Save Ryan Ranch Park and Disc Golf Course

Monterey Herald article published October 3 & 4, 2020 copied out the City excuse without analyzing why they delay returning a healthy public use of public open space. No disc golf courses north, south or east of Ryan Ranch are ADA compliant except for the restrooms. Since there is sadly no investigative journalism for our community, let us explain it: the City Manager took it hard when disc golfers successfully defended the public open space from his plans for development w...hich would have caused major reductions in the course. That was running up to and at the August 2018 City Council meeting. Since then, every reviewing committee and the City Council have voted in favor of returning Ryan Ranch Disc Golf course. The only issue is that the City Manager's office holds a grudge. The same guy who pushed for developing the open space also told the Council "they have the Sports Center, they don't need field sports at Ryan Ranch." That's City Manager Hans Uslar. Zumba classes and swimming for the public! Let them eat cake, says Uslar. He doesn't understand why anyone would rather exercise in the open space. He doesn't understand communing with nature. He probably doesn't like nature photography. He just sees the effectiveness that disc golfers had in the civic space -- the space that he means to dominate with money-driven bottom line directives -- as a PROBLEM, as a THREAT to his power. Now the City is dumping sludge in the parking area, although local players know that is nothing new! It used to happen on several holes, as well. But here is the real bottom line, friends: Uslar cannot make us disappear by stealing our disc golf course. We persist, we occupy, and we vote. WRITE TO MONTEREY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IMMEDIATELY TO SAY YOU SAW THE HERALD ARTICLE and YOU WANT THE COURSE BACK! ADA COMPLIANCE ON PORTABLE RESTROOM AND HOLE 1 IS ALL IT WOULD TAKE. The City can pay for it. PLEASE REACH OUT to the ones running for a seat on the Council to get their promise of action on this for your support. Haffa, Albert, Downey. WE'LL DO IT, WE'LL GET IT BACK. See more

Autumn again. Last night (Nov 5th) Monterey City Council voted in favor of disc golf at the Ranch, again. Still no use agreement.Autumn again. Last night (Nov 5th) Monterey City Council voted in favor of disc golf at the Ranch, again. Still no use agreement.

What is the holdup?, many fans of what used to be the Ryan Ranch experience ask. All the required committees have approved disc golf use, the Initial Study is done, so why isn't the course back in? The City needs to stop the delaying tactics-- made up ADA compliance requirements that are not needed (there are no BARRIERS to access between ther parking lot and hole one, so it is already ADA compliant! Stalling and looking for another development to fill the space? Staffers think they are safe from public dissent of their actions and deliberate inaction because they aren't elected. It's time to call the City Council to urge staff to get a Use Agreement signed and stop their unnecessary delay. Ask them and the Mayor to tell Hans CUT THE BULLS#*T!!! BRING BACK THE RANCH!!!

We photographers, hikers, and dog walkers have witnessed the unfortunate decline of the Ryan Ranch open space since the City of Monterey's Director of Parks and Recreation, Kristi McClure-Huckaby, kicked the disc golf club out. Where native oaks and plants were restored, invasive weeds and grasses mowed, and the park was walkable for people and pets, all thanks to the disc golfers, now the area is overgrown with invasive weeds and grasses, the native oak seedlings crowded out... and not getting enough light, and our pets are covered in ticks from the overgrowth. When will the City stop punishing the disc golf community, and us in turn, for protecting our public parks and open space from their solar farm development? The project that they lazily preferred (grading and fencing off most of Ryan Ranch) to putting solar on the buildings and parking lots of the developed area? The project that they naively believed would pump out $1 Million in profits per year, to pay for their managers' plump Calpers pensions? *several journal articles have shown that solar companies routinely over-promise profits to towns to get solar farms installed on public lands.* No, the City managers would rather PUNISH the good guys who saved them from an embarrassing, low profit, irreversible destruction of valuable green space by stealing their joy, their method of fundraising for local charities, and their ability to keep the Ryan Ranch open space safe and accessible to all. They even stole the disc golf community's ability to expand, by forcing the removal of the baskets from Don Dahvee Park, where outreach, beginner lessons and practice, and public visibility of the sport were taking place. WE SEE YOU, Kristi McClure-Huckaby, and we do not approve of the delaying tactics done by your office. Let the people return to their parks and open space! Meet the club with a user agreement for both Don Dahvee and Ryan Ranch! These public spaces are declining without the good people of the community in them. If you agree, call City Hall at 646-3799 or email Kristi (be polite, please) [email protected] and the Parks and Recreation Commission: (Chair), Suzanne Menendez-Herbst (Vice Chair), Donna Gibson, Shelby Gorman, Dennis McCarthy, Ellen McEwen, and Lacy Spangler. We do not have their email addresses, but if you do, post them here in comments. See more

