Project Description
Summary. The applicant proposes to build four, three-story residential apartment buildings, one of which would contain a ground floor commercial space (1,040 square feet) in the community of Marinwood, in the Lucas Valley area of San Rafael. The residential buildings would range in area from 21,150 square feet to 30,790 square feet (for a total area of 108,640 square feet). The buildings would reach a maximum height of 40 feet above grade. There would be a total of 125 apartments in the residential buildings and the commercial space would contain a café.
Description. The applicant requests Housing Compliance Review approval to construct a multifamily residential/mixed used development under SB 330 on the Marinwood Plaza site, located just west of Highway 101, in the community of Marinwood, in the Lucas Valley area of unincorporated San Rafael. The 5-06-acre (220,321 square feet) site is currently developed with a grocery store-there are no changes proposed to the grocery store as part of the project. The site was assigned a “Housing Overlay Designation (HOD)-Combining District” designation as part of the County’s 2023-2031 Adopted Housing Element with a corresponding density of 125 units and is eligible for consideration under the County’s Form Based Code. The site is currently undergoing remediation in compliance with the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board’s (RWQCB) requirements. The RWQCB has set a deadline for remediation by 2027.
The applicant proposes a total of 125 affordable units that would be contained in four, three-story buildings (Buildings A, B C and D). The units would be affordable to households with incomes that range from 30- to 70-pecent of the area median income (this equates to an annual household income of $53,000 to $98,000 for a family of four).
The development would contain a mixture of 1- 2- and 3-bedroom units, ranging in size from 675 to 1,125 square feet in area (a total of 121,770 square feet of building area). In addition to the residential units, a 1,040-square-foot retail space (a “café” is contemplated) is proposed in the first floor of Building D adjacent to a proposed, public, landscaped open space area (“civic plaza”) that would be accessed from Marinwood Avenue. Resident services and amenities would be located in the first floor of Building B.
The proposed buildings would be located to the north (Building D) and south (Buildings A, B and C) of the existing grocery store. The development would reach a maximum height (as measured from grade to the proposed building ridgeline) of 40 feet. The development would maintain varying distances from property lines from a minimum of 6 feet to a maximum of 104 feet.
The applicant has also proposed several resident open space areas, as well as a Class II bicycle lane along Marinwood Avenue, on-site parking to service the proposed development and existing grocery store (a total of 189 parking spaces are proposed), and landscaping improvements.
As a qualifying project under State Density Bonus Law, the applicant is eligible for and has requested waivers and concessions to some of the requirements of the County’s Form Based Code.
The project requires Housing Compliance Review approval consistent with Marin County Development Code Section 22.64.020(A).
Zoning: CP-HOD (Commercial, Planned-Housing Overlay Combining District)
Countywide Plan Land Use Designation: GC-HOD (General, Commercial-Housing Overlay