Open space expands on Coastside in 2005 Open space expands on Coastside in 2005 (January 04, 2006)

By Marion Softky

Almanac Staff Writer

The year 2005 was a good one for the preservation and protection of open space for habitat, grazing, farming and recreation on the still-rural Coastside of San Mateo County.

The Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) and the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) have been working as partners since the district expanded to the coast on September 7, 2004. It now includes 220 miles of the coast, from the southern boundary of Pacifica to the Santa Cruz County line.

Last week, POST successfully completed its $200 million campaign to "Save the Endangered Coast." By January 1, it had raised more than $200 million and acquired 14,259 acres of coastal lands out of its goal of 20,000 acres.

Meanwhile, MROSD has begun purchasing Coastside lands from POST to manage as permanent open space, while it works to build positive relations with the sometimes-suspicious residents of the Coastside. In mid-December, it bought 201 acres on Skyline from POST, for a total so far of 1,028 acres in its new territory.
POST: A triumph

There were huzzahs at POST's Menlo Park headquarters December 20, when staffers learned that President Bush had signed the bill that includes POST's Rancho Corral de Tierra in the boundaries of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

POST bought the 4,262-acre property in the hills north of Half Moon Bay in 2001 for almost $30 million. Once planned for thousands of Daly-City-type homes, the property was owned by a series of hopeful developers until POST stepped in.

For the last four years, POST has been working with legislators to get Rancho Corral de Tierra included within the boundaries of the GGNRA.

The next step is to persuade Congress to appropriate $15 million to purchase the property. POST is putting up the rest, said Development Director Anne Sharman. "We are hoping to get $5 million a year over three years."

Once incorporated into the GGNRA, Rancho Corral de Tierra could provide a major southern entrance to the nation's largest urban national park. The property includes varied habitats, several summits of Montara Mountain with stunning views, several endangered species, and the headwaters of four major watersheds.

"On a clear day, you can see from the Farallones to Ano Nuevo and Mt. Diablo," said POST President Audrey Rust.

Ms. Rust urged support for the next phase of the appropriation process. "We will need the support of our community to ensure the inclusion of Rancho Corral de Tierra in the GGNRA," she said.

Meanwhile, POST is adding steadily to its holdings on the Coastside, where it has already acquired 14,259 acres of the 20,000-acre goal of the Save the Endangered Coast campaign.

A highlight of 2005 for POST was dedication of "Mel's Lane," a small coastal trail and seating circle at Whalers Cove, a POST acquisition just south of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse. Mel Lane of Atherton was a co-owner of Sunset Books and Magazine, a staunch supporter of POST, and first chairman of the California Coastal Commission.
Coastal open space

On December 20, the board of directors of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District approved purchase of two scenic properties on Skyline from POST.

The 151-acre Rapley Ranch, bought for $500,000, will expand Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve. The 50-acre Portola Lookout property, $600,000, will add a panoramic overlook to Long Ridge Open Space Preserve.

By buying these properties from POST, the open space district will be able to manage them permanently for habitat preservation and limited public recreation. Until permanent management plans are developed, the properties will be open to neighbors by permit, and to the public on occasional docent-led hikes, according to Public Affairs Manager Rudy Jurgensen.

These are the third and fourth properties bought by the district from POST since it annexed 220 square miles of the Coastside in 2004. The district now has a total of 1,028 acres in its expansion area, including Miramontes Ridge, adjacent to the Mills Creek Open Space Preserve, and the Forde property adjacent to Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve.

A bigger acquisition may be coming up January 12, when the district board considers acquiring the 3,681-acre Driscoll Ranch from POST.

The district is working with neighbors and the Farm Bureau to assure continuity in the 50-year lease that allows grazing on the historic ranch, which will be added to the La Honda Open Space Preserve, Mr. Jurgensen said.

The district, which was established in 1972 to preserve open space, has already saved more than 50,000 acres on the Bayside and mountains of southern San Mateo and northern Santa Clara counties.

Now it is engaged in a major outreach effort to engage its new constituents in planning for successful management of its new properties. It has retained an ombudsperson to provide information and handle complaints. It has been having meetings on the Coastside and tours of new properties. And it has been holding meetings to revise its Good Neighbor Policy to meet concerns of Coastside residents.

The revised policy will be coming up for more public review and action this spring, Mr. Jurgensen said.

For information, call the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District at 691-1200; or visit openspace.org. For information on POST, call 854-7696, or visit openspacetrust.org.

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