INTEGRATED AREA PLANNING COMMUNITY TOUR

INTEGRATED AREA PLANNING COMMUNITY TOUR D I S C O V E R Y P A R K / T I S C O R N I A P A R K, W O O D L A K E, A N D C A L E X P O S a t u r d a y, J a n u a r y 2 9 t h, 2 0 0 5 1 0 : 0 0 a. m. 3 : 0 0 p. m. C a l E x p o T u r f C l u b

AGENDA 10:00 Welcome and Introductions A. Meeting Purpose B. Agenda Overview C. Introduction of Staff, UCAC, and Tour Guides 10:20 Overview of Integrated Planning Areas 10:45 Bus Tour (45 Minutes per each site) A. Discovery Park B. Woodlake Park C. Cal Expo 1:00 Introduction to Breakout Groups & Working Lunch (Back at the Cal Expo Turf Club) 1:30 Breakout Groups Rotation (Focus on each of the 3 Areas) A. Issues and Opportunities B. Desired Future Conditions 2:30 Meeting Summary and Wrap Up 3:00 Close 2 American River Parkway Plan Update

Project Overview This Community Tour is the first in a series of workshops that involve the public in the Update of the 1985 American River Parkway Plan. The Plan guides resource conservation and recreational use within the Parkway s 23-mile corridor from the American River s confluence with Sacramento River to Hazel Avenue. The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, the Sacramento City Council, and the Rancho Cordova City Council appointed a diverse group of Parkway stakeholders to serve as an Update Citizen s Advisory Committee (UCAC). That committee will make recommendations to update the Parkway s policies on issues such as resource management and flood control, access and connectivity to other trails, potential new recreational uses and facilities, and Parkway funding and governance. The current phase of the process is called Integrated Area Planning (IAP). During this phase, the UCAC will make recommendations to revise the area plans for the section of the Parkway that includes Discovery Park/Tiscornia, Woodlake and Cal Expo. Area plans define what activities and facilities are allowed or prohibited in each area. Together, these three areas, also referred to as the IAP study area, include the first 5.5 miles of the Parkway. By participating in the series of community workshops, you will be helping to shape the future of this part of the American River Parkway. Thank you for your participation in today s event. Integrated Area Planning Tour 3

Site Map 4 American River Parkway Plan Update

Existing Conditions Map Existing Conditions The map above is provided as an orientation to existing conditions within the planning area, including physical structures, native and sensitive habitat and private property (in-holdings) that must be considered when planning for the future of these areas. The map includes: Facilities Utilities Vegetation / Habitat Trails / Roads Access points Private property (in-holdings) Integrated Area Planning Tour 5

1985 Parkway Plan Land Use Designation Map 6 American River Parkway Plan Update

1985 Parkway Plan Land Use Designation The Parkway Plan uses six land use designations to regulate uses within the Parkway. The map on the previous page displays the land use designations. Parkway managers rely on these designations to help make determinations about whether a proposed activity or facility should be permitted in a specific area of the Parkway. The UCAC will include a review of land use designations in the IAP area including residential and commercial property. They may also review land use designations in other areas of the Parkway. In such cases, another land use designation might better serve the current geography of the land or its uses. The existing land use designations are: Nature Study Area Protected Area Limited Recreation Developed Recreation Integrated Area Planning Tour 7

Adjacent Neighborhoods and Land Uses & Approved Projects Map 8 American River Parkway Plan Update

Adjacent Neighborhoods and Land Uses The map on the previous page is designed to acquaint you with the neighborhoods surrounding the IAP area. The existing mix of land use includes residential and commercial property. Many nonprofit community service providers are also located in the area adjacent to downtown. Neighborhood-Parkway interface issues for the UCAC to consider during IAP include: The Parkway s relationship with the development of the Sacramento River and downtown Connectivity and access from adjacent neighborhoods How to encourage appropriate use of the downtown portion of the Parkway with the City s growing population How to address safety concerns and perceptions about the downtown portion of the Parkway How to maintain environmental quality in the Parkway and ensure its integrity as an open space corridor while accommodating increased human visitor population and demand. Approved Projects Several projects have been approved and are proceeding in the IAP area. Two Rivers Trail Downtown Natomas Airport - Regional Transit (DNA - RT) Parkway Crossing Army Corps of Engineers restoration projects at Bushy Lake and Woodlake associated with the raising of Folsom Dam SAFCA habitat restoration project at the Urrutia property (contingent on acquisition of real estate rights) American River Parkway Invasive Plant Management Project (ARP IPMP) Phase 2 Arden Parallel Force Main Mitigation at Discovery Park VELB mitigation for Sacramento River RM (River Mile) 56.7 Erosion Project Neighborhood Outreach Summary Outreach to the surrounding neighborhoods has identified interests and concerns of many of the nearby residents. Outreach started in late October 2004 when the Center for Collaborative Policy began communicating with and presenting to at least a dozen neighborhood organizations. These presentations are continuing to provide feedback from the community and are an important source of information for the Integrated Area Planning process. Integrated Area Planning Tour 9

