May 8, 2023
San Rafael City Council
1400 Fifth Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
RE: Approval of 1515 4th Street Housing
Honorable Mayor and Councilmembers,
Sustainable San Rafael continues to support the new housing and retail development at 4th and E Streets. We urge you to confirm the Planning Commission's approval of the project.
The housing is much needed, and the density is welcome in this key downtown location, where more people will activate the streets, bolster businesses, and reduce greenhouse gas by supporting walking, biking, and transit.
No doubt the design of the building would be improved by stepping down its mass towards the smaller buildings in the West End. However, the recommendation of the Design
Review Board takes a modest but important step in this
direction through the use of different colors or materials to break up the mass. Good-sized street trees and the setback of the top-floor also help reduce the building's scale.
The constraints placed on the City's design review process by the developer's ample use of State concessions and bonuses point to the need for the City to evaluate how its "objective design standards" can be strengthened to lead to improved designs for future buildings.
In addition, Sustainable San Rafael continues to urge the City to derive greater public benefit from such large buildings by returning its inclusionary housing requirement to 20% (from the recent reduction to 10%). If these additional units were for moderate-income households, the requirement would
have little impact on development proformas or production.
Finally, we note with satisfaction that this building will have no gas lines, is EV-ready, and provides the potential for rooftop solar panels. We urge the developer to use renewable MCE electricity for the all-electric building, and to install the solar during construction.
Thank you for your continued support of a vibrant downtown.
Sincerely,
Linda M. Jackson,
Vice President
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
William Carney, President
Linda Jackson, Vice President
Stuart Siegel, Secretary
Arlin Benavides
Greg Brockbank
Kay Karchevski
Kiki La Porta
Annika Osborn
Howard Schwartz
415.302.0110
From: Ina Nouel
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 2:57 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: I oppose the scale of the 1515 4th st project
Dear City Clerk,
I oppose the scale of the 1515 4th st proposed building in San Rafael as it will greatly impact traffic in the area in addition to being totally over scale for the neighborhood. 8 stories is enormous and will impact all surrounding neighborhoods as well as future approvals for construction in the area completely changing the character of West end.
Please as a concern neighbor we ask you to downsize this project in scale by half.
Thank you in advance.
Best,
Ina Nouel
San Rafael, CA 94901
From: Jeff Bialik
Sent: Saturday, May 6, 2023 6:13 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Please appprove 1515 4th Street!
Mayor Kate and members of the City Council:
I agree with MEHC! Please support the proposed 162 apartments at 1515 Fourth Street! We have a housing crisis in San Rafael. Adding 162 units of one- and two-bedroom rental apartments will help. These homes make it possible for some of our workforce who must commute long distances to actually live in town. In a walkable neighborhood near transit! This is an attractive building. This contemporary design fits in with Downtown, and the ground floor retail space will be a community asset. This building will add to Downton’s visual and economic vitality.
I appreciate the height and density proposed for this project. Height and density close to transit and services are the keys to environmentally responsible residential development. This project will have a tiny fraction of environmental impact that would result from 162 single-family detached homes.
Finally, I am really glad that at least 13 apartments will be affordable to very low-income households.
These are our neediest residents, but hardest to reach with affordable housing. We urge the applicant to offer three more units at affordable rates, to meet San Rafael’s standard for including affordable units in multi-family housing projects.
Thank you for supporting environmentally appropriate housing in San Rafael.
Jeff Bialik
San Rafael, CA 94903
Sent from my iPhone
From: JB Diamond
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 1:51 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Proposed Building at 1515 Fourth St.
Hi, I am writing about my concern relative to this proposed building on Fourth Street. Obviously this building does not fit in with the neighborhood. This will cause huge traffic delays and parking issues on top of the current issues we already have. This is not low income housing either. Stop trying to turn San Rafael into the East Bay. This monstrosity of a building does not belong. Hopefully this doesn’t fall on deaf ears but I’m sure it will.
