Countywide Trails Master Plan Map Update

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Staff contact
Rebecca Coates-Maldoon, Countywide Trails Program Manager
[email protected]

Background

The Countywide Trails Master Plan was adopted by the Board of Supervisors in 1995. Certain portions of the Countywide Trails Master Plan, including the Countywide Trails Master Plan Map, are incorporated into the County General Plan, also adopted in 1995. The Countywide Trails Master Plan envisions a comprehensive network of regional, sub-regional, and connector trails throughout Santa Clara County. Although responsibility for the actual construction and long-term management of each individual trail varies, the Department provides general oversight and coordination of the overall trails system.

In 2022, the Parks Department began the Countywide Trails Master Plan Map Update planning process. The Countywide Trails Master Plan includes a map and information on conceptual trail routes in Santa Clara County, and the Map Update focused on updating these components to reflect current planning and support implementation of the Countywide trails network.

Since the Countywide Trails Master Plan was developed in 1995, trail segments have been refined and implemented on the ground, local governments have adopted new trail plans, new public lands have been acquired, mapping and landscape-level understanding of trail feasibility has improved substantially, additional constraints and opportunities have been identified for trail implementation, and potential new trails have been identified that may serve a regional purpose. The Map Update considered these types of changes while remaining centered around improving regional connectivity and maintaining the core vision of the Countywide Trails Master Plan.

The Map Update process included extensive public and stakeholder outreach in 2023 on conceptual trail routes and trail prioritization. County Parks worked to incorporate feedback and released the Draft Map Update for additional public and stakeholder input from June 18-July 18, 2024. In August 2024, the County Parks and Recreation approved forwarding the Map Update to the County Board of Supervisors for consideration through the Housing, Land Use, Environment, and Transportation (HLUET) Committee. In September 2024, the County Planning Commission approved forwarding a favorable recommendation to the Board of Supervisors regarding amending the Santa Clara County General Plan to update the official Countywide Trails Master Plan Map. In October 2024, the HLUET Committee received a report on the Map Update. 

Location

The Countywide Trails Master Plan Map Update includes trails of countywide significance throughout the entirety of Santa Clara County.

Map Update status and materials

The County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors approved the final Countywide Trails Master Plan Map Update on December 3, 2024. 

• Countywide Trails Master Plan Map (December 2024). This map replaces the 1995 Countywide Trails Master Plan Map in the County's General Plan and Countywide Trails Master Plan.
• Countywide Trails Master Plan Map Update Document (December 2024). This document summarizes the Map Update changes and includes updates to information in the Countywide Trails Master Plan that directly relate to the conceptual countywide trail routes and regional staging areas in the Map Update.
• CEQA Addendum.

Reference Materials

• Countywide Trails Master Plan (1995)
• Countywide Trails Master Plan Map (1995)
• Countywide Trails Master Plan Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (1995)
• Countywide Trails Master Plan Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (1995)

The Countywide Trails Master Plan Map Update is currently available in English only. Please email [email protected] for document translation services.

Past public meetings

County Parks presented the Map Update to the County Parks and Recreation Commission, Planning Commission, Housing, Land Use, Environment, and Transportation Committee, and Board of Supervisors. County Parks also held meetings to receive in-depth public and stakeholder feedback on the draft Map Update. In addition, County Parks presented the Map Update to Commissions and advisory boards as an informational item. These meetings and presentations were held in both in person and virtual formats and included both daytime and evening timeslots. Materials from prior meetings are linked below.

Past County meetings

Past informational presentations