City Planning for New River Trail Segment

The trail will be on the north side of the SD River

The city of Santee is moving forward on plans to develop another portion of the San Diego River Trail.

The newest segment will be a 1.3-mile-long path along the newly named Walker Preserve, a 107-acre parcel located between Magnolia Avenue and the city’s eastern border with Lakeside.

The property recently was acquired with grants obtained by the San Diego River Conservancy and transferred to  the city of Santee in December.

Before opening it for public use, the city wants to build a parking lot, along with a trail head, information kiosk and trash receptacles. A rest room is also being considered.

Fencing and signage must be installed to protect wildlife habitat and keep the public from wandering off the trail.  The proposed 14-foot-wide trail will meander along the alignment of the unpaved haul road previously used for a sand mining operation.

With fencing or other design featueres, the trail will be segregated from the western portion of the property, which is leased by RCP Block & Brick for storage of aggregate material.

“We need to develop this trail in a way that preserves habitat for endangered species and makes the experience enjoyable for the public,”  said Community Services Director Bill Maertz.

One of the reasons the site was purchased is to preserve habitat along the river that supports three endangered bird species.

The trail has been included in the city’s long-term capital improvement program, but the project will probably take a year or longer to complete.

"We thank the public for their patience while we gather funding and design a plan to develop this trail the right way,” Maertz said. “We want to ensure the public can safely use the trail and that sensitive habitat for endangered species is protected.”

Stuff Your Stockings With Recreation!

Looking for last minute stocking stuffers? Why not give the gift of recreation to yourself or your family? Registration is open for the city of Santee winter recreation programs and now through December 25, the normal online transaction fee will be waived, just in time for your last minute gift giving.

 

In addition to no online transaction fees, special online discounts are available for select winter classes including: Adult Belly Dancing, Adult Golf, Teen Chefs Cooking, Creepy Crawlers Art, Early Education (including Tiny Tykes, Playtime Pals and Kindergartners in Training), Youth Tennis, Youth Self-Defense and Fitness, along with specific Dance N Cheer and Pop Stars Music Theater classes. Check out the online guide to view all of the programs offered. Most classes begin the week of January 14.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sale valid for online purchases made from 12:01 a.m. December 21 through 11:59 p.m. December 25, 2012 only.

Need Sandbags to Combat Flooding?

It's wet out there and there's more rain in the forecast.

Free sandbags are available to Santee residents and businesses at the city of Santee Public Services  Operations Center at 9534 Via Zapador.

A limited number of gravel bags are available at Fire Station No. 4 at 8950 Cottonwood Ave.

Take Our Survey on City Housing Needs

What types of housing are needed to ensure Santee can continue to meet the needs of people with all levels of income? If you have an opinion, let us know.

City planners need your input to help them draft an update of the Housing Element of the Santee General Plan.

It will only take a minute of your time.

It’s easy. Just click here to take a short survey on housing types, programs to promote affordable housing, and segments of the population that may need housing assistance.  Your response will help the city plan for a variety of housing for everyone.

Recycle your Christmas Tree

Help divert green waste from the landfill by recycling your Christmas tree.

Waste Management Inc. will pick up natural trees placed in your curbside green waste cart the first two regular trash collection days that fall between Dec. 26  and Jan. 7.

Residents with curbside collection can recycle their Christmas trees by:

A.   Removing ornaments, tinsel and tree stands; and

B.   Cutting them into 4-foot sections and placing them into their green waste carts on their regular pick-up day.

Flocked trees cannot be recycled, but will be collected if they are cut into 4-foot sections and placed into the regular trash cart.

Residents of apartment complexes or others without curbside trash service can drop off their trees from Dec. 26th through Jan. 7th, 2013, at the Waste Management Recycle Center in El Cajon.

The recycle center is at 925 O’Connor Street, one block south of the West Bradley Avenue and Johnson Avenue intersection.  It will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

For more information contact Ed Ruiz at the city of Santee Community Services Department, (619) 258-4100 ext. 128

Santee Dedicates Walker Family Preserve

The city of Santee and the San Diego River Conservancy honored members of the Walker family at a ceremony Dec. 11 to dedicate a portion of the family’s former estate as the Walker Preserve.

The River Conservancy spearheaded the purchase of the 107-acre property, which has been given to the city of Santee to fill a crucial gap in the San Diego River Trail.

Santee envisions developing a multi-use trail with interpretive signs and other public amenities along the riverfront parcel, which stretches from Magnolia Avenue to the city’s eastern boundary near the Lakeside Baseball Park.

The riverfront parcel was purchased for its appraised market value of $2,140,000 with grants from the State Coastal Conservancy, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,  and the State Wildlife Conservation Board. The property was targeted for conservation by the federal Fish and Wildlife Service because it contains high-quality habitat that supports at least three federally-protected bird species: the Southwestern willow flycatcher, the California gnatcatcher, and the least Bell’s vireo.

The property was part of a 350-acre dairy farm the Walker family established on the south side of the river when the family arrived in Santee in 1926. The family played a prominent role in Santee’s early history, and the dairy remained in operation until 1971.

Walker family members attending the ceremony, which marked the property’s transition from private to public ownership, included: (from left)  Bill Hanlon, Marla Walker Nichols, Dan Walker, Darby Walker, Rick Walker, Sam Walker  and  (front row) Donald Mortimer Walker Jr.

Early Education Class Ends Year With Visit From Santa

Click on pic to enlarge 

The end-of-year party for children enrolled in the city of Santee’s Playtime Pals Class included a surprise visit from Santa today at Woodglen Vista Park.

The kids chatted with Mr. Claus and described what gifts they are hoping to receive.
Now is the time for parents to enroll their children from ages 2 to 4 in one of the city’s three early education classes, which begin the week of Jan. 14.

The classes include Playtime Pals, Kindergarteners in Training and Tiny Tykes, all of which include hands-on learning and opportunities to learn how to interact with other children.

Information about these classes and an online enrollment form can be found on the city’s website by clicking here.

December’s Bird of the Month

The bird of the month for December is the great egret. We found this one spearing minnows in the shallows at the Santee Lakes Recreation Preserve.

(click on photo to enlarge)

Santee is a birder’s paradise because of the variety of habitats found here. Raptors, flycatchers and many types of songbirds can be seen in the riparian zone along the San Diego River.

We recently spotted a kingfisher along the river, but it was skittish and wouldn’t sit still for a photograph.

The chaparral and coastal sage scrub habitat common to the hills surrounding Santee are home to native species such as the California gnatcatcher, scrub jay, and the state bird, the California quail.