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Richard Hall
8 Story Unlimited Density Housing Zoning Proposed Impacting Most Cities in Marin
Update - yesterday I shared news of San Francisco State Senator Scott Wiener's proposed Senate Bill 827 stating that it would bring 5 story (55 feet high) unlimited density to Marin if it passed - I WAS WRONG.
Weiner's bill stipulates that for transit hubs and corridors (large parts of Mill Valley, Larkspur, Corte Madera, San Rafael and even San Anselmo) if the development is adjacent to a road that is 45 feet or over curb to curb then the height limit is automatically raised to 85 feet, that's 8 storys high.
If the development is adjacent to two roads with different widths then the higher width is the one that counts.
Looking briefly at Marin the following would for certain be affected and automatically become rezoned to 8 storys, unlimited density:
- Mill Valley, Miller Avenue
- Mill Valley, East Blithedale Avenue
- Mill Valley, Blithedale Avenue
- Mill Valley, Camino Alto
- San Anselmo, Sir Francis Drake Blvd
- San Anselmo, Center Blvd (parts of)
- Greenbrae/Kentfield, Sir Francis Drake Blvd
- Greenbrae/Kentfield, Bon Air Rd
- Corte Madera, Tamalpais Dr
- Larkspur all around the ferry terminal
- San Rafael, Civic Center Drive
- San Rafael, Manuel T Freitas Parkway
- San Rafael, Las Gallinas
When Senate Bill 827 is combined with the now enacted Senate Bill 35 this means that developers could propose 8 story very high density apartments all along these streets and bypass all local review. Sacramento effectively pre-authorized development.
There's nothing your city council, planning commission or mayor could do to stop developments.
While Marin rose up and fought off the Priority Development Areas, Senate Bill 827 is far worse, proposing infinite density and 8 storys.