DATE: 06/18/2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Community Services Department
2025-262
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
ADOPTION OF THE SKYLINE AREA MASTER PLAN
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This staff report asks the City Council to adopt the Skyline Area Masterplan. The plan was developed with the vision to preserve 292 acres of the Skyline area in its natural state, while adding minimal amenities to enhance public access, enjoyment, and visitor experience. The plan was developed with extensive community input and outlines a strategy for maintaining the meadow, nearby trails, and connections to regional trail systems, including access to the Cleveland National Forest RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council review and adopt the Skyline Area Masterplan.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
Skyline is the most frequented hiking destination in the City of Corona and is a public gateway into the Cleveland National Forest. The Skyline Area Master Plan (the “Plan”) focuses on the 292 acres of land owned by the City of Corona, including the meadow south of Skyline Drive and the hillside area located between Skyline Drive and Foothill Parkway.
Historically, the Skyline area was an agricultural preserve in the County of Riverside. It was annexed into the City of Corona during the development of the Orchard Glen housing community to the north. In 2020, a housing development was proposed on 39.16 acres of the meadow area, prompting community concern as it would have blocked public access to the trails that led to the Cleveland National Forest and generated a significant amount of vehicular traffic. In response, the City purchased all 292 acres of the Skyline area in December 2020.
On July 3, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution 2024-076 to reaffirm the City’s intent to preserve the land in its natural state, with allowances for minor amenities such as pedestrian bridges, seating, shade structures, and signage.
ANALYSIS:
Skyline Drive and the surrounding areas are widely used by hikers and mountain bikers but lack standard amenities. Current features are limited to trailheads along Foothill Parkway and Burrero Way.
Developing the Plan included conducting an inventory of existing trails in the Skyline area, administering a balanced citywide survey to identify desired amenities, and participating in community outreach events to assess residents’ priorities for the Skyline area. This approach helped ensure that the Plan represents the interests of the entire City and is shaped by community input and shared values.
The City conducted an online citywide survey from June 4 to August 30, 2024, to gauge residents’ perceptions of the Skyline area, understand their priorities, and identify opportunities for improvement. Survey respondents were invited to participate in one of three ways: 1) an open survey accessible via QR code shared on flyers; 2) a randomly sampled survey sent to 1,000 residents; and 3) a targeted survey sent to all 108 households in the Orchard Glen neighborhood. A total of 1,195 participants completed the survey, and a summary of their responses is provided in the Plan.
Recommendations provided in the Plan are community-driven and are derived from comments received from the survey, recommendations from the Trails Masterplan, and meetings with trail user groups and outreach events. Recommendations are divided into three sections: 1) Improvements, 2) Maintenance & Fire Prevention, and 3) Policies & Procedures.
COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION:
On June 10, 2025, the Parks and Recreation Commission received an update on the Skyline Area Master Plan. The Commission unanimously recommended that the Plan be adopted by the City Council.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no financial impact associated with the adoption of the Skyline Area Masterplan.
The individual projects identified within The Plan have estimated cost impacts listed in the implementation plan section. These projects will be brought before the City Council for consideration during the annual budget process and when the projects are being considered for approval.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action is for the adoption of the Skyline Masterplan. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required PREPARED BY: BRETT DAWSON, TRAILS PLANNER & MOSES CORTEZ, PARKS
AND TRAILS MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: DONNA FINCH, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – Skyline Master Plan
2. Exhibit 2 – Skyline Master Plan Appendix
3. Exhibit 3 - Presentation