HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 10021990 - S.2 TO:.. `, ''BOARD OF SUPERVISORS S•a
Contra
FROM: Supervisor Nancy Fanden
Costa
DATE: September 25, 1990 County
SUBJECT: LETTER TO CONGRESS SUPPORTING THE APPROPRIATION.OF FUNDS
TO SECURE PUBLIC OWNERSHIP OF 325 ACRES OF RANCH LAND
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) $ BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMEMDATION
That the Board of Supervisors send a letter to Congress requesting
that the negotiations over the 185 acre Gordon Strain ranch be
given a top priority.
The securing of public ownership of this property and the
surrounding acres of ranch land will preserve forever the legacy
that John Muir has left behind for future generations.
BACKGROUND:
President Reagan approved the idea of securing public ownership of
325 acres of ranch land in 1988 after Congressional committee
hearings in Martinez demonstrated virtually unanimous local
support. To get the job done, President Bush allocated $2 million
in 1989.
Now it appears negotiations over the 185 acre Gordon Strain Ranch -
part of the 325 acre parcel - aren't going well.
The entire 325 acres is south of Highway 4 and would be linked by a
trail .to the John Muir house. It is all part of the ranch that
pioneer preservationist Muir, who died in 1914, once called home.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S) .
ACTION OF BOARD ON October 2, 1990 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT III ) 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AYES: NOES: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: AND ENTERED ON .THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORSON THE DATE SHOWN.
CC: County Administrator ATTESTED
Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of
Supervisors and County Administrator
M382/7-83 BY DEPUTY
805 LAS JUNTAS
MARTINEZ,CALIFORNIA 94553
(415)646-2080 d Td'co"" --- 4300 GARDEN ROAD
EL SOBRANTE,CALIFORNIA 94803
3338 MT.DIABLO BOULEVARD (415)374-3922
LAFAYETTE,CALIFORNIA 94549 NANCY CARDINALLI FAHDEN
(415)284-4733
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors
Supervisorial District Two
September. 25, 1990
To the Honorable Members of the Congress:
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors wishes to
convey to you its extreme sense of concern over the seeming
delays in the appropriation of an additional $3..5 million to
purchase 325 acres of land in Martinez, California, adjacent
to the John Muir Historic Site.
Since 1987 , when the idea was first put forth to purchase
this land, additional lands have been proposed for the
project to link regional shorelines and parks. A small
portion is the Muir family grave site tract. Two options,
totalling $50,000 have been paid to one landowner, Gordon
Strain, by the local regional parks district to allow the
Nation Park Service enough time to conclude the purchase
negotiations .
Now, three years later, the purchase is still not complete
and there is an additional $3 . 5 million appropriation before
the Congress. We urge that you give it your careful and
positive attention and approve the appropriation.
Vthis is a purchase of especially historic and scenic land
offered by a willing seller. His only concern is a life
residence on the land he has ranched since 1970 . This seems
a reasonable condition with numerous precedents. The Contra
Costa County Board of Supervisors is hopeful that the Park
Service negotiators can overcome this obstacle, and, with
the appropriation of the additional monies, conclude a most
desirable purchase for our Nation.
Sincerely,
Nancy Fanden, Chair
Board of Supervisors
s.a
IN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, STATE- OF CALIFORNIA
In the Matter of Urging the Congress
of the United States to Give Highest )
Priority to the Land Acquisition ) Resolution' No. 90/666
Funding for the John Muir Historical )
Site, Martinez, California )
WHEREAS, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on
February 23 , 1988 endorsed the purchase by the United States
Department of the Interior of the 325 undeveloped acres remaining
of the 2 , 665 acre ranch operated by John Muir during the last 26
years of his life; and
WHEREAS, this purchase was to preserve the few acres that remain
in much the same state as it was in the time of John Muir, land
that is adjacent to the John Muir Historical Site, home of the
noted conservationist, founder of the Sierra Club, and leader of
the successful effort to create Yosemite National Park; and
WHEREAS, President Ronald Reagan signed into law in November,
1988, a bill expanding the nine-acre John Muir Historical Site by
325 acres including, the Muir family grave site and authorizing
the purchase of that land; and
WHEREAS, President George Bush, in November, 1989 , signed
legislation allocating $2,000,000 for _purchase of the property by
the National Park Service, an amount now known to be inadequate
for such acquisition; and
WHEREAS, securing public ownership of this property will preserve
forever the legacy that John Muir left for future generations and
that the public ownership is possible through a cooperative
effort of the private landowner, federal government, East Bay
Regional Park District and the City of Martinez;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA
COUNTY, CALIFORNIA RESOLVED that the Congress of the United
States is respectfully URGED to appropriate the necessary funds
to acquire 325 acres to expand the John Muir National Historic
Site; and
IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that Congress is requested to assure that
this acquisition proceed in the most expeditious manner.
PASSED by unanimous vote of the Board members present on this 2nd
day of October, 1990.,
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of
a resolution entered on the minutes of said Board of Supervisors
on the date aforesaid.
Introduced by:
Nancy Fa en, Chair
Board of Supervisors
Witness my hand and the
Seal of the Board of
Supervisors affixed
this 2nd day of
October, 1990.
PHIL BATCHELOR, County
Administrator and Clerk
of the Board of
Supervisors
� s
By
Deputy Clerk