CGF: News: Open Space District poised to expand

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Open Space District poised to expand to the Coast
by April Vargas

Strengthened by the efforts of CGF members and other open space supporters, the proposed expansion of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) to the San Mateo County Coast has now moved a major step closer to completion. On June 5, the MROSD Board of Directors held a special meeting to consider whether to apply to the San Mateo County Local Agency Formation Commission ( LAFCo) for annexation of the Coast.

After over five hours of hearings and testimony from over 60 citizens, the MROSD Board voted unanimously to certify the Environmental Impact Report for the project. Additionally, MROSD adopted a resolution of application for annexation and approved several other project-related documents, key among them a Willing Sellers Ordinance that precludes the District from using the power of eminent domain within the newly annexed area. This vote sets the stage for a new round of hearings before the LAFCo board, a process expected to take at least a year.

District continues 31-year history of protecting open space
Formed in 1972 through a vote of the citizens (and thanks to the vision of a group of Peninsula residents that included several CGF members), the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District was created as an independent single-purpose special district operating exclusively in Santa Clara County. In 1976 MROSD's boundaries expanded through election to include southern San Mateo County. nter the Coastal Commission, Stage Left! Citing the Deed Restriction, which requires the owners to keep the access easements open and free of impediments to pedestrian use at all times, the Commission initiated an enforcement action to require removal of a solid wood fence that had been installed to block public access.

The District's purpose is to acquire, permanently protect, and restore lands forming a regional open space greenbelt. Today MROSD manages nearly 50,000 acres in 26 public open space preserves.

Coastal residents requested expansion
In 1997, three Coastal area elected bodies - the Half Moon Bay City Council, the MidCoast Community Council, and the Pescadero Municipal Advisory Council, wrote letters to MROSD, asking the District to consider a Coastal expansion. The following year, an advisory election held within the proposed annexation area saw a 55% majority vote for Measure F - favoring the District's expansion to the Coast. The annexation area extends from the southern border of the City of Pacifica to the Santa Cruz County line and west from Skyline to the shore.

Properties in annexation area exempt from tax, eminent domain
MROSD is funded through a small portion of property tax also approved by the voters within its jurisdiction. The current assessment for those within the District is 1.7 cents per one hundred dollars of assessed value. However, the current proposal does not include any provision for a tax or assessment within the Coastal area, and a tax could be imposed only with a 2/3 majority of voters approving a ballot measure.

The District has also adopted language that requires it to purchase land only from willing sellers, eliminating the specter of eminent domain that has apparently frightened some Coastal residents. The provisions would also allow the District to receive land from private land trusts and individuals, and to manage lands within its boundaries.

District brings decades of land management experience; will promote local agriculture
The District's management experience and maintenance capabilities are welcomed as valuable assets for the Coastal area. Existing agencies and private nonprofits have limited capacity to provide agricultural and conservation easements or management services. The preservation of Coastal agriculture continues to be a priority within the region and the District has pledged to convene an agricultural advisory committee to assist it in drafting specific policies to promote sustainable agriculture. Only after these policies are in place will the District acquire or accept gifts of agricultural land.

South Coast opponents fearful of agency
Although MROSD's presence on the Coast will provide unique possibilities for open space and viewshed protection, habitat and species preservation, agricultural sustainability and low impact public access, a small but vocal group is opposed to the proposed expansion. Centered mainly in the South Coast, these residents view any attempts at regional conservation and innovative stewardship with suspicion and fear.

In an area where changes occur slowly and land has been held within the same families for generations, there is an inherent mistrust of the new, the unfamiliar, and the authority of any governmental agency. In time, the District can succeed in winning the confidence of South Coast residents, but until then, the annexation will be challenged by a highly energized minority that turns out at meetings and makes their views known to one and all. Six years after the District first contemplated annexing the Coast in 1997, eminent domain remains the single most contentious aspect of MROSD's proposed expansion - long after the District adopted a "willing sellers only" policy.

Final phase of process
Although the recent decision was a huge step forward in this long process, we still have far to go. We must maintain our focus, retain our intensity and unite in our support for the Coastal expansion as the process moves into its final phase. In an area that is so highly prized and financially lucrative for development interests, it is rare to be given such an exceptional opportunity to protect the natural treasures that still remain.

We must make the most of this opportunity, and bring the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to the Coast to protect these treasures for the future.

Applying to LAFCo is the next step in the process of the District's expansion. Hearings on this application are scheduled to begin in September 2003, and will offer a number of ways for CGF activists to speak up for Coastal open space. The Committee will need your continued dedication to providing public support for the expansion.

