The Canyon

Location

The San Juan Canyon is located entirely within the City of Belmont (see map) but remains a largely unspoiled open area, home to many species of plants and animals. Although it is surrounded by development, trails connect it directly to the Canada Road trail and its connections. Much of the canyon is steep and geologically unstable, making development problematical. New development would burden the City's infrastructure, particularly Ralston Ave., which has seen a significant rise in traffic congestion in recent years. Erosion and runoff problems would also accompany new development.

Click here for Images of the canyon.

History

The formation of the Trust is part of a long history of efforts to save open space in this area: 1926: Belmont was incorporated as a City. There was a great deal of subdivision activity during those years. A number of 50-foot lots were laid out along fictitious streets on steep hillsides in the San Juan Canyon area. Many of these lots have not been developed to this day, and in our view should not be (see recent lot merger below). Legend has it that these lots were given away as door prizes in San Francisco movie theaters. 1973: Twin Pines Park was saved from condominium development and is now a city treasure. Acquisition was funded through property taxes ($5 per month per home, at a time when house prices were around $70,000).
 
1976-77: Although a plan to remove 90 feet from the top of Sugarloaf (which was then unincorporated) in order to
build had been successfully stopped a few years before, a new proposal called for building on the sides of it. After many meetings of the County and City Planning Commissions, City Councils, and the Board of Supervisors, the plan to put housing on the saddleback to the West was passed and a small Belmont portion was transferred to San Mateo.
A task force of Belmont citizens then worked with Planning Director Neil Martin to reduce the number of homes that could be built. Martin was replaced by part-time director Tom Vlassic who, with this Task Force, worked out a plan to transfer density to the more stable parts and use the process of lot merger. This plan was presented to the Council but due to
a huge outcry of lot owners, was turned down.
1983: Nothing more happened for a while until a Planning Commissioner whose term was expiring in 1983 forcefully urged the Council to study the area again. The San Juan Committee was formed forthwith, including two
City council members, three Homeowners' Association representatives and one member of the Planning Commission.
1985: William Cotton & Associates concluded a geological hazard study of the canyon. Among vacant subdivided lots, 4% were deemed stable, 88% potentially unstable, and 8% definitely unstable.
1986: A draft area plan was published incorporating the findings and recommendations of the 1983 committee.
1987: After fifteen public hearings, the Planning Commission recommended approval of the Area Plan.
March 22, 1988: The San Juan Hills Area Plan was adopted by the City Council after eight public hearings, as an amendment to the General Plan. This included an Environmental Impact Report. This plan pointed out the
numerous geohazards in the canyon and the costly building out of paper roads, but went on to recommend a cluster housing approach. That is, clusters of homes were recommended in the most desirable areas of the canyon: level pasture-like areas.
Overall, this was a 1980's style "managed growth" plan. "Higher densities are permitted to promote clustering and recombinations of lots." (p. 46). They also seemed to encourage the use of cul-de-sacs (now proven to
significantly worsen residential traffic) as a way around costly road building in geologically hazardous areas. Adele Della Santina was Chair of the Planning Commission when this document was drafted.
In response to developer and realtor activity in the Canyon and intense pressure to build, a group drafted Measure E for the November, 1998 General Election. Signing were Coralin Feierbach, Pam Rianda, Eric Dentler, Jess Jones (president of the Skymont-Plateau Homeowners' Assn.), and John Boykin (Cipriani Neighborhood Assn.).
The Task Force began regular Monday night meetings in City Hall. Twenty members (residents, Council members, City staff). Eric Dentler was selected as Chair.
The Task Force agreed to focus efforts on at-risk plots in the Canyon. Agreed to rank 19 parcels encompassing 79 acres. Letters sent to property holders for informational and open communications purposes. Task Force invited all to attend meetings and participate. RFP sent out for Canyon appraisals. Agreement to pursue a position of passive park land use,
to be detailed in coordination with Parks & Recreation Dept.
The Task Force went public with a booth at the Belmont Art and Wine Festival. Before-and-after photos were posted and the message of "Save the Canyon" introduced. Over 100 signed in favor of preservation.
The City sponsored a random survey of 400 residents taken by professional survey group. 71% were in favor of preserving the Canyon through property taxes. Formal appraisal of land completed: $13 million. The Task Force concluded its work with a recommendation to raise $10 million in bonds in a special election in March, 1999. Council asked the Finance Commission to investigate ways to package the $10 million bond (general obligation, Mello-Roos).
October 13, 1998: Council voted to schedule the ballot measure (Rianda, Santina, and Cook voting), placing the bond measure on a special election in March, 1999, requiring a 2/3 majority vote for passage.
Vice Mayor Cook presided over a formal protest hearing (a Mello-Roos proposal requirement). 300 residents turn out in opposition to the measure. The special election failed due to Santina's "no" vote.
February 2002: The Council adopted a lot merger proposal that had been recommended by the Planning Commission and City staff. About 46 groups of adjoining lots, in the HRO2 district were merged. These groups were under common
ownership. 23 of these owners protested this action, but all protests were denied (except for one on a technicality).
April 2002: Council adopts a new slope-density formula which changes the formula for subdividing large lots in the HRO1 (San Juan Canyon) and HRO3 (Western Hills) areas. The new formula allows one third of the number of lots to be created versus the previous allowance.