Learn about current park closures and updates.
Learn about current park closures and updates.
The County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) has completed Addendum 2 to the adopted Ramona Grasslands Preserve Project Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) (SCH Number 2011111054). The addendum was prepared in accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the CEQA Guidelines. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors approved the adopted MND on August 7, 2013. Addendum 2 addresses changes to the multi-use trail system not previously included in the approved project. The changes include the closure and passive restoration of a portion of the existing Old Survey Road 97 trail, the construction of a rerouted trail alignment, the maintenance and formalization of an existing trail, and the opening of both the rerouted and existing trails for year-round use by equestrians, hikers, and cyclists.
These changes will enhance the conservation values of the Preserve by creating a further setback from an off-site golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) nest in Bandy Canyon, while continuing to protect the Preserve’s natural and cultural resources, including on-site foraging habitat for eagles. The changes to the multi-use trail system will also provide additional opportunities for passive recreation and a future potential regional trail connection to the Coast to Crest trail in San Pasqual Valley.
The changes would not result in new significant impacts or substantially increase the severity of significant impacts previously identified in the adopted MND. Additionally, the mitigation measures set forth in the adopted MND are still applicable, and no new mitigation measures are required to mitigate the changes to the approved project. Therefore, DPR, as the Lead Agency, has determined that consistent with the CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162 and 15164, an addendum to the MND is sufficient and appropriate. Public review of the addendum is not required per the CEQA Guidelines Section 15164.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Shannon Quigley-Raymond at Shannon.QuigleyRaymond@sdcounty.ca.gov.
Ramona Grasslands MND Addendum 2 Approval Memo
Addendum 2 to the Ramona Grasslands Preserve Project Mitigated Negative Declaration
Feb. 2021 - Off-Highway Vehicle Feasibility Study
Approximately two-thirds of San Diego County consists of mountains
and deserts in the backcountry area, which is largely undeveloped.
This area provides an abundance of land that can be considered for the
establishment of DPR’s first OHV park. At the same time, San Diego
County open space lands are environmentally sensitive, providing
habitat for the largest number of rare and endangered species within
the continental United States. As such, there is an identified need to
site an OHV park in an area that is convenient and safe for OHV users
and minimizes impacts to sensitive environmental resources.
San Diego County has a high concentration of OHV ownership, which continues to grow as documented in OHV registration data. High demand combined with a limited number of legal OHV facilities that are located at a substantial distance from communities and incorporated cities has resulted in a growing amount of unauthorized OHV use on open space lands throughout the region. This type of unauthorized use is of particular concern to the County given that our region is environmentally sensitive, possessing the highest amount of threatened and endangered species than any other county within the contiguous United States. DPR recognizes the need to develop an OHV park that meets existing and future recreational demands for OHV users while protecting sensitive environmental resources.
In addition to establishing an OHV Park that balances recreation needs and environmental resource protection, there is also a need to establish an OHV Park that is within proximity to existing communities and incorporated cities. Currently, OHV facilities in San Diego are located in the eastern portion of the County, near the Imperial County-San Diego County border. The County has an overall goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2035 and has a need to reduce vehicle miles travelled to meet this goal. By siting an OHV Park closer to existing communities, the County intends to reduce the travel distance for residents and visitors, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, the feasibility study will also analyze the potential to implement electric vehicle charging stations at a future OHV Park to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with OHV use.
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has expressed support for a feasibility analysis that would determine potential locations for the County’s first OHV park. At its February 10, 2021 meeting, the Board of Supervisors directed to DPR to begin the process to site an OHV park in San Diego County. Given the availability of land in the region and the identified need for an OHV facility, DPR is seeking planning funding to analyze the feasibility of establishing an OHV park.
The proposed planning project (Project) consists of a feasibility study to identify and prioritize potential sites for the County of San Diego’s first OHV park. If successful, DPR intends to hire a consultant to perform the feasibility study and prepare a final report to summarize the outcomes of the analysis.
Additionally, the Project will include a stakeholder outreach process to ensure that the public and interested groups are involved in the evaluation and prioritization of potential sites for the OHV park.
Ultimately, the desired outcome of this feasibility study is a prioritized list of potential sites which DPR may then utilize for future development of new OHV facilities. At a minimum, the desired facility will meet the community’s needs with respect to OHV recreation demands while protecting the County’s significant natural resources.
For updated OHV related information, please view: Off-Highway Vehicles (sdparks.org)
For more information on the proposed OHV park project, please contact Emmet Aquino at emmet.aquino@sdcounty.ca.gov.
