David Smith
General Superintendent
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
Building 201, Fort Mason Center
San Francisco, CA 94123
(sent via email 6-4-2026)
Dear Superintendent Smith:
I am the president of the Coastside Horse Council, a Half Moon Bay–based nonprofit organization advocating for the equestrian heritage, culture, and economy of the San Mateo County Coastside. Our organization works closely with open-space advocates, trail users, local businesses, and community stakeholders to support multi-use trail access and preserve local horse-boarding facilities, particularly those located within Rancho Corral de Tierra.
I am writing to connect with you and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area regarding the Rancho Corral de Tierra Comprehensive Site Management Plan and Equestrian Facilities Management Study.
Many of our members and other Coastside residents participated in meetings with GGNRA staff during the Midcoast Community Council discussions in March and August 2024, where significant concerns were raised regarding the future of equestrian uses within Rancho Corral de Tierra.
At the August 14, 2024 Midcoast Community Council meeting, GGNRA staff acknowledged in considerable detail many of the concerns raised by Coastside residents, particularly regarding equestrian uses, horse boarding capacity, trail access, ranch operations and staff, public riding programs, and the broader impacts on the Coastside's rural and agricultural character. We appreciated that these concerns were publicly acknowledged by your agency.
We understand that staffing limitations, federal budget uncertainties, and other operational challenges may have affected the pace of large planning efforts. We also recognize that planning processes of this scale take time. At the same time, it has now been two and a half years since the broader Rancho plan first became public, and nearly two years since community members were advised that significant public concerns and feedback would be reviewed further by GGNRA staff.
Since then, the community has received limited information regarding what substantive work, revisions, analysis, or reconsideration may have taken place in response to those concerns. Many stakeholders remain unclear whether the concerns raised by residents and user groups have resulted in modifications to the plan, additional study, or reconsideration of certain proposals. Given the level of public interest and the substantial impact these decisions may have on Coastside recreation, agriculture, the local economy, and equestrian infrastructure, this prolonged lack of public communication has created increasing uncertainty within the community.
We would greatly appreciate an update regarding the status of the planning process, including any revisions, changes, or additional analysis that may have occurred since the concepts were first presented publicly. Greater clarity regarding the status and direction of the planning effort would help the community better understand the process and the factors being considered as future decisions are made.
In addition, our members continue to have several outstanding questions:
What staff members, consultants, or advisors with equestrian expertise participated in developing the Rancho Corral de Tierra management concepts, and what equestrian expertise remains involved in ongoing planning discussions?
We understand that several horse-barn leases within Rancho Corral de Tierra were recently renewed for relatively short two-year terms despite the long-term operational and financial planning required for equestrian facilities. What is the rationale for the shorter extensions? What is the anticipated timeline for future negotiations? Are there any significant lease changes under consideration?
During prior public meetings, community members were informed that GGNRA and Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy staff had gathered decades of public feedback and input regarding recreation management, trail use, and user conflicts within Rancho Corral de Tierra. However, a subsequent public records request produced fewer than ten documented complaints or conflict reports. Given the scope of planning decisions under consideration and the longstanding involvement of Coastside user groups, we would appreciate a clearer understanding of the data, documentation, meeting records, stakeholder input, and other information that informed the management concepts presented publicly, particularly those involving significant changes to equestrian facilities, trail access, and recreational uses within Rancho Corral de Tierra.
Our intention in raising these questions is not adversarial. Rather, we hope to better understand the planning process and encourage continued dialogue as the process moves forward.
There are also broader community concerns regarding the cumulative loss of Coastside equestrian infrastructure. Nearly half of the boarded horses on the Coastside are located within Rancho Corral de Tierra facilities, and continued reductions in horse boarding and riding opportunities threaten the longstanding equestrian culture, agricultural heritage, and rural character of our coastal communities.
Taken together, these developments have created understandable uncertainty for residents, families, workers, small businesses, and others who rely upon these facilities for boarding, training, recreation, agricultural support services, and local employment, and some
We appreciate any information you can provide regarding anticipated next steps and future opportunities for public engagement.
Thank you again for your time and consideration. We appreciate your past willingness to engage with our community and look forward to continuing the conversation in a constructive and collaborative manner.
Sincerely,
Ellen Shireman
President, Coastside Horse Council
www.coastsidehorsecouncil.org
Mailing Address: 11 Sand Dollar Court, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019