HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAC 2019-08-01 AgendaAUGUST 1, 2019
CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING
THIRD FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM, CITY HALL
7:00 P.M.
AGENDA
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of June 6th Meeting Notes
3. Presentation – Climate Change Action Plan – Cory Bytof
4. Presentation – Annual State Housing Legislation – Paul Jensen
5. Follow-up Discussion of June 6th General Plan and Economic Development Presentation
6. Project Updates
a. Northgate Walk (136 condominiums)
b. 703 3rd St. (Seagate—120 apartments/969 sf retail)
c. 999 3rd St. (Biomarin/Whistlestop—207,000 sf commercial/67 senior units)
d. 1001 4th St. (Goldstone—retail and housing)
e. Downtown Transit Center
f. Others
7. Election of Vice Chair
8. Preparation and Approval of CAC Letters
9. Public Comment on Non-Agenda Items
10. Suggestions for Future Agenda Items
11. Adjournment
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Citizens Advisory Committee for Economic Development and Affordable Housing (CAC)
City of San Rafael
June 6, 2019
Meeting Summary Notes
• CAC members Present: Bill Carney, Dirck Brinckerhoff, Andy Naja-Riese, Mari Jones, William
O’Connell, Roger Smith, Kati Miller, Andrea de La Fuente
• City staff Present: Simon Vuong
• Guests Present: Barry Miller & Stephanie Hagar, David Shiver (BAE Urban Economics)
1. Call to order: Chair Carney called the meeting to order at 7:03 pm.
2. Approval of April 11 Meeting Notes: Approved with one addition: under item 3 (Presentation
on 3rd Street Rehabilitation, North SR Promenade, and other Public Works Updates) emphasis
was added about maintaining pedestrian safety in shared sidewalks on 3rd Street.
Chair Carney also read to the CAC its letter expressing support of parking at the Merrydale North
Promenade. The CAC approved the letter for transmission to the City Council.
3. General Plan Progress and San Rafael Economy – Barry Miller & Stephanie Hagar
Mr. Miller, General Plan (GP) 2040 Consultant, presented updates on General Plan 2040,
discussion of the economy in San Rafael, and what makes San Rafael a thriving city. A draft GP
and draft EIR is expected for public review by Spring of 2020. To fulfill new state requirements,
the GP will contain new elements on education, wellness, and environmental justice.
One of the major changes in the GP is land use map adjustments by eliminating density as the
metric for housing downtown and replacing this with floor area ratio. The intention is to build
more smaller units in response to demand. The GP will also tackle sea level rise and other
impacts associated with the climate crisis. The GP also considers social equity, including ways to
lessen the divide in the community between the Canal neighborhood and other places.
Another component is the Downtown Precise Plan. The City received an ABAG grant in May
2018 to update its 1993 vision and 2012 Station Area Plan. A downtown design charette was
held, a key outcome of which is that the fate of the transit center is key to future development
of 4th Street as a public hub and welcoming pedestrian environment.
Following Mr. Miller’s presentation, the CAC discussed various components of the GP:
CAC question: Will the Plan be adopted by Summer 2020?
Mr. Miller: We are optimistic.
CAC question: What happens next?
Mr. Miller: The Planning Dept will produce a staff report, and the GP becomes the basis for
zoning.
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CAC question: If we’re getting rid of the density standards, how will we assure that the Floor
Area Ratio (FAR) actually promotes housing. Couldn’t someone just build offices?
Mr. Miller: Next week, the GP Steering Committee will be discussing different options.
CAC Question: Could there be different FARS on different sites or for different uses?
Mr. Miller: There would be different FARS between commercial and residential building, with a
higher FAR for housing.
David Shiver – BAE Urban Economics
Mr. Shiver presented a report on existing real estate market, demographic and economic
conditions in San Rafael. Based on ABAG projections, by 2040, there will be an additional 9,300
residents in San Rafael. The city is more diverse than the county as a whole, with a higher
proportion of Latino or Hispanic residents. San Rafael also has a lower percentage of persons
with a college degree and a lower median household income compared to the county.
