Documents are grouped as follows. Within each group, documents are presented in reverse chronological order (newest to oldest):

	Position papers and analyses by CORP and related groups
	Press coverage and editorials
	Influential letters and communications
	Bedrock documents: Government statutes, surveys, and plans

Documents are presented as OCRed text which approximates the original layout. The more controversial documents also are available as scanned images, showing letterhead, signatures, etc. These are indicated by the camera symbol..

Position papers and analyses by CORP and other groups

• CORP documents of Spring 2001 outlining trails and parklands still needed in the ORP:

  • Letter addressed to the Citizens Advisory Commission (CAC)

  • Flyer with suggested talking and writing points. Also in RTF format, which might print better

  • Map showing trails still needed in the ORP as of Spring 2001. The map is in Adobe .PDF format; to download the free Acrobat reader from the Adobe website, click here:

• Analysis of the changes in proposed parklands on Sonoma Mountain through three county planning documents, from 1964, 1989, 1999, and 2003.

• CORP's analysis of the cost impact of facilities proposed in the draft ORP, comparing natural and developed facilities and last year's draft to the current version.

• CORP's analysis of parkland distribution in Sonoma County, currently and as proposed in the June 2000 Draft ORP.

• Study of laws, policies, and traditions governing recreational access to the countryside (including private land) in Denmark, Germany, Norway and Sweden, the "allemansratt" countries (common right to access open land). An eye opener!

• CORP's letter to the Board of Supervisors on SCAPOSD's draft Acquisition Plan 2000.

• CORP's letter to SCAPOSD (Sonoma County Ag Preservation and Open Space District) on the Red Hill purchase.

• Comparison of Bay Area Open Space districts, compiled by CORP

• CORP's comments and recommendations with respect to the County's May 27, 1999 Draft Outdoor Recreation Plan.

• Proposed parklands analysis, showing how each region of Sonoma County matches up against the restored 20 acres / 1000 population standard if the ORP's proposed parks are fully implemented by 2010.

• Inventory of Sonoma County's current parks and trails, from the May 27, 1999 Draft of the Sonoma County Outdoor Recreation Plan.

• Op-ed by Ken Wells published April 11, 1999 in the Press Democrat.

• CORP's first flyer written by Will Stapp for distribution at a speaking engagement by Galen Rowell in Petaluma on March 6, 1999.

• Open Space vs. "Closed Space" analysis of Bay Area counties, compiled by CORP.

• Drive time to parklands from Sonoma County cities, compiled by CORP.

• Summary table of SCAPOSD acquisitions through January 1999, grouped by supervisorial district. Links on that page lead to more detailed information. Data provided by SCAPOSD and compiled by CORP.

• CORP analysis of Open Space District sales tax revenue.

• CORP analysis of the 1995 survey results on public opinion regarding parks and outdoor recreation commissioned by the Regional Park District.

• One county that got it right. The Marin County Open Space District Code, approved October 18, 1994. "2.01.030 Lands Open to the Public. District lands are open to the public..." This external link (Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development website) launches a second browser window.

• Bibliography on the Economic Benefits of Open Space compiled by the Trust for Public Land. This external link launches a second browser window.

• The California Recreational Use Statute And Liability Handbook published by the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council (BARTC). This external link launches a second browser window.

Press coverage and editorials

• Petaluma Argus-Courier cover story on south county parkland needs, by Eileen Morris, November 29, 2000. This external link (Argus-Courier website) launches a second browser window.

• SF Chronicle article by Janet Wells on the Open Space District, October 28, 2000

• Chris Coursey's column of July 28, 2000 on RHI and the ORP freeze

• Press Democrat editorial of March 16, 2000, on the acquisition of the Red Hill property near Jenner for parkland.

• Press Democrat editorial of September 2, 1999, entitled "Lafferty trail, " and the related "A new path" editorial published September 16, 1999 in the same newspaper.

• Press Democrat editorial of August 22, 1999, entitled "Shameful shortage of public spaces"

• Columns by Chris Coursey published August 20 and September 3, 1999 in the Press Democrat dealing with trails and parklands.

• Selected letters to the editor on issues of open space and outdoor recreation in Sonoma County.

