County Strategic Planning Update!

Santa Cruz County Department of Parks and Recreation is entering the next phase of their strategic plan. They kicked off the process this past spring with extensive public outreach in the form of an online survey and a series of public meetings. A few things exciting things for mountain bikers have emerged from the public response (thanks to all who participated):

• Consistent Feedback on the need for additional trail connections for all types of trail users
• A common theme at the public meetings was a recognition of the need for Places to mountain bike and a bike pump track in SLV
• A major need for Youth facilities such as bike jumps and pump tracks, skate parks, adventure courses and climbing walls
• See full report here

We at MBOSC are advocating that the final plan address and codify the need for mountain bike specific recreation in our county. This comes in the form of equitable trail access, mountain bike specific trails, pump tracks, bike parks and dirt jumps. We would also like to see the county take a leading role in a county-wide trail plan process. There was a countywide trails plan drafted in the mid 90’s that was abandoned after private landowners pushed back against the process. We now have 5 individual planning processes taking place in our county (City of Santa Cruz Parks Master Plan, Cotoni-Coast Dairies, San Vicente Redwoods, UCSC LRDP, and Santa Cruz County Strategic Plan) which is fantastic! The only downside is that no agency is looking at how everything fits together. With all of these processes taking place, we believe the time is now to look at trails on a regional level. Imagine riding all the way from the Emma McCrary Trailhead on Golf Club Dr., through UCSC, into Wilder, connecting to Fall Creek, crossing Empire Grade into San Vicente Redwoods, and descending 2,500’ down to the ocean through Cotoni-Coast Dairies. All of this on singletrack! And you could ride your bike back to Santa Cruz on the bike path along the rail corridor. We at MBOSC believe that the Santa Cruz County Parks and Recreation Department have the skills and imagination to take on such a project. Neighboring Santa Clara County put together a county trails plan over two decades ago! It’s time that we follow suit. What can you do to help? Stay looped in on the process. The Parks and Recreation Commission will be viewing a presentation on county staff’s findings from the public response at the Simpkins Swim Center on Monday August 7th at 7pm. This meeting is open to the public. Contact your county supervisor and alert them that you would like to see the County’s Strategic Plan address mountain bike recreation and regional trail planning. A draft of the plan will be available by this fall for public review and comment.