Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve

In 2012 Sonoma County Regional Parks adopted a Master Plan for the Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve. The plan established long-term guidelines and standards for natural resource protection and development of appropriate public recreational and educational uses on the property. In conjunction with the Master Plan, the property was rezoned and redesignated in the County General Plan. The Cooper Creek Addition adds to the territory originally described in the Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve Master Plan. The Cooper Creek Addition is located in southeast Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California. The 54-acre property is positioned northwest of and directly adjacent to the existing Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve boundary. The property is within the City of Santa Rosa limits, south of Highway 12 and east of Highway 101. Assessor's Parcel Numbers: 042-120-012, 042-120-013, 042-120-014. The parcel is bounded by a cemetery to the north, Ragle Ranch subdivision and City of Santa Rosa water storage facility to the west, Holland Heights residential development to the east, and Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve to the south. The addition ranges in elevation from approximately 240 feet at the northern boundary to 465 feet on the southern ridgeline. Cooper Creek bisects the property, flowing north through a canyon formed by the Rodgers Creek Fault before entering culverted sections in developed areas downstream. The existing natural conditions of the Cooper Creek property is similar to those present within the rest of Taylor Mountain Regional Park. Valley Oak woodland is the only vegetation type present with in the Cooper Creek parcel not present in the existing park; however, there are other oak woodlands types across the park. The headwaters of Cooper Creek flows through a portion of the existing park. A number of social trails are present on the property, including a steep segment near the entrance, along the eastern edge of Cooper Creek, and along the ridgeline. The ridgeline trail connects with the adjacent Taylor Mountain Regional Park and Open Space Preserve. Unauthorized camping and other prohibited uses have previously occurred on the property and are likely to be on-going issues in the future. The Cooper Creek Addition to the project would include creation of trails and trail connections, trailhead and parking (on City of Santa Rosa property), and wayfinding and interpretative signage. Proposed resource management practices would also occur within the area. Public Access Infrastructure Trails and Trail Connections: • Construct 1.8 miles of multi-use trails to bring visitors to the existing Taylor Mountain trail network. The 1.8 miles would be combination of new trail or upgrade of existing social trails to formal network trails. Trail construction would occur in two phases. • Multi-use trails would be approximately five feet wide. Trails would be constructed with a natural compacted native soil and or aggregate surface with natural drainage features. • Construct two trail crossings of Cooper Creek and one crossing of an ephemeral tributary drainage using methods to minimize streambank and bed erosion. Methods may include a bridge, culvert, or rock ford. • Approximately 0.6 miles of unauthorized social trails would be decommissioned and stabilized with erosion control, woody debris, and restoration plantings as needed. Trailhead and Parking: • A new neighborhood trailhead and parking area would be constructed on City of Santa Rosa property (Allan Way). The parking lot would have five parking spaces and one ADA-accessible parking stalls. • The trailhead would have an informational kiosk, trail map, regulatory and other signage, waste receptacles, and bike racks. • Emergency access would occur via a gated access point on Allan Way. Wayfinding and Interpretation: • Trail directional signage would be placed at junctions and access points. • Interpretive and educational would be installed. Park boundary markers and regulatory signage would also be installed. Resource Management Activities The 2026 Natural and Cultural Resource Management Plan includes management activities across the Cooper Addition. These activities would include vegetation management, livestock grazing and management, and habitat enhancement activities. Monitoring and adaptive management activities would be implemented. Vegetation Management: • Invasive species control, focusing on French broom (Genista monspessulana), Himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), and wild plum (Prunus cerasifera) in riparian corridors, would be implemented. • Native plant restoration and erosion control would be implemented at trail creek crossings and in areas disturbed during construction activities. • Native valley oak (Quercus lobata) regeneration would be monitored and protection measures implemented based on monitoring results. • Native grassland enhancement would occur in identified priority areas. Livestock Grazing: • Grazing within the Cooper Creek Addition would be integrated into the existing Taylor Mountain grazing management program. • Seasonal cattle grazing would be used for fuel load reduction and native grassland management as described in and guided by the grazing management plan. • Future fencing modifications would be implemented if monitoring indicates changes are necessary to protect sensitive resources. Habitat Enhancement: • Erosion control measures would be implemented at key locations identified during ongoing monitoring. • Riparian corridor restoration would occur following invasive species removal activities. • Seasonal wetlands would be protected on the site, including the existing wetland near western property boundary. • Valley oak planting and protection from browsing would occur if monitoring indicated natural regeneration is insufficient. Monitoring and Adaptive Management: • Monitoring as required in the Taylor Mountain Master Plan Section 5.13, Table 4 to track park use and natural community changes including the following monitoring focus areas: habitats and native plants; pathogens and invasive plants; native wildlife; invasive wildlife; erosion, grazing, and park use effects. • High priority monitoring for the Cooper Creek Addition includes the following: o Extent of native grassland stands o Extent of invasive plant populations o Natural regeneration of oaks and other native plants o Livestock grazing effects on native plant cover and erosion o Impacts of trails and public use on the condition along the stream corridor Project Operations Public Access: • Park would be open daily, from sunrise to sunset, consistent with Taylor Mountain operating hours. Department or partner led night programming (star gazing, etc.) would only occur with staff or docents • Dogs would be allowed on leash only. • Bicycles would be allowed on designated multi-use trails when soil and other conditions allow. • Equestrian use would be allowed on designated trails where terrain, soil, and other conditions allow. Maintenance Activities: • Trail maintenance would include drainage feature clearing, vegetation trimming, and erosion repair. Addition Phasing Proposed trail construction would occur in phases. Phase 1, Cooper Creek Trail, would be constructed first followed by Phase 2, Cooper Creek Loop. Phase 2 is a future phase dependent on funding availability. Phase 1 would include construction of a 1-mile multi-use trail that would begin at the trailhead on Allan Way along with a small parking area. The trail would connect to the Linwood Trail in the larger Taylor Mountain Regional Park. This trailhead would provide walk-in/bike in entry. Phase 1 would also include social trail decommissioning. Phase 2 would include construction of a one-mile loop trail and installation of two trail bridges across Cooper Creek.