AANNUNNUAL REPOREPORT TOTO THETHE GOVEGOVERNONOR OONN TTHEHE CALLIFOIFORNNIIA STSTATETE PPARARK SYSYSTEMTEM 220010 C A L I F O R N I A S T A T E P A R K A N D R E C R E A T I O N C O M M I S S I O N Año Nuevo State Park CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS MISSION is to provide for the health, inspirati on and edu- cati on of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecti ng its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creati ng opportuni- ti es for high-quality outdoor recreati on. The California State Park and Recreati on Commis- sion aids the department in this mission by approving general plans for units of the State Park System, classifying units of the system, and establishing general policies to guide the department director in the administrati on, protecti on and development of the system. PRESERVE EXTRAORDINARY The period covered by this report is July 1, 2007 – December 31, 2009. BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ACTIONS OF THE COMMISSION properti es had been operati ng as units of the California State Park System, the PROTECT The California State Park and Recreati on classifi cati on process establishes an NATURAL Commission conducted ten meeti ngs inventory of resources which then allows CULTURAL during the period covered by this report. for development of a general plan for the RESOURCES Commission meeti ngs took place in: park unit. Morro Bay – 8-24-07 Classifi cati ons and names were adopted for the following State Park System units: CREATE Sonoma – 10-13-07 OPPORTUNITIES - Estero Bluff s State Park and Harmony FOR HIGH- Via teleconference – 2-1-08 Headlands State Park in San Luis Obispo QUALITY Chatsworth – 2-29-08 County. OUTDOOR - Point Cabrillo Light Stati on State Historic RECREATION Fort Bragg – 5-16-08 Park in Mendocino County. Pescadero – 10-31-08 - Martial Cott le Park, a new State Big Sur – 5-8-09 Recreati on Area, in Santa Clara County. Via teleconference – 6-12-09 This unit will be developed and operated in cooperati on with Santa Clara County Via teleconference – 6-30-09 Parks. Sacramento – 10-8-09 - Quiroste Valley Cultural Preserve and Año Nuevo Coast Natural Preserve in San Acti ons taken by the Commission at the Mateo County. above meeti ngs include the classifi cati on of six previously unclassifi ed park The Commission also acted to adopt properti es. Though some of these reclassifi cati ons for two previously- 2 Point Cabrillo Light Stati on State Historic Park classifi ed properti es in order to increase plans for each unit, and determinati on protecti on of unit resources and that proposals for the sale of alcoholic streamline management of these units: beverages are consistent with Department of Parks and Recreati on policy. - The former William Randolph Hearst Memorial State Beach became part of In additi on to its regular business the adjacent San Simeon State Park, and meeti ngs, the Commission also conducted the combined unit was renamed Hearst fi ve informati onal meeti ngs/workshops FIVE NEW San Simeon State Park. and fi ve “closed session” meeti ngs. OR AMENDED Informati onal meeti ngs/workshops were GENERAL - Año Nuevo State Natural Reserve was held on the subjects of: incorporated into Año Nuevo State Park. PLANS Resource protecti on that had been - Managing parks for Climate Change, ADOPTED provided by the natural reserve is now including California State Parks Director aff orded by the new Año Nuevo Coast Ruth Coleman’s “Cool Parks” initi ati ve. GENERAL Natural Preserve subunit of Año Nuevo PLANS - Director Coleman’s Central Valley Vision PROVIDE State Park. implementati on plan. DIRECTION AND The Commission adopted general plans - California State Parks’ recommendati ons LONG-TERM for Santa Susana Pass State Historic Park for Propositi on 84 expenditures. GOALS in Los Angeles County, for both Año Nuevo FOR EACH PARK State Park and Butano State Park in San - State Parks’ budget proposals. UNIT Mateo County, a combined general plan - Upcoming responsibiliti es of the for Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Commission as they relate to the Marine Park and Folsom Lake State Recreati on Managed Areas Improvement Act. Area in Eldorado, Placer, and Sacramento Counti es, and a general plan amendment Closed Sessions were conducted to: for Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic - Discuss the proposed constructi on of Park in El Dorado County. Each unit’s two commercial dairy operati ons near general plan establishes long term goals Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park in and guidelines for the park’s management. Tulare County. The Commission approved 10 concession - Discuss the Foothill-South toll road acti ons at three meeti ngs. Commission project in Orange County and related authority over concession operati ons in liti gati on. California State Park System units is limited to a determinati on of compati bility with - Discuss possible responses to State Parks’ the established classifi cati ons and general budget proposals. 