak near the 515/95/93 Horizon Drive exit as your illustration indicates. As far as I can tell, that peak isn't named on any accurate map or chart. Black Mountain is nearly directly above the proposed trailhead area, and is the tallest peak in the North McCullough Range; it lies next to the smaller southern collection of communications gear, located on Arden peak. Speaking directly to the non-issue here, it is a public roadway, a public hill and a positive public activity proposed. Wouldn't it be nice if all the NIMBYS just moved back to where ever they came from? We all know by now that growth does not pay for growth, so what would be the loss? A gain!
Again...get the facts straight before you judge based on a biased and twisted article posted by Las Vegas Sun. We have nothing against the local "hikers"...many of the Shadow Canyon Village residents use this utility easement for our daily walks/exercise. We are not the "hate mongers" that many have portrayed us to be. We are retired senior citizens that want to relax and enjoy our life like everyone else.
Don't hate us because we bought where we thought we could have peace and quiet in our retirement years.
Some day you may be exactly where we are....between a rock and a hard place. We've worked hard, paid our taxes, and expect to enjoy our retirement years in peace.
Happy New Years....
KNW
KNW,
Are the hikers driving through the neighborhood at 2 am with their radios blaring?
Are the hikers driving clunky green flower power VW busses that backfire every 30 seconds?
Are the hikers sitting at the trail head eating granola and smoking joints?
Are they street racing their suped-up cars with loud exhausts?
Are they going door-to-door soliciting for Green Peace?
The answer to these and many other pertinent and vexing questions is a resounding ...... NO.
Why can't we all get along?
KNW, what incorrect quotes? If you care to, you could offer to compare your tapes and notebooks to Mike Trask's.
Really, why do people get so up in arms about a phantom problem? Show me some photos of dozens of cars parked near the trailhead on a regular basis and I might believe you.
This is about as annoying as the Summerlin residents complaining about the McCarran "right turn" that was reinstated after it was stopped for a few years after 9/11. Or the people who bought homes near a hog farm in North Las Vegas and then complained about the smell.
Instead of complaining, do what some of the above posters have said and get involved with the trail. At least that way you will have more impact than complaining to a newspaper reporter and posting comments on the web.
Comment removed by staff.
Go buy and island! But then you'd probably complain about the birds, or the wind, or even the waves. My fellow boomers have lost their minds.
This is the end result of uncontrolled urban sprawl. Developers build cheap stucco communities further and further out in the desert and people start to live in areas that are popular outdoor destinations. The housing crisis is the best thing that could have happened to the Las Vegas Valley. If it ever picks up again, there will no doubt be developers trying to sue Henederson and the BLM so they can build another extention of an ugly community further up Shadow Mountain.
The greed mongers of the Las Vegas Valley should have put a green belt around that city years ago...
This is an open letter to Mr. Forrest Feterolf.
Today I read your story on page one of The Las Vegas Sun (complete with photographs). It's very obvious that you are justifiably concerned about the expansion of the Trailhead and the effect it will have on you and your neighbors. You are doing a great job, and I want to take this opportunity to congratulate you and to encourage you to stand tall and to be proud of your involvement. If you think the outside traffic is too much now, just imagine what it will be when it is published in the AAA handbooks that are available to any one in the USA who belongs to AAA and has AAA auto insurance!
If you are to succeed in your efforts you will face some strong opposition from a lot of sources, one of which is our current board of directors of Sun City Anthem (with the exception of Bob Frank).
Mr. Fetherolf I can tell you from experience the current BOD (with the exception of Bob Frank), will do every thing in their power (which is undeniably unrestrained), to thwart your efforts. If they become irritated enough, they will even threaten to put a lien on your home, as they have done to me. They also have the backing and support of John Leach (the association's attorney), who cloaks every action taken by the board by saying it was for the good of the association, and the consequences to a small minority of the citizens can be justified.
