Opposition to building more housing in Corte Madera has reached a fever pitch and Tuesday the Town Council approved a moratorium on development in the Tamal Vista Boulevard neighborhood.

Amid a crowd of about 70 people, council members unanimously adopted an urgency ordinance that would place a temporary moratorium on development in the area bounded by Highway 101, Madera Boulevard, Wornum Drive and Tamal Vista Boulevard. The moratorium needed a 4/5 vote of the council to pass.

The ordinance will be in effect for 45 days. A public hearing to discuss extending the moratorium for up to another 320 days will likely be held Nov. 18. If even more time is desired, the council could adopt a second and final extension of up to a year. The moratorium can be lifted at any time.
 
Mayor Michael Lappert said the moratorium will allow the town to make sure its zoning ordinance is up to date and conduct more public outreach activities.

"There's no question the citizenry doesn't want more residences and is worried about the traffic impact on Tamal Vista," Lappert said. "The public and developers need to have a clear guideline of what's acceptable."

Concerns about housing have been fueled by construction of the controversial 180-unit Tam Ridge Residences apartment complex at the former WinCup foam manufacturing plant on Tamal Vista Boulevard. The complex has been criticized for its density, aesthetics and potential negative impacts on traffic circulation.

When a developer last month proposed a tentative plan to raze the Century Cinema Theater, which is less than a 1/2-mile away from the apartment complex, in favor of 31 single-family detached homes and townhouses, community members were less than pleased.

Developer Stuart Gruendl, of the Oakland-based BayRock Multifamily company, sent a lawyer to Tuesday's meeting to convey his displeasure with the moratorium. In a phone interview before the meeting, Gruendl said his proposed housing project is consistent with the town's general plan and that a moratorium targets his project. 
 
"The staff report singled out our project and not any other properties in the town," Gruendl said. "We hope to resume friendly conversation with the town and resume meetings with the community."

Jeff Walter, town attorney, said developers like Gruendl can still submit applications for projects under the moratorium and planning staff would have to process them, but the Town Council would be required to deny projects in the affected area.

"It's a quirk of the law," Walter said. "I have yet to know of a developer, with a moratorium in place, go through all that work to have it denied."

Moratorium activities

It has been proposed that the Century Theatres Cinema on Tamal Vista Blvd., seen from the back on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014, in Corte Madera, Calif., be torn
It has been proposed that the Century Theatres Cinema on Tamal Vista Blvd., seen from the back on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014, in Corte Madera, Calif., be torn down to make way for housing. Meanwhile, the town considers adopting an interim urgency ordinance to establish a moratorium on the approval of land use entitlements in the Tamal Vista east corridor. (Frankie Frost/Marin Independent Journal) Frankie Frost

While the moratorium is in place, town staff are planning to revisit the municipality's 2009 general plan update, which identifies proper land uses throughout the community. As part of the update, a large portion of land that was previously designated for commercial use was re-designated mixed-use commercial — including all of the property along the east side of Tamal Vista Boulevard between Madera Boulevard and Wornum Drive.

However, the town never formally amended its zoning ordinance to reflect the change, leaving the properties to still be classified as sites for commercial uses.
Town Planning and Building Director Adam Wolff, who took over in June, said he's not sure why the change was never formalized.

"I don't know, but obviously that's something I think is important to do as soon as we can," Wolff said.
Lappert said it just simply never got done.

"I don't like to cast blame, but our planning director at the time had other things on his mind," Lappert said. "We need to have a proper zoning ordinance. We need to get that done."

During the moratorium, Wolff said town staff also want to explore developing a community plan for the Tamal Vista Boulevard and Fifer Avenue area, as directed by the general plan. The community plan is meant to be more precise, specifying permitted uses, development standards and circulation improvements.
The sign at the Century Theatres Cinema on Tamal Vista Blvd. announces upcoming movies on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014, in Corte Madera, Calif. Proposals have
The sign at the Century Theatres Cinema on Tamal Vista Blvd. announces upcoming movies on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014, in Corte Madera, Calif. Proposals have been made to tear the building down to make way for housing. Meanwhile, the town considers adopting an interim urgency ordinance to establish a moratorium on the approval of land use entitlements in the Tamal Vista east corridor. (Frankie Frost/Marin Independent Journal) Frankie Frost 

 
"My understanding of the community plan is that there are certain areas of town that deserve more specific attention and I think the idea is that you can tailor zoning to specific areas," Wolff said.

Community response


During public comment, all the people who addressed the council were in favor of the moratorium.

Tonya Redfield, of Corte Madera, said she's in favor of slowing down and evaluating any future development in the Tamal Vista Boulevard area.

"It will give us more time to realize true impacts once the WinCup (apartment complex) is in operation," Redfield said. "We need some time to see everything happening."

Margaret Deedy, of Corte Madera, reiterated concerns about more development in an area that already has traffic circulation issues.

"The town is vehemently opposed to any heavy density of building without proper planning that includes traffic, water, education and parking," Deedy said.

For a group of students from Redwood High School in Larkspur, the main concern is Gruendl's project and the potential loss of the movie theater.

Student Kenzie Johnson said students circulated an online petition to save the theater, garnering nearly 1,200 electronic signatures this week.

"We understand that it may not be working as a business, but we'd still like to see something there that is teen-related," she said.