As the AES & HS#3 Turn.... More From Email InBox

More Detail on AES / High School 3 and Old OAC Plan:

If folks are not aware of it, Michigan improvements were only part of the situation, for the new high school is very-very dependant upon completion of what was agreed to in the original and slightly modified O.A.C. concepts. Going back into history here a bit, that Specific Plan is still active. Just because you do not see buildings, does not void it. I once worked on a project in Reche Canyon which had a 20 year old specific plan overlay, to which we had to adjust our development to. They are good, and binding for years and years afterwards. Once you agree to a Specific Plan it is like for perpetuity.

Several years ago, while the O.A.C was still in arbitration, I had an opportunity to have a short talk with Matt from the city of G.T. Planning Commission. He explained a few things what was not evident in any newspaper report, or public comments. That is the whole of G.T. east of the freeway is under flood warnings for the low lying areas next to the freeway (A.K.A. the O.A.C. property and the High School Property). And this dates back to before the city was incorporated. It was found by our San Bernardino County Flood Control District (visit them at east third street in S.B. towards the rear of the building) that the State of California really fouled up when the current I-215 freeway was constructed in the late 1950's. Natural drainage for the whole of G.T. before that went west downhill to an arroyo which is near where the present trailer park is located within South Colton. When the freeway was constructed this natural drainage got cut off. Now that arroyo is a relatively dry Vee notch. Now, I see what Matt read and then understood what he was talking about and the reported solution and interim solution. In general, the folks on the G.T. Planning Commission are not dummies, they just are not telling you the whole story. For to tell the whole story may involve too much time, and may not alter their decision either.

For right now, all the flood water that comes down Pico goes across Michigan and to the west towards the planted fields, and then floods this property. If the tide gets too high, it flows over the railroad track and towards a small concrete ditch running along the very east line of the Power station. You see here, those who constructed the Power station and later on installed the upgrades were no dummies. They had engineers, just like Matt, who investigated the potential flood problem. Much of what had been planned as an interim solution was in the tube long before the City was Incorporated.

But how does this stuff dating back to before there was Incorporation affect the High school? Read on for it is a long story...... If you have not driven over Pico and a few of the other intercepting streets lately, do so soon. You ought to notice that streets such as these are pretty well sturdy, and have high concrete curbing in certain locations. The streets which intercept Michigan and those closer toward Main do not. These streets were designed as such by the County of San Bernardino back when in order to handle anticipated volume of storm water. They knew a bigger ditch handles more water. Take a look at that lonely A framed house at the corner which fronts on to Michigan, and ask why such high curbing?

Now, we cannot legislate rainfall, so we have to calculate anticipated volumes, and how to handle. And we have to use those calculations in devious ways to handle flooding and least expensive ways then. One way to handle and direct massive flooding is to meter out the flow towards the ocean. Think of constructing a one billion gallon water tank at top of Blue Mountain. Run an eight inch water main from it to connect into the central system. You then have a known emergency quantity of gallons to fight a fire. Stated usually in Cubic Feet per Minute (C.F.M.) Then, now instead construct a three million gallon water tank at same location, but with everything else the same. The C.F.M. to fight fires does not increase by 3X but only marginally. You then realize it is the eight inch water main leading out which is causing this miscalculation. More volume, just not as much increase in C.F.M. We use this pipeline metering concept in reverse to handle flood waters.

But how does this antique stuff affect the High school? Read on for it is a long story......

During the original concept of the O.A.C. they advertised it as being the mecca of watersports sales.Yes, but no. That may have been a beneficial side effect, but not the whole story. For, it is that pond, which was aimed to satisfy the problems noted above.

