Mammoth Lakes City Council
January 15, 2025

Community Feedback for Town Council Strategic Planning Series SurveyMonkey 18 / 27
Mammoth to another level for summer recreation.
216 An indoor climbing wall Woodward type trampoline center Indoor lap pool 1/4/2025 9:21 PM 217 We need an indoor training facility like Woodward 1/4/2025 8:31 PM 218 Mammoth Lakes needs an indoor-training facility. A Woodward-plus facility is ideal - skateboarding, roller boards, trampolines, foam pits, and beyond that an indoor track to ring the top, tennis and pickle ball courts as well as gymnastics and rock climbing areas. The facility will further the Parks and Recreation Commission’s mission “to provide multi-purpose, yearround, indoor and outdoor recreation opportunities accessible to all residents and visitors.” It is time for the town to update and greater utilize the facilities and land at the corner of Forest Trail and Minaret. Let’s do it by creating an indoor training facility - a Woodward-plus. Thank you for the opportunity to participate.
1/4/2025 7:36 PM
219 We need a bike park 1/4/2025 7:28 PM
220 It would be great to have a covered pool that we could use year-round, especially in our small town where the long, snowy winters make outdoor swimming impossible for several months. A covered pool would not only provide a space for swimming regardless of the weather, but it would also offer kids expanded opportunities to take swim lessons and develop essential water safety skills year-round. Furthermore, it could help us establish swimming as a high school sport, giving local students a chance to compete at a higher level. Additionally, having an indoor, year-round facility would attract high-level athletes looking to train at high altitude, further boosting the town’s appeal as a destination for serious training and fitness. 1/4/2025 6:36 PM
221 The future of the community lies in the hands of those that will inherit it. Seeking safe and engaging facilities for our youth to feel at home, keep active and healthy, and connect with others. We want them disconnected from their screens and internet, but connected with friends and the community with sports, entertainment, and health & wellness focused lifestyle support.

We need more activities for kids to do in the evening - clubs, tennis, padel, pickleball courts, indoor gymnasium, and multi-purpose areas.
1/4/2025 6:16 PM
222 Woodward-style trampoline, skate, board, ski, mtn bike, foam pit facility 1/4/2025 5:56 PM 223 It would be great if there was an all-year-around pool (with some features such as diving board or similar) in town. Swimming is fun. Water safety is also a very important factor. Aqua yoga, rehabilitation tool, etc. With the indoors pool built, there will be many opportunities for all ages and abilities.
1/4/2025 5:48 PM
224 an indoor facility like Woodward in town, more activities for kids to do in the evening, indoor tennis, gymnastics areas, indoor skatepark
1/4/2025 5:39 PM
225 A training facility with trampolines and ramps to foam pits would be so beneficial for our athletes.
1/4/2025 5:37 PM
226 An indoor activity center with swimming and tennis 1/4/2025 5:34 PM 227 Hi all, thabk you for asking what our community would like to see. We definitely need a facility like the Woodward (or better) in Tahoe. I already took the survey and then this idea came up and I had to make sure that this message gets AMPLIFIED. I hope you hear this message from many of our parents who have young atheltes. Snowcreek just doesn't cut it with their trampoline space. I even looked at doing this as a business at the old KMart building in Bishop--- I would way rather TOML takes the lead here. If Rite Aid goes out of business, it would be a great location for such a facility!!
1/4/2025 5:28 PM
228 A year round regulation size lap pool 1/4/2025 5:21 PM 229 Thinking of the children: My kids, born in Mammoth Lakes, now teens, enjoyed a highly unstructured, largely outdoors, play-based childhood. All the current research and social commentary points toward the diminishment of green spaces, the over-structuring of childhood, and the rise of mental health issues. I feel Mammoth Lakes has the potential to be an example of a community that goes against the grain to promote health and wellness by increasing green spaces instead of reducing them, promoting UNSTRUCTURED outdoor activity, and providing relatively safe environments for play and exploration. For example, the "town sled hill." Whatever happened to that? Lake Mary Road in the Lakes Basin is swarming with visitors during these holiday weeks, because people like the idea of just stepping outside and building a snowman. Lastly, many of the local places we like to walk and explore feel less safe to me as the years go by. I know these issues have been discussed, but off-leash dogs, 1/4/2025 5:14 PM

Community Feedback for Town Council Strategic Planning Series SurveyMonkey 19 / 27
remnants of a drinking gathering, and lone parked vans make me feel hesitant to enjoy areas that were once favorite spots. It seems there are fewer and fewer places in our state to enjoy the simplicity of being outside in a beautiful environment. I would love to see Mammoth Lakes protecting and promoting this simplicity.
230 We desperately need a Woodward-like community center. These Woodward locations profitable and benefit both local residents and visitors during all seasons. The benefits of a center like this in our town are innumerable. Please strongly consider. 1/4/2025 4:56 PM
231 A year around pool would be wonderful for our community and offer year around training for local athletes.
1/4/2025 4:51 PM
232 The town of Mammoth Lakes and Mammoth Mountain desperately need a "Woodward" like indoor training facility. This type of facility includes trampoline training, roll in foam pits from indoor ski jumps, indoor skatepark and much more. Many other mountains now have some sort of training facility. Whistler/Blackcomb, Tahoe, Copper, and Park City to name a few.

Mammoth has always been a breeding ground for champions and to keep up with other areas this is necessary. Many locations in Europe are also building similar facilities, Crans-Montana has Alaia and LAAX has it's own facility. These are not only for training champions but are enjoyed by many including kids, parents, and friends.
1/4/2025 4:45 PM
233 A new gym that doesn't smell and look unsanitary, where swimming and exercising feels good would be a huge plus. A trampoline place, similar to Sky Zone or Gravady would be amazing. 1/4/2025 4:27 PM
234 Year-round community pool 1/4/2025 4:24 PM
235 yes for Woodward 1/4/2025 4:23 PM
236 It would be great to have another indoor option for kids/adults in the TOMLs. A facility similar to Woodward would be an excellent addition to this town. Many kids would build confidence and ability with this type of improvement. It has been a success elsewhere and would be here as well.
1/4/2025 4:22 PM
237 We need something like Woodward, activities for teens, shopping not just mammoth paraphernalia variety of restaurants
1/4/2025 4:18 PM
238 Community pool and year round athlete training facility like Woodward. 1/4/2025 4:14 PM 239 i think that building a woodward in town would be incredibly beneficial for the tourism department and for the local skiers in the area. it would also be a really good money maker as woodward racks in about 3 billion yearly. the kids on the mountain would also love it 1/4/2025 4:11 PM
240 Would like to see a woodward style facility in this town. 1/4/2025 4:04 PM 241 Improve- town should have some more activities for kids like a Woodward and fun adult stuff like a vueve yurt
1/4/2025 4:04 PM
242 Something family oriented with indoor space for people to gather. 1/4/2025 4:03 PM 243 We need a year round pool and batting cages. 1/4/2025 3:53 PM 244 An indoor facilities where there is trampolining, ramps for athletes to practice jumps into foam pits, rock climbing (also with foam pits) would be a great year round facility for both locals and out of town visitors. It would serve as a major attraction for variety of users and elevate Mammoths reputation as a leading destination for athletes! 1/4/2025 3:41 PM
245 A training facility with trampolines and ramps to foam pits would be so beneficial for our ski team athletes. It would be fun for everyone.
1/4/2025 3:37 PM
246 Indoor Tennis. Or a bubble over one of our courts. They would require less repair if they were not subject to snow all winter. Also, An indoor (woodward style) snowsports training facility with trampolines, skatepark and ramps to foam pits. These facilities exist in boreal, park city and many other places. They are amazing. It would create revenue for the town and jobs for locals. 1/4/2025 3:30 PM
247 Mammoth desperately needs a Recreation Center with indoor track, year-round swimming pool, weight room, climbing wall, running track, pickleball ball, and other normal facilities to support general recreation in the fall through spring months. Recommended site could include area near Whitmore track and field, with a dedicated bike path connecting to town biking pathways.

Please consider!
1/4/2025 3:28 PM

Community Feedback for Town Council Strategic Planning Series SurveyMonkey 20 / 27
248 Year round, indoor, community pool and fitness center (weights and cardio equipment). Thank you!
1/4/2025 3:14 PM
249 Indoor pool 1/4/2025 3:14 PM
250 A public indoor pool within town limits ! Now that the CRC is a reality and lots of housing development are happening I think is time to invest back in the community. A indoor pool is so needed for the entire population of Mono County .
1/4/2025 3:08 PM
251 As part of the highschool soccer team, I would like to recommend an indoor soccer field or soccer field that can be used year round.
1/4/2025 3:02 PM
252 year round soccer facility 1/4/2025 3:01 PM
253 We need a year round soccer facility 1/4/2025 2:55 PM 254 The Town should change their focus from low income housing to creating better opportunities for small businesses, so locals can create and sustain small businesses so they could afford to live here. You have all these plazas with parking lots in front of businesses so businesses have no visibility. People window shop from their cars. You need to create a slower, strolling..more manageable shopping experience for visitors, many of which dont bike or ski while the rest of their family does. The tax revenue from Retail doesn't even exist for this town when it should because the dollars are there...just not captured. The fact you have a 6 lane road with a sidewalk going down close to the middle with no barriers in a Mountain Town where the Mountain encourages so much drinking is beyond me.
1/4/2025 2:51 PM
255 Indoor/outdoor year round training facility for youth and active adults. Like a Woodward Facility. 1/4/2025 2:50 PM 256 More buses. More parking. Indoor terrain park. Like Woodward. 1/4/2025 2:49 PM 257 One addition to Mammoth that would thrive in the community is an indoor multi-use Woodwardlike recreation facility. A facility that could offer year round an indoor skate park, foam pits, roller-board tracks, trampolines, indoor running track, climbing wall and more. This would allow for awesome dry-land training for the team kids as well a huge attraction to the outdoor enthusiasts living in and visiting Mammoth that want to work on their off mountain skills. This facility could potentially offer summer camps giving kids another fun option for activities during their breaks. Overall, a multi-use Woodward-like facility would be a huge benefit to the town for both the local population and visitors alike.
1/4/2025 2:49 PM
258 We need more services and facilities aimed at residents and not just tourists. We need a year round pool and quicker/better plowing of residential streets. 1/4/2025 2:43 PM
259 The recent improvements (e.g., Rec Center) have been great. Our kids would love to have an indoor facility for skateboarding and snowboard/ski training, like Woodward. It would bring Mammoth ski and snowboard teams to another level, and attract summer visitors. 1/4/2025 2:41 PM
260 We need a pump track and an indoor swimming pool for both kids and adults. 1/4/2025 2:40 PM 261 I recommend an indoor training facility that better supports key youth sports on a year-round basis, but that will ALSO provide incremental town revenue for visitors looking to engage in activities beyond those offered by Alterra. Such as a “Snowboard/Freeski (a-la Woodward), indoor soccer, indoor skateboarding, indoor climbing and an indoor track. 1/4/2025 2:36 PM
262 Build an indoor recreation facility like Woodward Tahoe. Public indoor pool. Bicycle jump park.

More law enforcement addressing speeding in the 25 mph zone on Old Mammoth Road between Waterford and Snow Creek.
1/4/2025 2:34 PM
263 Build a Woodward Training Camp in Mammoth 1/4/2025 2:28 PM 264 -trampoline park -more frequent red line service in winter -regular transportation from Bishop and direct flights to/from Orange County -car rental at ALL airports and regular bus service from airports for flights
1/4/2025 2:26 PM
265 Mammoth Lakes needs an indoor-training facility. A Woodward-plus facility is ideal - skateboarding, roller boards, trampolines, foam pits, and beyond that an indoor track to ring the top, tennis and pickle ball courts as well as gymnastics and rock climbing areas. The facility will further the Parks and Recreation Commission’s mission “to provide multi-purpose, yearround, indoor and outdoor recreation opportunities accessible to all residents and visitors.” It is time for the town to update and greater utilize the facilities and land at the corner of Forest 1/4/2025 2:23 PM

Community Feedback for Town Council Strategic Planning Series SurveyMonkey 21 / 27
Trail and Minaret. Let’s do it by creating an indoor training facility - a Woodward-plus. Thank you for the opportunity to participate.
266 I am a single parent and have lived here since 2017 with my kid. I would love to have programs that my child could get rides home from. For example, possibly a van system for children that need rides would be helpful. I know we have the bus, but it would be helpful if there was a service for locals in need that I could call to pick my child up from Snowcreek or the Library for example. Thank you for listening.
1/4/2025 2:16 PM
267 An indoor pool in town would be great. Indoor soccer/volleyball/basketball facility, (similar to CRC but open year round) would also be great. Need to open better restaurants and also better grocery stores.
1/4/2025 2:14 PM
268 1) Year round indoor pool & rec center w/ field house ! Ice rink is done and a huge success.

Pool & rec center should be next. 2) Really appreciate the snow blowing on the bike paths but we need more sidewalks and they need to be cleared through winter, e.g., ALL of Minaret, Meridian, & Old Mammoth. 3) Another grocery store like the Village Market that was here 22 years ago. 4) More affordable & decent restaurants. Every restaurant run by Levy is terrible.

Most of the good & remotely affordable family restaurants have closed: shogun, bleu, Petra’s, whiskey creek, dish bistro, snowcreek bistro, & chart house. Tourists ask me where to eat and I say “home.”
1/4/2025 2:10 PM
269 Mammoth Lakes needs an indoor-training and recreational facility. A Woodward-plus facility is ideal - skateboarding, roller boards, trampolines, foam pits, and beyond that an indoor track to ring the top, tennis and pickle ball courts as well as gymnastics, swimming pools and rock climbing areas. The facility will further the Parks and Recreation Commission’s mission “to provide multi-purpose, year-round, indoor and outdoor recreation opportunities accessible to all residents and visitors.” It is a great time for the town to update and greater utilize the facilities and land at the corner of Forest Trail and Minaret. Let’s do it by creating an indoor training facility - a Woodward-plus. Thank you for the opportunity to participate. 1/4/2025 1:59 PM
270 Mammoth Lakes is in need of a state-of-the-art indoor training facility. A space with trampolines, foam pits, skateboarding and roller board areas, along with amenities such as tennis and pickleball courts, an indoor track encircling the top, and dedicated zones for gymnastics and rock climbing, would be ideal. A “Woodward-plus” concept would not only meet these needs but also support the Parks and Recreation Commission’s mission to “provide multi-purpose, year-round, indoor and outdoor recreation opportunities accessible to all residents and visitors.” The corner of Forest Trail and Minaret is the perfect location to modernize and maximize its potential with this facility. I greatly appreciate your consideration and hope to make this vision a reality for the town.
1/4/2025 1:59 PM
271 Requiring developers (ie Limelight) to build/provide housing to their anticipated employees.

Using MLT funds to improve our town including summer bike pump track, indoor facility akin to Woodward, after school activities for local children, providing safety resources such as a crossing guard at our local schools (the 4 way stop sign), providing more resources to local families, removing the tourist tax for local families, reducing marketing efforts and spending until the town's infrastructure catches up with the already booming tourism year-long,... 1/4/2025 1:57 PM
272 Indoor tennis courts, community center with indoor playground 1/4/2025 1:50 PM 273 Mammoth is in desperate need of something like Woodward and sports training facility. We are a town of athletes and we would love a place that supports us in our sports/athletic careers 1/4/2025 1:48 PM
274 Mammoth Lakes needs an indoor-training facility. A Woodward-plus facility is ideal - skateboarding, roller boards, trampolines, foam pits, and beyond that an indoor track to ring the top, tennis and pickle ball courts as well as gymnastics and rock climbing areas. The facility will further the Parks and Recreation Commission’s mission “to provide multi-purpose, yearround, indoor and outdoor recreation opportunities accessible to all residents and visitors.” It is time for the town to update and greater utilize the facilities and land at the corner of Forest Trail and Minaret. Let’s do it by creating an indoor training facility - a Woodward-plus. Thank you for the opportunity to participate.
1/4/2025 1:47 PM
275 Training facilities like Woodward for the ski and snowboard kids, gymnastics/ninja gyms 1/4/2025 1:45 PM 276 An indoor facility like Woodward would be nice. Maybe also a dedicated touring base to the Sherwood.
1/4/2025 1:44 PM
277 More ski in ski out access . Easier to got to mtn from southern california. More flights. 1/4/2025 1:37 PM

Community Feedback for Town Council Strategic Planning Series SurveyMonkey 22 / 27
278 We should have a woodward to improve the training of our ski and snowboard teams that represent our town.
1/4/2025 1:30 PM
279 1. The town needs to step up its snow plowing game. There are days I can’t get my kid to school or go to work. 2. The town needs a year round aquatic center for lap swimming, lessons, and swim team. See Carson valley aquatics, Carson city aquatics, or any of the pools in Reno for examples of how to do it right.
1/4/2025 1:27 PM
280 Year round ice at the ice rink!!! No body wants to play soccer or basketball inside in the summer when it's beautiful outside and the sun is up later in the day. Ice year round will allow training camps at elevation for elite level hockey teams and camps. People will pay good money for this and come from far and wide to attend. Outbound or other lodging places can help with lodging deals for players.
1/4/2025 1:24 PM
281 The town should invest in a) indoor facilities like Woodward to enrich off-snow activities and b) dry-land ski slopes and air bag facilities (like those that can be found in Park City, UT) for all season training.
1/4/2025 1:23 PM
282 More indoor recreation areas 1/4/2025 1:23 PM
283 We need safe, maintained and accessible side walks, paths. This could be paid for by charging for parking or having metered parking in main tourist areas. The town paths should be plowed. There are areas where they are not. We need year round, indoor structures that have activities and recreation for kids and adults. If registration is required, LOCALs should be given priority. New construction in Mammoth should not be able to “opt out” of providing affordable/employee housing. The penalty for opting out is a drop in the bucket for these companies, but ultimately detrimental to the workforce. Businesses should be supported and encouraged to update and refresh buildings without the red tape and fees the town requires. It feels like anything goes for outside construction and local businesses are hassled. Parking on streets (like Meridian for over flow parking @ Eagle), needs to be managed and monitored for safety. People must be ticketed for parking where they aren’t supposed to. Mtn hosts, MLPD or town reps need to prioritize safety. Crossing guards should be returned to drop off and pick up at the schools. Dog park should be open year round. In a nutshell-local businesses, employees, residents and economy needs to be the priority of the town. The mountain is no longer “family owned” and has their own global priorities. 1/4/2025 1:18 PM
284 Mammoth is a great ski town, however it lacks many amenities for kids and families. More is needed after the mountain closes. Personally my wife doesn’t like coming to mammoth simply because there’s nothing to do in the evenings or on days off.. not only for adults but for the kids as well. Something like a Woodward facility, more fast food options, shopping centers would be greatly welcomed by everyone in the community and would bring far more revenue to the town. An additional cell tower is also needed as there are often times no or very poor cell reception and coverage.
1/4/2025 1:13 PM
285 I believe we should extend the hours for the village gondola and also the days in service.

Currently the operations seem to only favor those staying in the village however, this would service those who live at canyon and would encourage more patronizing of village businesses.

In addition, Mammoth Lakes needs an indoor-training facility. A Woodward-plus facility is ideal - skateboarding, roller boards, trampolines, foam pits, and beyond that an indoor track to ring the top, tennis and pickle ball courts as well as gymnastics and rock climbing areas. The facility will further the Parks and Recreation Commission’s mission “to provide multi-purpose, year-round, indoor and outdoor recreation opportunities accessible to all residents and visitors.” It is time for the town to update and greater utilize the facilities and land at the corner of Forest Trail and Minaret. Let’s do it by creating an indoor training facility - a Woodward-plus.

Thank you for the opportunity to participate.
1/4/2025 1:13 PM
286 1. Please this town needs more affordable housing for the people who live full time. 2 I think a Woodward type thing would be very beneficial for the town. It would open up job opportunities.

If built correctly you can build it with employee housing. It would open up opportunities for the youth to train with foam pits and skate during the winter. As well as giving something else for the tourists to do
1/4/2025 1:09 PM
287 Build a Woodward-like facility 1/4/2025 1:08 PM
288 Add a Woodward facility. This facility will attract more tourists and help train professional skiers/snowboarders.
1/4/2025 1:08 PM
289 1 is housing for families. Not condos. real houses for families! 2.limited vacation rentals 1/4/2025 1:08 PM

Community Feedback for Town Council Strategic Planning Series SurveyMonkey 23 / 27
outside of hotels 3. Indoor training! We won’t have world class athletes come out of here anymore without indoor training like dry jumps and gymnastics areas. 290 we should get a wood ward in town for all of the team kids to train and improve on and off hill 1/4/2025 1:07 PM 291 Needs a mammoth Woodward type facility, more parking, more housing and job opportunities 1/4/2025 1:06 PM 292 It would be amazing if we could get a woodward type facility here in town. It would bring in a lot of revenue and help future athletes grow in their perspective sport. Woodward is an indoor training facility with a skate park, trampolines and foam pits and ramps for jumps into foam pits. Along with other amazing activities.
1/4/2025 1:05 PM
293 I think we need a Woodward at mammoth lakes 1/4/2025 1:04 PM 294 Indoor activities for kids during winter. Jungle gym, gymnastics ect. Quiet, comfortable Viewing area for parents to watch kids at play.
1/4/2025 1:04 PM
295 I would like to see a Woodward type facility in Mammoth Lakes that would provide activities that are popular in the summer during the winter months. I would like a facility that would provide alcohol free sport related activities indoors.
1/4/2025 1:03 PM
296 More affordable housing for locals 1/3/2025 5:52 PM 297 The Town should continue investing in maintaining and creating new recreation amenities and facilities like the CRC, dog park, MACC, etc.! The Town should also seek immediate solutions to the housing crisis, as well as creative ways to assist the "missing middle" and others who don't meet stringent AMI requirements. Please make it easier for individuals who wish to open/operate new businesses, perhaps working in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce.

The Town should do whatever it can to encourage good restaurants with the losses in the fine dining sector like Petra's and Jimmy's Taverna. Real-time transit information and better bike infrastructure would also be very valuable.
1/3/2025 4:31 PM
298 Free bike park! big and little jumps, fun rollers. Indoor Recreation center - pool, gym, indoor track.
1/3/2025 3:59 PM
299 Encourage more affordable housing by reduce permitting complexity and requirements for apartments. Build a bike pump track.
1/3/2025 3:54 PM
300 Consequences for overflowing dumpsters 1/3/2025 3:52 PM 301 Mammoth Lakes would benefit greatly from the installation of a community bicycle park complete with pump tracks and dirt jumps. These facilities are excellent areas for skills building and progression. Additionally, I believe that our motorized community is underserved on our local forest service lands. We currently have 11 miles of disparate motorized singletrack on the Mammoth Ranger district of the Inyo National Forest, users have a hard time navigating between these very spread out facilities and visitors have little to no chance of even finding them. Our recreation situation would benefit from a well designed and maintained motorized trail network. This network would protect sensitive resources by concentrating use on sanctioned facilities that are sustainably designed and constructed. 1/3/2025 3:49 PM
302 Please give us a year round indoor pool. 1/3/2025 3:41 PM 303 Mammoth Lakes needs an indoor, year-round sports facility that will both: (1) Amplify and extend support of key youth sports in the town; and (2) Drive incremental town revenue by providing visitors with additional and complementary activities beyond those provided by Alterra and the mountain. Such a facility would ideally support: (1) Snowboard/Freeski + Gymnastics (similar to Woodward facilities with trampolines, foam pits, tumbling mats, etc.); (2) Indoor skateboarding/skating/scootering facility; (3) Indoor soccer facility to extend and enhance the very short soccer season and facilitate workshops and training camps; (4) Indoor track for general fitness; and (5) Indoor rock climbing wall(s). Such a facility would not only enhance youth sports and general fitness in our community, but it would also continue to support Mammoth's ongoing position as a leading destination for action sports in the United States.
1/3/2025 2:04 PM
304 1. of course housing. you knew that. 2. business permit process - it becomes so difficult to open a restaurant or bar that between exorbitant rents and the difficult process not to mention a dearth of potential employees that we are a food desert. is it possible to streamline the process and work w the fire dept and the town to make this as simple as possible? 3. transportation - i know we have esta and the night trolley. they are not abundant enough. it is 1/3/2025 11:59 AM

Community Feedback for Town Council Strategic Planning Series SurveyMonkey 24 / 27
not easy nor fun to take when you have to wait up to 29 minutes for one. other ski towns you only wait a few minutes. and we have virtually no affordable alternatives i.e. cabs. they fought for the right to do business and now the only thing they seem interested in is airport runs that are embarrassingly expensive.
305 Add a sidewalk/bike path on Minaret between Main Street and Meridian. 12/31/2024 12:40 PM 306 Make it easier to do business with the town. For example, one landing page on how to set up a property for nightly rentals. Currently it is a scavenger hunt to find anything. This goes for building permits and guidelines. It should be simple (ie Step 1, Step 2, Step 3). 12/31/2024 11:58 AM
307 We need more affordable housing that doesn’t have extremely low income cut offs. 12/31/2024 11:51 AM 308 Implement the planned beautification project for Old Mammoth Road. 12/31/2024 11:27 AM 309 1. More public restrooms so businesses aren't impacted. Also keep more restrooms on trails open during the winter. 2. Round about at the intersection of Forest Trail and Minaret 3. Fiber internet options for all businesses 4. Clear business guide so businesses know what to do to open/renovate 5. More daycare options 6. Add another light signal, roundabout or something on main between OMR and Minaret to make people drive slower. 12/31/2024 9:45 AM
310 We need more dependable stores to grab every day needs.. rite isn’t providing and having the “two” vons is complicated. We NEED clothing stores and everyday shopping. People that work and live here full time need options other than Amazon and want to support local businesses.

TOT increases should be capped for full time residents at places like vons, grocery outlet, rite aid and local coffee shops. Full time residents and full time workers , especially hospitality should have stipends to help them continue to make this community grow. Care more about the people who care to be here and SERVE the community. Also better flight availability and more destinations. Full time air service to lax, sfo, las, and Denver because those that live here full time would like to avoid a 5 hr drive.
12/31/2024 1:46 AM
311 Affordable housing for mountain, town and lodging employees and contractors. 12/30/2024 8:37 PM 312 More affordable housing 12/30/2024 8:27 PM
313 Housing, infrastructure, parking. Stop approving hotels with nowhere for workforce to live. 12/30/2024 7:20 PM 314 Employee housing. Community building. Bike path along minaret from meridian to Main Street.

More XC trails maybe by Sherwins? Intersection coming down from the mountain before you get to village. Parking lot for people living in cars (potential to charge overnight fee). Public sledding hill with safe parking area. Year round dog park. You guys are amazing! Really appreciate everything you do for our town!
12/30/2024 3:36 PM
315 Make housing more affordable for the middle class, not just the low income people. I make too much money for “help” with housing, but still can’t buy anything. I’m sorry I have 2 degrees and have worked for the mountain for the last 8 years, and make good money. But still over here renting and wasting away money.
12/30/2024 10:40 AM
316 More affordable housing, limiting the immense air b & b short term rentals 12/30/2024 10:08 AM 317 More highway patrol entering and leaving town. Tourists and construction trucks are out of control!!
12/29/2024 6:26 PM
318 Stop focusing on the dollars that tourism brings and start focusing on the needs of locals. Too many variances for building monstrosities ala Limelight. It feels like all yiu care about is the almighty dollar and not the people who keep this town running 12/29/2024 5:21 PM
319 -Alterra should pay for work force housing. -MMT should stop overbuilding (e.g., limelight). It will destroy the town.
12/29/2024 10:20 AM
320 Invest in the workforce: housing, early childhood education, schools, walk-in urgent care instead of ER, public transportation
12/28/2024 6:41 PM
321 General stuff 12/27/2024 4:10 PM
322 Make Mammoth a much more bike friendly community. Create more bike trails that are around town and north of town to link up June Lake and Mammoth. A link from Mammoth to Crowley Lake would be a fantastic feature for guests to explore and for locals to commute on. We really have very few mountain bike trails in Mammoth aside from the Bike Park on the mountain 12/27/2024 12:24 PM

Community Feedback for Town Council Strategic Planning Series SurveyMonkey 25 / 27
itself. We need to have well signed routes that people can go exploring on and ride on the flats if possible.
323 Would like to see more soft surface multi-use trail development outside of the Sherwin area and Lake Basin. Frustrating how few miles are being added to the exceptional work that has been done to date. Securing a long-term snow pit, ideally by purchasing the old one. Limiting business growth until we are able to appropriately staff new businesses. Quite soon, the business community and then our visitors are going to find the increasing costs of hiring service employees drives down tourism.
12/27/2024 10:00 AM
324 Quit building 12/27/2024 9:59 AM
325 The town should build an indoor and outdoor geothermal pool and hot tub facility down by Whitmore. Please improve on future design approvals in the future, the Limelight is hideous.

Main Street beautification has begun, that's great, now how about slowing traffic down on Main Street? How about a roundabout by the post office? The new transfer station in the industrial park is repulsive when things heat up in the summer. I feel bad for the residents in the trails and for the businesses next to the transfer station, that's a complaint not a solution, but the solution is to reconsider where we let the town's trash rot. Main Street needs bathrooms that are maintained by the town, currently local businesses on main street provide the bathrooms for our guests and locals. This bathroom should also have trash and recycling receptacles that are larger than the normal ones around town. You guys have a lot to do, you do a great job, keep up the good work. Oh, and for the van lifers, can you try to make somewhere that vans have to park... the scenic loop is now covered in toilet paper. Runs and cross country skiing out there feels like you're cruising through an r.v. suburb rather than out for a quick peaceful jaunt in the local forest. Thanks for asking!
12/27/2024 9:53 AM
326 More casual middle income dining options and restaurants. How can the council incentivize more entrepreneurs or attract out of town brands to open here 12/23/2024 11:16 PM
327 Help establish more rent controlled housing and more rent to own properties, look into more programs to allow home ownership to the town's working class who can't keep up with rent increases.
12/23/2024 11:15 PM
328 Mammoth Lakes is a great place to live, work, and play! That is why I choose to live here.

However, I find with each passing year (11 year resident) - it becomes increasingly difficult to live here. My wage increases do not match my rent increases and other cost of living increases (groceries, gas, utilities). What can the town do to address this? You are addressing this issue with your housing assistance programs. I especially like the BRIDGE program. Let's be honest though, if you want to retain a quality workforce you can't be housing them in "affordable housing units" such as the Parcel. It is a great stepping stone, but if you want to keep quality workers, families need access to something they can call their own. Next up, your M.U.P. system is exceptional. I would love to see an extension of it, not necessarily paved, but packed gravel or more dirt trails closer to town would be great (path out to the Sherwins trail head?). I would love to see a pump track or more mountain bike trails. Finally, let's talk tourists. We love them and we understand they are a necessary component of our economy.