City of Monterey Backlash Against Disc Golfers Who Saved Ryan Ranch Open Space From Development by the City Staff. Letter from the RECREATION DIVISION November 21, 2018... Nick Maffei, President Marc Howard, Vice President Monterey Stinging Jellies Disc Golf Club 550 Wave Street Monterey, CA 93940 Dear Mr. Maffei and Mr. Howard, Thank you for taking the time to meet with us last week to discuss utilizing City properties (Ryan Ranch and Don Dahvee Park in Monterey) as disc golf sites. As we mentioned in the meeting on November 15th, the Monterey Stinging Jellies Disc Golf Club needs to immediately cease operations of your disc golf course uses on City properties until the City and the Club have entered into an agreement. Additionally, we discussed the Club needing to remove all equipment, portables, message boards, and accessory structures as soon as possible from both sites. It is with the expectation that the open space for both Ryan Ranch and Don Dahvee Park) is vacated by Friday, November 30, 2018. We appreciate the Club's continued cooperation with the City, as we work together on the environmental review of the property, ADA and insurance requirements and a new agreement for disc golf course use of City properties. All of these steps must be completed prior to any further use of city properties (including short term and/or one day special events/tournaments). I would like to schedule a meeting with you and your board members the week of January 7th to provide a City update on the environmental review of the property and a time line for next steps in the process. Sincerely, Kristi McClure Huckaby Parks and Recreation Director cc: Hans Uslar, City Manager Bonnie L. Gawf, Interim Assistant City Manager Karin Salameh, Assistant City Attorney Kimberly Cole, Community Development Director John Kuehl, Chief of Inspection Services/Building Official Shannon Leon, Interim Recreation and Community Services Manager Louie Marcuzzo, Parks Operation Manager 546 DUTRA STREET MONTEREY CALIFORNIA 93940 831 .646.3866

Looking for experienced landscapers to start designing erosion control for a few sites at the Ranch. Please P.M.Looking for experienced landscapers to start designing erosion control for a few sites at the Ranch. Please P.M.

Sunday lovers. Two California bluebirds taking a late afternoon stroll at the top of the course above the oaks at 23. Also, first photo shot from the park since the City Council's decision to keep it.

Here are 20 pictures of 20 species, to offer just a small sample of the variety and abundance of wildlife the park supports. Have you seen or photographed other species at the park? Tarantulas, badgers, barred owls or others? Post your photos or let us know!

Thanks to the advocacy from the Monterey Stinging Jellies, Ryan Ranch Disc Golf Course, CSUMB faculty, dedicated park enthusiasts, disc golfers, wildlife lovers, open space champions and especially thanks to the thoughtful consideration and action of the City of Monterey City Council, the sun will continue to set in, but not ON, Ryan Ranch Park and Disc Golf Course.

Tonight the Monterey City Council decided against moving forward with the solar farm project at Ryan Ranch Park and agreed to keep it as open space. The park will remain a park. It was amazing to listen to everyone who spoke in favor of keeping the park, and to see how the council received and considered the public input and factored it into their discussion and decision. Everyone gets an A+ in civics tonight and saved a wildlife sanctuary while they were at it.

White-tailed kites are the most likely wildlife you'll see if you take a stroll through Ryan Ranch Park. The coyotes are a close second, but the park is as much a home to the kites, as it is to the disc golf family. The kites hunt, mate, nest and raise their young in the park year after year.