In 1953, the California Highway Commission, by Resolution recorded September 9, 1953 in Book 2215 Page 279, relinquished to the County Carquinez Road (formerly State Route 14) between the Crockett and Martinez. Carquinez Road was later renamed Carquinez Scenic Drive and was maintained as a County street. In 1983, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors (Board) authorized the indefinite closure of a 1.7-mile section of Carquinez Scenic Drive, due to storm damage. On November 30, 2004, the Board adopted Traffic Resolution No. 2004/4093 approving the closure of the road in order to prevent nighttime criminal activity. The above-described section of Carquinez Scenic Drive is more particularly described in the legal description and map attached as Exhibit A to the attached Resolution.
The County no longer requires the right-of-way for the above-described section of Carquinez Scenic Drive for County street purposes. The above-described section of Carquinez Scenic Drive is impassible for vehicle travel, and, for at least the past five years, no County funds have been used to maintain that segment of roadway as a County street. Public Works Department staff concluded there are no known public utility facilities within the above-described section of Carquinez Scenic Drive.
East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) desires to convert the above-described 1.7-mile section of Carquinez Scenic Drive to a Class I multi-use bicycle/pedestrian trail, and to repair the existing pavement with slope stability improvements (the “Project”). On or about March 13, 2012, the County and EBRPD entered into a memorandum of understanding to define the parties’ respective Project-related obligations. In order to convey an easement to this section of roadway for EBRPD’s Project after the section of roadway is vacated, the County would need to reserve the easement and right, at any time or from time to time, to construct, maintain, operate, replace, remove, and renew vehicular or non-vehicular trails for use by the public in, upon, over, and across the above-described section of Carquinez Scenic Drive.
Public Works department staff recommend that the Board of Supervisors adopt the attached resolution to vacate the above-described section of Carquinez Scenic Drive, and to reserve the easement and right, at any time or from time to time, to construct, maintain, operate, replace, remove, and renew vehicular or non-vehicular trails for use by the public in, upon, over, and across the above-described section of Carquinez Scenic Drive. Public Works Department staff concluded that it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that this action may have a significant adverse effect on the environment, CP # 11-08.
The County would continue to be liable for the above-described section of Carquinez Scenic Drive, which no longer is needed for County street purposes.