Blog Post < Previous | Next >
Save Fairfax
Save Fairfax -- April 2017 Newsletter
Gentrification and redevelopment are coming. Can the last of the old incorporated Marin towns last?
Many of you have asked SaveFairfax to keep you informed about development - driven impacts to the quality of life in Fairfax. Why do we focus on zoning and development 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:
Fairfax's small town quality of life, community character and livability are on the line.
Who are the Consultants and Fairfax Management Staffers Steering Redevelopment?
Planning Consultant, Larry Kennings (LAK) -- Mr. Kennings sits on the Board of Directors for the Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative (MEHC). MEHC supports high density housing in Marin, i.e., Wincup Apartments (a.k.a. Tam Ridge) in Corte Madera, the Whole Foods townhouse/apartment complex in Novato and they proposed a 54 unit senior project at the Lutheran Church site.
Since 2012, Mr. Kennings (LAK) has been paid $492,000, including a sub-contracted national consulting firm, PMC, to prepare Fairfax's General Plan Housing Element with six "opportunity sites" for high density residential development in Fairfax. Mr. Kennings (LAK) is also being paid an additional $20,000 to prepare CEQA environmental studies to determine no adverse impact for the new Senior Zone and that brings his total to over a half million dollars.
Transportation Consultant, David Parisi, Parisi Transportation -- Mr. Parisi prepares all of Fairfax's development impact studies, including both the Wall and Lutheran Church properties, bike routes and traffic circulation, closing Bolinas Road, etc. (Parisi Transportation has been paid $125,596 since 2010). Forest Knolls resident Wendi Kallins is a Traffic Consultant to Parisi Transportation.
Garrett Toy has been Fairfax town manager for 4 years (his current annual total earnings are $245,000). Here are his credentials: Alameda County: Temporary Project Manager, Alameda County Redevelopment Agency. City of Morgan Hill, Director of Business Assistance & Housing Services, Managed Morgan Hill's redevelopment, economic development, and affordable housing activities including downtown development. City of Stockton: Deputy Director of Housing and Redevelopment. Managed the Redevelopment and Real Property divisions.
James Moore, Director of Planning & Building Services for Fairfax for 7years and ten months, recently retired. Mr. Moore was responsible for the Town's 2010-30 General Plan adopted in 2012 and updated in 2015 to facilitate growth and high density development. What about the closed door meetings Mr. Moore supposedly held with developers with promises made to facilitate pending projects? Will they ever be made public?
Mr. Moore managed the Feasibility Study & the Parkade Area Circulation Study. Fairfax hired another consultant to prepare the proposal to close Bolinas Road and divert the traffic to Elsie and Bank St to a new cut-thru to SF Drake where the old Chevron Station was.
There was never an official motion and second to reject the Bolinas Road closure, just a so called consensus which means it is still a possibility and can come back at any time with three town council votes.
What is the development status of the six Fairfax "Opportunity sites"?
Opportunity Site #1: Christ Lutheran Church property, 54 units, 2 acres. 20 units per acre plus Density Bonus of 7 units per acre.
Resources for Community Development (RCD), a non-profit, will own less than 1% of the project to qualify it as non-profit, tax exempt for the billionaire hedge fund that will invest the funds to build the project. No Fairfax taxes will be paid for 55 years. No low income senior project in perpetuity like Bennett House. No Fairfax senior priority.
Opportunity Site #2: Former Asian restaurant. 1.24 acres. 10 Olema at SF Drake; up to 29 units with Density Bonus.
Opportunity Site #3: Westside Commercial. SF Drake West, Claus to St Rita-up to 23 units with Density Bonus.
Opportunity Site #4: School Street Plaza. Density originally set at 20 units per acre in 2012 for some opportunity sites. Owner presented plans for 58 units (2.2 acres X 20 units per acre = 44 units plus density bonus of 14). Town says 1.8 acres & 9 units max, hmm.
Opportunity Site #5: Fair-Anselm Plaza Condos / apartments over the parking lots. Up to 30 new units with density bonus.
Opportunity Site #6: Eastside Commercial. SF Drake Blvd., Pastori Ave to San Anselmo town limits. Up to 19 units with density bonus.
Why do the Town Attorneys and Consultants Ignore the cumulative traffic impacts of re-zonings
Many days Fairfax traffic congestion on SF Drake and Center Blvd. is at Level F. Center Blvd. is often backed up into San Anselmo and SF Drake backed up through town. Fairfax attorneys never address the cumulative traffic impacts of development. Fairfax's traffic consultant has never recommended saying no to a development proposal, as their reports always say Fairfax can mitigate traffic impacts.
Does Fairfax need a new Senior Zone? What is the existing density of certain projects?
