Ridge trail maps to inform public, prevent trespassing

Public paths to be detailed in pamphlet
Hikers out to enjoy the Healdsburg Ridge are being asked to stick to the public trails and beware of trespassing as the city works with the county Open Space District to delineate the lines.
“This really isn’t a city issue, the property is not within the city limits, it’s not our jurisdiction but because the city has easements to access this private property, and people see our employees and our vehicles out on the property that they perceive to be open space, we have kind-of been sucked into it,” said City Manager Marjie Pettus.
“But we want to facilitate because I think it is confusing for residents as to where is the public space and where is the private property,” she added.
City officials are working with the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District to provide the information to the public to prevent trespassing on the private property and private easements.
“Healdsburg Ridge has a trail system and signage and while there is a fence that divides the open space from the private property, there is a gap in the fence and there are these paths that have been worn into the landscape that looks like a connected system of trails and there isn’t anything at that fence line that says ‘you are now entering private property,’” Pettus said.
The property owners have attempted to post multiple signs that have disappeared. The Open Space District has also posted signs attempting to direct visitors to the public spaces.
“There is a conservation easement on the private property and I think that because of that easement on portions of that property, I think that is another thing that makes it difficult for the public to understand, just because there is a conservation easement doesn’t mean that the property isn’t private, it just means that the property owner has agreed to protect the property in its natural state as opposed to developing it,” Pettus said.
Visitors to the area are not only walking through areas that are private property but they are accessing the river through these private lots.
“The bottom line is that people continue to access this private property and complain to the city about the no trespass signs. People have said they don’t want them there anymore and we don’t have the jurisdiction, but because they see city employees in the area they want to know from us what is going on,” Pettus said.
“So it is my thought that if we have a handout that we could give to people to show the boundaries, there would be a better understanding and perhaps dissuade people from going on the private property,” she said.
The city is working with Open Space to map out the areas that are public from the property that is private and find ways to inform visitors of the Ridge what paths are acceptable to access.
“The challenge is that the community has been saying ‘we have been doing it for years, what gives,’ similar to my understanding of Fitch Mountain — people have been accessing it for years even though it is private property. So the city’s involvement is showing what is public and what isn’t,” David Mickaelian, Assistant City Manager said.
The city will release printed materials indicating the lines of private and public property on and around Healdsburg Ridge. City vehicles will be equipped with the leaflet when encountering visitors on the Ridge.
“We just want people to be informed and we are trying to facilitate the dialog between the property owners, the county and the folks that are trespassing if you will,” Pettus said.
Healdsburg Ridge is 150-acres of Open Space that the city will take ownership of in the spring of next year.