Receive presentation on the Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Park Feasibility Study and follow up presentation on OHV impacts within Cache Creek and provide any related direction. (No general fund impact) (Yarris/Sabatini)

1. Receive a presentation on the Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Park Feasibility Study and follow up presentation on OHV impacts within Cache Creek; and
    
2. Provide Board direction on OHV activities, as needed.

Robust Economy

OHV Park Planning Grant and Feasibility Analysis

In September 2019, the California Department of Parks and Recreation, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division awarded the County a $152,310 planning grant to complete a market analysis and feasibility study to determine and identify off-highway vehicle (OHV) recreation opportunities in unincorporated Yolo County.  The first part of the presentation will provide an overview of the final study and options.

Background

The Board received multiple presentations from November of 2015 through February 2016 related to OHV recreation in and along Cache Creek.  Public comments were submitted both in favor of OHV use and opposing OHV use in Cache Creek.  The Board discussed the issues and impacts and took the following actions:

• Adoption of Ordinance #1465 (Sec.10-12.103 of Yolo County Code) that prohibits motorized vehicles in Cache Creek from 7 pm to 6am, year-round;
• $100,000 for increased and targeted OHV enforcement by the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office; and
• Direction that Natural Resources and Park Division staff work to collaborate on suitable locations for a sanctioned OHV park.

Per the Board’s 2016 policy direction, staff from the Parks Division and the Natural Resources Division have diligently worked towards securing State Parks funding for an OHV park feasibility analysis and location siting report. In 2018, the County held two public meetings to solicit input and gain insight into the preferred types of OHV facilities and services desired in Yolo County and to guide staff in the preparation of the grant application to State Parks.  The County held a public meeting on February 21, 2019 in Woodland to provide an overview of the draft State Parks grant proposal and let the public know how they can stay involved in the process moving forward.  Additionally, the County released a survey to help guide discussion on future steps in the OHV planning process   The OHV park survey was the County’s most popular survey ever released at the time, with 1,486 people voluntarily participating to provide input into the amenities and features they would like to see in a future OHV park.   

On March 4, 2019, the County submitted its preliminary planning grant to the California State Parks OHV Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program.  Based on the feedback received at multiple public meetings and from online survey results, the County focused its application on two objectives.  First, the County proposed to prepare a market analysis to ascertain if there is enough community and stakeholder support for OHV opportunities in Yolo County.  Second, the County prepared a feasibility study to examine two different scenarios: (1) improving access to existing OHV trail riding opportunities permitted within the unincorporated County; and (2) creating a small-medium sized OHV park in the unincorporated County. No potential sites have been identified to date. 

In October 2019, the County was awarded $152,310 from California State Parks to fund the planning activities described above; a market analysis and feasibility study for creating a sanctioned OHV park for public use.  The County released a survey in September 2020 and held two public workshops, one in October and one in November, to gather input about OHV riding preferences.  The county’s consultant team used information collected from these outreach efforts to guide the report. 

The first part of the presentation is to provide the results of the planning activities and receive Board direction on whether to proceed with any of the options presented in the report. This presentation of the results of the study was a condition of the acceptance of the planning grant funds.

Presentation from Cache Creek Technical Advisory Committee on OHV Impacts to Cache Creek
The second part of the presentation is an update on OHV impacts related to present activities. At the July 27, 2021, Board of Supervisors meeting the Board asked staff to return with an analysis on impacts to Cache Creek from the recreational use of motorized vehicles.  The Board specifically requested additional information related to environmental impacts including erosion, water quality, and biological resources.  In response to these questions Cache Creek Technical Advisory Committee (CCTAC) will be providing a presentation on their observations of impacts of OHV in Lower Cache Creek.  Discussion topics will include damage to natural habitat and restoration sites, as well as impacts on water quality and channel stability.

The CCTAC is a three-person interdisciplinary group comprised of a hydraulic engineer, a fluvial geomorphologist, and a riparian biologist.  The CCTAC’s responsibility is to assist the County with implementation of the Cache Creek Resources Management Plan and Cache Creek Improvement Program. Each year as a part of their programmatic duties, the CCTAC conducts an annual inspection of Lower Cache Creek, often referred to as the “Creek Walk.”  This inspection includes collection of various forms of data, including, but not limited to: evidence of changes in channel dimensions or bank erosion; evidence of bed degradation or aggradation; general evaluation of channel stability on a reach-by-reach basis; and, status of biological resources (e.g. presence of vegetation, special status species, etc.).

Following the presentation, the Board may provide direction as needed to County staff on the scope of OHV activities in Cache Creek and whether any modifications or amendments should be considered to current authorized OHV activity. Modifications may require subsequent meetings and process if they modify the existing ordinances related to OHV activites.

The Yolo County Parks Division has partnered with the County Administrator's Natural Resources Division and Yolo County Sheriff's Office.  The Parks, Recreation, and Wildlife Advisory Committee has been updated on the progress of the planning grant and is supportive of planning efforts.  Additionally, an OHV stakeholder group has been involved in the implementation of the grant, consisting of members from the Parks Division, Natural Resources Division, Sheriff's Office, Tuleyome, Cache Creek Conservancy, and American Motorcyclist Association District 36.