Regards,
Jeff Baum
Joe Osborn
San Rafael, CA 94901
Dear San Rafael City Planners:
I want to voice my opposition to the proposed new eight story building at 1515 4th Street.
I live in San Rafael and walk by this property almost daily, so I am very familiar with the area.
I’m not sure many people really appreciate just how high and out-of-place an eight-story building of this type is in this part of San Rafael. The current building on the lot is single story, and virtually all the buildings nearby are one or two stories (see photos below). Even further downtown, the larger buildings are no more than 5 stories, with only a couple of exceptions.
In fact, the only 8 story building I could find on my frequent walks, was the notoriously unattractive Bank of America building at 1050 4th St., directly downtown. This building (see below) gives you a sense of the scale of the proposed new project.
The current building at 1515 4th St. The buildings directly across the street Is this really the scale and magnitude of building that we want to promote in our 1-2 story West End neighborhood?
While I appreciate the desire for additional housing in Marin, creating an eight story building in a traditionally 1-2 story neighborhood is truly not appropriate. I would suggest scaling back this project to 4 stories, maximum. I’m also concerned about parking and traffic concerns, as this part of San Rafael can be congested and difficult to navigate, especially during commute hours.
I hope you reconsider your decision to approve the current scope of this building.
Thank you for the opportunity to provide my input.
Joe Osborn
San Rafael, CA 94901
The eight story Bank of America
Building in downtown San Rafael.
From: J Sever
Sent: Saturday, May 6, 2023 6:10 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Approve 1515-4th St, PLEASE
Mayor Kate and members of the City Council: I agree with MEHC! Please support the proposed 162 apartments at 1515 Fourth Street!
We absolutely need this housing in this location to reduce local workers greenhouse gases from commuting into Marin jobs.
We have a housing crisis in San Rafael. Adding 162 units of one- and two-bedroom rental apartments will help. These homes make it possible for some of our workforce who must commute long distances to actually live in town. In a walkable neighborhood near transit! This is an attractive building. This contemporary design fits in with Downtown, and the ground floor retail space will be a community asset. This building will add to Downton’s visual and economic vitality. I appreciate the height and density proposed for this project. Height and density close to transit and services are the keys to environmentally responsible residential development. This project will have a tiny fraction of environmental impact that would result from 162 single-family detached homes. Finally, I am really glad that at least 13 apartments will be affordable to very low-income households. These are our neediest residents, but hardest to reach with affordable housing. We urge the applicant to offer three more units at affordable rates, to meet San Rafael’s standard for including affordable units in multi-family housing projects. Thank you for supporting environmentally appropriate housing in San Rafael.
Jean Severinghaus
From: Kelly Bartholomew
Sent: Saturday, May 6, 2023 8:23 AM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: New Fourth St. Development
HelloI am a resident of the West End neighborhood and I am very disappointed in the size of the new apartment building being planned on 4th St. Although I and my neighbors do not oppose new housing in our area, the size and scope of this project will be impactful in a very negative way for those of us who already live here. The streets are too narrow and parking too limited for such a major increase in traffic the development will bring. You have a fiduciary responsibility to consider those of us in this neighborhood in addition to adding new housing to comply with the state mandate. We all feel we are not being represented, nor do we have a voice. I'm asking you reduce the size of this development and also ask you to please do not patronize us by dumbing down the conversation with a sermon about how we need more housing in San Rafael, it's more complicated than that. I will be attending the meeting on Monday night and would be happy to discuss this with anyone who would care to speak to me.
Thank you
Kelly Bartholomew
From: Katherine Hale
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 5:12 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]>; Eli Hill <[email protected]>; Mayor Kate <[email protected]>
Subject: Objection to 1515 4th Street Project
To the Council City Members and Mayor Kate,
As a resident in District 2, I am in complete support of Vikram Sehadri's appeal to the Planning Department of the city of San Rafael. I request that the city conduct a comprehensive traffic analysis of 3rd, Shaver and Latham Streets before any project should begin on 1515 4th Street.Traffic from 162 plus units mean 161-300 additional cas clogging Shaver, Latham 3rd and 4th Streets and surrounding neighborhoods.