D ISCOVERY P ARK / TISCORNIA P ARK A REA 10 American River Parkway Plan Update

Discovery Park Area Tour Discussion Topics Development Context & Land Use Park Management Discovery Park Area Plan from 1985 American River Parkway Plan Integrated Area Planning Tour 11

Discovery Park Discovery Park is one of the most highly developed and most-used portions of the Parkway. Situated at the confluence of the American and Sacramento Rivers, it has a number of recreational improvements, including a boat ramp, archery course, parking, and picnic facilities. All facilities are subject to periodic floodwater inundation. The Point at Discovery Park hosts several special events throughout the year, such as A Day In the Zone (a concert sponsored by a local radio station), Renaissance Faire, and others. Discovery Park attracts more paid visitation than any other park in the County park system. Parking revenues have been very important in offsetting a portion of the County s General Fund allocation for operating the Parkway. Sensitive features include State-registered archaeological sites, VELB Mitigation sites, riparian floodplain, and a Nature Study Area designation at Bannon Island. This area is also home to a fish and aquatic habitat enhancement project at River Mile 0.9. The enhancements were created by contouring the river bank to promote more frequent inundation of the land surface and planting riparian shrubs and trees to provide off-channel rearing habitat for out-migrating juvenile salmon. These enhancements offset impacts of upstream bank protection improvements. Tiscornia Park Tiscornia Park occupies the south bank of the river and connects the Parkway to the emerging Sacramento River waterfront. This connection will be highlighted by the development of the Two Rivers Trail project which will provide a bicycle/pedestrian trail extending along the south bank of American River from the Sacramento River to the City of Sacramento s Sutter s Landing Park. The DNA-RT light rail river crossing will come through a portion of Discovery Park. The Truxel Alignment has been approved by the Regional Transit Board. This alignment connects Truxel Road, north of the river, to the south side of the river by bridging the Parkway. The terminus of the Truxel Alignment, 5 Th Street or 7 th Street is still to be determined. The approved alignment is shown on the Adjacent Neighborhoods and Land Uses & Approved Projects Map on page 8 of this workbook. The project is now one of many nation-wide projects competing for Federal Highway Administration (FHA) transportation funding. 12 American River Parkway Plan Update

Sacramento Riverfront Master Plan In 2003, the Cities of Sacramento and West Sacramento participated in a joint riverfront master planning process for the Sacramento River. The Sacramento Riverfront Master Plan provides an important regional context to consider during the IAP process, especially for Discovery Park. Key components of the Sacramento Riverfront Master Plan that have bearing upon the Parkway are: A proposed bridge crossing south of Tiscornia Park over the Sacramento River. Creating connectivity from the Sacramento riverfront to the American riverfront through Tiscornia Park. A proposed 30-acre state park located on the West Sacramento bank adjacent to the Lighthouse development and surrounding the lagoon, with the proposed Governor s Residence just north of the proposed state park site. The Master Plan calls for a refinement to the Richards Boulevard Area Plan including redevelopment of the highway commercial / hotel zone adjacent to the I-5 interchange. Redevelopment would promote higher-density projects that face towards the river, and improvements to promote pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Conceptual drawing of proposed changes to Sacramento River/American River confluence area Integrated Area Planning Tour 13

