By Mike Hazlip—
An undeveloped, 11-acre green space park on the border of Citrus Heights and Carmichael is drawing the ire of residents who say dirt bike riders are frequenting the area for recreation, despite a prohibition on motorized vehicles.
A resident who lives nearby and did not want to be identified said he is a “frustrated citizen” after getting no answers from Citrus Heights police and the Sunrise Recreation and Park District. He told The Sentinel the typically quiet park “turns into Prairie City SVRA” on weekends.
The park is located behind numerous homes along the southern fringes of Citrus Heights, with one entrance on Woodleigh Drive in Carmichael and other entrances on Parkcreek Circle and Parkoaks Drive in Citrus Heights. The park district posted a sign prohibiting motorized vehicles several years ago, but that hasn’t stopped the activity.
Another resident, Thomas Spencer, said he’s seen several individuals using what he called the “undeveloped green belt” to enjoy motorized recreation.
“There seems to be others who for whatever reason think it’s okay to use the greenbelt area as a motor-cross track of some sort,” Spencer said. “These are ongoing and endemic problems and I don’t know what the solution is.”
Sunrise Recreation and Park District Administrator Dave Mitchell told The Sentinel in an email response last month that it was his first time hearing about a problem with motorcycle riding in Shadowcreek Park. He referred related questions to the Citrus Heights Police Department.
In an email reply, Citrus Heights Police Sgt. Seth Cimino said officers had responded to two recent reports of motorized dirt bikes. In the first incident, an officer found a juvenile sitting on a motorcycle on the Sacramento County side of the park’s boundary. The rider and his parents were “contacted, educated on the law, and counseled on safety concerns.”
Officers also responded to another call, but were not able locate anyone riding dirt bikes.
Cimino said Citrus Heights police “can and will investigate” incidents involving dirt bikes at the park, and enforce applicable sections of municipal and state vehicle code.
The park district encourages community members to contact police to report motorcycle riding in any parks.
Want to share your thoughts on this topic or another local issue? The Sentinel welcomes guest opinions of any viewpoint. Submit a letter to the editor or opinion column for publication: Click here