However, you know the saying, "too much of a good thing." Locals are feeling pushed out and outpriced by tourists. This understandably makes it challenging to provide the guest services and welcoming atmosphere that is expected from a world class destination. Can we identify a baseline need for tourism to support our community without jeopardizing the quality of life for people who chose to live here? I appreciate you taking the time to ask this question. 12/23/2024 12:24 PM
329 Public safety number 1; stop unpermitted car camping; leave private owners alone if they want to rent out units — you’ve got plenty of nuisance laws to stop bad actors; leave the good dogs and their owners alone.
12/23/2024 11:00 AM
330 The town needs to figure out how to support more restaurants and retail stores. We don't have enough now and there are multiple hotels being built. The town also needs to figure out how to get a full-size year-round pool for residents. I also still think that nightly rentals should be rezoned to tourist areas closer to the mountain. 12/21/2024 5:31 PM
331 I'm a long time resident (30 years) who feels Mammoth has lost its soul. We're becoming a playground for the ultra-rich and the local community is withering. We should stop incentivizing development that doesn't provide adequate parking and fails to address the needs of workforce housing.
12/21/2024 3:35 PM
332 Year round pool accessible to the town. Interest would be far greater than an ice rink. 12/21/2024 8:05 AM

Community Feedback for Town Council Strategic Planning Series SurveyMonkey 26 / 27
333 For anyone employed or residing in Mammoth Lakes, allow them to avoid the Tourism tax when shopping in the Town stores like Vons, Grocery Outlet, etc. Residents should NOT have to pay this tax!
12/21/2024 6:54 AM
334 Town has done such a fantastic job with construction of multi-use bike pathways throughout Mammoth. Would love to see an extension of a multi-use pathway actually "around" Lake Mary to allow safer exploration of area without worrying about car traffic. 12/20/2024 5:47 PM
335 Spend less, figure out more parking for Village, keep up the good work! 12/20/2024 4:53 PM 336 more sidewalks throughout neighborhoods, police enforcement, we need a community rec center (with an indoor pool, playground, fitness center, and multi-purpose rooms) 12/20/2024 3:07 PM
337 First priority is providing housing and support for our town workers. Not just lowest income but also workers above that level that need housing. More support and goal of retaining health service works particularly specialists and education professionals. More stress on education and enforcement of town regulations and ordinances.
12/20/2024 9:53 AM
338 Fines/Traffic control for people not stopping at cross walks. Fines for people not picking up their dog poop or dogs off leash in public areas
12/18/2024 4:26 PM
339 More respect to nature and animals and our natural habitat that we are so lucky to be surrounded by. Less emphasis on tourism (tourists will always come) more focus on community and the people who live and work here. It would be nice if “the mountain” invested more in the community, local business, non profits, the arts, etc. 12/18/2024 3:38 PM
340 Provide incentives to rent to locals. More funding to schools. 12/18/2024 3:11 PM 341 Indoor swimming pool 12/18/2024 3:11 PM
342 1) Work on building community among all groups. 2) And as a Council understand that your role is to plan, and give directions how to implement.
12/16/2024 9:16 AM
343 Desperate need for indoor athletic center to include appropriate soccer and volleyball amenities for local teams as well as indoor training for action sports athletes with climbing wall, skate park, ski/board training with jumps, ramps, foam pit, etc. Along the lines of a Woodward facility geared towards local athletes training as well as camps and tourists drop in visits. Also need for diverse, casual, full serve, sit down dining. We have plenty of Mexican and Italian as well as fine dining, but very few casual restaurants with diverse menu options. 12/16/2024 9:07 AM
344 Keep the open spaces open. Careful that you don’t overbuild or build too high. Keep increasing taxes and visitors will go elsewhere.
12/16/2024 7:38 AM
345 Increase shuttle service and parking near shuttle points at The Village and Eagle Lodge. 12/13/2024 1:39 PM 346 I can't think of anything. Funny, huh? 12/13/2024 1:18 PM 347 In general, I think that the town should strongly support locals where possible, while maintaining a world class tourist destination. Supporting local families/people does not go against tourism, but helps the people who live here give better services to tourists and elevates everyone's experience in Mammoth. Mammoth spends a lot of money to get tourists here and that is great because we all rely on tourism. I think that we just also need to look more closely at the people living here and what the town can do to support them. I commend the town for doing this over the last few years and I hope that they continue to improve and grow. The missing middle seems to be one of the populations that currently needs support. 12/13/2024 11:09 AM
348 Goes without saying, low income, employee housing should be very high on the list. Insurance rates are crazy due to the fire zone ratings. Can that be helped? Trolley system is very good.

Thank you. Shopping! There is no place to buy non ski clothes. Need some thing like Bass or Polo back for short timers and guests. No place to spend money on cool clothes. People who ski have money and want to spend it!
12/13/2024 11:06 AM
349 There should be "dark sky" enforcement. Also, any system which will eliminate propane tanks at SFRs.
12/13/2024 10:29 AM
350 This is a big question! I feel like the town has yet to bounce back post-covid, so many businesses and restaurants have closed. What is the town doing to make Mammoth an economically sustainable town that benefits locals, where it's possible to buy affordable underwear without having to order online? Is it possible to eat out in this town without going broke? If restaurants offered a bit of a discount for full time locals one special, one mealtime or 12/13/2024 10:24 AM

Community Feedback for Town Council Strategic Planning Series SurveyMonkey 27 / 27
one happy hour a week, they might get more business mid-week and stay viable. Are there any perks to being a local in a town that caters to tourists? I appreciate what the town is doing to improve housing - it's essential! - but it's easy to feel like we don't count because when you can barely afford to live here you can't really help support the economy very well. There's a big divide between the haves and have nots. But you know that. Reliable communications infrastructure - phone and internet - would be amazing. We still get sketchy signals when town is at capacity.
351 The signage restriction in size above or on many retail outlets fascias s is not user friendly for user friendly read. I'm not a Business owner but a visiting resident for 8 years+. 12/13/2024 9:59 AM
352 I believe the town understands housing is the #1 priority and all other priorities are far behind. If housing is not fixed, no other priorities will matter because their will be no citizens left to use them. Within housing I would strongly recommend a space rent increase cap on mobile home parks in Mammoth Lakes. Most mammoth Lakes residents space rent goes up 7+% a year and is currently well over $1000 per month. This cost is on top of mortgage payments. Over 100 municipalities in California have this legislation in place currently. Outside of housing, I hope the town prioritizes pedestrian infrastructure inclusive of building the Minerat Rd MUP and more side walks and pedestrian lighted walkways in town. 12/13/2024 9:23 AM

1 Jamie Gray
From: Stacy Corless <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2025 5:37 PM
To: Jamie Gray
Subject: Public Comment - Item 11.1/Strategic Planning
[EXTERNAL EMAIL]
Dear Jamie,
Please share my comment with Town Council--sorry to not be able to attend tonight to comment in person.

I appreciate the opportunity for public engagement and am glad that the planning survey received many responses. And while additional recreational facilities and continued support of outdoor recreation on public lands will no doubt enhance quality of life here in Mammoth, I hope that wildfire and climate resilience will stay at the top of the list for town investment. The town plays a big role in building local wildfire resilience, both in forest health projects and community/home hardening. Working together across agencies and administrative boundaries, the Eastern Sierra has important work ahead and town investments and attention are needed.

Thanks,
Stacy
--
Stacy Corless
760-920-0190

1 TOWN COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Title: Plan for allocation of additional Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) received from Measure L
Meeting Date: January 15, 2025
Prepared by: Rob Patterson, Town Manager
RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that the Town Council review and approve the plan for integration of the TOT rate change, committing all funds provided by the two additional percentage points of TOT rate (13% to 15%) to Housing Now! program revenue.

BACKGROUND:

As part of the work completed by the STR Advisory Committee last fiscal year, a 2% TOT increase was recommended and presented to voters within the Town of Mammoth Lakes.

This initiative, called Measure L, was passed by voters on 11/5/2024. The recommendation from the Advisory Committee was to generate a consistent funding source for the Town’s Housing Now! initiatives. The current method of funding is to commit unallocated TOT to Housing Now! during the quarterly budget review. In the last few years, the Town has been blessed with excess revenue for this purpose; however, that funding is not likely to match the needs of the program in the near future. While this ballot measure was a general tax, without restrictions, the Town Council can decide how these new proceeds will be distributed. Staff understands it is the will of the Town Council to distribute these funds to Housing Now! and has developed a process that will achieve those desired outcomes.

ANALYSIS:

The budget practices of the Town have been consistent for the past nine years, establishing a conservative estimate of revenue and limited growth in expenditures that are closely monitored on a quarterly basis. In most cases, General Fund revenues are directly tied to visitation and are therefore variable year to year. There are a number of items that are less dependent on tourism, but they are not a high percentage of necessary revenue. The common practice has been to conservatively estimate the tourism-based revenue while forecasting non-tourism revenue closer to actuals. This process ensures the Town does not become over dependent on the more volatile revenue streams. On the expenditure side of the balanced equation, staff work to maintain efficiencies and grow the size of the organization through strategic investments in staffing and equipment. There are of course natural cost increases that occur every year and they must be accounted for to maintain the core services performed by the Town. However, there is a strong desire to control this growth to ensure that no significant adjustments or “right sizing” of the organization would be required in the future.

2 One of the key functions of the budget process require the Town to review actual performance to budget on a regular basis. To achieve this, the Town conducts quarterly budget reviews, adjusting revenues that are performing well in order to allocate those available funds to expenditures, capital projects or housing programs. The allocation to one-time funding has been successful in building the Housing Now! program that we have today. It has also been effective in providing funding for capital projects and infrastructure improvements. The investment in these areas does not grow the annual operating budget, aside from some maintenance costs of new amenities, and the Town is essentially reinvesting in our community with these excess revenues. This budget discipline has been effective, and the Town has no desire to abandon this budgeting discipline while implementing this new revenue stream.

The Town will use the existing budget methodology to determine the TOT revenue expected for the General Fund. This portion of the TOT will be the base TOT (13%) that has been in effect for several years. This base TOT will be subject to current Measure A allocations, committing a portion to Tourism (18.08%), Housing (6.54%), and Transit (6.54%) with the remaining to the General Fund (68.84%). There is effectively no change in this process from prior budget development. In order to determine the budget for Measure L TOT (2%), staff will use the base TOT number times 15.3846% which is the percentage of increase the 2 percentage points represents. (13/2 = .153846). The resultant of this calculation will be the revenue allocated to Fund 245 – Housing Now! for housing programs. This revenue will not be considered in the General Fund and will not be subject to the Measure A allocations listed above. This means 100% of the revenue calculated in this method will be applied to housing.

This methodology would also be used during the quarterly budget process to allocate any incremental TOT budget to each respective area, so as the base TOT increments through the year, so does the allocation to Housing Now!.

Staff has worked on a program to record tax returns that are submitted to account for the distribution of the base and Measure L generated funds. In this case, 13.3336% of every dollar collected will be allocated to the Housing Now! initiative. The difference in percentage is that one is calculated against 13%, for a rate of increase (15.3486%), and the other is calculated against 15% as a percentage of total TOT collected (13.3334%).

Reporting will be developed to show total TOT collected and how each dollar was distributed. During the transition period, there will be some taxes still collected at the old

3 rate to honor existing reservations. Those transactions will only be allocated to the base TOT and not include an allocation directly to Housing Now! aside from measure A allocations.

OPTIONS ANALYSIS
Option 1: Adopt a resolution committing all proceeds generated by the Measure L ballot initiative to Housing Now! fund 245 for the 10-year term, until such time the incremental TOT expires.

Option 2: Make an alternate finding and direct staff.

RESOLUTION NO. 25-

RESOLUTION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL

OF THE TOWN OF MAMMOTH LAKES, STATE OF CALIFORNIA,

COMMITTING ALL PROCEEDS FROM MEASURE L TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX INCREASE TO HOUSING NOW! PROGRAM REVENUE
WHEREAS, the Town Council authorized the inclusion of Measure L on the November 2024 ballot – increasing the Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) from 13% to 15%; and
WHEREAS, Measure L is a General Tax requiring 50% +1 for passage with no restrictions on use of revenue; and
WHEREAS, on November 5, 2024 the voters of the Town of Mammoth Lakes voted in favor of increasing the TOT rate from 13% to 15% from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2034; and
WHEREAS, the Town Council’s strategic priorities adopted on December 20, 2023 include a priority to “Invest in Community Focused projects” and a key objective statement to “Continue implementation of the Town’s Housing NOW! Initiative programs to deliver a mix of community housing opportunities (e.g., ‘missing middle’ and Parcel Phase 2)”; and WHEREAS, the Town Council has authorized funding for the implementation of several housing policy directives and programs, branded as the “Housing NOW!” initiative; and
WHEREAS, implementation of Town housing programs includes the dedication of Town resources to provide a range of community housing that is available and affordable to those working in the community.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE RESOLVED that the Town Manager is hereby directed to allocate all proceeds from Measure L, a 2% Transient Occupancy Tax Increase, to the Housing NOW! Initiative Fund 245 from January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2034.

APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 15th day of January 2025.

___________________________
CHRIS BUBSER, Mayor
ATTEST:
________________________________
JAMIE GRAY, Town Clerk

1 TOWN COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Title: Provide Direction on Phase 3 of the Parcel.

Meeting Date: January 15, 2025
Prepared by: Haislip Hayes, PE Public Works Director
Nolan Bobroff, Community and Economic Development Director Amy Callanan, PE Engineering Manager
RECOMMENDATION:

Provide by consensus direction to staff on the unit count and character of the Parcel Phase 3 affordable housing development.

BACKGROUND:

The Town has been advancing the development of the Parcel since purchasing the site in 2018. The Town entered into an agreement with The Pacific Companies to develop and construct the various phases in 2019. In early 2021, a Master Plan for the site was approved providing the development intent for the project.1 The first phase of the development was completed in 2024 and is now fully occupied. The second phase is well into construction.

Staff understands that all the modules for the first half of Phase 2 are complete and will be installed summer of 2025. The first two phases of the Parcel are rental products developed to meet specific low-income levels (30-80% AMI) based on State funding source requirements. As previously discussed with Council and consistent with the Master Plan, the third phase of the Parcel is envisioned to consist of an ownership product to be sold to middle-income residents (120-200% AMI) with deed restrictions to ensure affordability over time.

As was contemplated during the “Plan the Parcel” Conceptual Land Use Planning process and shown in the Master Plan as “Development Area 6”, the third phase of the Parcel will be located south of Tavern Road along the eastern and southerly property lines of the site.

Staff and the Pacific development team envision a mix of 2- and 3-bedroom attached townhome-style units all with private garages and driveways. The development would be created as a Planned Unit Development (PUD) in which the buyers will own the land under their unit as well as a small back yard, similar to the Town’s 60 Joaquin project.

The phase would be accessed via an extension of Inyo Street south of Tavern Road connecting to Chaparral Road. The new section of road would be owned and maintained by the Town as public right of way (ROW), similar to the new roads built along with Phase

1. Like other phases, pedestrian infrastructure and connectivity would be provided in the form of multi-use paths (MUPs) and/or sidewalks. The alignments will be determined

1 Parcel Master Plan - https://www.townofmammothlakes.ca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/11312

2 during the required Planning and Economic Development Commission entitlement approval which would include a Tentative Map for the subdivision as well as Design Review for the units.

Staff have been working with The Pacific Companies and their development partners, The Pinyon Group and Dahlin Group, on the preliminary design of this phase and seek direction from Council before moving further on to entitlement and development.

ANALYSIS:

Staff have reviewed and provided feedback on several iterations of the Phase 3 plan submitted by Pacific and have also internally developed several additional concepts. There are trade-offs or pros and cons to all of the concepts. Staff will provide a presentation during the meeting that will explain the following concepts in greater detail, and is seeking specific input from Council on those concepts, all of which will influence the unit count, cost and character of this phase:
 Density - Maximizing units vs “homeowner” neighborhood character. The Phase 3 area is permitted to contain up to 80 units, although building height limits of 2- or 3-stories for this Development Area provide a practical restriction on this number.

Per the Master Plan, no more than 15% of the total number of units in the development are permitted to be designated for households between 120-200% AMI.
 Building Type - A variety of building types (e.g. small house, duplex, triplex, townhouse, apartment) are identified in the Master Plan’s Guiding Principles, which were developed in accordance with the Town’s Community Housing Action Plan (CHAP).

Pacific’s current proposal includes larger 6-plex rowhouse style buildings to maximize unit count and economy of scale. This creates a denser neighborhood character with a reduced tree canopy. Pacific is currently proposing for there to not be any common area spaces, which would eliminate the need for an HOA. This scenario would reduce the monthly cost of ownership since there would not be a required monthly HOA payment, but it could have negative impacts in the longterm since there would not be a dedicated funding source for ongoing maintenance of the units. Under this development structure, common exterior maintenance of units which are attached into single buildings (i.e., rowhouses) would be governed by a maintenance agreement, however the details of this type of development structure are not yet clear to staff.

Alternately, smaller buildings (e.g. duplex or 4-plex) or a mix of buildings may be more desirable, although this may result in some loss of economy or reduction of unit count. A more familiar common space/HOA development structure may also be more desirable in the long-term for potential residents so that the long-term costs of maintenance are accounted for in their monthly housing expenses.  Building Spacing – Minimum building separation is permitted to be 10 feet; however, staff and Pacific propose a minimum 20-foot separation in order to

3 accommodate access, snow removal and storage. A greater separation may be warranted in consideration of tree preservation, open space, or other factors.  Orientation and alignment of buildings and roads – Buildings must be setback from property lines by a minimum of 20 feet. Roads may be located within 10 feet of property lines. Solar orientation of the roads and driveways, which is important to snow removal and melt, will affect life-cycle cost of both buildings and roads.

