TOP PRIORITY GOALS
Our top priority goals are:
Our top priority goals are:
- To prevent the “densification” of Marin;
- To ensure that any proposed development in Tam Valley and Almonte is subject to thorough permit review, environmental review and full enforcement of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), with no exemption or streamlining of CEQA allowed;
- To promote an herbicide-free Marin;
- To limit visitation to Muir Woods to a sustainable level;
- To find solutions to our traffic congestion;
- To acquire and restore historic marshland and upland transition zones.
ISSUES THAT SUSTAINABLE TAMALMONTE HAS RECENTLY ADDRESSED
- Please click here to read the Marin Post article by Sharon Rushton (Chairperson for Sustainable TamAlmonte) entitled; “Status Report On The Update Of Plan Bay Area 2040” (June 1, 2017). The article provides an in depth critique of the Plan Bay Area Update and the plan’s latest growth forecast for Unincorporated Marin County.
- Please click here to read a letter, dated June 26, 2016, from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) regarding the Draft Plan Bay Area 2040 Update. The letter recommends ways to improve the regional plan.
- Please click here to read a letter, dated April 13, 2017, from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the MMWD Board of Directors regarding rate increases. The letter concludes; “In order to achieve fiscal responsibility and protect the MMWD watershed, we strongly urge you to: 1) Oppose the proposed rate increase; 2) Re-evaluated the proposed budget and lower costs before considering any rate increases; and 3) Ensure ample funding for watershed maintenance and herbicide-free vegetation management.”
- Please click here to read a letter, dated February 28, 2017, from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Mill Valley City Council requesting a revision of the Marsh Room of the Miller Ave. Streetscape Improvement Project and retention of the full length of the right-turn lane from outbound Miller Ave. to Almonte Blvd. The requested revision would ensure the best circulation and safety conditions for motorists, bicyclists, and pedestrians.
- Please click here to read a second letter, dated March 3, 2017, from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Mill Valley City Council regarding the same topic.
- Please click here to read a Marin Post article by Sharon Rushton (Chairperson of Sustainable TamAlmonte) entitled; “Petition Opposes Marijuana Dispensaries in Unincorporated Mill Valley” (February 18, 2017).
- Please click here to read a letter, dated September 21, 2016, from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Marin County Board of Supervisors in support of Medical Marijuana, including a Medical Marijuana delivery service in Marin, but in opposition to medical cannabis dispensaries in the Tam Junction, Manzanita or Poplar areas.
- Please click here to read a letter, dated September 21, 2016, from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Marin County Board of Supervisors, acting as the Marin County Open Space District Board of Directors, regarding the Draft MCOSD RTMP. The letter urges the County to prohibit a change of the designated use on the Bob Middagh Trail in the Alto Bowl Open Space Preserve, which would allow mechanized users, namely bicyclists. Historically, the trail has been reserved for hikers and equestrians.
- Please click here to read a letter, dated August 23, 2016, from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) regarding the proposed Bicycle & Pedestrian Plan at Shoreline Hwy between Flamingo Rd. and Coyote Creek.
- Please click here to read a letter, dated July 5, 2016, from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Marin County Community Development Agency, Planning Division, regarding the proposed office building at 150 Shoreline Hwy in Mill Valley.
- Please click here to read a letter, dated June 28, 2016, from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Marin Community Development Agency, Planning Division, regarding the proposed Memory Care Assisted Living Facility at 205 Tennessee Valley Rd. in Mill Valley. The letter advocates for disapproval of the subdivision of the parcel and the proposed facility.
- Please click here to read a Marin Post article by Sharon Rushton entitled; “A Must Read: The West Without Water” (June 15, 2016). The article imparts key findings of the book by Dr. Lynn Ingram and Dr. Frances Malamud-Roam entitled; “The West Without Water: What Past Floods, Droughts, and Other Climate Clues Tell Us About Tomorrow”. Sharon’s report concludes; “As shown throughout the book, ‘The West Without Water’, the American West faces a climatic future that is predicted to repeat the past and become generally warmer and drier, with longer droughts interspersed with larger and more frequent floods. Society needs to be educated about the West’s extremely variable climate, water’s vital importance and scarcity, the delicate balance between consumption and conservation, and what individuals can do to help. Policymakers need to begin taking action to prepare for both the dry and wet ends of the climate spectrum facing the region, in a way that meets the needs of society and the needs of a healthy environment.”
- Please click here to read a Marin Post article by Sharon Rushton entitled; “Bay Area’s Regional Approach To Water Management Prompts Concerns For Marin” (May 7, 2016). The article describes the Bay Area Regional Reliability (BARR) Effort and highlights numerous concerns regarding the potential Intertie between the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) and the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and the Delta Regional Desal Plant.
PROLONGED CAMPAIGNS
I. MCOSD's "Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Plan" Proposed the Use of Herbicides, including Toxic Glyphosate (the Main Ingredient in Roundup)
Issue:
Adequate weed control in Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) lands is necessary for preventing wildfires and preserving biodiversity. This can be achieved through safe methods, such as mechanical mowing, hand removal, controlled burning, high-intensity heat, goat grazing, soap-based heat foam, and planting beneficial plants to compete with and replace the weeds. Unfortunately, in addition to using safe methods, MCOSD's Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Plan proposed administering conventional herbicides, including Glyphosate (the main ingredient in Roundup), to manage weeds and clear vegetation for fire safety.
