A look back at 2013 " CSD Directors have a champagne toast to themselves and we pick up the tab. (Highlight Video 1 minute 20 seconds)

See related story in the Marin IJ HERE

From Leah's NextDoor posting on 11/11/2013:

Leah Kleinman-Green from Lucas Valley/Marinwood said:

Gerald, that is insulting to say the least. I chose my infant daughter over campaigning and we all know the CSD has not a shred of jurisdiction over housing issues. Please start attending the CSD meetings to see for yourself instead of attacking people like myself who you've never taken the time to meet or contact. I have spent 4 years getting sitters so I could volunteer my time for our community as a member of the board. It's this kind of unneighborly and uncivil behavior that can lead to no good. The vocal tea party minority may have "won" the election. There will be a steep learning curve for the new board members and I assume the community will be holding them to the same standards. My husband and I have been frankly horrified by the ignorant rhetoric around low-incoming housing and it appears that well educated, open minded folks who want to make the world a better place through education and housing for all, even if that means paying a few extra b ucks for it, are sadly, few and far between. If I learned anything in graduate school it was that economics matter. Social justice matters. We are all only here for a short time - why not work to make the world a better place for all than hold on so tightly to a closed minded self righteous attitude? I ask you, how does it make you feel to attack someone you've never met in a public forum? do you think that has gained you friends, followers, respect? As a mother of 2 young girls, do you think I should teach them that this is how one responds to differences in opinion?

See related post from 11/11/2013 Marin IJ Story  HERE

and residents letters to the editor reacting to the story  on 11/13/2013 HERE

The champagne toast is over and now we must pick up the tab.

Keeping you Safe from this website. Bruce Anderson's censorship policy.

A message from Bruce Anderson, NextDoor Moderator and former politician on his Censorship policy
Bruce Anderson

Drink cool, fresh Marinwood Plaza spring water.
Don't worry it's safe and has the government seal of approval
I guarantee it!

"Please don't post your web site or you tube account again. You have already been informed that you have used your allocations of one such posting a quarter. After March 31 you may make another such posting. Until that time all posts that contain your web site or you tube channel will be removed."- private message to me on NextDoor
_________________
Do you need this man telling you what is acceptable to read? He has banned posting of health information on the toxic waste, important community meetings, informative videos all because he considers me politically "dangerous". It is pretty sick but he likes his soft tyranny and censorship power. Sticks and stones.
There have been many complaints to NextDoor.com to have him removed. They refuse to get involved.
Editor's note: Moments after posting this he banned me from Nextdoor.  

It's local and fresh from the Springs under Marinwood Plaza!

I wonder if the Nextdoor moderator in Flint Michigan removes posts on lead in the water?

I wonder if the Nextdoor moderator in Flint Michigan removes posts on lead in the water?  That is what is happening in Marinwood on the topic of Toxic waste that is threatening Casa Marinwood and Silveira Ranch. 

I posted two educational videos on the watershed and the Toxic waste in Marinwood.  Bruce Anderson, former Marinwood politician and "consultant" for developers removed them.  I did not post my website www.savemarinwood.org but merely posted youtube links.

The information is scientifically accurate and informative.  

Here are the two links.  Please post them on your nextdoor neighborhood and be certain it reaches the Marinwood neighborhood.  The only way we combat censorship is to persist with the truth. 

https://youtu.be/nyro8Gt8zq4  Anatomy of a Dry Cleaner Spill (1 minute 30 sec )

https://youtu.be/guqinVOHTqc  How an Aquifer works  ( 6 minute 30)

  

Former Marinwood CSD Politician Bruce Anderson and part time "consultant" to developers
now is a full time CENSOR on Marinwood/Lucas Valley NextDoor. He is intentionally telling people that the toxic waste at Marinwood Plaza is a "few pounds" and "probably safe" in direct contradiction to the truthful record published
on Geotracker.  His does not want people to know the truth.

Tell Bruce Anderson, Liz McCarthy and Geoff Mack that you believe in open, respectful dialogue.

Censorship is not "neighborly"

Keep Marinwood Stupid! The Thought Police of Marinwood NextDoor

Bruce Anderson, Geoff Mack and Liz McCarthy are the "Neighborhood Hacks Leaders" on the community website NextDoor Neighborhoods.   They are protecting you from reading about the Marinwood Priority Development Area (all land East of Las Gallinas),  The Marinwood Plaza Toxic Waste Cleanup, the St Vincents , Oak View , Big Rock Deli, Rotary Field, Juvenile Hall, Grady Ranch and Rocking H Apartment Developments,  the  SolEd "no bid" solar project, the Marinwood CSD pension crisis and unfunded capital projects.  You won't read anything at all about the SMART train, big developments in neighboring San Rafael, Larkspur, San Quentin, Strawberry, or Marin City.  The new takeover of local governments by MTC, ABAG and BARC and HUD forced racial quotas for our community will not be spoken of on NextDoor, either.   

All of these changes are imminent and will have a profound effect on our schools, traffic, pollution, taxes, government services, crime and urban problems in Marinwood/Lucas Valley and Marin County.  Why should you worry?

On top of this the Merry Three Censors have determined that posting of a link to unedited video of Marinwood CSD meetings is too much truth for you to bear.  Marinwood is one of the LAST communities not to videotape meetings in Marin. All discussion of the broadcast of Marinwood CSD meetings will be banned on Nextdoor since the broadcasts are exclusively available on this subversive website .   They want to protect you for your own good. After all, isn't this what a good neighbor does? Guard you from exposure from unpleasant reality?

Fortunately Bruce Anderson, Geoff Mack and Liz McCarthy save you from such propaganda.  I understand Liz McCarthy runs Marinwood Moms to boost her real estate business.  Happy Moms shouldn't ask about anything on this website.  It does not exist.  Shut your eyes.

I confess.

Those with unchecked power will use it.

Above post was removed from Nextdoor by the "Merry Censors of Marinwood",  Bruce Anderson, Geoff Mack and Liz McCarthy

For more on abuse of power see the Stanford Prison Experiment and Abu Ghraib
.  

Bruce Anderson reports "positive news" about Marinwood Plaza.

Bruce Anderson is reporting on Next Door Neighborhoods that Marinwood Plaza has been "sold" to a new buyer.   Here is what he wrote according to my source:

"Some of us have been informed that a new purchase agreement is in place for Marinwood Plaza. It is not with Bridge and the purchaser has not been disclosed so details are sketchy at this time. However I include this quote from a note we received from Bridge: 
"The brokers representing the Owners of Marinwood Plaza have informed us that the Owners have selected another “qualified” buyer to move forward with. The brokers are unable provide details about the transaction, including the name of the buyer, other than the following: the buyers are a group out of Southern California; the offer is an As-is offer which will close after a 90 day feasibility period; the price and terms of the offer are very strong; and there will be a required affordable housing component to the buyer’s proposed project. 
The brokers have agreed to keep us updated with any new information. They anticipate knowing in about 50 days whether this offer may be moving forward or not. " 
And "as is" offer means that the buyers have agreed to purchase the property with the existing zoning, rather than on the condition that the zoning will revised. The existing zoning provides significant incentives to build affordable housing."

More information is needed and Bruce Anderson is an unreliable source of facts.  As a CSD director for twelve years, he obscured development plans in Marinwood CSD and the terrible state of the CSD finances.  He worked "behind the scenes" with developers, calling into question his objectivity in CSD politics.  Like Susan Adams,  he was ousted in a landslide election by Justin Kai, Bill Shea and Deana Dearborn.

It is possible that the "new buyer" is merely a new corporate entity created to limit the liability exposure to the toxic waste plume that has been allowed to fester for at least a decade.  We note that a family trust in Beverly Hills is a principle recipient of Regional Water Quality Control Board documents.   

Is this really a "new buyer"?  We need to find out.  It could merely be a legal ruse. Rumors of a class action lawsuit are brewing.

Meanwhile, Bruce Anderson is creating more havoc in Marinwood/Lucas Valley with his policy of censorship of speech that he finds politically inconvenient.  It is positively appalling that Gordon Strausse, of NextDoor has allowed Bruce to be the nextdoor neighborhood bully.

I suppose Bruce needs to get his kicks from something these days.

We will not let our neighborhood be exploited!