.
I am not against building housing, although I do worry that our water resources cannot support such a huge development. The building is overscaled and not appropriately sized for the surrounding neighborhood. It has no setbacks or landscaping. It will be a detriment rather than an asset to the community of San Rafael.
The fact that this is a luxury apartment building with only 13 affordable units leads me to conclude that this building is mostly profit-driven. I believe these units will not be truly affordable to lower income groups. Monahan Pacific is using SB 35 housing bill as a tool to build this monstrosity, bypassing all environmental review and caring little for the concerns of residents and community who would be heavily impacted by this building.
While I appreciate the difficulty with the restrictions of SB 35 being placed on the City of San Rafael Council and Planning Department, surely a postponement of your decision would give time to further notify local residents of such an impactful project so seriously affecting the quality and character of the West End??
I strongly feel that the voices of your constituents are not being heard! Please delay your decision on this project until proper studies can be done to examine traffic and safety conditions.
Respectfully,
Katherine McRae Hale
San Rafael, CA 94901
From: Kari Isaeff
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 11:52 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: 1515 4th Street San Rafael
I am a Marin County resident. I strongly oppose the massive development at 1515 4th Street.
I agree that we need more affordable housing in Marin, however a building of this size, in this location just doesn't make sense. Please have the developer revise plans for a shorter building, and please require there to be more affordable units. A building of this massive size will absolutely destroy the look and feel of this neighborhood.
Thank you,
Kari Isaeff
-----Original Message-----
From: Linda Haumann
Sent: Saturday, May 6, 2023 5:43 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Yes on 1515-4th St!
Mayor Kate and members of the City Council:
I agree with MEHC! Please support the proposed 162 apartments at 1515 Fourth Street! We have a housing crisis in San Rafael. Adding 162 units of one- and two-bedroom rental apartments will help. These homes make it possible for some of our workforce who must commute long distances to actually live in town. In a walkable neighborhood near transit! This is an atrac�ve building. This contemporary design fits in with Downtown, and the ground floor retail space will be a community asset. This building will add to Downton’s visual and economic vitality.
I appreciate the height and density proposed for this project. Height and density close to transit and services are the keys to environmentally responsible residen�al development. This project will have a �ny frac�on of environmental impact that would result from 162 single-family detached homes.
Finally, I am really glad that at least 13 apartments will be affordable to very low-income households.
These are our neediest residents, but hardest to reach with affordable housing. We urge the applicant to offer three more units at affordable rates, to meet San Rafael’s standard for including affordable units in mul�-family housing projects.
Thank you for suppor�ng environmentally appropriate housing in San Rafael.
I also advocate for this project on behalf of the Affordable Housing Team of MOC (Marin Organizing Commitee). We need more affordable housing especially for our workers. This project, located in a dense area, makes perfect sense.
Sincerely,
Linda Haumann
Unitarian Universalist Congrega�on of Marin, ins�tu�onal member of MOC From: Matthew Hartzell
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 11:57 AM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Support for 1515 4th Street Project
Mayor Kate and members of the City Council:
I agree with Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative! Please reject the NIMBY arguments against this project and support the proposed 162 apartments at 1515 Fourth Street!
Some of the NIMBY arguments I've seen against this project border on the ridiculous. Project opponents call the proposed building a "highrise." I don't know if they are making this argument in bad faith or if they have never been to a city like New York, but the 7-story building proposed for 1515 Fourth Street is not a highrise! It is a midrise, and it is entirely appropriate in this site and context. San Rafael Downtown is a medium-density urban community, and buildings of this sort are entirely consistent with San Rafael's character.
