Marina project triggers fears over traffic
Tad Whitaker

Marin IJ, April 12, 2006

Not even Tuesday's biblical rainstorm could keep angry Loch Lomond residents from raising hell about a controversial proposal to redevelop their marina.

 More than 150 people packed the City Council chambers Tuesday to lobby the city's Planning Commission on the project. No decision was made, and the Design Review Board has only offered suggestions to developers following two long meetings that were dominated by opponents of the project.

 Residents have complained about the project almost from the day San Rafael Marin LLC filed an application for a two-phase development of the site in February 2004.

 Developers want to build 66 market-rate and 18 affordable-housing units; 21,785 square feet of new retail and office space, including a restaurant; and replace the Loch Lomond Market. Planners said a separate workshop will likely be held for a disputed plan to replace the marina's grocery store with a much smaller one.

 The 517-berth marina, yacht club and boat maintenance buildings would be maintained, although the number of dry-boat storage spaces would drop substantially. Developers also want to fill in 650 square feet of wetlands in one area, but add 9,500 square feet of wetlands elsewhere to make up for it.

 Residents blame city officials for the latest flap when, in February, a draft Environmental Impact Report concluded the project would have no major environmental, traffic, aesthetic or flooding problems. Residents say the new development would create problems in every one of those areas, but the traffic study provoked the most seething remarks Tuesday.

 At one point during the meeting, a planner had to stop talking about results of the traffic study because the audience was laughing so hard.

 "Have a little respect," commission chairman Jim Atchison said. "She's just stating some facts."

 The facts, however, are what residents take issue with.

 Representatives for the developers were quiet Tuesday night with the exception of clarifying two figures in the report.

 But several opponents who spoke, including officials with the Loch Lomond Marina Committee, asked for an entirely new public review period for the draft EIR because they took issue with so many findings.

 Tom Moore, who works for a large-scale developer, said he couldn't believe a traffic study that concludes there will be less traffic in the area even though 84 new homes would be built.

 "I'm outraged," he said. "It doesn't make any sense."

 Contact Tad Whitaker via e-mail at twhitaker@marinij.com