San Rafael, CA – On Tuesday, December 13, the Marin County Board of Supervisors will discuss a proposed option agreement with the nonprofit Trust for Public Land (TPL) that could bolster public safety and faster response times for the Marin County Fire Department.
The Fire Department’s headquarters have been based at 33 Castle Rock Avenue in Woodacre for over a century. The department has outgrown the antiquated 1940s facilities, and its off-the-beaten-path location deep within a neighborhood is undesirable for swift response in the San Geronimo Valley and across the county.
The main building at Marin County Fire's headquarters in Woodacre was built in the 1940s.The 157-acre property at 5800 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard in San Geronimo is on the main corridor that connects West Marin with Highway 101, 1.8 miles west of the current fire headquarters. Acquisition of the property could provide an opportunity for fire crews to shorten response times, improving public safety, and host a more modern fire headquarters that will support the expanded scope of fire services for generations to come.
The 10-month option agreement term would allow the County to explore viability of the property as a future hub for fire response, however, the option does not commit the County to this use or any other particular use. The County will conduct an environmental review process as well. Should the property prove beneficial, funds to purchase the $4.5 million property from TPL would come from the Fire Department’s existing facility budget. Exercising the option to purchase is conditioned upon successful outcome of the environmental review process and future consideration and approval by the Board of Supervisors.
In addition to increasing the Fire Department’s ability to respond to growing fire protection needs, the potential property acquisition would ensure continued public access to the undeveloped parts of the land. TPL has secured conservation easements on the existing property that limit use to passive recreation such as hiking, biking, and equestrian access. Should the land be acquired by the County, Marin County Parks would maintain its current uses.
The December 13 Board meeting begins at 9 a.m. and the item is among the earliest on the agenda. The Board chamber is in Suite 330 of the Marin County Civic Center, 3501 Civic Center Drive, San Rafael. Meetings are streamed live on the County website and aired on public access television for Comcast subscribers. Instructions on how to participate in the meeting are on the meeting agenda.
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For disability accommodations, please phone (415) 473-6358 (voice), CA Relay 711, or e-mail the Clerk of the Board staff at least five business days in advance of the event. The County will do its best to fulfill requests received with less than five business days’ notice. Copies of documents are available in alternative formats, upon request.