Title
a. Receive report on Toro Park trails;
b. Consider the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Central Coast District's trail standards for multi-use trail management; and
c. Support the RMA's next steps to move towards a multi-use trail management system.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Parks Commission:
a. Receive report on Toro Park trails;
b. Consider the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, Central Coast District's trail standards for multi-use trail management; and
c. Support the RMA's next steps to move towards a multi-use trail management system.
SUMMARY:
Toro Park consists of 4,783 acres, including active and passive recreational uses. The current Toro Park Trails Map was originally adopted in 1974, however, it has been revised multiple times, with the last revised date of October 30, 2009. This revised map illustrates trails within the park, including what type of use is allowed. Trails in Toro Park have been an ongoing and challenging issue with increasing use by bicycles and unauthorized cutting of new trails. This has created an "us vs them" attitude where it is difficult, if not impossible, to have civil conversation. The size and nature of the park with old barbed wire cattle fences make it impossible to secure all the boundaries, which adds to this challenge.
Parks was added to RMA in December 2016 with no new resources. A committee had been meeting with parks staff to discuss how to address trails in Toro Park. RMA participated in a couple meetings until we determined that the effort was not productive given some personalities involved not being willing to consider how we work together. On one end, there is a group that feels Toro should be limited to hiking trails only in order to preserve the natural features that are being impacted by biking activities. On the other hand, there are biking interests that feel they can go out and cut trails wherever they feel, u...
Click here for full text