Woodbridge board balks at providing added public access to wilderness area

Some 30 residents from the Windwood and River Meadows subdivisions strongly protested any plans San Joaquin County may have to expand the Woodbridge Wilderness Area.

A standing room-only crowd filled the Woodbridge Sanitary District board's meeting room Wednesday night, citing safety and other issues regarding the wilderness area.

The sanitary board voted 4-0 to deny public access through its property off Benedict and River Wood drives until county officials provide a detailed plan on safety and other issues, sanitary board President Doug Colucci said. Board member Richard Best was absent.

County officials are exploring the idea of purchasing about 4.5 acres west of the existing wilderness area along the south bank of the Mokelumne River to increase public access to the area.

"We have problems already (in the wilderness area), and there would be more problems," Colucci said. "There are concerns about people going in there. There is nobody there to oversee it on a full-time basis."

The wilderness area has proven to be a fire hazard, most recently on Sept. 7, when a wildfire threatened homes in the Del Rio and River Meadows neighborhoods that back up to the wilderness area.

Other issues cited included partying by teens and young adults, and excessive alcohol consumption, Colucci said.

"I'd like to know what their plan is to protect the safety of our community," Colucci added.

Colucci says that the Woodbridge Municipal Advisory Council, meeting Oct. 23, should review issues related to the wilderness area. MAC chairman Steve Newman was unavailable for comment Thursday, but he said in late September that the wilderness area would be on the October agenda.

San Joaquin County Supervisor Ken Vogel said he had already asked County Administrator Manuel Lopez to prepare a comprehensive report for the Board of Supervisors on all aspects of the wilderness area — formerly known as Woodbridge Regional Park. Topics will include use of the park, access, fire danger, overgrown foliage and law enforcement.

Vogel said he is hesitant to support the county purchasing the Goldberg property west of the wilderness area without seeing a benefit to the county. And he said he won't support a new entrance through sanitary district property if wilderness area users park on the street in the Windwood neighborhood.

Contact reporter Ross Farrow at rossf@lodinews.com.