Woodside commission endorses equestrian trail swap Woodside commission endorses equestrian trail swap (March 10, 2004)

By Andrea Gemmet
Almanac Staff Writer

A plan to relocate an equestrian trail that divided Woodside's horse community when it was first proposed now appears to be headed for an amiable conclusion.

Anne and Robert Bass, along with two of their neighbors, are petitioning the town to abandon a dedicated trail easement that runs through the middle of their properties between Canada Road and Albion Avenue in exchange for a new one located closer to the southern property lines. They said they want the trail moved because of concerns about security and privacy.

Mr. Bass is on Forbes Magazine's 2003 list of the world's richest people, and is one of four brothers from Texas who built a diverse and successful business empire after inheriting money from their uncle, millionaire oil wildcatter Sam Richardson. The Basses have been Woodside residents since 1993.

Although Woodside's Town Council must make the final decision, the proposal first had to win a procedural approval from the Planning Commission. Commissioners voted 5-0 at the March 3 meeting that the trail relocation conforms with the town's general plan. Sara Jorgensen was absent.

A parade of supporters, including San Mateo County Sheriff Don Horsley and four members of Woodside's Trails Committee, spoke in favor of the new trail. Two people spoke against it, saying they preferred the existing route.

A number of people apparently changed their minds after signing a petition protesting the loss of the existing trail, and sent new letters to the town recanting their former positions.

"The new trail is so much nicer and so much safer than the old one," said Kimberly McMorrow, one of the 15 speakers supporting the Basses.

Mr. Bass said he didn't want people to have to make a decision between the existing trail and a "paper trail," so he built the new trail, and in November, invited local equestrians to ride on it. Since then, more than 500 people have ridden on the new trail, four times the number that have ridden on the old trail, he said.

"The equestrian community has voted with their hooves," Mr. Bass told the Planning Commission.

Former Planning Commissioner K.C. Kelly sent a letter opposing the new trail alignment, and said she was saddened by the division the issue had caused in Woodside's equestrian community. The existing trail is in a hazardous condition because of the Basses' own construction activities, she said.

Mr. Bass disagreed, saying, "All through our construction we have assiduously avoided disturbing the trail."

The commissioners were more measured in their support, and required several conditions on the project before endorsing it. The chief concern was that the trail relocation, while continuing an east-west trail link between Canada Road and Albion Avenue, would not include the north-south connection to the Dry Creek Trail that the existing trail provides. However, since the Dry Creek Trail is incomplete, the Basses agreed not to ask the town to abandon that portion of the easement, as long as it is closed to the public and not reopened until the trail "goes somewhere," as Commissioner Tom Livermore put it.

"The comments from the public swayed my opinion," said Commissioner Stevan Patrick, adding that the new trail did not look nicer to him, but that he is not an equestrian.

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