By Town Crier Staff

The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District’s proposed plan to annex San Mateo County coastal land in its boundaries would do much to preserve recreational open space but little to maintain agricultural lands, a San Mateo Civil Grand Jury concluded April 7 during a review of the Los Altos-based agency’s Coastal Annexation Area Draft Service Plan.

“The public may have assumed that the district has assured agricultural lands would be preserved in the Coastal Annexation Area, but the EIR (draft plan) does not specifically provide for such preservation as a priority.

“This is likely due to the lack of agricultural experience and expertise in the district … Agricultural land can only be preserved if it is prioritized,” according to the jury’s findings.

The jury recommended that the district prioritize agricultural operations and commit district resources to the protection of agricultural lands on par with visitor-serving open space; and immediately retain a staff expert experienced in agricultural operations.

Craig Britton, district general manager, said the non-profit district’s intent in extending its boundaries to include approximately 140,000 acres of the San Mateo County coast side is to preserve and protect open space, including agricultural land.

The district’s plan “recognizes the continuation of agriculture and ranching on the coast side is important to its economy … Our intent is to help preserve (the coast side’s) vibrant character for generations to come … the district will conduct activities so as not to adversely impact the physical or economic integrity of the primary agricultural lands.”

The revenue impacts to services within the coastal area will not be significant if the annexation is approved, the jury said. There will be no immediate, direct cost to property owners, but any future parcel tax increase approved by a two-thirds majority of the voters districtwide will be imposed on parcels within the annexation area, the report concluded.

County officials asked the civil jury to review the district’s draft environmental report after a resident raised concerns regarding the plan’s potential tax consequences on land within the annexed area and its impact on agricultural land.

The district is in the process of developing its Final Service Plan. The annexation requires approval from both San Mateo and Santa Clara county LAFCo organizations.

The Open Space District is a public agency formed in 1972 to acquire and manage open space resources.