Adequate weed control in Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) lands is necessary for preventing wildfires and preserving biodiversity. This can be achieved through safe methods, such as mechanical mowing, hand removal, controlled burning, high-intensity heat, goat grazing, soap-based heat foam, and planting beneficial plants to compete with and replace the weeds. Unfortunately, in addition to using safe methods, MCOSD's Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Plan proposed administering conventional herbicides, including Glyphosate (the main ingredient in Roundup), to manage weeds and clear vegetation for fire safety.
Consequences:
Respected scientific studies show that there is a strong correlation between Glyphosate and Glyphosate formulations and serious health and environmental hazards, including possible endocrine disruption, cell death, DNA damage, cancer, birth defects, autism, kidney failure and neurological disorders. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, determined that Glyphosate probably causes cancer in humans and classified the herbicide as a Group 2A carcinogen. Glyphosate-based herbicides can harm all facets of an ecosystem, including the soil biology and composition, water, and non-target plants, wildlife, and humans. Glyphosate use could also foster herbicide-resistant super weeds. Glyphosate is a patented desiccant (a drying agent) and could greatly increase the risk of fire. Glyphosate's effect on the soil composition could lead to greater risk of runoff and erosion. Glyphosate and its metabolites can be highly active and mobile and persist for many years in the environment, depending on conditions. Using toxic Glyphosate herbicides could not only harm beneficial vegetation and wildlife but could also jeopardize public health and safety. This risk is unnecessary and unacceptable.
Respected scientific studies show that there is a strong correlation between Glyphosate and Glyphosate formulations and serious health and environmental hazards, including possible endocrine disruption, cell death, DNA damage, cancer, birth defects, autism, kidney failure and neurological disorders. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, determined that Glyphosate probably causes cancer in humans and classified the herbicide as a Group 2A carcinogen. Glyphosate-based herbicides can harm all facets of an ecosystem, including the soil biology and composition, water, and non-target plants, wildlife, and humans. Glyphosate use could also foster herbicide-resistant super weeds. Glyphosate is a patented desiccant (a drying agent) and could greatly increase the risk of fire. Glyphosate's effect on the soil composition could lead to greater risk of runoff and erosion. Glyphosate and its metabolites can be highly active and mobile and persist for many years in the environment, depending on conditions. Using toxic Glyphosate herbicides could not only harm beneficial vegetation and wildlife but could also jeopardize public health and safety. This risk is unnecessary and unacceptable.
For more detailed information regarding Glyphosate, here are links to pertinent reports, articles and letters:
1. Report entitled; "The Unintended Consequences of Using Glyphosate" by Sharon Rushton, Ann Spake, and Laura Chariton. This report describes Glyphosate's properties, including its persistence, activity and mobility, and herbicidal mechanism of action. It demonstrates how Glyphosate, Glyphosate herbicide formulations with adjuvants, and associated metabolites could contaminate and harm all facets of an ecosystem, including the soil biology and composition, water, and non-target plants, aquatic organisms, amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates, animals, and humans. It further demonstrates that using Glyphosate could increase the risk of fires, erosion, and herbicide-resistant super weeds. Click here.
2. Comment Letter on the DRAFT Tiered Programmatic Environmental Impact Report for the DRAFT Marin County Open Space District Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Plan submitted on behalf of Sustainable TamAlmonte, Watershed Alliance of Marin, Health and Habitat, Inc., MOMS Advocating Sustainability, Turning Green, Gallinas Watershed Council, Marin Water Coalition, and Sustainable Homestead Valley by Sustainable TamAlmonte et al (7-6-15). Click here.
2. Comment Letter on the DRAFT Tiered Programmatic Environmental Impact Report for the DRAFT Marin County Open Space District Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Plan submitted on behalf of Community Venture Partners and Sustainable TamAlmonte by Environmental Attorney Michael Graf (7-8-15). Click here.
3. Article entitled; "Monsanto's Roundup Linked to Cancer - Again" by Jeff Ritterman, M.D.
Dr. Ritterman is Vice President of the San Francisco Board of Directors of the Bay Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. He is the retired Chief of Cardiology at Kaiser Richmond and a former Richmond, California, City Councilman. Click here.
4. Report entitled; “Glyphosate Monograph” by Pesticide Action Network (PAN) International. PAN International presents a large body of research documenting the adverse human health and environmental impacts of glyphosate and glyphosate-based herbicides and underscores the need for a global phase-out. Click here.
ADVOCACY & OUTCOME:
Sustainable TamAlmonte and other herbicide-free supporters urged the Marin County Supervisors, acting as the Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) Board of Directors, to:
Due to our advocacy, the Supervisors, acting as the MCOSD Board of Directors, did not approve the MCOSD Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Plan or its Tiered Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Instead, the Supervisors voted on November 8, 2016 to accept the Plan as a “reference document” and not certify the EIR, essentially discarding the environmental review document. Although, this was not the outcome we had hoped for, it was better than if the Supervisors had voted to adopt the Plan and certify the EIR.
For a better understanding of this issue, please click here to read Sharon Rushton’s Marin Post article entitled; “Supervisors Vote To Keep The Status Quo On Pesticide Use In Marin County’s Open Space Preserves”.
