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Fall 2007 NFARA News

Lost Camp Road
You may remember from the last edition that NFARA was looking into an attempt by a landowner in Blue Canyon to limit public access on the Lost Camp Road, to the China Camp Trail to the North Fork of the North Fork of the American River. Here’s an update. On August 12, a group of thirteen went out the Lost Camp Road to hike down the trail to the river. Just past a railroad crossing, there is a gate across the road with a No Trespassing sign. The gate was not locked so we simply passed through, closing the gate behind us. Beyond the gate the road has been rerouted to the west, gravel put down and a small sign pointing the correct way. We encountered no one on the road.

On August 18, approximately 20 local residents, NFARA Board members and other interested persons met in Blue Canyon to discuss the road situation. Lost Camp Road has been a public road for 150 years, however there are no written easements, either for the public or for any of the private parcels along the road. Since the Forest Service and Placer County do not claim the road, it means the public must to go to court to assert their right to use the road. Several neighbors have approached the property owner requesting the gate be removed. Unfortunately, the gate and No Trespassing sign remain.

NFARA is compiling a list of Lost Camp Road users, who are writing Letters of Declaration describing their use of the road over time. There are a couple on the list who started using the road in the 1930s and 40s, and several others who started in the 1950s and 60s. It can be documented that the Lost Camp Road has had continuous public use for the last 70 years. If anyone has used the road, please contact Jim Johnson at 530-389-8144.

Royal Gorge Real Estate Development
Royal Gorge owners are still in the pre-application stage with Placer County regarding their development plans. There has been no formal land development project application filed, although a "pre-development" meeting has been held. Numerous unanswered questions remain regarding water supply, sewage, second road into development, etc. Placer County has created a web page for this project: http://www.placer.ca.gov/Departments/CommunityDevelopment/planning/royalgorge.aspx

The Donner Summit visioning process is progressing, to identify residents’ expectations and wishes for the community plan. Last December, a "Summit Summit" was held; it was the first time all the regional homeowner groups on the summit formally met. Recently, a survey was sent to 1,500 residents and property owners on the summit. The survey results will help residents develop the core principles for the community vision. Royal Gorge representatives have been active participants in the process and were on the committee that helped develop the survey. An official Community Plan can only come from the county, but the visioning process is the first step. NFARA and other conservation groups support this process and plan to participate. It is hoped Royal Gorge will continue to participate.

Currently there is no Community Plan for the summit. Existing zoning and Placer County's General Plan have some inconsistencies. Royal Gorge's conceptual development plan has inconsistencies with current zoning and the General Plan. General Plan amendments will probably be necessary for the project to move forward. Unfortunately, Placer County's General Plan was last updated in 1994 and is out of date. A Community Plan is the next logical step for Donner Summit. Royal Gorge's development plan should be considered within the framework of a Community Plan.

In related news, the peer review of Royal Gorge's Biological Resources Assessment is complete. NFARA, along with three other organizations, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Royal Gorge LLC and the Sierra Business Council to maintain open lines of communication between concerned citizen groups and Royal Gorge LLC, and initiate a third party peer review process of the biological resources and wetlands delineation studies done by North Fork Associates. The peer review report by Dr. Mike White of Conservation Biology Institute and the agreement letter can be found on the Donner Summit Area Association website, http://www.donnersummitareaassociation.org/ .

North Fork American River Trail Draft Environmental Impact Report
A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the North Fork American River Trail project has been completed and is available for review and public comment. The proposed natural surface trail would begin at the confluence of the North and Middle Forks of the American River and end at the Ponderosa Bridge, approximately 14.2 miles upstream. It could be used by hikers, equestrians and mountain bikers. Bridges and stream fords, staging areas, a restroom facility, signage and informational kiosks are also part of the proposed project.

The Placer County Facility Services Department is soliciting the views of interested persons, agencies and organizations regarding the project. Copies of the DEIR are available for review at the Auburn Library, 350 Nevada Street, or at the Placer County Facility Services office at 2855 2nd Street in the County Government Center, also in Auburn. It may also be viewed online or downloaded. Go to http://www.placer.ca.gov/Home/Departments/CommunityDevelopment/EnvCoordSvcs/EnvDocs/EIR/nforktrail.aspx

Written comments will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Monday, September 24, 2007. They may be submitted to the Facility Services Department, c/o Andy Fisher, 11476 C Avenue, Auburn, CA 95603, or by email to afisher@placer.ca.gov .

Based on a cursory look at the DEIR, several things immediately pop out. The current proposal is 1.6 miles longer than original proposal. The trail now climbs up to the Foresthill Divide Loop and then drops down as it continues above Lake Clementine. The original proposal was for a 4 to 5 foot tread. The new proposal has trail width at 6 feet, but "may vary as needed.” The staging area on Ponderosa Road would carve an ugly scar into the hillside. The capacity of Ponderosa Road to handle additional traffic and large horse trailers is questionable. The alternatives analyzed in the DEIR is inadequate; neither a narrower trail nor a shorter one that ends at the Foresthill Divide Loop were included as alternatives. NFARA will conduct a more thorough analysis of the DEIR before submitting comments.

Updated 9/15/14

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