A view of Mt. Konocti coated with snow. Photo by Kim Clymire.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – With negotiations for an easement nearing completion, the Lake County Public Services Department said plans for a new county park on top of Mt. Konocti are moving forward.

Public Services Director Kim Clymire said the negotiations for an easement across the Fowler family's property to access the new Mt. Konocti County Park site are hopefully close to completion.

By the time the grading season opens on April 15, the easement documents will hopefully have been approved by the seller and the Lake County Board of Supervisors, Clymire said.

After those approvals and the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document is final, probably by the middle of June, construction of a 1,350-foot hiking trail will begin across the easement, with Clymire saying the goal is to have the project completed by the park's July 2 opening date.

In the interim, park staff will continue to work on getting the CEQA process completed. Clymire said that will entail hiring an archeologist to do an archeological study to address Native American concerns regarding the sacredness of the mountain and to take a specific look at the areas where improvements are planned to be done.

Those improvements, that will cause minimal impacts to the mountain, will include parking, signage, benches, picnic tables, and restrooms, he said.

Clymire said the county is working with a volunteer committee to develop a master management plan for the site that includes representatives from the public, the Bureau of Land Management, Cal Fire, Kelseyville Fire, the Countywide Parks and Recreation Board, representatives for interests including environmental, equestrian, nonmotorized mountain bikes and dogs on leash rep.

Tribal members have attended the meetings and are interested in the future of the mountain but have been reluctant to officially accept a seat on the committee, Clymire said.

Contingent on CEQA approval, the park will officially open on July 2 for day use hiking only and other uses may be approved by applying for a special facility use permit that will Clymire said will require a sponsoring entity to take responsibility for the event and comply with county policies and rules governing the park.

Clymire offered his sincere appreciation to the Fowler Family for selling the property to the county, to the Lake County Board of Supervisors for their forward thinking and authorizing the acquisition, and the thousands of citizens who have supported this exciting, once in a lifetime, opportunity.

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