Martinez voters appear to reject developing land once owned by John Muir
MARTINEZ – How much would you pay to be able to walk in the footsteps of John Muir? Voters in Martinez appeared to have answered that question in the most recent election.
For decades, some people have been trying to save from development a piece of property that was once owned by John Muir. The ridgeline is called the Alhambra Highlands. It overlooks the city of Martinez, but conservationists say, at sunset, in the spring when the grasses are green, it looks like it's closer to heaven.
"It's just really special," said resident Marsha Kent. "And I think it's really unique to our town and kind of...kind of what Martinez represents."
The ridgeline is privately owned and for more than 20 years, a developer has been trying to build homes on the land.
City Councilmember Mark Ross said it is the only housing development he has ever opposed in his 25 years in office.
"People had forgotten about it," Ross said. "I think they would have been shocked to see, well, who allowed that type of scrape-the-top-of-the-hills development--which isn't done any more in the Bay Area or California allowed? How did that happen?"
Enter Jaime Fox. He's led the fight against the plan for more than 10 years and was the one who discovered the land had previously been owned by John Muir, whose historic home sits in the valley nearby.
"I talked to the Sierra Club, they told me it's too late. Everyone told me it's too late," Fox told KPIX 5. "And I just kept raising awareness, and thought, if we raise enough awareness, it will get saved somehow."
Apparently, his persistence paid off, because the votes are in and it looks like Martinez residents have approved Measure F, a $79-per-year parcel tax on homes to raise $19 million to buy the land from the developer and protect it as public open space.
On Election Night, the measure was 70 votes short of the two-thirds needed for approval. But as mail-in ballots were counted the vote shifted, and now, with few left to count, the measure is winning with 68% of the vote.
Muir used to hike the hills with his daughters, and on Monday, so did Fox, with his 8-year-old daughter Hazel, who helped out in the campaign.
"I thought we should try to save it, 'cuz, like, we're kinda running out of land to enjoy and stuff," Hazel said.
Fox wasn't sure about the measure passing, but now that it is, he's confident there won't be any buyer's remorse.
"Standing on top of the hilltop watching the sun set, no one's going to complain. There's no such thing as a bad view from up there," he said. "And so now we have the chance to buy it and make it right...forever, for all future generations."