Community members in Fair Oaks are rallying against Sacramento County's plans to reopen a once secluded trail at Sailor Bar to vehicle traffic. More than 100 individuals voiced their concerns over the potential environmental and safety impacts of converting the popular walking path into a road. Claudia Thorn, president of the Fair Oaks Historical Society, shared her deep connection to the area, telling CBS Sacramento, "For me, this place is like a sanctuary, it's almost spiritual. You come down here and it's a sense of serenity and nature."
Despite the county's assertion that the paved road will facilitate easier access for fishing and provide handicapped accessibility, local residents remain skeptical. Their skepticism is shared by organizations like Trout Unlimited, whose president, Trevor Fagerskog, expressed ecological worries to ABC10, saying, "Because we're a cold-water conservation organization that tries to preserve the habitat environment for endangered salmon and steelhead (trout), we want to make sure that parking lots don't get built close to the river — mostly because tires have a compound in them called 6PPDQ, which is toxic to fish, especially in their juvenile stage."
The opposition to the project, which costs just over $200,000, is further bolstered by a significant number of signatures collected on a petition. Dr. Andrea Willey, a member of the grassroots group Friends of Sailor Bar, expressed concerns to ABC10 about the compatibility of vehicles with the current use of the trails by walkers, hikers, the elderly, equestrians, and disabled individuals.
With the Recreation and Park's commission's next meeting scheduled for February 27, protestors like Jodi King, a Friends of Sailor Bar member, hope that their efforts will sway the county's plans. In a statement caught by ABC10, King conveyed the widespread sentiment of the community: "We've been writing letters, emailing, calling to say that there's reasons: health and safety, environmental, use for not having cars at Sailor Bar. The list goes on and on and on." If the county proceeds with the road construction, "we have no choice but to sue," King warned.
