SLO COUNTY TRAILS COMMITTEE
Meeting Notes for February 21, 2006

Call to Order: 6:14 by Chairperson Kathy Longacre

Kathy asked for a volunteer to prepare the minutes with Kathe accepting.

Attendees:

Kathy Longacre, SLOPOST; Robert & Gail Davis, SLO Bicycle Club; Bruce Hilton, SLOPOST; Rick Mathews, Parks Commissioner; Penny Smith, Ride Nipomo; Dorothy Jennings, Amigos de Anza, Parks Commissioner; Kathe Hustace, North County Trails Association & Amigos de Anza; Ernie del Rio, SLO County Parks & Rec.

1. Public Comment: None
2. Notes for October 11, 2005 were approved
3. Trail Committee Applications - None, but Robert & Gail Davis were welcomed to the committee.
4. Re: assisting the County with easements, Bruce Hilton suggested we might inventory Price Canyon and other areas were multiple easements are in place to create a reference tool to monitor easements. We could each take a trail or two and track where we are with the easements.
5. Staff report: Ernie del Rio
a. Backside of Santa Margarita Lake - the 1500 acres of BLM land is nearing the end of the public review. CCC will start trail work soon.
b. Bob Jones Trail - the crossing at San Miguel in Avila should begin in a few months. Rossi and Avila Estates & County are close to coming to terms. The County will accept once this has occurred. How the trail is maintained and responsibilities split are the final hurdle.
c. 30 acres on Nipomo Mesa donated by Thompkins Family - the Jack Ready Park will contain passive recreation, key components will be trails. Special needs will be addressed re the Bluff.
d. Tribune article of Feb 17 re thanks to CCCMB and Ken Klis and their contributions to Santa Margarita Lake trails.
6. Goals & Objectives - 2006 - Bruce Hilton volunteered to head up the committee.
7. Immediate Goals and Objectives - Updates
a. Anza Trail - Dorothy Jennings reported that she will be participating in
the meeting that will seek to create an overview of the four scenarios proposed by the four groups in the earlier 3 -day workshop in Paso Robles re the project "Follow the River - Follow the Dream" .
b. Lopez Lake projects - High Ridge - meeting scheduled to come up with a
Timeline, an archeologist was hired and few impacts were found - it appears there will be a negative declaration. Parks & Rec hopes to start the project in March - a ½ mile trail will connect Upper Lopez trail head and High Ridge trail.
c. Nipomo Park Trails - Staff is still working on the master plan
d. Nipomo Pathways Community Trails - representation on committee is needed by Ride Nipomo - it was suggested these two topics be combined to report on community trails that connect parks and other destinations.
e. Santa Margarita Lake Loop Trail - no report - Kathy reported some field work has been done from Grey Pine to Sandstone to pursue a route and it was determined that the terrain is very steep and problematic!
f. Coastal Trails - Nancy Graves - No report
g. Bob Jones Trail - - Helene Finger - No report
8. County Trail Volunteer Assistance & Monitoring program - Ernie Del Rio, 14 people attended the Lopez training. 20 to 25 volunteers have now been trained. Volunteers need to know that they must schedule a time frame with the Park Ranger in order to qualify to monitor a trail. More trail areas need to be covered, i.e. El Chorro, Santa Margarita and Heilmann Park in Atascadero (next to Chalk Mt golf course) all need trail patrol.

9. Notices are being sent to inactive members.

10. Need to schedule some work activity. A work project is needed in April for Trail
Days - perhaps Sandstone could be worked on as it is very overgrown.

11. New Business - none

12. Old Business:

Ernie Del Rio noted that equestrians are not using Black Bear Camp and it may be opened to the general public in the event of non-use. Black Bear has 8 single corrals. Reservations can be made through www.slocountyparks.org.

Nipomo Pathways - from Sunnydale down, chips have been spread, more work was done on Camino Caballo. Knollwood trails have been built or dedicated. Volunteers need to look at side and be sure easements are being reserved in the project.

Trails in the Native gardens are being maintained. There is no maintenance agreement with concerned parties at this time.

Osage - the Safety Policy needs to be enforced as fences are being built out to the roadway. It was suggested that the Advisory Council use Public Works to apply pressure and enforce the safety policy.

Ride Nipomo and Brush Poppers are ready to sign a contract with the County re maintenance. Ride Nipomo could offer to improve Osage to Mesa to eucalyptus trees like Camino Caballo.

It was discussed that Rick Matthews would be the Parks Commissions representative to the Advisory Committee, spelling Dorothy Jennings, although she still may attend meetings.

12. Adjourned at 7:32 pm

SLO COUNTY TRAILS COMMITTEE
Meeting Notes for September 13, 2005

6:10 p.m. Call to order.

1. Public comment - none

2. Review Notes of June 14, 2005 - notes were approved as written.

3. Approval of Trail Committee applications - No new applications.

4. Discuss how the Trails Committee can assist the County in the preservation of easements that have the potential for trail development. Dorothy Jennings brought up encroachment on easements. Questions about who holds the easement. It was suggested that Jennings contact the county planning department concerning enforcement, if in fact the county holds the easement.

5. Staff Report
a. High Ridge - Staff time for trail work was discussed. Longacre and Del Rio to meet about negative declaration.
b. Bob Jones Trail - Receives a negative declaration on bridge construction at San Luis Bay Drive. Construction scheduled to be completed by the end of 2006. 90% of design is complete for San Miguel to Avila connection.
c. Knollwood - Have not adopted trail, it is not up to county standards.

6. Discuss efforts to develop interagency cooperation for enhancing the County Trail system, when providing connectivity in multiple jurisdictions. Ortiz discussed money that they have received for the management of the Hearst property. They have selected a supervising ranger and additional staff needs to be hired.

7. Parks and Recreation Element Update (PRE) - October meeting will bring together concerned parties to discuss changes to trails section.

8. Immediate goals and objectives.
a. Anza trail - Jennings announced workshop on Salina River. Upper Salinas RCD has money for trails, 3 grants for planning and implementation.
b. High Ridge - see staff report
c. Nipomo Park - no status reported.
d. Nipomo Pathways - no status reported.
e. Santa Margarita Lake Loop Trail - no status reported.
f. Coastal Trails update - Coast Walk made a presentation to Coastal Conservancy and also held a GIS workshop. Graves was a beach captain for coastal cleanup.
g. Bob Jones Trail - Presentation by Brian Stark - Land Conservancy. Discussion concerning progress being made on the Bob Jones trail. Effort is being made on section from current staging area to San Luis Bay Drive. Eventually trail will extend to Octagon Barn. Trail committee asked Stark to come back to discuss easements.

9. County Trail Volunteer Assistance and Monitoring program subcommittee. - Volunteer program is growing. Interest in Lopez area. Foothill Cyclery is holding safety workshops

10. New Business
a. Santa Margarita Ranch Ag Cluster - Discussion about what happened to reports on the cluster. It was suggested that James Caruso, the planner on the project be contacted.

11. Old Business - none

12. Adjourn 8:00