Friday, January 16, 2015
The Planning Commissioners and Community Development Staff who want to urbanize Marinwood-Lucas Valley
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| Leelee Thomas, Chief Planner, Marin Community Development Department lives in lovely Woodacre while pushing urban development on the rest of us. |
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| Wade Holland, Planning Commissioner was appointed by Steve Kinsey |
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| Margret Biele |
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| Ericka Erickson of Marinwood also works for Marin Grassroots for "social equity" also a Steve Kinsey appointee. |
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| Brian Crawford, Community Development Director and his staff |
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| Don Dickenson, Planning Commission questions assumptions of Housing Element such as the density bonus that gives developers to build OVER allowable limits in the general plan. Unfortunately, the other planning commissioners don't appear to care. |
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| Katie Crecilious, Housing Advocate from Novato, now Planning Commissioner advocated putting housing on school sites in Lucas Valley including Miller Creek Middle School and the Waldorf School in the last housing element. |
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| Pete Theran, Planning Commissioner listens to the public object to the Housing Element that has 400% MORE housing than required by the State. 300 of the 500 units are in Marinwood. |
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| Wade Holland think most of the affordable housing should go in Marinwood because "they have the space". He blocked a senior development in the last housing element in his community of Inverness. |
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| Brian Crawford Community Development Director who lectures us on "social equity", owns a large tract of land in West Marin and Petaluma pushes big development on Marinwood/Lucas Valley. He is one of the highest paid employees in the County. |
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John Eller, Architect/Developer of Affordable Housing , Planning Commissioner is an industry insider.      |
My Letter to Damon Connolly on the appointment of a New Planning Commissioner.
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| Damon Connolly is sworn in as District One Supervisor on January 6, 2015 |
I hope you are settling into your new position. We are all so proud of you in Marinwood/Lucas Valley as our Supervisor.
As you know, four planning commissioners are to be appointed in the next few weeks.
Although we tried mightily to secure a local person to represent the average District 1 homeowner's concerns, no one I know was able to submit an application for appointment. The job requires too much of a working person or busy parent.
Fortunately, you may have the option to reappoint Don Dickerson. Although he voted in projects in the Marinwood Lucas Valley Area, many of us feel that he is thoughtful, sensitive to community needs and asks penetrating questions about planning. He is well respected in the community and we think he is a good appointment.
The others commissioners do not have our support. Most especially Enrika Erickson whose advocacy for Marin Grassroots seems to be inseparable from her objectivity in representing the community. As a "social equity advocate" she appears to promote ideology over sound planning principles.
see:
Here is a clip of Erika suggesting that Single Family Home Zoning should be eliminated in Los Ranchitos area as it is a main factor of segregation in Marin. I do not know where she get's her data "proving" this. From her logic NO single family zoning should be allowed ANYWHERE in Marin. This is a radical proposition that would destroy the suburban rural character of our district.
Likewise Kate Crecilious is an affordable housing advocate does not have our hicommunity support. She petitioned the planning commission to put multifamily zoning on school sites in the Dixie School District. Although this was quickly dismissed as impractical, it demonstrates her resolve of building high density subsidized housing at all costs in Marin.
All I am asking for is people with commonsense and without a personal agenda to serve the community. Don Dickerson is a fine example but I'd prefer someone who is even more committed to sensible local planning for Marinwood/Lucas Valley.
We should not be forced to be burdened with 80% of all the affordable housing quota in just two high density projects for all of Unincorporated Marin.
Thanks for listening.
Yours,
Stephen Nestel
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Bait and Switch in Marinwood, too? "Sorry no retail shops."
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| Wincup development aka "CorteMazilla" in Corte Madera. Officials were surprised at the size of the development. |
Marin Voice: Marinwood proposal changes consensus plan
Dave Mitchell is a former Marinwood Community Services District board chairman.
THE RECENT IJ editorial and Marin Voice article have been in favor of the Bridge Housing proposal for the Marinwood Plaza shopping center. It has been reasoned that the proposal is not much different from the one that, with community support, was approved by the Board of Supervisors in 2006.
So what's the problem?
The most serious has to do with the phasing of the development.
The approved 2006 plan envisaged the housing, grocery store and other commercial to be developed in a single phase of all new construction by a single owner-developer.
The Bridge proposal envisages three distinct segments which may be owned and developed separately and not necessarily at the same time.
To quote from page 13 of the Bridge master plan submitted to the county: "The Marinwood Plaza Project Master Plan is separated into three segments — that will occupy the northern, central and southern lots as shown on this master plan map. While the uses and improvements on these separate lots are interrelated, they may be owned and developed separately, either simultaneously or in multiple phases."
