Marin County supervisors have approved new master plans for McNears Beach and Paradise Beach parks that would cost an estimated $55 million to implement.

However, officials said there is no immediate plan to fund the projects.

“This is a vision. It is not our intention and never has been our intention to build this out in one fell swoop,” Steve Petterle, county parks’ principal landscape architect, told supervisors last week. “It was our intent to create a path to the future.”

Petterle said the master plans will allow the county to seek state and federal grants as well as private donations to help fund the projects.

“Every state and federal grant application that I have put my name to asks one specific question: Does this park have an approved plan?” he said.

Petterle said bite-size parts of the plan can be undertaken as funds become available.

“I view these as little pieces of a jigsaw puzzle,” he said.

Paradise Beach Park on the Tiburon Peninsula was acquired by the county in 1958, and McNears Beach Park on the shoreline of San Pablo Bay in San Rafael became a county facility in 1970. Both parks already had master plans, but Chris Chamberlain, county parks assistant director, said those plans are antiquated. The new master plans cost a combined $372,000.

The plans call for new amenities as well as addressing decades of deferred infrastructure maintenance. Both plans would also improve accessibility to the parks adding pedestrian paths, promenades and trails that visitors of all ages and abilities could traverse.

The plan for the 19-acre Paradise Beach Park would include restoration of the pier and seawall; a large boardwalk; a concession; kayak rentals; new pavilions and shade structures; additional picnic areas; and native gardens. The estimated cost is $20 million.

The plan for the 60-acre McNears Beach Park would include a promenade along the waterfront; improved beach access with a swimming pier; a large swimming pool; a cafe; multi-purpose buildings; a children’s nature play area; a kayak launch area; upgraded picnic facilities. The estimated cost is $35 million.

In addition to the master plans, supervisors approved “mitigated negative declarations of environmental impact” for both projects, thus affirming that the projects require no additional analysis of environmental impacts at this time.

The National Marine Fisheries Service expressed concern that the kayak launches in both plans would increase the amount of overwater structure and offered suggestions for design of the launches to reduce shading. The fisheries service also encouraged the use of softer solutions to shoreline stabilization than are planned at both parks.

Further environmental analysis would likely be required under the California Environmental Quality Act before work on any specific project could begin. Supervisor Kate Sears pointed out that approval from the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission would be required for any work within 100 feet of the shoreline. Petterle said sea-level rise would be incorporated into construction plans.

“These parks are part of what makes Marin a special place,” said Max Korten, director of Marin County Parks. “Our promise is that these plans won’t sit on a shelf. We will utilize this vision to implement meaningful improvements that ensure these resources are available for generations to come.”