Board adopts countywide Recreation & Resiliency Master Plan to guide parks, trails and river management

The Board of Supervisors voted to adopt the Nevada County Recreation & Resiliency Master Plan, a comprehensive countywide strategy developed by Design Workshop with local stakeholders and funded in part by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy.

Consultants and county staff said the plan organizes projects into eight focus areas — community and regional parks; a recreation and resiliency hub network; recreation outposts; a towns‑to‑towns trail system; river access management for the Bear, South Yuba and Truckee; Donner Summit destination enhancements; sustainable recreation communications; and centralized recreation resources and programming. Outreach included three engagement windows and multiple focus groups; 75% of survey respondents agreed with the eight focus areas.

The board and public commentators emphasized river safety and parking needs, trail connectivity and opportunities to use federal, state and philanthropic funding sources. Consultants described an implementation approach emphasizing grant stacking, public‑private partnerships and the development of project charters to advance shovel‑ready projects. Supervisors discussed the need to keep the plan a “living” tool for securing grants rather than a document that sits on the shelf.

The resolution to adopt the plan passed unanimously; staff said chapter‑by‑chapter action tables (including prioritization and funding pathways) will be used to seek grants and coordinate partners.