In June 2014, voters approved Measure AA, a 30-year, $300 million general obligation bond to protect natural and working lands; open preserve lands to the public; construct public access improvements such as new trails and parking/staging areas; and restore and enhance open space land, forests, streams, watersheds and coastal ranch areas.
MAA projects are grouped in 25 key project portfolios, organized by geographic area within District boundaries. Sales of bonds over the 20-30 year period generates the proceeds to fund the identified projects and allows the District to use property tax revenue for operational expenses, including maintaining preserves and trails, offering public programming and staff salaries. Midpen has also been able to leverage nearly $23 million in grants and partnership funding, plus $4 million in interest income from the bond proceeds to increase the total available MAA bond funding to $327.1 million, which helps in this era of rapidly increasing costs.
Midpen began using MAA funds in 2014 and has made significant progress (as of as June 30, 2023):
- Preserved 9,687 acres
- Opened 31.4 miles of trails (with 10+ miles in construction and 19+ miles of new trails in the planning stage)
- Opened five new areas/preserves to the public: Mount Umunhum Summit of Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve, lower La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve, Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve, and Mindego Gateway area of Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve.
- Opened three new parking areas, creating a total of 126 new parking spaces
- Expanded the conservation grazing program by entering into eight new agricultural leases at four preserves
- Invested $33.9 million in Coastside projects
- Completed work to close four of the 25 portfolios
Join us in 2024 as we celebrate 10 years of progress made possible by Measure AA. Scroll down to explore more.
Project Portfolios
Voters approved Measure AA based on an expenditure plan that outlined 25 priority actions and project portfolios. Those priorities are part of a community-supported Vision Plan (which includes 54 portfolios in total) that began in 2012. Click on a photo below to explore the accomplishments and expenditures in each portfolio.
Measure AA Bond Accountability Report
The annual Measure AA Bond Accountability Report reflects MAA expenditures for the previous fiscal year. Expenditures, progress and major accomplishments within each of the 25 priority actions and project portfolios outlined in Measure AA, providing updates on project work completed within the fiscal year.
A Bond Oversight Committee (BOC) is appointed by the Midpen board of directors to ensure accountability, transparency and public oversight of all funds collected and allocated under MAA. The BOC consists of seven at-large members of the public who reside within District boundaries and review the Annual Accountability Report and expenditure plan in parallel each year, presenting findings to the board at a public meeting.