• "Usual Suspects" columns from the Sonoma County Independent of June 10-16 and August 19-25, 1999, entitled, "Happy Trails?" and "Trail Mix," respectively.

• Bruce Hagen's column published March 24, 1999 in the Petaluma Argus-Courier.

• Link to the Press Democrat's articles on Open Space District policies and priorities, published March 7 and 8, 1999, by Tom Chorneau. This external link launches a second browser window.

• Press Democrat editorials on open space and outdoor recreation topics from February, March, and April 1999. Several editorials address the Bohemia Ranch (Waterfall Park) controversy.

• Press Democrat editorial, published October 15, 1997, entitled "Take a hike," on the Outdoor Recreation Plan and its proposed trail system.

Influential letters and communications
All the following letters are on file with the County or otherwise part of the public record.

• June 2000 letter from County Counsel Steven Woodside analyzing measures A and C for SCAPOSD.

• September 13, 1999 memo from former Supervisor Jim Harberson to the current Board suggesting trail easements be paid for.

• August 1999 letters from Stephen Butler to the Supervisors concerning the Draft Outdoor Recreation Plan policies and its treatment of Lafferty Ranch and Sonoma Mountain trails. Butler does not say who he represents here, but the Press Democrat generally identifies him as "an attorney representing Sonoma Mountain property owners, reportedly including Peter Pfendler, who oppose to the opening of Petaluma's Lafferty Ranch park."

• August 1999 letter from Jean Kapolchok to the Supervisors concerning the Draft Outdoor Recreation Plan.

NOTE: Ms. Kapolchok was nominated to the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space Authority by Supervisor Tim Smith and confirmed by the Board of Supervisors on November 2, 1999.

Described in the Press Democrat as representing, "among other clients, a landowners group that opposes public access on Sonoma Mountain," Kapolchok has a considerable public record in opposition to public access to open space, as evidenced by this letter.

• August 31, 1999 letter from Maurice (Bud) Getty, State Parks District Superintendent for the Silverado (north bay) region on the Outdoor Recreation Plan.

• August 23, 1999 letter from Sonoma County District Attorney Mike Mullins calling for more actuve use parks (ballfields) in the Outdoor Recreation Plan.

• July 1999 letter from County Counsel Steven Woodside analyzing measures A and C for SCAPOSD.

• Open memo by Pierre Joske of the ORP Citizens Advisory Committee to Philip Sales of Regional Parks, written in June 1999, commenting on the Fran Brigmann letter.

• Open letter by Frances Brigmann commenting on the CAC draft policies, January 22, 1999. Ms. Brigmann, a Sonoma County resident, is the General Manager of the Marin Open Space District, and Director of Marin County's parks system.

• June 1998 letter from the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council objecting to the CAC's removal of a trail over Sonoma Mountain from draft ORP maps.

• June 1998 letter from Stephen Butler to the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Outdoor Recreation Plan, detailing landowner and agricultural objections to the draft Outdoor Recreation Plan. Scanned image available.

• October 1997 letter from an attorney of the California Farm Bureau Federation to the Sonoma County Farm bureau laying out the strengths and weaknesses of their case against trails. Scanned image available. CFBF has taken some noteworthy positions on outdoor recreation -- on a page crowing about their 1997 legislative accomplishments, they boast of having "helped stall a measure appropriating more than $450 million for the acquisition and development of park land."
  
  The antipathy toward parklands continues as the CFBF was nearly alone among statewide organizations in opposing Measure 12, the parks bond on the March 7, 2000 ballot.

• August 1997 memo from David Hansen of SCAPOSD to the Open Space Advisory Committee on trail acquisition policy.

• 1997 Letters from James Botz, Sonoma County Counsel, to Maria Cirpriani of SCAPOSD on various legal matters.

• Sonoma County Farm Bureau Concerns Regarding Trails on Agricultural Lands. This talking points sheet is undated, but probably appeared around 1997. Scanned image available.

• Letter from the Sonoma County Farm Bureau to the Board of Supervisors opposing trails on or near agricultural areas, dated January 28, 1997. Scanned image available.

• Letters by Peter Pfendler to the Sonoma County Farm Bureau in October-November 1996, plus a response by David Hansen of SCAPOSD. Scanned images available. .

• Memo from County Counsel James Botz to the Open Space Authority, August 1990.

