Marin IJ
April 24, 2007

Both sides far apart over Loch Lomond project
by Tad Whitaker

Proponents and opponents of a proposed redevelopment of Loch Lomond Marina in San Rafael remained far apart on crucial issues Tuesday night during a Planning Commission meeting on the project.

Commissioners provided city staff members with a list of questions to investigate after listening to opponents complain about views, density and traffic problems before rebuttals from a host of supporters who applauded the affordable housing, extensive review process and need for something better than the current marina. The project will be brought back to the commission May 8 for a vote.

"We can't meet all the desires of the neighborhood, but we've tried really hard," project architect David Israel said.

Sausalito-based Thompson Dorfman wants to build a mixed-use development that will include 65 market-rate housing units, 17 affordable units, and 22,250 square feet of commercial space that includes a 13,250-square-foot grocery store and a shoreline park with a variety of water-oriented recreational offerings. The boat marina also would remain.

Even though the Design Review Board recently approved the project, developers still must win over the Planning Commission, the Town Council and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission.

Keith Bloom, a partner at Thompson Dorfman, sounded confident when addressing the Planning Commission Tuesday night. He cited the addition of a full-service grocery store after neighbors asked for one and 21 public meetings as evidence that the process is working for everyone.

"We've created a plan that responds to the needs of the greater neighborhood," he said.

David Law, who represents 430 home owners in the Loch Lomond and Bayside Acres homeowners associations, disagreed with Bloom.

Law said members of the homeowners associations support the market, recreation offerings, preservation of seasonal wetlands and the architecture. But he said the overall design remains too ambitious for the area and it emphasizes dense housing development over more important issues in the city's long-range general plan.

"Sadly, the current plans do not address the concerns," he said.

A half dozen more opponents representing several more groups followed Law, presenting commissioners with a well-oiled response that varied from high-concept problems such as deteriorating quality of life to specific problems that included the location of a children's playground.

But they were followed by a similarly orchestrated group of supporters that included Marin Workforce Housing Board Member Jack McLaughlin and Elissa Giambastiani, a former president of the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce who spoke on behalf of the Marin League of Women Voters.

Colin Russell, a member of the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, reminded commissioners that the grocery story, recreation amenities and waterfront boardwalk must be subsidized by the large number of housing units proposed. He asked commissioners to approve the project because developers have done an exceptional job to make the project blend in with the area, adapt to neighborhood concerns and provide affordable housing for working families.

"If you do, you will have done the right thing and provided Loch Lomond a real amenity to the neighborhood," he said.