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Neighbors urge Corte Madera to pause 800 Corte Madera settlement, cite ownership and safety questions over Alta Woods
Summary
Residents told the council they have title and longstanding public‑use questions about Alta Woods and asked staff not to finalize a settlement with 800 Corte Madera Avenue until ownership, easements, geotechnical risks and community impacts are publicly addressed.
A group of residents living adjacent to Alta Woods urged the Corte Madera Town Council on June 2 to delay any settlement with the owners or applicants at 800 Corte Madera Avenue until remaining title, easement and safety questions are resolved and made public.
Karen Lawren (405 Saucelo Street) told the council that documents provided by the applicant claim ownership to the center line of Alta Woods and easement rights, a claim neighbors say is unsupported by their deed and title searches. “Before reaching any settlement, we respectfully ask that the town provide greater transparency to the residents most directly affected,” Lawren said.
Speakers including Brenda Brown and Judy Cesy described decades of continuous public use of Alta Woods dating to the 1960s and invoked the legal doctrine of implied dedication based on long public use. Neighbors raised technical concerns about hillside drainage, existing sump pumps, a concrete V‑ditch, and the effect of heavy construction for a proposed driveway on erosion and emergency access.
Several residents indicated they have collected more than 50 signatures on a letter uploaded to the town website and asked the council to require geotechnical studies and to make those analyses publicly available before any settlement is finalized. They also asked for clarity on who would be financially responsible for any road or infrastructure repairs caused by construction traffic.
Town staff acknowledged the submissions and that a letter was posted to the website; the council did not take action on the settlement at the meeting. Residents asked that the town not approve or finalize an agreement until easement, title and geotechnical questions are fully answered and affected residents have the opportunity to review and comment.
Why it matters: The dispute concerns whether Alta Woods is public right‑of‑way or private property, which affects residents’ access, neighborhood safety, and whether a proposed driveway or subdivision would encroach on land neighbors believe to be held in public use. Neighbors requested technical studies and full disclosure before any agreement is signed.
What’s next: Residents asked council to withhold settlement approval until staff provides title documentation, easement records and independent geotechnical analysis, and to post all materials for public review and comment.