The Ugly Truth. The July 28th Housing Element Meeting Raw Footage

Wendi Kallins of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition lives in beautiful Forest Knolls but wants all the affordable housing to be in Marinwood/Lucas Valley. She loves the Marinwood Village Plan.

Bruce Anderson, testifies.  "I started the Bridge Marinwood Village Proposal ten years ago....." and yet he was also serving on the Marinwood CSD.  It makes you wonder WHO he was representing when he failed to make his private interest and consulting work public.

Wade Holland thinks most of the development should happen in Marinwood-Lucas Valley because "they have the land".  They also have land in Inverness where he makes his home. That didn't stop him from removing a senior development from HIS BACKYARD.

 

You'll remember Mr. Holland from his petty dictator antics, threatening to remove people from the Planning commission meeting by force.  Tsk, Tsk.

 

This was a six hour meeting.  To make a long story short.  There was some GREAT testimony from the Citizens as usual. And as usual, they were ignored as Citizens never spoke.  Incredulously, Ericka Erickson, activist leader from Marin Grassroots and a Marinwood Resident, claimed that there has "not been enough outreach. I think people are confused.  We need to do a better job of communicating. The sustainables..."  Opps. I think she means that there isn't enough activists to stem the tide against the radical activists like her.  She is correct.

 

In the end, the Planning Commission decided to ADD 100 units of very low income to Marinwood/Lucas Valley. Once again, we have been screwed.

This "plan" ain't pretty.

Marinwood Village Project Takes it's Toll on Careers. Who's Next?

The Marinwood Village affordable housing project has taken it's toll on careers and political ambitions over the years.  The site, located on an ancient Miwok Village settlement has been plagued with toxic waste allegedly from Prosperity Cleaners, high levels of benzene gas, radiation from microwave transmission towers,  and developers losing millions from ill conceived plans.

Bruce Anderson, Marinwood CSD Director
ousted in landslide election in November 2013

Lisa Brady, Marinwood Village Project Manager left
Bridge Housing suddenly after the Toxic Waste hearing in February 2014.

Leah Green, Marinwood CSD Director
ousted in landslide election in November 2013

Rick Fraites, longtime aide to Susan Adams
suddenly retires in 2014

Stacey Laumann, Marin County Planning Manager
left the county for greener pastures in 2013 .

Jerry Hoytt, Owner and Developer 

of Marinwood Plaza 1924-2012

Brad Wiblan, VP Bridge Housing hopes to build a 50 million dollar apartment complex on Marinwood Plaza
that pay less than $6500 taxes annually for schools, roads, police and fire.
According to his estimate, it will bring 160 students into the school system at a
cost of $1.5 million dollars annually. yet pay no additional school fees  

 Susan Adams hopes to be re-elected as Supervisor in June 2014  

Cows not Condos!

We will Save Marin (again)

"Contribute or Else"- A history of land use/politics in Marinwood

Cameron Case and Walter Dods explain the casual nature of the Marinwood Association. It was essentially a group of self-appointed residents that claimed to represent the community whenever there was a crisis. Former CSD Director Walter Dods explains that Susan Adams forced "contributions" to the Marin Collaborative from Marinwood CSD and Marinwood Association. Now through the recent revelations from the the five "Friends of Marinwood Village" (Kathy Gaines, Cameron Case, Jon Hammond, Bruce Anderson and Robert Pendolay) that not just a few hundred dollars was donated.

In fact $3000 came from the CSD and $2000 from the Marinwood Association.  We found in September 2013, that the Marinwood Association had less than 20 paid members and did no accounting.

It begs the question, "how did the Marinwood Association, with no assets, and a few members come up with $2000 to "give" to Susan Adam's Marinwood Village Collaborative?   Did it come from an outside source? Why?

Bruce Anderson, former CSD director and Vice President of the Marinwood Association surely knows....

Bruce Anderson

Bruce Anderson letter to the Marin IJ: "Much Ado about Nothing"

Letter to the Editor from Bruce Anderson on March 23, 2014

Much ado about nothing!

Bruce Anderson

They say they yelled because they were not heard. But their yelling didn't allow them to hear the truth.

The county housing element was just a planning exercise and did not lock in massive affordable housing development in Marinwood or Lucas Valley. We know that now because the county Community Development Agency just announced the process for the next housing element — an inventory of available building sites.