Pacific’s current proposal places the road and MUP along the east property line with units facing the road to the east, and places units along the south property line with units facing the road to the north. Alternatively, placing the road and MUP along the south property line with south-facing units may be more desirable for future owners. Also, providing some curvature or meandering to the road and MUP would enhance neighborhood character and user experience, including increased safety by reducing driver speeds.
 Use of Lot 4 “remainder lot” – Housing, open space, parking, etc. Per staff and Council direction, in most of Pacific’s design iterations, a small “remainder lot” (Lot 4) in the north easterly corner of Phase 3 has been reserved for future development apart from this phase. Staff had previously contemplated constructing a temporary parking area to serve the Parcel in this area. In recent internal meetings, staff has determined that a potential parking lot could be placed at other locations on the Parcel if needed, and Lot 4 could then be developed along with Phase 3 or separately as a “town development” similar to the Town’s 60 Joaquin project.  Open Space – Each Master Plan Development Area must contain open space that is available for public use. A small passive or active pocket park could also serve as snow storage during the winter.

Once staff has consensus direction from Town Council, the final draft plans, engineer’s estimate, and a development pro-forma will be developed for Town Council consideration.

If a financial commitment is made, a Tentative Map and Design Review will be created and processed through the typical PEDC entitlement approval process. The developer and staff believe the project could break ground in summer 2025 if consensus between the development and the Town on the average subsidy amount from the Town can be reached.

4

5 Current
Pacific Proposal
Staff Concept

6 FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Staff continue to discuss costs with the Pacific Companies. Throughout the process, staff’s goal is to evaluate the potential short-term and long-term costs to the buyers to make these units as affordable as possible. Staff believe the Town will need to pay for infrastructure costs such as the road, MUP and associated utilities to keep overall unit costs down. This may be done as a separate project. The final costs to the Town of this development will be the result of the direction provided to staff. Staff will return to Council for final direction and approval once these costs are better understood.

Affordable Homeownership
Town Council January 15, Page 194 of 301 2025
The Parcel Phase 3
Affordable Homeownership
• Recommendation
• Background
• Design Intent
• Design Considerations
• Next Steps

Recommendation
• Provide consensus direction on the proposed
homeownership “Phase 3” of the Parcel affordable
housing development

Background
• 2017 – Community Housing Action Plan (CHAP)
• 2019 – “Plan the Parcel” Concept Plan – Guiding Principles • Extensive bilingual community engagement
• 2020 – Master Plan - (Development Area 6)
• 2021-2024 Phase 1 “Sawyer”
• 2024-2025 Phase 2 “Kingfisher
• Phase 3 – Summer 2025
• Ownership phase - 120-200% AMI

Background - CHAP
• Accepted by Town Council in 2017
• Provide 200-300 units
• Rental < 80% AMI
• Ownership up to 200% AMI
• Action Strategies / Milestones
• Purchase The Parcel (2018)
• Master Plan / Design The Parcel (2019 – 2021)
• Develop Guiding Principles
• Entitlement / Financing (2020 – 2023)
• Construction (2022 – 2025)

Background – “Plan the Parcel”

Background – Master Plan
• Regulatory document intended to:
• “allow for flexibility in the application of Zoning Code standards to proposed development
• achieve the Preferred Plan’s Guiding Principles and Development Objectives
• Topics include Allowable Uses, Building and Site Design, Density, Parking, Snow Removal/Storage, Circulation…

Background – Master Plan

Background

Background – Implementation

Design Intent
• Well-connected and livable neighborhood
• Mix of 2- and 3-bedroom units
• Private driveways with garages
• Planned Unit Development (PUD)
• Own land under structure & backyard
• Minimal common area for reduced cost to owners
• Connected pedestrian infrastructure
• Roads & MUP’s will be Public ROW and maintained by TOML • (minimize cost to owners)

Design Considerations
Council direction on:
• Density & Site Orientation
• Building Type & Spacing
• “Lot 4” parcel
• Open Space

Maximum feasible density (within design intent): ~48 units • Reduces tree canopy
• Snow storage complications
• Larger buildings
Slight reduction in density may provide greater
functionality and improved neighborhood character
**Ownership units may also be provided in future Parcel phases • (up to 87 units total)
• Or at other locations in Town
Density & Site Orientation

Density & Site Orientation
Solar exposure
• Impacts snow melt – tradeoff btw roads / MUPS vs roofs / driveways • Natural lighting / passive heat in units
Roads/MUP vs units next to existing residential
• Impacts owner/user experience
• Impacts snow removal storage

Density & Site Orientation
Early site plan concept – 48 units in (8) 6-plexes Page 208 of 301 Current
Pacific Proposal
Density & Site Orientation
Pacific Proposal - 36 units in (6) 6-plexes (~44 units w/ “Lot 4”) Page 209 of 301 Density & Site Orientation
Pacific Proposal - 36 units in (6) 6-plexes (~44 units w/ “Lot 4”) Page 210 of 301 Density & Site Orientation
Staff concept – double-loaded, duplexes and four-plexes (~46 units) Page 211 of 301 Density & Site Orientation
Staff concept – duplexes, tri-plexes and four-plexes (~ 39 units) Page 212 of 301 Building Type & Spacing
“Plan the Parcel” concepts Page 213 of 301
Building Type & Spacing
6 – plex – Pacific proposal Page 214 of 301
Building Type & Spacing
6 – plex – Pacific proposal Page 215 of 301
Building Type & Spacing
6-plex example – San Joaquin Villas Page 216 of 301
Building Type & Spacing
Four-plex example – Snowcreek V Page 217 of 301
Building Type & Spacing
Four-plex examples Page 218 of 301
Building Type & Spacing
Duplex example – 60 Joaquin Page 219 of 301
Building Type & Spacing
Duplex – local example Page 220 of 301
Building Type & Spacing
Minimal (10ft) building spacing example Page 221 of 301 Building Type & Spacing
Medium (15ft) building spacing example Page 222 of 301
Building Type & Spacing
Preferred ( 20ft+) building spacing example Page 223 of 301 “Lot 4” parcel
• Borders existing “Shady Rest”
residential neighborhood
• Initially contemplated for
temporary / overflow parking
• Could be developed along with
Phase 3 or separately

“Lot 4” parcel

“Lot 4” parcel

Open Space
• ~0.2 acres for public use
• Active or passive
“pocket park”
• Can be used for snow
storage

Open Space
Interior of site
Exterior of site Page 228 of 301
Open Space
Pocket park examples Page 229 of 301
Open Space
Pocket park examples Page 230 of 301
Next Steps…
• Refine plan based on Council direction
• Staff evaluation of costs
• Develop plan for implementation
• Authorization from Council to proceed
• Authorize developer to secure entitlements

Recommendation
Provide consensus direction on the proposed homeownership “Phase 3” of the Parcel affordable housing development:
• Density & Site Orientation
• Building Type & Spacing
• “Lot 4” parcel
• Open Space

Design Considerations Recap
Discussion…
• Density & Site Orientation
• Building Type & Spacing
• “Lot 4” parcel
• Open Space

1 TOWN COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
Title: Town Council Adoption of California Joint Strategy for Sustainable Outdoor Recreation & Wildlife Resilience
Meeting Date: January 15, 2025
Prepared by: Rob Patterson, Town Manager
RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that the Town Council review and adopt “California’s Joint Strategy for Sustainable Outdoor Recreation & Wildfire Resilience,” as published by The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force in March of 2023, as a guiding document in the Town’s effort for resource protection, community investment, and public safety.

BACKGROUND:

The Town of Mammoth Lakes, like many communities and regions in rural California, has an economic model centered around recreation, tourism and the natural environment, most of which is managed by the federal government. These vital natural resources are under pressure from both overutilization and the threat of catastrophic wildfires. The principal economic driver in our Eastern Sierra region is our recreation-based tourism economy and without the natural resources for these activities, the Town loses the ability to sustain itself financially. To rebuild from a natural disaster like a wildfire would take many years and require dependence on outside resources to recover. In light of the current and anticipated wildfire risk environment in California, the recovery may not even be economically feasible. The goal of adopting “California’s Joint Strategy for Sustainable Outdoor Recreation & Wildfire Resilience” is to engage on a state and federal level with programs that can provide funding to mitigate our exposure to these catastrophic events before they happen. A part of our success has been to leverage programs that are complementary to our own stated goals. This force multiplier, using state and federal initiatives that align with our own goals, allows us to achieve more than we could on our own, with our own funding sources.

Adopting this plan should enhance our eligibility to receive state-level and federal funding for programs that will be generated from the recent passing of Proposition 4 and the reauthorization of the Great American Outdoors Act, which provide funding for wildfire prevention, recreation infrastructure and programming, and the protection of communities and natural lands from climate risks. By adopting this plan, the Town would become the first in the state to recognize thisstrategy, and the implementation of its key actions that will address our unique concerns.

ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:

The joint strategy consists of four goals with a number of specific key actions to address the effects of climate change and the threat of wildfire on sustainable outdoor recreation infrastructure and programs that drive economic activity. The Sustainable Recreation/CALREC Vision Key Working Group, which developed the joint strategy, was awarded Partnership of the Year from the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region in recognition of their efforts. The joint strategy

2 is intended to integrate and augment existing efforts at the federal, state and local level. The Town is engaged in a number of efforts to address our own concerns, and these strategies will serve to further those programs, not replace them. The four stated goals as presented in the joint strategy document are as follows:
#1 Integrate Forest Health and Sustainable Outdoor Recreation - Integrate the provision of high-quality, sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities with forest health and resilience and wildfire and climate mitigation efforts so that all people can connect to the benefits and wonders of the natural world.
#2 Advance Inclusion and Access for All Throughout California - Plan for and provide a diversity of outdoor recreation opportunities to foster inclusive and equitable access for all Californians.
#3 Promote the Health and Wellbeing of All Californians through Outdoor Recreation - Provide health information, training, and alternative recreation opportunities that promote the health and well-being of all peoples, with consideration of people’s needs before, during, and after wildfires and other natural disasters.
#4 Support Economies that Enhance Sustainable Outdoor Recreation - Foster and support robust and diversified economies that enhance sustainable outdoor recreation while investing in the resilience necessary to withstand the impact of climate change, wildfires, and other disasters.

The attached joint strategy includes a number of key actions under each of these stated goals.

While some of these goals don’t have a direct tie to the efforts of our Town, the complete program is a comprehensive effort to address these impacts across the state. As these strategies are implemented by other municipalities, there will be opportunities to combine efforts, across jurisdictions where our areas of interest intersect. Staff will look to integrate these strategies into our destination management strategies, planning efforts, and capital improvement projects.

OPTIONS ANALYSIS:

1. It is recommended that the Town Council review and adopt “California’s Joint Strategy for Sustainable Outdoor Recreation & Wildfire Resilience” as a guiding document in the Town’s effort for resource protection and community investment.

2. Make alternate findings and direct Town staff accordingly.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The financial implications of this adoption should provide better access to state and federal level grants to further our initiatives. There may be additional costs associated with the implementation, but the benefits should far outweigh the additional costs.

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 1 C A L I F O R N I A ’ S J O I N T S T R A T E G Y

F O R S U S T A I N A B L E O U T D O O R

RECREATION & WILDFIRE RESILIENCE

P R E PA R E D FO R T H E C A L I FO RN I A W I L D F I R E

AND FOREST RESILIENCE TASK FORCE
DECEMBER 12, 2022

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 2

LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
California is home to some of the most beautiful and
celebrated landscapes on Earth. More than 100
Native American tribes have stewarded and protected
California’s lands and waters from time immemorial
through the present day. Often, places valued as
recreation sites today hold significant cultural and
ecological importance for Indigenous peoples.

Acknowledging California as the homeland of Native
American tribes is just a small step to take in the spirit of truth and healing. This Joint Strategy attempts to
elevate California Native governments, communities,
peoples, and priorities into the collective thinking
about sustainable outdoor recreation, inclusive access
to the outdoors, and wildfire resilience. Realizing
the privilege of those who recreate outside, this Joint Strategy hopes to contribute to further discussions of
appropriate and respectful public access to valued
and significant places.

Birdwatching at the Stout Memorial Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, CA. Credit: John Chao, Redwood National and State Parks

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 3

CONTENTS
Land Acknowledgement 2
KEY PEOPLE 4
- Executive Committee 5
- Sustainable Recreation/CALREC Vision 5
- Key Working Group 5
- Leadership Team 6
- MLTPA Support Team 6
BACKGROUND 7
- The Challenge 8
- California’s Wildfire & Forest Resilience Action Plan 9 - The Key Working Group and The Joint Strategy 11
IMPLEMENTATION 12
KEY ACTION 3.13 13
GOALS & KEY ACTIONS 14
Introduction 15
Guiding Principles 16 - 17
GOAL 1: Integrate Forest Health and Sustainable Outdoor Recreation 18 - Overview 19
- Key Actions 20 - 22
GOAL 2: Advance Inclusion and Access for All Throughout California 23 - Overview 24
- Key Actions 25 - 26
GOAL 3: Promote the Health & Well-Being of All Californians Through Outdoor Recreation 27 - Overview 28
- Key Actions 29 - 30
GOAL 4: Support Economies That Enhance Sustainable Outdoor Recreation 31 - Overview 32
- Key Actions 33 - 34
POLICY & CONTEXT 35
- State & Federal Policies 36 - 37
- CALREC Vision: Outdoor Recreation Map and Statistics 38 - Supporting Documents & Policies 39 - 40
- Current Trends & Needs 41
- Outdoor Recreation Participation 41
- Outdoor Recreation & The Economy 42
- Outdoor Recreation & Attitudes Toward the Environment 43 CASE STUDIES 44
- Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship 45
- Fire Foundry 46 - 47
- LA County Parks & Recreation: Overnight Family Camping Program 48 APPENDIX & BIBLIOGRAPHY 49 - 53

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 4

KEY PEOPLE

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 5

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
STATE:

Wade Crowfoot, Co-Chair – California Natural Resources Agency Joe Tyler – CAL FIRE
Yana Garcia – CalEPA
Sam Assefa – Office of Planning and Research
FEDERAL:

Jennifer Eberlien, Co-Chair – U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region Richard Barhydt – U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station LOCAL:

Ed Valenzuela – California State Association of Counties Doug Teeter – Rural Counties Representatives of California TRIBAL:

Don Hankins – Indigenous Stewardship Network

SUSTAINABLE RECREATION/CALREC VISION
Key Working Group
Alexandra Stehl, Deputy Director, Strategic Planning and Recreation Services Division – CA State Parks Andrew Burrows, Lead California Outdoor Recreation Planner – Bureau of Land Management Haley Caruso, Co-Lead of Recreate Responsibly CA and REI Manager of Brand Engagement & Impact – Recreate Responsibly CA and REI
Katherine Toy, Deputy Secretary for Access – CA Natural Resources Agency Katy Parr, El Dorado National Forest Public Services Staff Officer – U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region Kevin Wright, Policy & Steering Committee Member – CA Landscape Stewardship Network Norma Edith García-Gonzalez, Director – Los Angeles County Department of Parks & Recreation Paul Michel, Regional Policy Coordinator, West Coast Region – NOAA Ray Murray, Chief of Partnerships – National Park Service

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 6

SUSTAINABLE RECREATION/CALREC VISION
Leadership Team
Jim Bacon, Director of Public Services, Co-Lead – U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region Angela Avery, Executive Officer, Co-Lead – Sierra Nevada Conservancy Nancy Parachini, Deputy Director of Public Services – U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region Nora Campbell, Strategic Planner – U.S. Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region Matt Driscoll, Eastern Sierra Area Representative – Sierra Nevada Conservancy John Wentworth, President/CEO – Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access Foundation Rita Keil, Co-Writer/Researcher – Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access Foundation Danna Stroud, Strategist – Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development Bill Keene, Lead Writer – Climate Equity Solutions Inc.

Austin McInerny, Facilitator – Consensus and Collaboration Program, College of Continuing Education, Sacramento State University

SUSTAINABLE RECREATION/CALREC VISION
MLTPA Support Team
Trevor Van Winkle, Digital Systems Manager
Jennifer Crittenden, Recorder
Andrew Mulford, GIS Manager
Kiersten Puusemp, Creative Director
Kristy Williams, Project Management Specialist
Thank you to the more than 130 representatives from federal, state, and local agencies, tribes, tribal entities, nongovernmental organizations, business interests, community groups, and stakeholders who participated in public input sessions or otherwise contributed to this plan.

