Marin IJ
May 9, 2007

Loch Lomond project foe vows a battle
by Tad Whitaker

The leader of organized opposition to a proposed redevelopment of San Rafael's Loch Lomond Marina pledged Wednesday to continue fighting the project despite approval by the Planning Commission Tuesday.

David Law, who represents 430 homeowners in the Loch Lomond and Bayside Acres homeowners associations, said he is hopeful the City Council will change course and scale back the project.

If the council fails to act, several council members up for re-election in November could be vulnerable, he said, because many voters believe the council cares more about development than the will of the people.

"It's obvious the process is wrong," Law said.

Keith Bloom, a partner at Thompson Dorfman of Sausalito, which is developing the project, said he is pleased to have gotten one step closer in the process, which he estimated has already cost $5 million. He said neighbors are wrong to say they haven't been listened to, and Tuesday's vote shows that.

"We've modified our plan to the point where the Planning Commission recommended approval," Bloom said.

Developers want 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.

Planning commissioners approved the project late Tuesday night, although with two modifications. Developers must redesign the project to adhere to a 50-foot wetlands setback and change the roof lines of houses along the marina.

The houses would still be two stories tall, but they would be a few feet shorter.

The seven commissioners passed four resolutions needed for the project to move to the City Council. The four resolutions involved an environmental impact report, an amendment to the city's General Plan, rezoning and a master plan permit.

Commissioners voted 6-1 in favor of the impact report, with Commissioner Maribeth Bushey-Lang dissenting. On the other three resolutions, the commissioners voted 5-2, with Bushley-Lang and Commissioner Jeff Kirchmann dissenting.

Several commissioners said developers have fashioned a good project that navigates political, economic and neighborhood needs. But Bushey-Lang, an East San Rafael resident, said it ignores guidelines in the city's General Plan, particularly with regard to density and the height of water-front housing.

"Five of the seven commissioners didn't agree with that," Bloom said.

Law agreed with Bushey-Lang that the project doesn't follow the general plan.

"All that effort by hundreds of people is wasted," he said. "That's a real concern for me."

Law said he heard each commissioner Tuesday night express "surprise" at one piece or another of the project. He said that shouldn't be the case because the General Plan outlines what residents, and not just those who live around Loch Lomond, want done with their city.

Although Law was pleased with the wetlands setback modification, he said the roof-line modification is "nothing" compared with other major concerns expressed by hundreds of people who already live there. Concerns about traffic and views remain, he said.