The current Planned District Development zone works just fine. It worked for Bennett House, Village West, Canon Village and Meadowland. Fairfax does not need a new Senior Zone allowing 27 units per acre (20 units plus an automatic 7unit density bonus). How many properties does Fairfax expect to rezone Senior and where are they located? The density of Bennett House is 14 units per acre. The density of Village West is 10 units per acre.
Consultants say with Transit Oriented Development (TOD), seniors will bike, walk or take public transit. The transit thinking is flawed, however. They see seniors as people who will either walk and ride bikes OR have mobility issues that will necessitate accessible vans. In fact, many seniors need to drive more because they can’t walk as far, or bike, and need to get to where they need to go, and maintain their independence, rather than being so impaired that they need to be shuttled around.
Supervisor Rice rezoned the Oak Manor Shopping Center, 30 units per acre. Allows up to 56 units
Supervisor Rice rezoned the Oak Manor Shopping Center, an unincorporated island at Oak Manor Dr. and SF Drake Blvd., for 30 units per acre, mixed use. With density bonus, 56 units can be built there. Nowhere does this redevelopment project show up in relationship to what Fairfax is approving. How many more cars will these 56 units add to SF Drake Blvd.?
The Fairfax Planning Commission violated the Central Commercial Zoning Ordinance to approve a Health Clinic in the Heart of Fairfax's Retail Center on Bolinas Road.They had no authority to do so.
At the Thurs, March 30th Planning Commission meeting, the Commission voted 4-3, in direct violation of Fairfax's Central Commercial (CC) zoning ordinance, to approve a Conditional Use Permit at 85 Bolinas Road and allow a Health Clinic to take over most of the first floor. This is where Casa Manana was forced to close after 18 years as a retail business.
See Fairfax Town Code Chapter 17.100.
Purpose: The CC Central Commercial zone is the central business district and retail commercial heart of the Town.
The CC zone lists 67 Principal Permitted uses and 11 Conditional Uses and none allow a health clinic. Why was there no town attorney's written opinion on the legality of this project? Is this what's in store for rezoning the SF Drake/Broadway/Center corridor from Highway Commercial (CH) zone to Central Commercial (CC)?
Without a separate Design Review Board, how has the Planning Commission fared? You be the judge.
At the urging of former Director of Planning Moore, Fairfax eliminated its independent Design Review Board saying it held up projects. And, the Planning Commission also now does the design review. Fairfax no longer requires exposed aggregate sidewalks in downtown, just plain stark gray concrete.
Check out the new Java Hut. Does it fit the Fair-Anselm Plaza? The PC approved the design of the new Java Hut and then eliminated the need for an on-site rest room for customers in the new coffee/restaurant building. If this is the best the Planning Commission can do, how can they deal with the Design Review of major new projects?
Save Lefty Gomez Field initiative to stop a detention basin at White Hill School filed with Fairfax
The local group, Save Lefty Gomez Field, has just turned in the Save Lefty Gomez Field initiative to Fairfax Town Hall. The initiative, if it qualifies and Fairfax voters approve it, will prohibit a detention basin at White Hill School and other properties zoned Public Domain.
Go to http://www.saveleftygomez.com/ for more info and to help gather signatures.
The Future of Fairfax
Many say Fairfax is where Mill Valley was 40 years ago. The question is, "can we save her or is Fairfax destined to be gentrified and redeveloped"?
At the January 24, 2017 joint meeting of the Fairfax town Council and Planning commission, Fairfax's two attorneys distributed a handout regarding the California Density Bonus Law (Government Code Sections 65915-65918), pretty much a playbook on how to Re-Develop the Sir Francis Drake, Bolinas Road and the Broadway/Center Blvd. Corridors.
The 27-page report addressed land use, how to use the State Density Bonus Law to increase density for so-called affordable housing projects for specific populations including seniors (a couple making $78,800 is considered low income by Marin standards). Concessions and incentives for developers include lifting Fairfax’s 28 & ½ foot height limit which will allow over 40 feet tall, four story buildings, reduced parking requirements and creek setbacks and will allow condo conversions of rental apartments to for sale units.
One reason Fairfax has remained affordable by Marin County standards is because of our rental housing stock.
Fairfax has never lost one rental unit to a for sale Condo Conversion, every apartment building and multi-unit complex remain rental units.
Save Fairfax is a grass-roots, non-partisan, civic watchdog group, dedicated to preserving the small town character and quality of life, which has drawn many of us to invest our children’s education and our personal financial resources in Fairfax. If you know other Fairfax residents whom you believe might benefit from such periodic updates, please forward this email, or encourage such residents to sign-up directly by simply emailing us at SaveFairfax@aol.com.