This strategic plan is located on the California Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force website at:
www.wildfiretaskforce.org/about/action-areas/sustainable-accessible-recreation

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 7

BACKGROUND

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 8

THE CHALLENGE
A STRATEGIC CHANGE IN CALIFORNIA’S APPROACH TO SUSTAINABLE

OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE
California has faced an unprecedented
wildfire crisis during the past decade
that has resulted in billions of dollars
in damage to local economies and
infrastructure, including outdoor
recreation facilities and trail systems
across California. Moreover, climate
change has dramatically increased the
length and intensity of California’s fire
seasons. The 2020 fire season broke
records: Five of California’s six largest
fires in modern history burned at the
same time. More than 4 million acres
burned across the state, doubling the
previous record. The following year,
2021, saw some of the most severe
megafires in history, including the
Dixie Fire, which became the largest
single wildfire in state history and the
first wildfire to burn across the width of
the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

In August 2020, the state of California
and the U.S. Forest Service announced
the historic Agreement for Shared
Stewardship of California’s Forest and
Rangelands to improve the health of
California’s forests and rangelands
and reduce wildfire risk across the
state. The following January, the state
released California’s Wildfire and
Forest Resilience Action Plan (Action
Plan), which detailed specific actions
to address the wildfire crisis, and
convened the California Wildfire
and Forest Resilience Task Force to
implement the Action Plan.

The Mount Hough Trail System, near Quincy, CA, before and after the Dixie Fire in 2021. Credit: Ken Etzel

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 9 The California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force assigned Key Actions 3.13 and 3.14 of the Action Plan to the Sustainable Recreation/CALREC Vision Key Working Group (Key Working Group). Key Action 3.13 was completed by the Key Working Group through consultations with the California Department of Parks and Recreation (State Parks). Please see additional discussion of Key Action 3.13 on page 13. Key Action 3.14 is the more immediate subject of this Joint Strategy document.

Firefighters and natural resource specialists apply a protective fire-shelter wrap to the General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park, CA, during the KNP Complex Fire in 2021. Credit: Elizabeth Wu, National Park Service CALIFORNIA’S WILDFIRE AND

FOREST RESILIENCE ACTION PLAN
The Action Plan contains four goals and 99 specific actions to address the wildfire crisis across California.

Goal 3 contains Key Actions 3.13 and 3.14, which address the relationship between forest health and sustainable outdoor recreation:
• Key Action 3.13 – Update Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP): In 2021, CNRA, in coordination with State Parks, will update the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). The SCORP will provide a comprehensive framework and investment strategy, emphasizing equitable access to underserved communities and rural recreation-dependent communities. • Key Action 3.14 – Develop Joint Strategy to Improve Access to Sustainable Recreation:

In accordance with the Shared Stewardship Agreement, the USFS will coordinate the development of a joint strategy to improve access to sustainable recreation.

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 10 • Climate change increases the frequency and
severity of catastrophic wildfires.
• California’s diverse landscapes and communities
require regionally tailored strategies and actions.
• Resilience to catastrophic wildfires requires
restoring the health of our forests and diverse
landscapes across the state and strengthening
wildfire preparation within our communities.
• Frequent, low-intensity fire can be a positive force
in improving forest health and biodiversity and
forested communities’ safety.
• Strengthening the linkages between the
ecological health of forests and the economic and
social health of rural communities is needed.
• Strong partnerships among federal, state, local,
and tribal entities and private organizations are
needed to address the threat of wildfire.

THE CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE AND FOREST RESILIENCE ACTION PLAN WAS DEVELOPED RECOGNIZING THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS:

Visitors enjoy California’s Kings Canyon National Park.

Credit: National Park Service

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 11 The Key Working Group developed the Joint Strategy for Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Wildfire Resilience (Joint Strategy) to provide a road map for improved access to sustainable outdoor recreation in an era when wildfires are having tremendous impacts on outdoor recreation opportunities throughout California.

The Joint Strategy recognizes that our recreation system exists within a vast network of watersheds that stretches all the way from the headwaters in the mountains to the Pacific Ocean. Our recreation system is affected by wildfires and natural disasters in profound ways both upstream and downstream from where people recreate.

The Key Working Group consisted of staff from federal and state agencies, regional and local agencies, industry, and nongovernmental organizations. The Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access Foundation (MLTPA) convened the Key Working Group. The Consensus and Collaboration Program of the College of Continuing Education at Sacramento State University provided facilitation. Climate Equity Solutions Inc. contributed drafting and editing services, under contract to MLTPA.

The Joint Strategy presents Goals and Key Actions that highlight the most important considerations for providing sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that meet the needs of all Californians, including our most underserved and underrepresented communities, in this era of risk from wildfires. The Key Working Group engaged with tribes, experts, and stakeholders who have been affected by wildfires, smoke, and natural disasters, or who are actively engaged in providing sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities. These groups and individuals verified that the Joint Strategy sets timely, essential, and implementable goals. Participants in the Key Working Group generously shared their time, perspective, and advice on topics through a series of facilitated virtual meetings from November 2021 through November 2022.

Children record observations on a clipboard at California’s Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary as part of the Ocean Guardian program.

Credit: Nick Zachar, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

THE KEY WORKING GROUP AND THE JOINT STRATEGY FOR

SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 12

IMPLEMENTATION
The Key Working Group will seek to create a structure to guide the implementation of the Joint Strategy under the general auspices of the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force (Task Force). The Key Working Group intends to provide regular progress reports to the Task Force and establish a program of accountability for implementing the Joint Strategy.

The Goals and Key Actions of the Joint Strategy also aim to fully integrate outdoor recreation considerations and opportunities into federal, state, local, and partner programs of work already underway. Some actions call on specific groups to act, while others present opportunities for ground-up integration of outdoor recreation into wildfire risk reduction and recovery efforts. Many of the actions are already underway at all levels of government and in local communities. The Joint Strategy was inspired by these ongoing efforts and hopes to inspire other communities and all levels of government to continue progress on such efforts. Sustained realization of the Goals and Key Actions will require time, resources, and capacity investments from the USFS, the state of California, and their partners.

As with other Task Force working group strategies, the Joint Strategy will be incorporated and integrated into the Task Force’s Million-Acre Strategy, which serves as the Task Force’s primary implementation program for the four Task Force goals. Funding needs to be secured to support the Key Working Group’s continued efforts to oversee implementation of the Joint Strategy including facilitation of Key Working Group meetings, coordination with lead implementing agencies and entities, preparation of regular progress updates, participation in Task Force meetings, and general guidance of implementation activities. It is anticipated that full implementation of the Joint Strategy’s Goals and Key Actions will create a sustainable outdoor recreation system in California that is resilient to wildfire and natural disasters and will lead to additional key actions needed to equitably provide the diverse and accessible recreational opportunities desired by all Californians.

Mandy Beatty cuts a section of trail in the Mount Hough Trail System near Quincy, CA, with her dog, Scout, by her side. Credit: Ken Etzel

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 13

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE AND FOREST
RESILIENCE AC TION PLAN KEY AC TION 3.13
Key Action 3.13 of California’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan directs the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and State Parks to update the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan in 2021. The SCORP provides a comprehensive framework and investment strategy, emphasizing equitable access to underserved communities and rural recreation-dependent communities.

The SCORP is a five-year plan that establishes
grant priorities to address unmet needs for
public outdoor recreation land throughout
California. By completing an update to the
SCORP every five years, California maintains
eligibility for federal Land and Water
Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants.

Due to a variety of factors, the release of
the 2021–2025 SCORP occurred in early
2022, as the Key Working Group convened
to begin its work on the development of
the Joint Strategy. As a result of this timing,
representatives from the Key Working Group
were able to meet with staff from the California
Department of Parks and Recreation to discuss
opportunities to recommend priorities and help
to inform the vision of the 2026–2030 SCORP
update, set to begin in 2023. During these
discussions, it was acknowledged that the next
update to the SCORP might be enhanced to
capture the broadened scope and
landscapes of outdoor recreation in California.

It is anticipated that key actions from the Joint Strategy may be integrated into the SCORP update process and that the SCORP may become a more comprehensive framework for the next five years of outdoor recreation development, planning, and management in California.

Enjoying a meal while camping at Bothe-Napa Valley State Park, CA. Credit: courtesy of California State Parks, 2019

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 14

G O A L S &

KEY ACTIONS

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 15

INTRODUC TION
Californians today recreate outside more than ever before, finding experiences of a lifetime in California’s protected lands and waters. Statewide demand for outdoor recreation opportunities exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in pressure to maximize or expand federal, state, and local park systems. This recent surge in outdoor recreation has led land managers and stewardship groups to renew their focus on natural resource protection and wildfire risk reduction, while providing needed recreation opportunities.

The purpose of this Joint Strategy is to provide the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force with a road map for how to protect and improve sustainable outdoor recreation assets and access in the context of wildfire and natural disaster planning and response. The audience of this Joint Strategy includes the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the state of California, land managers, and the extended outdoor recreation community. This Joint Strategy emphasizes the fact that sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities must be high-quality and resilient to meet the needs of a diverse and growing population and changing climate.

The Joint Strategy satisfies Key Action 3.14 of the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan:
“Develop Joint Strategy to Improve Access to Sustainable Recreation.” The Joint Strategy contains Goals and Key Actions that will:

1. Strengthen our sustainable outdoor recreation system, forest health, and resilience

2. Advance inclusion and access for all Californians

3. Promote the health and safety of all Californians

4. Support the local economies that enhance sustainable outdoor recreation The Key Working Group developed a set of guiding principles to serve as a foundation for the Joint Strategy and to guide agencies, organizations, and communities tasked with implementing the Goals and Key Actions.

Mountain biking before and after the Dixie Fire in 2021, near Quincy, CA. Credit: Ken Etzel

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 16

GUIDING PRINCIPLES
The following guiding principles provide a foundation for all of the Goals and Key Actions of the Joint Strategy, ensuring that the Joint Strategy is achieved broadly and equitably across California.

Engage in Proactive Communication – Communication is key to implementing the Joint Strategy effectively and comprehensively across California. Communication and engagement will occur at all levels, with a particular focus on ensuring that underserved and underrepresented communities, including multilingual communities, receive information and have opportunities to engage with implementation of the Joint Strategy in a timely manner and through channels that effectively reach their communities.

Prioritize Community Recovery – Implementation of the Joint Strategy will prioritize recovery for communities that have been impacted by wildfire. Multiple communities across California have been devastated by wildfire, and implementation of this Joint Strategy will support holistic recovery of the environmental, economic, and social elements of these communities.

Utilize Cross-Sector Integration – The intent of the Joint Strategy is to integrate efforts at all levels to address sustainable recreation and wildfire risk, including governmental organizations, the nonprofit and business sectors, and community organizations. Integrating the Key Actions in this plan with forest health and community-development work being done locally is the most effective way to achieve broad success.

Two backpackers and a ranger look at a map at Cronan Ranch Regional Trails Park in Pilot Hill, CA. Credit: Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 17 Emphasize Transparency – Entities implementing Key Actions will be responsible for reporting on and communicating their work to the public and groups working on similar efforts across the state, using methods that ensure all interested parties are informed of their work.

Engage in Partnerships and Collaboration – Effective implementation of the Joint Strategy will require that Key Actions are implemented through ongoing and supported partnerships and collaborations between government, the nonprofit sector, business interests, and community-based organizations.

Leverage Funds – Adequate funding will be required to achieve full implementation of the Joint Strategy.

Implementation will require significant commitments of resources and funding from federal, state, and local agencies, organizations, nonprofits, and business entities. In addition, all funding will be leveraged to the maximum extent to ensure that implementation occurs at a high level across California.

Engage with Tribes and Indigenous Communities – During implementation, agencies and organizations will engage with tribes and Indigenous communities to inform work on all Key Actions. Implementing agencies and organizations will work with tribes to incorporate traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into outdoor recreation and forest health projects where appropriate.

Engage with Underserved and Underrepresented Communities – Engagement with underserved and underrepresented communities is critical to achieve diversity, equity, and inclusion in implementing the Joint Strategy. Agencies and organizations responsible for implementing Key Actions will conduct comprehensive outreach using community-specific outreach methods to ensure that affected communities are aware of, and have the opportunity to participate in and influence, the work being done under this Joint Strategy.

Use the Best Available Science and Information – Agencies and organizations responsible for implementation of the Joint Strategy are committed to using the best available science and information and sharing the results of their work within peer learning networks.

Prioritize Equity and Inclusivity – Ensuring equity and inclusion is paramount to all participants in this Joint Strategy. All agencies and organizations implementing Key Actions are committed to equity and inclusion and will engage locally and across the state to ensure that all peoples are considered during implementation of Key Actions.

Promote Wildfire and Natural Disaster Resiliency – Resilience to wildfires and natural disasters is a primary purpose of this Joint Strategy. All Key Actions are focused on ensuring that California and its residents are prepared for wildfire and natural disaster events and have the resources to achieve long-term resiliency, especially in light of climate change.

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 18 GOAL 1:

Integrate Forest Health and
Sustainable Outdoor Recreation

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 19

INTEGRATE FOREST HEALTH AND

SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION
Our aim is to promote forest health and resiliency alongside sustainable outdoor recreation for all throughout California. We recognize that forest health and outdoor recreation mutually depend on one another and that our management of them needs to be integrated. This goal promotes public access and enjoyment of our forests and public lands and all the benefits that come with that while at the same time addressing the impacts and mitigating factors of outdoor recreation from catastrophic wildfires and climate effects. By ensuring healthy lands and waters, outdoor recreation users feel connected to nature in places and communities that are socially, economically, and environmentally rich and resilient.

A hiker looks at smoke from the 2021 Caldor Fire in the distance. Credit: James Townsend

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 20 GOAL 1:

Integrate the provision of high-quality, sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities with forest health and resilience and wildfire and climate mitigation efforts so that all people can connect to the benefits and wonders of the natural world.

KEY ACTIONS

1. Maintain Public Access as the Climate Changes: Develop climate-smart best practices toolkits and resources to be used by land-management organizations for programs and projects associated with forest and wildland health, vegetation management, transportation, and visitor use that enhance public access to outdoor recreation on public lands and waters as the climate changes.

2. Develop Educational Materials Targeted at Reducing the Human Causes of Ignition: Create and distribute educational materials in multiple languages targeting human causes of ignition of wildfires.

3. Develop Integrated Communications Systems: Establish integrated and standardized communication systems to provide consistent information to the public about forest health projects, and wildfires and other natural disasters, across jurisdictional boundaries and among federal, state, regional, and local organizations. Partner with Destination Management Organizations (DMOs), chambers of commerce, fire safe councils, cultural groups, outdoor recreation and stewardship groups, and local media to communicate in multiple languages and with digital media about closures, restrictions, smoke, and alternative facilities.

4. Incorporate Sustainable Outdoor Recreation into the State Department of Conservation’s Regional Forest Fire Capacity (RFFC) Program: Incorporate the Key Actions from California’s Joint Strategy for Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Wildfire Resilience into the RFFC Program, Regional Forums, and Regional Priority Plans being developed by RFFC Program Regional Block Grantees.

5. Add Public Education to Forest Health Projects: Forest health projects on public lands under state and federal funding programs will include a component to educate the public about the project’s purpose, techniques, and impact on outdoor recreation opportunities. Education efforts will serve to promote public safety, minimize impacts to recreation user groups, and develop public support for the value of forest health projects, including prescribed fire.

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 21

6. Strengthen Partnerships Between Resource Conservation Districts or Other Appropriate Partners and Land Managers: Where feasible, recreation land managers will enter into partnerships with Resource Conservation Districts and other appropriate land-management partner entities or authorities to support work including design, permitting, and construction for outdoor recreation facilities and trails and fuel reduction around communities (including fencing, water sources, etc.).

7. Implement Multi-Benefit Projects in or Adjacent to the Wildland Urban Interface: Implement projects in or adjacent to Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas that have joint wildfire risk reduction and outdoor recreation benefits, such as trails and campgrounds that can be used during fires as personnel and equipment staging areas. Where appropriate, conduct thinning, prescribed burns, and vegetation clearing around outdoor recreation infrastructure to make it more resilient to wildfire and to create defensible space for fire suppression. Within these project areas, create demonstration and interpretive areas incorporating TEK practices where people can recreate and learn about the benefits of prescribed fire and vegetation management.

8. Design and Build Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure That Is Resilient to Climate Change and Wildfire: Consider nature-based solutions to address climate change and wildfire risk considerations when designing, constructing, maintaining, and renovating outdoor recreation facilities. Where appropriate, relocate facilities away from floodplains, landslide areas, avalanche paths, or high-risk fire areas. Install multilingual signage identifying emergency egress and shelter-in-place protocols, and, where needed, develop additional access and evacuation points. Design and harden roads, trails, bridges, and outdoor recreation infrastructure to be fire resistant and resilient to natural disasters. When available, cross-train fire crews in sustainable trail construction to help in recovery of trails post-fire.

