The Long Range Planning Division of the Community Development Agency (CDA) is leading the effort in close coordination with the Office of the County Executive (OCE) and the Department of Agriculture, Weights, and Measures. In addition to a staff working group, an Executive Steering Committee with leadership from CDA, the OCE, the Department of Public Works, Parks and Open Space, Health and Human Services, Supervisor Rodoni’s office (District 4), and Agriculture, Weights, and Measures has been formed to help guide the project to ensure countywide alignment and coordination.
A Request for Proposal (RFP) is a formal process the County uses to hire a qualified consultant team to help carry out a project. In this case, the RFP will be developed in partnership with the West Marin community and will likely ask firms to propose how they would lead community engagement in West Marin, provide technical expertise (such as studies or white papers), and produce the final vision document. The RFP will outline the project goals, expected deliverables, timeline, and evaluation criteria so that interested teams can submit detailed proposals.
If established by the Board of Supervisors, the CAG would advise on development of the RFP and consultant evaluation to reflect community priorities and project needs. The RFP will then be reviewed and approved by the Board of Supervisors before being released publicly. CAG representatives may participate in reviewing proposals and interviews, and the CAG may provide a recommendation as part of the County’s consultant-selection process. The selected consultant will then enter into a professional services agreement with the County and begin work on outreach, technical analysis, and development of the vision.
West Marin functions as a single, interconnected regional system spanning both coastal and inland rural communities. Residents routinely cross community boundaries to access healthcare, employment, education, housing, and essential services. Key sectors such as agriculture, tourism, and social services also operate across the region.
County policy and programs already align with a regional framework for providing services in West Marin. Additionally, partnerships with community-based organizations and emergency preparedness initiatives are structured to operate across community lines.
Recent public investments further demonstrate this region-wide approach to community planning. Programs such as Marin County’s Participatory Budgeting, the West Marin Infrastructure Fund, and agricultural and housing initiatives highlight the interconnected nature of the region’s economy, workforce, and environmental resources.
Given these established frameworks, defining West Marin as a single planning area provides continuity between long-range visioning, existing County policies, and ongoing public investments. A unified approach supports coordinated service delivery, strengthens regional resilience, promotes equitable access to services, and ensures that planning efforts are aligned with the lived realities of community members.
The public will be engaged through a wide range of outreach efforts designed to be inclusive and community-driven. This includes early outreach to help shape the Request for Proposal (RFP), which will include hosting local meetings, tabling at existing community events and spaces, releasing a survey to help inform the RFP, and online engagement to gather initial input. Once a project consultant is selected, this initial outreach will be followed by more structured opportunities such as community workshops, surveys, and focus groups. Additionally, the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider establishing a formal Community Advisory Group on October 20, 2026, to guide this project – from drafting the consultant RFP to providing input on the final vision. The project will also use this project website, social media, and local media to keep people informed and involved. Overall, the process is designed to meet people where they are, encourage broad participation, and ensure community voices directly shape the final vision.
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On October 20, 2026, the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to consider establishing the West Marin Visioning Community Advisory Group (CAG), as a formal, Board-appointed advisory body that would serve a project-bound term. If established, CAG meetings would be conducted in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act, meaning meetings would be open to the public and include opportunities for public comment.
If adopted and authorized by the Board of Supervisors, the CAG will consist of seven (7) to thirteen (13) appointed members with the goal of ensuring broad and equitable community representation from a range of geographic areas and backgrounds within West Marin. The CAG would convene representative community voices and advise County staff on outreach, engagement, and substantive recommendations that shape a clear, non-regulatory Vision for West Marin; it would serve in an advisory capacity to the Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors, and the final West Marin Visioning document would inform future Board decisions and investments.
The Community Advisory Group (CAG) would be selected through an open application process designed to create a balanced and representative group of West Marin community members. The County will widely promote the opportunity through outreach and social media. Applications would be reviewed through the County’s boards and commissions process. County staff and the District 4 Supervisor may provide recommendations, but final appointments would be made by the Marin County Board of Supervisors at a duly noticed public hearing.
The application window for the CAG has not yet opened, but staff anticipate it will be open between November 2026 and January 2027. Participation in the West Marin Visioning effort extends beyond the CAG. While the CAG offers a formal avenue for involvement, all community members are encouraged to attend outreach events, respond to surveys, and share their perspectives to help develop a shared, long-term vision for West Marin’s coastal and inland rural communities.
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Anyone with a physical presence of six (6) months or more each calendar year would be eligible to serve on the CAG. Renters, homeowners and property owners, workers (employees, contractors, self-employed), and students enrolled in educational programs located in West Marin would be eligible. Eligibility and attendance requirements are applied consistent with County nondiscrimination policies, and annual re-attestation of eligibility may be required.
Applicants would be required to submit a signed affidavit as part of the application attesting to their eligibility as a member of the CAG throughout the project-bound term and that they agree to the terms of the resolution forming the CAG. The application window for the CAG has not yet opened, but staff anticipates it will be open between November 2026 and January 2027.
We hope to engage as many people and organizations as possible in West Marin. This includes but is not limited to local residents, workers, and businesses; agricultural producers; community-based organizations and nonprofits; environmental, housing, and transportation groups; neighborhood associations; and special districts like water, wastewater, fire, and schools. It also includes coordination with local tribes, other local agencies, and state and federal partners. The goal is to involve all groups who live, work, or have a stake in West Marin’s future.
Equitable engagement is a core priority of this effort. The process will be designed to be accessible, inclusive, and transparent, with a focus on reaching underrepresented communities and ensuring that a wide range of perspectives are meaningfully included. This includes offering multiple ways to participate, reducing barriers to involvement, and clearly communicating how community input will shape the final vision.
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The West Marin Visioning initiative is designed to build on and align with existing planning efforts (such as the Countywide Plan, Local Coastal Program, and other County and community initiatives) rather than replace or amend them. Importantly, the visioning process itself is non-regulatory, meaning it does not directly change plans or regulations, but instead creates a shared, community-informed vision that can guide future County initiatives, and policy discussions, including potential amendments to existing plans over time.
Once completed, the vision will serve as a guiding framework for future County initiatives and policy discussions. It will outline shared priorities and strategies that can inform subsequent actions such as program updates, funding decisions, or potential amendments to plans like the Countywide Plan or Local Coastal Program. In this way, the vision acts as a foundation to align future efforts across departments and initiatives, helping ensure that any next steps are coordinated and reflect the community’s input.