The Bolinas Community Public Utility District took a strong stance last week against three redwoods planted on public property that were discovered during a survey of encroachments in rights-of-way on the Big Mesa.
Erica McCrea, who lives with her family near the intersection of Yucca and Zebra Roads, asked the district’s board of directors if she could leave in place three redwoods she planted next to her property, appealing a previous request that she remove them.
But the district upheld its request last Wednesday, noting that anything obstructing roads on the mesa poses a danger to public health and safety.
“I feel very strongly that we need to hold our stance on this,” Grace Godino, a board member, said. “Trees have no place in the right-of-way.”
Ms. McCrae didn’t attend the utility district’s meeting, instead opting to submit a letter to board members asking for their consideration. She did not respond to requests for comment.
The utility district’s general manager, Jennifer Blackman, said the trees appeared newly planted and could likely be relocated onto Ms. McCrea’s property.
A renewed interest
Interest in re-establishing the mesa’s public rights-of-way intensified in the wake of the devastating wildfires that swept through the North Bay last fall.
According to a community newsletter the utility district distributed in 2015, which first announced the encroachment survey, obstructions make it impossible to drive fire engines down some roads, preventing fighters from reaching certain homes.
Encroachments also prevent the utility district from accessing some of its infrastructure—including water mains, service lines and water meters—and make repairs and installations more difficult and costly.
Ms. Blackman said the district has completed its initial survey of obstructions. “Now that we have a factual compilation of every block on the Big Mesa, and we’ve taken photographs and mapped things out, our next step is to sit down and assess that information and come up with a set of criteria that prioritizes how to deal with things,” she said.
The public rights-of-way on the mesa date back to 1927, when Arthur and Ruth Smadbeck purchased the roughly 300-acre area and created a subdivision with thousands of lots.
With approval from Marin County staff, the Smadbecks recorded the map for what they called the Bolinas Beach subdivision, which included 40- to 60-foot-wide public roads.
Today, many of the individual lots from that map have merged into larger properties, though the layout of the neighborhood remains much the same.
Yet many of the roads established by the Smadbecks’ map were never paved or maintained—a problem that Bolinas officials are now working to address.
‘Before it gets worse’
District staff has so far requested a handful of mesa homeowners remove obstructions, Ms. Blackman said. New encroachments have been the district’s first priority.
But some residents, she said, resent being asked to remove vegetation or objects from the rights-of-way, and fear the utility district’s steadfast position on the issue could result in some major changes to the way they use the land surrounding their homes.
“When we try to address an obstruction or encroachment, people don’t oppose that being done—but only if it’s not being enforced near their house,” Ms. Blackman said. “We, the district, need to find a way to communicate with people that there are real health and safety concerns here.”
She added that the district doesn’t have the money or resources to enforce its requests, so compliance will be voluntary.
“We need to persuade people to take some responsibility,” she said.
Sue Verhalen, who owns property on the mesa, said she applauds the utility district for addressing the issue—and not making exceptions. “They’re trying to stop this problem before it gets worse and more expensive,” she said.
Residents blocking rights-of-way aren’t looking out for the community’s best interest, and some have built structures and hosted events on public property, she added.
“It’s one thing if you’re parking [in the right-of-way], or if you have a fence along your property line,” Ms. Verhalen said. “But it’s another thing if you’re preventing others from accessing it and using it as your personal property.”