For almost two years now I have been trying to get justice for 162 Villa home owners who have been mistreated by the developer, and the past and present board members (with the exception of Bob Frank). I can tell you from experience that as long as we have these "good old boys" in the majority on the Board of Directors, you will face an almost unbelievably political machine that is dedicated to a dictator type of government.
What will it take to change this inevitable consequence? Well for one thing, I think that a community of this size deserves to have a body of citizens made up of representatives from every community (including The Villas and Pinnacle). This body of citizens should be informed of every intended action that is being considered by the board BEFORE any action is taken and presented to the city and/or state governments. This body of citizens should have the right to vote and present arguments for or against proposals that will affect them personally, and the board of directors should be REQUIRED to consider the arguments before making any decisions that are detrimental to those citizens who are affected the most.
My suggestion? There is only one thing this current board of directors (with the exception of Bob Frank), fears, and that is a growing number of people who recognize the truth. Organize - Get the people to recognize whats happening to them, and stand tall - your doing great.
Well the hiking trail also does run behind a gated community in Henderson, right near the Black Mountains and guess what - the hikers (or whatever you choose to call them) DO leave messes on the trails - there are trash cans along the path and still the trash is thrown all over the pathways - and guess what else the 'hikers' do - they jump the walls, put in place to keep people who don't live in the GATED community out, and people in this gated community can't even park their cars in their own driveways without having them broken into. So I can certainly understand why this man does not want this trail running behind his home, whether he's in a gated community or not - aren't there enough places out near red rock and other places more suited for 'wilderness' then to expect hikers in residential neighborhoods? If that's the case why spend money on trails - they can just take walks around the block - real 'hikers' don't stroll around in residential neighborhoods they find places out in the wilderness to take a 'real' hike.
Be careful LaDida because, God willing, one day YOU TOO will be 'old' and then may not like people casting aspersions on you based on your old age.
To azsk8fan:
What trail are you talking about? The L.V. Sun (and all of these postings) are about the trail that begins near Shadow Canyon Village in Sun City Anthem and goes directly up the mountain to the top of Black Mountain. It is government land and certainly does not go through any communities, gated or ungated. So where is this trail you're talking about? Some other portion that isn't the subject of the article?
Here's one more fact to digest - the fencing and gates put up along the trail to separate it from the gated community - well everytime someone on the trail wants in and doesn't want to scale the fence they simply break the hinges on the gates and open them - and guess who has to pay to repair the damage - certainly not the city of henderson - it comes from the money the people living inside the gated community pay with their monthly HOA fees - now how long is it going to be before their monthly fees go up because it's costing them tons to constantly repair the broken gates? I see this happening at least 3x a month.
I think all the people living in Mr. Fetherolf's neighborhood should get up a petition to thank him for helping to advertise the trail to the thousands who receive the newspaper in Las Vegas and Henderson and did not know about it.
As B'rer Rabbit said, "Please, please don't throw me in that briar patch!"
I believe this is supposed to be a continuous trail that is going to keep going and going - the part I'm referring to is near Horizon/Horizon Ridge right up against the Black Mtn. pass - people should be very careful because there have been spotting of Bobcat and Coyotes - they come down from the Mtn. right into the communities looking for food/water. A resident called today because just 2 houses down from his he spotted a coyote in the backyard eating a wild rabbit. I don't know for sure if this is the same trail or not.
"God willing, one day YOU TOO will be 'old' and then may not like people casting aspersions on you based on your old age."
That would be really good logic if it weren't twisted 100% in the opposite direction. It's Mr. "No Hippies!" that has thrown the first stone in this case. His prejudiced comments open him to receive the same.
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VillaRep,
Exactly what do you have going with Mr. Frank, you absolve him of any wrong doing repeatedly. Was he at your house forcing you to write that "open letter". Looks goofy to me.
I'm 72 and I enjoy hiking. Its part of what keeps me feeling young. God forgive me if I ever become like these people in Shadow Canyon.. I've walked that trail many times with my wife, camera in hand.. Maybe they think I'm going to rampage through the neighborhood ! LOL !
