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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04251988 - T.5 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on April 26, 1988 by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Powers, Fanden, McPeak, Torlakson and Schroder NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: (Approving the Wildfire) (Management Plan for) RESOLUTION 88/220 (Mt. Diablo State Park) WHEREAS, on September 22 , 1987 , the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County passed resolutions nos. 87/556 and 87/556A on the subject of the future of cattle grazing in Mount Diablo State Park; and WHEREAS, the Board therein expressed its support for the continuation of a project interpreting cattle ranching for the enjoyment and education of park visitors, and expressed its concern over the need to protect adjoining private property from the spread of wildfire originating in the park; and WHEREAS, the Board also recognizes the need, which has been expressed by many members of the public, to protect the park' s natural resources from undesirable impacts that grazing can bring, including alterations in the ecology of plant communities, damage to recreational trails, and degradation of streams, ponds, and springs; and WHEREAS, ' the California Department of Parks and Recreation and the State Department of Forestry and Fire Protection staff have prepared a Wildfire Management Plan for Mt. Diablo State Park with the participation of local fire protection districts staffs; and WHEREAS, that Wildfire Management plan will be referenced within a new General Plan Mt. Diablo State Park which is being prepared to protect natural resources of the park for future public enjoyment and for the enhancement of its natural resources; and WHEREAS, Mount Diablo State Park is one of California' s most outstanding natural areas, and an irreplaceable recreational and educational resource serving an ever-increasing number of visitors from the county, the state, and throughout the world; and WHEREAS, the Board recognizes that it is the proper province of the California Department of Parks and Recreation to manage state parks to preserve their outstanding natural, scenic, and cultural values, their indigenous fauna and flora, and their native environmental complexes, for present and future generations; and RESOLUTION NO. 88/220 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors approves the Wildfire Management Plan dated December, 1987 and authorizes the fire chiefs of the Contra Costa, Eastern Diablo, and Tassajara Fire Protection Districts to sign the plan; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the fire chiefs are authorized to work with the State to keep the plan up to date and to concur in modifications as they deem appropriate and where State Park additions make that necessary; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County commends the staff of the California Department of Parks and Recreation for their continuing efforts to prepare a general plan for Mount Diablo State Park sensitive to the diverse interests and concerns expressed by various segments of the public and governmental agencies. In particular, the Board supports efforts to achieve an appropriate balance between the use of a portion of Mt. Diablo State Park as part of a demonstration ranch project with the protection of sensitive lands and resources from the impacts caused by cattle. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the County endorses efforts by the State to enhance and protect the natural and cultural resources of the mountain, while limiting commercial exploitation as specified in Section 5001. 65 of the Public Resources Code. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution will supersede resolution nos. 87/556 and 87/556A. i t: seby certify that this Is a true and correct copy o .. i en Belton taken and entered on the minutes of the ""rd of Super430 on the date shown. ATTESTED: �' PHIL BATCH l.QR, Ciork of the Board E of Supervisors and County Administrator Ery. By Deputy Orig. Dept: Community Development cc: County Administrator' s Office State Parks and Recreation Save Mt. Diablo Tassajara, Eastern Diablo Contra Costa Fire Protection Districts JWC2/jb/WF88220.res RESOLUTION NO. 88/220 e . s TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ��,t}ra FROM: HARVEY E. BRAGDON, COJIa DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUf11y DATE: April 21 , 1988 SUBJECT: Mt. Diablo State Park Fire Management Plan SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Approve the Mt. Diablo State Park Wildfire Management Plan and authorize signature by the Fire Chiefs of the Contra Costa, Eastern Diablo, and Tassajara Fire Protection Districts. 2. Adopt the attached resolution which further outlines Board policy on the utilization of Mt. Diablo State Park' s unique natural resources. FISCAL IMPACT No direct fiscal impacts. The purpose of the Wildfire Management Plan is to insure adequate fire protection for the State Park and adjacent properties. An adequate, implemented Wildfire Management Plan will ease potential fire protection burdens on the fire protection agencies which share responsibility for fire control on Mt. Diablo. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS On February 23 , 1988 the Board received a request from Save Mt. Diablo asking the County to clarify its position on fire hazard and grazing on the mountain. That was referred to Internal Operations Committee, Community Development and the fire chiefs for a report. On March 28, 1983 Internal Operations adopted the report which is Attachment A. This Board order completes the concepts from that referral. