Donner Memorial State Park GENERAL PLAN Volume 1 of 2 Approved by the State Park and Recreation Commission April 5, 2003 VOLUME 1 This is Volume 1 of the Final General Plan for Donner Memorial State Park. It contains the Summary of Existing Conditions; Goals and Guidelines for park development and use; Environmental Analysis (in compliance with Article 9 and Article 11 Section 15166 of the California Environmental Quality Act); and Maps, Matrices, and Appendices relating to the General Plan. Volume 2 of the Final General Plan contains the Comments and Responses (comments received during public review of the General Plan and DPR response to those comments); and the Notice of Determination (as filed with the State Office of Planning and Research), documenting the completion of the CEQA compliance requirements for this project. Together, these two volumes constitute the Final General Plan for Donner Memorial State Park. COPYRIGHT This publication, including all of the text and photographs in it, is the intellectual property of the Department of Parks and Recreation and is protected by copyright. GENERAL PLANNING INFORMATION If you would like more information about the general planning process used by the Department or have questions about specific general plans, contact: General Planning Section California State Parks P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296 - 0001 All Photographs Copyright California State Parks DONNER MEMORIAL STATE PARK GENERAL PLAN Approved April 5, 2003 State Clearinghouse #2001102069 Arnold Schwarzenegger Governor Mike Chrisman Secretary for Resources Ruth Coleman Director of California State Parks State of California The Resources Agency California State Parks P.O. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY OF THE PLAN............................................................................................. 3 Vicinity Map (Map 1)…………………………………..…………………………..….................10 INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 11 Purpose for Acquisition………………………………………………………………...…………12 Purpose of General Plans ...................................................................................................13 PARK SUMMARY......................................................................................................... 17 Existing Land Use and Facilities............................................................................. 17 Recreational Land Uses ......................................................................................................17 Administrative Land Uses....................................................................................................18 Existing Utilities, Easements, and Encumbrances ..............................................................18 Recent Land Acquisition......................................................................................................19 Adjacent Land Uses ............................................................................................................19 Significant Resource Values ................................................................................... 20 Natural Resources Summary and Evaluation......................................................................20 Cultural Resources Summary and Evaluation.....................................................................37 Aesthetic Resources............................................................................................................46 Noise ...................................................................................................................................47 Recreational and Interpretive Programs and Facilities......................................... 48 Traffic Circulation.................................................................................................................48 Recreational Resources ......................................................................................................49 Interpretation .......................................................................................................................52 Concessions ........................................................................................................................57 Park Support........................................................................................................................57 Planning Influences.................................................................................................. 58 Systemwide Planning Influences.........................................................................................58 Sierra Region.......................................................................................................................58 Park Visitation......................................................................................................................59 Visitor Use and Activities .....................................................................................................60 Public Comments ................................................................................................................60 Relevant General Plans.......................................................................................................61 Issues Analysis......................................................................................................... 62 Park Purpose.......................................................................................................................62 The Emigrant Trail Museum ................................................................................................62 Interpretation .......................................................................................................................63 Park Access, Circulation, and Parking ................................................................................63 Natural Resources...............................................................................................................63 Cultural Resources ..............................................................................................................63 Donner Memorial State Park i General Plan Vol. 1 THE PLAN .................................................................................................................... 67 Declaration of Purpose .............................................................................................. 67 Park Vision............................................................................................................... 68 General Plan Management Goals and Guidelines ................................................. 70 Department Mission.............................................................................................................70 Classification .......................................................................................................................70 Park-wide Management Goals and Guidelines ...................................................... 70 Park-Wide Goals and Guidelines for Natural Resources ....................................................70 Park-Wide Goals and Guidelines for Cultural Resources....................................................87 Park-Wide Goals and Guidelines for Managing Visitor Impacts..........................................89 Park-wide Visitor Use and Opportunities ............................................................... 89 Park-Wide Goals and Guidelines for Circulation .................................................................89 Park-Wide Goals and Guidelines for Recreation.................................................................92 Park-Wide Goals and Guidelines for Potential Land Additions ...........................................93 Park-Wide Goals and Guidelines for Interpretation .............................................................93 Park-Wide Goals and Guidelines for Aesthetics..................................................................97 Park-Wide Goals and Guidelines for the Use of Sustainable Design................................100 Park Planning Zones .............................................................................................. 101 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS.................................................................................. 115 Summary ................................................................................................................. 115 Description.............................................................................................................. 116 Preferred Alternative: Summary of Proposals by Planning Zone ......................................117 Preferred Alternative: Park-Wide Proposals......................................................................118 Environmental Setting ........................................................................................... 120 Significant Environmental Effects ........................................................................ 120 Aesthetic Resources..........................................................................................................121 Biological Resources .........................................................................................................123 Cultural Resources ............................................................................................................127