Skyline Field Office

Need for a More Functional Workspace

Staff have been working out of the current SFO for 30 years. Since 1996, the acreage of open space land that SFO staff care for has more than doubled to over 41,000 acres. In order to meet expanding land management responsibilities, the number of rangers and open space technicians based out of SFO has also grown.

However due to size and layout constraints, the current SFO is unable to effectively accommodate the 50 staff responsible for the protection and maintenance of the Skyline preserves. Staff are faced with many operational challenges and inefficiencies that impact project collaboration and communication, such as being forced to work in staggered shifts. The office also lacks adequate facilities for staff, including meeting spaces, locker rooms, shop space and parking.

An appropriately sized facility and site with an efficient layout will allow SFO staff to report to one place at one time, improving collaboration, communication and planning of projects and field assignments. 

The new office is expected to accommodate approximately 70-75 staff members, accounting for projected staff growth as well as necessary equipment over the next 30 to 40 years. This expansion is critical to supporting the operations of Midpen’s field staff and enabling them to deliver on key public safety services, including wildland fire resiliency work and emergency first responder duties in the Skyline region.

Selecting an Appropriate Site

Midpen explored three sites, assessing them based on several criteria including functionality, safety, resiliency to wildland fire and environmental and visual considerations to determine which location best addressed the project’s operational needs while minimizing possible impacts. At a public meeting on January 22, 2025, the Midpen board of directors reviewed this assessment and selected a portion of the Sherrill site, a former winery in Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, as the location for the new SFO.