Midpen Open Space Purchases Old Alves Dairy for Ranger and Maintenance Staff in Half Moon Bay and Adds Two Undeveloped Properties to Miramontes Ridge Preserve

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

ARTICLE and VIDEO. 1. Article from the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District on March 6th, 2025. See also Midpen Closed Session Board meeting on February 12th, 2025.
2. Video from the San Mateo County Planning Commission on Wednesday, February 26th, 2025 at 9:00am, as a hybrid meeting.
3. Alves Dairy History on June Morrrall’s “Half Moon Bay Memories“.

From Midpen Open Space Board Board Meeting‘s Closed Session on February 12th, 2025.

San Mateo County Planning Staff Report. Consideration of a request by the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) that the County report upon whether its proposed purchase of 62.68 +/- acres of property (APN 066-430-100 and 066-430-110) conforms to the San Mateo County General Plan.


ARTICLE. Midpen recently approved the purchase of three properties near Half Moon Bay that will expand the existing Miramontes Ridge Open Space Preserve and provide a location for a ranger and maintenance staff office. The properties consist of a commercial property and undeveloped open space lands.  

“Midpen staff provide many valuable public services to the Coastside, and this site will enable our staff and equipment to be readily available and provide for greater connection and presence within the community,” said Midpen Superintendent Chris Barresi. 

When Midpen’s boundaries expanded to include the San Mateo County coast in 2004, the public agency made a commitment to the community that a ranger and maintenance staff office would be established once Midpen preserved 15,000 acres in the area.  

This acreage milestone was reached with the purchase of what is now Cloverdale Ranch Open Space Preserve near Pescadero in 2023. Anticipating this infrastructure need, staff have been putting aside funds for this purpose.  

Cloverdale Ranch, view from high hill.
Cloverdale Ranch Open Space Preserve

Staff searched for a suitable site for several years before finding a 2.61-acre commercial property within Half Moon Bay city limits. The commercial property is currently leased out to private businesses for parking and storage. The property was a rare fit with all of Midpen’s narrow criteria including for size, zoning, utilities and absence of prime agriculture or farmland.  

Two nearby undeveloped open space properties totaling 62.68 acres were also approved for purchase in the same transaction and from the same owner to be incorporated into Midpen’s adjacent Miramontes Ridge Preserve. These parcels already had an easement over them that prevented development, and their preservation aligns with the priorities in Midpen’s Vision Plan, funded by voter-approved Measure AA.  

Improvements to the commercial property will need to occur before Midpen staff and equipment can begin operating out of it. These purchases are scheduled to close escrow this spring. Midpen has several existing ranger and maintenance staff offices located throughout our service area to serve Midpen preserves and visitors.


Cloverdale Ranch on Coastside Buzz

Visit the Newly Acquired Cloverdale Ranch Preserve, Midpen’s 27th Open Space Preserve, and Hike Wilbur’s Watch with Panoramic Views;

Midpen Poised to Purchase a Coastside Ecological Jewel, Cloverdale Ranch, from Peninsula Open Space District (POST) for 50% Off;

mdrag
Author: mdrag

x

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *