COUI{TY OF DEL I{ORTE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

981 "H" Street, Suite 110 Crescent City, California 95531 Fax (707) 465-0340

Planning Engineering & Surveying Roads Building Inspection Environmental Health (707) 464-72s4 (707) 464-7229 (707) 464-7238 (707) 464-72s3 (707) 46s-0426

DATE: June 4, 2018 AGENDA DATE: June 12,2018

TO: Del Norte County Board of Supervisors FROM: Randy Hooper, Assistant Director 9\^ SUBJEGT: Adoption of the Del Norte County OHV Plan

RECOMMENDATION FOR BOARD ACTION: Adopt, by resolution, the 2018 DelNorte County OHV Facilities Plan.

DISCUSSION/J USTIFIGATION ln the fall of 2014 the Board of Supervisors passed an ordinance (Ordinance No. 2014-011) based on Section 38001 of Division 16.5 of the California Vehicle Code (CVC). This section of the CVC allows for roughly graded roads upon which vehicular travel by the public is permitted to allow for "non-highway" uses such as the operation of OHV's. Acting upon this authority, the BOS identified six unpaved County roads that are located within the Smith River National Recreation Area in the ordinance which were subsequently codified in Chapter 10 (Vehicles and Traffíc) of the County Code by adding Section 10.25 (Off-Highway Vehicles). ln identifying areas in which OHV's may be operated within the county the County became eligible for grant funding under the California State Parks Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program (Grants Program). Funding for the Grants Program is derived from registration and licensing fees of OHV's in California which are commonly referred to as California Green Sticker fees. The Grants Program is administered by the California State Parks Off-Highway Motorized Vehicle Recreation (OHMVR) Division and provides for well-managed OHV recreation throughout the state by providing financial assistance to cities, counties, districts, federal agencies, state agencies, educational institutions, federally recognized Native American Tribes, and nonprofit entities. ln 2015 the BOS directed staff to develop two applications requesting funding under the Grants Program with one application being for a Planning Grant and the second application being for a Development Grant (for the placement of OHV related signs). While the Development Grant was not approved, the Planning Grant was awarded. The stated purpose of the Planning Grant was to develop a plan for the County's existing and potential OHV facilities. Over the course of the past several years staff has, in coordination with stakeholders and volunteers, worked on developing an OHV Plan. After introducing this plan to the public and soliciting input on the final draft, staff feels that the OHV Plan is now ready for consideration and adoption by the BOS. The primary benefit to the County of adopting this plan will be better access to funding to support outdoor recreational opporlunities in the County. Funding agencies, and in particular the State Parks OHMVR Division, have a strong preference for funding projects that have been identified in planning documents such as this. More tangible and immediate benefits of this project include the funding that was made available for the acquisition of equipment necessary to conduct the field work associated with this project. ln total the County received approximately $55,000 in OHV grant funds (used to purchase a 4WD SUV, an OHV, and an OHV trailer) with the 25% required minimum match provided by an in-kind match consisting of County staff and volunteer time.

The OHV Plan is composed of three sections and an appendix. Section One of the plan provides background and context for the plan, the core values of the plan, as well as identifying the potential economic benefits of well-developed OHV opportunities in the County. Section Two of the plan describes two general "planning units", the North Fork of the Smith River area and the South Fork of the Smith River area including mapping and terrain data. Section Three of the plan builds on the core values and establishes specific goals, policies, and implementation programs for the development of OHV opportunities in the County. The appendix section of the plan includes copies of the County ordinances that allow for the operation of OHV on identified County roads, a copy of the Notice of Exemption from CEQA, a copy of an article from the Triplicate for this prolect, a panoramic photograph of one of the program sites, and the proposed resolution adopting the plan. Assuming the BOS approves this plan the appendix will be updated with an endorsed copy of the Notice of Exemption and resolution of adoption.

The core values enumerated in Section One of the plan include: o The backcountry and recreational lands located within the County are currently underutilized for motorized recreational activities. . Off-highway motorized recreation has, in some cases, been restricted due to previous examples of irresponsible activities that have caused harm to the natural landscape and specific communities of environmentally sensitive areas and watersheds. o ïhe public has not, by and large, set out to knowingly harm the environment in the course of their recreational activities but, rather, where impacts have arisen they can be more correctly attributed to a lack of defined OHV riding areas in combination with a lack of full awareness of the potential for impacts that may arise from irresponsible OHV use. o lf the public is provided legal riding areas and education regarding potential impacts that past examples of irresponsible OHV activities will be greatly reduced. . lt is impossible for any single agency to provide for an adequate OHV program given the patchwork of ownership and land management of roads, trails, and lands within the County and thus collaboration should be ongoing and iterative. o ïhis plan can serve as a beacon for further coordination and collaboration with the public agencies, private landowners, users, and the general public for the further development of OHV opportunities in the County.

Section Two of the plan provides an overview of the Planning Units. The North Fork planning unit consists of the Low Divide Road, Holiday Mine Road, Patrick Creek Road, and Wimer Road areas. The roads assessed as part of this plan consist of County roads however they interface with several Forest Service roads that, as part of the Travel Management Plan, now allow for combined use activities including OHV. Notably, Gasquet Mountain Road was designated for Mixed Use by the Six Rivers National Forest. The Smith River NRA Plan includes language encouraging of OHV activities in the North Fork area due to "unusually erosion resistant soils." There are multiple staging and camping areas in the North Fork Unit however OHV activities need to be cautious of damage to the North Fork watershed as well as nearby adjacent botanically sensitive areas as well as non-OHV users. The South Fork planning unit consists of the Big Flat Road and French Hill Road areas. The roads assessed as part of this plan consist of County roads which do not presently provide for OHV use however they interface with several Forest Service roads that, as part of the Travel Management Plan, now allow for combined use activities including OHV. Notably, Forest Service Road 17N07, in the Gordon Mountain area above Hurdygurdy Creek, was designated as an ML-2 road by the Six Rivers National Forest, allowing for operation of OHV's and creating a potential OHV loop opportunity with County roads. The Board previously had to remove French Hill and Big Flat Roads from the list of OHV allowable roads due to a conflict in the language of the deed from Federal Highways, specifically a prohibition against non-highway uses, however one of the programs identified in the plan is to make efforts to amend the deed to allow for certain non-highway activities, specifically OHV use. Section Three of the plan covers goals, policies, and programs - i.e. the meat of the plan. The plan identifies three main goals which are derived from the core values established in Section One. Goal #1 ot the plan is: promote responsible OHV use. Policies related to Goal#1 include: . The County should seek to educate the communtty on the potential damage that the operation of OHV's outside of designated areas may have upon the environment. . The County should seek to inform OHV users of applicable traffic and safety regulations relating to the operation of OHV's on County designated OHV roads and areas.

Goal#2 of the plan is: maintain existing OHV facilities. Policies related to Goal #2 include: o The County should maintain roads, trails, and areas approved for the use of OHV's at a level necessary to meet the needs of the community and to allow for the ongoing, safe use of fhese areas by the public.

Goal #3 of the plan is: establish new OHV facilities. Policies related to Goal #3 include: o The County should explore possrö/ffies for providing new opportunities for motorized recreational activities in areas that are suitable for such uses. Ihrs should include developing new roads, trails, and areas where OHV's may be operated, as well as developing connectivity between areas already open to OHV use in order to create long OHV /oops that eliminate the need to backtrack or having a trailer parked at the end of each segment. o The County should identtfy ways to expand existing motorized recreational opportunities by enhancing existing facilities and infrastructure. This should include developing staging areas for the loading and unloading of OHV's, parking areas for trucks and trailers, informational kiosks, directional signage, and restroom facilities, if possible.

Finally, programs are identified to implement each policy. Programs include the following: o Development of mapping depicting OHV opportunities; . Placement of signs along OHV routes; . Conducting regular assessrnents of existing OHV roads inventorying current conditions, damage, mainten ance needs, etc. ; o Develop a maintenance program with identified funding sources (e.9. County Title lll, Green Sticker, RAC, etc.); o Negotiate revised grant deed to allow for OHV use of French Hill and Big Flat Roads and development of OHV staging on Federal land near fhese roads; and . Drscuss development of OHV staging on Sri Rivers National Forest near Low Divide Gravel Pit or near Gasquet Mountain Road.

Early in the planning process volunteers were solicited to participate in the development of the plan. Stakeholders were also consulted throughout the process including the former Gasquet District Ranger in which the majority of this plan is located (albeit on County roads). Those efforts resulted in the above noted core values that the plan is intended to reflect as well as assistance in inventorying areas covered by this plan. A public workshop was conducted on May 30, 2018 which was intended to introduce the plan to the public however no members of the public attended that workshop. Staff has also scheduled to present the plan in a public meeting at the Planning Commission hearing on June 6,2018 at which it is anticipated that the Planning Commission will consider the plan, adopt the Notice of Exemption pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, and recommend that the BOS adopt the plan. As mentioned the plan is exempt from CEQA under Section 15262 as a planning study. As of the writing of this report no public comments have been received on the final draft however should public comments be received between now and the time of final adoption staff will include those comments in their verbal report during the BOS meeting at which this item will be considered. ALTERNATIVE: Do not adopt the 2018 Del Norte County OHV Plan or suggest changes prior to closing out project.

FINANGING: State of California OHV Trust.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT: This section meets 1 of the following outcome measures for children in Del Norte County: tr Children ready for and succeeding in school. n Children and youth are healthy and preparing for adulthood. tr Families are economically self-sufficient. tr Families are safe, stable and nurturing.

E Communities are safe and provide a high quality of life. tr No impact to Children as a result of this action.

OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT: California State Parks OHMVR Division.

SIGNATURE REQUIRED: Board Chair on resolution

ADMI NISTRATIVE SIGN.OFF: n Auditor: n County Administrative Officer: n County Counsel: n Human Resources: n Other:

DEPARTMENT SIGN.OFF:

WL Kunstal, Director

Printing Account: 1 01 -258-20221 L Board of Supervisors 2 County of Del Norte 3 State of Galifornia 4 5 RESOLUTION NUMBER 2OI 8. 6 7 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ADOPTING THE 2OI8 DEL 8 NORTE COUNTY OHV FACILITIES PLAN 9 10 LL WHEREAS, the backcountry and recreational lands located within the County are 72 currently underutilized for motorized recreational activities; 13 L4 WHEREAS, off-highway motorized recreation has, in some cases, been restricted due 15 to previous examples of irresponsible activities that have caused harm to the natural L6 landscape and specific communities of environmentally sensitive areas and watersheds; t7 L8 WHEREAS, the public has not, by and large, set out to knowingly harm the environment 19 in the course of their recreational actívities but, rather, where impacts have arisen they 20 can be more correctly attributed to a lack of defined OHV riding areas in combination 2L with a lack of full awareness of the potential for impacts that may arise from 22 irresponsible OHV use; 23 24 WHEREAS, if the public is provided legal riding areas and education regarding potential 25 impacts that past examples of irresponsible OHV activities will be greatly reduced. 26 27 WHEREAS, it is not feasible for any single agency to provide for an adequate OHV 28 program given the patchwork of ownershíp and land management of roads, trails, and 29 lands within the County and thus collaboration should be ongoing and iterative; 30 31 WHEREAS, this plan can serve as a beacon for further coordination and collaboration 32 with the public agencies, private landowners, users, and the general public for the 33 further development of OHV opportunities in the County; 34 35 NOW THEREFORE, BE lT RESOLVED the Board of Supervisors of the County of Del 36 Norte, State of California does hereby approve and adopt the 2018 Del Norte County 37 Facilities Plan. 38 39 PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Supervisors, County of Del Norte, State of 40 California, this 1 2th day of June, 2018 by the following polled vote: 4L 42 AYES: 43 44 NOES 45 46 ABSENT: 47 48 49 50 51 52 Chris Howard, Chairman 53 Del Norte County Board of Supervisors 54 55 56 ATTEST: 57 58 59 60 6L 62 Kylie Heriford 63 Clerk of the Board 64 County of Del Norte, State of California

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2018 Off-Highway Vehicles Facilities Plan June 2018

Del Norte County Board of Supervisors Roger Gitlin, District 1 Lori Cowan, District 2 Chris Howard, District 3 Gerry Hemmingsen, District 4 Bob Berkowitz, District 5

Community Development Department Heidi Kunstal, Director Randy Hooper, Assistant Director

Contents

Foreword ...... 1

Section 1: Background ...... 2

Del Norte County at a Glance ...... 3

Core Values and Principles ...... 4

Off-Highway Motorized Recreation Economics ...... 5

Section 2: Planning Units ...... 6

Area 1: North Fork Unit - Low Divide, Holiday Mine, Patrick Creek, and Wimer Areas ...... 6

Area 2: South Fork Unit - Big Flat and French Hill Areas ...... 21

Section 3: Goals, Policies & Programs and Benefit Cost Analysis ...... 27

Goals, Policies, & Programs ...... 27

Goal 1: Promote responsible OHV use...... 27

Goal 2: Maintain existing OHV facilities ...... 28

Goal 3: Establish new OHV facilities ...... 29

Benefit Cost Analysis and Priorities ...... 32

Acknowledgements ...... 33

Appendix A: Del Norte County Ordinance 2014-011 ...... 34

Appendix B: Del Norte County Ordinance 2015-007 ...... 37

Appendix C: CEQA Notice of Exemption ...... 39

Appendix D: Del Norte Triplicate Newspaper Article Regarding Project ...... 40

Appendix E: “Low Divide Gravel Pit” Potential Staging Area Site Photograph ...... 45

Appendix F: Resolution of Adoption ...... 46

Foreword Del Norte County is home to some of the most stunning and unique natural landscapes one will find in California. With hundreds of miles of backroads that were developed as part of the County’s early mining and later timber periods, paired with the now thousands of acres of lands managed by the Federal and State governments for recreational use, all of the necessary ingredients exist here for the County to become a premier off-highway motorized recreation destination.