We have a housing crisis in San Rafael. Adding 162 units of one- and two-bedroom rental apartments will help. These homes make it possible for some of our workforce who must commute long distances to actually live in town. In a walkable neighborhood near transit!
This is an attractive building. This contemporary design fits in with Downtown, and the ground floor retail space will be a community asset. This building will add to Downton’s visual and economic vitality.
I appreciate the height and density proposed for this project. Height and density close to transit and services are the keys to environmentally responsible residential development. This project will have a tiny fraction of environmental impact that would result from 162 single-family detached homes.
Finally, I am really glad that at least 13 apartments will be affordable to very low-income households. These are our neediest residents, but hardest to reach with affordable housing. We urge the applicant to offer three more units at affordable rates, to meet San Rafael’s standard for including affordable units in multi-family housing projects.
Thank you for supporting environmentally appropriate housing in San Rafael.
Matthew Hartzell
Resident of Larkspur, California who frequently visits San Rafael for shopping, dining, and entertainment.
From: Nancy Koster
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 7:28 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Comment on 1515 4th St. Apartment Complex
Lindsey,
I would like to submit my comments opposing the approval of the apartment complex at 1515 4th St.
There are a number of issues that I have with the complex but the most pressing is the inappropriate size for that location on 4th St. A 260K sq. ft., 7/8 story building that reaches 80 feet tall is totally out of proportion for the West End of San Rafael. The building will tower over the other buildings in that location, some of which are historical in character, and all of which are one or two stories. This is especially true for the houses and residents that are located across Shaver St.
The developer claims that the location is the "gateway to the West End". The West End is the only part of downtown SR that is doing relatively well with a neighborhood feel that people enjoy visiting. A building of this size, and design, is out of character and will negatively the businesses in that location.
In addition, the location of the proposed driveway on Shaver St. does not take into account the small size of the road. There is a safety issue with having over 200 cars going in and out of the building on such a narrow street. The only feasible location for a driveway entrance, for a building of any size, is on the E St. side.
The City Council needs to decline this project and have the developer come back with a more appropriately scaled structure in the 3 to 4 story range. It is worth noting that the building is larger than the new AC Marriott Hotel near City Hall which is in an area that would be more appropriate for a building of 1515 4th St. magnitude. The city should take note that the Board of Supervisors have put on hold the development in Marin City, which is half of this structures size on a similarly small lot. In addition, Larkspur has also put on hold the condo development in Kentfield. Please review what the Board and Larkspur are doing so that SR can also pause and reevaluate the 1515 4th St. project.
Finally, I would like to note that I am a resident of the West End of SR and have been for approximately 20 years. I love my neighborhood . However, I can not imagine an 8-story building going up across the street from my house. If something like this was proposed near my house, I would absolutely sell it and move out the neighborhood. I am sure that the city council members would feel the same way if it was next to their homes. That is why I am so passionate about trying to look after the neighborhood and the people who would be living near this development.
Regards,
Nancy Koster
From: Paul Gray
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 2:09 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Approve More Housing Please
As a gen Z resident of Kentfield, I’m deeply concerned about the inequality that stems from our current housing crisis. Our economy will not be able to grow unless we create conditions for a diverse population to exist within Marin.
I would like the opportunity to live and work within Marin for a decent wage and great living conditions.
Right now, that simply isn’t possible without immense privilege and luck.
Adding 162 units of one- and two-bedroom rental apartments will help. These homes make it possible for some of our workforce who must commute long distances to actually live in town. In a walkable neighborhood near transit!
Thank you!
-----Original Message-----
From: Patricia Reese
Sent: Saturday, May 6, 2023 12:30 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: 1515 Fourth st
I’m wri�ng to express my concern over the planned building at 1515 Fourth st. My concern is over the traffic snarl that will be inevitable, par�cularly with cars entering and exi�ng on �ny Shaver street.
Shaver is a straight line between First (I live around the corner on Jones) and Fourth, and believe me when I said that Shaver is already choked being a narrow street with parked cars ��������n both sides.
