The San Dieguito River Park is a regional open space park spanning a 55-mile-long river valley corridor in the north county region of San Diego County from the ocean at Del Mar to Volcan Mountain near Julian. The planning area follows the course of the San Dieguito River from its source at Ironside Spring on Volcan Mountain to the ocean.
The Focused Planning Area (FPA) is the planning area for the regional San Dieguito River Park and roughly corresponds to the viewshed of the San Dieguito River and its tributary streams – that is, what you could see if you were standing on the valley floor. The FPA is the area of focus or “jurisdiction” of the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority. See a map of the FPA here.
A joint powers authority (JPA) is a separate government organization created by the member agencies but is legally independent from them. The San Dieguito River Park JPA is a local multi-jurisdictional public entity established to implement and manage the San Dieguito River Park. The member agencies of the San Dieguito River Park JPA are the cities of San Diego, Del Mar, Escondido, Poway, and Solana Beach and the County of San Diego. These member agencies have agreed to jointly share certain powers, such as the power to manage and acquire land and apply for grants to accomplish its mission in a coordinated way.
Read the Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement here. (PDF opens in new window)
The JPA is a multi-jurisdictional government entity, like a special district, with a singular focus – to plan and implement the San Dieguito River Park. The JPA builds and maintains the trail system and preserves and manages over 4,000 acres of land in the focused planning area. The Conservancy is a private 501(c)(3) organization established to promote the San Dieguito River Park and assist in accomplishing the mission of creating the SDRP. These organizations are partners and successfully work together to realize the vision of the San Dieguito River Park. For more information, read our Partners page.
The San Dieguito River Park JPA’s operational budget is funded by a combination of the following sources:
- Annual membership contributions from its member agencies
- Revenue from grant administration
- Interest income from endowments established for land management
- Donations and events
All capital projects such as land acquisition, new trail construction, habitat restoration projects, and interpretive programs are funded by grants and donations.
Yes! The JPA was established as a separate public entity similar to a special district or city. Under the federal tax law, donations/contributions to government entities are tax deductible. Donations and bequests to the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority are deductible for income, gift, and estate tax purposes.
Not yet, but we are making great progress! The CTC Trail is a 71-mile-long multi-use trail for hikers, cyclists, and equestrians planned from the coast in Del Mar to the crest at Volcan Mountain. As of August 2023, 49 miles of the CTC Trail are completed and in use and we are obtaining permits for the 50th mile in the Fairbanks Ranch area (called the Osuna segment). There are 21 miles of gaps in the CTC Trail.
For more information about plans for those gaps please visit our interactive trails page (link opens in new window).
No. However, gifts and bequests to the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority are deductible for income, gift, and estate tax purposes. SDRP accepts and administers donations, gifts, endowments, and bequests for conservation purposes.
The JPA was established as a separate public entity similar to a city or county. Under the federal tax law, contributions to the JPA are as tax deductible as contributions to a private, charitable 501(c)(3) organization.
You may wish, however, to make contributions instead to the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy (opens in a new window), a private 501(c)(3) organization which was established by supporters of the San Dieguito River Park.
The Park does not impact private property. Some property owners have been concerned that the Park Board would condemn their land for park use, or that the Park Board would control how and what they build on their property. To address these concerns, the Park Board adopted a Private Property Rights (PDF opens in new window).
The Park Board has pledged not to infringe on private property rights to achieve its goals and objectives, and will not condemn private property. It does not have “land use authority” and cannot regulate or impose restrictions on private property owners. Additionally, the Park Board will not put trails on privately owned land without the property owner’s consent.