Sustainable TamAlmonte and other herbicide-free supporters urged the Marin County Supervisors, acting as the Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) Board of Directors, to:
- Amend the Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD) Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Plan and its Tiered Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to include either a “No-Herbicide Alternative” or else a “Plan-To-Get-To-Zero-Use-Of Pesticide Alternative”;
- Amend the Plan and the EIR to incorporate adequate analysis, mitigations, and Best Management Practices to protect non-target vegetation, wildlife, humans and pets from herbicides; and
- Amend the Plan’s Purposes and Goals to reflect the objective of doing no harm and preserving the health of the environment, wildlife, humans and pets by eliminating the use of pesticides.
Due to our advocacy, the Supervisors, acting as the MCOSD Board of Directors, did not approve the MCOSD Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Plan or its Tiered Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR). Instead, the Supervisors voted on November 8, 2016 to accept the Plan as a “reference document” and not certify the EIR, essentially discarding the environmental review document. Although, this was not the outcome we had hoped for, it was better than if the Supervisors had voted to adopt the Plan and certify the EIR.
For a better understanding of this issue, please click here to read Sharon Rushton’s Marin Post article entitled; “Supervisors Vote To Keep The Status Quo On Pesticide Use In Marin County’s Open Space Preserves”.
II. The National Park Service Seeks Expansion and Commercialization of Muir Woods
"When we tug at a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world " - John Muir
The National Park Service (NPS) proposes to boost revenue by increasing annual visitation to Muir Woods a whopping 43% (400,000 more customers), from approximately 1 million visitors per year now to 1.46 million visitors per year in the near future.
How? By implementing the "one click shopping" national Alcatraz model reservation system with guaranteed parking and a more robust shuttle service, using a fleet of hop-on/hop-off buses.
Do These Plans Make Sense?
The same NPS proposals were thrown out in 2005 for the following potential adverse impacts:
Traffic Congestion
Health & Safety Impacts
Environmental Impacts
- More traffic on Shoreline;
- More traffic on Mill Valley residential streets leading to Panoramic Hwy.
- Higher risk of wildfires;
- Greater potential for blocked emergency egress & ingress;
- Elevated risk of car, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents;
- Increased risk of injuries and illness.
- Destruction of sensitive habitat in and near Muir Woods;
- Increased run-off to Homestead Valley Land Trust's open space and Redwood Creek;
- Harm to wildlife (E.g. endangered Coho salmon);
- More pollution;
- Violation of NPS General Plan 2011 Sustainability Guideline;
- Violation of Federal law re: parking along Redwood Creek.
Advocacy & Recommended Solutions
As demonstrated by the above prospective adverse impacts, the National Park Service's quest to increase visitation to Muir Woods is contrary to preserving Muir Woods' habitat and wildlife and protecting the surrounding communities. It is critical that firm safeguards be set in place BEFORE the Muir Woods Reservation System is allowed to operate.
We contacted the National Park Service, Congressman Jared Huffman, the Marin County Board of Supervisors, the Mill Valley Mayor and other decision makers and urged them to demonstrate strong leadership by doing the following:
- Insist on a trustworthy Independent Scientific Carrying Capacity Study of Muir Woods and the surrounding communities;
- Insist on the establishment of hourly, daily, monthly, and yearly CAPs on the number of tourists allowed to visit Muir Woods BEFORE implementation of a reservation system occurs. Such CAPs should be based on findings from the Independent Scientific Carrying Capacity Study to set levels of visitation that will be sustainable over time and NOT based on NPS marketing studies. Until the study can be completed, temporary CAPS, based on an annual CAP of 700,000 visitors, should be used;
- Restore the "No Parking" signs (with the $99 fine posted) and request the Sheriff to enforce parking regulations near Muir Woods. In so doing, eliminate parking on Muir Woods Road, both South & North of Redwood Creek Bridge, in 3 years in order to prevent further damage of Muir Wood’s fragile natural resources, including Redwood Creek where there are endangered Coho salmon.
- Significantly LOWER the impacts that Muir Woods' visitors have on traffic congestion along Shoreline Hwy and other local roads. If an Independent Scientific Carrying Capacity Study of Muir Woods, the surrounding communities and related traffic proves the need for a more robust shuttle system, establish a Muir Woods Shuttle System (using small shuttle buses) that picks up and drops off Muir Woods' visitors at regional points of origin (E.g. San Francisco, East Bay, and North Bay) and NOT within the Tamalpais Area Community Plan area;
- Prevent the establishment of a Muir Woods Visitor Center in Manzanita. This is one of our most congested areas, with bottleneck traffic at Level of Service (LOS) "F". A visitor center would increase and worsen an already unbearable and perilous traffic situation;
- Confirm that the County will not relinquish any control to NPS of the shuttle system, roads or law enforcement. Local control is the best way to control and limit any Muir Woods expansion plans.
OUTCOME
In June 2015, the County of Marin and the National Park Service signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU). The MOU provides for a Muir Woods Reservation System and a reduction in parking spaces along Muir Woods Road.
The reservation system, which would be operated by a concessionaire, would allow the park to meter the number of visitors in advance of their arrival so that congestion could be reduced. Visitors would purchase tickets in advance for a specific time. Although the system does not lower the total number of yearly visitors to the park, it does lower congestion on peak days and spreads visitation more evenly throughout the year.
Parking on Muir Woods Road presented a pedestrian safety hazard, blocked traffic, and threatened the health of the Redwood Creek watershed because of erosion cars caused, which poured sediment into the waterway where coho salmon swim. A reduction in the number of parking spaces along Muir Woods Road helps to protect the environment and improve safety.
