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Traffic Jam Courtesy of Free Digital Photos
Supervisors' Approval of Medical Offices in Strawberry Spurs Concerns Across Marin
Communities across Marin are concerned about the Marin County Board of Supervisors' recent decision to approve Bently Holdings' application to change 25,000 sq. ft. of professional office space to medical offices at Belvedere Place in Strawberry and add 627 more car trips per day to roadways that are already heavily congested. If they could make such a decision against the will of the Strawberry community, then they could make a similar decision against the will of any other Unincorporated Marin community.
The Supervisors Approved the Bently Holding's Application Against Strong Opposition from the Strawberry Community:
The Board of Supervisors approved the application despite strong opposition from the Strawberry community. Locals fought against the plan for two years. In so doing, the Supervisors put the financial gain of Bently Holdings, a private asset holdings and management company, above the needs of an entire community. Yes, Marin residents also need more medical offices. However, according to Strawberry representatives, there are other locations currently available for medical office use in the County that don't have the same traffic constraints.
The Supervisors Revised the 1984 Master Plan and the 1996 Precise Development Plan without Community Approval:
In order to approve Bently Holdings application, the Supervisors revised the 1984 Strawberry Hill Master Plan and the 1996 Strawberry Center Precise Development Plan without approval from the Strawberry community. Both Plans, which had been carefully developed with community input, had specifically prohibited medical offices at the location in order to prevent increased traffic from the comings and goings of patients. So, before the Supervisors' April 12th decision, Bently Holdings had the right to lease Belvedere Place for professional office use but it did not have the right to lease it for medical office use. If the Supervisors had denied the application, they would not have taken away any development or leasing rights from the property owner.
The Supervisors' Approved Worsening Traffic Congestion in Exchange for Little Transportation Funding:
The roadways around Belvedere Place are highly congested, experiencing gridlock during peak commute hours. Locals have described the situation as "unbearable". Yet, the Supervisors decision will add 627 more car trips per day to the area, according to traffic analysis.
Yes, the Supervisors also negotiated for Bently Holdings to contribute an additional $280,000 to fund traffic calming and pedestrian safety improvements at the Belvedere Drive/ Reed Blvd. intersection. However, considering the plastic median barrier recently constructed near the Arco Station in Tam Junction (which was installed in one day) cost $30,000, it is doubtful that $280,000 will do much to calm traffic. Furthermore, until the improvements are actually made, we really won't know what their effect will be. - Think of the unintended traffic problems that installation of the light at Tennessee Valley & Hwy 1 in Tam Valley caused and how numerous attempts at solutions have done little to ameliorate the situation.
Moreover, such a move is putting the cart before the horse. Before considering a project that would intensify development or use in an area with already hazardous traffic conditions, the Supervisors should first fix the traffic problem. If the traffic congestion cannot be improved, then don't approve the project. It makes no sense to make a jammed traffic situation even worse before knowing for certain whether or not the proposed traffic solutions will have any positive effect.
The Supervisors need to stop accepting transportation carrots in exchange for allowing over-use or over-development. Public funding should provide for roadway improvements without strings attached.