SYRCL Delivers Public Comment on the Nevada County Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan

The Nevada County Community Development Agency has released the final draft of the Nevada County Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan (Master Plan) which was presented and adopted at the May 28 Board of Supervisors Regular Meeting.   

The Master Plan identifies eight focus areas, or initiatives, to address and improve recreation throughout Nevada County. The focus areas include:  

• Community & Regional Park System  
• Recreation Outposts  
• Towns to Towns Trail System  
• Recreation & Resiliency Hub Network  
• River Access Management  
• Destination Donner Summit  
• Sustainable Recreation & Communications  
• One Centralized Hub for Recreation Resources & Programming 

You may read the final draft of the Nevada County Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan HERE 

At the Board of Supervisors Meeting, Traci Sheehan, SYRCL’s Policy Director, delivered the following public comments: 

SYRCL wholeheartedly supports the Nevada County Recreation Resiliency Plan.  

This plan, the first of its kind, is a testament to our community’s commitment to sustainable recreation and the preservation of our natural resources.  

The Plan’s vision for managing our open spaces and recreation resources, from local parks and sports fields to rivers and trails is both comprehensive and forward looking.  It addresses not only our current recreational needs but also anticipates future challenges such as wildfires, drought and climate change.    

SYRCL recognizes there is a contradictory challenge inherent in this planning.  On one hand, the need to plan for increased recreational use and wanting to encourage that recreation for economic growth while also recognizing that the more people who are here recreating, the harder it is to protect those natural resources which make this place special. This contradiction is something that SYRCL grapples with.   

What stands out about this plan is its commitment to inclusivity.  The process engaged diverse partners, including public land managers, non-profit stakeholders and user groups to plan, fund and implement sustainable solutions.  This collaborative effort ensures that our recreation enhancement and development projects will be viable, prioritized, and well-funded.    

Moreover, the plan recognizes the important connection between the economic resilience of communities, the health of ecosystems, and tourism and outdoor recreation.  By prioritizing solutions that promote community health and safety, economic development, environmental sustainability and climate change adaptation and resilience, the plan ensures a balanced and sustainable approach to recreation.    

SYRCL encourages our community members to support this plan and get involved.  We look forward to working together to make each of these projects successful and funded.  Together, we can make Nevada County a model for sustainable recreation.    

You may view Traci’s comments below: