Petition to Resolve Recurring City Ordinance Violations and Nuisances on Trails in the Stone Canyon and Discovery Hills Communities of San Marcos, California

January 12, 2021  

We, the undersigned citizens of San Marcos, California, call on the City of San Marcos and San Diego County Sheriff to implement controls and enforce laws that eliminate violations of hiking trail and park ordinances and other nuisances in the Stone Canyon and Discovery Hills neighborhoods of San Marcos.

This includes resolving the following issues which are impacting residents in their neighborhoods:

1. Hikers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and park attendees trespassing onto private residential property;
2. Hikers and pedestrians blocking traffic and creating dangerous driving conditions by walking on - and in the middle of - private and public streets;
3. Hikers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and park attendees using trails after hours;
4. Hiker, pedestrian, bicyclist, and park attendee noise violations;
5. Parking violations and encroachment in neighborhoods when accessing trails and parks;
6. Littering on public and private property;
7. Use of alcoholic beverages on public trails and adjoining areas;
8. Use of marijuana on public trails and adjoining areas;
9. Poor or non-existent animal feces clean-up and disposal;
10. Hikers, pedestrians, and bicyclists accessing non-public areas and destroying natural conservation areas (including removal of natural habitats);
11. Personal conduct problems from hikers, pedestrians, and bicyclists including the use of vulgar language and yelling at neighborhood residents when approached about how hikers and pedestrians should conduct themselves.

Steps to resolve these problems include, but are not limited to, the following: 1) implementing physical barriers to restrict hikers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to public trails only and away from private property; 2) installing clear signage describing laws and conduct expectations of individuals using public trails and parks; 3) frequent City and Sheriff patrols and security reviews that enforce laws and cite violators - to stop current - and deter future problems (especially on weekends when hiker activity is the highest); and 4) better overall management by the City to control the increased volume of trail and park users.

Upon completion of the above changes, the number of incidents and the rate of occurrence will be reduced to an acceptable level where the residents in these communities can use and enjoy their property and neighborhood without being impacted by the recurring violations and nuisances outlined in this petition.

Hunter Lynne    Contact the author of the petition