The Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department announced Monday it will take initial public comments and input in February for public access to the Coyote Highlands-Coyote Canyon properties.
The primary goal of the planning effort is to investigate the properties to determine existing conditions, opportunities and constraints, and to present recommendations that facilitate opening the properties to public access immediately following plan adoption, ideally by spring or summer 2019.
The properties are located east of Morgan Hill and are naturally undeveloped areas in unincorporated Santa Clara County. The 2,753-acre acquisition provides a regionally significant ecological link, connecting north to Anderson Lake County Park, east to Henry Coe State Park, and Coyote Lake-Harvey Bear Ranch County Park to the south. Coyote Creek bisects the Coyote Canyon portion of the property.
The county purchased the property for about $25.1 million in 2016.
Santa Clara County staff are expected to complete an informative, fact-based investigation to find the most suitable property access solution for the public while at the same time balancing natural resource management goals.
Planning efforts will include:
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A recommended Interim Public Access Plan;
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A Development of Natural Resource Management Concepts (NRM Plan) that considers the long-term management and enhancement of natural resources within the properties;
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A Grazing Plan expected to identify infrastructure and resources to support cattle grazing on the property;
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A California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document to allow immediate construction following final approval by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.
The parks and recreation department plan will be present at the County Parks and Recreation Commission meeting Feb. 7 for initial comments and input. The meeting will be held at the Isaac Newton Auditorium in the County Government Center at 70 West Hedding Street, San Jose.
Additional opportunities for input will be available during future meetings in the summer. For more information, visit sccgov.org/sites/parks/PlansProjects/introduction/Pages/coyote-highlands.aspx.
