Northeast Quadrant Distinctive Features

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1 NORTHEAST QUADRANT

2 Northeast Quadrant Distinctive Features LAND USE The Northeast Quadrant includes all the area within the planning area that is east of Interstate 5 and to the north of State Route 44. Single-family residential subdivisions are a predominant land use here, and several significant institutional or public facilities are found in this quadrant Shasta College, Simpson University and the headquarters of The McConnell Foundation at Lema Ranch. Outside of the downtown area, this quadrant also contains the largest area of existing commercial retail land use. This quadrant includes the extensive commercial areas found along the major thoroughfares Dana Drive, Hilltop Drive, Churn Creek Road and Cypress Avenue. Multifamily housing developments, which often have high recreation needs, are associated with commercial districts and are abundant in this area. Two major highways create significant physical barriers to inter-quadrant travel in the area: Interstate 5 going north/south, and State Route 44 going east/west. Access to other quadrants can be difficult, especially when using active transportation methods like cycling. For example, crossing Interstate 5 in this quadrant can only be accomplished in two places. 299E, going east/west, dissects the quadrant s north and south halves and is only crossable in two locations. Though these barriers remain, the construction of the Dana to Downtown Bikeway brought improved active transportation access from the southwest to the core commercial areas of the Northeast Quadrant. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT The topography of the Northeast Quadrant is characterized by rolling hills and broad streams, rather than the steep-sided canyons and small rocky creeks typically found on the west side of Redding. Major streams here generally flow north to south and include Churn Creek with its many smaller streams, and Stillwater Creek, which more or less forms an eastern boundary to the urbanized area. Several large ponds exist, and a portion of a large vernal pool complex is found just north of State Route 44 near Old Oregon Trail. This quadrant contains prime agricultural soils along the Stillwater Creek corridor. Vast areas of oak woodland habitat still exist in significant-sized tracts. Views of the surrounding mountains are dramatic from many points throughout the area. POPULATION - CURRENT AND FUTURE The population of the Northeast is the second smallest of the four quadrants. With an estimate of only 17,334 people, it is less than half the size of the Southwest Quadrant, which has 35,430 people. With a total area square miles, the Northeast Quadrant is the least densely populated quadrant with 896 persons per square mile. Over the next ten years, the population in this area is expected to increase slowly. Average growth rate estimates for Redding currently hold at.38% per year. Using this, the population of this quadrant will reach 18,005 by There is more room for potential growth in this quadrant. 2 northeast quadrant

