Initial Study MND - Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and ...

Taylor MountainINITIAL STUDY/MITIGATED NEGATIVE DECLARATIONB. Initial StudyB.1 Project DescriptionThe project is a proposed Master Plan for the Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open SpacePreserve. The plan will establish long-term guidelines and standards for natural resourceprotection and development of appropriate public recreational and educational uses on theproperty. In conjunction with the Master Plan, the property will be rezoned and redesignatedin the County General Plan.B.1.1 Project Information and OverviewProject Title & SponsorsTaylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve Master PlanSonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space DistrictSonoma County Regional Parks DepartmentCEQA Lead Agency Name and AddressSonoma County Agricultural Preservationand Open Space District747 Mendocino Avenue, Suite 100Santa Rosa, CA 95401Lead Agency Contact PersonSara Press, Sonoma County AgriculturalPreservation and Open Space DistrictSara.Press@sonoma-county.org(707) 565-7360Property OwnerSonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space DistrictProject OverviewThe proposed project is adoption and implementation of a Master Plan for the Taylor MountainRegional Park and Open Space Preserve to address the natural resources on Taylor Mountainand the appropriate long-term public recreational use of the property. The Sonoma CountyAgricultural Preservation and Open Space District (District) will transfer ownership of theproperty to Sonoma County Regional Parks Department (Regional Parks) while retaining aconservation easement in order to ensure protection of the conservation values in perpetuity.Regional Parks will ultimately implement the comprehensive park and open space preservemaster plan and the District will monitor consistency with the conservation easement andconformance with the master plan.The property, now designated as the Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve(“the Preserve”), is public land acquired for the preservation of the many natural resources onthe property and the long-term recreational use of the community. The proposed TaylorMountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve Master Plan (Master Plan) outlines the visionfor both the conservation of natural resources and the provision for appropriate public accessand use of the land. The design concepts for the Preserve were generated after considerableSeptember 2012 B-1 Final