Oppose Change of Use of Alto Bowl/Horse Hill Open Space Hiking/Walking and Equestrian Trails

Cyclists whining about their 'right' to SHARE this land* -they are the elitists! .. is what you meant to say?

I feel very strongly that the animals inhabitating the preserve should be left in peace to enjoy their environment.

I don't understand why all these cyclists are whining about something they have never been legally allowed to do. Sure, they don't mind breaking the rules, but it's not like anything has been taken away from them. The signage is NO BICYCLES. What is so difficult to understand about that? With all of the other options - GO TO THOSE PLACES TO RIDE! Trying to shame people for driving their cars is ridiculous. That has nothing whatsoever to do with recreational cycling and of course, it doesn't mean these people aren't doing other things to contribute to being environmentally conscious. Sure, Are there better ways than SUVs and all that, sure. That still has nothing whatsoever to do with wanting to keep this lovely area untouched as was set forth when the land was given to the county to watch over. Nothing is being REMOVED from cyclists. They shouldn't be using this, anyway. You're talking about those who value the way it is as being 'elitists', but the truth is, the cyclists whining about their 'right' to this land - they are the elitists!

Many cyclists bike to work, trailheads, the store, top of East Peak. What can you say for your own environmental impact? Please stop driving your fossil-fuel billowing SUV, smog-exempt volvo wagon or Range Rover just for a quick hike. I don't care if you have a vacation 'cabin' in Tahoe, your stop at the local Safeway for 24-pack of 16oz plastic water bottles, nor your consumer obsessed self (Yes, Patagonia is an environmentally conscious company. No, that does not mean buying an excessive amount is acceptable..), is quite offsetting to the birds chirping you enjoy after driving your vehicle to a trailhead (before the crazy bikers scramble through shrubbery to chase all the blue jays away of course). KOOK

Absolutely they must be stopped. These bikers are a nusiance and dangerous.

What a joke. If anybody gets excluded it should be the uncontrollable massive prey animals that destroy trails and leave hundreds of pounds of stinking waste. If anybody gets excluded it should be the shrinking minority of users that hardly do any trailwork. These are PUBLIC trails, and all taxpayers deserve access. This simply isn't an issue anywhere else in the country--including Orange County which has many more users on multi-use trails. This makes Marin look like an elitist joke in the eyes of most fair-minded folks...

Appreciation of nature is destroyed by loud, aggressive, fast-riding bike riders who, if one is fortunate enough to hear them before they brush past, don't hear the birds sing, view the butterflies drifting over the meadow, or observe anything except the wheel of their competitor crashing over the once peaceful terrain. Erosion, habitat destruction and absence of wildlife are results of the careless riding by mountain bikers in previously quiet and tranquil meadows. If the footpath is made wide enough, the spandex-clad hordes of Lance Armstrong wannabes will descent in armies of bicyclists riding 3- and 4-abreast thru what is now a peaceful place. Nature be damned is the attitude of rogue mountain bikers. Please for the sake of the tranquil, peaceful meadow and its inhabitants, don't build a bike freeway, leave the meadow and Horse Hill as it is.

Keep it natural.... the bikes have destroyed many trails in & around Mill Valley, ex: Tenderfoot Trail.

I'm a horse owner and rancher in northern Marin County. I think that it's appalling to exclude ANYONE from our beautiful trail network. Our trail managers need to understand that this attitude goes against everything our county has stood for, and stop this foolishness. For decades Marinites have fought for equality in so many parts of this world. But you're willing to turn a blind eye to this exclusionary practice? As a Horseman I'm ashamed at this prejudged attitude that my fellow riders have towards bikes. We ride beasts on a shared trail and then expect others to make way for us? My grand-kids love to ride bikes and horses but don't understand why some of their favorite rides can't be enjoyed on their bikes. My advise to the few who think that they can effect their way on trail use - is to take a long look at what you're doing and how the rest of the world views your attitude. For shame

Hey get over your self entitled attitudes you lazy horse riders. Oh and carry a shovel and remove all of the dung your beasts deposit on the trails.

I am an avid biker myself, yet I strongly oppose the opening of Horse Hill to mountain bikers. It is an incredible, serene place with wildlife so rare to be able to observe nearby, not to mention the horses. As much as I'd enjoy mountain biking down that hill, it would ruin the space!

Although I currently live in another state, Horse Hill was a constant and iconic landmark for me growing up in Mill Valley. Please preserve the integrity of this rare and beautiful landscape.

Please let us have significant and enforceable consequences for those who are harming this natural resource at their whim.

Open this to bikes. Horses are destroying it.

I completely agree!!! Bikers using this trails are a TREMENDOUSLY larger impact than the excavator and bulldozer that have been working on this trail for the past 40 days, spilling diesel in the grass. The native wildlife are probably much happier now that we paid to place concrete on the trail that we just widened by way of combustible fossil fuels!! Why can't these bikers let my Foot People and I continue to use the trail. By foot I mean that I climb upon the stirrups of my massive animal that I love so much, I keep in a stable and visit once a month. Sure, the bikers will whine that they are forced to use the roads, I do feel sympathy for them though, in between driving to Whole Foods, Towne Center, the Marina & my horse stable, I usually need to drive to the top of East Peak for a 1.1 mile hike and picture with my iPad. My V8 SUV is quite large, I can't seem to read my new iPhone very well so tend to veer into the nonexistent bike lane on many occasions. KOOK (ง ͠° ͟ل͜ ͡°)ง

Horses and bicycles don't mix well. There are lots of other trails for cyclists.

If you don't like bikes, be honest and say you want them off because they annoy you. Let's look at your "facts". 1. Safety - there is no evidence of safety incidents other than one oft cited case involving two young boys several years ago. 2. Encourages trail building - the opposite is true, if bikers have no place to ride then they are MORE likely to build their own trails. 3. Displace wildlife - any user will displace wildlife while present. I don't see hikers stepping over fawns without them noticing. Bikes are no different and you have NO facts to back this up. 4. Harass the horses - How will bikes on a trail harass free roaming horses 5. Breach the security of homes - So you assume mountain bikers are a bunch of criminals who threaten homeowners in a way hikers don't? That's a disgusting way to look at your neighbors and fellow Marin residents. Bikers are mostly hard working, middle age, tax paying homeowners. 6. Increase liability - what proof do you have? MCOSD already has liability for all users on their lands now, how would this change. Finally the National Parks Service did a study that shows horses have 10x the erosive effect on trails as bikes. That's science. So, by all means have a petition opposing bikes on the grounds that you just don't like them. But don't make up a bunch of BS "facts" that just aren't true.

I/we strongly support the opposed change to Horse Hill and surrounding area.

I am a biker and I think it's important to keep this area 'undisturbed' by bicycles.

The bikes are abusing almost every hiking trail that i use. i wish there was more enforcement.