San Geronimo Valley residents will be able to hike the entire ridge line from Fairfax to Samuel P. Taylor Park as of Tuesday, Dec. 19, following the county's completing purchase of the 1,300-acre Skye Ranch.

County Open Space District Planner Ron Miska told San Geronimo Valley Planning Group members Monday that although the district had expected to complete the purchase by Dec. 31, escrow should actually close early next week.

The Open Space District and the Marin Community Foundation are together financing the purchase, which follows 10 months of negotiations with developers Dennis Horne and Sid Hendricks. Each has contributed $1,050,000 toward the $2.1 million price.

The acquisition (combined with 400 acres near Lagunitas previously given to the district by Skye Ranch) completes a 6.5-mile stretch of county open space.

"You are to be congratulated," he said during a Planning Group meeting. "This is a special property that has the potential to be one of our premier natural resources in terms of the diversity of plants and animals."

Following his presentation, Miska fielded questions from the 20 or so Valley homeowners who braved Monday night's storms to attend the meeting.

"There are many roads out here with no space to turn around, so a tremendous amount of congestion ... can occur. People coming from the city may not be cognizant that you really have to move far off the side of the road, " said Svabek.

Miska responded that the Open Space District will provide a number of access points for the public, so a single spot will not receive an inordinate amount of use.

He added that the district will not publicize any entry points that are "sensitive," that may pose parking problems or fire hazard.

"The purchase is a double-edged sword," commented Miska. "Now that the property belongs to the public, homeowners are free to enjoy the land, but they also must accustom themselves to increased use by the public."

However, Planner Jean Berensmeier remarked that although the public's interest has been heightened by recent attention in the press, this unusual interest will probably taper off soon.

There are 70 conditions in the original agreement, giving planning commissioners a great deal of control over future development. The conditions guarantee that any future development will have minimum impact on the community, said Gray.

Miska also answered questions about hunting on the property, explaining that since the area is now subject to Open Space District ordinances, no hunting will be allowed, and any hunting camps found by district rangers will be dismantled.

If homeowners near the Skye Ranch property see a hunter, they should call the Open Space district, and a sheriff will be dispatched immediately, he added.

Open Space District ordinances also protect any archaeological resources from defacement or destruction; and all "sacred" spaces on the property, such as the Spiral Circle, will be respected.

"My heart just leaped when I saw the cover of the Point Reyes Light [announcing the pending purchase]," said Woodacre resident Ann Jones. "This is the most wonderful Christmas present! What an extraordinary gift to the community!"

The Planning Group will hold a special hike to celebrate the purchase of Skye Ranch on New Year's Day, said Chairwoman Debbie Dadd-Redalia.