Memorial Trail Improvements

The MCOSD Board of Directors approved moving forward with the Memorial Trail project on November 8, 2023.  MCOSD held a period of public comment on the CEQA document for this proposed project from June 13 through July 15, 2022. Construction is anticipated to begin in spring 2023.

• Memorial Trail: Responses to Public Comments pdf
• Memorial Trail IS/MND pdf

The purpose of the proposed project is to implement the MCOSD’s Road and Trail Management Plan (RTMP) to provide the public with a trail system to enhance the visitor experience, reduce the environmental impacts on sensitive resources by reducing sedimentation and erosion, and establish a sustainable system of roads and trails that meet design and management standards and would provide safe year-round access along the trail alignment.

The Memorial Trail and adjacent social trails in Terra Linda/Sleepy Hollow Preserve currently comprise a network of steep, eroding, and unsustainable pathways totaling over three miles. By realigning the Memorial Trail and providing sustainable trailhead connections, the proposed project would reduce the overall trail length by approximately .29 of a mile, and provide more equitable access to cyclists, equestrians, and hikers. This would also improve areas of native plant and wildlife communities by reducing habitat fragmentation and encroachment into relatively undisturbed areas.

The current Memorial Trail alignment runs from Ridgewood Fire Road to Dias Way and exceeds a 35% gradient. A new alignment would be constructed at a sustainable 5 to 10% grade. To achieve this, the proposed trailhead would use the existing trailhead at Del Haro Way and be signed as a system trail., The trail length would total approximately 1.95 miles. This includes hiking only extensions to Malone Lane and Dias Way, and a hiking and equestrian extension to Oak Ridge Road. Currently undesignated trailheads at Malone Lane, Oak Ridge Road, and Del Haro Way would be signed as system trails. The proposed realignment would have 13 crossings of ephemeral streams. Seven of these crossings would be rock armored fords, and six are proposed as bridges. The proposed project would also decommission 1.77 miles of trail, including the current Memorial Trail and several unsustainable and actively eroding social trails. In addition, about a half-mile of social trail would be upgraded and included into the designated trail system.

Features would include:

• Realign Memorial Trail and change to multiuse hike/bike/equestrian trail
• Realign the Oak Ridge social trail to a sustainable equestrian and hiker only trail
• Upgrade the Dias Way Trail to a sustainable hiker only trail
• Realign the Malone Lane social trail to a sustainable hiking only trail
• Incorporate and upgrade some segments of the existing social trail network into the Memorial and Malone Trails
• Decommission and restore unsustainable and actively eroding social trails

Implementation of the proposed project would achieve the following objectives:

• Improve visitor access to the preserve, including to Terra Linda High School
• Reduce trail erosion and sedimentation
• Reduce trail density and habitat fragmentation

• San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board
• California Department of Fish and Wildlife

• 2019: Identified during Region 5 Designation 
• 2019–20: Community meetings and outreach  
• 2019–20: Feasibility analysis, biological resources assessment, and workplan development 
• Spring 2021:Terra Linda Neighborhood Association, Terra Linda High School athletic department, Environmental Roundtable site visits
• August 2021: Tribal notification
• 2022: CEQA, including public comment and regulatory permit process
• 2023–2024: Implement trail and habitat improvements

The Marin Open Space District (MCOSD) prepared a draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the proposed Memorial Trail Improvement Project. The IS/MND provides information regarding the setting of the project area, the project description, analysis of potentially significant environmental impacts that could result from implementation of the proposed project, and mitigation measures to reduce potentially significant environmental impacts to a less than significant level.  The Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration and the draft IS/MND can be accessed using the links provided below.

The public comment period was from June 13, 2022 to July 15, 2022 at 5:00 p.m.  

• Notice of Intent to Adopt a Mitigated Negative Declaration pdf
• Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration pdf

The MCOSD is scheduled to present the Memorial Trail IS/MND to its Board of Directors on November 8, 2022 for adoption, along with project approval. All comments received on the IS/MND and MCOSD’s responses will be included in the material provided to the Board of Directors for their consideration.

• Memorial Trail: Responses to Public Comments pdf

MCOSD staff held a public neighborhood outreach meeting on October 7th, 2020. The meeting was attended by 60 individuals, including Marin County Supervisor Damon Connolly, and residents of Terra Linda and surrounding communities. Public comments during the meeting were largely in favor of the project.

Staff held a meeting on October 29th, 2020, with representatives from Terra Linda High School to discuss the High School’s current use and potential future use following completion of the proposed project. Faculty from the athletics and science departments are very supportive and eager for the project to move forward.

Staff held a meeting with representatives of the Marin Horse Council on December 7th, 2020, to present the project and gather feedback. The equestrian community was supportive of the project.

Staff held a meeting with representatives from the Terra Linda Neighborhood Association to present and answer questions regarding the project. This meeting was followed by field visits on March 20th, and July 2nd with the HOA and Supervisor Connolly. The TLHOA is supportive of the project.

• Planning discussion flyer pdf
• Presentation pdf

The design of the proposed project has been informed by members of the community. MCOSD engaged the community through a series of stakeholder meetings and field visits to facilitate opportunities for feedback.  In addition to group site visits and community meetings,,  Marin County Parks staff  had one-on one conversations with a variety of community members.  

The Environmental Round Table is a forum facilitated by MCOSD and includes two representatives from each of the following environmental organizations: California Native Plant Society, Sierra Club, Friends of Corte Madera Creek, Marin Conservation League, Environmental Forum of Marin, and Marin Audubon Society.  The purpose of the Environmental Round Table is to facilitate a natural resource focused discussion and exchange of ideas between MCOSD and the environmental community as it relates to natural resources management and project development.  The proposed project has been presented at Environmental Round Table meetings regularly in recent meetings, supplemented by a site visit on May 12, 2021. The Environmental Round Table has expressed general support for the proposed project because the improvements would support the project objectives..  

MCOSD staff provided notification of proposed project to the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, the Guidiville Indian Rancheria, the Ione Band of Miwok Indians, and the Coast Miwok Tribal Council of Marin on August 18, 2021.  

In January 2019, MCOSD’s Memorandum Regarding Proposed Conditional Designation for Region 5 listed the proposed project as a priority. More information about public participation regarding Region 5 is available online.