San Rafael, CA – The owner of a former theological seminary property in unincorporated Strawberry is appealing to the Marin County Board of Supervisors to extend an existing Master Plan and for the County to proceed with studying the environmental impacts from a new application seeking to redevelop the site. The Board is conducting a 1:30 p.m. hearing on the matter during its December 12 meeting.
A Master Plan extension would give the County sufficient time to process the new application and start preparing an environmental impact report (EIR) for the new application for the former Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary property. The new property owner, North Coast Land Holdings, proposes 304 housing units and a graduate school, replacing the seminary, of about 1,000 students.
In October, the Marin County Planning Commission voted not to extend the property’s 1984 Master Plan and to suspend further work on an EIR for the new application.
Some neighbors in Strawberry are opposed to the proposed property improvements. A local private high school, the Branson School in Ross, initially expressed interest in relocating to the old seminary site but rescinded its proposal earlier this year.
The property has 211 dwellings, built mostly in the 1950s. The new owner’s plans call for a total of 304 housing units, including 93 new units and replacement of 198 of the existing units. The owner is seeking amendments to the Master Plan and the Strawberry Community Plan to not restrict use of the housing exclusively to students, staff, and faculty so that they may be rented to the public.
The public may review the staff report on the County’s website. The 1:30 p.m. hearing will take place in the Board chamber, Suite 330 of the Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. All sessions of the Board of Supervisors may be watched live on Comcast Channel 27 or on the County’s webcast. Sign up to receive emailed County updates about the North Coast Land Holdings project (filed under Community Development and “Current Projects.”)
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