This plan is intended to highlight existing areas in which motorized recreational opportunities currently exist as well a guide for informed future decision-making with respect to developing infrastructure for future off-highway motorized recreational activities. It is the County’s intent in putting this plan forward to serve as a beacon to our partnering agencies, including the United States Forest Service, the National Park Service, and the California Department of Parks and Recreation, who are the primary Federal and State land managers in Del Norte County, to recognize the potential for developing and responsibly expanding motorized recreational opportunities in Del Norte County. We hope you find this document to be interesting and useful. Moreover, we welcome you to come and visit and enjoy all that this beautiful area has to offer for yourself!

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Section 1: Background In 1990 President George H.W. Bush signed the Smith River National Recreation Area (NRA) legislation into law which required the development of the Smith River NRA Management Plan. According to the Management Plan the NRA was established to “ensure the preservation, protection, enhancement, and interpretation of the Smith River’s wild and scenic rivers, ecological diversity and recreational opportunities…”1 While the NRA falls under the administrative authority of the United States Forest Service (Six Rivers National Forest, Gasquet Ranger District) the access roads into the NRA are primarily roads that are part of the County’s maintained road system. On October 28, 2014, the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance (the “OHV Ordinance”) which designated certain roughly graded roads within the Del Norte County Maintained Mileage System which are within or connecting to rural recreation areas as allowable for the operation of off-highway vehicles in addition to regular vehicular traffic. The OHV Ordinance is codified in Section 10.25 (“Off-Highway Vehicles”) of the Del Norte County Code. Passage of this ordinance formally established the ability of visitors to use County maintained roads to access the NRA via OHV whereas previously OHV’s would have had to have been hauled into the NRA via trailer. In passing the OHV Ordinance the County Board of Supervisors acknowledged the opportunity for the County to contribute to the NRA Management Plan’s stated goal of promoting a wide array of recreational uses including permitting off-highway vehicles on designated routes. Furthermore, the Board of Supervisors has continued to advocate for motorized access opportunities in the NRA including making formal comments to this effect during periodic updates to the National Forest Transportation System. The development of this plan involved approximately 25 separate site visits by County staff and project volunteers to locations within the project areas. Site visits were focused on different themes including inventorying of existing infrastructure, assessment for environmentally sensitive habitat, and examination of potential OHV opportunities that could be integrated into existing OHV system. Throughout the planning process the County maintained a website dedicated to the project and invited public involvement and input into the planning efforts. The planning process concluded in late spring of 2018 with several workshops and meetings open to the public where the plan was formally introduced to the community prior to its adoption by the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors.

1 Six Rivers National Forest, Smith River National Recreation Area Management Plan 1992. 2 | P a g e

Del Norte County at a Glance Del Norte County is located in the northwest corner of California. The county seat, Crescent City, is an approximately 6½-hour drive from San Francisco and a 5½-hour drive from Portland, Oregon. There are three primary routes into Del Norte County with US Highway 101 providing access along the coast to the north and south entrances to the county and US Highway 199 providing access from the east. The county is bounded on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The county has a total area of 1,230 square miles, of which 222 square miles is water. Two National Forests, the Six Rivers and Rogue River-Siskiyou, are partially located within Del Norte County. The Six Rivers National Forest includes the Smith River NRA as well as portions of the Siskiyou Wilderness. The county is home to a portion of the Redwood National and State Parks which include the Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park and Jedediah Smith State Park. In addition the county is home to the Tolowa Dunes State Park, Ruby Van Deventer County Park, Clifford Kamph Memorial County Park, and Florence Keller County Park. Crescent City is the only incorporated city located in the county; unincorporated communities in the county include Big Flat (including Rock Creek), Fort Dick, Gasquet, Hiouchi, Klamath, and Smith River. As of 2017, Del Norte County is home to approximately 24,552 non-incarcerated residents with population density of approximately 26.9-residents per square mile which, when compared to the overall average for the state of California of 253.4-residents per square mile, reflects the very rural nature of Del Norte County. Land ownership in the county is primarily public with approximately 69% of lands under Federal ownership, 8% under State ownership and about 3% under Tribal ownership (including lands held in trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs). Temperatures range from 40ºF to 60ºF year-round along the redwood coastline. Summers are mild with warmer temperatures inland. Winters are cool with considerable precipitation. Average

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high temperature is 54ºF in the winter and 65ºF in the summer. Average low temperature is 40ºF in the winter and 50ºF in the summer. Average annual rainfall is 66 inches.

