Parks District Opposes Off-Road Park Expansion

The Livermore Area Recreation and Park District Board discussed sending a letter to California State Parks in response to the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area Preliminary General Plan.

A draft letter of opposition to the issue was presented to the Board, following LARPD staff review of the impact report, with a focus on land use and mitigation measures. At issue is the state’s intent to enlarge the existing Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area (SVRA) of 1,300 acres by adding another 3,000 acres. The expansion area is known as Tesla Park. LARPD has no official rights or land-use planning jurisdiction over the project, however the District’s boundaries go up to the San Joaquin County line, so the expansion area is wholly within LARPD jurisdiction. Because of this, the District has an interest in commenting on the report.

Related: Expansion of Off-Road Park Opposed by Livermore City Council

The Board asked staff to revise the draft letter with additional information and have it approved by the Board Chair by the set deadline. The letter will include that the District opposes plans to use the expansion property for off-highway vehicles and supports permanent preservation of the property.

During the meeting Wednesday night, the Board also received a presentation from local citizen Mike Ralph, who is proposing an additional bike park for the District with a pump track feature. A pump track is a closed-loop dirt course consisting of berms and rollers, where bikers use physical momentum instead of pedaling to ride through the course. The Board was appreciative of the information provided and complimented the report. Directors discussed the proposed project’s recreational value, but also concerns that it would have to be prioritized with other projects were it to become a reality. Staff will look into cost estimates for a feasibility study and bring the information back to the Board.

--Photo courtesy Carnegie SVRA Facebook