Title
Community Development Agency, Transportation Division and Chief Administrative Office, Parks Division, recommending the Board:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 069-2015 issuing a parade permit to restrict use in portions of the Rubicon Trail for up to 5 consecutive days for "Jeepers Jamboree" and 4 consecutive days "Jeep Jamboree" events occurring on an annual basis in July and August from 2015 through 2019 (5 years); and
2) "Grandfather in" these events and issue no other Parade Permits on the Rubicon Trail.
FUNDING: N/A
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Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost
The requested Board action has no Fiscal Impact or change to Net County Cost. Expenses for trail enforcement activities, being undertaken by the Sheriff's Department, will be provided at sponsor's expense.
Background
The "Jeepers Jamboree" and "Jeep Jamboree" are traditional four-wheel drive vehicle events involving a parade of vehicles along the Rubicon Trail and various activities on private property at Rubicon Springs. This year marks the 63rd "Jeepers Jamboree" and the 37th "Jeep Jamboree" four-wheel drive events. The sponsors seek a 5 year permit to ensure continuity of the event and allow participants and vendors to plan for continued participation and attendance. The "Jeepers Jamboree" event will last 5 consecutive days, Wednesday through Sunday, and will occur on July 22-July 26, 2015, July 27-July 31, 2016, July 26-July 30, 2017, July 25-July 29, 2018, July 24-July 28, 2019. The 37th Annual through the 41st Annual "Jeep Jamboree", events last 4 consecutive days, Thursday through Sunday, and will occur on July 30-August 2, 2015, August 4-August 7, 2016, August 3-August 6, 2017, August 2-August 5, 2018, August 1-August 4, 2019. The sponsors seek a parade permit to allow their events to take place on the Rubicon Trail in the same manner as in the past for decades.
Reason for Recommendation
The Transportation Division recommends that a parade permit be issued containing the standard conditions mandated by Board resolution and prior practice for the two four-wheel vehicle events described in the Title. Vehicle Code §21102(e) permits the County to adopt a resolution temporarily closing a portion of any street for celebrations, parades, local special events, and other purposes when, in the opinion of local authorities having jurisdiction
. the closing is necessary for the safety and protection of persons who are to use that portion of the street during the temporary closing." A parade is defined in County Ordinance Code §12.37.010 as any parade of more than ten (10) vehicles or twenty (20) persons proceeding on foot or otherwise upon any street, highway, road, thoroughfare or alley of the County. The two four-wheel drive vehicle events fall within the parade definition.
The unique circumstances of the Rubicon Trail require that the use of the Trail be restricted for virtually a full day to allow the event participants to travel as a group from the beginning of the Rubicon Trail at the trail access points at either Wentworth Springs Campground or the Loon Lake Dam, through to the boundary with Placer County. The following schedule was agreed upon by the County, Rubicon Trail Foundation, concerned citizen and Jeepers Jamboree, Inc. The parade permit be issued for portions of the Rubicon Trail from the Wentworth Springs Campground and Loon Lake at Gerle Creek eastward to the Placer County Line, for the 63rd - 67th Annual "Jeepers Jamboree" only, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., starting on Wednesday, through Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Ellis Creek to the Placer County Line, July 22-July 26, 2015, July 27-July 31, 2016, July 26-July 30, 2017, July 25-July 29, 2018, July 24-July 28, 2019; and for the 37th - 41st Annual "Jeep Jamboree," from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, starting Thursday and Friday from the Wentworth Spring Campground and Loon Lake at Gerle Creek eastward to the Placer County Line, Saturday and Sunday from Buck Island to the Placer County Line . Starting on July 30-August 2, 2015, August 4-August 7, 2016, August 3-August 6, 2017, August 2-August 5, 2018, August 1-August 4, 2019, subject to the conditions set forth in Resolution No. 110-79 and in the "Application for Road Closure" submitted by the applicant.
The "Jeepers Jamboree" anticipates approximately 500 vehicles with 1,000 participants; the "Jeep Jamboree" anticipates approximately 200 vehicles with 400 participants. The parade of Jamboree vehicles can only move very slowly because of the difficulty of passage over the rough terrain within the Rubicon Trail. At over 6,000 feet elevation in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, it is difficult for one vehicle to pass another on the Rubicon Trail, and equipment breakdowns are common. The Jamboree sponsors stage personnel and vehicles along the Trail in advance of the Jamborees so that there will be assistance available for any breakdowns or other problems experienced by Jamboree participants.
These circumstances make it reasonable to restrict access by other vehicles during the Jamboree so as to allow the participants in the Jamboree to travel in an organized, continuous and uninterrupted group. This has been done every year in the past for decades with no significant disruption to the use of the Trail by others. The above circumstances support a finding that a restriction prohibiting use by non-participants during the Jamborees is necessary for the protection of those persons using the Rubicon Trail as participants in the Jamborees, and also to protect other unaffiliated users who might attempt to use the Trail during the Jamborees but find their passage obstructed by Jamboree activities.
The sponsors will provide signage at the trailheads notifying other users that the Jamboree would be passing through from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and that use of the Trail by non-participants during that time is restricted (except for emergencies) to the boundaries identified above. Enforcement will be provided by the Sheriff's Department at the sponsor's expense.
The route of the Jamborees on the first day will be from the two trailheads easterly to the private property at Rubicon Springs. On the last day of the event, Sunday, the Jamboree participants will proceed from Rubicon Springs easterly to border with Placer County and thence to Lake Tahoe. The sponsors advise that they do not feel it will be necessary to formally restrict usage on the way out.
This is an historic event in El Dorado County included in the resolution is to "Grandfather in" this event and states that no other parade permits will be issued on the Rubicon Trail. This is due to the amount of restrictions that could result on the trail which would limit the public's access.
CAO Recommendation
CAO recommends adoption of the resolution to issue a parade permit for the "Jeepers" and "Jeep" Jamboree events for 5 consecutive years for the noted dates (2015-2019). Note the difference in dates for road closure between the resolution and application package. Staff worked with the event sponsors to pair down the event, therefore limiting the road closure and associated impact to the public.
Clerk of the Board Follow Up Actions
1. The Clerk of the Board to obtain the Board Chair's signature on one (1) copy of the Resolution.
2. The Clerk of the Board to send one (1) fully executed copy of the Resolution to the Transportation Division.
Contact
Vickie Sanders, Parks Manager
Chief Administrative Office, Parks Division
Andrew Gaber, Deputy Director
Development, ROW, and Environmental Unit
Community Development Agency, Transportation Division
Concurrences
Risk Management