Traffic will back up on 3 rd and 4th. And I doubt that Cain’s Tires will survive the mess. Patricia Reese Sent from my iPhone
From: Robert Pendoley
Sent: Monday, May 8, 2023 8:53 AM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Please appprove 1515 4th Street!
Mayor Kate and members of the City Council:
I agree with MEHC! Please support the proposed 162 apartments at 1515 Fourth Street! We have a housing crisis in San Rafael. Adding 162 units of one- and two-bedroom rental apartments will help. These homes make it possible for some of our workforce who must commute long distances to actually live in town. In a walkable neighborhood near transit! This is an attractive building. This contemporary design fits in with Downtown, and the ground floor retail space will be a community asset. This building will add to Downton’s visual and economic vitality.
I appreciate the height and density proposed for this project. Height and density close to transit and services are the keys to environmentally responsible residential development. This project will have a tiny fraction of environmental impact that would result from 162 single-family detached homes.
Finally, I am really glad that at least 13 apartments will be affordable to very low-income households.
These are our neediest residents, but hardest to reach with affordable housing. We urge the applicant to offer three more units at affordable rates, to meet San Rafael’s standard for including affordable units in multi-family housing projects.
Thank you for supporting environmentally appropriate housing in San Rafael.
Bob Pendoley
From: Susan Bradford
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 10:53 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: For City Council re: 1515 Fourth St
Dear San Rafael City Council members,
I am writing in support of the appeal made by Vikram Seshadri for the public health and safety of the community, for the traffic and pedestrian safety and for the inadequacy of parking allotted for the actual number of cars that will belong to the residents in the 162 proposed units.
I don't feel I need to repeat the findings reported by PHA Transportation Consultants in the letter submitted by Vikram Seshadri on May 2, 2023, as you already have them. I have lived in the West End for 45 years and had a retail quilt store at 1560 Fourth Street for 14 years, I know this area well and I want to say that I agree with all the findings of the report.
In addition:
There are so many other pertinent issues that are just WRONG with this proposed building (a huge carbon footprint, the increased water usage, destruction of the parking situation for the already existing residents on Shaver and Latham and business owners on Fourth Street, too many people and cars in one city block, 4 stories too tall for the surrounding neighborhood, traffic issues created in the area, not affordable rents, no garden, courtyard, playground incorporated into the design of the building, just plain ugly, to name a few) but because of the mandates they cannot even be addressed... this is absolutely an outrageous debacle.
But first off I need to ask you, why does it take a resident of San Rafael to have to find and pay out-ofpocket for an independent traffic consulting company to do the proper studies regarding this extremely important issue? That should be the responsibility of the SR city council not the responsibility of a private resident.
To get to the origin of the problem, it all begins with a "false narrative" or to speak plainly the LIE of needing housing. The facts are clearly available: California is the number #1 state in the country to have the most people leave, it has lost 1/2 million people...The Bay Area 1/4 million have left and 6,600 people have left Marin between July 2021-2022.
And so as Marin is getting less populated, we need you as our elected city council to put this decision on hold until further review. And among other things, could you create a committee of city and citizen members to come up with out-of-the-box creative thinking and to actually determine how much available vacant housing already exists and how many existing buildings can be turned into affordable housing for working people, seniors and the un-housed before you begin building these unsustainable monstrosities. I believe from my simple searches that a plethora of housing already does exist, just go online and look at the hundreds of vacant rentals that are currently listed there and go around the city to see how many vacant buildings there actually are. Let’s find out what is possible with what we already have before we start using up precious resources. Has anyone from the city done that? And finally the elephant in the room is this: Some Ca senators (ie: Weiner, Atkins) have created these mandate bills that are based on a false narrative (a lie). These politicians are beholden to Big Development and Big Real Estate, they are bought and paid for and so must carry out their Devil's Bargain by throwing California under the bus to get their campaign funding.