The concept of the pond is not new. It is used quite often in the low desert areas east of Palm Springs, for there the land is relatively flat, and the White Water river is miles away. The solution for them is to let any rainwater go into those manmade lakes first, fill up, and then days or hours later to overflow on to the streets in a smaller quantity. Drive up Highway 138 to Palmdale area. Off to east side along the highway are new subdivisions. Smack up near the highway at each new tract where a new street is constructed, there ought to be a couple of rectangular unused lots, but deep. The City of Palmdale did not have the dollars to extend their storm drain system that far east. The City wanted the little subdivisions, but their developers did not have the millions to extend the underground pipes that many miles. Interim solution proposed by the engineers was to build holding ponds, smaller but to much the same concept as in the low desert. Hold the water for a while, then meter it out on to the public streets.Then decades later, when the underground tube is extended, the street side flat and wide ponds will be filled with dirt, and a new house constructed on that lot.

I don't understand, but how does this stuff off a hundred miles from here affect the High school? Read on for it is a long story......

On the original plan for the O.A.C. the engineer anticipated the volume of water coming down such streets like Pico. This is his standard job, and he came up with a solution. It could continue to either dump on to farmland or instead be collected and redirected to another location. Originaly iffn' the freeway had not been built, that water would have gone west and in to the now dry arroyo within South Colton. But it did get built, and now since the freeway was installed, those same flows inundate farmland plus turn due south and go into the only drainage structure around. That little ditch near to the power plant? Now on your inspection tour this weekend, drive the lumpy semi-paved road along the power plant. Look through the fence, and you ought to see that small (now dry) concrete ditch. The pond at the O.A.C. was sized to handle the anticipated volume of water coming in from the east (uphill) during a normal and exceptional storm. The engineer needed X amount of volume to collect such storm water and let go into the groundwater. Anything in excess this volume had to be gotten rid of, and that little undersized concrete ditch was just one of the noted ways. It may have stayed dry for the next thirty years, but was always noted as being part of some emergency. The water sports ponds as they were later referred to, was where the bulk of the storm water was to go to. Certainly not an original concept, but it suited the needs at the time. It would work, even if the O.A.C. did not get developed.

The big fault in all this was timing, and meddling. The concept was OK engineering wise. The City staff then as per ordinance, put the whole of the O.A.C. concept out for public comment. It was about this time that the dreaded West Nile Virus craze was sweeping the nation. At one of the public comment sessions, time after time someone from the audience would get up and complain about the ponds, and their possible effect on public health. Most wanted nothing to do with those ponds. Bleep them from consideration or else.....!! In having talked to Matt beforehand I knew their real need; a part of the city flood control system. As explained by some person who went before the podium, just what were the alternative costs to eliminating the ponds? The solution was to construct a few miles worth of storm channel in to areas of the lower lying County of Riverside, and to some connection near to the south side of Highgrove. Very-very expensive. And this made the whole concept of the O.A.C. too expensive to an investor (even with a direct freeway offramp).

Yeah, that’s a neat story , but how does this antique stuff affect the High school? Read on for it is a long story and am getting there......

Now in about 2004 or 2005, the environmental report for the High school gets passed around for the public to see. I read a few of the sections to which I am familiar with. Beside what was mentioned earlier, Low and Behold, there it is. I was wondering how the school was going to get away with this project. Yep. Read it yourself. For in that report, was a note that the whole concept of the Unified School district considering this site was that the the City of G.T. was going to build the O.A.C. soon (completion circa 2005). It said smack in that report that the new high school would drain in to the new O.A.C. ponds, tie into water mains by the Riverside Highland Water Company, etc. The new high school was going to use certain bonded facilities noted within the O.A.C. report in order to save costs. Remember, if you agree to it, you had better build it too, or else our attorneys will be contacting you soon and ... And thus in one more way, the residents on Brentwood would be paying for a Mosquito hole at the O.A.C. site so that they would get the honor of placing their chosen name upon the marquee fronting onto the north line of Riverside county. Now consider the date here too, for these things do not move fast. I believe per public meeting at the school district, it was mentioned the high school would be open for students by Sept. 2006, or was that revised to Sept. 2007 later on?