9. Establish Permanent Fuel Breaks Proximate to Recreation Trails: Where feasible and appropriate, develop permanent fuel breaks that cut across jurisdictional boundaries along or adjacent to recreation trails and infrastructure to achieve multiple wildfire risk reduction and response benefits.

Locate fuel breaks near trails to provide access for prescribed fires and fire suppression. In wilderness areas, consider non-permanent fuel breaks to protect resources.

10. Use Data to Prioritize Wildfire Risk Reduction Treatments in Outdoor Recreation Areas: Assess community and outdoor recreation asset vulnerability through the use of data developed by the Task Force, such as Planscape, and the Key Working Group (California Recreation Opportunities GIS Map) to develop priorities for treatment around outdoor recreation areas based on likelihood of ignition and vulnerability to the impact of wildfire. In particular, focus prioritization of treatments adjacent to campgrounds, trails, and trailheads.

GOAL 1: Integrate Forest Health and Sustainable Outdoor Recreation

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 22

11. Create Wildfire Evacuation Plans for At-Risk Outdoor Recreation Areas: In coordination with local government and using specific evacuation planning tools (e.g., Zonehaven and CAL FIRE’s Evacuation Guide), outdoor recreation providers including park agencies, private resorts, and other entities will create, regularly update, and implement and maintain evacuation plans that identify assets and areas most at risk, and safe evacuation routes and staging areas for shelter-in-place.

12. Create California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)/National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Programmatic Exemptions/Exclusions for Recreation Trails Located Within Treatment Areas:

Create Categorical Exclusion(s) under NEPA, and Categorical Exemption(s) under CEQA, for recreation trails located within treatment areas that have already undergone previous environmental review.

John Rice, general manager of California’s Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort, looks out from a burnt lift shack at ski runs burned by the Caldor Fire in 2021.

Credit: Katie Hunter, Sierra-at-Tahoe Resort
Leadership from the U.S. Forest Service, Sierra Nevada Conservancy, and CAL FIRE discuss the effect of vegetation treatment on burn severity during the Caldor Fire in 2021. Credit: John Wentworth
GOAL 1: Integrate Forest Health and Sustainable Outdoor Recreation

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 23 GOAL 2:

Advance Inclusion and Access
For All Throughout California

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 24

ADVANCE INCLUSION AND ACCESS FOR ALL

THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA
California and its partners must build upon and expand an inclusionary culture of sustainable outdoor recreation, promoting equitable access across California’s public lands and waters that reflects the diversity of all peoples and the legacy of our Native American history, culture, and use. Inspired by the California Natural Resources Agency’s Outdoors for All initiative, our work will strive to address long-standing environmental, social, and economic inequities in our society that have resulted in physical and societal barriers to outdoor recreation access for underserved and underrepresented residents. Improvements to outdoor recreation access, including planning, programming, and infrastructure, will be co-created with communities, forest health, and wildfire response partners and designed around community values to be resilient to increasingly frequent wildfires and natural disasters. Advancing equitable access will require a high level of engagement with underserved and underrepresented populations to prioritize and implement integrated outdoor recreation access and wildfire risk reduction, resiliency, and recovery actions that provide respite for these communities year-round and especially during times of disaster.

Posing on a bridge along the Trillium Falls Trail in Redwood National and State Parks, CA. Credit: John Chao, Redwood National and State Parks

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 25 GOAL 2:

Plan for and provide a diversity of outdoor recreation opportunities to foster inclusive and equitable access for all Californians.

KEY ACTIONS

1. Create Statewide School Programming: Federal, state, and local agencies will engage and collaborate with the California Department of Education to develop place-based virtual and in-person programming that educates students about the value of outdoor recreation and natural resources, including topics such as Traditional Ecological Knowledge, responsible recreation, fire-prone landscapes, safety, and how to participate in stewardship projects.

2. Create Interpretive, Historical, and Stewardship Educational Opportunities at Key Recreation Facilities: Where feasible, create interpretive, historical, and stewardship education to educate the public at key outdoor recreation facilities across the state.

3. Minimize Impact of Wildfire-Related Area and Facility Closures to Public Access and Recreational Use: Target outdoor recreation site and area closures to the minimum area and time periods deemed appropriate to mitigate threats and minimize impact to the recreating public and commercial providers. Land managers should engage with relevant public and commercial recreation interests and DMOs on reopening plans, with a particular focus on addressing access concerns of underserved and underrepresented communities.

4. Engage with Local Communities During Post-Fire Recovery Planning to Expedite the Resumption of Outdoor Recreation Access: After fires, coordinate and engage with local communities on post-fire recovery plans, including activities aimed at expediting the return of public access. Within burned areas, prioritize forest health, hazard tree and vegetation removal near trails, slope stabilization around trails, and restoration of park and outdoor recreation facilities lost in wildfires. Where appropriate, utilize local workers, volunteers, conservation corps, or tribal capacity such as the Tiüvac’a’ai Tribal Conservation Corps to assist in post-fire restoration of outdoor recreation infrastructure and trails.

5. Explore Creating an Online Outdoor Recreation Opportunities Resource: Explore creating a one-stop online outdoor recreation resource for visitors to research local, regional, and state recreation opportunities based on interest and location. The online resource may contain information on how to prepare for visits to outdoor recreation areas, including information on responsible recreation, how to obtain permits, and what recreational uses are allowed. The resource may also serve as a multilingual communication tool to identify outdoor recreation facilities that are closed due to natural

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 26 disasters or emergencies. Where possible, coordinate with existing information platforms that provide similar services. Alternatively, agencies may maintain a multi-jurisdictional, centralized map of outdoor recreation assets (campgrounds, trailheads, etc.) and link out to existing agency platforms for additional information from the land-management agency.

6. Conduct a Multi-Agency Social Science Survey to Gauge the Current Needs of Outdoor Recreation Users: State and federal land-management agencies will develop a simple methodology and conduct a joint statewide survey to identify current and emerging use and demand, barriers to outdoor access, and the desired critical outdoor recreation needs and uses of our communities, with a particular emphasis on underserved and underrepresented communities. The survey will be shared broadly with California’s public-land managers and private outdoor recreation lands operators at all scales well in advance of survey implementation to encourage broad data collection across California’s lands and communities. The survey will be designed to be repeatable over time and at different geographic scales.

7. Develop Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Across the State That Provides for a Diversity of Recreation Experiences: Where a local community has identified a need for more outdoor recreation opportunities and uses, land-management agencies will look to collaborate and partner with the local community (counties, cities, towns, special districts) to plan for, fund, build, and maintain climateresilient outdoor recreation infrastructure, facilities, and trail systems that will increase the diversity of recreation opportunities in that local community.

GOAL 2: Advance Inclusion and Access For All Throughout California

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 27 GOAL 3:

Promote The Health and Well-Being of All
Californians Through Outdoor Recreation

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 28

PROMOTE THE HEALTH AND WELL -BEING

OF ALL CALIFORNIANS THROUGH

OUTDOOR RECREATION
California and its partners are committed to providing outdoor recreation opportunities that nurture the mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional health and safety of all people while protecting our natural resources. Wildfires and other natural disasters can impede access to outdoor recreation at a time when people need it most for their well-being. To address this need for outdoor recreation opportunities before, during, and after natural disasters, we will communicate proactively with residents and visitors to promote the healthy enjoyment of outdoor recreation, inform people of where facilities are available, and apprise people of how to avoid smoke exposure and other risk factors. We will prioritize the development of resilient recreation opportunities that can function as alternative sites when other facilities are closed or inaccessible. The development of safe places to recreate is vitally important in ensuring safe access for all.

Children play in the snow near California’s Sierra-at-Tahoe. Credit: Brian Walker, Sierra-at-Tahoe

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 29 GOAL 3:

Provide health information, training, and alternative recreation opportunities that promote the health and well-being of all peoples, with consideration of people’s needs before, during, and after wildfires and other natural disasters.

KEY ACTIONS

1. Improve Air Quality Advisory Communication: Refine existing air quality communication tools, such as the California Smoke Spotter Application (app) and EPA AirNow, so that more users are aware of the tools, information is available in multiple languages, and users are advised of preventative measures to reduce their exposure. Focus the awareness campaign and information on those who are more likely to be exposed to air quality impacts including smoke, such as outdoor recreation workers.

2. Train First Responders, Community Planners, and Outdoor Recreation Staff in Mental Health First Aid and Utilize Medical Reserve Corps and Similar Volunteer Groups to Provide Psychological Support During Disasters: Create a state program to train all first responders, community planners, and outdoor recreation field staff in mental health first aid to support communities during and after wildfires and other natural disasters. Share models and best practices for how to utilize medically trained volunteers to provide psychological support during and after disasters.

3. Build Partnerships Between the Health and Outdoor Recreation Sectors: Pursue the environmental elements of the Health in All Policies approaches of the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by creating and maintaining partnerships Smoke from the Woolsey Fire in 2018, seen from Topanga, CA. Credit: Peter Buschmann, U.S. Forest Service

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 30 Kayaking in an indoor pool can serve as a recreation opportunity during wildfire smoke events. Credit: County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation between public health entities and the outdoor recreation sector. Partnerships will identify and seek to implement projects with co-benefits for health and outdoor recreation, such as prescriptions to spend time outdoors, smoke safety and extreme heat guidance, community-based planning of desirable park features and programs, or research to document the beneficial health impacts of local outdoor recreation projects. Partnerships will share best practices and lessons learned with public health and outdoor recreation professional forums.

4. Increase Opportunities for Indoor Recreation: Develop public, multi-use indoor recreation spaces that can offer recreation when smoke and wildfire affect the safety of outdoor recreation. These spaces can also be used as information hubs, libraries, cooling centers, Local Assistance Centers, shelters, or staging areas during emergencies.

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 31 GOAL 4:

Support Economies That Enhance
Sustainable Outdoor Recreation

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 32

SUPPORT ECONOMIES THAT ENHANCE

SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION
Communities and their sustainable outdoor recreation economies enhance the physical, social, and economic vitality of California and, by nature of their dependence on public lands and waters, often play a critical role in ensuring that public lands and waters are maintained and resilient to climate change and wildfires. These communities are well positioned to provide safe, equitable, and inclusive access to outdoor recreation opportunities. Direct recreation spending, jobs, and tourism revenue contribute prominently to these forest and gateway communities. As has been increasingly demonstrated during the past decade, climate change and massive wildfires are having a devastating impact on our communities and their recreation economies. While wildfire risk reduction is key, more should be done to ensure that our recreation-based communities can respond and recover after wildfires and other natural disasters to support community resilience, economic vitality, and local jobs.

Downtown Mariposa, CA, in close proximity to Yosemite National Park. Credit: Sylvia Matzkowiak, courtesy of the Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 33 GOAL 4:

Foster and support robust and diversified economies that enhance sustainable outdoor recreation while investing in the resilience necessary to withstand the impact of climate change, wildfires, and other disasters.

KEY ACTIONS

1. Build Sustainable Outdoor-Recreation-Based Economies: Engage the regions of the state’s Community Economic Resilience Fund (CERF), the Department of Conservation’s Regional Forest and Fire Capacity (RFFC) Program, and other relevant programs to help communities transition to or enhance sustainable outdoor-recreation-based economies. Develop programs, projects, and stewardship opportunities to connect communities through recreation infrastructure and trail systems.

Support the establishment of workforces for resource management, conservation, and outdoor recreation that support the economies of local connected communities.

2. Support Fundamental Community Infrastructure: Support planning and implementation of the fundamental infrastructure and services needed for outdoor-recreation-based economies, such as resilient and affordable housing and multi-modal transportation systems. Planning efforts may include regional baseline economic assessments to describe the businesses, industries, and workforce involved in outdoor recreation activities, and identify the strengths and deficiencies of outdoor recreation economies for rural development.

3. Engage Communities Regarding Emergency Response and Land-Management Planning:

Engage chambers of commerce, fire safe councils, DMOs, counties, special districts, and cities and towns with land managers in emergency response planning and the creation of Community Wildfire Protection Plans. Engage with outdoor recreation groups to identify outdoor recreation assets and integrate them into emergency plans to increase the likelihood that these facilities will be protected and/or restored during a wildfire event. When possible, pre-plan roles and partnerships for communication and essential services for emergency responders (staging areas, food, lodging, etc.) that can be readily activated during disasters. Provide these plans to federal and state emergency responders during and post-fire.

4. Create Post-Fire Educational and Marketing Materials: Create and distribute multilingual educational materials and destination guides to encourage residents and visitors to return to outdoor recreation when it is safe. These materials will advise recreationists on allowable and responsible recreation activities and locations during active wildfire restoration and recovery. In addition, the materials will provide interpretive information on fire-adaptive ecosystems to educate the public on the impacts of fire.

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 34

5. Provide Technical Assistance to Local Businesses: To help navigate and access disaster assistance programs, provide technical assistance to local businesses following wildfire and other natural disasters in rural and low-income outdoor recreation economies.

6. Conduct Post-Fire Economic Studies: Conduct economic studies in communities that have experienced wildfire, including analyses of lost revenue and tourism-related income based on data gathered before, during, and after wildfire events.

7. Develop Post-Fire Insurance Program for the Outdoor Recreation Economy: Include outdoorrecreation-based businesses and events in the development and administration of post-wildfire insurance programs that are both attainable and affordable.

8. Evaluate Existing Telecommunications Infrastructure and Perform Upgrades: Conduct a review of existing telecommunications infrastructure on public lands and prioritize upgrades and/or replacements to ensure that communications in affected communities remain active and accessible during a wildfire.

UTVs compete at the King of Hammers event in California’s Johnson Valley OHV Area. ATVing and recreational motorcycling generated $8 billion in GDP nationally in 2021, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Credit: Bureau of Land Management GOAL 4: Support Economies That Enhance Sustainable Recreation

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 35

POLICY &

CONTEXT

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 36

STATE & FEDERAL POLICIES
The following section describes the state and federal
policies that authorized, inspired, and guided the
creation of this Joint Strategy.

In 2018, the Governor’s California Forest
Management Task Force, comprising key agencies,
stakeholders, and partners, was established to
introduce a more holistic, integrated approach
toward effective forest management. The California
Forest Management Task Force’s purpose was to
develop a framework for establishing healthy and
resilient forests that can withstand and adapt to
wildfire, drought, and a changing climate.

In 2020, the state of California and the U.S. Forest
Service Pacific Southwest Region entered into the
Agreement for Shared Stewardship of California’s
Forest and Rangelands (Shared Stewardship
Agreement). The California Forest Management
Task Force, since renamed the California Wildfire
and Forest Resilience Task Force (Task Force),
released the California Wildfire and Forest
Resilience Action Plan (Action Plan) in 2021 to
serve as a road map for implementing the Shared
Stewardship Agreement and for aligning the state’s
efforts with other federal, regional, local, tribal,
and private organizations. The reconstituted Task
Force convened in the spring of 2021 to develop
strategies to implement the Action Plan.

The Annual Pheasant Hunt at the Sacramento River Bend Outstanding Natural Area, CA, where youth and women can learn safe hunting techniques and traditional practices. Credit: Eric Coulter, Bureau of Land Management Fisheries and recreation employees teach local third-graders to fish on Kids Fishing Day at Shasta Lake, CA. Credit: U.S. Forest Service

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 37 Also in 2020, the Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access Foundation (MLTPA) convened an advisory committee of governmental and nongovernmental organizations (including the state of California and the U.S.

Forest Service) to develop objectives for sustainable outdoor recreation as part of the white paper CALREC Vision: Cross-Jurisdictional Collaboration to Advance Sustainable Outdoor Recreation in California, which was published in January 2021. The map later in this section shows MLTPA’s analysis of outdoor recreation lands identified by land-management agency throughout the state.

In 2022, the Pacific Southwest Region of the U.S. Forest Service named “Visitor Experiences and Public Access” as one of three strategic priorities. The Pacific Southwest Region aims to “[ensure] that all those who set foot on National Forest System lands feel welcomed and have broad opportunities to recreate in sustainable ways.” Within both the Shared Stewardship Agreement and the Action Plan, there are action items that describe the need to integrate sustainable outdoor recreation and enhanced access to recreation resources into forest resilience and wildfire planning efforts across California. To address this need, the Task Force tapped the USFS, the state of California, and MLTPA to form the Sustainable Recreation/CALREC Vision Leadership Team. The Leadership Team subsequently convened and facilitated the Sustainable Recreation/CALREC Vision Key Working Group to begin work on these action items.

