San Rafael approves Northgate housing plan – Marin Independent Journal

San Rafael has approved a proposal to redevelop the Northgate mall with 1,422 apartments surrounding shops and restaurants, capping more than three years of planning and contentious hearings.

After a four-hour hearing Monday, the City Council voted unanimously to certify an environmental impact report and approve a zoning change and project entitlements, approving the plan for further implementation.

“The approval of Northgate Town Square opens the door to new housing, dynamic community spaces and new retail opportunities,” Ross Guehring, spokesman for Merlone Geier Partners, the mall’s owner and developer, wrote in an email. “This unique project is a testament to strong collaboration with the city and a committed coalition of community members. We couldn’t be more excited to bring this vision to life as we move into the execution phase.”

At Monday’s hearing, like previous ones, residents gathered at City Hall to provide their comments. Critics objected to the size of the complex and the influx of new residents, which they said could create traffic and safety problems in the neighborhood. Supporters praised the project for creating needed housing.

“This is the right place for development,” said Vice Mayor Eli Hill. “In terms of scale, I want to acknowledge that there is need in the community.”

“Ultimately, this is an opportunity for us to have a thriving part of San Rafael,” he said. As for traffic and safety concerns, Hill said, “I think it won’t be as bad as people imagine.”

Merlone Geier Partners, a real estate investment firm in San Francisco, purchased the Terra Linda property in 2017 and submitted a project application in 2021. The project underwent several revisions that increased the number of apartments on the 45-acre site.

As part of the project, the shopping center will be redeveloped in two phases and will include six residential parcels with a mix of townhouses, apartments, shops and restaurants. The buildings would range from two to seven stories. The developers plan to spread 143 “affordable” apartments and houses for sale throughout the site.

The City Council’s approval came just weeks after the mall’s Northgate Century Theater closed. The renovation plan included a modernized theater as the central attraction.

Now the future of the 45,000-square-foot space remains unclear, and the issue was not addressed at Monday’s meeting.

Gühring said Tuesday that the company has heard interest from potential tenants.

At the council meeting, city officials praised each other, the applicants and the consulting team for bringing a complicated project to completion.

Micah Hinkle, the city’s economic development director, said redevelopment of the mall has been considered since the Sears Auto Center closed more than a decade ago.

Since then, the city has developed a 2040 General Plan that is intended to provide a blueprint for residential, community and commercial development.

“Northgate is a catalyst project that opens the next chapter for San Rafael,” Hinkle said.

The presentation focused primarily on the 1,480-page Environmental Impact Report (EIR) that the City Council had to certify in order to approve a zoning change and project entitlements.

The state-required report found that greenhouse gas emissions and noise from the project would be significant and unavoidable.

The EIR accused the project of failing to meet Bay Area Air Quality Management District requirements banning the use of natural gas. The project aims to use natural gas pipelines for commercial kitchens.

“I want you to seriously consider why the Bay Area Air Quality Authority has proposed eliminating all indoor gas stoves,” Pam Reaves, a member of the Marin Conservation League, told the council, “and realize that Fast food takes precedence. “Putting restaurants ahead of the health of our people, the health of our climate, the health of our planet is just wrong thinking.”

Much of the public comment revolved around a traffic analysis conducted by David Parisi, a Parametrix consultant working on EIR for the city. Parisi said the project would result in fewer vehicle trips than a crowded mall during afternoon rush hour.

“That’s because residential trips generate fewer trips than commercial uses,” Parisi said.

Critics criticized the analysis because it used vehicle trips caused by full occupancy of the shopping center as a basis for comparison.

“I want to be blunt with you: I don’t think your staff has served you well in the EIR of this project,” said Gloria Smith, an attorney who represents the Responsible Growth group in Marin, whose members cover every detail of the project examined closely.

“According to the EIR, the addition of more than 1,400 new apartments as well as more than 200,000 square feet of commercial space would somehow reduce daily car trips compared to the existing mall,” Smith said. “In my view, relying on this inaccurate baseline was an unforced error on the part of the city and has caused resentment among parts of the city who do not trust this analysis.”

Shirley Fischer, a Terra Linda resident and member of the same group, said, “This is not just a matter of convenience, it is an issue of safety. Terra Linda is a bottle with a way out and Northgate is the cork.”

The group urged the City Council to require further traffic studies, a condition officials ultimately added to their approval.

A large portion of the project’s supporters are members of the Marin Organizing Committee, a group that advocates for affordable and workforce housing.

“If we want our teachers, doctors, paramedics, health workers and firefighters to live in Marin, then we need more housing,” said Victoria Holdridge, a member of the group.

Regina Bianucci Rus, representative of the League of Women Voters of Marin County, said her organization supports the project.

“The project will have a significant impact on housing supply in Marin,” she said. “The project has strong public transportation connections and will reduce car dependency in Marin. The project offers living space that is more water- and climate-friendly than the current housing stock or new single-family homes.”

Some unions also expressed their support.

“This project will be a cornerstone for our community, not only bringing new businesses, housing and amenities to San Rafael, but also creating significant employment opportunities,” said Chris Palomo, field representative for the NorCal Carpenter’s Union.

The city council enthusiastically supported the plan.

Mayor Kate Colin said the 1997 North San Rafael Vision Plan, a city planning document, called for housing in Northgate.

“What I see in that is that our community has always been willing to say, you know what, we understand that times are changing and that change is going to be difficult, but we want to have the opportunity to meet that moment and be there meet where he is. “The future is running,” said Colin.

“It’s the vision of being able to live and work and gather in one place that I think can really bring vibrancy and new energy to Northgate,” Councilwoman Maika Llorens Gulati said.

“Instead of fearing change, I approach it with curiosity, enthusiasm and a commitment to building something remarkable together,” said Councilwoman Rachel Kertz, supporting the plan.

“I am very proud of the product that emerged from this long and arduous and sometimes even painful process,” said Councilwoman Maribeth Bushey. “But we have a great project here that will act as a catalyst and hopefully reverberate throughout our community and bring our young people the vision we want for our future.”

A second reading of the permits is scheduled for the Dec. 16 City Council meeting.

Merlone Geier Partners expects to begin demolition in early summer, Gühring said.