What this means is that Bridge Housing will develop the southern lot as a 72-unit affordable housing complex. The central lot — the grocery store — will remain as is under separate ownership. The northern lot comprising a small commercial element and 10 small, single-bedroom, market-rate rental units will likely be developed (if ever) by someone else since this type of development is not Bridge's specialty.
By the way, the northern lot also contains the proposed public plaza, small stores and a restaurant. If it remains undeveloped it would be a huge loss to the community.
The second divergence from the 2006 plan is that this is an all-rental project as opposed to a mix of owner-occupied and rentals. The 10 single-bedroom, market-rate rental units on the northern lot may never be built and, if built, may never be converted to condominiums and sold.
To summarize, my fear is that the development of the northern lot may be delayed for years. Or may never happen. Then what we'll get is a high-density, three-story affordable complex on the southern lot, an existing grocery store in a 50-year-old building in the central lot and the current weed-infested eyesore in the northern lot.
This is a far cry from what the community agreed to, namely, a project developed in a single phase with all new construction and with a mostly owner-occupied housing element.
Bridge withdrew from the earlier discussions in 2004 to 2006 when it became clear the community did not want an all-rental project with a very high affordable ratio. Now it is back with the same all-rental proposal, a higher affordable ratio and worse, no assurance that anything more than the 72 units in the southern lot will be built.
Its proposal should be rejected and the Board of Supervisors held to the agreement it made with the community in 2006.
Most of us recognize that the redevelopment of the center will need to include a housing component some of which will be affordable. However, we should not feel pressured into accepting something that we don't think is in the best interest of the community.
David Mitchell is a longtime Marinwood resident and a former elected director of the Marinwood Community Services District.
Frank Egger: "What have elected representatives learned from 2014?"
Marin Voice: What have elected representatives learned from 2014?
Click photo to enlarge
Frank Egger, candidate for the Ross Valley Sanitary District. Wednesday, April 18, 2012. (IJ...
RELATED STORIES
- Dec 2:
- Dick Spotswood: Ross, Bragman and Hoffman were big winners on Nov. 4
- Nov 24:
- Marin voter turnout lower than expected
- Nov 22:
- Measure A wins as final votes are counted
- Nov 20:
- Editorial: Marin's voter turnout is not much to brag about
- Nov 18:
- Dick Spotswood: Picking through the election results
- Nov 17:
- Marin ballot tally verified in manual count
- Nov 14:
- Measure A, a parcel tax for a public safety radio system, opens lead as election vote total updated
- Nov 12:
- Marin Voice: Building on voters' push for political affirmation
- Nov 8:
- Editorial: Marin voters have their say
- Dick Spotswood: Marin's battle over growth reflected in election results
- Nov 7:
- Additional 5,000 ballots counted and tight Marin races in Tuesday's election get tighter
- Nov 5:
- Lack of drama in Marin election hurts turnout, causes tax measures to suffer
- Nov 4:
- Newcomer Hoffman heads pack for Sausalito City Council, Measure O wins
- Marin General Hospital's Measure R wins easy victory with 78 percent of vote
- Dixie, Kentfield and Ross school districts in position to receive financial help
- Bolinas-Stinson school board's three incumbents edge out challenger
- Bragman holds lead in MMWD Division 3 race
- Marin voters show support for six of eight paramedic tax measures
- Measure A public safety radio tax falls short
- Sonoma Supervisor Mike McGuire finishes first in state Senate race
- Strawberry Recreation District $3.5M bond fails
- Fairfax special tax measure passes
- Levine heading toward re-election to Assembly seat
- Huffman scores lopsided results in re-election bid for Congress
- Live updates for Election Day - latest results
Marin voters sent shock waves throughout Marin in 2014 — Damon Connolly's win in the 1st Supervisorial District, Jill Hoffman's city council win in Sausalito, Larry Bragman's Marin Municipal Water District election in the San Geronimo and Ross valleys and Toni Shroyer's almost victory in the 5th Supervisorial District.
What should have been cakewalk elections for well-known, respected Marin elected officials went sideways in three of four elections.
Was this just a matter of voters fighting "city hall" or is there more to the story?
We live in what many refer to as paradise: wonderful , safe cit i es and towns with excellent educational opportunities, semi-rural, small communities with real home-town character.
It's human nature, if you love something, to preserve it. A common thread throughout Marin, whether you live in a small apartment or large home, is "wanting to preserve" what we have here.
The so-called state mandates regarding housing and the Association of Bay Area Governments' high-density housing requirements have had an impact. Thirty or even 20 units per acre ma y be more than what can be accommodated in some of our communities.
The statement of elected officials that "we don't build high-density housing, we just have to plan for it and it may not even be built" does not ring true. Voters know that high-density requires additional water supplies, more classrooms, more and larger sewer pipes and treatment facilities and the ever-increasing traffic congestion.
Who is going to pay for all the improvements?
