Coalition Newsletter

July 20, 2007

On June 30 the Pt. San Pedro Road Coalition’s Annual Community Meeting was held.  Well over one hundred people attended the meeting at St. Luke’s Church.  Coffee and sweets were graciously provided by Sandy Mahony of Madison Company Realtor and Loch Lomond Market.

Coalition co-Chair, Bonnie Marmor, opened the meeting and provided an overview of the Emergency Preparedness Committee’s efforts. Coalition co-Chair, Denise Lucy, introduced Marin County District 1 Supervisor, Dr. Susan Adams, who gave an update from the County and San Rafael City Manager, Mr. Ken Nordoff, who gave an update from the City of San Rafael.

Residents were eager to hear the latest news about the San Rafael Rock Quarry, the Loch Lomond Marina Development, the Coalition’s new Wetland Preservation Committee, Emergency Preparedness, and other issues affecting our neighborhoods.  After each presentation (including those by Supervisor Adams and City Manager Nordoff), there were lively discussions and questions and answer sessions with those in attendance. After the meeting, many of these discussions continued informally in small groups.

The Quarry:

The Coalition’s Attorney, John Edgecomb, summarized the findings of the Marin County report, SRRQ Amended Surface Mining and Quarrying Permit Initial Study, which became public on June 22, 2007. The report is available on-line at the Marin County Community Development Agency's website at http://www.co.marin.ca.us/depts/CD/main/comdev/eir.cfm. The study is listed under 3. Other.

Mr. Edgecomb told residents that this study, which has taken two years to complete, concluded that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) would be necessary to fully review a number of issue areas. There will be a joint EIR that will include the Amended Quarrying Permit and the Amended Reclamation Plan. The areas to be studied include:

• Land use and planning
• Air quality
• Biological resources
• Hazards (hazardous materials, hazardous waste)
• Noise
• Aesthetics and visual resources
• Cultural resources
• Cumulative effects on the environment, i.e. the potential to degrade the quality of the environment, to have impacts that are cumulatively considerable and/or cause considerable adverse effects on human beings.

Issue areas for which the Initial Study determined that no further analysis is necessary because impacts in these areas would be less than significant, are:

• Population and housing
• Geophysical
• Water
• Transportation and circulation
• Energy and natural resources
• Public services
• Utilities and service systems
• Social and economic effects

Mr. Edgecomb pointed out that, interestingly, the Initial Study found that impacts from blasting and trucks were not in need of an EIR much to the consternation of the surrounding community, which feels that these two issues have considerable impact. However, the last item in the list of things to be studied (“cumulative effects”) could be a lever to bring these issues into the EIR scope if enough community pressure is brought to bear during the scoping sessions.

A comment period on the Initial Study has not yet been announced but will probably be 30 to 45 days in length and include a public meeting. During this period the public is invited to "scope" out the extent of impacts that the EIR should study. The public can also agree or disagree with the County's conclusions about issue areas that warrant further study and those that the Initial Study deemed would have less than significant impact. It is critical that the public make their written or oral comments at upcoming public hearings to be convened by the County of Marin.

Coalition Board member and chair of the Quarry Committee, Dave Crutcher, then spoke in a bit more detail about what the Quarry is seeking in its amended operating permit.  He mentioned that the Quarry is asking that its new permit (i) impose no limits on annual production of quarry materials, (ii) allow noise generating quarrying operations 7 days per week until 10 p.m. and (iii) allow blasting to occur at greater frequency.  This is a dramatic expansion from the Quarry’s baseline operations that were set in 1982.

Dave encouraged residents not to lose focus on the Quarry as a priority community issue as the permit process plays out.  The new permit will establish the conditions under which Quarry-area residents will be living, probably for decades.  Residents should continue to make their Quarry concerns heard by writing to Eric Steger at the County.

For more information on the Quarry and how to contact Mr. Steger, please see the Coalition website at http://sprcoalition.org/topics/quarry.

Loch Lomond Marina:
 
Coalition Board Member and website administrator, Alan Schaevitz, gave an overview of the events related to the planned developments at the Loch Lomond Marina that have occurred over the past several years leading up to the approval, with conditions, of the development plans and of the EIR by the San Rafael Planning Commission on May 9, 2007. The plans were then submitted to the San Rafael City Council for final review and approval.

Coalition Board co-Chair, Bonnie Marmor, described the San Rafael City Council hearing on June 18, 2007, at which the public was invited to comment. After the public comment, the Council members asked questions of the City staff and of the developers, expressing some of their issues and concerns. For more information on each Council member’s comments, see the Coalition website at http://sprcoalition.org/topics/marina/news.htm.

Alan and Bonnie underscored to the audience that there is still has an opportunity to modify this plan to one that allows all the proposed uses to work successfully.  As proposed, the Marina is compromised, victim to competing uses.  Protected views are being blocked when more careful planning could preserve them.  The plan needs to provide on-site space for all of its uses and it needs to be compatible with the adjacent developed area.  The Coalition seeks to ensure a successful balance of uses that encourage all to thrive. A reduction in the size of units and/or the number of units could go a long way toward addressing many of the problems associated with the project. The San Rafael Mayor and City Council have a responsibility and challenge to respond to public concerns and assure that sound planning prevails. Residents are urged to write or email the San Rafael City Council (see the addresses on our website at http://sprcoalition.org/contacts/sanrafael.htm) with their thoughts, concerns and desires before the Council’s meeting scheduled for July 16 at which they are expected to make a decision regarding the Marina development plans.

(NOTE: The Council hearing on July 16 did not reach a conclusion regarding the proposed development plans and the Final EIR.  This issue was continued to the next Council meeting on August 6, 2007.)

Wetland Preservation:

Wetlands Preservation Committee Chair, Rodney Ruskin, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the objectives and activities of this new Coalition committee. This committee is currently focusing on three areas, the Beach Drive wetlands, the Dutra Quarry wetlands and the inlet between Beach Drive and the Loch Lomond Marina. Rodney presented a plan for restoring the Beach Drive wetlands which has received the support of Marin County.  It will require funds, about $18,000, which is beyond that which the County can provide and fundraising will be required.  However, Supervisor Susan Adams has pledged $5,000 from her discretionary fund. For more information, please see the Coalition website at http://sprcoalition.org/topics/wetlands.

Disaster Preparedness:

Coalition co-Chair, Bonnie Marmor, spoke regarding the Disaster Preparedness Committee. The previous Chair, Yves Masson, has moved from the area and a new Chair is needed. There was much discussion of emergency preparedness.  With the recent fire in downtown San Rafael, the Tahoe fire, and the dry windy weather, there is an awareness of the high fire danger.  Bonnie pointed out that there is a wealth of information regarding both personal and community disaster preparedness on our website at http://sprcoalition.org/topics/disasterprep. Please let us know if you wish to get involved with this committee!  Use our feedback form on the Disaster Preparedness Committee page at http://sprcoalition.org/topics/disasterprep/committee.htm.