Body of News Release
San Rafael, CA – The County of Marin will look to extend a court deadline before it finalizes amendments to the Marin Countywide Plan (CWP), based on an October 29 recommendation from the Marin County Board of Supervisors.
During its afternoon session, the Board considered options presented by its Community Development Agency (CDA) and heard public comment about clarifications to the main planning document for the county’s unincorporated areas. The changes involved additional language to emphasize the roles and needs of multifamily housing development, meet state housing requirements, and strengthen the significance of longstanding community plans that serve as guiding documents for 22 unincorporated neighborhoods.
The Supervisors and CDA seek to eliminate provisions in the CWP that subordinate community plans for unincorporated neighborhoods such as Strawberry, Tam Valley, Santa Venetia, Kentfield-Greenbrae, and the villages of coastal West Marin. Recommended amendments were prompted by a legal challenge earlier this spring that followed the Board’s January 2023 adoption of the CWP’s Housing Element for the years 2023-2031.
After several hours of discussion, the Board directed CDA staff to work with petitioners’ legal counsel to extend a Marin County Superior Court deadline of November 12 and develop alternative amendments that can be presented to the Marin County Planning Commission for consideration. The County and the petitioner have reached a general agreement, pending court approval and details, to extend the timeframe to fulfill both the court's decision and the requirements of state law. Ultimately, CDA needs to deliver the housing element portion of an amended CWP to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for approval. A state-approved Housing Element is required by law by all municipalities.
“I think we’re not done yet,” said Board President Dennis Rodoni, the District 4 Supervisor. “I think we need more work with the option (for seeking a deadline extension) that came up today. I’m pleased to see that option. We need to spend more time with our Planning Commission and our community to explain why we’re doing this and how we’re doing this.”
The CWP is based on the principal of sustainability, aligning Marin’s built environment and socioeconomic activities with the natural systems that support life. It focuses on the relationships between environment, economy, and equity, and how all three factors can promote sustainable communities with an adequate supply of housing that is affordable to the diverse community and the workforce.
Learn more on CDA’s webpage about plans, policies, and regulations on land development.