However, the writers of the high school environmental report had been fooled in the past, and they knew things did not always turn out as written on paper, for they are not stupid and slipped in a contingency.The contingency being that if the O.A.C. was not built on time, there had to be some sort of interim solutions made. Unwittingly when the public went up and complained about the mosquitoes in the O.A.C. pond, and then a delay and yet another delay happened, this made the high school contingencies more of policy. That 10,000 seat stadium construction may have to be delayed due to unanticipated budgeted costs in digging a hole for the O.A.C. As mentioned, it may now be ten years before the O.A.C. or something similar gets constructed. The School District wants to go NOW, oryesterday. The idea then is that iffn't it is on the ground and constructed, then no one can say anything bad about it. Did you ever wonder just why that illustrative brochure and program as put out by Colton School District does not show a single thing beyond the boundaries? Take a look at it again for that is because just outside is where all the problems lie.

The C.C. already gave the nod to take care of such and the complainers too.

Odd in how people complaining about unrelated things affect yet other things in the pipeline. Months ago when Patricia complained about parking of trucks along Michigan this hit a lengthy nerve. Well then.... just what are the City of G.T. policies concerning this? and isn't a new and wide Michigan going to be constructed soon? That ought to shut her up from complaining, and by the way who is paying for this widening? Isn't it the school district? Nope, nope, nope. So then, remember when Patricia is out front swinging her fist at you when you are lined up behind some non-moving line of yellow busses, you are then seeing your tax dollars at work.

At this point isn't it cheaper to award the naming of some future park to a G.T. resident than to build all what is required for some Non-tax paying high school?

Stop looking for that magic pill to cure all ills, as a new park may cost residents a million or two, whereas the improvements noted in that environmental report are about ten times more expensive.

Pawww...

I have a slightly different perspective concerning the old City of Riverside Power station. The power station now at the southern extremity of G.T. was built in order to benefit the growing City of Riverside. A set of lines parallels the Riverside Branch railroad track and is fed power by the current Vista power station on the cliff at north end of G.T. The continued need and use of this G.T. station was in doubt many years ago, and a big interest was sold to So Calif. Edison, who in turn used it for switching current to different locations.

Then Governor Wilson had a plan for the state to purchase it, but that failed. Then, the grey out of the 1990's, and yet more emphasis was placed on conservation instead of construction. There is a point in which using tin snips to cut a penny into equal segments does not work anymore. We had been trying to divide one quantity of power up into more parts (due to more users) without increasing the overall quantity of power. Conservation only goes so far.

I did not vote for him, but Governor Gray Davis in Sacramento looked at available power plants, and decided to use State Tax dollars to purchase the one in south G.T. (along with others). Did anyone signing on in the previous notes here think to complain to Davis? You must have voted for him, now how about supporting his ideas. These things take time to develop and now are the time there is some talking in Sacramento about making money out of taxpayer’s investments. The power plant is not very big, but was capable of accommodating maybe 10,000 customers within City of Riverside. Far as those in Sacramento can see, is there is a greater need to serve electricity to 10,000 customers than for half that amount of kiddies.

Now, I do not know if the writters herein had reviewed all the pages of the preliminary Environmental Report for the High School, but I did and I understand what was being said at that time. For in the report, it was stated that Michigan is not capable for use by the high school in the present condition. This roadway needs to be widened to four lanes from county line up to Barton Road. A few traffic signals will need to be installed, and the one at Barton removed and modernized. This to accommodate a fleet of yellow school buses three times each day etc. The city had been approached, beforehand and had made preliminary nods to condemn property and widen the length of Michigan. This certainly affects those residents who live along the street, for they get their front yards removed and then get to see autos zipping along out front. I think Patricia Farley was the only one to pick up the inference in what was so curtly mentioned in that report.

Yep, the residents of the whole of G.T. get to pay for widening a road to which many will not use, nor appreciate. You may live on Brentwood, but you would be paying for the widening to Michigan. (Do I smell millions of tax dollars for another agency here?)

But let us look at the bright side of this. For by permitting the high school to be built, the residents will then be allowed to tag a NAME onto it.

For as stated in the report, the high school was the only one who needed an extra wide road. Otherwise as stated in that report due to the present size of G.T. that same roadway ought to handle anticipated traffic for yet another ten years. That skinny street stays in being without buying up strips of property, laying down more asphalt, installing a couple of traffic signals, installing underground drainage systems at intersecting streets, new signs, etc. (Do I smell millions of unseen dollars here?)

