Press Release
Marin County Approves Funding to Protect Tunnel Hill Ranch in Tomales
April 7, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Peter Fugazzotto, pfugazzotto@malt.org, (415) 663-1158 Ext: 323
POINT REYES STATION, Calif. — The Marin County Board of Supervisors approved a Measure A Farmland Preservation Program Grant that will enable the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) to permanently protect Tunnel Hill Ranch, a 110-acre property that sits at the heart of Tomales. The $1.1 million conservation easement will be funded with the county providing up to half the acquisition cost, with the remainder raised by MALT through private donations.
The conservation easement will be MALT’s 99th, covering the ranch’s productive agricultural land while leaving several small adjacent parcels — zoned for village commercial and residential use — available for the town’s future. The property has been owned by the Etemad family since 1976 and takes its name from the historic North Pacific Coast Railroad tunnel that runs beneath the land, a remnant of the region’s transportation heritage dating to the 1880s.
Nearly 40 percent of the property is classified as Farmland of Local Importance by the California Department of Conservation, yet the ranch’s five parcels and four separate legal lots have made it a persistent target for development, drawing consistent interest from land developers due to its proximity to downtown Tomales and higher-density zoning on portions of the property.
“We’ve had interest from land developers over the years, but this land plays an essential role in what makes Tomales special,” said Jeff Etemad, who manages the ranch with his mother Jacqueline and brother Gregory. “My mother wanted to ensure this property would be protected in her lifetime. The easement allows us to keep the property in the family and in agriculture while ensuring it can never be subdivided.”
Conservation Easement as Community Planning Tool
“Measure A was designed to protect exactly this kind of property,” said Lily Verdone, MALT’s Executive Director. “Protecting this land ensures the working farms and open landscapes that have shaped this community for generations remain.”
The Tunnel Hill Ranch easement reflects how MALT’s conservation work is evolving. Protecting farmland remains the foundation, but MALT’s newly adopted strategic framework places growing emphasis on ensuring that land conservation supports the long-term viability of agriculture and the communities that depend on it — including how protected land fits into the broader needs of the towns and people it surrounds.
“We identified what should stay in agriculture forever and protected it with MALT,” said Jeff Etemad. “The parcels adjacent to town were always a natural extension of Tomales. Whether or not we ever develop them, keeping those options open is the right call for the community.”
A Cornerstone of Regional Land Conservation
Once complete, the Tunnel Hill Ranch easement will connect an 11,576-acre block of MALT-protected land surrounding Tomales, including the recently protected Parks Home Ranch, Parks Ranch, and Jensen Ranch. Together, these properties form the agricultural fabric that surrounds and sustains the town, supporting local food production, shaping the region’s identity, and providing significant environmental benefits including healthy soil, clean water, and wildlife habitat.
“Large, connected blocks of conserved agricultural land are essential for maintaining healthy ecosystems, supporting viable ranching operations, and providing wildlife with the room they need to move across the landscape,” said Lauren Faccinto, MALT’s Director of Conservation Programs. “Each easement we add strengthens the entire network.”
The protection of working agricultural lands like Tunnel Hill Ranch also contributes to California’s 30×30 initiative, which aims to conserve 30 percent of the state’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.
Measure A: Marin’s Investment in Farmland Protection
Marin County’s Measure A program — a one-quarter of one-percent sales tax approved by voters in 2012 and renewed in 2022 — dedicates up to 10 percent of annual revenue to grants for permanent conservation easements for productive agricultural use.
Since Measure A’s passage, Marin County has invested $22.9 million in farmland preservation, with MALT using those funds to help protect 18 farms and ranches totaling more than 11,149 acres. The Tunnel Hill Ranch easement, valued at $1.1 million, will add to that legacy once closed. In total since 1980, MALT and its partners have invested $112 million in Marin County farmland conservation, protecting 58,917 acres on 98 ranches.
“Measure A reflects Marin residents’ deep commitment to our agricultural heritage,” said Verdone. “When voters approved this funding and when individual donors step forward to match it, they’re investing in properties like Tunnel Hill Ranch, places that define our rural communities and ensure the next generation can continue farming and ranching here.”
MALT expects to close the Tunnel Hill Ranch easement within the next few months, pending finalization of all transaction details and remaining funding.
About MALT
The Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) permanently protects Marin’s agricultural land for agricultural use. Since 1980, MALT has protected 58,917 acres of farmland on 98 ranches through agricultural conservation easements, supporting a thriving agricultural community, a healthy local food system, and environmental benefits for the entire region. For more information, visit malt.org.