The new housing element will have to account for 185 potential housing units in the same 16 locations across the county. No, this is not an additional 185 units.It is a replacement for the 773 units in the previous element.

Poof. The just-accepted housing element goes away. [Editor's Note: This is not entirely accurate, the housing overlay district zoning was made 30 units per acre on 7 properties. The new housing element adds MORE affordable housing units.  If approved, we may have an additional 185 units. What this means is the property all over Marinwood-Lucas Valley has become a potential building site for affordable housing with the help of Bruce Anderson, Cyane Dandridge and the rest of the old Marinwood CSD Directors and of course all were led by Supervisor Susan Adams. ]

One has to wonder — why all the fuss about something that lasted all of six months?
[Editor's Note: It may effect us for decades saddling us with non profit housing that pays little taxes.  If all units are built, then 1 and 4 housing units in Marinwood-Lucas Valley will be low income housing. It is crazy. We objected yet Susan Adams and the rest of the Board of Supervisors approved of this Housing Element.  It will fundamentally change our community from a quiet suburb to community dominated by non profit housing that pays virtually no taxes.  How will we pay for our schools?  Where will these new people work and shop?  Will they all take public transit or will our traffic increase?  What about crime? No other community in Marin,  perhaps the entire Bay Area has been given such a proportionally high amount of affordable housing.  How can ANYONE justify so much low income housing in our community?]

Some may say they were trying to save Marinwood with what they thought was reliable information. Remember those pleas of up to 500 new units in Marinwood and Lucas Valley (70 percent of Marin's affordable housing to be located in Marinwood and Lucas Valley)?    [We sourced the housing element and plan bay area documents for our information. Although Bruce Anderson formerly served for over a decade, he produces no facts or documents supporting his position.]

Remember those flyers with massive buildings built? Remember the failed recall of Supervisor Adams and complaints that she was not listening to the concerns about the housing element?

Remember those of us trying to tell you that indeed it was just a planning exercise? Probably not, the others were a lot louder. 

Here is something else to remember — that lawsuit by Marin Community Alliance. What is its purpose now that we know the housing element was just a planning exercise? How embarrassing would it be now if the Marinwood Community Services District had given either money or support to that effort? [ We have Bruce Anderson, on tape as Marinwood CSD Director and "vice president of Marinwood Association admitting giving the Marinwood Plaza Vision a sizable "donation"  We now learn the total amount was $5000.  Can he explain this public gift?  Where did the money come from?]

Many residents of Marinwood and Lucas Valley were upset by the "controversial issue" of the housing element. Now that we know there was no "controversial issue" in the first place, my hope is that we all take a breath and try to hear all sides of a discussion not just those the yell the loudest. 

Bruce Anderson, Marinwood

[The current CSD Directors have a big job ahead of them, cleaning up the $1.2 million dollar deficit left in 2013 and 2014 while Bruce Anderson was CSD president.]

Dry Cleaning Fluid Toxic Waste is found at 2000 times above safe levels. It has been acknowledged since 2007 yet no political representative has spoken out for it's clean up.  The above are the known risks.

We hope Bruce Anderson, has an explanation why the Toxic Waste spill  from Prosperity Cleaners at Marinwood Plaza was allowed to spread since its discovery in 2007 while he served as CSD President.

Just find ONE COMMUNITY in the Bay Area that has been burdened such a high number and
71% percent of all affordable housing in their county's housing element.  Just one.

For more information about the dangers of locating housing next to the freeway HERE

Marinwood Special Meeting- concerning EIR Comments, Complaints by Anderson/Perry and the Candidate Forum

The Marinwood CSD held a special session on March 25, 2013 to certify a letter concerning EIR issues with the Marinwood Village proposal.

-Bruce Anderson, former CSD director complained that the last meeting may have violated the Brown Act for noticing requirements . Tarey Read in a shameful act of intimidation and hyperbole claimed that civil penalties and jail time may befall the CSD board .  All that happened was a detailed letter was submitted late but the letter was properly noticed to the public. Even Walter Dodds, former CSD director and attorney remarked that it was "a stretch" to claim a violation.

