Hidden Falls expansion to boost amenities and trail network

Planning Commission to hold Public

UPDATED: In order to ensure ample time for public review of the proposed Hidden Falls Regional Park Trails Expansion Project, Parks staff will request the Planning Commission to continue the item from Sept. 24 to Oct. 22.

AUBURN, Calif. – The Placer County Planning Commission will hold a public meeting on the Final Subsequent Environmental Impact Report for the county’s proposed Hidden Falls Regional Park Trails Expansion Project on Sept. 24 (now Oct. 22) in North Auburn.

The SEIR details the proposed expansion of Hidden Falls’ natural-surface, multi-use trail network onto approximately 2,765 additional acres of land owned by either the Placer Land Trust or Placer County, or where the county owns easements.

⤹ Sacramento Oct 18- 20, 2024 ⤸

⤹ Sacramento Oct 18- 20, 2024 ⤸

⤹ Sacramento Oct 18- 20, 2024 ⤸

⤹ Sacramento Oct 18- 20, 2024 ⤸

Approximately 30 miles of trails (including existing and proposed trails) within the expansion areas would be added to the 30 miles of existing trails within the current park boundary.

Amenities

Two new parking areas and an additional overflow area within the existing Hidden Falls Park parking area are also proposed, as well as other amenities such as bridges, overlooks, picnic benches and tables, restrooms, drinking fountains and equestrian facilities.

Reduced Project

After a series of public meetings and further analysis of the original proposed project the Parks Division modified its proposal and is recommending to the Board of Supervisors a reduced project.

The reduced project includes: a limitation on the development of the Twilight Ride parking area to only 54 automobile parking spaces and 20 equestrian spaces, reduction of parking availability and use of the Garden Bar entrance, and use of the existing dirt parking area off Curtola Ranch Road for Harvego Preserve docent-led tours. The proposed spaces reflect an approximately 60 percent reduction in the number of spaces studied by the SEIR.

The reduced project would not increase the frequency of docent-led tours in the Harvego Preserve beyond what is currently allowed (12 per year), and would not include parking or trail access improvements off of Curtola Ranch Road.

Parking

The project includes 25 additional overflow parking spaces within the existing Hidden Falls Park parking area off of Mears Drive in North Auburn.

The public meeting on the Final SEIR will be held at the Placer County Community Development Center, Planning Commission Room, 3091 County Center Drive, in North Auburn.

Public Meeting

The Placer County Planning Commission meeting will be held at 4 p.m. on Sept. 24. The meeting agenda and public participation details are available on the Planning Commission webpage, here.

The purpose of the meeting is to provide responsible and trustee agencies, residents, civic organizations and other interested parties with an opportunity to provide comments on the Final SEIR and the proposed project.

The county will conduct a Board of Supervisors hearing this fall to decide upon the certification of the SEIR, as well as the proposed conditional use permit modification. The CUP modification will cover both the existing Hidden Falls Regional Park as well as the Trails Expansion area.

The SEIR is available online, and paper copies are also available for public review during normal business hours at the following locations:

Placer County Community Development Resource Agency
3091 County Center Drive, Suite 190, Auburn, CA 95603
Office hours: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays

Placer County Clerk-Recorder’s Office
2954 Richardson Drive, Auburn, CA 95603
Office hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Friday