Overall, the MOU is a step in the right direction. However, the document did not incorporate many of our recommendations. Most importantly, it does not require an “Independent Trustworthy Scientific Capacity Study” for Muir Woods and there are no enforceable Visitor CAPs to lower sales, attendance, and related traffic and environmental impacts.
For a list of the recommendations that Sustainable TamAlmonte made regarding the MOU, please click here to read a letter that we wrote on June 28, 2015, shortly before the agreement was signed.
III. Although the Marin County's Housing Plan (2015 to 2023) Still Promotes Excessive High Density Development, the Plan is Improved - WE MADE A DIFFERENCE!
On December 9, 2014, the Marin County Board of Supervisors revised and adopted the 2015 to 2023 Marin County Housing Element, a state mandated document that plans to meet the existing and projected housing needs of Unincorporated Marin. The Housing Element was then submitted to the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for final review and certification.
Directly below is Section A, an "Overview of our concerns regarding the original DRAFT of the Marin County Housing Element."
Further down the page is Section B, a summary of "Sustainable TamAlmonte's Political Involvement in the Housing Element Proceedings" and Section C, the "Outcome - The final version of the Housing Element". The "Outcome" includes a recap of the Board of Supervisors' December 9th public hearing regarding the Housing Element. The Recap describes what the Supervisors changed in the Housing Plan and our continued concerns regarding the final version of the plan.
Further down the page is Section B, a summary of "Sustainable TamAlmonte's Political Involvement in the Housing Element Proceedings" and Section C, the "Outcome - The final version of the Housing Element". The "Outcome" includes a recap of the Board of Supervisors' December 9th public hearing regarding the Housing Element. The Recap describes what the Supervisors changed in the Housing Plan and our continued concerns regarding the final version of the plan.
A. Overview of Our Concerns Re: the Original DRAFT of the 2015 to 2023 Marin County Housing Element
Issues:
Marin County's DRAFT Housing Element promoted excessive high-density housing by planning for over 200% more housing units than required by law and by including programs geared to housing developments that could:
- Greatly increase density by changing the definition of a "unit", such as calculating studies and one-bedroom apartments as fractions of units;
- Dramatically raise height limits - up to 45 feet (similar to the WinCup Apartments);
- Cluster housing units at 30 units per acre even in single family neighborhoods;
- Reduce onsite parking and force residents to park on crowded streets or in public parking areas that are meant for other purposes;
- Promote streamlined and ministerial "over-the-counter" permit review thereby significantly limiting public input and thorough review; and
- Allow the number of units in traffic impact area to exceed pre-established housing unit CAPs.
Consequences:
The Housing Element promoted an excessive number of high-density housing developments with even greater potential density, height, and size than currently allowed. Such densification with the ensuing population growth would increase the risk of adverse impacts on the environment, public health and safety, traffic congestion, infrastructure, utilities (water supply), public services (schools), view, sunlight, privacy, and neighborhood character. Streamlined and ministerial "over-the-counter" permit review of housing projects would hinder thorough and accurate review, constrain valuable public input on planning decisions, and reduce transparency, thereby diminishing the quality and safety of the developments.
**To Learn about how the Housing Element targeted Tam Junction with Potential High Density Housing, please see below.
The DRAFT 2015 to 2023 Marin County Housing Element targeted Tam Valley & Almonte with potential high-density development and accelerated population growth.
But with excessive traffic congestion, frequent flooding, overcrowded schools, sensitive natural habitat that is increasingly constrained and a lack of key retail, the community was not prepared to handle this type of growth.
Tam Junction Affordable Housing Opportunity Sites
Each Marin County Housing Element includes an Available Land Inventory that consists of enough Affordable Housing Opportunity Sites to meet the projected housing needs of Unincorporated Marin for the housing element’s planning period. Three Tam Junction sites (Site #4, Site #9, and Site #14) were included in the 2015 to 2023 DRAFT Housing Element's Available Land Inventory. Two Tam Junction sites (Site #18 and Site #19) were evaluated by the Housing Element's Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) for potential inclusion in future Housing Elements but this has not yet occurred.
The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the 2012 Housing Element evaluated the possible development of 182 residential units at these five Tam Junction sites, which are listed below:
PROPOSED HOUSING ELEMENT PLANNING CYCLE (2015 to 2023)
Site #4: Old Chevron Station, 204 Flamingo Rd, (.79 acres) (21 units)
Site #9: Manzanita Mixed Use, 150 Shoreline Hwy, (.58 acres) (3 units)
Site #14: Armstrong Nursery, 217/ 221 Shoreline Hwy, (1.77 acres) (53 units)
EXTRA SITES FOR POSSIBLE USE IN FUTURE HOUSING ELEMENTS
Site #18: Around Manzanita (150 Shoreline Hwy), (1.48 acres) (45 units)
Site #19: Tam Junction Retail, 237 Shoreline Hwy, ect., (6.8 acres) (60 units)
Sites included in the Available Land Inventory are targeted for potential high-density housing with a density of up to 30 units per acre (or up to 40 units per acre if the State Density Bonus is granted).
According to the Countywide Plan, our commercial mixed-use areas are supposed to have a CAP of no more than 100 new residential units, which is already too many. So, it is curious as to why the Housing Elements’ EIR evaluated 182 units.
The Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the 2012 Housing Element evaluated the possible development of 182 residential units at these five Tam Junction sites, which are listed below:
PROPOSED HOUSING ELEMENT PLANNING CYCLE (2015 to 2023)
Site #4: Old Chevron Station, 204 Flamingo Rd, (.79 acres) (21 units)
Site #9: Manzanita Mixed Use, 150 Shoreline Hwy, (.58 acres) (3 units)
Site #14: Armstrong Nursery, 217/ 221 Shoreline Hwy, (1.77 acres) (53 units)
EXTRA SITES FOR POSSIBLE USE IN FUTURE HOUSING ELEMENTS
Site #18: Around Manzanita (150 Shoreline Hwy), (1.48 acres) (45 units)
Site #19: Tam Junction Retail, 237 Shoreline Hwy, ect., (6.8 acres) (60 units)
Sites included in the Available Land Inventory are targeted for potential high-density housing with a density of up to 30 units per acre (or up to 40 units per acre if the State Density Bonus is granted).
According to the Countywide Plan, our commercial mixed-use areas are supposed to have a CAP of no more than 100 new residential units, which is already too many. So, it is curious as to why the Housing Elements’ EIR evaluated 182 units.
Did This Plan Make Sense?
In the Tam Valley and Almonte lowlands, where the Tam Junction sites are located, there are multitudinous constraints to development. These constraints include hazardous conditions, a lack of infrastructure & basic services, and proximity to natural habitat:
Encouraging new residential development, especially high density development, in these lowlands would increase the risk of undue harm to the environment and undue hardship, illness &/or injury to the residents.
In the Tam Valley and Almonte lowlands, where the Tam Junction sites are located, there are multitudinous constraints to development. These constraints include hazardous conditions, a lack of infrastructure & basic services, and proximity to natural habitat:
- Traffic Congestion
- Flooding
- Projected Sea Level Rise
- High Air Pollution
- High Seismic Activity
- Subsidence & Mud Displacement
- Insufficient Infrastructure
- Inadequate Public Services (Overcrowded Schools)
- Lack of Retail & Professional Services
- Poor Public Transit
- Proximity to Vulnerable Natural Habitat & Endangered Species
Encouraging new residential development, especially high density development, in these lowlands would increase the risk of undue harm to the environment and undue hardship, illness &/or injury to the residents.
B. Sustainable TamAlmonte's Persistent Political Involvement in the Marin County Housing Element Proceedings
Regarding the Marin County Housing Element in General:
Sustainable TamAlmonte submitted over 1800 signatures on our online petition requesting the Supervisors to:
1) Reduce the number of sites and housing units identified in the Housing Element's Site Inventory; and
2) Eliminate the afore-mentioned detrimental Housing Element Programs.
Based on in-depth research and analysis of the Housing Element, Sustainable TamAlmonte sent various letters to the Marin County Planning Commission and the Marin County Board of Supervisors detailing the problems with the Housing Element's Site Inventory, numerous Housing Element policies and programs, and the Housing Element's environmental review document (Addendum to the Supplemental Environmental Impact Report). We attended and presented at every single public workshop and hearing related to the housing plan. We educated the public via social media and public gatherings. We engaged the press and wrote a number of articles that were published in the local papers.
Regarding the Tam Junction Sites Identified in the Housing Element's Site Inventory:
Sustainable TamAlmonte submitted over 1700 signatures on other petitions requesting the Supervisors to:
1) Remove the Tam Junction Sites from the Housing Element's Available Land Inventory; and
2) Ensure thorough environmental review.
We submitted expert evidence from technical experts and well researched letters from environmental attorneys, environmentalists, and dedicated local residents, which demonstrated that, due to the environmental constraints and hazards of the area, targeting Tam Junction Sites with housing would increase the risk of harm to the environment and jeopardize public health and safety. Moreover, we identified numerous State Government Codes that allow CEQA exemptions and streamlining that could apply to future development in Tam Junction and increase the risk of future peril.
Local residents (many of YOU!) also sent in hundreds of personal letters/emails/comments and took time off work to attend the Housing Element hearings. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR DONATING YOUR TIME AND EFFORT!
Regarding the Marin County Housing Element in General:
Sustainable TamAlmonte submitted over 1800 signatures on our online petition requesting the Supervisors to:
1) Reduce the number of sites and housing units identified in the Housing Element's Site Inventory; and
2) Eliminate the afore-mentioned detrimental Housing Element Programs.
Based on in-depth research and analysis of the Housing Element, Sustainable TamAlmonte sent various letters to the Marin County Planning Commission and the Marin County Board of Supervisors detailing the problems with the Housing Element's Site Inventory, numerous Housing Element policies and programs, and the Housing Element's environmental review document (Addendum to the Supplemental Environmental Impact Report). We attended and presented at every single public workshop and hearing related to the housing plan. We educated the public via social media and public gatherings. We engaged the press and wrote a number of articles that were published in the local papers.
Regarding the Tam Junction Sites Identified in the Housing Element's Site Inventory:
Sustainable TamAlmonte submitted over 1700 signatures on other petitions requesting the Supervisors to:
1) Remove the Tam Junction Sites from the Housing Element's Available Land Inventory; and
2) Ensure thorough environmental review.
We submitted expert evidence from technical experts and well researched letters from environmental attorneys, environmentalists, and dedicated local residents, which demonstrated that, due to the environmental constraints and hazards of the area, targeting Tam Junction Sites with housing would increase the risk of harm to the environment and jeopardize public health and safety. Moreover, we identified numerous State Government Codes that allow CEQA exemptions and streamlining that could apply to future development in Tam Junction and increase the risk of future peril.