Core Values and Principles Prior to developing the goals, policies, and programs section of this plan the County met with stakeholders and volunteers with the goal of defining the core values and principles that this plan should conform to. The following core values and principles were identified early in this process and are further reflected in the corresponding resolution adopting this plan and did indeed shape the manner in which this project was approached:  The County believes that the backcountry and recreational lands located within the County are currently underutilized for motorized recreational activities.  The County believes that off-highway motorized recreation has, in some cases, been restricted due to previous examples of irresponsible activities that have caused harm to the natural landscape and specific communities of environmentally sensitive areas and watersheds.  The County believes that the public has not, by and large, set out to knowingly harm the environment in the course of their recreational activities but, rather, where impacts have arisen they can be more correctly attributed to a lack of defined OHV riding areas in combination with a lack of full awareness of the potential for impacts that may arise from irresponsible OHV use.  The County believes that if the public is provided legal riding areas and education regarding potential impacts that past examples of irresponsible OHV activities will be greatly reduced.  The County believes that it is impossible for any single agency to provide for an adequate OHV program given the patchwork of ownership and land management of roads, trails, and lands within the County and thus collaboration should be ongoing and iterative.  The County believes that this plan can serve as a beacon for further coordination and collaboration with the public agencies, private landowners, users, and the general public for the further development of OHV opportunities in the County.

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Off-Highway Motorized Recreation Economics According to US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), growth in the outdoor recreation sector has outpaced GDP growth in the three of four years over their most recent period of analysis from (2013-2016). Moreover, motorized vehicles have accounted for the single largest segment within the outdoor recreation sector.2

The BEA report demonstrates that outdoor recreation is value added to other industries including retail trade, accommodation and food services, and manufacturing industries.

It is clear that for the future prosperity of the County its economy must become more diversified. Based on the growth in the outdoor motorized recreation sector it appears that a well-developed OHV system in Del Norte County would contribute in significant ways to the greater economy of Del Norte County.

2 “Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account: Prototype Statistics 2012-2016”. US Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, retrieved March 30, 2018 https://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/industry/orsa/2018/pdf/orsa0218.pdf 5 | P a g e

Section 2: Planning Units

Area 1: North Fork Unit - Low Divide, Holiday Mine, Patrick Creek, and Wimer Areas According to the Smith River NRA Management Plan “the North Fork area provides for excellent managed OHV use due to the large number of roads and trails that were constructed during the mining era as well as the erosion resistant soils present in the area.”1 As part of the development of this OHV Plan the County has conducted field surveys of this area and agrees with the findings of the NRA Management Plan in this regard. DN 305 - Low Divide Road. Low Divide Road is located in northwestern Del Norte County not far from the California- Oregon state line. Low Divide Road can be accessed from either the community of Hiouchi on its south end or the community of Smith River, on its north end. From Hiouchi to its intersection with Rowdy Creek Road, Low Divide Road runs north-south. From Low Divide Road’s intersection with Rowdy Creek Road the road continues to the east where it intersects the North Fork of the Smith River at Major Moore’s and, shortly thereafter crosses the border into Oregon and the Rogue River- Siskiyou National Forest where it becomes known as the Wimer Road (Forest Service Road 4402). DN 305 is actually composed of several historic roads including, notably, the “Wimer Road” which (constructed circa 1882). These roads composed the earliest routes from the southern Oregon gold fields to the port of Crescent City. In modern times the road is used primarily for access to the Smith River National Recreation Area in the Six Rivers National

