By William Yragui
Originally opened in May 2016, Vargas Plateau was forced to close weeks later when an Alameda county judge granted an injunction to two local landowners. The crux of the neighbors' complaint was that the park district had failed to make road improvements required under an earlier settlement. The closure of Vargas Plateau represented the first time in the park district's 80-year history that one of its spaces had been shut down by court injunction. In recent weeks, the park district worked with the city of Fremont to widen Vargas Road, paving the way for settlement and the park's reopening.
While Vargas Plateau boasts sweeping views of grasslands, oak chaparral, and the San Francisco Bay, the roads leading into this open space are narrow and winding. Both Morrison Canyon and Vargas Road are single-lane roads designed to support light rural traffic. Jurisdiction floats among EBRPD, the city of Fremont, and Alameda County, depending on land ownership. This makes it difficult for one entity to control access. For instance, last year the park district and city ran into trouble when they erected no-parking signs on a stretch of county-controlled Morrison Canyon Road. The signs were removed. The new settlement reflects the complexity of jurisdiction in the area and the need for collaboration. While the park district allocated $80,000 in Measure WW funds toward the Vargas Road repairs, the city of Fremont contributed $20,000 toward overhead costs. To ease traffic concerns, the park district agreed to construct a turn-around at the top of Morrison Canyon and to ask the county to ban parking along the road.
During the park's legal troubles, EBRPD Board Director Dennis Waespi (a longtime Sierra Club member) maintained open communication with the public and is to be applauded for his acumen in working with park visitors and advocates for park access. He maintained an open door policy throughout the process and represented an alternative for communications outside the legal process. On the day Vargas Plateau reopened, Waespi hosted a celebratory hike at the park attended by individuals representing several different organizations. We congratulate Director Waespi for his leadership in working with the district and local community!
Photo by William Yragui of Vargas Plateau Regional Park