Orchard Heritage Park Study Issue

Study Issue DPW 17-05 – Orchard Heritage Park and Heritage Park Museum Study

Study Issue DPW 17-05 – Orchard Heritage Park and Heritage Park Museum Study – is looking into setting boundaries for the orchard and museum.   This study will go before the Parks and Recreation Commission on March 11 and then to City Council on April 7.

• Please review the information below and contact the City Council and the Parks and Rec Commission with any concerns.  Reference Study Issue DPW 17-05 – Orchard Heritage Park and Heritage Park Museum Study.
  • City Council Contacts
  • parksandrecreationcommission@sunnyvale.ca.gov
• Please join SUFA members at one or both of the meetings.  You may speak during the public comment period if you choose.

• Orchard operations:  The Heritage Orchard is currently 10 acres with about 500 trees and is managed by a private orchardist.  Three options were proposed for future operations:  hire a private orchardist, hire an outside vendor, or have the city staff run the orchard.  The preferred option is to hire a third party to manage the orchard.
• Museum footprint:  Three options have been presented for expanding the museum footprint.  All options extend the museum boundary into the orchard.  The options would require the removal of 24, 42, or 48 trees (that’s 10% of the orchard).  The museum prefers the third option involving the loss of the most trees.  If approved, the boundary lines would allow the museum to expand into that space when they plan their next expansion.
• Public Access:  Public access would allow the public to walk through the orchard and harvest fruit.  This could include walking paths among the trees, which could result in damage to the trees and irrigation infrastructure, and the potential loss of productivity.  Full public access would essentially treat the orchard as a public park.
• Public Benefit:  Public benefit refers to how best to use the orchard for the community’s benefit.  This could mean no access, full access, or a focus on educational aspects, such as interpretive signs, tours, or supervised fruit harvest.

• The Heritage Orchard is a valuable asset and should be preserved as a working, productive orchard.
• The city should limit public access in order to maintain the integrity of the orchard.
• Public benefit could be further achieved through education and supervised visits.
• The city should minimize the museum expansion into the orchard.  Space for expansion exists within the property the museum currently occupies.
• Losing 10% of a small orchard for any purpose is extreme.
• Loss of any trees results in the loss of their benefits provided by sequestering CO2, managing stormwater, and regulating temperature.