By Joe Naiman
The Alpine Sun

County to explore transfer of California Riding and Hiking Trail easements
     EAST COUNTY — The County of San Diego will be attempting to obtain easements and permits for the California Riding and Hiking Trail.
     A 5-0 vote July 25 by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors directed the county’s Chief Administrative Officer to work with the State of California to develop a coordinated process to transfer ownership of the trail easements within the county to the County of San Diego, directed the Chief Administrative Officer to complete a feasibility report after evaluating the state’s trail documents and the condition of the portions of the trail, which might be transferred, and directed the CAO to return to the supervisors with a feasibility report and a recommendation on whether to proceed with the transfer of the easements.
     The California Riding and Hiking Trails Act was passed by the state legislature in 1945. It identified a state loop trail to extend from Mexico to Oregon and routed the trail through national forests, state parks, private property, and scenic historical areas.
     The state acquired easements, permits, and agreements to establish the trail, which is maintained by the state Department of Parks and Recreation.
     “This trail serves as the backbone of the regional trail system for San Diego County,” said Supervisor Dianne Jacob.
     Although conversations between county and state parks staff have indicated that the transfer of the easements appears to be feasible, an assessment of the trail’s condition is needed to determine whether the transfer would be in the county’s best interests. County staff will also provide information on whether any state legislation would be required to transfer the easements.

Supervisors authorize construction contract for Pacific Crest Trail staging area
     LAKE MORENA — The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize the advertisement for bid and subsequent award of a construction contract to provide camping improvements at the Pacific Crest Trail staging area at Lake Morena Park.
     The supervisors’ 5-0 vote July 25 also found the project to be exempt from California Environmental Quality Act review since it involves improvements to an existing camping area with no or negligible expansion of existing uses.
     The Pacific Coast Trail itself extends for more than 2,600 miles. Lake Morena Park contains the only campground along the trail during the first 40 miles. The park currently has two campsites dedicated for Pacific Coast Trail hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians, but the existing campsites do not meet the current need and demand.
     The expansion will include five improved campsites, and upon their completion the existing dedicated campsites would be used for general park camping. The improvements will also include food lockers, a shade pavilion with picnic tables, an adjacent campfire pit with surrounding benches, access to drinking water, interpretive and regulatory signage, landscaping, and a decomposed granite access trail.
     The estimated cost of the contract, including contingency, is $154,000. The Federal Highway Administration’s Recreational Trails Program provided a grant of $164,000, of which $159,262 remains.
     The grant has a 20 percent local match requirement, which will be provided by in-kind services in the form of county staff time and will include the cost for design and project administration.
     Construction of the new facilities is expected to commence this Fall for completion by Spring 2008.