OHV PARKS EXPLORED
Yolo County looking for alternatives to Cache Creek for off-highway vehicle use
The Yolo County Board of Supervisors were presented with two concepts for off-highway vehicle parks last week to mitigate the impacts currently occurring in Cache Creek, including environmental degradation and noise, safety and illegal trespassing issues.
A 15-mile walk of lower Cache Creek during the annual inspection by the Cache Creek Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) identified the area has experienced extensive damage due to OHV riders, according to Casey Liebler, natural resources planner.
“A lot of native vegetation has been trampled, run over and crushed,” Andrew Rayburn, riparian biologist for the TAC team, said. “OHV riders are actually removing native trees. They are using chainsaws to cut down trees and shrubs to make these roads.”
Rayburn noted that the TAC team also directly observed wildlife disturbance from the OHVs, including during the animals’ nesting and breeding season, which can reduce the survival of their young.
“Of course, there is also the strong potential of injury or death if the native wildlife are unable to get out of the way of the OHVs or if the OHVs plow through the habitat then the animals are no longer able to use that particular body of water or stand of vegetation,” Rayburn emphasized.
The TAC team also found water quality impacted due to gasoline, oil and other petroleum products that have the potential to enter the creek over time.
After conducting a comprehensive, almost 200-page study, staff developed what they called a “Gateway” concept and the “330-acre park” concept as alternatives to dissuade people away from Cache Creek. Staff also held two surveys to gauge riders’ interests and a stakeholder workshop to get feedback on results to get as much information about what is important to riders as possible.
The Gateway OHV Access Park, or Gateway concept, would allow access to the Knoxville OHV area from Yolo County through the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.
“Using this concept, it would be about 15 miles, so it’s more about creating a connection across federal land from Yolo County,” said Tania Treis, who executed the environmental analysis for the park concepts. “Currently if riders want to use Knoxville it requires that they drive over 50 miles.”
The Gateway concept would include a small public facility with parking and other simple amenities. With this concept, access would be along Road 40 through Berryessa Snow Mountain and then connect to Morgan Valley Road in Lake County to get to Knoxville.
Treis noted that this project would not require any changes to uses in Berryessa, however land use and environmental constraints such as sensitive or cultural resources and development limitation within a flood zone still need to be further explored.
Staff also developed a conceptual standalone 330-acre park with a focus on motorcycle and ATV riding and a 4×4 area.
“The framing of this park was based on extensive background research and rider surveys in order to understand and develop a concept that would create an experience within Yolo County that would attract the ridership needed to divert folks away from the lower Cache Creek and could be a facility that would be selfsustaining,” Treis explained.
Currently, no locations have been identified as potential sites for an OHV park, but Treis said some regions have been analyzed as possibilities. Like the Gateway concept, several key constraints were identified during attempts to pinpoint a location that would be suitable and
“Currently, no locations have been identified as potential sites for an OHV park, but some regions have been analyzed as possibilities.” — Tania Treis
still encompass the desirable factors voiced by riders during surveys.
Some main constraints include ensuring the site is far enough away from residential areas to minimize dust and noise levels, having good access for emergencies in case of injury or fire hazard and ensuring the land chosen does not conflict with any local natural resource plans or known cultural resources.
After discussion and input from the TAC team that OHV use at Cache Creek was not feasible or consistent with the wildlife preservation being done, supervisors passed a motion to direct staff to bring back a proposed ordinance prohibiting OHV use at Cache Creek.
Supervisors also agreed that continuing to explore options for an OHV park was important and passed a motion to direct staff to continue to develop the two concepts presented to the board along with other options and partnerships that may be available.
“It is a growing demand in our community, not for everybody, but there is growing interest,” Supervisor Oscar Villegas said. “I think we can provide a real landing spot for folks to enjoy themselves. I think this is worth exploring to the next level.”