This is one reason we see ballot-box zoning with initiatives and referendums.'Of California's 58 counties, Marin has the highest property tax rates, which take a toll on personal finances whether you are a homeowner or renter whose landlord passes on the tax increases. Unfunded pension and post-employment medical benefit liabilities take huge bites out of property tax revenue.
This fiscal year, our governmental agencies, cities, counties and special districts will be required , for the first time , to show those liabilities in real dollars, not just percentages . It will be sticker shock.
When local government retirees are retiring at an earlier age with six-figure retirements and many folks in Marin are on fixed incomes with Social Security, these posted liabilities will be quite an eye opener . Some governmental agencies even approve annual bonuses for their high-paid managers, bonuses greater than some Social Security recipients' annual income.
We have been taught over the years there are three branches of government — legislative, executive and judicial — in place for checks and balances to protect the public's interests . Here in Marin we have seen the creation and runaway rise of a fourth branch of government — consultants .
Elected officials spend much of their time selecting million-dollar consultants and our managers end up managing consultants.
Annually, tens of millions of our tax dollars go to consultants for everything from planning and zoning to design and project management to public relations .
Just look at the millions consultants have been paid over the past seven years for "planning" flood control projects in the Ross Valley. Will we ever see real flood control improvements?
Our county, cities, water and sewer districts spend millions of dollars a year on consultants and voters are wondering why our own employees can't do this work.
We have a great workforce at all levels of government and they can do the job.
Voters believe it is time to rein in the consultants, the high-paid "experts" they have no control over whatsoever.
So, have we, the elected officials the public put into office to represent them, learned anything from the elections of 2014? Is change coming, or will 2015 be more of the same?
Frank Egger is a former seven-time mayor of Fairfax, an elected director for the Ross Valley Sanitary District.
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Ericka Erickson advocates Multifamily homes in Single Family Neighborhoods to Stop Segregation
Ericka Erickson, Marinwood Mom, Housing Advocate, and recently appointed Planning Commissioner will be submitting her recommendations for the Housing Element SEIR (Environmental Impact Report) for Unincorporated Marin and the Housing Element that puts 70% of all affordable housing for unincorporated Marin in Marinwood-Lucas Valley on July 8th.
In her professional life she is a housing advocate and community organizer with Marin Grassroots (www.maringrassroots.org) where she is an advocate for "social equity" In the above clip, she argues for the inclusion of the Los Ranchitos affordable housing site in a single family neighborhood because single family home zoning is a "tool for segregation".
We have no idea what data she uses to support this assertion but clearly zoning policy is being established on these ideological grounds. So essentially, if multifamily homes have a right to be anywhere,then single family neighborhoods will become illegal in Marinwood-Lucas Valley.
This is another good reason that you must speak out against the Housing Element.
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| The Apartment building next door to you? Planners advocate placing multifamily homes in single family neighborhoods to "combat racism". Essentially this outlaws single family neighborhoods in favor of multiunit dwellings. Radical proposals like these have been implemented in Seattle over the outrage of the community. http://www.onehomeperlot.com/ |
It doesn't sound like a "planning exercise" to me. These housing advocates are demanding immediate implementation of the Housing Element to build in our neighborhoods
Here is the petition being solicited by www.maringrassroots.org
Housing Element Petition
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
California Coastal Commission seals the Fate of Land Use in West Marin on May 17, 2014
Coastal Commission Meeting with new Land Use Plan for West
Marin. Here is the nearly 6 hours of the Coastal Commission meeting
held on May 15, 2014 at the Inverness Yacht Club. I did not attend nor did I
watch the full video, yet. Marin County, Community Development Agency, led by Brian Crawford, presented a plan for Land Use Planning changes to be consistent with the objectives of Plan Bay Area.
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| Brian Crawford, Marin County Community Development Agency presented housing plans for West Marin. |
The Marin IJ only reported on the fracking protest that I
don't think was even covered inside the meeting. The real crux of the
issue, was Marin County radically altering property rights in the Ag. areas.
I listened briefly yesterday when one of the commissioners
from Southern California was debating if homes could be occupied by non
agricultural workers. Another commissioner wanted homes allowed to be built only if
occupants were blood relatives. Another request that "gentrified"
agriculture like wine be disallowed and that "agritainment" like farm
tours are banned.
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| Are you listening to the public, Steve Kinsey? Marin County Supervisor Steve Kinsey, is Chairman of the California Coastal Commission and President of MTC which along with ABAG is responsible for Plan Bay Area that will radically urbanize Marin and seize development rights everywhere. |
Why should a politician from San Diego, have voting rights
to decide the use of farmland in West Marin? Shouldn't WE be deciding
this?