These mandated kinds of housing developments are based on Big Developers wanting to make Big Money. There is plenty of real evidence that shows us that. Monahan Pacific won't build something that is a reasonable size - like 3-4 stories with really truly affordable rents, enough parking for all, gardens and playgrounds for the kids because it isn't Big Enough Money for them to do it. This is the real story...this is the real truth.
The 149 regularly priced units will not be "affordable" and the minuscule number of 13 units that are called "affordable" are really NOT affordable for an average working person. For example, I personally asked an employee from Il Davide if they would be able to afford living there on their salary from the restaurant ...and they clearly said "NO!"... even though the owner of Il Davide said to the Planning Commission that his employees would be able to live there. There's lots of "misinformation" flying around.
So if a mandate is based on a false narrative, can it be recalled? City Council members, you are our public servants and in this matter you are not protecting your constituents that you took an oath to protect. Your hands are NOT tied ... I challenge you to find your political will, postpone your decision and put this on hold until further review. Please do to save our neighborhood, our city, our county, and our state.
Sincerely,
Susan Bradford
West End Resident for 45 years
“it’s 3:23 in the morning
and I can’t sleep
because my great great grandchildren
ask me in dreams
what did you do while the earth was unraveling?”
Drew Dellinger
Sue Burrell and Donald Kerson
San Rafael, California 94901
May 7, 2023
San Rafael City Council
San Rafael Planning Commission
(By Electronic Transmission)
Re: Opposition to Project at 1515 4th Street as Currently Designed Dear San Rafael City Council Members and Planning Commission Members:
We write in opposition to the project being considered for 1515 4th Street as currently designed for 162 units. While we understand the pressing need for more rental housing in San Rafael, we have the following concerns.
As residents of nearby Gerstle Park, the impact of so large a residential development will have a dramatic effect in worsening the already terrible traffic and parking issues we experience in that area. It will transform the supposedly temporary negative impact of the Third Street road work into a permanent scenario in which cars stack up on Third and Fourth Streets and the tiny cross streets in that neighborhood. We very much support the appeal filed by the Shaver Street residents.
Beyond the traffic and congestion issues, the plan is out of scale and character for the wonderful historic West End neighborhood. We love the old buildings, and this seven-story monstrosity, built on top of a hill and right up to the curbs, will destroy the very feeling that attracts people to that neighborhood. Surely, we could add to our rental supply by adding buildings with second stories or even third stories in a more evenhanded way through that part of town.
Finally, from the work of the San Rafael Heritage Society we have come to recognize the importance of preserving what we have. In our neighborhood, Gerstle Park, it looks like the Planning Commission was asleep at the wheel a few decades ago in allowing cement block apartment buildings to be build in the midst of gorgeous historic homes, and the look on those blocks is not good. They are too big and incongruent with the adjacent environment, and yet they look good compared to what is being proposed here.
We realize that you have been in discussions for some time on this, and regret that this did not come to our attention until it hit the Marin Independent Journal and Nextdoor. We hope that you will take the time now to get this right. Scale it back, and make it better designed to fit into the neighborhood it will occupy. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely yours,
Sue Burrell and Donald Kerson
From: Susan Nielsen
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 3:42 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Proposed oversized building at 1515 Fourth St.
I am disturbed at the lack of common sense as well as the lack of respect for those who live and work in the neighborhood, concerning the approval of this proposed gigantic, and inappropriate building in our neighborhood.
Lack of sufficient parking, rediculous height and size and no concern for community aesthetics. Shaver St. is already often difficult to use due to its narrowness, Cains Tires parking needs, its being the only access to parking lots for tenants behind the 4th St buildings, and the AT&T Building trucks coming and going.
Parking is already difficult in the entire neighborhood due to many shops, popular restaurants, and small offices.
I believe this massive building will exacerbate the already existing problems and basically destroy the long existing buisnesses, by making parking miserable if not impossible.
Please remember why most Marinites have settled here.....a beautiful area with small town feeling.
