This Walnut Creek neighborhood is taking drastic measures in response to wildflowers.
For many people in California, wildflower super blooms are a thing of beauty and celebration. But for one neighborhood in Walnut Creek, California, they’re a nuisance.
When social media posts about California’s Golden Poppy super bloom at the Shell Ridge Open Space started to go viral last year, nearby neighborhoods were reportedly overrun with parked cars.
This year, they’re planning ahead. The neighborhoods around Sutherland Drive and Virginia Court are proactively restricting access, citing last year’s influx of 1,500 cars every weekend as the reason.
People can still drive into the neighborhood, but much of the parking is restricted. The wildflowers haven’t really started to appear in earnest yet, but with the recent rains and changing season, the neighborhood expects they will soon.
Especially with the devastating wildfires in Southern California and the recent revelation that much of the East Bay is a giant tinderbox, emergency vehicle access and fire concerns are the biggest reasons for the restrictions.
Still, some residents aren’t happy. They feel that access to the open space should be a public right and that restricting it is government overreach.
For those who don’t want to deal with neighborhood parking, Homestead Park (2950 Walnut Blvd
Walnut Creek, CA 94596) is an alternative place to access the open space and has available parking spots.
The good news is that when a super bloom does happen, California poppies are so numerous that you’ll see them in small clusters all around the Bay Area.
Read Next
