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Oroville park district shows limited available SPF cash; Bridal Freeman trail grant may leave a shortfall if private parcels excluded
Summary
Feather River Recreation Park District account shows about $45,097.59 available after encumbrances; National Park Service/State Parks review could fund only connected public parcels of the Bridal Freeman (missing link) trail, leaving an approximate shortfall of up to 15% that the district may consider covering if feasible.
The Feather River Recreation Park District’s SPF account was shown in the committee packet as having a total cash balance listed at roughly $450,009.97, with encumbrances and commitments reducing available funds to $45,097.59, a district or packet figure presented to the steering committee on July 23.
A district representative told the committee that the park district has a pending application with the National Park Service (NPS) and State Parks for funds to support the Bridal Freeman missing-link trail project. The district was advised that NPS/State Parks funding would only apply to connected public parcels within the project footprint; where the trail passes through a checkerboard of private and public parcels, funding may not cover disconnected segments.
"If the connected parcels are eligible, staff will need to go back and based on some percentage formula... we would go back and revise the request for funding to be closer to that 85%. That does leave a 15% shortfall in the total project," the district presenter said, summarizing the state’s guidance on applying a connected-parcel percentage to an award.
Committee members discussed two potential ways to reduce the private-parcel barrier: landowners could dedicate or convey necessary parcels to a public agency, or the district could absorb some of the shortfall to complete the project. The presenter said Blackwell and Gibson are the two private properties that factor into the alignment; the presenter noted a will that had previously offered an easement on the Gibson parcel but said current ownership and title issues would need to be confirmed.
District members expressed willingness to consider assisting if the shortfall is modest. "If it's significant 15 to 20%, the district is in no position to cover that shortfall," the district presenter said. But one committee member said if landowner permission and title matters can be resolved the SPF may help under its mission to advance connected river and trail projects.
No new grant awards or land transactions were approved at the July meeting. Staff said they will return with refined parcel maps and a revised funding request showing the percentage of eligible connected parcels if funding is released for a portion of the project.
