Measure to preserve Tiburon open spaces appears headed for approval
MARIN COUNTY -- A measure to use $23 million in bonds to buy and preserve an undeveloped parcel of open space in Tiburon appears headed for approval, according to the latest election tally posted Thursday.
Measure M, which authorizes the purchase of the 110-acre "Martha Property" on the Tiburon Peninsula, has 77.11 percent of the vote, according to the Marin County Registrar of Voters website.
It requires a two-thirds majority to pass.
"I am so happy that all the hard work by so many volunteers has paid off," said Jerry Riesssen, president of the group Tiburon Open Space.
"The community support is fantastic," Riessen said. "We await the final results but it looks very encouraging."
In addition to the bond, the measure also creates an annual special tax of $335, which will increase by 2 percent every year until the bonds are repaid, for property owners in Tiburon east of Trestle Glen Boulevard and Belvedere.
The nonprofit Trust for Public Land will buy the land for $42 million and then sell it to Marin County for $26 million.
Additional funds will come from past bond measures and Measure A, which was approved by voters in June and raises money for parks and open spaces in Marin County.
The Marin County Open Space District will issue the bonds.