News Subscribe  to Our Newsletter Sign  up for Email Updates CGF  In the News Press  Inquiries Past  Articles Calendar			NEWS  UPDATE Judge clears way for Open Space District expansion We have great news for the long-term future of coastal  open space: on Friday, September 3, 2004, San Mateo County Superior Court  Judge Carl Holm rejected opponents' request to stop the expansion of the  Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) boundaries to include  the San Mateo County Coast and lifted the temporary restraining order  on the expansion. Next step: Coastal open space protection The morning of September 7, officials from San Mateo County LAFCo filed  a Certificate of Completion on the annexation. MROSD boundaries now officially  include some 140,000 acres west of Skyline, and the District can begin  to purchase lands from willing sellers and create public open space preserves  on the Coast. This victory caps more than seven years of work by CGF and  many other activists to protect coastal open space and agricultural lands. The Open Space District will next solicit public  input to determine how to realign the boundaries of the district's seven  wards and represent the Coastsideon its elected Board of Directors. Protest attempt failed Judge Holm's decision followed months of contention after the Open Space District expansion was approved. Open space opponents attempted to bring the matter to a vote by collecting voter signatures on protest forms. When County Elections found that the number of valid signatures fell short of the number needed to force a vote, opponents requested a restraining order on the process. In fact, the submitted signatures included numerous duplicates as well as signatures from non-registered voters and from those residing outside the area. Open space opponents will continue to pursue a lawsuit opposing the now-completed expansion, but we are confident that their efforts will continue to fail.  Thanks to each of you who supported the boundary  expansion and helped Committee for Green Foothills and other members of  the Coastal Open  Space Alliance educate the public about the importance of MROSD 's  Coastside Protection Program.  We'll continue to support the program, and look forward to a time when MROSD preserves are open to the public on the Coast just as they are in other areas of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. Page last updated September 7, 2004 .