Local residents (many of YOU!) also sent in hundreds of personal letters/emails/comments and took time off work to attend the Housing Element hearings. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR DONATING YOUR TIME AND EFFORT!
C. Outcome - The Final Version of the 2015 to 2023 Marin County Housing Element
Our political clout and sound arguments helped to convince the Supervisors to remove ALL THREE Tam Junction Sites from the Housing Element's Site Inventory, reduce the density at the selected Inventory sites from 30 units per acre to 20 units per acre (We'll need to confirm this when we see the final site list.), eliminate the most grievous of the Housing Element Programs - Program 1.c "Study Residential Density Equivalents", and change the Program "Affordable Housing Combining District". YAY! We also helped to educate the public and bring important issues to the light of day.
TOGETHER, WE MADE A DIFFERENCE! CONGRATULATIONS!
Housing Element Site Inventory:
Although the Supervisors lowered the number of sites and housing units originally identified in the DRAFT Housing Element's Site Inventory, the Inventory still plans for over 200% more housing units than required by law. The State requires the County to plan for 185 housing units but the County's Housing Element plans for 378 units. To understand which Sites were selected, dropped or changed in the Housing Element's Site Inventory, please read Nels Johnson's article; "County OKs Housing Program After Making Cutbacks". To follow the link to the article, please click here.
By being removed from the plan's Inventory, the Tam Junction Sites are less likely to be developed and we now have the opportunity to lower the densities at the sites. Also, there is now more flexibility in planning decisions regarding the sites.
Supervisors Approve the Addendum to the SEIR:
Unfortunately, the Supervisors approved the Housing Element's environmental review document - the Addendum to the Supplemental Environmental Impact Report. Per Environmental Attorney Ed Yate's comment letter, in order to fully comply with CEQA, the County should have prepared a subsequent Environmental impact Report that addresses the increase in the environmental impacts due to new circumstances and information. Moreover, even the Sites that were removed from the Housing Element's Inventory, like the Tam Junction Sites, were NOT excluded from evaluation in the Addendum.
Due to the sites being evaluated by the Addendum, there is greater possibility that the environmental review of future specific development projects at the sites would be streamlined. The County's certification of the Addendum allows developers to rely on the Addendum as a programmatic California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document to which the environmental review of future development projects may be tiered. According to Environmental Attorney Graff, Addendum certification confers what is essentially a CEQA free pass on future programmatic issues relating to cumulative impacts and alternatives.
Housing Element Programs:
Numerous programs were passed that are leading our County in the wrong direction. For a description of the outcome of the programs we were most concerned about, please read Sharon Rushton's article; "Recap of the December 9th Board of Supervisors' Hearing regarding Marin County's Housing Plan" by clicking here.
Ongoing CEQA lawsuit pertaining to the 2007 to 2014 Housing Element's Supplemental Environmental Impact Report:
On October 24, 2013, a lawsuit against Marin County was filed in the Marin County Superior Court on behalf of the Marin Community Alliance. The action challenges the September 24, 2013 Board of Supervisor approval of the Marin County Housing Element Update 2012 on the grounds that the County failed to follow proper procedures as legally defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and the county's own guidelines.
For more information regarding the lawsuit, please visit www.alliancemarin.com
IV. One Bay Area Plan - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
Tam Valley & Almonte Parcels in the Priority Development Area (PDA)
The Tam Valley & Almonte parcels that were included in
the Hwy 101 Corridor PDA are shaded and outlined in blue
The One Bay Area Plan (AKA Plan Bay Area) was adopted on July 18, 2013 and is a state required Bay Area regional plan that will plan for transportation, housing and land use over the next 25 years. It concentrates high-density, mixed-use commercial and affordable housing near transit hubs. The plan concentrates the majority of this development in Priority Development Areas, also know as PDAs.
**The Tam Valley and Almonte lowlands, which are located within a ½ mile from Hwy 101, were included in the Hwy 101 Corridor Priority Development Area (PDA) (Please see the above map).
Each jurisdiction in Marin County is mandated to follow the One Bay Area Plan. According to the plan, between now and 2040, Marin County is supposed to accommodate an unrealistic amount of growth, specifically 7510 hew housing units and 18,390 new jobs. 38% of this new housing and 22% of these new jobs are anticipated in Marin’s PDAs. Yet, Marin’s PDAs comprise less than 5% of land designated for development in Marin. The result will be concentrated high-density development in Marin’s PDAs.
This meant that as long as portions of Tam Valley & Almonte remained in the Hwy 101 Corridor Priority Development Area (PDA), these areas would have been targeted for high-density development and accelerated population growth.
In the Tam Valley and Almonte lowlands, where the PDA is located, there are multitudinous constraints to development. These constraints include hazardous conditions, a lack of infrastructure & basic services, and proximity to natural habitat:
Encouraging new residential development, especially high density development, in these lowlands would increase the risk of undue harm to the environment and undue hardship, illness &/or injury to the residents.
Fortunately, on July 9, 2013, largely due to community activism, the Marin County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to adopt the "Resolution of the Marin County Board of Supervisors To Modify the Priority Development Area", which included removing Tam Valley, Almonte, and Manzanita from the Hwy 101 Corridor Priority Development Area.
CONGRATULATIONS! and MANY THANKS to all of you who helped bring this important accomplishment to fruition!
**The Tam Valley and Almonte lowlands, which are located within a ½ mile from Hwy 101, were included in the Hwy 101 Corridor Priority Development Area (PDA) (Please see the above map).
