Body of News Release
Marin County, CA – A proposed development in unincorporated Strawberry received ministerial approval from the County of Marin, allowing the developer to proceed with the creation of a five-story residential care facility for older adults.
On December 23, the Marin County Community Development Agency (CDA) completed its ministerial compliance review, a required step for developing the property. The review is a check that a proposed development aligns with the Marin County Code, including design standards in the Form Based Code.
The 6.6-acre parcel is just north of Tiburon Boulevard and just east of Highway 101. The parcel’s northern border is the La Cresta Open Space, which is part of the Town of Tiburon’s designated open spaces. The main entrance to the future development will be created at 70 North Knoll Road, at the junction with Thomas Drive.
The developer, Spirit Residential Group LLC, submitted the initial application and plans to CDA on February 6, 2024. The plans include a memory care facility as part of the larger assisted living complex, taking up roughly 3.7 of the 6.6 acres owned by the Nijjar Living Trust. The building, with a maximum height of 63 feet, 6 inches, would contain just over 150,000 square feet of floor area to accommodate 71 apartments with kitchens, 35 assisted living/memory care suites, a central kitchen, and multiple common areas. There will be 72 parking spaces in a subterranean parking garage.
Under the State Density Bonus Law, projects can deviate from standards such as height or setback if application of the standards would make the project infeasible to develop as proposed. With the density bonus, projects can exceed the number of units, size, or other measures set in zoning.
The Strawberry property was slated for development in the County’s Housing Element as an infill housing site – where new construction on an underused or vacant property within an established neighborhood would put people near existing infrastructure and services and avoid sprawl. Through the Housing Element, the property at 70 North Knoll Road was designated for ministerial review of proposed development, which involves administrative review without public hearings and is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Under state law, the County cannot deny or downsize a housing project. If a parcel is listed as a potential future location for housing in the Marin Countywide Plan, the state law dictates that developments must be approved if they meet relevant requirements and have no health and safety issues.
The development of more housing specifically designed to serve older adults addresses a longstanding countywide need for services for an aging population. Marin County has one of the older average ages among California’s 58 counties and some of the highest housing costs in the country. According to the 2025-26 Update from the local Area Agency on Aging, people over the age of 60 comprise 30% of the county’s population compared with the statewide figure of 21%. The housing crisis is acutely experienced by older adults in Marin as they migrate from independent living to assisted living. Also, many lower-income and fixed-income seniors face the threat of eviction, displacement, and homelessness.
In October, CDA held an informational webinar about the proposal. Over 60 members of the public participated to learn more about the project and to ask questions. More documentation about the development, including answers to frequently asked questions, is on the County of Marin website.