University Neighborhood Feb 2025 Meeting Discussion Topics

Public Safety

• Fire Protection
• Wildfire maps
• Homeowners Insurance is problematic in our neighborhood.
• Status of the fire departments grant to expand awareness of fireproofing residences.
• Mt. Vernon properties illegally clearing vegetation
• Consider a city-wide ban on discing. Each time it generates more fuel after spring rains.
• RTRP – Reconsideration to underground
• Freshen the reflective paint stripes along Watkins Dr from the Freeway to Mt. Vernon.

UCR Lawsuits

• Status of the City’s
• UNA lost their suit over some of the same issues as the City.

Environmental

• Donkeys as a public safety issue.
  • Who in the City is accountable for this? Not a normal job posting.
  • What is the status of regional collaboration to address the issue
  • Where do the 311 calls get routed?
  • How many donkey calls for service in the past five years?
• Traffic Watkins Dr – 215 to Spruce
  • Compare traffic data from UCR’s study showing the need for a lighted intersection at Watkins Dr and Big Springs Rd., to current trends based on camera data from Watkins Big Springs intersection since the lights were hooked up to traffic system.
  • What is the quantity of cars per hour/day/week since camera data available. Some graphs would be helpful.
  • How many days has the camera feed been live?
  • How many big rigs are on camera since camera feed went live?

• Watkins Dr parking hazard West side Watkins, Blaine to Valencia Hills Dr
  • How often is Watkins Dr from Blane to Valencia hills drive maintained?
  • How many times since parking was removed from the East Side of Watkins, has this stretch been maintained.
• Street maintenance: how often is Watkins Dr South of Piccacho Drive to the 215-freeway scheduled for maintenance?
  • When was the last time a work order was issued for anything along that section of Watkins Dr.
  • How many over the past 5 years?
• How many public works service calls for water or sewer line issues in our neighborhood?
  • How many on Watkins Dr?

Placemaking Opportunities

• Trails
  • Possibility of paving terminus of Two Trees Rd for enhanced parking Two Trees Trailhead
  • Parking along Marlborough for trail access behind Nordstrom warehouse
  • Access to Sugar Loaf trail along Gage Canal South of Citrus
  • Remove parking on Watkins Dr from Blane to Valencia Hills Dr and the neighborhood specific plan can take shape. This provides for dedicated bike lanes in both directions, plus trail connectivity options to the Gage Canal trail, Islander Park and campus. These could be class A lanes with barriers given the traffic volumes we have.
  • Trail signage needed.
  • Bridge, tunnel to reopen access to the Box Springs Reserve and trails.
    • This is an opportunity to attract State or County funding. The entire Metrolink line has a trail easement for the asking. This is alternative transportation funding and can be applied for. Especially since our trail plan includes Moreno Valley. The line goes to Perris and in plans beyond.
• Blaine & Watkins train crossing medians add planters with succulents, natives
• Islander Pool is underutilized. What is the annual operational budget for Islander Park?
  • What has been the trend for the past five years?
• Watkins Dr is the Gateway to the UNA. It leads to campus and points north. It deserves to be treated as such which means a budget to keep it looking attractive, and managed for fire along Coyote Hill, and beautified from Blaine to Spruce along a half mile of chain link fence. Surely we can do better as city of arts and innovation.