Each jurisdiction in Marin County is mandated to follow the One Bay Area Plan. According to the plan, between now and 2040, Marin County is supposed to accommodate an unrealistic amount of growth, specifically 7510 hew housing units and 18,390 new jobs. 38% of this new housing and 22% of these new jobs are anticipated in Marin’s PDAs. Yet, Marin’s PDAs comprise less than 5% of land designated for development in Marin. The result will be concentrated high-density development in Marin’s PDAs.
This meant that as long as portions of Tam Valley & Almonte remained in the Hwy 101 Corridor Priority Development Area (PDA), these areas would have been targeted for high-density development and accelerated population growth.
In the Tam Valley and Almonte lowlands, where the PDA is located, there are multitudinous constraints to development. These constraints include hazardous conditions, a lack of infrastructure & basic services, and proximity to natural habitat:
- Traffic Congestion
- Flooding
- Projected Sea Level Rise
- High Air Pollution
- High Seismic Activity
- Subsidence & Mud Displacement
- Insufficient Infrastructure
- Inadequate Public Services (Overcrowded Schools)
- Lack of Retail & Professional Services
- Poor Public Transit
- Proximity to Vulnerable Natural Habitat & Endangered Species
Encouraging new residential development, especially high density development, in these lowlands would increase the risk of undue harm to the environment and undue hardship, illness &/or injury to the residents.
Fortunately, on July 9, 2013, largely due to community activism, the Marin County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to adopt the "Resolution of the Marin County Board of Supervisors To Modify the Priority Development Area", which included removing Tam Valley, Almonte, and Manzanita from the Hwy 101 Corridor Priority Development Area.
CONGRATULATIONS! and MANY THANKS to all of you who helped bring this important accomplishment to fruition!
For more detailed information about these plans as well as other issues, please scroll down the page. Select the issue you are interested in and then click on the corresponding link or download to open up the related document.
Additional Information Regarding the 2015 to 2023 Marin County Housing Element, the 2007 to 2014 Marin County Housing Element, and the Plans' Corresponding Environmental Review Documents
2015 to 2023 Marin County Housing Element:
2007 to 2014 Marin County Housing Element:
- 2015 to 2023 Marin County Housing Element (Link)
- 2015 to 2023 Marin County Housing Element's Environmental Review Document - Addendum to the 2012 Marin County Housing Element Supplement to the 2007 Countywide Plan EIR (Link)
- Housing Element Available Land Inventory (Link)
- Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Board of Supervisors re: Merits of the Tam Junctions Sites for the 2015 to 2023 DRAFT Marin County Housing Element's Site Inventory (11-26-14) (Download)
- Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Board of Supervisors re: 2015 to 2023 DRAFT Marin County Housing Element's Policies and Programs (12-1-14) (Download)
- Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Board of Supervisors requesting removal of the Tam Junction Sites from the 2015 to 2023 Marin County Housing Element's environmental review document, the Addendum to the 2013 SEIR (11-30-14) (Download)
2007 to 2014 Marin County Housing Element:
- Sustainable TamAlmonte Blog (9-24-13): Sharon Rushton: Summary of the Marin County Board of Supervisors' Public Hearings re: the 2007 to 2014 Marin County Housing Element (Download)
- Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Marin County Board of Supervisors re: Merits of the Tam Junction Sites Included in the 2007 to 2014 Draft Marin County Housing Element's Available Land Inventory (8-31-13) (Download)
- Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Marin County Board of Supervisors re: Merits of the 20007 to 2014 Draft Marin County Housing Element's Programs (9-4-13) (Download)
- Comment Letter by Environmental Attorney Rachael Koss on the 2012 Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report (SEIR) for the 2007 to 2014 Marin County Housing Element (2-19-13) (Download)
- Comment Letter by Environmental Air Quality and Acoustical Expert Geoffrey Hornek on the air quality analysis done for the 2012 Draft SEIR for the 2007 to 2014 Draft Marin County Housing Element (2-19-13) (Download)
- Comment Letter by Technical Expert Matt Hagemann on the 2012 Draft SEIR and 2007 to 2014 Draft Marin County Housing Element (2-18-13) (Download)
Additional Information Regarding Plan Bay Area (AKA One Bay Area Plan)
- Plan Bay Area (Link)
- One Bay Area Plan - Jobs Housing Connection Strategy (Link)
- The Truth About Plan Bay Area - Report by Sharon Rushton (Link)
- Overview of Priority Development Areas (PDAs) - This article was written when Tam Valley and Almonte were still included in the Hwy 101 PDA Corridor (Link)
- Maps of the PDAs (Link)
- 7-30-13 Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Marin County Board of Supervisors re: Adoption of Plan Bay Area (Download)
- 2-24-14 Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Board of Supervisors re: BOS Public Hearing Agenda Item #16 - Modifications to the County Priority Development Area related to the Strawberry Community (Download)
- 7-7-13 Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Marin County Board of Supervisors re: Resolution of the Board of Supervisors Modification to the PDA (Download)
- 6-4-13 Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to Supervisor Sears re: The PDA and Funding (Download)
- 5-1-13 Comment Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to ABAG / MTC on the DEIR of the Draft Plan Bay Area (Download)
OTHER ISSUES
V. Zoning and Marin Countywide Plan Amendments to Implement the 2007 to 2014 Housing Element Direction.
To increase the potential for high density development, the County informed the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in 2010 that low income housing would be exempted from zoning requirements and instead allowed to build up to the maximum densities under the Countywide Plan land use designations:
"It is important to point out that the County will, with adoption of this element exempt affordable housing from zoning in favor of the higher Countywide Plan land use designation… we believe that a site based rezoning program would limit the range of opportunity in the Unincorporated County given the broad range of zoning types in place. We have favored a blanket density increase up to the maximum allowed in the Countywide Plan which has the potential to yield many more units. This approach was discussed with non-profit developers who agreed that exempting affordable housing from zoning everywhere in the Unincorporated County would be more effective than an overlay zone with limited applicability."
