Loch Lomond Marina Oversight Committee
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The Loch Lomond Marina is located on Pt. San Pedro Road and bordered by three subdivisions: San Pedro Cove to the west, Bayside Acres to the east, and Loch Lomond to the north. The first two subdivisions are separated from the marina by inlets from the bay while Loch Lomond is separated from the Marina property by Pt. San Pedro Road. The Marina property was originally part of the Loch Lomond neighborhood, but was subsequently been split off and is to be named The Village at Loch Lomond Marina. This new development of 81 residential units, full-service grocery, commercial space, restaurant and marina, was given final approval by all agencies and the City of San Rafael in late 2007.
The Loch Lomond Marina Oversight Committee (LLMOC) was created to supercede the Loch Lomond Marina Committee (LLMC) after the approval by the City of San Rafael of the permits for the development of The Village at Loch Lomond Marina. The LLMOC's objectives are:
- Conduct oversight on behalf of the Coalition and neighborhood communities of any demolition, preparation, surcharge and construction of The Village at Loch Lomond Marina project as well as any constraints caused by the project to the public access and use of the shoreline and marina.
- Act as the liaison between the Coalition and the City of San Rafael, the marina property owners and any development or construction companies related to the project, and represent the Coalition in any meetings with these entities.
- Act on behalf of communities along Pt. San Pedro Road regarding concerns and issues brought to the Committee related to the project.
- Bring to the attention of the City and any other project entities of any violations of the conditions established under any construction permits and monitor that they have been satisfactorily resolved.
- Bring to the attention of the City and any other project entities any legitimate concerns related to negative impacts of the project (such as noise or dust) on surrounding neighborhoods and work to resolve those issues.
- Provide timely information to the community on conditions at the Marina related to the project and to public access. This information will be provided via postings on the Coalition website, using the Coalition email list, and any other means of communications that is deemed appropriate.
- For the committee's full operating guidelines and procedures document, go to the Committee Library: Committee Documents for the entry dated August 11, 2010.
Currently, the property owners, Oaktree Capital, are searching for a purchaser of the property and related project entitlements. However, Oaktree Capital is intending to proceed with the initial phases of the project, which includes surcharging and grading, while a search for a new owner is underway.
We invite members of the community to join us in this effort and to keep us informed by using the form on the Loch Lomond Marina Oversight Committee page if you obtain any pertinent information or have specific concerns. Ensuring that the resulting development is acceptable to the neighborhoods and residences surrounding the marina as well as to the general San Rafael community requires constant vigilance from the citizenry.
BACKGROUND
The predecessor to the LLMOC was the Loch Lomond Marina Committee (LLMC). The LLMC was formed in 2004 and functioned until the Village at Loch Lomond Marina permits were approved by the City of San Rafael in 2007. The original charter of the LLMC was to represent the community to ensure that the development plans for the Loch Lomond Marina property maintained the recreational functions of the property, that the neighborhood commercial services provided there were maintained, and that development designs fit within the residential neighborhood surrounding that property. However, shortly after those plans were submitted to the City of San Rafael, the City decided that it would not act on that submission until it had completed its General Plan 2020 (GP2020) which was underway and near completion.
San Rafael General Plan 2020 addresses issues of importance to the community, sets forth policies for conservation and development, and outlines specific programs or actions for implementing these policies. It forms the basis for all planning processes and permit approvals undertaken by the City and is intended to "last" to the year 2020. GP2020 has several elements including Air and Water Quality, Community Design, Culture and the Arts, Economic Vitality, Governance, Infrastructure, Neighborhoods, and Parks and Recreation. A key element of GP2020 that directly relates to the Loch Lomond Marina property is Section NH-118. Since this section was under development and would significantly affect what would be permitted at the Marina site, the LLMC took on the task of representing the community on this matter.
Once GP2020 was completed and approved by the City of San Rafael, the LLMC returned its attention to the proposed development plan. The City called for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) as part of the planning process. This Committee tracked the EIR and the project planning process to ensure compatibility with the neighborhood and to maintain recreational uses, the Marina and surrounding businesses, especially the full-service market. The LLMC produced position papers and documents in support of the community needs, represented the community at various agency hearings and acted as an advocate for the community. That process was completed once the City approved the project. All documents produced by the LLMC as well as all related documents and articles on this subject are contained in the LLMC Archives.