From: Jonathan Previtali
Sent: Thursday, December 5, 2024 8:00:00 AM
To: Mayor Kate <[email protected]>; Rachel Kertz <[email protected]> Cc: Jon Haveman ; Margaret Kavanaugh-Lynch <Margaret.Kavanaugh[email protected]> Subject: Quick Clarification on Northgate PC Recommendation (no action needed)
Hi Mayor Kate and Councilmember Kertz,
Happy Holidays and congratulations on both of your reelections. Also, congratulations on approving the Northgate project.
I watched the CC meeting on Northgate last night and noted outside legal counsel for the City made a mistake regarding the PC's recommendation for traffic studies -- which thank goodness, Mayor Kate, you caught and corrected. She prepared language in support of a traffic study after the last phase of the project and then noted that was what the PC discussed. In fact, we asked for recommendations to CC for studies after the first phase (in 2025/26) and last phase.
Here are the snippets of those discussions:
See 4:54 City Council Meeting 12/02/2024 at 6PM
See 4:14 Planning Commission - October 29, 2024 - San Rafael Mayor Kate, thank you for catching this error and encouraging an update to the language on the fly as they say. I'm also happy Merlone Guier stepped up and agreed to pay for the study.
I wanted to ensure you and the rest of the CC didn't think the PC just talked about a study post 2040 -- which of course would not address the traffic risk the community is concerned about.
All the best,
Jon Previtali
From:
Sent: Sunday, December 8, 2024 3:35 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: For Public Comment re the Northgate Redevelopment Project As a resident of Terra Linda, I’m aware these additional housing units will add to the number of students at local schools and that is an existing problem, one this development will make even worse.
I live near the 7/11 on North San Pedro Road. Three weeks ago I had an emergency medical issue at 4 p.m., just as Venetia Valley School was letting out. My pain was intense, and calling 911 would have delayed help due to traffic and distance from my home to the EMTs off Freitas Parkway. Additionally, I knew they couldn’t provide treatment for what I was experiencing (it felt like a ruptured bowel) so I opted to drive myself to the ER.
From Oxford Drive to the Civic Center, cars were stopped the entire way, just as they every day at that time. In order to get to 101, I had to drive in the bike lane, over a curb, and in eastbound turn lanes with my emergency lights flashing. As a former federal agent having taken emergency vehicle operator’s training in NY, I knew what to do & how to get to the highway without endangering myself or anyone else. I made it to the ER and was diagnosed as passing a kidney stone, excruciating but not what I’d feared.
My experience portends what an increase of traffic from Venetia Valley School with more students added and right now, that traffic is already beyond anything our community should be required to tolerate. My issue was a kidney stone—next time it could be someone with a heart attack, stroke or some other medical emergency that will take a life that needn’t have been lost. I suggest you try driving that route yourself at 4 p.m. to see the reality of the situation. Consider the ramifications of what you do, not just the addition to county coffers.
The traffic from the Northgate Redevelopment Project will exacerbate the already dangerous congested traffic conditions. I request that follow-up traffic studies be required at the completion of each phase of the Northgate Project. The updated traffic studies must be based on actual traffic counts prepared by a licensed traffic engineer, approved by the City and funded by the project sponsor. This must be ‘included as a condition in the Project Entitlements’**. Thank you for keeping Terra Linda residents safe and for your consideration to this important community concern.
Carole Cassidy
San Rafael 94903-2829
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