Articles from the Press Democrat on public land and trail acquisitions by the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District on North Sonoma Mountain, in chronological order.
COUNTY MAY BUY RANCH NEAR PARK
Published on July 1, 2003
© 2003- The Press Democrat
BYLINE: SPENCER SOPER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
PAGE: B1
The county is poised to buy an old ranch near Jack London State Park with sweeping views, horse barns and equestrian trails, but how accessible the land will be to the public remains to be determined.
County supervisors today will consider buying the 168-acre Jacobs Ranch, which is considered a critical step in efforts to preserve the northern face of Sonoma Mountain for open space and recreation. The county's Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District would buy the land from Jacobs family heirs Marilyn Herzog and Bill Jacobs for $4.9 million.
``It's a keystone piece for recreation on the northern portion of Sonoma Mountain,'' said Andrea Mackenzie, director of the Open Space District. ``It's important to preserve these big ranches rather than leave it to chance they could be developed.''
The land will most likely be used for hiking and horseback riding, and could ultimately become a new county park or part of Jack London park if connecting parcels are purchased. But the county and state park systems don't have the money to take on additional land right now due to the weak economy, Mackenzie said.
In the meantime, the district is in discussions with equestrian and hiking groups to maintain the property for limited public use, possibly on weekends or by appointment only, Mackenzie said.
One prospect is the nonprofit land management group LandPaths.
``LandPaths will be looking to work with the district and volunteers to steward the property, have docent-led hikes and horseback rides, and do trail maintenance,'' said Craig Anderson, executive director of the group. ``We will work with the Open Space District to connect people with that property through access programs and stewardship.''
The Open Space District intends to rent out the house and horse barns, which could be leased to a concessionaire that offers horseback riding excursions on the property, Mackenzie said.
Despite the county's budget woes, the district has an independent source of funding to buy land and protect it from development. Voters established the district in 1990 and approved a quarter-percent sales tax -- which generates about $17 million annually -- to finance its mission.
But the district does not have the authority to maintain parkland, which is why it has to find a partner to manage properties for public use.
That can be time-consuming, which is why the district often buys land first and establishes a management plan later, Mackenzie said.
Herzog said her father, the late Bill Jacobs, used to rent the ranch to graze beef cattle and purchased it more than 20 years ago. Herzog and her brother inherited the land when their mother, Ruth Jacobs, died last year.
``It's a great equestrian facility,'' Herzog said. ``I'm happy it's going to be preserved and my parents would be pleased that it will be forever open space.''
You can reach Staff Writer Spencer Soper at 521-5257 or ssoper@pressdemocrat.com.
SUPERVISORS OK RANCH PURCHASEPublished on July 2, 2003
© 2003- The Press Democrat
BYLINE: Spencer Soper
PAGE: B3
COLUMN: Around the Empire
County supervisors voted Tuesday to pay $4.9 million to buy a 168-acre ranch near Jack London State Park for open space and recreation.
On the northern face of Sonoma Mountain, Jacobs Ranch has 360-degree views of the county, horse barns and equestrian trails that can be used for hiking and horseback riding.
The purchase by the county's Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District is considered a critical step in efforts to preserve Sonoma Mountain for open space and recreation, and equestrians are excited about the land going into public ownership.
The land might ultimately become a new county or state park, but that could take years because of dwindling public revenues, county officials say.
For the interim, the land could be open to the public on weekends or by appointment only if the open space district finds a nonprofit group to manage the property.
Established by voters in 1990, the open space district can buy land for recreation but cannot maintain it.
-- Spencer Soper
COUNTY LIKELY TO BUY 47 ACRES FOR TRAIL
Published on December 15, 2003
© 2003- The Press Democrat
BYLINE: SPENCER SOPER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
PAGE: B1
The Sonoma County Open Space District is poised to buy a chunk of Sonoma Mountain next to Jack London State Park that is considered a key piece of a proposed trail.
The county Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District four years ago purchased an easement on the 171-acre Skiles ranch in the foothills above Glen Ellen for $632,000 that permanently prevents the owners from building anything on the property.
But that deal didn't allow public access to the land.
On Tuesday, Sonoma County supervisors are expected to approve buying 47 acres of the ranch from owners Dan and Martha Skiles for $200,000, which would make the land public property. Ultimately, district officials want to give the land to the state for an extension of Jack London park, but they hope to open it up for hiking in the meantime.
The acquisition would bring a proposed four-mile trail between Jack London park and Crane Creek regional park to the west one step closer to fruition.
``I think it's fabulous,'' Supervisor Valerie Brown said. ``We have a long-range plan that Skiles ranch fits beautifully into.''
The Skiles family has run cattle on the ranch since 1971, but has owned the land since 1993. It includes a 2,000-foot peak overlooking Bennett Valley and is home to valley oaks, Douglas firs and pines. Springs on the property feed Matanzas Creek.
In the 1999 agreement, the Open Space District wasn't able to get a trail easement included in the deal. But the district bought an open space easement anyway to prevent construction of a few homes and farm buildings on a prominent ridgeline.
The deal to be considered Tuesday was negotiated by the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council, a nonprofit group trying to create a 400-mile trail connecting open spaces and parks throughout the Bay Area.
The group initially planned to buy the land as an addition to Jack London park, but the state cannot take additional land on at this time. So the trail group approached the Open Space District to buy the property, which will be paid for mostly with a grant from the state Coastal Conservancy, district officials said.
``The state is definitely interested in it,'' said Maria Cipriani, assistant general manager of the Open Space District. ``It's an opportunity to provide trail connections and expand public access opportunities from Jack London State Park to the northern face of Sonoma Mountain.''
The Open Space District is working on deals with two neighboring property owners that would protect another 460 acres of land in the vicinity, Cipriani said.
Skiles ranch is the second large Sonoma Mountain property eyed by the district this year.
In July, the district bought the 168-acre Jacobs ranch on Sonoma Mountain for $4.9 million and hopes to make it a future park for hiking and horseback riding.
You can reach Staff Writer Spencer Soper at 521-5257 or ssoper@pressdemocrat.com.
MAP: by The Press Democrat: Proposed open space
purchaseInfobox:
SKILES RANCH* On Tuesday, the Open Space District likely will approve buying 47 acres of Skiles ranch for $200,000.
* In 1999, a $632,000 easement prevented the land's owners from building but did not allow public access to the property.
* The 47-acre purchase would open the land to the public immediately while also clearing the way for a possible extension of Jack London State Park.