-Bill Hansel claimed that under no circumstances should the staff, email or signboards should be used for a candidates forum and debate.  This is despite the fact, that the CSD has hosted MANY debates including the Adams vs Mazzoni debate in the last Board of Supervisor's race.  Bill Hansel and Tarey Reed have objected to signboards to announce public meetings for years.  The re-election of Bill Hansel and Tarey Reed was won by default when the notice of the election was not seen by the public in 2011 and ran unopposed.

-Damien Perry (husband of Izabel Perry and frequent Next Door contributor) claimed that the CSD is misappropriating "staff time" by looking at the EIR effects of the Marinwood Village proposal.

-Tarey Reed and Bill Hansel objected to any statement to support the "general welfare" of the Marinwood-Lucas Valley from over development.

The meeting was well attended but only a few people spoke. In the end, the EIR letter was approved unanimously.

Be sure to Attend the EIR scoping session held this Saturday, March 29th at the Lucas Valley Community Church at Las Gallinas and Lucas Valley Road.  It is important for you to be heard.  ONLY the comments received for the EIR will be considered in the final report.  The County has voiced its opinion that the Marinwood Village project should be built at all costs. Only the community will stand against the unjust exploitation of over development. Be there.

Bruce Anderson's Political Attacks on the Marinwood CSD in perspective.

Editor's Note: The recent revelations of the contributions to the Marinwood Vision plan from the Marinwood CSD ($3k) while Bruce Anderson served as CSD Director and as vice president of 

the Marinwood Association($2k) show that this attack on the Marinwood CSD was totally unfounded.  Bruce did not attend the meeting nor had seen the tape before he wrote this piece attacking his rivals. The CSD heard a request for money but never discussed approving funding for the www.alliancemarin.org CEQA lawsuit.  In January, the CSD decided that no funds should be provided but a statement supporting the environmental concerns of the community must be addressed. 

see article:

Marin Voice: Marinwood has no business contributing to costly housing lawsuit

By Bruce Anderson
Guest op-ed column

Posted:   12/21/2013 04:37:00 AM PST

Bruce Anderson (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal) Alan Dep

• «
• 1
• »

THE MARINWOOD Community Services District is considering giving away $50,000.

Last month, the district was in dire financial straits and hiding that fact from our community, according to some of those successfully running for district board seats.

This month, with a new board majority, the same individuals are considering gifting $50,000 of district cash to a group claiming to sue the county. [ Editor's Note: The CSD director's merely heard a request. Bruce gets four Pinnochios for this paragraph]

Where is the promised transparency?

And make no mistake; the action contemplated is an outright gift of public funds, not a recovery of funds effort. [ Bruce Anderson DID gift public funds for the privately held Marinwood Plaza project in 2006]

The group receiving the funds is suing the county to have the county re-do its inventory of housing sites. An inventory of housing sites has no financial impact on the district. The only financial impacts to the district come from actual developments, not planning exercises.[ To learn about the lawsuit, see www.alliancemarin.org. It is about problems with the county's flawed DSEIR]

Of course, the board can vote to give away public funds as a gift. There are consequences that the individual board members may want to consider. [ Those who live in glass houses..]

If a citizen decides to sue to recover the gifted funds, the board members may be individually liable for the return of funds since they voted to give them away. In other words, the immunity a board member is normally granted is not available to that board member if they knowingly give away public funds. [hmmm....]

But what of the dire district financial condition promoted prior to the election? Why are they contemplating gifting $50,000 or any amount of district cash that could be earmarked to relieve the touted long-term liabilities of the district? The board needs to explain how all of a sudden $50,000 or any amount in cash is available to give away.
It also needs to detail what will be sacrificed (a needed new fire truck, re-surfacing of the tennis courts, jobs, community services, etc.) in order to fund this donation.
What is the justification? Where are the reports showing the amount the district will be damaged as a result of the county preparing an inventory of potential housing sites?
What has the fire commission recommended? What has the park and recreation commission recommended? [ Bruce Anderson presided over the largest deficits in Marinwood CSD history totaling over $1.2 million dollars]

The proceedings under the lawsuit do not seek any financial return, only that the county re-do its housing element report. A re-do will have no effect on the amount of housing, affordable or market-rate, already allowed by the countywide general plan within Marinwood's sphere of influence.  [ Is a correct accounting for the environmental damage a bad thing?  The toxic waste problem at Marinwood Plaza has been a known public health disaster since 2007 while Bruce served on the CSD Board.]

