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NEWS UPDATE
The coastal expansion of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District - which was approved in April 2004 after seven years of work to protect coastal lands - has been halted by a lawsuit, the
outcome of which has been rescheduled yet again. The outcome was expected from Judge Carl Holm by Friday, August 27, 2004, but days later, we are still awaiting a decision from the court.
Expansion will be a win for open space Because expansion of the MROSD boundaries to the San Mateo
County Coastside is the single best way we have to protect coastal open space, support of this program has been a high priority for Protest attempt fell short However, on July 12 LAFCo officials reported that they had
validated 3,443 protest forms, or 21% of the voters - not enough to overturn the approval of the expansion. Lawsuit a second attempt to overturn approval of expansion
Once the recount had been completed, the hearing continued on July 22 and 23 under Superior Court Judge Carl Holm. At that hearing, County Elections Commissioner David Tom described the
extensive process used to validate and review the signed protest forms. He also described in detail the many forms that were considered invalid, either because they were duplicate protests, protests from
non-registered voters, protests from those residing outside the annexation boundaries, or protest forms on which the voter information had been changed or added. Even with the most liberal interpretation of the elections code
guiding this process, the recount came up with 64 more valid signatures, but also identified 77 more duplicates - leaving the opponents still far short of the number required to drive this issue to a vote.
Opponents admit to ballot box stuffing
At the conclusion of the hearing, the judge asked the attorneys on both sides to prepare extensive briefs, which he heard in a day-long hearing on August 5. The following day, Judge Holm
ordered the County Elections Division to organize the protest forms and bring them back for his inspection by August 20. He has promised to make a decision on the case after reviewing
the numerous categories and sub-categories of the protests that the Elections Division found to be invalid. The judge will independently verify the Division's findings. Ultimate outcome will be coastal protections
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