Marin Gets More Time For San Geronimo Property Discussion

From Marin County Parks: The County of Marin is continuing a hearing about possible acquisition of the San Geronimo Golf Course that was originally scheduled for an October 31 meeting of the Marin County Board of Supervisors. The continuance, likely to November 7 or 14, will allow for more time to hear public feedback.

The County plans to leave the item on the October 31 agenda as originally scheduled, but there will not be a staff presentation, a public hearing or a Board decision until a later time.

Marin County Parks has been preparing a proposal for the Board of Supervisors that would allow the County to acquire the 157-acre property in the San Geronimo Valley. Parks’ goal is to restore the property’s extensive natural habitat into a greenbelt linking the valley’s rural villages.

The Board addressed the possible land purchase during its October 10 meeting and permitted Parks Director Max Korten to circulate a “notice of intent,” which formalized the County’s interest in purchasing the land. The notice had to be circulated before the Board could review a sale agreement at a public hearing.

“There’s been a great deal of interest in giving this a little more time,” Korten said. “The news about this possible acquisition came about pretty quickly from the public’s standpoint. This continuance is about creating more time to answer the residents’ questions and making sure the Board members have a chance to hear from the community.”

On September 22, The Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit, signed a non-binding agreement to purchase the golf course from the Lee Family Trust with the intent of selling and transferring the property to the County at a future date for park purposes. If sold to a private buyer, the property – which includes critical habitat for endangered salmon – could be developed into a resort or used for other commercial recreational purposes.

If the Supervisors approve the sales agreement following a public hearing, Parks and TPL would work together to raise funds from the state and other nonprofit sources to support the County's purchase for $8.85 million. The County estimates that $3.91 million of the purchase price would come from County funds with the remainder from outside sources.

If the purchase is completed, County staff would engage the community in a collaborative discussion about restoration, preservation, and other compatible uses over the long term.

Parks has published more information about the property acquisition on its website.

The Board chamber is in Suite 330 of the Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. All sessions of the Board of Supervisors may be watched live on Comcast Channel 27 or on the County’s webcast.

Photo courtesy of Marin County Parks