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Deal Bars Development at 2 West Marin Ranches
Marin Independent Journal
Mark Prado
Wednesday, January 3, 2008

Two Tomales ranches will not be developed for housing after owners cut deals with the Marin Agricultural Land Trust for development rights.

The two properties, the Tomales Farm and Dairy property and the Poncia Ranch, total almost 1,000 acres. The deals prevent any nonagricultural development at the ranches.

The 750-acre Poncia Ranch has been in the family since 1915, and was operated as a dairy until 1991. The ranch, which is visible from Highway 1, borders Walker Creek, a major tributary to Tomales Bay.

Gene Poncia lives on the ranch and raises beef and dairy cattle with help from his son. Poncia owned a 50 percent interest in the ranch on which he was born and wanted to pass on to his son.

MALT's purchase of the easement enabled Poncia to acquire the other 50 percent and ensure the agricultural future of the ranch.

"Four generations of Poncias have lived here," Poncia said. "This agreement keeps the ranch in the family."

MALT raised $2 million to buy the development rights, $500,000 of which came from the federal Natural Resources Conservation Service Farm and Ranchlands Protection program. The San Francisco-based Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the state Coastal Conservancy contributed $750,000 to the
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purchase.

"Working farms are important to the economy and heritage of West Marin," said Sam Schuchat, executive officer of the Coastal Conservancy. "These conservation easements will help ensure that the area's farming tradition remains alive and well."

The Tomales Farm and Dairy - formerly the Cerini Ranch - runs along Highway 1 in Tomales. MALT acquired rights on 243 acres of the property for $1 million. The agreement precludes development on a half dozen building sites.

The state Coastal Conservancy provided $750,000, with MALT members and donors contributing $250,000. In addition, MALT received a $15,000 grant for project costs from the California Council of Land Trusts. Tomales Farm and Dairy also reduced the appraised value of the rights by $1 million.

"With the protection of these properties we are pleased to be preserving and enhancing the historic agricultural character of the Tomales community," said Ted Hall, co-owner of Tomales Farm and Dairy. "While we still have many hurdles to overcome, our dream is to make cheese from milk produced by seasonally grass-fed cows."

MALT is a member-supported, nonprofit organization created in 1980 by a coalition of ranchers and environmentalists to permanently preserve Marin County farmland. MALT conservation easements now total 40,000 acres on 61 family farms and ranches.

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