The Committee is Watching...

Committee for Green Foothills’ Legislative Advocates and volunteers juggle multiple projects to protect the environment in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. In addition to those projects described in this issue's articles, the Committee is watching:

...the progress of federal legislation that would expand the boundary of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) to allow the eventual acquisition of the 3,000+ acre Rancho Corral de Tierra, which extends from Pacifica to El Granada - including the top of Montara Mountain.

...a proposal to incorporate San Martin as a new city in Santa Clara County, which could limit "dumping" of undesirable land uses in the area but could also promote inappropriate development in order to make the new city financially viable.

...the proposed expansion of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD), which has been endorsed by the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors as well as the cities of Half Moon Bay, Pacifica, Palo Alto, Redwood City, East Palo Alto, Portola Valley, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills and many others.

...the continuing use, development and potential expansion of large quarries in the Santa Cruz Mountain Range, which pose a large variety of serious environmental impacts.

...the INNW Fund, which is being honored by the Association of Fundraising Professionals and Northern California Grantmakers as "Outstanding Foundation and Community Grantmaker" at this fall's National Philanthropy Day.

...the San Mateo County Housing Endowment and Trust (HEAT), a new CGF-endorsed joint powers agency that raises funds to ensure permanent affordable housing in San Mateo County; HEAT looks to raise $100 million over the next ten years.

...a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for a San Jose/Santa Clara County Habitat Conservation Plan, which could ultimately provide useful protection for endangered species, or could result in a giveaway that turns Coyote Valley into more sprawl.

...Mirada Surf, a popular 49-acre blufftop parcel in El Granada that was just purchased by San Mateo County and will soon become a public park; this purchase follows decades of CGF's defense of this prime coastal site from various development schemes.

...Skyline historian Ken Fisher and MROSD docent Sam Berry, who shared their insights and knowledge of the Purisima Creek area - past and present - with CGF members at our hike in September.

...Half Moon Bay's Measure D, the "Build it Now" Initiative, which would amend the City's Local Coastal Program (LCP) to require the Cabrillo School District to build the new middle school near the downtown and prohibit new classrooms west of Highway One, thus protecting the important wetlands and habitat on the Wavecrest property.

...progress on the Devil's Slide Tunnel, as various entities review the final portal and bridge design, operations and maintenance center building placement, trailhead parking and mitigation measures; the final step will be approval of a Coastal Development Permit, which we expect San Mateo County to issue in early 2004.

...outstanding conservationists and community leaders Eleanor Boushey and Jon Silver (both former long-time CGF Board members), who were honored at Portola Valley's recent Town "Blues and Barbecue" picnic for their collective four decades of environmental leadership and legion accomplishments in Portola Valley conservation.

...4-C's Ranch outside of Half Moon Bay, for which the San Mateo County Planning Commission denied the portion of the Coastal Development Permit that would have allowed Asian elephants, camels and zebras as commercial entertainment on prime agricultural soils; CGF successfully convinced the Commission that these uses of non-farm related animals on this 19-acre site along Highway 92 for commercial entertainment is neither accessory nor ancillary to agriculture, as required in the Planned Agricultural District.

....legislators in Sacramento, who attempted to demolish California's environmental protections under the guise of "budget cuts" that would have eliminated the Coastal Commission, closed State Parks and cut other important environmental programs; they ultimately backed down, but indicated that next year's budget process will be even more contentious.

...A referendum in nearby San Benito County, where Supervisors adopted by a 4-1 vote some significant growth control measures including revisions to the General Plan that downzone the rural lands and use the concept of Transferable Development Credits to enable farmer/ranchers to market their development rights, thus getting cash while at the same time protecting agricultural lands.