Home › Forums › Events & Projects › CSS Could Lose the Training Hill

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  • August 12, 2025 at 8:48 PM #22686
    Luke Berger
    Board Member

    The ability for student pilots and CSS members to utilize the Training Hill for short flights is not a right, it is a privilege given to the club by permission of the landowner, Encore University Hills.  Right now we are at the most significant risk of losing that privilege since the Training Hill was created in 2007.

    It is not the policy of the CSS Board to publicly post about disciplinary actions unless it has serious implications on the entire club.  This is one of those times.  Losing the Training Hill may not be that big of a loss to experienced pilots who no longer utilize it, but it has serious implications to the CSS in the long run.

    Losing the Training Hill takes away a great asset that our club enjoys, which many clubs don’t have, that gives us a great facility to train new pilots.  New pilots means new CSS members and more members ensures the ongoing health of both our club and the Free Flight community.  Even more serious, however, is the risk it poses to the relationship our club has with our neighboring landowner, Encore University Hills.

    August 12, 2025 at 8:55 PM #22687
    Luke Berger
    Board Member

    As many of you already know, Encore University Hills LLC has purchased almost ALL of the land to the east our LZ which includes the Training Hill.  They plan to build over 300 homes right next us… very close.  Danger close.

    The CSS BOD has worked extensively, along with a an appointed committee of veteran CSS pilots, to maintain a professionally courteous relationship with Encore.  We are committed to creating a solution with the developer to build those homes in a way that still allows CSS pilots to maintain a safe approach and traffic separation pattern for landings at AJX.

    This effort will only work if the CSS respects the requests of landowner and works with them in good faith so that Encore responds in kind.  The CSS does not have the financial resources to become combative and/or disrespectful with a Developer that has millions of dollars and a Cadre of Attorneys at their disposal.

    August 12, 2025 at 9:07 PM #22688
    Luke Berger
    Board Member

    Since Encore University Hills purchased all of this land to the east of our LZ (around 2021), we have had their permission to continue using the Training Hill.  There is now a significant chance we could have that permission rescinded due to the actions of one or more CSS members.

    A CSS member, without permission of the landowner or endorsement of the CSS BOD, has been storing personal vehicles, tools, equipment, supplies and other materials at the top of the Training Hill.  This stash of personal affects and equipment was placed there over a period of about the last two years.  An Encore University Hills Site Manager notified the responsible individuals personally, face to face, over a month ago.  Encore followed up with an email to the CSS BOD that was forwarded to those responsible individuals.  In early July, a letter was sent to the CSS Board by Encore Attorneys, notifying the club and the responsible individuals to remove their vehicles and other items from Encore property no later than August 1st.  That deadline has come and gone, no effort has been put forth by the responsible parties to honor the landowner’s requests.

    August 12, 2025 at 9:15 PM #22689
    Luke Berger
    Board Member

    One of the responsible parties, who is a CSS member, has received a notification of 30 day suspension from the the CSS.  If they do not comply with the landowner’s requests there will be further consequences that may include a longer term CSS suspension and the possibility of USHPA credentials being revoked.

    It’s very sad that any of this has to happen at all.  This is basic stuff.  One of the core principals of what we stand for as pilots is to respect the property rights of landowners.  If we fail in that arena, if we trample all over the rights of parties, we will lose launches, we will lose LZ’s, we could lose our site all together.  In this case, if the situation devolves further, we could potentially lose our access to the Training Hill.  What do you think that will mean for our landing approaches?  There is a lot more at risk here than just the bunny hill where we train new pilots.

    August 12, 2025 at 9:26 PM #22690
    Luke Berger
    Board Member

    I’m putting this thread on the forum for transparency, for respectful discussion, but mostly to let you all know how serious this is.  A small, but loud, minority of pilots have a tendency to rant about the BOD, about USHPA, CALFIRE, SB National Forest, well just about every authority, agency, or organization that governs our sport or our public lands.  I don’t know exactly what it will take to get these folks to understand that we are nation of laws, and the majority of us have no problem functioning just fine within the bounds of reasonable jurisprudence.  I think that we, as in the majority of CSS pilots who conduct ourselves with midfullness as fully formed adults, have to reinforce our values as responsible pilots and stewards of the land we are privileged to use for our sport.  We have to make sure that everyone understands that these types of behaviors that put our club and facilities at risk should not, and will not, be tolerated.

    – CSS President-

    August 12, 2025 at 10:57 PM #22691
    Jerome Daoust
    General Member

    Thank you for sharing Luke, and to those involved in efforts to perpetuate the features of our flying site.

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