Now don't act surprised, for you can read it in the report filed by the school district and sent to Sacramento. For the new school may cost the district and state taxpayers a few million, but those funding this forgot to budget in the necessary local improvements. Was this intentional, as in other districts, or an oversight? (Do I smell millions of omitted dollars here?) For relief, the school district report did mention that perhaps an interim solution was to erect a few signs around town to direct traffic on to Main street until the street widening got completed.

Now, as the residents of G.T. are asking for a tax free school to be built they must also realize that several going businesses are being shipped out of town, to needy places like the City of San Bernardino. As I understand that city needs tax dollars also. (Do I smell millions of dollars sent off to another city here?)

But let us look at the bright side of this. For by permitting the high school to be built, the residents will then be allowed to tag a NAME onto it.

I may be thinking cheap, but to me it is cheaper to buy and build a park in some obscure location of G.T. than to tax the residents for widening of Michigan by a NON-tax paying business. (Do I smell millions of dollars to which we expect zero return upon here?) Yes it is cheaper to hold a parade and give a park in the name of someone than to widen Michigan and upset the current residents. Shall we take a poll of the residents up and down the street and see how much land they will be ready to donate?

But let us look at the bright side of this action. For by permitting the high school to be built, the residents will then be allowed pay out millions from the annual budget in order to tag a NAME onto it.

Oh, and had to laugh when I read an official environmental report on alternative energy this morning. Seems the City of New York was considering going to Green Power. The Edison International company was hired for a portion of the report, and early results look disappointing. Seems they were going to need the entire land mass of Conneticut just for wind farms, or the land mass of Rhode Island for solar panels. I wonder what they do with the residents then, and where they store the batteries when there is no wind or sunshine. Now, if every building was required to install energy efficient light bulbs, the State of New York would only have to buy 90% of either location. Yes, we would have to fill up the entire hillside of Blue Mountain in order to make the city independent. I once worked with Zond International in their wind farm development near White Water (North Palm Springs) and they found if not for Tax-free incentives, the whole project would not have happened.
Thus only one making dollars was the evil power company, not the residents of Riverside County (Do I smell millions of missed out dollars here?)

And thus in my mind, it is far cheaper to let the power plant go into service, keeping the power rates down some, or keeping lights turned on, plus build a public park someplace, than it is for the residents of the city of G.T. to permit the building of the high school. (Do I smell millions of misdirected dollars here?)

However, we do get the honor of having the new school initially named after a resident. Oh, and one more laugh, the name of a school is not permanent. It can be renamed once again in five or ten years. It has been done already. How about re-naming it for some poor student who was massacred there? For in a couple of years everyone will remember that incident as compared to .... who was it originally named for?



Dear Knowledgeable Friend?

I have always yielded to the Power Station even though being reluctant to continue to use fossil fuels or carbon based fuels that create air pollution, heat, and noise.

How much power could be generated if all roofs in GT had PV Solar Cells and the Ridge of Blue Mt had Wind Mills, and perhaps a small but efficient hydroelectric plant to take advantage of water that passes through GT. The reactivated power station is to be a part time small producer. The alternative production methods would be operational to some degree when ever the elements are available. No one suggested that it would make GT Independent to have a Power Plant or to generate via Green Methods every bit of energy possible to add to the “Grid”.

With regards to the School Preliminary EIR and the Road Improvements Required for Michigan, there are couple of thoughts I’d like to add. This was most likely welcomed by the City Manager and the promoters of the now de-funked Outdoor Adventure Center, and all those pressing to convert the entire area between the freeway and Michigan to Commercial or Light Industrial of some sort. Except for the High School of course… Again, putting a High School in a Commercial / Light Industrial area near Rail Tracks and freeway seems like poor planning from the get go. However, with the improvements made on Main Street the City and School may feel they can hold off on the high cost improvements to Michigan. I agree it is a concern that the streets around the school could be a traffic nightmare if there was a rail accident blocking Main St to Iowa…