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Save Fairfax
Can the last place last? Save Fairfax - Oct. 2017
Fairfax is the last of the old incorporated Marin towns
Gentrification, modernization and redevelopment are coming. Can we slow it down? Can it be stopped? Can we save Fairfax?
Many of you have asked SaveFairfax to keep you informed about development-driven impacts and traffic rerouting to the quality of life in Fairfax. Why do we focus on zoning, development and traffic matters? Because such decisions are IRREVERSIBLE and the impact of development touches the character and livability of the whole community: schools, home values, public safety, traffic, parking, town finances and more.
In this issue:
- Where does the proposed Downtown Plan for the makeover stand?
- What about the proposed subdivision of the Wall property?
- At what juncture is the SF Drake/Broadway/Center Blvd rezoning from CH to CC to facilitate Downtown Redevelopment?
- Save Fairfax announces endorsements for the 2017 Fairfax election.
Downtown makeover.
The Fairfax town Council has continued the Sept 6th meeting item #12 until after the election:
WORKSHOP- Discuss/consider preliminary concepts for design of Parkade and traffic circulation in the downtown – Town Manager
To read the STAFF REPORT CLICK HERE
Town manager Garrett Toy and one of Fairfax's many consultants, Taecker Planning & Design, presented the Downtown Plan with 3 options from directing Bolinas Road traffic from SF Drake to Bank and Elsie Streets to Bolinas Road, to keeping the Bolinas/Broadway access open with bulb-outs on the corners narrowing the driving portions. All 3 options remove one westbound driving lane on Broadway and remove 8 parking spaces on the north side of Broadway.
You can see the proposals, go to Town's website, Town Council, Meeting Archive, Sept 6th Regular & Special Meeting agenda packet. Item #12, hit Discuss. The town manager has never asked the Fairfax Police, Ross Valley Fire Dept. or Marin County Fire for a report or comments on the Plan. A resident asked Fairfax Police about accidents and records show very few accidents.
What about implications for the Dominga neighborhood? If you run into a candidate, ask how they will vote on the proposed Downtown Plan.
When Fairfax had a separate design review board they required exposed aggregate and washed sidewalks in the downtown area to soften the appearance. Town manager Toy has ended exposed aggregate sidewalks and is allowing straight concrete.
2. Wall Property subdivision is on hold until after the election.
Wall was zoned Upland Residential years ago, UR-10, 10 acre lot minimum. This is one of Fairfax's large lot zones (also UR-7, 7 acre lot minimum, the previous Lutheran Church property zone) designed to protect sensitive lands. These zones do not allow clustering. Fairfax officials are facilitating the Wall subdivision by allowing clustering in direct conflict with the purpose and intent of the UR-10 zoning. Fairfax's official planning/land use/development risk management maps, adopted in 1974, showing landslide and wild land fire risks are not being used by Fairfax consultants or officials to determine appropriate house locations. Will the 10 houses and 10 accessory dwellings, 20 in all, be visible from downtown Fairfax? Where are the plans? The Fairfax town council continues to vote to move this project along.
3. Rezoning of the downtown from Highway Commercial (CH) to Central Commercial (CC) for Redevelopment is on hold until after the election.
Another Fairfax consultant, LAK, the town attorney and assistant town attorney have put forth the rezoning of SF Drake/Broadway/Center Blvd corridor from CH to CC to allow Redevelopment of Downtown Fairfax. It sets housing density by right, reduces control of housing developments above the 1st floor by no longer requiring a Conditional Use Permit, eliminates certain uses such as stand alone bars, auto repair businesses, car washes, outdoor lumber sales, gas stations and buildings larger than 5,000 sq. ft. (Fairfax Mkt, Fairfax Lumber and Good Earth). Existing businesses can remain legal non-conforming but cannot be expanded. Selling them will be more difficult. The Planning Commission has approved the rezoning and sent it to the Town Council. Fairfax residents asked for an inventory of existing affordable units in the downtown before rezoning. Fairfax needs to protect existing affordable housing and there is no historical preservation ordinance to protect existing structures.
Newly signed Senate Bill 35 will allow housing developers to over-ride Fairfax's 28&1/2 foot height limit and parking requirements (3-4 story structures will be the result). The State Density Bonus Law will automatically give up to a 35% increase in housing units. This is the 3rd time Redevelopment has been fought. The 1st time was around 1990 when Fairfaxians gathered 1,400 signatures in 14 days to stop it. Save Fairfax ran the 2014 Referendum to overturn the massive rezoning approved by the Town Council on a 3 yes, 1 no (Bragman) and 1 abstain vote. Save Fairfax gathered over 1,000 signatures of registered voters in 12 days. Fairfax does not require its consultants to fill out State Conflict of Interest Forms 700 and there may be conflicts of interest.
4. Save Fairfax knows change is needed and has endorsed Deborah Benson and Charles Cornwell for Town Council.
Deborah Benson is a long time Fairfax resident living in the Cascades, a single mom and accountant who has been tracking Fairfax's spending of hundreds of thousands of dollars on consultants and the lack of maintaining what we have here. She will look very closely at the rezoning/redevelopment/downtown makeover issues (those costs alone range from just under $400,000 to $698,000 and $2,774,000). She is the only candidate who gathered signatures for the Save Lefty Gomez Field Initiative.
Deborah is endorsed by the Sierra Club, former Superisor Pete Arrigoni and his wife Pat, former council member Niccolo Caldararo and former mayor Frank Egger.
Charles Cornwell is a Fairfax native, lives in Canon Village and is a member of the Fairfax Open Space Committee. He and spouse Yulia have 4 children, 2 at White Hill & 1 at Manor. Charles wants to return to a town administrator form of government from the current manager form thus giving the town council their authority back. He is very concerned about the proposed over-development of Fairfax and says "It's time to change our pro-urbanization consultant-driven government back to one driven by residents!”
Charles Cornwell is endorsed by former council member Niccolo Caldararo and former mayor Frank Egger.
You can help by putting a sign on your fence, walking door-to-door and even contributing a few dollars to their campaigns. Deborah and Charles do not have expensive campaign consultants, won't be flooding your mailbox with glossy mailers and will not be getting special interest campaign donations.
To donate or volunteer to support Benson for Council, 370 Cascade Dr. Fairfax, CA 94930,or to support Cornwell for Council, 77 Mitchell Dr., Fairfax, CA 94930.
Want to endorse? Please email them:
Please tell your friends and neighbors to vote for Benson and Cornwell.