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Forest by 4WD’s and OHV’s as well as non-motorized recreational users including hikers, kayakers, and mountain bikers as well as deer hunters, fisherman, and mushroom pickers. The Wimer Road can also be accessed from the east at O’Brien, Oregon however OHV use is not permitted on the first 7-miles of the road from the O’Brien side. This is an easy to moderately difficult OHV route. There are many dispersed campsites along the way as well as several undeveloped staging areas. The road begins along ridgetops before dropping into the North Fork Smith River drainage. The Forest Service maintains the "North Fork Campground" and river access at Major Moore's which can serve as convenient staging or camping for OHV and Jeep groups in the North Fork area. The road crosses the North Fork of the Smith River before continuing back up grade towards the Diamond Creek area and several miles further, the Oregon border when it becomes FS 4402 (Wimer Road), which leads to the Rogue River Siskiyou National Forest Wild Rivers Ranger District and the small town of O'Brien, Oregon. DN 314 - Gasquet Toll Road. The Gasquet Toll Road can be accessed on the west end, above the village of Gasquet, off of North Fork Road, or on the east end via the Holiday Mine Road. This is an easy OHV route situated above the Middle Fork of the Smith River before it enters the Patrick Creek Drainage at Three Ponds Campground where the road intersects the Holiday Mine Road. DN 315 - Holiday Mine Road. The Holiday Mine Road is an easy to moderately difficult OHV route. The road is accessed from Patrick Creek Road, from which it spurs off before heading upslope to the north along the west fork of Patrick Creek. The road climbs in a fairly steep and, in places, narrow manner before reaching the Oregon border where it 7 | P a g e

intersects with FS 4402 (Wimer Road). There are several historic mines located along Holiday Mine Road as well as various trailheads including, notably, access to the Forest Service's High Dome Trail and Elk Camp Ridge Trail (the Elk Camp Ridge Trail is a motorized trail that runs upgrade parallel to the Gasquet Toll Road, to which it can be accessed from on the west end). DN 316 Patrick Creek Road. Patrick Creek Road is accessed via US Highway 199, northeast of Gasquet. Patrick Creek Road is an easy difficulty OHV route. There are several developed and dispersed camping areas along Patrick Creek Road as well as several undeveloped staging locations that provide for convenient loading and unloading of OHV's. Patrick Creek Road, intersects FS 4402 (Wimer Road) several miles east of the point at which Holiday Mine Road does.

Road Approximate OHV’s Road Name Notes Number Length Allowed

DN 305 Low Divide Road 9.2-miles Yes* Hiouchi to Rowdy Creek

Rowdy Creek to North Fork DN 305 Low Divide Road 12.0-miles Yes Crossing

Low Divide North Fork Crossing to DN 305 6.3-miles Yes Road/Wimer Road Oregon side of Wimer Road

DN 314 Gasquet Toll Road 13.3-miles Yes*

DN 315 Holiday Mine Road 9.8-miles Yes

DN 316 Patrick Creek Road 11.3-miles Yes

*OHV’s not authorized on paved surfaces pursuant to DNCC §10.25 and/or within residentially developed areas.

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Area 2: South Fork Unit - Big Flat and French Hill Areas

Whereas Del Norte County has retained many of the roads in the North Fork Unit and has approved them for OHV use most of the roads and trails in the South Fork Unit are under the regulatory control of the Six Rivers National Forest. This area remains largely inaccessible to OHV’s except for on private lands near the remote community of Big Flat and on a small handful of Maintenance Level 2 (ML-2) Forest Service roads. DN 405 - Big Flat Road. Big Flat Road is located north of the remote community of Big Flat. The road is accessed from either the south from DN 427 (South Fork Road) or the north from DN 411 (French Hill Road). From its south end, Big Flat Road follows along the south bank of Hurdygurdy Creek, which is part of the South Fork of the Smith River watershed, before it crosses the creek and continues steeply (see terrain profile) due north. There are several Forest Service campgrounds including Big Flat Campground and several smaller dispersed camping areas as well as the Dry Lake day use area. This road does not presently provide for “non-highway” uses pursuant to the Highway Easement Deed however OHV staging may take place off of Big Flat Road at several locations for OHV use on Forest Service roads. Specifically, FS 16N03 (Fox Ridge Road) is ML-2 designated Forest Service road that allows for the operation of OHV’s.

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DN 411 - French Hill Road. French Hill Road is most commonly accessed from its west end, off of US Highway 199 near the village of Gasquet From US 199 French Hill Road climbs up the base of French Hill and is paved for the first several miles before it turns into a graveled surface. There are a mix of private lands interspersed in the public lands, particularly for the first approximately 5- miles. The road continues to steadily climb in elevation before reaching its intersection with Big Flat Road near Upper Coon Mountain on its east end. Similar to Big Flat Road, OHV use is not permitted on Big Flat Road however it does provide for ready access to Forest Service roads that allow for the operation of OHV’s such as ML-2 designated FS 17N07.

Road Road Approximate OHV’s Notes Number Name Length Allowed

Big Flat Highway grant deed restricts DN 405 13.3-miles No Road “non-highway uses.”

French Hill Highway grant deed restricts DN 411 12.3-miles No Road “non-highway uses.”

