Hilltop area near Marin County’s King Mountain Reserve could soon open to the public

By CBS Bay Area

The hilltop region near the King Mountain Open Space Reserve in Marin County could soon be open to the public.

A generous donor jumped in to purchase the private 161-acre property summit property, including the 32-acre region that had been inaccessible to the public for years. 

It was a long time coming for Marin County leaders who had been wanting to purchase this property. 

“They wanted to acquire it. But the asking price was always so high that they didn’t think they could make it happen,” Bill Long, the board chair of the Marin Open Space Trust, told CBS News Bay Area. 

Thanks to a donor from the Shelby Cullom Davis Fund, Long and his team at Marin Open Space Trust negotiated a purchase contract with the property owner. Once the contract is finalized, they will donate the property to the county. 

“The fence that goes all around the top 32 acres will come down, and the public will have access of this route and another one at some point to the property on top, which has fabulous views,” Long said. 

“The person who owned this property previously had a fantastic plan for an enormous mansion up here, where the only building on top of the property. And of course, the people didn’t like that, wanted to be sure there would be some access,” he said. 

Which is why the public had access to a loop trail adjacent to the gated off 32-acre summit. 

“Loops around the entire peak. And that’s been managed by the county all these years. But it’s still private property,” Long said. “The same private property that we’re buying.”

Once the purchase deal finalizes and the county’s Open Space Board of Directors approves the purchase agreement on Tuesday, the county will tear the fence down and revitalize the property for public access. 

“That will all be done in one combined step calling closing escrow and then it will become public property. And the county will pretty promptly get to work,” Long said. 

CBS News Bay Area spoke with some hikers on that loop trail who were excited about the purchase contract. 

“Wonderful thing. Any space that doesn’t get developed is a benefit to the public,” David MacLaird, who lives in Corte Madera, said. 

“I’d really like to go and climb to the top of the mountain over there and check it out and see what the view is like,” Matthew MacLaird, David’s son, said. 

“It’s one of our faves in this area. So, if there’s a way for this to be open space with the county maintaining it, that would be great,” Lon Peterson, who lives in Mill Valley, said. “Over 80% of Marin County, I believe, is open space anyway.”

Homeowners nearby are also optimistic. 

“It would mean getting to be on the land that I grew up on as a kid, it would mean getting to raise my kids hanging out there. It’s just that beautiful piece of land has been locked away for the last 40 years. And just to have that be public land again and people have access to it, and have the land be taken care of properly, and have native species be put back in, and have invasive stuff taken out, would I think be all to the good,” Kawika Campbell, a homeowner, told CBS News Bay Area.

Long said he hadn’t heard from any critics about this purchase agreement, but understands there are a few things to check before opening the gates. 

“There’s safety questions always. Hazardous areas, and what are you going to do with that if there are?” he said. 

But community members are looking forward to the county approving the purchase contract and donation, calling it a victory for neighbors, hikers and conservationists. 

All parties need to complete the land purchase and the property must be donated to the Open Space District by September 8.

The Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund also offered to donate the $2 million to the district for maintenance and upkeep of the property, including the removal of invasive plants and clearing two other dirt roads.  

The county meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday at the Marin County Civic Center.