Metallica's Hetfield, county work on Terra Linda trail deal

Metallica's Hetfield, county work on Terra Linda trail deal

Marin heavy metal star James Hetfield is working with the county's Parks and Open Space District on a new trail that would skirt a monolithic fence the Metallica frontman erected on his property last summer to keep people from hiking and riding across it.
The provisionally named "680 Trail" - for the elevation of the 2.9-mile path - would serve as a bypass to the Luiz Ranch Fire Trail, which crosses Hetfield's property. Two alignments are being considered; one would enlist Hetfield to provide access across part of his land.
The new trail will cost the county about $200,000 to build and county officials hope to get volunteers to help with work on the path. The county wants to obtain needed environmental reviews and permits by May, then start construction by next summer and officially open it in spring 2011.
"The goal is that we have an agreement by all parties by the end of the year," said Supervisor Steve Kinsey, who has been working on the project. "We are talking to (Hetfield) about how much, if any, land that might be needed. He is open to it."
Scott Hochstrasser, Hetfield's land use consultant, said the rocker wants to help.
"He is truly interested in being part of the solution, not the problem," Hochstrasser said. "He is a community-oriented kind of guy."
Hochstrasser cited Metallica's recent benefit on behalf of the Marin rock 'n' roll museum project, which raised $200,000. Also, in 2002 Hetfield gave development rights to the county for 438.5 acres of
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his Lucas Valley land, where zoning was allowed for up to 44 single-family homes.
But Hetfield's decision to erect the fence on the Terra Linda hilltop, blocking off the popular trail, angered hikers, bikers and equestrians. The fence, at the end of a fire road in the Terra Linda-Sleepy Hollow Divide open space preserve, blocks access from the Luiz Ranch Fire Road that dates back more than 50 years. The previous owners, the Luiz family, allowed the public to use the trail and pass through the property with little hassle.
Vandalism of a previous smaller gate, and of signs and other property along the trail, prompted Hetfield to block access with the 300-foot-long, 8- to 10-foot-high corrugated metal silver fence.
"People felt like they owned that land, but they really didn't," said David Warner, owner of Redhorse Constructors, who has worked on projects for Hetfield. "They didn't respect that it was private property."
Kinsey is excited about the new trail.
"This will really open up Loma Alta," said Kinsey, referring to an adjacent open space preserve. He noted the new trail will ascend gradually. "It will provide great vistas of Benicia to downtown San Francisco, as well as connect to the Bay Area Ridge Trail."
Hetfield purchased a nearby 500-acre parcel at 3001 Lucas Valley Road in 1999 and, in 2002, submitted plans to build a 14,000-square-foot house, swimming pool and another 6,000-square-foot building that would house a music studio, garage and caretaker's residence.
Since then, he exercised an option to buy the adjoining Luiz Ranch, which includes the disputed 0.8-mile section of trail that had been used by the public.
Hetfield is the singer and guitarist for Metallica which, since debuting with its album "Kill 'Em All" in 1983, has risen from the club scene to become one of the most successful and influential heavy metal acts in the world.