Consistent with Action 7 of the Shared Stewardship Agreement, the Key Working Group has worked under Goal 3 of the Action Plan (“Manage Forests to Achieve the State’s Economic and Environmental Goals”), specifically focusing on Key Actions 3.13 and 3.14. These Key Actions are as follows:

Key Action 3.13 – Update Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP):

In 2021, CNRA, in coordination with State Parks, will update the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP). The SCORP will provide a comprehensive framework and investment strategy, emphasizing equitable access to underserved communities and rural recreation-dependent communities.

Key Action 3.14 – Develop Joint Strategy to Improve Access to Sustainable Recreation:

In accordance with the Shared Stewardship Agreement, the USFS will coordinate the development of a joint strategy to improve access to sustainable recreation.

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 38 Outdoor recreation lands in California per federal and state land-management and relevant state agencies. Credit: “CALREC Vision:

Cross-Jurisdictional Collaboration to Advance Sustainable Outdoor Recreation in California” MLTPA, 2020 “Land-management agencies and their outdoor recreation partners work with the knowledge that increased resource impacts, uncertain public funding, and rising recreation demand are becoming ‘the new normal’ for California. With this in mind, collaboration by willing partners across jurisdictions to achieve the environmental, economic, and social benefits of sustainable outdoor recreation in California is essential.” - CALREC Vision: Cross-Jurisdictional Collaboration to Advance Sustainable Outdoor Recreation in California” MLTPA, 2020

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 39

SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AND POLICIES
While not exhaustive, the following documents, along with brief summaries of each, were identified by the Leadership Team as foundational to the Joint Strategy.

Agreement for Shared Stewardship of California’s Forest and Rangelands between the State of California and the USDA, Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region (2020, page 7) In Action 7 of the Shared Stewardship Agreement, the state and USFS commit to improving access to sustainable recreation by fostering opportunities that better serve California’s diverse populations.

CALREC Vision: Cross-Jurisdictional Collaboration to Advance Sustainable Outdoor Recreation in California (MLTPA, 2021) The CALREC Vision white paper emphasizes the importance of developing a common vision for sustainable outdoor recreation among multi-jurisdictional partners through cross-jurisdictional collaboration. Local, state, and federal agencies have the opportunity to coordinate goals, resources, and messaging around sustainable outdoor recreation to reduce operational inefficiencies and benefit the public.

Before and after photos of an outdoor amphitheater at California’s Big Basin Redwoods State Park, which burned during the CZU Complex Fire in 2020.

Before photo credit: Allie Caulfield. After photo credit: Cal OES

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 40 Enjoying redwood trees at Big Basin Redwoods State Park, CA. Credit: Allie Caulfield Executive Department, State of California, Executive Order N-82-20 (2020, pages 2–3) This executive order, signed in 2020, directs the California Natural Resources Agency and other relevant state agencies to develop methods to conserve 30% of state lands and waters by 2030 while expanding equitable outdoor access and recreation for all Californians. The order directs state agencies to engage with diverse recreation communities, establish the Biodiversity Collaborative, support efforts to conserve 30% of the state’s land and coastal waters by 2030, and expand equitable access and recreation for all Californians.

U.S. Forest Service, USDA, Connecting People with America’s Great Outdoors: A Framework for Sustainable Recreation (2010) The Framework outlines the opportunities and challenges in providing sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities for the public. The USFS sets goals of: (a) offering diverse outdoor recreation opportunities in partnership with local communities and providers, (b) protecting natural, cultural, and scenic resources, and (c) strengthening sound and sustainable processes. The Framework provides guiding principles that connect people with natural and cultural heritage, promote a healthy lifestyle, embody sustainability in all programs, prioritize community engagement, recognize National Forests and Grasslands as part of a larger interconnected landscape that includes communities, and integrate recreation into the larger agency mission.

Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful (2021) This report responds to the 2021 Executive Order 14008, Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, recommending steps that the United States should take in partnership to achieve the goal of conserving at least 30% of lands and waters by 2030. The report recommends conserving lands and waters for the benefit of all people and expanding access to sustainable outdoor recreation.

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 41

CURRENT TRENDS & NEEDS

OUTDOOR RECREATION PARTICIPATION
Outdoor recreation connects people with nature while improving their overall health and quality of life.

Following years of steady increases in the number of outdoor recreationists, COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns resulted in a surge of outdoor recreational use of public lands and waters. The increased demand for outdoor recreation benefits local economies that depend on recreation for jobs, economic output, sense of place, and quality of life. However, the increased number of outdoor recreationists necessitates more resources for user support, natural resource management, and wildfire risk reduction. The following section summarizes findings of recent studies that focus on trends in outdoor recreation and its social, economic, and environmental effects on communities.

Demand for outdoor recreation is at an
all-time high. As of 2021, approximately
half of all adults across the United States
participate in outdoor recreation on at least
a monthly basis. About 20% of participants
may be new to outdoor recreation since
the start of the pandemic (Taff et al., 2021).

The number of outdoor recreationists is
expected to hold steady in the near term,
as people who tried outdoor recreation
for the first time in 2020 have continued to
participate in 2021 (Outdoor Foundation,
2022). In national surveys, nine in 10
people express support for outdoor
recreation and local parks, agreeing that
outdoor recreation access is a very important factor when choosing a place to live and that outdoor recreation is an important service provided by their local government (National Recreation and Park Association, 2022).

Wildfires can have a range of effects on participation in outdoor recreation activities, depending on the location and severity of the fire and smoke. Recreationists may avoid areas with active fires, instead choosing to visit nearby areas with lower wildfire and smoke impacts. However, some people may visit areas that have experienced recent low-severity fires or prescribed burns, perhaps out of habit or curiosity (Miller et al., 2022). Popular recreation areas can experience the return of near-typical demand for recreation soon after a wildfire (White et al., 2020). The cross-jurisdictional nature of wildfire, along with increasing demand for outdoor recreation, emphasizes the need for collaborative adaptation and management strategies such as those outlined in the Key Actions of this Joint Strategy.

Admiring wildflowers along California’s Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail.

Credit: Bob Wick, Bureau of Land Management

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 42

OUTDOOR RECREATION AND THE ECONOMY
Outdoor recreation provides significant benefits to California’s economy. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, outdoor recreation provided $54.7 billion to California’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021, making California the state with the largest outdoor recreation economy in the nation. In addition, California ranked first in the nation for outdoor recreation jobs and compensation in 2021, with 517,238 jobs and $28.3 billion in compensation (Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce, 2022).

Outdoor recreation in the USFS Pacific Southwest Region provided people with $1.8 billion in well-being value (adapted from Rosenberger et al., 2017).

Outdoor recreation businesses and amenities have a positive effect on rural economies. Research shows that rural counties with outdoor recreation amenities have gained population, while those without recreation amenities have lost population (Headwaters Economics, 2019). Outdoor recreation often bolsters entire economies of rural places by attracting entrepreneurs, new businesses, health care professionals, construction workers, and retail employees (Headwaters Economics, 2018).

Despite the economic benefits of recreation across California, including the rapid rise in recreation use that has benefitted the state’s overall economy, there are many communities affected by wildfires that have yet to recover economically to pre-fire recreation levels. While there is sparse data in California regarding the economic impact of wildfires on these communities, a 2019 study in Utah estimated that wildfires caused $2.7 to $4.5 million in regional economic loss from visitation per year at national parks in Utah. The losses were greatest in rural, tourism-dependent counties (Kim & Jakus, 2019). California gateway community economies may be similarly affected by wildfires. The need to quantify the economic impacts of wildfires on communities in California is identified as a Key Action in this Joint Strategy.

The Woolsey Fire burns near the coast in 2018 in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, prompting smoke advisories in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. Credit: Peter Buschmann, U.S. Forest Service

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 43

OUTDOOR RECREATION AND AT TITUDES

TOWARD THE ENVIRONMENT
Children and adults who spend more time outside feel more connected to nature and demonstrate greater pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors (DeVille et al., 2021). More specifically, people who engage in nature-based outdoor recreation activities report greater recognition of the threat of climate change and greater support for climate policies (Knight & Hao, 2022). Thus, access to sustainable outdoor recreation, and to places and programs to connect with nature, are critical to promoting concern for environmental resilience in the face of climate change and other human-related environmental stressors. Outdoor recreation is a primary setting where people can foster a love of the environment and a desire to protect it.

However, outdoor recreation can pose wildfire risks. From 1992 to 2012, humans ignited the majority of wildfires in the state, creating more fires, extending the length of the typical fire season, and burning more acres than naturally occurring fires (Balch et al., 2017). While it is not known how many of these wildfires were recreation related, the need to create a system of sustainable recreation that mitigates the increasing risk of wildfires has never been more apparent.

Planting seedlings on the beach at California’s Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Credit: Nick Zachar, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 44

CASE STUDIES

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 45 The goal of Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship is to revitalize the communities of the Lost Sierra by building and maintaining a trail system that connects the communities to each other.

The economy of the Lost Sierra region was built over the last century around mining and logging operations in Plumas, Sierra, Butte, Lassen, and Nevada counties. With those industries largely gone from the region, Greg Williams, executive director of Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, recognized the opportunity to create a resilient recreation and tourism economy by restoring and adding to historic mining and logging routes to form a sustainable trail system. In 2003, Williams founded Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the mission of developing and maintaining trails, creating sustainable-wage local jobs, and providing community members and visitors with access to world-class sustainable outdoor recreation.

Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship’s current focus is the Connected Communities Project, which includes the Lost Sierra Route proposal, a 600-mile multi-use trail network linking 15 mountain community downtowns with the surrounding public lands. This ambitious trail planning and construction effort is taking place across California’s Plumas, Sierra, Butte, Lassen, and Nevada counties, as well as Washoe County in Nevada. To date, the organization has succeeded in building 125 miles of new trails and maintaining an additional 1,600 miles of existing trails. Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship employed 72 people in 2021 and has contributed 102,993 trail volunteer hours in total, mostly on federal public land. Their success would not be possible without robust partnerships with
the Tahoe, Plumas, Humboldt-Toiyabe, and
Lassen national forests and all of the counties,
cities, and citizen-led nongovernmental
groups in the region.

On July 13, 2021, the Dixie Fire broke out,
tearing through Butte, Plumas, Lassen, Shasta,
and Tehama counties over 103 days. The
fire grew to be the second largest wildfire in
California history, at nearly 1 million acres.

By the time it was contained, the Dixie Fire
had destroyed the town of Greenville and
burned two-thirds of the national forestland in
the Lost Sierra.

CASE STUDIES
SIERRA BUTTES TRAIL STEWARDSHIP: CONNECTED COMMUNITIES

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 46 Since the fire, Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship has seen its role in the region as providing the reason people will want to stay in, rebuild, and visit the communities of the Lost Sierra. The organization is back at work restoring and building trails and hosting festivals for residents and visitors. They realized that the trails they build may help reduce the risk of future catastrophic wildfire by serving as fire breaks and access points for vegetation management. Sustainable outdoor recreation will be the keystone in the recovery of these communities. Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship is leading the way.

Learn more about Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship at sierratrails.org The FIRE Foundry’s mission is to recruit, train, and deploy a local firefighting and civic service workforce that increases diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in the fire prevention and firefighting field in Marin County. Launched in 2022, the FIRE Foundry applies a learning-while-earning model that allows participants to explore career interests, learn from a tailored college curriculum, and apply emerging fire technologies while providing financial stability for its participants. FIRE Foundry crews train in firefighting, fire prevention, and vegetation management in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas of Marin County.

Their work protects open spaces, parklands, recreation facilities, water supply and energy infrastructure, homes, and businesses.

The FIRE Foundry is a collaboration between community colleges, leading universities, community organizations, and Marin County Fire to tackle the fundamental challenges of developing a diverse workforce that will work to protect communities from catastrophic wildfire and conserve the environment.

The FIRE Foundry collaborates with community partners to recruit young adults from underserved communities and backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in fire-related careers.

The FIRE Foundry offers sustainable wages and wraparound services to participants, including childcare, mental health and wellness support, food, housing, mentorship, peer-to-peer community engagement, and coaching. These wraparound services are incorporated to ensure that systemic barriers are not a factor in firefighting career paths and the upward economic mobility of FIRE Foundry participants, their families, and their communities. FIRE Foundry’s ultimate goal is to provide new career pathways to fire and conservation service and dismantle barriers that perpetuate poverty in local communities.

The FIRE Foundry organization is comprised of three programs: an education program, a work experience program, and a support services program. Recruits are onboarded into FIRE Foundry based on whether they are entry-level participants (not currently EMT certified) or advanced-level participants (have already

FIRE FOUNDRY

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 47 completed EMT certification). For the work experience program, Conservation Corps North Bay (CCNB) is the primary employment partner for FIRE Foundry and employs roughly 180 corps members on vegetation management and clearance crews each year. CCNB crews are representative of the communities they are serving, and thus have greater insight into the community-specific fire prevention, education, and response needs. Of CCNB’s FIRE Foundry recruits, 73% were unemployed on entry to their program, and 99% lived in low-income households. In addition, over 80% identify as races and ethnicities traditionally underrepresented in fire services in Marin County and California. If recruits meet the advanced-level qualification, they are eligible to apply for other work experience options such as Marin County dispatch, defensible space, and others. For the education program, the College of Marin (COM) is the primary partner for the FIRE Foundry and provides classes specifically catered to FIRE Foundry participants as they prepare for prerequisites for Fire Academy. COM not only caters its curriculum for the community served in the program, but also provides educational services such as counseling, tutoring, and other wraparound support for the participants to be successful.

With the opportunity of paid internships, different phases of recruits (entry level and advanced), and wraparound services, FIRE Foundry participants can navigate different phases of their career path into fire service. Each program within the Foundry is built as a year-long program. However, if individuals need more time to complete classes, transition to the next phase, or navigate other hurdles, they can apply for extensions to foster smoother transitions to their next steps.

All FIRE Foundry participants are supported through a financial aid application process to provide educational assistance, financial wellness workshops, and living wages during the program. Cohorts start in January and applications open in September. Positions will be filled on an as-need basis after January.

Learn more about FIRE Foundry by visiting firefoundry.org

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 48 In the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever before looked to the outdoors as a safe place to relax, exercise, and spend time with family. There was a surge of interest in camping at a time when many state and federal campgrounds limited their capacity or shut down entirely to minimize staff and visitors’ exposure to the virus or to mitigate wildfire risk.

In 2021, realizing that residents needed more access to camping, the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation (the Department) launched a supervised Overnight Family Camping program. Initially run as a pilot, the program has proven to be immensely popular. In the summer of 2022, more than 16,000 participants spent nights under the stars at Frank G. Bonelli Regional Park, Castaic Lake State Recreation Area, Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area, and Whittier Narrows Recreation Area. The Department selected these locations to be geographically dispersed throughout Los Angeles County, making camping accessible close to home. In addition to camping access, the program offers family-friendly activities including fishing, night hikes, live animal ambassadors, kayaking, and biking.

There are program staff available on site to help first-time campers learn basic camping skills. Recreation staff and security personnel interact with participants throughout the entire experience, ensuring the program is fun and safe.

The Overnight Camping Program provides an excellent opportunity for families to enjoy outdoor fun and learn new skills close to home.

To learn more about the program, please visit parks.lacounty.gov LOS ANGELES COUNT Y DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION:

OVERNIGHT FAMILY CAMPING PROGRAM

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 49

APPENDIX &

BIBLIOGRAPHY

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 50 Multi-benefit project: The Joint Strategy effort shares the definition of “multi-benefit project” from the Department of Conservation’s Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program (RFFC): “A project or activity which, by virtue of integrated design and planning, provides direct benefits to multiple local, regional, state, and federal strategic objectives. Multi-benefit wildfire and forest resilience projects can impact social, economic, and ecological outcomes, including social and cultural well-being, protecting and restoring tribal resources and practices, enhancing water security, forest resilience, biodiversity, workforce development, outdoor recreation and access, and carbon sequestration” (State of California Department of Conservation, 2022).

Sustainable outdoor recreation: The Joint Strategy effort shares the definition of “sustainable outdoor recreation” from the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region Sustainable Outdoor Recreation Collaborative: “Outdoor recreational opportunities and activities that are practiced responsibly such that impacts are minimized, manageable, and mitigable over time, and meet the evolving needs of present and future generations.”
Wildfire and forest resilience: The Joint Strategy effort shares the definition of “wildfire and forest resilience” from the Department of Conservation’s Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program (RFFCP):
“Wildfire and forest resilience refers broadly to social and ecological resilience of landscapes, communities, and resources to wildfire and related disturbances and stresses exacerbated by climate change. Social and ecological dynamics are connected and inherent to forests and communities, including but not limited to biodiversity, water quality, cultural resources, recreation, and forest related economies” (State of California Department of Conservation, 2022).