3 Existing Resources & Facilities NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS This quadrant has seven developed neighborhood parks located within residential subdivisions. Many are 1-acre or less in size and can, therefore, offer only a limited range of recreational amenities. Since the last edition of this plan, sites have been constructed at Vista Ridge and the seven-plus acre Highland Park. Also, the City owns an additional two acres of undeveloped neighborhood parkland at the Rosetree site. SCHOOL PARKS AND JOINT-USE FACILITIES The City has the potential to enter into a partnership with Columbia School District for joint use and/or development of shared recreational facilities. A 6-acre City-owned park site adjacent to the south side of Mountain View Middle School is presently undeveloped. COMMUNITY AND REGIONAL PARKS The Northeast Quadrant has one undeveloped 40-acre community park site in City ownership the Twin View Park site, a former sewage treatment facility in the western part of the quadrant near the intersection of Interstate 5 and State Route 299E. Development of this site has stalled, due to the area s designation as a wetland environment. To meet growing neighborhood demand, Highland Park was constructed just south of the Twin View site, in cooperation with the subdivision developer. SPECIAL PURPOSE FACILITIES There are two significant special purpose facilities in the Northeast Quadrant, the Redding Soccer Park and Big League Dreams on Old Oregon Trail. Constructing these facilities reduced the shortage of quality sports fields and other recreation facilities in Redding. Over the last decade, these two facilities have provided a regional destination for many northern California sports enthusiasts and league tournaments. These sites house five baseball fields, four all-weather soccer fields, a multi-purpose gymnasium, playgrounds, trails and batting cages. These premier facilities have provided some relief to the ever growing demand for sports facilities in Redding. TRAILS AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIONS Since the last iteration of this plan,.65 miles of new trail have been added to the Northeast Quadrant. The entire makeup of this additional inventory is around Gregory Lake and the View Trail, a bikeway behind a major Hilltop shopping area. A CalTrans constructed, and City maintained, bikeway runs adjacent to State Route 299E that connects the intersection of North Market Street and Lake Boulevard to Shasta and Simpson Colleges to the east. This route is not counted in the Northeast Quadrant, as most of it lies within the Southwest Quadrant. Three privately held areas, not counted in the City s inventory, have trail loops accessible to the public: LEMA RANCH. Owned and maintained as the headquarters of The McConnell Foundation, the Lema Ranch property is a private open space area currently available to residents. The site, located on Shasta View Drive, has many amenities that make it a popular destination, including connections to several adjacent residential areas, 4.44 miles of paved and gravel trails, vista points overlooking five ponds, a public parking lot, and sweeping mountain views. Walking and jogging are the only permitted activities. CHURN CREEK TRAILS. Additional trails, built by The McConnell Foundation near Lema Ranch, are known collectively as the Churn Creek Trails. These 4.48 miles of gravel trail connect nearby neighborhoods to Lema Ranch, and could eventually connect to Churn Creek Rd and beyond, through an agreement with Boulder Creek School and future planned City-owned trails. SHASTA COLLEGE. The campus has a par course and an internal trail system, approximately 1.5 miles long, with additional trails along the campus perimeter. OPEN SPACES The area s largest open space accessible to the public is the aforementioned nearly 400-acre Lema Ranch and Churn Creek Trails owned by The McConnell Foundation. City open space ownership in the Northeast Quadrant includes: A significant vernal pool preservation site, in cooperation with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, located near the Redding Soccer Park. A cultural resource protection area in the north. Parcels protecting steep slopes and floodplains obtained via the land development process in many places along Churn Creek. OTHER RECREATION SITES There are two 18-hole golf courses located within residential developments in the Northeast Quadrant: Tierra Oaks Golf Club, a private course in the far north east part of the City on Old Oregon Trail, and Gold Hills Country Club, south of Oasis Road, which is open to the public. None of the acreage associated with these other recreation sites is included in the parkland inventory. northeast quadrant 3

4 Northeast Quadrant Issues & Needs PARK SHORTAGES There is a total of 76.7 acres of developed park land, trail and special purpose facility within this quadrant.the present levelof-service ratio is 4.24 acres of developed parks and trails per thousand people. This figure represents.65 miles of trail and acres of developed park space. This service level is mostly due to the 60 developed acres of the Redding Sports Park, a large special purpose facility. Without its 60 acres, the service level is only.74 acres per thousand people. Future population growth and development will slowly increase the number of people in this area in the next twenty years. If all existing planned park sites are fully developed, and no additional land is acquired for parks, the quadrant s level-of-service will be 8.54 acres per thousand people by Most residents must get in a car to enjoy activities typically found at parks in the Northeast Quadrant. The size of neighborhood parks in this quadrant is generally substandard. The five small, developed City parks are all 1-acre or less in size. A community / regional park site (30-plus acres) in a central location to the area s geography and population needs to be acquired. Four undeveloped park sites offer opportunities for future development. RECREATION FACILITY DEFICIENCIES There are no community centers where recreation programs and classes can be conducted on the east side of the City, nor in this quadrant. The Parks Strategy section outline the current and future need for softball, baseball, soccer, and football fields, and for tennis courts, swimming pools, and gymnasiums in the Northeast Quadrant. PROBLEMS WITH ACCESS, TRAILS, AND CONNECTIVITY There are very few City trails currently in the Northeast Quadrant. Access to the developing City-wide trail system is limited to the View Trail at the western edge of the quadrant. This trail ties into the Dana to Downtown Bikeway, which originates in the Southwest Quadrant, and terminates on the western border of the Northeast Quadrant. Just outside the western edge, the Hilltop Extension of the Sacramento River Trail and the Palisades Trail connect to the system via Hilltop Drive. Many pedestrian connections to existing major destinations and recreation areas on the east side have discontinuous pavements, missing crosswalks, or are non-existent. 4 northeast quadrant

5 Northeast Quadrant Recommendations ACQUIRE LAND AND DEVELOP NEW PARKS Acquire and develop three new neighborhood parks to accommodate recreational needs of existing and future population growth. Acquire and develop one community / regional park site of 30 acres or more in a location north of State Route 299E and east of Interstate 5. An additional community park site of 15 to 50 acres should be acquired within the next ten years for the northern part of the quadrant, north of State Route 299E, which will serve future growth in the Oasis Road area. DEVELOP EXISTING SITES The following undeveloped Northeast Quadrant park sites should be developed: Rosetree Park Site 2.00 acres Gregory Lake Park Site acres Blossom Park Park Site 5.88 acres Mountain View Park Site 6.41 acres Renovate developed neighborhood parks. Some of these will require the replacement of existing play equipment as well as the upgrading of other features such as drinking fountains. With input from neighborhood residents, evaluate existing parks to see what recreation amenities could be added that would serve the broadest range of ages and interests. EXPAND AND DEVELOP RECREATION FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS To assist with satisfying the demand for recreation facilities, the City should continue to pursue joint-use agreements with school districts for shared recreation facilities. SPECIAL PURPOSE AREAS Locate a fenced dog park in the Northeast Quadrant. Minimum size should be one acre (optimally two acres or more), and basic amenities should include waste disposal materials and receptacles, a source of water, irrigated turf, a double-gated entry with automatic closures, and shaded seating. Explore the possibility of constructing a community center in the Northeast Quadrant. PROTECT AND IMPROVE NATURAL RESOURCES Continue to evaluate open space opportunities in the Churn Creek Interest Area, adding to existing dedications and public ownership along the stream so as to create a continuous open space and trail corridor. Continue to explore the possibility of developing the Twin View Park. Until further examination of the wetlands takes place, the area should be opened up for trail and open space activities. Look for open space and trail opportunities in the Stillwater Creek Open Space Interest Area, including the acquisition of land, conservation and trail easements, and public-private partnerships. DEVELOP PARK ACCESS, TRAILS AND CONNECTIONS Give high priority to trail, bike and sidewalk connections and improvements in elementary school walk zones (¾ mile radius from schools) and designated Safe Routes to Schools. Gregory Lake trails should be fully developed to connect with the existing system and future neighborhood park. Continue to work with The McConnell Foundation to connect their trails along the Churn Creek corridor with a larger trail system. Create continuous pedestrian and bikeway links to and from residential areas and major destinations such as the Mount Shasta Mall area, Lema Ranch, Simpson University, Shasta College, the Redding Soccer Park and Big League Dreams. Trail locations in the I-5/Oasis Road area may be refined by the update and adoption of the Oasis Specific Plan. Utilize open space areas for trail corridors whenever public access will not compromise natural resource values or negatively impact adjacent land uses. Develop easily identified family hike-and-bike-loops that provide residents with continuous, accessible, and attractive routes for exercise or pleasurable walking, jogging, or cycling close to home. These loops, whenever possible, will connect with the Sacramento River Trail and the city-wide trail and bikeway system. They can be within public parks, in the public right-of-way, or within public easements. The following table is an inventory of trails generally available to the public within the Northeast Quadrant: Northeast Trails Existing Miles Proposed Miles Paved Trails 4.98 Dirt Trails 6.32 TOTAL 11.3 *Does not reflect Level of Service Data for this quadrant northeast quadrant 5