Hikers hoping to park near the Crystal Springs Trail access on Raymundo Drive in Woodside, don’t hold your breath. It looks like the town’s two-year-old parking ban on the narrow road leading up to the trail gate is going to stand.
The popular trail leads into Huddart Park, but complaints from residents of Raymundo Drive led the Woodside Town Council to ban parking along the street in 2004. Among their issues: surly trespassers, drunken teens, armed marijuana farmers, and driveways — and sometimes the whole road — blocked by parked cars.
Since the parking ban’s been in place, residents and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office report a steadily decreasing number of complaints.
However, runners, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts say they have to park so far away that they are discouraged from using the trail. People now park on Runnymede Road to get to the trail.
Several compromise ideas were floated at the town council’s July 25 meeting, including creating permit parking for Woodside residents only, and designating a few parking spots and limiting their use to daylight hours.
“The walk from Runnymede to the trail entrance is not an easy walk, and I’m a pretty fit person,” said Page Kurnie, who asked the council to consider allowing permit parking. “I feel like something’s been taken away from me, and my family, and my community.”
Alan Fitch, who lives adjacent to the trail, urged the council not change a thing.
“Why would you want to undo something that solved a major problem?” he said.
The council directed a dubious town staff to investigate whether any safe places existed that would accommodate about four marked parking spaces and asked them to report back after 60 days. In the meantime, the council is leaving the parking ban in place.
“I’ve come to know Raymundo well in the past couple of years. I’m not sure where we could put a dedicated parking space,” Town Manager Susan George told the council.
Earlier this year, the county parks and recreation department closed the trail entrance in a dispute over trail easements. The county had plans to eventually close the trail permanently, but the town of Woodside secured easements from the two adjacent property owners, giving the town control over the trail and ensuring that it would be kept open.
Councilman Ron Romines said he thought the town should do a little more “scientific research” into the feasibility of carving out a few legal parking spaces before dismissing the idea entirely.
“No matter how you slice it, no one is going to be happy,” said Councilman Pete Sinclair, who argued for keeping the status quo. “I think safety and privacy have to trump convenience.”