The CCC is an agency whose mission now seems to encompass a mission far greater than coastal access and is embarking on social engineering . They are an example of an administrative
JPA who threatens the very concept of local democracy.
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| This Coastal Commission Plan is bullshit |
Monday, January 12, 2015
The Heavy Hand of the California Coastal Commission.
If you think this is bad, just wait until the new Redevelopment Agencies come in to redevelop Marin!
We will Save Marin Again!
Highlights from the Video:
*a structure considered by the CCC appears to be as something as insignificant as a fence post.*a road repair seems to have been interpreted by the CCC as the construction of a road.
*the use of land appears to be generally micromanaged by CCC.
*the executive director of CCC appears to have no restraint in his influence over board members or how these CCC laws are administered.
*CCC is increasingly functioning as a one branch autonomous government agency conducting activity in legislative, executive and judicial areas using an appointed board.
*ESHA (Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area) apparently somehow was drawn AROUND a board members house and that house was not included.
*A racketeering case associated with a development in LA (the frying pan) was won by the land owners only to have them be thrown into the CCC fire.
*Without due process CCC levies daily fines and then will settle for a lesser amount or some land acquisition. These fines add up very quickly and in most (all?) cases are upheld by a judge crushing land owners spirit and ability to fight this abuse.
*For better or worse, these daily fees imposed by government agency are in part the reason the Clive Bundy stand off occurred. In Bundy's case: federal grazing fees and fines. As I understand it everyone else who owned land in this area gave up.
*A court document related to the inspection of private land stated video taping by the land owner was prohibited. Violation of the Bagley-Keene act and individual constitutional rights.
*The State AG is able to counter judicial action by land owners due to the vast resources of the State.
*Improving a structure becomes a life altering process.
*Judges in these cases are likely appointed by people closely associated with the Coastal Commission and beholden to them.
*Wildfire hazards appear to have increased as a result of CCC policy and activity. The State Fire Commission seems to view the CCC as having amended the state fire code contrary to their lack of authority to do so putting people, land and wildlife at unnecessary risk.
*there seem to be many extraneous, special purpose commissions, committees, boards and authorities that now compete with each other on a number of issues. Government competing with government has to be the biggest waste of time, energy and resources imaginable.
*Presumption of correctness in the court system makes government infallible (you may be thinking of the pope right now...).
I think it might be good to start with this last item. To deem our public servants infallible is a recipe for disaster and denies we the people any chance of equal justice under the law, not to mention our lack of ability to hold these agencies and public servants accountable. The other problem with CCC is that while the rule of law is supposed to provide certainty for we the people in our affairs, the planning approach and its arbitrary and discretionary nature do not allow for this certainty. The law needs to be written, administered and complied with the same way for all, if we are to reach the founding fathers ideal of equal justice.
An arbitrary and capricious government moves people to find alternative ways to do what they want outside of the law. A corrupt government moves people to create black markets, smuggle and openly flout the law to accomplish their goals contributing to the breakdown of the rule of law.
An oppressive government creates a passive-aggressive behavior dynamic with people saying one thing while doing another. This lack of harmony of thought, feeling and action is a problem for people any society. If we are to remain a free people, we need to be able to trust each other and trust our government is acting in our best interest, representing us under law.
By making bad/unconstitutional law, the government creates criminals out of everyone and contributes to a growing reactive movement starting the slow march towards social unrest, a breakdown of society and its social order. As you know, history is full of revolutions against tyranny. Government needs to extend the lightest possible hand over society, passing only those laws that are necessary to keep the peace and administer equal justice under those same laws.
Why we love living in our Eichlers (and Hoytt homes) in Marinwood Lucas Valley
Here is an Eichler Homeowner gushing about the liveable Suburban dream. I think his enthusiasm for living close to nature is felt by many of us in Marinwood/Lucas Valley and Terra Linda. New Urbanists sneer at the "Suburban Livestyle" (aka. Sprawl) but they fail to see the virtues of living close to the land. Almost all of my neighbors have native plants and organic gardens. Some even have chickens and bees to round out their suburban homestead. Many have rooftop solar and drive electric or hybrid cars.
Our "green " suburban lifestyle has no place in "Plan Bay Area" or the Mann County Housing Element. Living in a high density apartment you can't have solar, a garden or live in peace with nature.
Marin Supervisors, Steve Kinsey, Kate Sears and Katie Rice want to urbanize Lucas Valley with high density apartments and bus shelters. The "Rotary Field" (abutting Lucas Valley Road in front of the Juvenile Hall) is rumored to become a Civic Plaza ("the Susan Adams Center?) for the new "Smart Growth" city they want to build.
We will preserve our beautiful valley. We will welcome projects that fit in our community like Rotary Village (11 units per acre) and reject high density housing Marinwood Village (30 plus units per acre) that doesn't.
We will Save Marin Again!
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