According to ABAG data, about 11,600 people live and work in San Rafael. Over 31,900 adults
commute into San Rafael, with 4,800 to downtown. Another 17,700 residents commute out of
San Rafael. Most of the commute flow is within Marin County, and a significant share is within
San Rafael itself.
Mr. Shiver also described other retail trends, and noted that downtown San Rafael is the center
of gravity for area retail. While there has been a rise in restaurants and entertainment, retail
sales in San Rafael have declined on an inflation-adjusted basis since 2014. A major challenge in
downtown is having ground floor retail, and 2nd and 3rd Streets lack the ambiance for
pedestrians. Mr. Shiver predicts that specialty retail is the future of 4th Street.
The CAC discussed Mr. Shiver’s presentation and whether the ABAG data are “too political”, and
perhaps other data sources are more objective. CAC members were also surprised that only 18
percent of San Rafael workers are commuting to San Francisco. Other topics discussed were
placemaking in downtown, ways to promote mobility, and the challenges of having many small
parcels in downtown. Some CAC members felt the Whistlestop building could hinder downtown
development approaches, while others felt it could be an asset.
4. Project Updates
Other: A representative from Stanton Architecture presented an update to the CAC for a new
Hampton Inn & Suites/Home 2 Suites located at 1075 Francisco Blvd in East San Rafael. The hotel
would have 185 units and 185 parking spaces. The Home 2 Suites is more similar to a Hampton Inn
but at budget pricing. Room rates would range from $200-$300 nightly, with an expected 75%
occupancy rate. No restaurant or bar would be located on site.
The hotel applicant is Amish Patel, who is doing a similar project in Vallejo. The Design Review Board
provided feedback on the project: create a corner element. CAC members asked a variety of
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questions related to traffic. According to a traffic study, the hotel would not impose any impact on
local traffic. A CAC member also asked about how this hotel would compare or contrast with the
nearby Extended Stay America. The response was that this new project is not a long-term hotel and
that it would be higher quality. Another CAC member asked about potential flooding. The ground
floor will have to be elevated.
a. 88 Vivian – Withdrawn. The CAC expressed disappointment that the project was withdrawn
given the significant number of for-sale townhomes that would have been created.
b. 703 3rd St. (Seagate—120 apartments/969 sf retail): The project goes to the Planning
Commission in August, and the developers are looking for a sizable density bonus.
c. 999 3rd St. (Biomarin/Whistlestop—207,000 sf commercial/67 senior units): The project went to
the Planning Commission, who responded positively, while still concerned about the parking lot
not being adequate or sufficient. The Project will next go to the Design Review Board.
d. 1001 4th St. (Goldstone—retail and housing) – A market hall is proposed, and the City and
developer are working on an exclusive negotiating agreement and term sheet to include a
potential transfer of city property (garage) to the developer.
e. 1201 Fifth Ave. (140-room hotel): Approved with no appeals.
f. Northgate Walk (136 condominiums) The project went to Design Review and will go to the
Planning Commission in August. The CAC will again share its letters of support.
g. Downtown Transit Center: no updates.
h. Just Cause & Mandatory Mediation: passed by the Council on Monday.
5.Public comment on non-agenda items
None
6. Suggestions for future agenda items
• The potential Costco at Northgate Mall was proposed as a future discussion topic.
• Additionally, CAC Member Andrea de la Fuente announced that she will be resigning from the
CAC. The CAC thanked her for her expertise shared with the committee during her tenue. As a
result, there will be an election for a new Vice Chair of the CAC, a position held by Ms. de la
Fuente at the next CAC meeting, as well as a vacancy announcement to fill her seat.
• Lastly, Secretary Andy Naja-Riese announced that his non-profit, the Agricultural Institute of
Marin, will be managing the new San Rafael Summer Market on 4th Street and invited CAC
members to attend the market on Thursdays, 6 – 9 pm, through September 26.
7. Adjournment: Chair Carney adjourned the meeting at 9:15 pm.
Respectfully submitted by Andy Naja-Riese