HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAC 2019-12-05 MinutesCity of San Rafael
Citizens Advisory Committee for Economic Development and Affordable Housing (CAC)
Meeting Summary Notes
December 5, 2019
CAC Members Present: Andrew Naja-Riese, Roger Smith, Bill Carney, Dirck Brinckerhoff, Mari Jones,
Glenn Koorhan
CAC Members Absent: Gladys Gilliland, William O’Connell, Kati Miller, Joe McCallum, Madeline Silva
Khan
City Staff Present: Simon Vuong, Ethan Guy
Members of the Public Present: N/A
1. Call to Order: Chair Carney called the meeting to order at 7:01 pm.
2. Approval of November 7th Meeting Minutes: Approved as submitted.
3. Presentation – Housing Challenges Draft Recommendations – Paul Jensen & Ethan Guy
Mr. Guy presented an overview of renter protections, short-term rentals, housing for an aging
population, and challenges to approving and development housing. The presentation described the
housing crisis at a regional level drawing attention to the imbalance between jobs and available housing
and the difficulty of developing both market rate and affordable housing due to current construction
costs and other factors. Put simply, housing production in the region is not meeting state targets. Mr.
Guy and the CAC discussed the possibility of State action to fine jurisdictions for not coming into
compliance with housing elements set forth in the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA).
Additionally, Mr. Guy described how local jurisdictions can set up policies and programs to receive State
funds and otherwise meet their RHNA obligations. During a series of recent workshops held in San
Rafael, 13 proposed policies were reported and explored. CAC members opined on the importance of
acting expeditiously to adopt such policies and to build housing projects in order to meet RHNA goals
and help address San Rafael’s jobs/housing imbalance. It was noted that studies mandated under the
California Environmental Quality Act can become a barrier to making progress and one policy might be
to streamline the EIR and other approval processes.
4. Project updates
a. 1001 4th St (Goldstone – 240 apartments/sf food market/public parking): The City Council approved an
exclusive negotiating agreement on November 18th. The City is now awaiting a deposit in order to
commence an 18-month negotiating period.
b. Los Gamos Road Multifamily Housing – no update.
c. 350 Merrydale Rd: The Project is going to Planning Commission on December 10th and then to City
Council. The CAC provided a letter of support in September.
d. 999 3rd St (Biomarin/Whistlestop—207,000 sf commercial/67 senior units): The final environmental
impact review will be posted on December 10th. The CAC asked if the developers have raised the money
for the senior housing project, and Mr. Vuong will obtain an answer.
e. Construction pending: 703 3rd St. (120 apartments/969 sf retail); Northgate Walk (136
condominiums).
f. Construction underway: 815 B St. is under construction following a demolition. Plans are underway to
obtain permits to create the superstructure next year. The AC Marriot Hotel construction is underway.
g. Downtown transit center – No updates.
h. Third Street public improvements – No updates.
i. Other: A ribbon cutting for the new SMART service to Larkspur will be held on December 13. Service
will begin on Saturday the 14th.
5. General Plan Updates: Recent topics discussed include infrastructure, noise, and neighborhood
centers. Neighborhoods have the opportunity to weigh in online at the City’s General Plan web page.
6. Public Comment: N/A
7. Suggestions for Future Agenda Items
• A presentation from a non-profit housing developer, or somebody who works in non-
profit housing development.
• Los Gamos Developer visiting the next CAC meeting.
• No meeting scheduled in January.
• Officer elections will occur in February.
8. Meeting Adjourned at 8:55 PM
Respectfully submitted by Andy Naja-Riese