Marin trust contracts to add 7 acres to Bald Hill preserve, local open-space funds pledged

Jonathan, a member of the Marin Open Space Trust board, told the San Anselmo Town Council that the trust has entered into a purchase contract for a 7-acre knoll on the Bald Hill ridgeline adjacent to the Summit of Bald Hill property acquired in 2015. He said the parcel is visible from Red Hill Avenue and is already mapped in the town's general plan as desired open space.

Jonathan said the Open Space Committee has pledged $800,000 toward the acquisition, funded by a bequest from longtime resident Maureen Groper, and that the trust will collaborate with Fairfax Open Space and other local partners on a fundraising campaign. “With any luck, by this summer, we'll have a 113 acre preserve on Bald Hill,” Jonathan said.

The announcement was presented in open time for public expression; council members thanked Jonathan and noted the purchase aligns with long-standing local preservation plans. The council did not take formal action on the purchase at the meeting; Jonathan described next steps as fundraising and closing the purchase under the trust's standard timeline.

The council did not discuss legal or financing details in public beyond Jonathan’s description of the pledged bequest, so terms of the contract, the purchase price and closing schedule were not specified during the meeting. The town will be a partner in outreach and supporters on the fundraising campaign as appropriate.

The council acknowledged the update and moved on to other agenda business. The town’s open-space committees and the Marin Open Space Trust are expected to provide further details as the acquisition moves toward closing.