The district board needs to fully disclose its reasons for this $50,000 gift that bears no return. [ Four more Pinnochios.]

Is that all? Giving $50,000 to someone suing the county makes you a party to that suit. Win or lose, the suit will most likely be appealed. Will there be more requests for funds? Worst case scenario — the county counter sues and wins — who's not-so-deep-pockets get picked? [hmmm...]

The board is young in experience. Its members should have recognized this request for what it is — a gift of public funds no matter the amount — then rejected it out-of-hand.
At the next opportunity, the board should just say no to this request for public funds.
[Bruce should attend the CSD meetings before making vile accusations without merit.]

Bruce Anderson served three terms as a director of the Marinwood Community Services District. [Bruce Anderson endorses Susan Adams for County Supervisor]

Pinnochio did not throw stones in glass houses.

Five "Friends of Marinwood Village" deliver this message (Bruce Anderson, Jon Hammond, Kathleen Gaines, Robert Pendolay and Cameron Case)

At least two of the five of the "Friends" make a living consulting to affordable housing developers.  Several claimed that the Marinwood CSD never got involved in housing issues but this document shows that they have CONTRIBUTED to housing plans in 2006.

What is particularly upsetting about these long term residents, is that none of them have children in the Dixie School district, benefit from low Prop 13 tax rates and/or pay nothing into the schools at all because of the over 65 year exemption.  They completely dismiss the younger generation of families that pay the bulk of the taxes and have kids who may be forced from their local Dixie schools due to overcrowding.

"Newcomers" are the future. May the "old timers" understand that we want a great community with wonderful schools, just like they had for their children.   We will Save Marin again!

Susan Adams explaining the Marinwood PDA that she created August 7, 2007 to a skeptical crowd

And of course none of the "Friends of Marinwood Village" want to talk about the Toxic Waste HERE

Marinwood Village meeting on September 26, 2006

See the Marinwood Village meeting on September 26, 2006  at the Board of Supervisors HERE

This is the first Marinwood Village Collaborative meeting. Notice all of the "Community Leaders" (Friends of Susan Adams) who voiced support of the concept.  Surprisingly no one mentioned the impacts on schools.  At the time, many of the older residents had no children in school.  The primary concern was restoring a derelict strip Mall with a market.  Some wanted affordable housing but most simply wanted a decaying mall to be restored to life.  The carcinogenic toxic waste spill from the Prosperity cleaners site was discovered later that year but only minor cleanup efforts have been made since then.  Shame on Susan Adams, who holds a PHD in Nursing to ignore this public health risk.  Not only did she know of the spill, she lobbied for an extension of the clean up in January 2014 so that Bridge Housing and Hoytt development could have time for their financing.

The toxic plume has spread under the 101 Freeway and is now on the border of Silveira Ranch threatening its water supply to people and hundreds of dairy cows.  Thousands of people could be affected by this environmental crime if the toxins contaminate the milk.  The toxic waste has been found to be 2000 times above safe levels.  

The site is now scheduled to be cleaned by August 2016.

Get involved.  Vote for change. 

Got Milk?

Marin IJ: Marinwood ousts incumbents; housing issues took center stage in election discourse

By Megan Hansen

Marin Independent Journal

Justin Kai, winner CSD Director

Concerns about housing drove Marinwood's election and some believe the ousting of all the incumbents highlights the community's growing fear of high-density, affordable development.

Tuesday's election came during a perfect storm of housing issues, when residents are fretting about the regional housing effort Plan Bay Area, priority development areas, the county's housing element and plans for the still-undeveloped Marinwood Village property near Highway 101. With tensions high, three vocal newcomers opposed to high-density, subsidized housing stepped forward and swept the polls.


Justin Kai, a 33-year-old real estate agent, garnered the most votes on Election Night. He said the No. 1 topic residents are talking about is affordable, high-density housing.

