Council directs feasibility study for proposed Moulton Meadows pump track after robust public debate

Laguna Beach — The city council on July 22 voted unanimously to direct staff to pursue a feasibility study and community outreach for a proposed pump track near the northwest corner of Moulton Meadows Park, and to coordinate with Orange County Parks and the Orange County Mountain Bike Association on design, grant opportunities and potential land-transfer or habitat mitigation options.

The proposal: The pump-track concept, a rubberized asphalt looped track for bicycles and other non-motorized wheeled users, was presented to the council after months of Recreation Committee discussion and organized outreach. Supporters said it would give youth and families a safe, locally accessible skills area and reduce illicit dirt jump construction on open slopes. Opponents cautioned that the proposed parcel is adjacent to county wilderness parkland and contains invasive vegetation and wildlife corridors; some urged locating a track on flatter, already disturbed sites.

Council action: With strong public turnout and more than 300 written comments received, the council directed staff to start a feasibility study that includes: (1) an engineering check on grading and retaining-wall needs for the city-owned parcel adjacent to the site; (2) an evaluation of the alternative county parcel configuration to determine whether a land-swap or mitigation (restoration of other habitat) could achieve a net environmental benefit; (3) refined cost estimates and preliminary financing scenarios (private donors, grants, and possible city contributions); and (4) continued public outreach and early Coastal Commission coordination where applicable. The council asked staff to return with an estimated engineering cost and rough order-of-magnitude budget before committing to construction.

Why it matters: The project touches park use, youth recreation, open-space stewardship and wildfire/habitat policy. Supporters argued it would be a family-serving amenity and relieve trail impacts. Opponents said the proposed footprint sits next to remnant habitat and that the county’s resource-management plan could limit uses.

What’s next: Staff will schedule engineering feasibility work, an environmental scoping check and additional neighborhood outreach; the council asked that a preliminary report include a high-level cost estimate and a description of likely permitting and mitigation needs. Council members said they favored moving the concept forward quickly but asked staff to identify a “win-win” plan that restores degraded habitat while providing the amenity.

Meeting context: The discussion followed a lengthy public-comment period in which local residents, mountain-bike advocates, industry sponsors and conservation groups testified. The Recreation Committee had previously recommended the northwest Moulton Meadows parcel as the preferred site; however the parcel sits partly on county-controlled lands and is adjacent to the Aliso and Woods Canyons Wilderness Park.