CITY OF LAGUNA NIGUEL PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM

TO: Parks and Recreation Commission

FROM: Cathy Angstadt, Recreation Supervisor

DATE: December 14, 2020

SUBJECT: Trails in Laguna Niguel User Information

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends that the Parks & Recreation Commission review and provide feedback on the Trails in Laguna Niguel draft pamphlet.

BACKGROUND

An extensive trail system exists within Laguna Niguel providing recreational access to major parks throughout the City and adjacent communities. Many of the trails offer scenic ridgelines along the eastern and western perimeter of the City with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean surrounded by hillsides and valleys. Several trails traverse large open space canyons, including the Salt Creek Regional Park and the Laguna Niguel Regional Park. The trails serve a variety of users, including hikers, runners, mountain bikers, and equestrians. The equestrian element of the trail system provides equestrian access from the Nellie Gail community in Laguna Hills to the Laguna Niguel Regional Park, Salt Creek Regional Park, Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park, and horse stables in San Juan Capistrano.

Before City incorporation, multiple developers owned the land. The County approved and ensured trail establishment and development required for property expansion. As home developments increased, trails were added to enhance recreational features and access for its future property owners. According to each development track map, trail maintenance, ownership, and easement rights were either accepted or not accepted by the County for each trail.

Although the County of Orange still owns and maintains much of the trail system within City boundaries, other sections are owned and maintained by local homeowner associations and by the City of Laguna Niguel. For example, there are public trails within private gate-guarded residential communities in several locations, and access to these trails is not always readily apparent. Due to trail ownership's complex nature, staff is concentrating on improving trail marketing material.

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ANALYSIS

Trails within the City are divided into eight (8) major segments:

• Aliso Summit Trail • Bear Brand Park Trail • Colinas Bluff Trail • Laguna Ridge Trail • Long View Park Trail • Niguel Trail • Oso Creek Trail • Salt Creek Trail

The City's published Trail Map displays the locations for each of the eight (8) trail segments, trailhead parking locations, and City Parks. The Trail Map is available on the City's website and also included in the City's quarterly Recreation Brochure as displayed in Attachment A.

To further promote trails, staff redesigned a trail pamphlet for public distribution in a printed form and electronically. A draft copy of the trail pamphlet is attached for review in Attachment B. The revised pamphlet gives community members a more in-depth description of each trail to determine which trail meets their recreational needs.

Staff is working with Public Works to create QR codes with this same trail description and information. These QR codes would be added to the pamphlet on each trail description and placed on trailhead placards for users to easily access information from their phone.

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

The Parks and Recreation Commission may request research for additional information.

FISCAL REVIEW

No fiscal review is required for this report.

LEGAL REVIEW

No legal review is required for this report.

CONCLUSION

Staff recommends that the Parks & Recreation Commission review and provide feedback on the Trails in Laguna Niguel draft pamphlet.

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ATTACHMENT A Trail Map

To Cleveland y a Legend w National Forest k r d Oso Creek Trail

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Colinas Bluff Trail C m

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C Laguna Ridge Trail ay rkw 73 Pa ·|}þ lley Long View Park Trail Va Aliso Creek Road 0# wn Niguel Trail ro 0# 0#0# C %&'(5 Niguel Trail Oso Creek Trail 0# 0# 0# Salt Creek Trail To Woods 0# Canyon nas City Parks Coli De o e 0# s a 0# P

Aliso Summit Trail 0# Colinas Bluff Trail 0# 0# 0# H 0# 0# ig h Salt Creek Trail # la 0 n d s A ve nu e Drive ills 0# H a 0# n ri a M G o 0# ld e n L a n t e r Laguna Ridge Trail n 0# 0# 0# 0# 0#

Bear Brand Park Trail 0# 0# 0# 0#

P a c if Long View Trail ic Is la nd D rive 0#

0# d To Salt Creek a o Beach R l vion e l A u De ig no N Cami

City of Laguna Niguel Trails 0 0.25 0.5 1 ± Miles Detailed trail information is available at: www.cityoflagunaniguel.org/trails Date: 1/24/2017 Page 5

ATTACHMENT B Trails in Laguna Niguel Draft Pamphlet

City Trail Map Trails in Laguna Niguel

Aliso Summit Trail Bear Brand Park Trail Colinas Bluff Trail Laguna Ridge Trail Long View Park Trail Niguel Trail Oso Creek Trail Salt Creek Trail

www.CityofLagunaNiguel.org ALISO SUMMIT LAGUNA RIDGE OSO CREEK DIFFICULTY: DIFFICULTY: DIFFICULTY:

DISTANCE: X MILES DISTANCE: X MILES DISTANCE: X MILES Trail connects Seaview Park and The central portion of the trail This urban trail is located in the Pacific Island Drive with Lilly traverses through Bandlands Park, northwestern portion of the City Shapely Park in the Hillcrest owned/maintained by the County of Laguna Niguel. The trail begins residential community. The trail of Orange. The northern portion find at the Laguna Niguel Metrolink is located on Drakes Bay, which of the trail connects through the Station parking lot and runs north is off of Highlands. Primarily gated entrance at the west end of along the eastern edge of Oso decomposed granite surface, the Ocean Way, then follows sidewalks, Creek. At the Galivan Basin, the continuity of this trail is provided private streets and a walkway within trail crosses the creek and heads by sidewalk connections. the Laguna Sur community. On a west before turning north to run clear day, outstanding views of the along Cabot Road. ocean can be seen. BEAR BRAND NIGUEL SALT CREEK DIFFICULTY: DIFFICULTY: DIFFICULTY:

DISTANCE: X MILES DISTANCE: X MILES DISTANCE: X MILES Public parking and access are Part of the County’s regional trail This trail interconnects two large through Bear Brand Park. Trail system, this trail provides access coastal canyons which include four serves as a neighborhood con- to the Salt Creek Trail in the major public parks: Chapparosa nection to St. Anne School. The Laguna Niguel Regional Park Community Park and Salt Creek majority of the trail follows the and the Oso Creek and Nellie Regional Park in the Salt Creek bottom of the canyon which Gail Trails in the City of and Crown Valley Commu- contains some native habitat, Hills. Hiking the trails is light to nity Park and Laguna Niguel Re- including riparian vegetation. moderately strenuous. The trail gional Park in the Sulphur Creek On both sides of the canyon’s follows the valley & several road- Canyon. This is the longest trail rim there are existing single- ways and the uphill sections are segment in the City. family homes. short and relatively gradual. COLINAS BLUFF LONG VIEW DIFFICULTY RATINGS EASY MODERATE DIFFICULT DIFFICULTY: DIFFICULTY:

DISTANCE: X MILES DISTANCE: X MILES

Trail affords impressive views of Trail begins along the street of Laguna Niguel and San Juan Park Paseo, within the gated Capistrano, characterized by very community of Bear Brand Ridge. steep slopes. Much of the trail Public access is available during exists within the boundaries of daylight hours. The paved trail San Juan Capistrano and eques- includes a short climb to Long trians from several stables in San View Park. The park offers spec- Juan Capistrano often use tacular 360 ̊ panoramic views of portions of this trail. the Pacific Ocean, mountains & www.CityofLagunaNiguel.org surrounding hillsides & valleys.