LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – An effort to create a park project on the border of Lake and Napa counties is seeking input from the community.

The Trust for Public Land and Land Trust of Napa County recently purchased a conservation easement for 7,286 acres of land on the Montesol Ranch, owned by the Livermore family and located in Lake and Napa counties.

Montesol Ranch is the largest private property in Napa County, the protection of which will tie together a 22,200-acre contiguous conservation area, including eight miles of shared boundary with Robert Louis Stevenson State Park.

The property has extremely high biodiversity and abundant water resources.

The recently-purchased easement will restrict much of the property from residential and vineyard development, and protect very high-priority biodiversity and watershed values.

The two organizations also have obtained an option to purchase in fee title the 1,254 acres of the Montesol Ranch located west of Highway 29. About 1,000 acres of the Phase II area is located in Lake County.

The Napa County Regional Park and Open Space District is proposed to be the owner of the Phase II area, with the goal of operating a new regional park that could potentially include hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, camping and more.

The lands are adjacent to Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, which the Open Space District expects to soon be operating under a pending agreement with California State Parks.

Currently the district is applying for a grant from the Habitat Conservation Fund to purchase the remaining acreage for about $200,000; that purchase needs to be completed by the end of 2018.

As part of its outreach, the district is requesting public input – ideas, hopes and concerns – to help develop plans for future park usage.

The Middletown Area Town Hall will host a presentation on the project at its meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 10, at the Middletown Senior and Community Center, 21256 Washington St.

A public presentation also will be held during the Middletown Area Merchants Association meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 15, at 9 a.m., also at the Middletown Senior and Community Center.
During the meeting they will give a project overview, take suggestions and answer questions. The meeting is open to the public.

Maps of the regional and proposed park location can be seen in the PDF files at http://konoctitrails.com/krt-worksite/montesol-ranch-project-proposed/.

Feedback and letters of support can be submitted to John Woodbury at the Napa Open Space District via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or call 707-259-5933 for more information.