Loch Lomond Marina |
Summary of the combined Meeting of San
Rafael Planning Commission and Design Review Board on September
8, 2004
Topic: Loch Lomond Marina Development Proposals
Well over 100 neighbors (well done) attended
this meeting to review and comment to the Planning and Design
Review Boards regarding the proposals for development of
the Loch Lomond
Marina site.
Three proposals were presented by the developer: 1) The submitted plan calling for 29 single family and 41 townhouses, retention of Bruno's in its current location for the remaining 9 year term of their lease (to be replaced by 18 townhouses), 21,200 sq ft of retail/office; 20 day-use trailer parking and 34 dry boat storage spaces. Total number of residential units is 88. 2) Alternate Plan #1 calls for 15 single family, 25 cottages and 59 townhouses, retention of Bruno's in its current location for the remaining 9 year term of their lease (to be replaced by 19 townhouses), 20,000 sq ft retail/office; 65 day-use trailer parking and 100 dry boat storage spaces. Total number of residential units is 92.
3)
Alternate Plan #2 is very similar to Alternate Plan #1 except
the townhouses are increased to 59 units and no cottages.
Total number of residential units is 93.
The commissioners then asked some questions
for clarification. Included
in these was one question asking the developer to describe
what, out of the three proposals, demonstrates the extraordinary
qualities of design called for in GP2020/NH-121. The
developer only responded by going over the plans again.
The public comment period provided considerable
positive and negative input. The
housing advocates of course want as much housing as possible
at any cost. The neighbor comments were constructive even if they
were mainly negative.
The issues:
Alternate plans #1 and #2 appeared disfunctional,
placing the retail/office in the same location as exists
today; locating the dry boat storage adjacent to the eastern
wetlands and building large blocks of townhouse units in
a style consistent with urban housing projects….ugly! The single family units were placed
in a circle at the west end of the site surrounding a ‘park’. The only positive comment on these
plans seemed to be the incorporation of ‘cottages’,
single story units, 1,200-1,500 sq ft in size that would
be affordable by design but may also be popular ‘move
down’ units for empty nesters/retirees, which may be
a great idea for those who want to stay in the neighborhood
but want to shed the burden of having a big house/garden.
The original plan received the same main
comment……too high a density which was compromising
the design, not enough day-use trailer parking and no plan
for what happens to the grocery store in 9 years when Bruno’s
lease expires and that area is turned into more housing.
The commissioners' comments effectively
sent the developers back to the drawing board on issues of
density, designing a project that takes advantage of the
Bay front, rather than just another housing project, protection
of the wetlands (keeping the dry boat storage away from the
sensitive environmental areas) and establishing a plan for
Bruno's in 9 years time. The
commissioners stated that the proposals do not in anyway
comply with the language of NH-121 in GP2020.
This is a very abbreviated version of what
I recall from the meeting. The
plans can be viewed on the city web site under Loch Lomond
Marina if you need further detail.
Overall, I think we are having impact, but
this will only continue if the neighborhood keeps turning
out for these meetings. Kudos to all of you who attended,
and shame on those who didn’t. Its
your neighborhood, so participate or resign yourself to something
you won’t like.
All the best,
David Tattersall |