For up-to-date information on how to get involved, visit our action alert on this issue or contact CGF Legislative Advocate April Vargas at (650) 728-5215 or April@GreenFoothills.org.
Published July 2003 in Green Footnotes.
Page last updated July 7, 2003


	News Subscribe to Our Newsletter Sign up for Email Updates CGF In the News Press Inquiries Past Articles Calendar			Open Space District poised to expand to the Coast by April Vargas Strengthened by the efforts of CGF members and other open space supporters, the proposed expansion of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) to the San Mateo County Coast has now moved a major step closer to completion. On June 5, the MROSD Board of Directors held a special meeting to consider whether to apply to the San Mateo County Local Agency Formation Commission ( LAFCo) for annexation of the Coast. After over five hours of hearings and testimony from over 60 citizens, the MROSD Board voted unanimously to certify the Environmental Impact Report for the project. Additionally, MROSD adopted a resolution of application for annexation and approved several other project-related documents, key among them a Willing Sellers Ordinance that precludes the District from using the power of eminent domain within the newly annexed area. This vote sets the stage for a new round of hearings before the LAFCo board, a process expected to take at least a year. District continues 31-year history of protecting open space Formed in 1972 through a vote of the citizens (and thanks to the vision of a group of Peninsula residents that included several CGF members), the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District was created as an independent single-purpose special district operating exclusively in Santa Clara County. In 1976 MROSD's boundaries expanded through election to include southern San Mateo County. nter the Coastal Commission, Stage Left! Citing the Deed Restriction, which requires the owners to keep the access easements open and free of impediments to pedestrian use at all times, the Commission initiated an enforcement action to require removal of a solid wood fence that had been installed to block public access. The District's purpose is to acquire, permanently protect, and restore lands forming a regional open space greenbelt. Today MROSD manages nearly 50,000 acres in 26 public open space preserves. Coastal residents requested expansion In 1997, three Coastal area elected bodies - the Half Moon Bay City Council, the MidCoast Community Council, and the Pescadero Municipal Advisory Council, wrote letters to MROSD, asking the District to consider a Coastal expansion. The following year, an advisory election held within the proposed annexation area saw a 55% majority vote for Measure F - favoring the District's expansion to the Coast. The annexation area extends from the southern border of the City of Pacifica to the Santa Cruz County line and west from Skyline to the shore. Properties in annexation area exempt from tax, eminent domain MROSD is funded through a small portion of property tax also approved by the voters within its jurisdiction. The current assessment for those within the District is 1.7 cents per one hundred dollars of assessed value. However, the current proposal does not include any provision for a tax or assessment within the Coastal area, and a tax could be imposed only with a 2/3 majority of voters approving a ballot measure. The District has also adopted language that requires it to purchase land only from willing sellers, eliminating the specter of eminent domain that has apparently frightened some Coastal residents. The provisions would also allow the District to receive land from private land trusts and individuals, and to manage lands within its boundaries. District brings decades of land management experience; will promote local agriculture The District's management experience and maintenance capabilities are welcomed as valuable assets for the Coastal area. Existing agencies and private nonprofits have limited capacity to provide agricultural and conservation easements or management services. The preservation of Coastal agriculture continues to be a priority within the region and the District has pledged to convene an agricultural advisory committee to assist it in drafting specific policies to promote sustainable agriculture. Only after these policies are in place will the District acquire or accept gifts of agricultural land. South Coast opponents fearful of agency Although MROSD's presence on the Coast will provide unique possibilities for open space and viewshed protection, habitat and species preservation, agricultural sustainability and low impact public access, a small but vocal group is opposed to the proposed expansion. Centered mainly in the South Coast, these residents view any attempts at regional conservation and innovative stewardship with suspicion and fear. In an area where changes occur slowly and land has been held within the same families for generations, there is an inherent mistrust of the new, the unfamiliar, and the authority of any governmental agency. In time, the District can succeed in winning the confidence of South Coast residents, but until then, the annexation will be challenged by a highly energized minority that turns out at meetings and makes their views known to one and all. Six years after the District first contemplated annexing the Coast in 1997, eminent domain remains the single most contentious aspect of MROSD's proposed expansion - long after the District adopted a "willing sellers only" policy. Final phase of process Although the recent decision was a huge step forward in this long process, we still have far to go. We must maintain our focus, retain our intensity and unite in our support for the Coastal expansion as the process moves into its final phase. In an area that is so highly prized and financially lucrative for development interests, it is rare to be given such an exceptional opportunity to protect the natural treasures that still remain. We must make the most of this opportunity, and bring the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District to the Coast to protect these treasures for the future. Applying to LAFCo is the next step in the process of the District's expansion. Hearings on this application are scheduled to begin in September 2003, and will offer a number of ways for CGF activists to speak up for Coastal open space. The Committee will need your continued dedication to providing public support for the expansion. For up-to-date information on how to get involved, visit our action alert on this issue or contact CGF Legislative Advocate April Vargas at (650) 728-5215 or April@GreenFoothills.org. Published July 2003 in Green Footnotes. Page last updated July 7, 2003