City of Sausalito
Shall the measure named the "Arts. Industrial & Maritime Preservation and Improvement Initiative," which revises zoning standards in the I and W zoning district to increase permitted height, building coverage limits and floor area ratio and allow certain new land uses; repeals the Marinship Specific Plan; revises Ordinance No. 1022 to allow future city council modifications to zoning outside the Downtown Historic District; and modifies various portions of the Sausalito General Plan, be adopted?
YES NO
Votes required to pass: simple majority.
Impartial analysis by City Attorney of Measure X
THE ARTS, INDUSTRIAL & MARITIME PRESERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVE, AN INITIATIVE REVISING ZONING STANDARDS IN THE I AND W ZONES, REPEALING THE MARINSHIP SPECIFIC PLAN, AND REVISING ORDINANCE NO. 1022 TO ALLOW FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MODIFICATIONS TO ZONING OUTSIDE THE DOWNTOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT
This initiative measure would revise Ordinance No. 1022, known as the Fair Traffic Limits Initiative, which enacted certain land use standards for commercial and industrial districts and prohibited further changes to zoning without voter approval. The measure changes Ordinance No. 1022 to allow the City Council to make changes to land use standards and zoning in compliance with applicable procedures in state and local law without further voter approval, with exception of the Downtown Historic District. Land use and zoning changes affecting the Downtown Historic District would require voter approval.
Development standards in Ordinance No. 1022 would be modified for the “I” and “W” zones. The measure would increase the building coverage limits in these zones to 70% (up from 50% in the “I” district and 30% in the “W” district), increase the maximum floor area ratio to 3.0 (up from 0.4 in the “I” district and 0.3 in the “W” district), and change the sideyard setbacks when adjacent to “R” or “H” districts from half the height of the building to 15 feet. For the “I” zone, the measure would reduce the rear-yard setback when adjacent to “R” or “H” districts from 30 feet to 15 feet, and increase the height limit from 32 to 47 feet. For the “W” district, the 32 foot height limit could be up to 47 feet for marine commercial service and marine industrial uses approved with a use permit. No new uses would be allowed to displace existing uses at the ICB Building or the historic Arques Shipyard.
The measure would repeal the Marinship Specific Plan and would update provisions of the Sausalito Municipal Code (“SMC”) to align with this repeal and the changed development standards in Ordinance No. 1022 described above. The Marinship Overlay District provisions would be repealed. The measure would also repeal provisions in SMC Chapter 10.24 for the “W” and “W-M” zones. Allowed land uses for the “I” and “W” zones would become identical and be set forth in SMC Chapter 10.26. The measure would change permit requirements for some land uses, and change which land uses are allowed. It would allow some new land uses in the “W” zone, including but not limited to arts uses, some manufacturing and industrial uses, public utility and safety facilities, bakeries, fitness centers, financial uses, and medical clinics. Accessory commercial uses, including offices and retail, would be allowed in both zones that do not exceed 40 percent of permitted floor area. City regulations on number of liveaboard slips in marinas would be repealed, and instead governed by BCDC permit requirements and state law.
The measure updates various provisions of the general plan, including the land use, waterfront and economic elements, consistent with the above changes.
s/SERGIO RUDIN
City Attorney
The above statement is an impartial analysis of the Arts, Industrial & Maritime Preservation and Improvement Initiative. If you desire a copy of the measure, please call the City Clerk’s Office at (415) 289-4165 and a copy will be mailed at no cost to you. The full text of the measure is also available on the City’s website at www.sausalito.gov/measure-x.
Tax rate statement of Measure X
Argument in favor of Measure X
YES ON Measure X
Our waterfront is struggling. You can see it with your own eyes: vacant weed-strewn fields, rusting RV storage, and dilapidated empty buildings, all while flooding streets, sea-level rise, and deteriorating city infrastructure create a growing liability to all taxpayers.
40-year-old laws have stifled possible solutions. Let’s change this.
YES on Measure X means a renaissance for Sausalito’s arts, industrial, maritime, and waterfront businesses and ushers in new cafes, shops, and services that complement and support them.
YES on Measure X creates opportunities for small businesses and reforms 40-year-old laws designed to explicitly stop economic growth.
YES on Measure X allows our Marinship businesses to innovate and grow, creating the economic vitality to help pay for infrastructure repairs, without raising taxes.
YES on Measure X brings back local control so the City and community get a real say on proposed projects through discretionary approval, and can protect Sausalito’s character by executing binding agreements to control height, appearance, and public access.
City reports describe the challenge: we need over $100 million in infrastructure repairs.
However, today’s restrictions prevent Sausalito from addressing this challenge. Without investment and economic activity in the Marinship, we will have fewer businesses, fewer jobs, and less tax revenue for improving streets, updating storm drains, public facilities, and City services, and preparing for sea-level rise.
Simply stated, keeping the status quo means higher taxes, inferior community services, and decaying infrastructure.
SAUSALITANS HAVE A CHOICE: We can do nothing and let 40-year-old prohibitions keep discouraging economic activity, OR we can take the first step toward a more vibrant Marinship – one that helps shape and fund Sausalito’s future.
Renew the Marinship. Protect Sausalito. Let our waterfront thrive!
Join the Sausalito Sustainable Waterfront Association, businesses, and community leaders and VOTE YES ON MEASURE X.
