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.
The RFP process will involve several steps. First, County staff will conduct community outreach to find out what folks think is important to consider when drafting the RFP. Next, working with the Community Advisory Group (CAG), staff will develop the RFP to reflect community priorities and project needs. The RFP will then be reviewed and approved by the Board of Supervisors before being released publicly. After proposals are submitted, the County and CAG will evaluate them and select a consultant team. That team 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, we plan on setting up a Community Advisory Group to guide this project – from drafting the 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.
If you would like us to attend your community meeting or event, please send us an email.
The Community Advisory Group (CAG) will 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. Staff will review applications and recommend a diverse set of candidates based on geography and areas of interest to Supervisor Rodoni and his District 4 office. Final selection of members and alternates will be made by Supervisor Rodoni.
We have not yet opened the application window to apply for this CAG, and will likely do so late Spring or early Summer 2026. Please be sure to subscribe to this webpage to receive updates related to this project.
We hope to engage with as many people and organizations as we can in the West Marin community. 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.
To stay up to date with this initiative, sign up for the listserv to receive timely updates and find out about upcoming events. Have a question or comment? Send us an email.
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 initatives 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.