3 Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook at Kenneth Hahn SRA Angel Island State Historic Park SERVING PARK VISITORS BETTER: campground will help fi ll the ever-increas- ing demand for coastal campsites, where NEW PROJECTS months worth of reservati ons are typically Despite the tremendous fi scal challenges sold out during the fi rst few hours that California State Parks faced during the they are available. period covered by this report, many im- Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger an- ANGEL ISLAND portant projects came to fruiti on that help nounced an agreement with the City of promote the department’s mission and STATE PARK Sacramento that will allow development bett er serve the over 72 million people of the long-awaited Museum of Railroad “ELLIS who visit California State Parks each year. Technology on property adjacent to the ISLAND At Angel Island State Park in Marin County, California State Railroad Museum. OF THE the U.S. Immigrati on Stati on at Angel A signifi cant public-private partnership WEST” Island reopened in February 2009 to ter- was launched with the signing of a 50-year TELLS THE rifi c fanfare and nati onal media att enti on. contract – worth a minimum of $20 million DRAMATIC AND The restored Immigrati on Stati on tells the – for the constructi on of the Grover Beach IMPORTANT important story of Chinese immigrants at Lodge and Conference Center at Pismo this “Ellis Island of the West.” Other new State Beach in San Luis Obispo County. STORY OF projects at Angel Island State Park included This milestone project marks the fi rst ti me CHINESE a concession operati on for Segway Human California State Parks has partnered to IMMIGRATION Transporter tours, and the replacement of construct a new full-service lodging facility. TO THE U.S. the island’s decades-old landing craft with The project was made possible by a joint an all-new vessel that will greatly improve powers agreement between California the transportati on of supplies to the is- State Parks and the City of Grover Beach. land. The new lodge will provide unique vaca- ti on and recreati on access to California’s At Kenneth Hahn State Recreati on Area coast. in Los Angles County, an all-new visitor center at the Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook In another example of dynamic public- provides the public with their fi rst-ever private partnership, new concessions op- access to this site with some of the most erati ons at Malibu Pier off er unique dining spectacular views in Los Angeles. and recreati onal opportuniti es on the pier for the fi rst ti me in years. Two new restau- At Crystal Cove State Park in Orange rants opened to compliment the deep sea County, constructi on began on the fi rst fi shing and boat tour concessions in the new California State Parks campground rebirth of this desti nati on that was once in over twenty years. The 60-site family known as the “Riviera of America.” 4 Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park Old Town San Diego State Historic Park Visitor faciliti es in Old Town San Diego have otherwise recovered. Estimates in- State Historic Park conti nue to benefi t dicate that in its first five years the project from $18 million in improvements being will sequester the equivalent of over 11 carried out by California State Parks’ con- thousand metric tons of carbon dioxide. A cessionaire. The revitalized Old Town San related public-private partnership with Diego once again delights guests with the Stater Bros. supermarkets and Coca-Cola vibrant sights and sounds that have been raised over $600,000 to fund this activity. part of this area for more than 150 years. 8,267 ACRES PROTECTING PARKLAND OF NEW The Centennial celebrati on of the town of PARKLAND Allensworth marked the biggest-ever event Even in diffi cult economic ti mes, California FOR to take place at Colonel Allensworth State State Parks acquires property for preserva- Historic Park in Tulare County. Over 5,000 ti on as parkland for future generati ons. 72 MILLION people att ended this commemorati on of The department monitors its real property VISITORS the 100th anniversary of the only Califor- holdings with an eye toward opportuniti es TO ENJOY nia township founded, fi nanced, and gov- to expand existi ng park units by acquiring erned by African Americans. adjacent properti es or “inholdings.” Such The Commission adopted a resoluti on to acquisiti ons simplify park management establish a “Sister Park” in Mongolia – A and reduce operati ng costs by establish- fi rst for California State Parks.