APPENDIX

DEFINITIONS

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 51 Balch, J. K., Bradley, B. A., Abatzoglou, J. T., Nagy, R. C., Fusco, E. J., & Mahood, A. L. (2017, March 14). Humanstarted wildfires expand the fire niche across the United States. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(11), 2946-2951. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1617394114 Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce. (2022). 2021--California, Outdoor Recreation Satellite Account. Retrieved November 14, 2022, from https://apps.bea.gov/data/special-topics/orsa/summarysheets/ORSA%20-%20California.pdf DeVille, N. V., Tomasso, L. P., Stoddard, O. P., Wilt, G. E., Horton, T. H., Wolf, K. L., Brymer, E., Kahn, Jr., P. H., & James, P. (2021, July 14). Time Spent in Nature Is Associated with Increased Pro-Environmental Attitudes and Behaviors. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(14). https://doi. org/10.3390/ijerph18147498
Executive Order N-82-20. (2020, October 7). https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/ uploads/2020/10/10.07.2020-EO-N-82-20-.pdf
Headwaters Economics. (2018, August). Economic Diversification and Outdoor Recreation in Bonner County. https:// headwaterseconomics.org/wp-content/uploads/report-bonner-county-economic-diversification.pdf Headwaters Economics. (2019, January). Recreation Counties Attracting New Residents and Higher Incomes. https:// headwaterseconomics.org/wp-content/uploads/recreation-counties-attract-report.pdf Kim, M.-K., & Jakus, P. M. (2019, June). Wildfire, national park visitation, and changes in regional economic activity.

Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 26, 34–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2019.03.007 Knight, K. W., & Hao, F. (2022, March 17). Is Outdoor Recreation Associated with Greater Climate Change Concern in the United States? Sustainability, 14(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063520 Mammoth Lakes Trails and Public Access Foundation. (2021, January). CALREC Vision: Cross-Jurisdictional Collaboration to Advance Sustainable Outdoor Recreation in California. https://mltpa.org/images/ downloads/025_34_CalRecVision_Final_2021_WEB.pdf
Miller, A. B., Winter, P. L., Sánchez, J. J., Peterson, D. L., & Smith, J. W. (2022, July). Climate Change and Recreation in the Western United States: Effects and Opportunities for Adaptation. Journal of Forestry, 120(4), 453-472. https://doi.org/10.1093/jofore/fvab072
National Recreation and Park Association. (2022). 2022 Engagement with Parks Report. Retrieved October 25, 2022, from https://www.nrpa.org/ contentassets/257fe28053c6420786927fcffc2f9996/2022engagementreport.pdf

BIBLIOGRAPHY

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 52 Outdoor Foundation. (2022, September 19). 2022 Outdoor Participation Trends Report. Retrieved October 25, 2022, from https://ip0o6y1ji424m0641msgjlfy-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/ uploads/2015/03/2022-Outdoor-Participation-Trends-Report-1.pdf Rosenberger, R. S., White, E. M., Kline, J. D., & Cvitanovich, C. (2017, August). Recreation Economic Values for Estimating Outdoor Recreation Economic Benefits From the National Forest System. https://www.fs.usda. gov/pnw/pubs/pnw_gtr957.pdf
State of California Department of Conservation. (2022, July 22). 2022 Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program Final Grant Guidelines. Retrieved December 12, 2022, from https://www.conservation.ca.gov/dlrp/grantprograms/Documents/2022%20RFFC%20Guidelines%20Final.pdf.

State of California & USDA, Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region. (2020). Agreement for Shared Stewardship of California’s Forest and Rangelands between the State of California and the USDA, Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region. https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/8.12.20-CA-SharedStewardship-MOU.pdf Taff, B. D., Rice, W. L., Lawhon, B., & Newman, P. (2021, December 17). Who Started, Stopped, and Continued Participating in Outdoor Recreation during the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States? Results from a National Panel Study. Land, 10(12), 1396. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10121396 U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Commerce, & Council on Environmental Quality. (2021). Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful. https://www.doi.gov/sites/ doi.gov/files/report-conserving-and-restoring-america-the-beautiful-2021.pdf U.S. Forest Service, USDA. (2010, June 25). Connecting People with America’s Great Outdoors: A Framework for Sustainable Recreation. https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5346549.pdf White, E. M., Bergerson, T. R., & Hinman, E. T. (2020). Research note: Quick assessment of recreation use and experience in the immediate aftermath of wildfire in a desert river canyon. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism, 29. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2019.100251

PHOTO CREDITS
Cover (Bottom): Ken Etzel

CALIFORNIA’S JOINT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE OUTDOOR RECREATION AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE 53 DECEMBER 2022
C A L I F O R N I A ’ S J O I N T S T R A T E G Y

F O R S U S T A I N A B L E O U T D O O R

RECREATION & WILDFIRE RESILIENCE

Agenda Item ________
File No. ____________

AGENDA BILL
Subject: Councilmember Reports
Initiated by: Jamie Gray
______________________________________________________________________ BACKGROUND:

Each member of the Town Council is appointed to serve as a Town representative to a number of committees, commissions, and organizations.

These groups meet infrequently and from time to time the representatives will report to the rest of the Council at a regularly scheduled meeting.

In addition, Councilmembers on occasion participate in meetings, conferences and seminars, and their reports on these educational opportunities are of benefit to the rest of the Council.

ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:

California Government Code requirements pertaining to the open meeting act stipulate that all items for discussion must be listed on the agenda before the matter can be discussed and/or acted upon. To meet this requirement, and the intent of the Brown Act, Councilmember Reports are listed on each agenda to allow representatives to report to the rest of the Council at these meetings.

The following is a list of the commission/committees on which members of the Council serve:

Land Use:

Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) – Rice, Truax, and Bubser as alternate
Airport Land Use Commission – Rice, Truax, and Bubser as the alternate Mono County Collaborative Planning Team (CPT) – Senior Planner Kim Cooke and Bubser and Truax as alternates
Intergovernmental Relations:

Town and County Liaison Committee – Bubser, Rice, and Town Manager and Sauser as alternate
Desert Mountain Division of the League of California Cities – Sauser and Town Manager as alternate
Eastern Sierra Council of Governments (ESCOG) – Bubser, Wentworth, and Sauser as alternate
Great Basin Unified Air Pollution Control District – Wentworth and Bubser as alternate

League of California Cities City Voting Delegate – Bubser and the Town Manager as the alternate
California Joint Powers Insurance Authority Board – Truax and Assistant to the Town Manager as alternate
Transportation:

Local Transportation Commission (LTC) – Bubser, Sauser, and Truax; Town Manager as alternate
Eastern Sierra Transit Authority (ESTA) Board – Bubser and Sauser Local Issues:

Mammoth Lakes Tourism (MLT) Board – Wentworth
Mammoth Lakes Recreation (MLR) Board – Truax
Eastern Sierra Community Housing Board – Rice
Treasury Oversight Committee – Finance Director; Town Manager as alternate LEGAL CONSIDERATIONS:

According to the California Open Meeting Act, commonly referred to as the Brown Act, the agenda must reflect every matter to be discussed by a governing body.

RECOMMENDATION(S):

This agenda bill is submitted for information only.

NOTICE OF MEETING OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES

OF MAMMOTH LAKES MUNICIPAL SERVICE CORPORATION
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Board of Trustees of the Mammoth Lakes Municipal Service Corporation will hold a meeting at 4:00 p.m. (to commence after the Town Council meeting on the same date) on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at the Council Chamber/Suite Z, Minaret Village Shopping Center, 437 Old Mammoth Road, Mammoth Lakes, California. The Board of Trustees will consider action on the following matters:

CALL TO ORDER
Trustees Brent Truax and John Wentworth, Treasurer Amanda Rice, Secretary Chris Bubser, and President Bill Sauser.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

POLICY MATTERS

1. Election of officers – President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

2. Accept the Annual Report.

CONSENT AGENDA

3. Approve the minutes of the meeting of February 21, 2024.

ADJOURNMENT
Dated: January 10, 2025 __________________________________ Jamie Gray, Town Clerk

1 Mammoth Lakes Municipal Service Corporation
Title: Receive and File Annual Report for Fiscal Year 23-24 Meeting Date: January 15, 2025
Prepared by: Rob Patterson, Town Manager
RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends the Board of Directors receive and file the annual report for fiscal year 23-24
BACKGROUND:

The Mammoth Lakes Municipal Service Corporation (Corporation) was established by the Mammoth Lakes Town Council. While a separate legal entity the Corporation is governed by the Town Councilmembers sitting on the Board of the Corporation. Town Staff provide the required staff support in the capacities required by the Corporation. The Corporation was created to provide the Town with a legal structure for the issuance of certain types of debt. The Corporation was used most recently in February 2024 when the Corporation met to authorize the execution of certain lease financing documents for use in the issuance of certain types of debt. The request was for the issuance of Certificates of Participation to fund the new Town Office ($25 million) and Land Purchase ($4.5 million). This type of financing uses a lease structured deal between the Town and the Corporation to provide a consistent funding source for the Corporation to fund the annual debt service. The following documents were approved on February 21, 2024.

Site and Facility Lease - The Town leases the Community Recreation Center, Police Station, Corporate Yard, and Transit Center to the Corporation, which serves as the straw man for the lease-leaseback.

Lease Agreement - The agreement allows for the Town to lease back the property described above with a term through June 1, 2049. The agreement requires the Town to make semiannual lease payments and requires the Town to insure and maintain all properties throughout the term of the lease.

Assignment Agreement – The agreement between the Corporation and U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, is for the benefit of the owners of the certificates of participation, certain of its rights under the Lease Agreement, including its right to receive lease payments from the Town.

Trust Agreement - The agreement which the trustee will hold, invest, and disburse the proceeds of the certificates of participation and will collect lease payments from the Town for disbursement to the investors.

2 These agreements were approved by the Corporation as part of the preliminary steps necessary for the corporation to initiate the sale of certificates of participation funding the requested debt. The debt issuance was completed on July 17, 2024, and will be included in the FY24-25 annual report.

The Corporation was used for the acquisition of the following debt, which is the subject of this annual report. The issuance of Installment Sales Agreement (2017) for Multi-Use Facility construction, Taxable Judgement Obligation Bonds (2017) for MLLA Settlement refinance and Lease-Revenue Bonds (2015) as part of the financing for the police facility.

Prior to these activities, the Corporation has not engaged in activity since 2000. This report provides information on the assets, liabilities, and financial activity of the Corporation for FY23-24.

Asset and Revenues:

The Corporation has no assets or cash. The only revenue are lease payments, made by the Town of Mammoth Lakes and Measure R – Sales Tax, which are essentially a pass through for payment to service long-term debt.

Liabilities:

The Corporation has long-term debt issued for three separate purposes two supported by lease payments from the Town of Mammoth Lakes and one from Measure R – Sales Tax Revenue. The first debt was issued in August 2015 for $3,550,000 with a 15-year term and interest rate of 3.51%. This debt was secured to refund outstanding Certificates of Participation issued in 2000 for the purchase of the Bell-Shaped Property as well as funding a portion of the construction of new police facilities. This debt was secured by the Town’s corporation yard while the new police facility was under construction. The outstanding balance of this debt as of 6/30/2024 is $0. The second debt issued October 2017 for $23,995,000 with an 18-year term and interest rate of 1.75 – 4.375%. This debt was secured to refinance MLLA Settlement Debt. The outstanding balance of this debt as of 6/30/2024 is $17,585,000. The third debt was issued in October 2017 for $5,500,000 with a 10-year term and interest rate of 2.23%. This debt was secured to support construction of the MultiUse Facility and is funded by Measure R Sales Tax. The outstanding balance of this debt as of 6/30/2024 is $2,345,000.

Changes in assets or liabilities within the year:

The Corporation had an outstanding loan obligation at the beginning of fiscal year 23-24 of $23,564,000 for all three long term obligations. The debt was reduced by scheduled payments (principal) of $1,944,000. These transactions are described in more detail below.

Annual Statement of Certain Transactions:

Long Term Debt – Lease Revenue Bond (2015)
The Corporation has received two lease payments from the Town of Mammoth Lakes and has subsequently made two scheduled payments totaling $314,900.25 in debt service for Lease Revenue Bond (2015) last fiscal year. These payments reduced the outstanding principal amount to $1,690,000 with 6 years remaining on the term.

3 Principal $ 249,000.00
Interest $ 65,900.25
Total debt service payments $ 314,900.25
On June 18, 2024, the Town performed a debt defeasance on the Lease Revenue Bond (2015) Police Facility – Refinance COP. The purpose of the debt defeasance is to remove the debt obligation from the Town’s debt service payments and to consider the asset, in this case the police facility, eligible to use as collateral for another loan. The Town did enter into debt for a new Town Hall facility in FY24-25, utilizing the police facility as one of the assets securing the debt. The process for debt defeasance requires an escrow account be opened containing the principal amount owed and any outstanding interest payments.

The debt is not paid off in full when the escrow is created, however the proceeds of the escrow continue to make the payments as scheduled, or until a call date where the debt can be paid. In this case, the call date is 10 years, ending August 4, 2025. As all funds are in an escrow, held by a third party, the debt is considered paid from the Town’s perspective when the escrow was opened on 6/18/2024. The following details:

4 Principal $1,690,000.00
Interest to August 4, 2025, 65,868.66
Rounding 0.34
Total $1,755,869.00
Long Term Debt – Taxable Judgement Obligation Bonds (2017) The Corporation has received two lease payments from the Town of Mammoth Lakes and has subsequently made two scheduled payments totaling $1,868,406 in debt service for Taxable Judgement Obligation Bonds (2017) last fiscal year. These payments reduced the outstanding principal amount to $17,585,000 with 11.5 years remaining on the term.

Principal $1,140,000.00
Interest $ 731,112.50
Total debt service payments $1,871,112.50

5 Long Term Debt – Installment Sales Agreement (2017)
The Corporation has received two lease payments from Measure R – Sales Tax and has subsequently made two scheduled payments totaling $615,747 in debt service for Installment Sales Agreement (2017) last fiscal year. These payments reduced the outstanding principal amount to $2,345,000 with 3.5 years remaining on the term.

Principal $555,000.00
Interest $ 58,481.75
Total debt service payments $613,481.75
All payments are current on the outstanding debt and are being paid in accordance with the following schedule of payments.

6

7

8

MAMMOTH LAKES MUNICIPAL SERVICE CORPORATION

MINUTES OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
FEBRUARY 21, 2024
Town Clerk’s Notice of Meeting dated February 16, 2024

CALL TO ORDER
President Bill Sauser called the meeting to order at 7:06 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 437 Old Mammoth Road, Suite Z, Mammoth Lakes, California. The Board was present in its entirety with Trustees Sarah Rea and John Wentworth, Treasurer Amanda Rice, Secretary Chris Bubser, and President Bill Sauser in attendance.

PUBLIC COMMENTS
There were no public comments given at this time.

POLICY MATTERS

1. Adopt the Resolution approving the form and authorizing execution of certain lease financing documents in connection with the offering and sale of certificates of participation relating thereto to finance the cost of construction and equipping a new town facility and the cost of acquiring certain land and improvements and authorizing and directing certain actions with respect thereto.

Town Manager Daniel C. Holler outlined the information in the staff report.

ACTION:

It was moved by Trustee John Wentworth, seconded by Secretary Chris Bubser, and carried by a 5-0 roll call vote to adopt the Resolution approving the form and authorizing execution of certain lease financing documents in connection with the offering and sale of certificates of participation relating thereto to finance the cost of construction and equipping a new town facility and the cost of acquiring certain land and improvements and authorizing and directing certain actions with respect thereto.

Mammoth Lakes Municipal Service Corporation Minutes
February 21, 2024

CONSENT AGENDA

2. Approve the minutes of the meeting of January 3, 2024.

ACTION:

It was moved by Trustee John Wentworth, seconded by Treasurer Amanda Rice, and carried by a 5-0 roll call vote to approve the minutes of the meeting of January 3, 2024.

ADJOURNMENT
The Board adjourned the meeting at 7:11 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Jamie Gray
Town Clerk