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SiGNATU7�4 I ACTION OF BOARD ON APR MNR8 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED -,k- OTHER W. G. Morgan, representing the East Diablo Fire Protection District and the Resource Conservation District, appeared and expressed concern with potential for erosion because of the proposal for wide firebreaks and controlled burns, and with the cost of implementing the Plan. Genevieve Sattler, 4050 Poplar Avenue, Concord 94521, appeared in favor of the Plan. William Beat, Superintendent of Parks, State of California, appeared, responded to questions by the Board and urged approval of the Plan. The Board APPROVED the above recommendations and DIRECTED the Community Development Director to write a letter to the State Parks Department requesting three ( 3) meetings to review the Plan the first year, and to discuss erosion potential relating to wide firebreaks and controlled burns. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. cc: Community Development ATTESTED APR 2 6 1988 State Parks and Recreation vi.a CDD PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF Tassajara Eastern Diablo THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra Costa Fire Protection Districts AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Save Mt. Diablo via CDD BY V , DEPUTY JWC/jb JC1/dblofire.bo By way of background, the California Department of Parks and Recreation has undertaken the preparation of a State Master Plan for Mt Diablo State Park. According to .State procedures, one of the first parts of that effort is the preparation and adoption by the State of a Resources Section of that plan. A major issue which came out of that effort was how cattle grazing would fit into the ultimate use of land in the park. The County has a vested interest in this issue because it is responsible for fire protection on the lands adjacent to Mt. Diablo State_ Park.. .,-Additionally, the County. has also had . a long history of endorsing protection of the resources of the mountain and the expansion of Mt. Diablo State Park. On September 27 , 1987 the Board passed Resolutions Nos. 87/556 and 87/556A on cattle grazing in Mt. Diablo State Park. Those resolutions were based on the County' s concerns for the fire hazards on the mountain and that grazing is one avenue for controlling the fuel load of the area. In response to those resolutions, concerns raised by the local fire agencies, Save Mt. Diablo, and other interested parties: State Park staff initiated work on a Mt. Diablo State Park Wildlife Management Plan. This was done in consultation with the three County fire districts whose jurisdictions include part of the park (Contra Costa, Tassajara and Eastern Diablo) , and the autonomous San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District. The Wildlife Management Plan is tied to the understanding that "grazing of areas on the perimeter of the mountain in specific fire districts will not be discontinued until such time as the State has the equipment, staff and funds to implement the Wildlife Management Plan in that area. " Based on that understanding, the fire chiefs have indicated that they are ready to sign the Wildlife Management Plan. On the issue of commercial grazing, Section 5001 . 65 of the Public Resources Code states: "Commercial exploitation of resources is prohibited in State Park System Units. " The term "commercial exploitation" refers to the utilitarian uses of State Park System resources. That is, the multiple use objectives of other public resource management agencies are not appropriate, including such activities as timber harvesting, grazing, or the extraction of minerals, if the purpose is essentially for monetary gain. Likewise, the State is generally prohibited from developing resources in—the. State Park System simply to raise money. ' The Public Resources Code also states: "Each State Park shall be managed as a composite whole in order to restore, protect and maintain its native environmental complexes. " In restoring, protecting, and maintaining native environmental complexes, the Department first considers the natural processes, allowing them to operate inasmuch as possible without manipulation or human influence, and to restore them where possible. Secondarily, the Department considers the removal of non-native organisms and their influences and the reintroduction of native organisms. The extent to which these objectives are met con- stitutes the natural ecosystem or native environmental complex. Livestock, which are domestic, non-native animals, are considered detrimental to restoring native process even when some native grazers are missing. Livestock can also adversely affect the native environment and native organisms that did not evolve with them. State Park Commission policy states: "Generally, grazing or agricultural leasing is considered incompatible in units of the State Park System. However, the director may permit grazing in the State Park System when it is for the benefit of the plan and purpose of the State Park System and the Commission is advised of this action. The director shall carefully weigh the environmental consequences of grazing and agricultural leasing on the natural or cultural resources of any unit. " Summarily, while no State law of policy explicitly prohibits live- stock grazing on State Park System land, the evolution of those laws and policies provides guidance on what it means to be a State Park. There are other park agencies which have a differing view on the importance of grazing and the goals of the park. Given the State ' s ownership of the park, their goals for the land and their right to administer it for the public benefit, they should be free to determine the location or extent of grazing within the park. The Board has passed numerous position statements on Mt. Diablo State Park dealing with additional acquisitions for the park, endorsing State Park bond issues, regulating communication facilities and designating the mountain as a historical landmark. This Resolution will not affect those previous policies. It will only give further policy direction on the issue of the Wildlife Management Plan and the related issue of cattle grazing on the mountain within the park.