Nevada County is embarking on the development of a countywide Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan. The plan is not only a first for Nevada County, but also one of the first of its kind in the state of California to comprehensively integrate solutions for adapting to extreme weather, wildfire, drought and other impacts as part of planning for parks, trails, open spaces and recreation amenities. Sierra Nevada Conservancy has awarded $200,000 through the Vibrant Recreation and Tourism Grant Program for this effort. Nevada County has also allocated $250,000 through American Rescue Plan Act funds.
“The Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan will be an essential tool to further sustainability and quality of life in Nevada County,” explains Supervisor Hardy Bullock. “Our recreation infrastructure can promote climate and wildfire resilience as well as community health and carry out our community’s vision of how we want to live, work and play.”
Over the next 12- to 18-months, input from all residents is needed - including seniors, students, families, youth, regional partners, and more. Interested community members are invited to sign up to receive an invitation to take the online survey and notifications on the plan’s progress and opportunities to contribute at www.NevadaCountyCA.gov/Recreation.
“Participation will be key to ensuring this plan is successful and widely reflects our community’s needs and values,” said Board Chair Sue Hoek. “We are prioritizing ways to make participation easy through personal outreach, online surveys and in-person or virtual workshops. Currently, we are conducting stakeholder interviews and focus groups with over 90 organizations.”
About the Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan
In addition to identifying recreation needs and articulating a long-term vision for managing open spaces and recreation resources, the plan’s recommendation and projects will integrate strategies to do the following:
- Reduce the county’s risk of natural disasters like wildfire, flooding, and extreme heat;
- Provide support for state and federal first responders in the event of a disaster;
- Facilitate healthy lifestyles; and
- Establish compelling public spaces that contribute to the county’s economy and sense of place.
Inspired by the spirit of Nevada County, the plan will identify specific project recommendations along with funding sources and strategies to implement them. Partnerships with tribal interests, recreation districts, Tahoe National Forest, California State Parks, BLM, Nevada Irrigation District, land trusts, and non-profit organizations engaged in local recreation, arts, health and wellness, conservation, forest health, and management of open space and trails will be developed and leveraged to move projects forward.
Design Workshop, based in South Lake Tahoe, is the prime consultant for the Nevada County Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan. The national firm is a planning and design studio with over 25 years of experience working with counties, cities, and towns to integrate landscape architecture, recreation planning, and strategic services.
About Nevada County’s Recreation Objective
Recreation became the Board of Supervisors’ newest objective in 2022 to promote recreation with our partners, enhance recreational access, support health and safety, preserve our natural resources and support economic growth from jobs to tourism that all benefit from recreation. The Recreation and Resiliency Master Plan will serve as a tool to organize and prioritize county-wide recreational resources that can sustain our environment, people and economy.