LAKEPORT — The Lake County Planning Commission Thursday reviewed the proposed Konocti Regional Trails Master Plan developed by county staff and voted unanimously in favor of recommending the Board of Supervisors approve the plan.
The Konocti Regional Trails project seeks to develop a series of interconnecting land and water trails throughout Lake County intended for non-motorized public use.
The interconnected trail network idea developed in 2007 and county staff members worked in conjunction with experts and interested citizens to develop a master plan beginning in 2009, according to Alan Flora, associate county planner.
The trail network would offer residents and visitors recreational, historical and cultural opportunities, Flora said, as well as offer the county chances for economic development and emergency access improvements.
Flora presented the master plan to the commission on behalf of the county”s Public Services and Community Development departments.
The master plan outlines an overview of the trail network, states the trails” policies and describes how to turn conceptual ideas into future construction projects.
Richard Coel, the county”s community development director, told the commission that the plan was devised as a “policy document” and does not specify trail designs.
The plan”s appendix does include maps of the county with potential trail layouts but Coel told the commission that tangible construction plans have not been made.
The network would consist of regional trails, community connectors (trails connecting towns and communities) and community pathways (interconnecting trails within a local community), Flora said.
The network would be made up of paved and unpaved land trails for a variety of uses, including hiking, cycling, running and horseback riding, Flora said. Water trails for canoes, kayaks and rowboats would also be designed, according to Flora.
The network would incorporate existing public trails and trails to be constructed in the future, Flora said.
The commission was asked Thursday to consider recommending the adoption of a negative declaration for the plan and recommending the plan itself.
Thursday”s hearing allowed members of the public to comment on the master plan before the commission voted on whether to approve recommendations.
The commission closed the public discussion after hearing the opinions of five Lake County citizens, all of who spoke positively about most of the plan”s concepts.
Sarah Ryan, an environmental director for the Big Valley Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians, told the commission that some tribes had concerns over sacred and cultural grounds being disturbed once construction begins.
Coel said that he thinks the potential trail sites “will avoid” disturbing cultural resources but his office plans to involve the tribes in the environmental study process on specific sites.
“The county will continue to have a very open process as it develops specific segments,” Coel said.
The commission voted to approve recommending the negative declaration, which would state that the master plan has no significant environmental impact, basing its decision on the findings in an initial environmental study the county conducted.
Flora told the commission that the initial study found that the master plan would not have any negative land use impacts.
Flora said staff recommended that the commission also approve the removal of four items from the master plan deemed to be unnecessary.
The commission also voted unanimously to recommend the master plan, with the suggested removals, to the BOS for approval.
County staff will present the master plan to the BOS during the Jan. 11 regular meeting, seeking approval for the negative declaration and to adopt the master plan.
Flora told the commission that construction designs would begin if the master plan is approved.
The master plan and conceptual trail maps can be viewed online at www.konoctitrails.com, a Web site maintained by citizens supporting the trail system.
Contact Jeremy Walsh at jwalsh@record-bee.com or call him at 263-5636, ext. 37.