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Section 3: Goals, Policies & Programs and Benefit Cost Analysis

Goals, Policies, & Programs Three primary goals have been established based on the above core values: promote responsible OHV use, maintain existing facilities, and establish new OHV opportunities. Policies and programs are identified in order to further define these goals and provide strategies for implementation.

Policy Program

The County will create a map which depicts roads, trails, and other areas where motorized recreational use has been authorized by the Board of Supervisors by ordinance. In an attempt to best inform the public and visitors to the area the map

will also depict non-County roads, trails, and areas where OHV

use is allowed. In developing the map the County will make a good faith effort to coordinate with other public lands management agencies and law enforcement agencies to ensure The County should seek to educate the community on that the map contains the most up to date and accurate the potential damage that the operation of OHV’s information at the time of publication. This map should be 1a 1a outside of designated areas may have upon the considered informational only for areas outside of the County’s environment. jurisdiction and a note shall be placed on the map advising users to contact the appropriate public agency for confirmation of the map’s accuracy outside of the County’s identified OHV permissible roads, trails, and areas. The map will include notes that refer to regulations against and potential penalties for the operation of OHV’s in unauthorized areas. The map will be made available to the public and posted in locations where visitors might be able to readily obtain copies (e.g. Visitor Center, Gasquet Ranger District, County Parks Department, etc.).

1b The County should seek to inform OHV users of 1b The County will place signs and markers along County roads that Goal 1: Promote responsible OHV use. OHV responsible Promote 1: Goal 27 | P a g e

applicable traffic and safety regulations relating to the have been identified as allowing for the operation of OHV’s. Signs operation of OHV’s on County designated OHV roads shall also be placed that alert non-OVH users of the potential and areas. presence of OHV’s in such shared use areas and to drive with caution. All signs shall be compliant with the effective Manual on The County should seek to inform non-OHV users in Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) or equivalent. shared use areas where OHV’s are allowed to be 1c operated of the possibility of encountering OHV’s in their travel and to travel with caution in such areas.

The County will conduct regular assessments of the County roads, trails, and areas that allow for OHV use in the spring and fall of every year in order to create a database that addresses 2a current conditions, identifies needed locations of maintenance, and identifies areas where unauthorized OHV activity may be The County should maintain roads, trails, and areas occurring. approved for the use of OHV’s at a level necessary to 2a meet the needs of the community and to allow for the ongoing, safe use of these areas by the public.

The County will seek funding from the OHV Trust, the Resource Advisory Committee, and County Title III funds, as well as other funding sources that may become available, in order to fund 2b maintenance and maintenance projects such as placing gravel on roads and trails, maintaining drainages, and replacing drainage infrastructure (e.g. culverts, etc.) where needed. Where it is

appropriate the County shall partner with other public land Goal 2: Maintain existing OHV facilities OHV existing Maintain 2: Goal 28 | P a g e

managers in funding applications in order to leverage available resources.

The County will contact the Federal Highway Administration in order to request an amendment to the Highway Easement Deed

granted by the Federal Highway Administration to the County

s s (Del Norte County Records Doc. No. 20102557) in order to allow for non-highway use of Big Flat Road (CR 405) and French Hill The County should explore possibilities for providing Road (CR 411) including OHV use. Establishing OHV use on these new opportunities for motorized recreational activities roads would allow for connectivity with roads, trails, and areas in areas that are suitable for such uses. This should identified by the Six Rivers National Forest that allow for OHV include developing new roads, trails, and areas where use, specifically FS roads 17N07 and 16N19 and motorized trail 3a OHV’s may be operated, as well as developing 3a 405.103. This discussion will include but not be limited to the connectivity between areas already open to OHV use in amendment of the language in the current deed that prohibits order to create long OHV loops that eliminate the need “non-highway” uses as well as discussion of developing an OHV to backtrack or having a trailer parked at the end of staging location near the intersection of County Road 405 (Big each segment. Flat Road) and County Road 427 (South Fork Road) (APN 126- 180-04; 41°41'10.44"N 123°54'38.04"W) which would provide for excellent access to the upper South Fork area including French Hill and Craig’s Creek and Coon Creek areas where the Forest Service has numerous ML-2 roads and Motorized Trails

that provide for OHV use. Goal 3: Establish new OHV facilitie OHV new Establish 3: Goal

