Reimagining San Geronimo Valley (Golf Course)

The pent-up demand for open space in the middle of a community--open space that has been locked up for use only by paying customers during business hours seven days a week for almost 50 years--is huge. In the first two weeks since the San Geronimo Valley Golf Course closed, the excitement in our community was everywhere. Even though the former golf course is closed (and warnings have been issued not to use it), and is not yet public open space, locals are heading there (especially on weekends) to play--but not just golf.

January 2, 2017 - the second day of the San Geronimo Valley
Golf Course closure. Locals were enthusiastically claiming the
newly-accessible territory. This access point was already
popular in the evenings after business hours prior to the closure.

I did see a local man heading up the closed links with his clubs. But mostly people are walking, walking dogs, birdwatching, fish watching, riding bikes, flying drones, and fishing. Reports are that local kids are catching four bass in half an hour in some of the ponds.

This desire to access a large area of flat open space in the middle of a community is huge, and visible everywhere. It is the same desire people have who want to use the L.A. River, and who convert rails to trails. It is the same desire kids have who play in parking lots on weekends or in the middle of their street when there is no traffic. This land is your land! And it isn't locked up anymore!

As Marin County begins its process for planning the transition from golf course to "Open Space" with a captial OS, I have the following advice:


1. Use historical ecology combined with future potential and opportunities to guide the intended uses of the land. Working with nature is always wiser and cheaper than working against it. Make a slow phased transition--start with a small part of the course, turn off irrigation and mowing, then plant natives and eradicate non native invasive weeds. Learn as you go--once you get good at restoring native plants, then scale up efforts as resources allow.

2. Restore natural hydrology and geomorphology as much as possible. Ponds may provide valuable filtering of pollutants downstream of roads, like the pond near Roy's Redwoods, but other drainage management might be less intrusive and equally effective in filtering runoff. Ponds provide a place for non-native species unless managed properly.

3. It is a tragic injustice that kids can't go fishing near their homes due to the current level of development in the watershed threatening the existence of Coho salmon. Until Coho are delisted and recovered to the point of opening a recreational fishery again, maintain fishing opportunities in at least one golf course pond--but managed carefully to prevent the spread of non-native invasive species.

4. Keep Larsen Creek Valley quiet and dark. Eliminate cars and noise from this valley as much as possible to keep it a peaceful refuge for people and animals. The school's solar panels block its bright lights from ruining stargazing in a small area that is easily accessible--this area could be a designated gathering place for astronomy programs. Work with the school to reduce glare and wasted light and funds, and prevent any additional outdoor lighting disasters that destroy the night sky and the night vision of people and wildlife. Don't add any lighting and modify existing lighting to eliminate glare and protect the night sky. The lights at the Presbyterian Church parking lot are an excellent example of pleasing, low-glare effective lighting.

5. Enhance wildlife corridors wherever possible. Plan for how the bridge and tunnel could be modified or expanded to be attractive and safe for wildlife seeking to safely cross roads. Purchase or trade undeveloped land where strategic opportunities present themselves (e.g. along San Geronimo Creek just downstream of Meadow Way and upstream of the fish ladder) and focus wildlife crossing areas in those places.

6. Facilitate the natural movement of people too. Keep the paved paths as a premiere handicapped-accessible open space park, and allow bikes. Keep paths, benches, picnic tables (adding when appropriate); keep use trails which will appear once irrigation is turned off. Don't limit trails to only recreational--this is in the middle of a community and some people want the shortest distance between points a and b. For example near the school solar panels there are often-used routes across the golf course. These prescriptive easements should be maintained and protected. Connectivity with safe routes to school outside the golf course should be created so biking and walking to school from Forest Knolls to Woodacre becomes an easy and common practice.

7. The question of what to do with the clubhouse is a tricky one. As the only developed area, it makes sense to continue to use it as a visitor center/gift shop/restaurant (like Drake's Beach). Relocating the Woodacre fire station here is also an intriguing idea. The Community Garden should remain and possibly expand to promote native gathering practices and organic farming, with demonstrations and guidance and opportunity for people to learn how to enjoy and coexist with our native plants.

8. With all the new land (in a non-natural state) that the County will own, there will be a temptation to trade it for more sensitive lands along San Geronimo Creek in order to reduce development in the riparian zone. This activity should be planned carefully (read Marin County: What it needs to do to recover Coho salmon). If a designated development area is chosen, trades could be made where houses along the creek are moved to the golf course area. If possible, the design of these new lots should facilitate affordable housing, meaning the lots should be small, and permitted square footage of homes should be small in order to keep housing affordable.