San Rafael, CA – The County of Marin has received a pre-application for a 224-unit affordable housing development on George Lucas’s Grady Ranch in an unincorporated area just north of San Rafael.
Petaluma Ecumenical Properties, also known as PEP Housing, is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to providing limited-income seniors access to affordable quality housing with supportive services and advocacy, according to its website. Working with Lucas’ Skywalker Properties, PEP Housing submitted a pre-application to the Marin County Community Development Agency (CDA) on April 15 and requested that planners begin a preliminary review of conceptual development plans.
The development of 224 residential units in Lucas Valley, about 2 ½ miles west of Highway 101 and just east of Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch complex, would serve as a combination of workforce and senior housing rented at below-market rates. The proposal calls for 120 two- and three-bedroom workforce residences in one four-story cluster and two other two-story clusters on the site, plus 104 one- and two- bedroom residences for seniors in a four-story cluster.
The proposal would include a community center, a pool, terraced gardens, an orchard and small farm, a barn, interior roadways with two bridges, and a Golden Gate Transit District bus stop. The proposal limits development to a 52-acre tract of the 1,039-acre ranch, 800 acres of which have already been dedicated to open space.
Within the next few months, PEP Housing plans to submit a detailed proposal to amend the 1996 Master Plan for the property. Once it is submitted, the Master Plan Amendment application would be carefully reviewed by County staff. The County’s planning process includes extensive public engagement and careful analysis of environmental effects that could result from the project. After review, the proposal would be presented to the Marin County Board of Supervisors. There is no estimate on how long the planning process will take.
Four years ago, Skywalker Properties sought approval to build a 270,000-square-foot digital technology-based film production studio with offices for 340 employees at the same Grady Ranch location. The film production studio would have contained offices, guest suites, one outdoor stage and two indoor stages with related film production facilities. Skywalker Properties decided to withdraw the application in 2011.
More information about the current pre-application will be provided on the County Planning Division’s website within the next week.