Alpine County denies amended Markleyville Creek plans, directs staff to seek Caltrans design exception

The Alpine County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to deny amended plans and specifications for the Markleyville Creek restoration project and directed staff to submit a Caltrans design exception instead of immediately regrading the courthouse lawn.

Deputy Director Ethan Gray told the Board that the current design cannot meet the Caltrans minimum 330 feet of corner sight distance at the courthouse driveway without grading the lawn. "You can't get the minimum required 330 feet of corner sight distance from the center of the exiting lane," Gray said, noting that the design-exception review could take two to three months while the routine Caltrans encroachment review could be as short as two weeks. Gray warned that the longer design-exception path might prevent completion of paving this season but said the core functional elements could still be completed.

Board members and public commenters raised aesthetics, historic-preservation and grant-deadline concerns. One longtime resident cautioned against rushing changes to the "100-year-old" courthouse lawn; Fire Chief Paul Washam said the existing parking lot offers useful fire-hydrant access. County CEO Sam Booth said the design team had missed the Caltrans encroachment issue until recently and supported pursuing the exception and a longer-term landscape redesign.

After discussion, Supervisor (motion-maker) moved to deny the amended plans and direct staff to submit for a design exception; a second was made and the motion carried unanimously. Staff said the park could be opened to pedestrians even if the parking lot remained closed until an encroachment permit is secured, and that approximately $500,000 in Caltrans mitigation funds remain available to support a spring mobilization to finish the driveway paving.