RAY WITHY
Former Sausalito Mayor
SHELBY VAN METER
Founder of Sausalito Beautiful
AARON NATHAN
Principal Officer of Friends of MLK Park
JORDAN DODDS
Founder & Owner of Township
SAUSALITO SUSTAINABLE WATERFRONT ASSOCIATION
Curtis Havel, Co-Founder of the Sausalito Sustainable Waterfront Association
Rebuttal to argument in favor of Measure X
Measure X’s ballot argument makes appealing promises. What Measure X actually does is the opposite.
The argument claims to “bring back local control.” But Measure X takes voters’ zoning authority and hands it to any three Council members to make deals with developers without voter approval.
The argument promises support for artists, makers, and maritime businesses. Measure X requires neither artist space nor affordable rents. It repeals arts, maritime, and industrial protections, opening the Marinship to higher-paying tenants. Independent reviewers warn higher-paying tenants could displace artists, makers, and maritime businesses.
The argument promises binding agreements to protect Sausalito’s character. Measure X contains no such provision. Instead, it repeals current rules protecting working-waterfront uses, public access, views, open space, and building scale. In their place: massive one-size-fits-all waterfront upzoning.
The argument says Measure X will help fund $100 million in citywide repairs. But Measure X repeals the rule requiring developers to pay their share of infrastructure costs. Money for our streets and sidewalks could instead cover infrastructure costs created by Measure X development.
The argument offers a false choice: Measure X or nothing. Sausalito is not standing still: our Housing Element authorizes nearly 1,000 homes, bringing traffic, infrastructure demands, and economic activity. A better way is to address these needs directly through focused planning and community input: make the housing work, support makers, improve infrastructure and flood protection, and allow waterfront development only where the land and roads can support it.
Keep voters in charge. Vote NO on Measure X.
SOPHIA COLLIER
Save Our Sausalito, President
VICKI NICHOLS
Former Planning Commission Chair
SUSAN FRANK
ALICE C. MERRILL
STAFFORD W. KEEGIN
Argument against Measure X
For 40 years, Sausalito residents have had a powerful safeguard: Changes in commercial zoning must be approved by the voters. Measure X takes away that right everywhere except the Historic District and hands it to three Council members to make deals with developers without voter approval. Council members change. Developers build, sell, and move on. Sausalito is left with traffic, public costs, and permanent consequences.
These consequences could be severe. Measure X increases how much can be built on every waterfront lot by 900%, from the Spinnaker north to Highway 101, and by 650% in the Marinship along Bridgeway and east. All without any environmental review or development plan while also repealing access and view protections.
Measure X traffic would compound congestion from almost a thousand new housing units already authorized. The City’s independent review warns the housing traffic alone could push intersections into “intolerable delay.” Measure X could make traffic worse for residents and emergency vehicles.
Measure X’s answer to sea-level rise? Authorize big new commercial buildings on Sausalito’s most vulnerable, flood-prone land—and repeal the rule requiring developers to pay their share of infrastructure costs.
Measure X has numerous drafting errors. For example, one provision classifies every existing structure in Sausalito as legally nonconforming. The City’s independent legal review warned that this would place strict limits on expanding or modifying homes and businesses throughout the city.
Measure X is not ready for prime time, and it is not needed for makers to sell goods. Today’s rules already allow retail in 15% of their floorspace.
There is a better way. Keep voters in charge. Plan before building on flood-prone land. Allow development our roads can handle. Keep the Marinship working and adaptable. Require developers to pay their share.
Protect Sausalito. Keep the vote. Vote NO on Measure X.
SOPHIA COLLIER
JANN JOHNSON
JED DEMPSEY
CHARLES KAUFMAN
ED BRAKEMAN
Rebuttal to argument against Measure X
LOOK FOR YOURSELF. THEN DECIDE.
Opponents spread hypothetical fears about what might happen under Measure X. Look at what IS happening without it.
See the rusting RVs along Marinship Way. Look at the roofless Machine Shop, deteriorating for decades. Walk Gate 5 Road at high tide and see the flooding.
That is today’s status quo.
For 40 years, inflexible rules have stopped opportunities to make our waterfront, arts, industrial, and maritime communities more vibrant.
Heath Ceramics cannot expand manufacturing and is considering leaving after 70 years.
Fjord Floating Sauna is forced to operate under short-term permits, discouraging more investment in Sausalito.
Diameter Plants was denied opening a retail space in the Marinship and may leave.
And the stories go on, which is why the Marin Independent Journal stated: “Maybe it's time to focus on what can happen at Marinship instead of what can't.”
Sausalito faces 100+ million dollars in infrastructure needs. Measure X can generate revenue for roads, sea-level rise, and resident services—reducing pressure for higher taxes.
Measure X empowers effective planning. It might have resulted in townhomes on Harbor Drive instead of a six-story building.
Under Measure X, development in the Marinship will be subject to the same extensive environmental review, planning processes, public involvement and legal rules that have protected the rest of Sausalito for decades.
The City’s independent reports validate that Measure X will work.
The Sierra Club, Heath Ceramics, Sausalito Chamber of Commerce, Fish Restaurant, Clipper Marina, Sausalito Yacht Harbor, Mayor Steven Woodside, and 30+ businesses all endorse Measure X.
1,000+ citizens petitioned to give YOU this choice: Renaissance or Rust? Choose Possibility over Paralysis!
YES on Measure X. Sausalitothrive.org/facts
ROBIN PETRAVIC
Co-Chairman, Heath Ceramics
KC PEDERSEN
Third-Generation Owner, Clipper Marina
MICHELLE MOKALLA
Executive Director, Sausalito Chamber of Commerce
SUSAN CLEVELAND-KNOWLES
Former Sausalito Mayor
AVEREL WILSON
Resident