• 1986 exchange of letters between Shiela Lee and Stephen Butler, of the Sonoma County Planning Department and the County Counsel's office, respectively, on the liability protections enjoyed by property owners who grant trail easements. For more up-to-date information on such liability issues refer to this handbook published by the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council.

Bedrock documents: Government statutes, surveys, and plans

• The full June 2000 Draft Outdoor Recreation Plan is now available at the county site. Instructions for dowloading and viewing the Adobe Acrobat format file are on this page.

• Policies chapter of the June 2000 Draft Outdoor Recreation Plan, showing changes from previous (May 1999) draft.

• Agenda for July 13, 2000 CAC (Citizens' Advisory Committee) meeting to unveil the latest draft of the Sonoma County Outdoor Recreation Plan. Includes the dedication of the ORP to CORP's founding Chair, the late Julie Fisher.

• Executive summary prepared by County staff of changes from the previous (May 1999) draft of the ORP. See also the parklands needs analysis, comparison of past and present park/trail plans, and cost analysis, all prepared by Sonoma County Regional Parks staff in June 2000.

• May 4, 2000 Draft Acquisition Plan for the Sonoma County Ag Preservation & Open Space District. This external link (SCAPOSD temporary website) launches a second browser window.

• Changes to the Acquisition Plan proposed by SCAPOSD late June, 2000 (.doc format).

• Fall 1999 Draft Implementation Programs for the Acquisition Plan 2000 of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (SCAPOSD)

• Summary of Supervisors' recommendations for the Draft Outdoor Recreation Plan, prepared by Regional Parks staff for the October 26, 1999 Board meeting. Highlights include: new/restored trail over Sonoma Mountain; keep the 20 acres per 1000 population standard for Regional Parks; work with State Parks officials to expand state parks in the County by at least 10,000 acres; a 2+ year timeline for full ORP adoption stretching to 2002.

• Resolutions by Sonoma County cities in favor or more trails, parks, and increased public access to open space. To date, a majority of our nine cities have passed similar resolutions.

• Paper on Preserving Open Space and Farmland written for city and county planners by the California Governor's Office of Planning and Research. This external link (CERES website) launches a second browser window.

• Recommended Policies of the County-wide Outdoor Recreation. Exerpts of draft policies produced by the Citizens' Advisory Committee (CAC) for the Sonoma County Outdoor Recreational Plan, dated May 27, 1999.

• Organizational Assessment of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space Program. The county comissioned this assessment, published around September 1998, which turned out to be quite critical of the SCAPOSD's policies (or lack thereof) and management practices. See also CORP's commentary on their findings and recommendations.

• 1998 Proposed Plan for the SCAPOSD, written by GM David Hansen to the Open Space Authority on March 6, 1998.

• Survey published in 1999 by the USDA Forest Service on Outdoor Recreation in the United States. This thorough study, in PDF format, shows the overwhelming and growing popularity of "passive" and trail-oriented outdoor recreation as compared to, say, organized team sports, across all regions, age groups, income levels, and ethnicities. This external link (USDA Forest Service website) launches a second browser window.

• Neighbor Survey published by Sonoma County Regional Parks in May 1997 showing that trails and parks are overwhelmingly viewed positively by their neighbors in Sonoma County.

• Survey of public attitudes and priorities for parks and outdoor recreation, commissioned by the Sonoma County Regional Parks Department in August/September 1995. See also CORP's interpretation of the survey results.

• The previous Acquisition Plan of the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District (SCAPOSD), adopted in 1992 and revised in 1994. In 2001 this plan was superceded by "Acquisition Plan 2000," which unfortunately is not available online. Contact SCAPOSD to obtain a printed copy.

• Ballot text of Measure A and Measure C, Sonoma County's 1990 initiatives which formed the Open Space District and funded Agriculture and Open Space Preservation, respectively.

• Excerpts from the 1989 Sonoma County General Plan (revised in 1991 and 1994) dealing with open space, trails, and parklands. Pages 182-192 and page 380 are included here. The entire general plan can be found online at the CERES site. The Open Space Element maps that accompany this general plan can be seen at this CERES page, toward the bottom.

• Excerpts of California State Law pertaining to the Open Space Element required for city and county general plans.