By Lauren McSherry

Superior Court Judge Mark Forcum issued a temporary restraining order July 13 preventing the San Mateo County Local Agency Formation Commission from certifying the County Elections Office’s count of protest forms opposing Coastside Protection. The decision postpones approval of the annexation of 220 square miles of coastline by the Los Altos-based Midpeninsula Open Space District as part of its Coastside Protection Program.

Forcum ordered a re-evaluation of the protest forms with P.O. box numbers or addresses altered by a third party because 1,757 of the 5,340 protest forms submitted June 11 were rejected by the County Elections Office. Another hearing is set for tomorrow before a different judge, who will consider issuing a permanent restraining order. All signatures thrown out by the elections office will be reviewed before the hearing.

If the judge orders a permanent restraining order, the protest hearing could presumably be repeated, according to district spokesman Rudy Jurgenson.

The County Elections Office validated 3,583 signatures, but opponents needed 4,071 signatures from registered voters to put the issue on the November ballot. To kill the program outright, opponents needed 8,000 signatures.

The signatures must be from registered voters or landowners who own 25 percent of the land in the annexed area.

The expansion area for the Coastside Protection Program stretches from Pacifica to Pescadero. Over the next 15 years, the district could purchase or manage approximately 11,800 acres of land. The district estimates 80 percent of the land would be acquired by purchasing it from other agencies or organizations.