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The County will contact the Forest Service to discuss the possible development of an OHV staging, parking, and rest area on Federal land accessed off of County Road 305 (Low Divide Road), a site referred to as the “Low Divide Gravel Pit” (APN 122-020- 09; 41°53'7.49"N 124° 3'59.60"W). An OHV staging area at this location could facilitate OHV excursions in the Low 3b Divide/Wimer Road and Gasquet Mountain areas including overnight trips to the North Fork Campground at Major Moore’s. This nearly 1-acre area could accommodate multiple pull through parking spots for trucks with trailers, as well as The County should identify ways to expand existing restroom facilities, picnic tables, and an motorized recreational opportunities by enhancing informational/directional kiosk. (See Appendix Item E) existing facilities and infrastructure. This should 3b include developing staging areas for the loading and A less ambitious, but perhaps more appropriately located, unloading of OHV’s, parking areas for trucks and alternative site to develop a scaled back (i.e. parking and kiosk trailers, informational kiosks, directional signage, and only) staging area exists near the north end of Forest Service restroom facilities, if possible. Road 17N49 (Gasquet Mountain Road) near its intersection with County Road 305 (APN 121-070-25; 41°54'33.19"N 124° 1'44.06"W). Similar to the “Low Divide Rock Pit” this site provides for excellent access opportunity to the North Fork area 3c including Low Divide/Wimer Road and Gasquet Mountain. The Forest Service has classified 17N49 as allowable for mixed use and so this site would be ideal for providing OHV staging for the Smith River NRA in the North Fork area. The site is more limited in available area (about 0.20-acres) and may not be suitable for more than several trucks with trailers. Also, the access to the site is somewhat steep.

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The County will contact the District Ranger of the Wild Rivers Ranger District (Cave Junction) to discuss opportunities for the use of Forest Service Road 4402 (Wimer Road) in combination 3d with Del Norte County roads (i.e. DN 305 Low Divide, DN 315 Holiday Mine Road, and DN 316 Patrick Creek Road) as OHV routes.

The County will explore the possibility of designating portions of Rowdy Creek Road (DN 308) as open to OHV use as well as the 3e possibility of partnering with the Del Norte Rod & Gun Club for the development of an OHV staging area at the Del Norte Rod & Gun Club shooting range on lower Rowdy Creek Road.

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Benefit Cost Analysis and Priorities A benefit cost analysis was undertaken which reviewed each of the proposed programs. This analysis results in a prioritization of programs that the County may utilize to inform future decision-making with respect to implementation. For the purposes of this analysis benefits, costs, and priorities are categorized as “Low”, “Medium”, or “High”. In the context of benefits a Low ranking indicates that the program would likely not tangibly promote an identified goal, a Medium benefit project would likely benefit only a single goal, and a High benefit would likely tangibly promote more than one goal. In the context of costs, a Low ranking indicates that a typical adopted budget would likely be sufficient to account for the cost of the program, Medium indicates budgets may account for the cost if supplemented with outside (i.e. grant) funding, and finally a High cost indicates that existing budgets would likely not account for the cost and/or that access to funding is unlikely. Benefits that exceed costs are prioritized as High; benefits that equal costs are prioritized as Medium; and benefit values that fall below cost values are prioritized as Low. In no case is a Low or Medium benefit project assigned High priority, even if benefits exceed costs.

Program Benefit Cost Priority

1a High Medium High

1b High High Medium

2a Medium Low Medium

2b High Medium High

3a Medium Low Medium

3b Medium High Low

3c Medium High Low

3d Medium Low Medium

3e Medium Low Medium

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Acknowledgements The preparers of this plan wish to thank the California State Parks Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Program for the planning grant that was awarded which funded much of the development of this plan as well as the Six Rivers National Forest for allowing access to certain roads and trails that were assessed as part of this project. Thanks are due to the following individuals for their assistance and support during the development of this plan: The Del Norte County Board of Supervisors for their advocacy of access and use of public lands, in particular Supervisor Gerry Hemmingsen, Director of Community Development Heidi Kunstal for her commitment of staff resources to this project, County Road Division staff for their ongoing commitment to road maintenance in the project area, project volunteers Jim Hooper and Rick & Ginger Finley as well as stakeholders Karl Beyerle and Don Amador for their commitment of time and energy in the formulation and collection of data to support this project. This project would not have happened had it not been for the agencies and individuals mentioned here.

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Appendix A: Del Norte County Ordinance 2014-011

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Appendix B: Del Norte County Ordinance 2015-007

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Appendix C: CEQA Notice of Exemption

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Appendix D: Del Norte Triplicate Newspaper Article Regarding Project Published: Oct. 12, 2015

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Appendix E: “Low Divide Gravel Pit” Potential Staging Area Site Photograph Program 3b - Potential OHV Staging Area

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Appendix F: Resolution of Adoption

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