Not high-rises, crowding, traffic jams and careless building.
Susan Nielsen
From: Dumnoi
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 5:46 AM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: 1515 4th Street
San Rafael should demand a redesign with the garage entrance/exit on E Street because it will cause major traffic and parking issues and endangers our children attempting to get to school in the morning.
The entrance/exit on Shaver - routing all car traffic through Shaver is very dangerous and problematic as most traffic will be circling around the building going west and/or flooding the surrounding quiet streets with traffic. Parking and traffic around the site is already in a stressed state and the additional traffic will be a problem. Analysis of the traffic patterns may show a limited amount of cars but the reason for limited traffic is that the street is so narrow it already requires passing cars to stop as they pass each other.
Latham and Shaver are also a vital pedestrian and bike route for children going from Sun Valley to Davidson Middle School. Adding hundreds of cars on to Shaver and Latham each morning will endanger children attempting to go down those narrow streets on their bikes.
Thank you.
Sirima Pinit
From: Sandy Rolleri
Sent: Saturday, May 6, 2023 7:18 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: I support 1515-4th St! Please approve!
Hello,
My name is Sandy Rolleri. I am 73 years old and I have lived in Marin since 1977. I fully support this project: We need housing so badly. We need all housing, including low-income, moderate, and full-market rate units.
Let's make our cities more vibrant and walkable. We need more apartments. The cost to buy is beyond most people who would like to live as well as work here. A good opportunity to get some of the commute traffic off of 101 on the way to the Richmond San Rafael Bridge.
More units are the answer in Marin, not rent control. Rent Control does not make 1 more unit available.
I have a single-family home but that is not the future only for extremely affluent communities. I am a resident of Mill Valley but I live in Strawberry.
Sandy Rolleri
-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Monday, May 8, 2023 8:00 AM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Please appprove 1515 4th Street!
Hi Mayor Kate and members of the City Council:
I agree with MEHC! Please support the proposed 162 apartments at 1515 Fourth Street! We have a housing crisis in San Rafael. Adding 162 units of one- and two-bedroom rental apartments will help. These homes make it possible for some of our workforce who must commute long distances to actually live in town. In a walkable neighborhood near transit! This is an atrac�ve building. This contemporary design fits in with Downtown, and the ground floor retail space will be a community asset. This building will add to Downton’s visual and economic vitality.
I appreciate the height and density proposed for this project. Height and density close to transit and services are the keys to environmentally responsible residen�al development. This project will have a �ny frac�on of environmental impact that would result from 162 single-family detached homes.
Finally, I am really glad that at least 13 apartments will be affordable to very low-income households.
These are our neediest residents, but hardest to reach with affordable housing. We urge the applicant to offer three more units at affordable rates, to meet San Rafael’s standard for including affordable units in mul�-family housing projects.
Thank you for suppor�ng environmentally appropriate housing in San Rafael.
See you tonight,
Stuart Watson
-----Original Message-----
From: Tricia Hall
Sent: Sunday, May 7, 2023 8:59 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Proposed project at 1515 4th St., San Rafael
I am extremely concerned, especially by the safety issues, posed by the number of cars most probably owned and u�lized by residence of this poten�al housing complex! See a main entry and exit appears to be on a small and unsafe street.
It is also important to note that this complex is significantly too large for the area! I don’t believe there are any apartment complexes this size in this area and the influx of cars and people in this area is simply two large with this project! This project will create significant traffic problems in this area.
Addi�onally, Marin county has not planned for addi�onal water reserves in order to service the poten�al proposed influx of consumers. Significantly more people added to our popula�on. At this point when we are in Trout can put Marin County at serious risk of not having sufficient water.
I urge you to say no to this project. Especially since there is currently ongoing work to overturn the regula�on passed in 2018 which “ mandated new housing” throughout the state without ascertaining that needed resources were available in the local community. Sincerely, Tricia and Tom Hall.
Sent from my iPhone