To implement this approach, on January 24, 2012, the County amended its zoning code to:
1) Allow for affordable housing "in any zoning district provided that the review authority first find that residential uses are allowed by the applicable Countywide Plan land use designation," see County Code 22.24.020(B); and
2) Establish that for "affordable housing located in all districts that allow residential uses, allowable density will be established by the maximum Marin Countywide Plan density range." See County Code 22.24.020(A).
On November 13, 2012, the County amended the Countywide Plan Policy CD-1.3 to exempt affordable housing projects from minimum zoning limits for lands with sensitive habitat, within the Ridge and Upland Greenbelt or the Baylands Corridor, or lacking water or sewer systems. These changes are consequential for large parcels (over 2 acres) such as those designated as Planned Residential ("PR") in the CWP, where housing density may occur from one unit for every 10 acres (RMP 0.1) to one unit per acre (RMP 1). Such a change means a possible 10-fold increase in the number of units.
The County did not conduct CEQA review for any of these actions, despite the potential for such land use designation and zoning changes to lead to greater development on parcels with steep slopes, ridges or sensitive habitats that would previously have been limited to minimum densities. Instead, County staff represented the actions to the public as "minor technical changes" to the County Code, ignoring observations of the Planning Commission that the actions in fact represented major policy changes for development in the County. Per a Planning Commission hearing transcript: "That's a major policy change… putting housing of any kind… at higher than the lowest range of the density allowable, is something new… It's a real change. Not a technical change."
VI. Senate Bill 375 (Steinberg)
V. Zoning and Marin Countywide Plan Amendments to Implement the 2007 to 2014 Housing Element Direction.
To increase the potential for high density development, the County informed the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in 2010 that low income housing would be exempted from zoning requirements and instead allowed to build up to the maximum densities under the Countywide Plan land use designations:
"It is important to point out that the County will, with adoption of this element exempt affordable housing from zoning in favor of the higher Countywide Plan land use designation… we believe that a site based rezoning program would limit the range of opportunity in the Unincorporated County given the broad range of zoning types in place. We have favored a blanket density increase up to the maximum allowed in the Countywide Plan which has the potential to yield many more units. This approach was discussed with non-profit developers who agreed that exempting affordable housing from zoning everywhere in the Unincorporated County would be more effective than an overlay zone with limited applicability."
To implement this approach, on January 24, 2012, the County amended its zoning code to:
1) Allow for affordable housing "in any zoning district provided that the review authority first find that residential uses are allowed by the applicable Countywide Plan land use designation," see County Code 22.24.020(B); and
2) Establish that for "affordable housing located in all districts that allow residential uses, allowable density will be established by the maximum Marin Countywide Plan density range." See County Code 22.24.020(A).
On November 13, 2012, the County amended the Countywide Plan Policy CD-1.3 to exempt affordable housing projects from minimum zoning limits for lands with sensitive habitat, within the Ridge and Upland Greenbelt or the Baylands Corridor, or lacking water or sewer systems. These changes are consequential for large parcels (over 2 acres) such as those designated as Planned Residential ("PR") in the CWP, where housing density may occur from one unit for every 10 acres (RMP 0.1) to one unit per acre (RMP 1). Such a change means a possible 10-fold increase in the number of units.
The County did not conduct CEQA review for any of these actions, despite the potential for such land use designation and zoning changes to lead to greater development on parcels with steep slopes, ridges or sensitive habitats that would previously have been limited to minimum densities. Instead, County staff represented the actions to the public as "minor technical changes" to the County Code, ignoring observations of the Planning Commission that the actions in fact represented major policy changes for development in the County. Per a Planning Commission hearing transcript: "That's a major policy change… putting housing of any kind… at higher than the lowest range of the density allowable, is something new… It's a real change. Not a technical change."
- Agenda Item 10 for the Board of Supervisors' Public Hearing on October 11, 2011 - Consideration of Proposed Amendments to the Marin County Code Title 22 (Development Code). Please scroll down to Page III-40 to view the amendments made to "Development Code 22.24.020 County Incentives for Affordable Housing (A) Density for Affordable Housing Projects" and "Development Code 22.24.020 County Incentives for Affordable Housing (B) Where Affordable Housing Projects may be allowed". (Link)
- Overview of Countywide Plan Amendment pertaining to Policy CD-1.3 (Link)
- Marin Countywide Plan Amendment re: Policy CD-1.3 (Download)
- 9-5-12 - Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Marin County Board of Supervisors (Download)
- 11-9-12 - Letter from Sustainable TamAlmonte to the Marin County Board of Supervisors (Download)
VI. Senate Bill 375 (Steinberg)
- Overview of How SB 375 Focused Growth in the Lowland Commercial Areas of Tam Valley and Almonte When They Were Still Included in the Hwy 101 Priority Development Area Corridor (Download)
- Summary of SB 375 by Housing Land Advocates (Link)