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There's a guy in Sun City Anthem who publishes a blog for the residents. Something I didn't see in the newspapers was that when Mr. Fetherolf and other Anthem residents came to the last City Council meeting to speak against the trailhead improvements, Councilman Jack Clark read them the riot act. Clark's comments were published word for word on the blog, and I think it would be in order to contact him and thank him for standing up on behalf of public access to the trails.
This is some of what the blogger reported Clark said:
"It is an unrealistic argument to tell us that crime will be increased by the trail or the trailhead being near houses. In fact, I'm building a new house that will be ready in the summer and I'm paying a $10,000 lot premium just to have a trail behind the house, and I want to see people use that trail because if they don't, burglary will occur.
"This is as much about the future as it is about any of us in this room. For some reason, people love to run away from the community they've lived in all their lives and come to a new community and try to make it like the community they left. I understand that philosophy because we all want to be right, but the problem is the City of Henderson has spent great efforts over the past 20 years, long before I was on the Council, to build parks and recreation facilities for people that live and work and play in the city in which they live. long before I was on the Council. That's why I chose to call this city home.
"This is not about seniors, or young people, or me, or Councilman (Steve) Kirk. This is about the 275,000 people that chose to call this city home. I, for one, have the courage to stand up and tell you I'm going to continue to provide those services, to the best of my ability, as long as I'm on this Council, to assure that people have positive recreational activities that they and their children, and their children's children, can participate in.
"It's important to me that you know the truth. I'm not going to pander to you, I'm going to tell you the truth. This is important to the city. This is important to the future. Nobody that's walking on this park is going to rob your home. I think the gentleman earlier (Mike Carey) said it perfect: That's not the way that burglaries occur. I've been in law enforcement for almost 27 years, and that's not the way that burglaries occur."
To the person with the warning on the bobcats and coyotes thats nature, you are on the outskirts of town so you're going to have wildlife in your back yards. Have you seen a rattlesnake yet?
As to the topic of trash, we actually pickup trash as we walk along the trails and have found that the problem isn't the hikers or bikers but the neighbors who don't secure their trash on trashdays that the wind spreads around at an amazing rate.
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HI. You folks really fell for this article hook line and sinker, the newspaper published this purposefully- this is called "trolling" for radicals and other temper tantrum folks to get them out in the open- to get your goats and a lot them fell for it. LOL LOL.
The problem I have is with the scum who break into cars parked at the trailheads. Every year cars are broken into in the Red Rock area, and that INCLUDES the loop within the NCA. This also happens frequently in the Lake Mead NRA.
I am a local hiker who has been up this trail at least 20 times, both during the day and in the middle of the night. I have been hiking this trail since before the houses were built here. For you to now say that we should not be able to use the trails because you have homes here is not fair. I have also heard recent reports of hikers' cars being broken in to at the current parking spaces. This would not be done by other hikers, but by inconsiderate criminals that may or may not live in or near the community which you live in. As for the street parking, instead of complaining that hikers are parking along the streets, why don't you propose that they increase the parking at the trailhead? That would make for better conditions for both sides. I know that many hikers do pick up trash along the trails as they are hiking, but I'm sure that there are some that don't. With more hikers on the trail, there will be more people there to keep the area clean. If there is a problem with people abusing alcohol and drugs in the parking area, why don't you just report those people to the police instead of assuming that everyone in the parking lot is doing the same thing? Also, if the trail does become more popular, there will be more police around to keep the area safe. This trail is a win-win! You get a safer neighborhood and we get to continue enjoying the great outdoors.
Holy hour I appreciate what you are saying but the police and security are a problem that needs to be corrected for everyone. The other day a resident noticed that some landscaper was taking or stealing the decorative rock from the desert area accross from the trail head access point. they called the police to report the crime and get a patrol car up here. the response they got was that well by the time we get up there they will be gone anyway so dont worry about it! so the question is what does it take for the police to respond? If someone is getting robbed or cars are being broken into will they say "well they will be gone when we get there so dont worry about it!" this is not what i want to hear.