County Parks Operations, Maintenance, & Interpretation: County Parks owns most of the approximately 4,500 acres from Hazel Avenue to the confluence that comprises the American River Parkway. Parks is responsible for managing activities in the Parkway and protecting its facilities, its visitors, and the natural environment. Parks is also responsible for planning physical changes to the Parkway to accommodate recreation and visitor needs in accordance with the Parkway Plan. A partial list of services includes: Visitor Services Public Safety emergency response, ranger law enforcement, hazard identification and remediation Public information and signage Planning and coordinating special events Coordinating with volunteers and Parkway interest groups Fee collection Interpretive Services Headquartered at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center, interpretive activities provide visitors the opportunity to enjoy, understand, and be inspired by the scenic, natural, cultural / historical and recreational resources of the Parkway. Maintenance Services Maintenance of hardscape including roads, parking lots, boat ramps and paved trails, Maintain firebreaks, unpaved service roads, and trails Maintenance of all structures including restrooms, fee collection stations, and picnic sites Repair and replacement of deteriorating infrastructure including irrigation systems, fencing, gates, and regulatory signage Maintain turf and other landscape features SAFCA Floodway Maintenance: The responsibility for maintaining the Parkway as a flood conveyance corridor is shared by the American River Flood Control District (ARFCD) and the State Reclamation Board. ARFCD maintains the levees on both sides of the river, and the Reclamation Board maintains the corridor between the levees. The Sacramento Area Flood Control Agency (SAFCA) is playing an increasingly important role as the local sponsor for levee improvement, bank protection, and environmental restoration activities in the Parkway. Current issues include the following: Human influences on the river Ongoing erosion prevention Conveyance capacity issues ( roughness in the channel) Endangered Species Act constraints Restoration opportunities 14 American River Parkway Plan Update

Discovery Park East Gardenland Sand and Gravel Quarry The Urrutia property encompasses 120 acres in the Discovery Park East area and contains a sand and gravel mine, the commercial potential of which is largely exhausted. Under the requirements of the State Mining and Reclamation Act, the mine owners are required to develop and implement a reclamation plan that converts the area to a suitable use considering its surroundings. SAFCA has received a grant to create a habitat restoration project for the river bank portion of the Urrutia property, assuming the appropriate real estate rights are acquired. Boy Scout Camp Pollock Camp Pollock offers a unique camping experience surrounded by an urban setting. Boy Scout Troops utilize Camp Pollock for shortterm camping outings, rafting on the American River, biking on the Jedediah Smith Memorial Bicycle Trail, or city-hiking in California's historic State capitol. The Camp Pollock Lodge is utilized by Boy Scouts, veterans groups, and other civic groups for banquets, BBQ s and special outdoor events. SAFCA has been in discussion with the owners of the Riverdale Mobile Home Park and the Urrutia property about the possible acquisition of these properties. Riverdale Mobile Home Park Riverdale Resort and Mobile Home Park is a 4.17-acre private inholding in the Parkway adjacent to the Route 160 bridge. There are 80 mobile home sites on the property, 24 of which are currently occupied. The Riverdale property is being studied for feasibility citing of the proposed California Indian Heritage Center. Integrated Area Planning Tour 15

W OODLAKE A REA 16 American River Parkway Plan Update

Woodlake Area Tour Discussion Topics Park Management SAFCA Flood Control/Habitat & Mitigation California Indian Heritage Center (CIHC) Proposal Woodlake Area Plan from 1985 American River Parkway Plan Land was still in private ownership upon adoption of the 1985 Parkway Plan Integrated Area Planning Tour 17

Woodlake Area The Woodlake area encompasses 426 acres that were in private ownership at the time the 1985 Parkway Plan was adopted. It is currently mostly open space with some recreational amenities, such as trails and parking. Most of the land is designated for limited recreation. Facilities development is potentially constrained by periodic flooding. Opportunities for access are somewhat limited by adjacent land uses. Sensitive features include historic sites, remnants of black walnut and cottonwood forest, and critical VELB habitat. Much of this area was previously leased for farming. The lease expired in 2000 and there has been no recent interest in farming here. Land that was previously farmed, but now lies fallow, is a haven for invasive plant species. The Woodlake Restoration Plan was developed by the Army Corps of Engineers in 2001 to remove invasive weeds and restore seasonal wetland and oak woodland habitat. This $4.5 million project was approved by Congress in 2003. It is anticipated that SAFCA will serve as the non-federal sponsor and that the project will be implemented within the next 7-10 years. Restoration in this area can be hampered by inappropriate uses of the Parkway such as illegal camping in vegetated areas, which degrades resources and habitat, displaces wildlife, and has led to wildfires. 18 American River Parkway Plan Update

