Outdoor Recreation

GOAL 21. Provide opportunities for outdoor recreation to meet the needs of residents and visitors in a manner that conserves natural and cultural resources.

Objective 21.A.

Provide sufficient recreational facilities and opportunities for residents.

Policy 21.A.1. Each community should have a community center, when supported by local residents, and a full range of community recreation facilities.

Action 21.A.1.a. Maintain existing community recreation facilities first, and then seek to improve and expand.

Action 21.A.1.b. Work with communities and other groups as feasible to operate and maintain parks.

Policy 21.A.2. Plan, design, and construct parks and recreation facilities to coincide with projected growth.

Action 21.A.2.a. Provide new park facilities and outdoor recreation amenities to accommodate growing populations.

Action 21.A.2.b. County park facilities should be accessible to all segments of the population, including persons with disabilities, young, and elderly, where feasible.

Action 21.A.2.c. Encourage the formation of a self-supporting park system by employing user fees (where appropriate), concessionaire revenues, soliciting grants and private contributions, requesting volunteer help, and by other means that further cost-effective park operations.

Action 21.A.2.d. Continue working with the Town of Mammoth Lakes to provide joint use park and recreation facilities. Ensure equitable support by the Town for the provision of these services.

Action 21.A.2.e. Identify, designate and acquire sites for parks and other recreation facilities of sufficient size and location for future development.

Action 21.A.2.f. Prioritize site acquisitions.

Action 21.A.2.g. Where feasible, acquire public lands for parks and ball fields through land exchanges and special use permits.

Action 21.A.2.h. Develop and adopt a funding plan to acquire sites and/or conservation easements and to fund needed recreation facilities.

Action 21.A.2.i. Continue pursuing state and federal grant moneys and moneys available from nonprofit corporations for the acquisition, construction, and maintenance of parks and other recreation facilities.

Action 21.A.2.j. Promote the establishment and enactment of development impact fees requiring new developments to dedicate land, contribute to a fund, or a combination of both, for parks and recreational purposes.

Action 21.A.2.k. Through the Specific Plan process, provide incentives for developers to dedicate areas for parks and to plan for the development of parks.

Policy 21.A.3. The location and design of recreational facilities should reflect environmental constraints and site characteristics.

Action 21.A.3.a. All applications for recreational projects shall be required to address the potential adverse impacts of the development. Applications shall include measures to mitigate potential impacts.

Action 21.A.3.b. Locate and design community parks to minimize their effects on surrounding land uses.

Action 21.A.3.c. Provide adequate buffer zones around community parks.

Action 21.A.3.d. Minimize the use of outdoor lights.

Policy 21.A.4. Through the Specific Plan process, provide incentives for developers to provide public indoor recreation facilities, such as swimming facilities, basketball courts, etc.

Objective 21.B.

Provide sufficient recreational facilities and opportunities outside community areas for residents and visitors.

Policy 21.B.1. Work with appropriate agencies and organizations to provide a full range of recreation opportunities to meet varied interests.

Action 21.B.1.a. Provision of County parks should occur in coordination with federal, state, and local agencies, and other recreation providers to avoid duplication of services and to ensure a full range of recreation opportunities.

Action 21.B.1.b. Participate in the development of recreation plans and policies with other agencies and organizations.

Policy 21.B.2. Recreational development outside community areas should be responsive to environmental limitations and market demand.

Action 21.B.2.a. Applications for such recreational projects shall be required to address the potential adverse impacts of the development. Applications shall include measures to mitigate potential impacts.

Action 21.B.2.b. Development proposals for major recreation facilities outside community areas may be required to submit a market-demand analysis.

Policy 21.B.3. Reduce incompatibility between recreation uses and neighboring uses.

Action 21.B.3.a. Review locations of proposed recreational uses to ensure that the location is compatible with neighboring uses.

Policy 21.B.4. Protect natural resources from overuse due to recreational uses.

Action 21.B.4.a. Work with appropriate agencies to develop capacity goals for recreation facilities and to monitor visitor usage at recreation facilities.

Policy 21.B.5. Preserve rivers that provide recreational opportunities.

Action 21.B.5.a. Pursue Wild and Scenic River designation for appropriate County waterways.

Objective 21.C.

Provide convenient and safe access to recreation sites. Also see the Regional Transportation Plan and Mono County Trails Plan (in the RTP Appendices).

Policy 21.C.1. Local trails should connect to regional and interstate trails, where feasible.

Action 21.C.1.a. Inventory and map all trails in Mono County.

Action 21.C.1.b. Meet with federal and state agencies to identify priority trail links.

Action 21.C.1.c. Seek partnerships and funding to develop and construct trail improvements, including trails on public lands.

Action 21.C.1.d. Investigate the feasibility of creating trails in utility corridors.

Action 21.C.1.e. Meet with other agencies to compare capital improvement programs and eliminate overlap of projects.

Policy 21.C.2. Encourage connections between trails and other transportation systems; e.g., public transit systems.

Policy 21.C.3. When appropriate, major recreation destinations, such as lakes, ski areas or cultural resource areas, should have public transportation systems that serve them as an alternative to the private automobile.

Action 21.C.3.a. Development applications for major recreation projects shall address traffic impacts. The analysis shall include mitigation measures.

Policy 21.C.4. All communities should have trails and public transit services that link the community to adjacent recreation opportunities, where feasible.

Policy 21.C.5. Provide for public access from public roadways to navigable waterways through the subdivision process in a manner consistent with the Subdivision Map Act and other applicable laws.

Objective 21.D.

Encourage and promote year-round use of seasonal recreation areas and facilities.

Policy 21.D.1. Seasonal facilities should provide opportunities for alternative uses in the off-season.

Action 21.D.1.a. Where appropriate, encourage multi-season programming for recreation facilities, such as June Mountain Ski Area, and amenities, such as the use of alpine ski trails for summer mountain bike use.

Action 21.D.1.b. Increase public awareness of seasonal recreation opportunities through promotional programs.