"Residents are concerned about large tax-exempt developments and how it will impact the community," Kai said. "Our community is very much in support of doing our part for providing affordable housing for the county, we just want to make sure it's done responsibly in a way it can sustain itself. Not in a way where it's fully dependent on the rest of the community having to pick up the slack."

Bill Shea, winner, CSD Director

Kai was followed in the polls by Bill Shea, a 62-year-old accountant, and Deana Dearborn, a 43-year-old facilities project manager and architect, who secured a two-year seat in a second race for a community services district position.

Shea said he believes the government shouldn't subsidize anything and doesn't want to see the "projects" he grew up seeing in San Francisco come to Marinwood. He said he's opposed to the proposed plan for Marinwood Village, which has most of the 82 units slated to be affordable, and doesn't want government agencies dictating where multifamily housing should go.

"The idea now that they want to put high-density, low-income housing in a rural area, I just think it's a horrible idea," Shea said.
He said people are looking at the apartment complex being built at the former WinCup site on Tamal Vista Boulevard in Corte Madera — which will be market-rate units — and fearing a massive development like it could be built in Marinwood.

Deana Dearborn, winner, CSD Director

Ousted incumbent Leah Kleinman-Green, 35, said people's fears of having affordable housing in Marinwood won the three aligned newcomers their seats. She said the community appears to be so afraid of change and different demographics that they'll let their emotions trump reason.

"Housing is completely outside the purview of the community services district," Kleinman-Green said. "The (newcomers) think they are going to be able to do things that they can't."

The district, which provides fire protection, park maintenance, recreation programs and street lighting for about 1,750 households, doesn't make housing decisions. The county Planning Commission and the Board
of Supervisors make those calls.

Supervisor Susan Adams
Campaigned on No Grow in 2002:

This is something county Supervisor Susan Adams said voters didn't understand about the race.
"Any campaign promises that were made that the community services district was somehow in a position to make a decision about the (Marinwood Village) project was misinforming the public," Adams said. "There's been a lot of misinformation provided that has created fear."

Adams winning campaign slogan was
"Cows not Condos" in 2002.
She created the Marinwood Priority Development Area
 in 2007 and voted for the Housing Element in 2013
 that gave us 71% of all affordable housing for
unincorporated Marin and may grow our community by 35%

She said everybody in the community will have an opportunity to weigh in on the plan for the project during community outreach sessions.

Bruce Anderson,
has been lobbying for housing
since 2004 as CSD Director now
claims housing is not
of interest to the CSD
See Bruce promote Marinwood Village
as CSD Director HERE

Bruce Anderson, a 66-year-old retiree who has served on the board for 10 years and lived in the district for 27, said it may have been his ties to Adams and support of affordable housing projects that lost him re-election.


He said the newcomers are anti-affordable housing and led voters to believe housing issues could be addressed by the district.

"Tying the whole community services district to the housing issue turned people off," said Anderson, who also cited low-voter turnout as an issue. "I don't yet think the (newcomers) understand what they're getting into."

Dearborn, who could not be reached for comment, states on her website that she knows housing developments are not within the district's jurisdiction. She also said the Marinwood Village project needs to be changed, according to the site.

"I fully expect the community services district to review any development proposals and to ask for impacts under their purview to be mitigated by either modifying building designs or through monetary means," Dearborn wrote.

Leah Kleinman-Green former CSD Director is disheartened that
her neighbors are unable to accept low income people.
In August 2013 she had plans to move to Ross but changed her mind.
See Leah submit her resignation in August 2013: HERE.

Kai agreed and said it's not that he and his fellow election winners are against affordable housing, it's that they're concerned tax-exempt builders will place a financial burden on the district and residents.

"A large portion of the district's budget comes from property tax," Kai said. "By bringing in hundreds of new residents without the proper funding to support them, who does the rest of that bill fall onto?"

Appointed incumbent Michael Dudasko, a 56-year-old environmental consultant, was ousted by Dearborn in the election. He couldn't be reached for comment.

Kleinman-Green said it's horrifying to her that people feel so entitled to live in Marinwood that they are unable to accept low-income people living in the community. She said the attitude seems to be: "I worked hard. I made it here. It has to stay this way."

"It's been disheartening," she said. "There's no acknowledgement of change and other people having that same dream of living here."