Woodlake Improvement and Restoration Site 18A County Parks has adding facilities to the Woodlake area including a restroom, gravel parking area, information kiosks, and a picnic table. The area is attractive to illegal campers since it provides some cover and privacy and is near community service providers in the adjacent neighborhoods. Since July 2001, Parks has dedicated two armed park ranger peace officers to this area whose duties include referral to homeless services, arrest and citation as appropriate, and camp clean-up. Many campers have been characterized as social-service resistant. This area is also home to SAFCA s 21 acre restoration project, Site 18A, which served as a borrow site (i.e. material was taken from this site) for improving the levees along the lower portion of Steelhead Creek (formerly known as the Natomas East Main Drainage Canal) which flows into Bannon Slough in the Parkway. Site 18A was restored to create seasonal wetland and riparian habitat characteristic of this reach of the Parkway, with an expanded bicycle / pedestrian trail to enhance the recreational value of the area. Issues associated with illegal campers in the Parkway include: Public perception that the area is unsafe Campsite debris including garbage Degradation of habitat by illegal presence (e.g. wildfire and trampling) The City / County Board on Homelessness has been seeking solutions on a city / countywide basis since 1998. Decisions made during the update affecting homelessness in the Parkway will need to be coordinated as part of this broader context. Parkway-specific suggestions have included: Development of interpretive and/or recreational facilities in the Parkway might displace illegal campers Re-location of homeless services to an area of the City that is farther away from the Parkway City development in adjacent neighborhoods to provide eyes on the Parkway Integrated Area Planning Tour 19

C AL E XPO A REA 20 American River Parkway Plan Update

Cal Expo Area Tour Discussion Topics Bushy Lake Plan Program Opportunities Cal Expo Area Plan from 1985 American River Parkway Plan Integrated Area Planning Tour 21

Cal Expo Area Cal Expo owns approximately 350 acres in the Parkway; the County maintains these lands under agreement with Cal Expo. The Parkway Plan and Bushy Lake Preservation Act govern what can be done with Cal Expo s portion of the Parkway. The land is currently mostly open space and contains VELB (Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle) habitat. Some overflow exhibitor parking is done in the Parkway during the yearly State Fair. This exhibitor parking use is defined in both the Parkway Plan and Bushy Lake Preservation Act. Congress has approved a 40-acre wetlands restoration project at Bushy Lake, to be carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers. Cal Expo currently pumps 50 million gallons of water a year to maintain Bushy Lake, which has limited sources of inflow. The restoration project would provide increased inflows to the lake by diverting and cleaning up storm water discharged from the Chicken-Strong Ranch watershed. During the IAP community workshops, Cal Expo will present their ideas about what they would like to see happen in this area in the future. Initial concepts include an interpretive trail for education, forestry or farms exhibits or displays, and maintaining the ability to use a portion of the Parkway for parking as needed. Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle (VELB) Habitat Restoration The Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle (VELB) was listed as a threatened species on August 8, 1980. This made VELB a very important species in the Parkway because it is illegal under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to take (harm, kill or harass) an endangered species. In practice, this means that habitat areas for the VELB must be protected; if it is necessary for humans to engage in activities that harm VELB habitat, such impacts must be mitigated. VELB biology and habitat requirements VELB compensation measures and how they are enforced VELB Habitat Management Plan multi-agency collaborative New information on the species This restoration area encompasses 8.5 acres. It was planted in 2002. It is one of several VELB mitigation areas in the Parkway that are protected and maintained. VELB mitigation sites in the IAP area are shown on the Existing Conditions Map on page 5 of this workbook. 22 American River Parkway Plan Update

American River Parkway Plan Update Website This interactive website is specially designed for this project in order to give members of the planning team and the general public access to the most up to date information. The website will provide access to the following: Background and current project material Calendar of up coming events Interactive maps Surveys and polls Discussion groups To join the American River Parkway Plan Update Website, visit http://americanriverparkwayupdate.org, and click on the Stay Involved icon (highlighted in red to the right). Registered participants will be able to tailor their own personal preferences to receive online notifications of new materials, events, and general updates to the website as often as they wish. Thank you for your support and continued involvement in the American River Parkway Plan Update. Integrated Area Planning Tour 23

Sponsoring Agencies C ALIFORNIA E XPOSITION AND S TATE FAIR C ITY OF S ACRAMENTO, DEPARTMENT OF P ARKS AND R ECREATION C ITY OF S ACRAMENTO, DEVELOPMENT S ERVICES D EPARTMENT C OUNTY OF S ACRAMENTO, DEPARTMENT OF P LANNING AND C OMMUNITY D EVELOPMENT C OUNTY OF S ACRAMENTO, DEPARTMENT OF R EGIONAL P ARKS, RECREATION, AND O PEN S PACE S ACRAMENTO A REA F LOOD C ONTROL A GENCY S ACRAMENTO W ATER F ORUM For more information, contact Project Manager Sunny Williams, County Planning, 916-874-6141 Consultants to the sponsoring agencies: MIG, Jones & Stokes, and Center for Collaborative Policy Tour booklet sponsored by Sacramento Water Forum