RPV Seeks Public Input On Future Of 73 Miles Of Trails

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA — More than 73 miles of trails wind through Rancho Palos Verdes, from neighborhood paths and major arterial routes to the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve and the city's coastline.

Now, the city is asking residents and trail users to help shape how that network develops in the years ahead.

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Rancho Palos Verdes has released a draft Trails Network Plan intended to consolidate and update decades of separate trail and bikeway planning into a single comprehensive document. The network accommodates pedestrians, bicyclists and equestrians, as well as combinations of those users. Rancho Palos Verdes

The plan is intended to serve as an advisory tool for city decision-makers, guide the implementation and funding of city and regional trails and provide a public-facing blueprint shaped by the people who use the network.

The draft remains a work in progress, however, and the city said it will likely undergo content changes based on community and stakeholder feedback. Rancho Palos Verdes held public workshops Sept. 10 at Hesse Park and Sept. 24 at Ladera Linda Community Park, with the second meeting used to collect additional feedback and discuss proposed changes resulting from comments already received. Recordings of both workshops are available on the city's Trails Network Plan webpage.

What Makes Up RPV's 73 Miles?

The draft divides the city's existing trail system into four broad categories. The largest is the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve trail system, with approximately 31 miles of trails. Another 28 miles make up the arterial trail system, which forms the backbone of trail circulation throughout the city and largely follows its major roads.

The Miraleste Recreation and Parks District has approximately 3.8 miles of trails, while another roughly 10 miles are classified as neighborhood trails. Those include trails associated with private developments such as Terranea Resort, Trump National Golf Club, Sol y Mar and Oceanfront Estates.

Together, the different systems provide everything from neighborhood circulation and recreation to coastal access and connections with schools, commercial centers and other community destinations. The city's bikeway system, primarily located along roadways, is also included in the plan.
Two longer routes illustrate how RPV's network connects with the wider Peninsula and California coast.

The city has a 7.5-mile section of the California Coastal Trail extending along its entire coastline, from the border with Palos Verdes Estates to the Los Angeles city boundary. The trail moves between roadside sections, nature reserves and private developments along the coast.

The draft also focuses on the 13-mile RPV portion of the Palos Verdes Loop Trail, envisioned as a 26-mile route connecting Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates and Rolling Hills Estates. While most portions on the western side of RPV have been implemented, several eastern segments remain conceptual.

Decades In The Making

Rancho Palos Verdes' trail planning stretches back to the city's 1975 General Plan, which recognized pedestrian, equestrian and bicycle trails as part of its circulation system.

The City Council adopted a Trails Network Plan in 1984 and separate Conceptual Trails and Conceptual Bikeways plans in 1990. Those documents were revised during the 1990s, but the overall Trails Network Plan has not received a comprehensive update since the mid-1990s.

The city began its current effort to consolidate the various plans in 2012 and held six public workshops between 2014 and 2016. Consultant Alta Planning and Design joined the project in 2020, but the city said competing projects and priorities subsequently delayed the update for several years. City staff now plans to complete the update in 2026.

A Plan, Not A Construction Schedule

Although the draft identifies conceptual trails and bikeways, their inclusion does not mean all of them are about to be built.
The city says implementing every conceptual trail immediately is neither economically feasible nor its intention. Individual projects would depend on opportunities that make construction practical and could require analysis of land availability, terrain, natural resources, public safety, funding and construction and maintenance costs. Environmental review, easements and permits may also be necessary.

Maintenance responsibilities also differ across the network.
The city generally assumes responsibility for established public trails, while trails within the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve are jointly maintained by the city and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy. About five miles of public trails within private developments are maintained by private owners under agreements with the city.

Residents can review the draft Trails Network Plan and workshop recordings and submit comments to trails@rpvca.gov. Questions can also be directed to the project team at 310-544-5267.