Body of News Release
Marin County, CA – Following several months of community feedback and negotiations, the Marin County Board of Supervisors has followed a staff recommendation and approved an agreement for division of an affordable housing development onto two sites.
With an alternative project agreement now Board-approved, The Pacific Companies (TPC) has a pathway to build 42 units of housing at 825 Drake Avenue in Marin City. Last fall, after hearing concerns from the Marin City community about the size of the new building, the Marin County Community Development Agency (CDA) negotiated a unique solution with TPC to reduce the scope from the previously approved 74 units down to 42. On January 15, TPC submitted a building permit for a 42-unit building, and that permit is in the review process.
Under this arrangement, approved by the Board during its February 11 meeting, the remaining 32 units would be constructed at 150 Shoreline Highway in unincorporated Mill Valley, just east of Tam Junction near the Highway 101 overpass and the Manzanita Park & Ride Lot. The parcel, which was previously approved for multifamily housing and is in an area designated for new housing development, was purchased by the developer to construct the units originally planned for Marin City.
The project at 825 Drake Avenue was approved under the provision of Senate Bill 35, state laws that allow certain projects to bypass normally required environmental review, move faster through the review process, and restricts local agencies from rejecting projects if they have minimum affordable housing guarantees. The proposed two-project solution involves amending the approved building permit for the development at 825 Drake.
Additionally, the applicant has submitted a Design Review application for the project at 150 Shoreline Highway. The Tam Design Review Board is tentatively scheduled to hold a public meeting to review the application on March 5.
CDA Director Sarah Jones said the solution ensures that badly needed new affordable homes will be built while reducing the original impact on Marin City. Rents in the Drake Avenue complex will be affordable for those who earn 30% to 50% of area median income as well as those in the 50% to 70% area median income category. In addition, project-based housing vouchers for 25 of 42 units will be offered that will make rent payments affordable to eligible families at the lowest income levels.
The Board also approved the hiring of Sicular Consulting, an environmental consulting firm, to prepare an addendum to an existing environmental impact report related to the Shoreline Highway site.
Interested community members can review all updates and information about the projects on the 825 Drake webpage or 150 Shoreline webpage.