Throughout the year, RGM continued to participate regularly in Planning Commission, Design Review Board, and City Council meetings to provide input on: Northgate Redevelopment Project and Development Agreement, San Rafael 2023-2031 Housing Element, San Rafael Parks and Recreation Master Plan, traffic projects (Caltrans proposed roundabout at Redwood Highway and Civic Center Dr. and the Promenade on Merrydale), and various North San Rafael projects.

RGM met regularly throughout the year with City Staff.

In December, RGM attended the City Council meeting and wrote letters to oppose the proposed dissolution of the Design Review Board which was on the Agenda. We also opposed the timing of the meeting during a busy holiday season when many community residents and groups would be unavailable, therefore streamlining the process.

The resultant outcome was that the City Council decided to postpone the Design Review Board decision for several months and provide the public with more time for comments.

In September, RGM attended an In-Person Design Review Board meeting to discuss the Northgate Redevelopment Project with a focus on the architecture of the proposed residential buildings. RGM’s concerns included:

• Height, Density & Scale

• Safety, Traffic & Evacuation Challenges

• Shading & Noise

• Need for a Draft Environmental Impact Report and a Traffic Study

• Building Materials

The Design Review Board recommended to the Planning Commission the approval of the project’s Environmental and Design Review Permit inclusive of additional requirements, including the following:

• Increase the size of the Town Square significantly

• Omit faux materials in the landscaping (e.g., artificial turf)

• Eliminate the proposed dog park

• Consider eliminating the rocks in the Town Square, add seating instead

• Use permeable paving

• Add awnings and shade trees in appropriate locations

• Consider alternative designs such as green walls for the east and south side of the theater building

The Board directed City Staff to work with the developer to address how to accommodate these recommendations.

In July, RGM attended an In-person Design Review Board meeting regarding the Northgate Redevelopment Project which focused on the following topics.

• Overall site plan

• Pedestrian and bicycle network

• Overall landscaping plan

• Commercial architecture

After Merlone Geier, the Northgate Developer, presented their redesigned plan, the following changes were requested from both the majority of the DRB members and public comments.

• Increase the size of the 48,075 sq. ft. Town Square by eliminating the dog park (It was a surprise that so many of the public, including dog owners, favored this approach) and eliminating some of the parking

• Replace the AstroTurf and rocks planned for the Town Square, which will create an oven, with eco-friendly, comfortable, and alternative natural materials. The general recommendation to the applicant was to provide more shading with more canopied trees and to create a few pocket parks where people could gather with friends, surrounded by lovely vegetation

• Rethink the shared pedestrian and bicycle paths circulating internally within the Northgate development. A major concern voiced was the risk of e-bikes and professional cyclists going 20 mph alongside pedestrians and families biking with their young children and toddlers

• Replace the mural on the 44 ft. wall of the cinema with a living wall (living walls or green walls are self-sufficient vertical gardens that are attached to the exterior or interior of a building) and adequate lighting

• Rent commercial spaces to local businesses; everyone was against the presence of drive-thru fast-food chains because of increased GHG emissions and traffic congestion

In January, Merlone Geier, the Northgate Developer, conducted an Open House at Northgate Mall. Visuals and plans were presented to give the community an opportunity to learn more about the Northgate Redevelopment Project, ask questions of the project representatives and offer feedback.

Ten members of Responsible Growth in Marin attended and talked with all presenters and listened to various conversations of local residents.

The following summarizes some of the predominant topics that were discussed and the concerns that were expressed by the community.

• Traffic and Emergency Evacuation

• Building Height and Density

• Open Space

• Affordable Housing

• Circulation and Community/Transit Connections

• Size of the Town Square

Throughout 2022, RGM participated in meetings with the San Rafael Community Development Planning staff to discuss the Northgate Town Square Project, offered input, and provided updated ideas and concerns from our community, generated from various outreach activities. In addition, RGM met with the developer, Merlone Geier, and shared community feedback, offered insights, and stayed updated on the project.

In November, RGM attended an in-person Planning Commission Study Session at City Hall to discuss the Northgate Redevelopment Project. The community voiced many questions and concerns including the following:

• Height & Scale

• Sustainability & the Environment

• Main Entrance at Merrydale

• Open Space and the size of the Town Square

• Town Square Amenities

• Parking & Transportation

• Housing

In advance of the meeting, RGM encouraged the community to write letters to the city sharing their concerns and ideas, to be included into the public record. RGM supplied examples of sample letters. RGM created and distributed flyers and conducted an email campaign to encourage attendance, resulting in a packed house!

In October, RGM invited the community to attend an RGM Supporters Meeting to discuss the Northgate Town Square Redevelopment Project. The agenda was as follows:

• Share factually what is being planned for Northgate Mall, which is the largest residential and commercial development in Marin County

• Share RGM’s ideas, based on community input, General Plan 2040, North San Rafael Plan 2010 and recent Design Review Board comments

• Listen to participants’ ideas and answer questions

In August, RGM met with residents at Quail Hill Townhomes in Terra Linda to offer an informative and factual overview of the Northgate Town Square Project, share proposed alternatives to the current plan, receive feedback and answer questions. RGM shared that through discussions and negotiations with the developer, Merlone Geier, the project had been significantly modified in several ways from the original proposal. Some of the modifications that RGM achieved included:

• Moving the timeframe of building the Town Square from Phase II (2040) to Phase I (2025)

• Adding 85 Townhomes to buy, instead of 100% rental units

• Designing tiered buildings and creating sets backs to avoid excessive massing at the perimeter of the property

• Improving pedestrian and bike circulation creating a safer environment

In May RGM attended the San Rafael Design Review Board’s meeting to review The Northgate Town Square Project and the developer’s request for a Rezone to the Planned Development Zone, a Use Permit, and an Environmental and Design Review Permit. RGM expressed the following concerns:

• A minimum 3-acre Town Square

• Sufficient open space for its 3600± new residents

• Density and height of structures

• Noise, light, shading, and wind impact existing neighbors and new residents

In January the community and RGM attended the San Rafael Planning Commission scoping study session which provided the public the opportunity to shape what topics are covered in the environmental impact studies for the Northgate Mall Redevelopment Project which will transform the existing Mall into a phased mixed-use development consisting of retail, housing, and a Town Center

RGM will continue to participate regularly in Planning Commission, Design Review Board, and City Council meetings to provide input on the following:

• Environmental Impact Report for Downtown and North San Rafael 

• State housing regulations 

• Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) goals and exemptions to the California Environmental and Quality Act (CEQA) and usurpation of local jurisdiction

• Traffic guidelines and standards

The new year welcomed new City of San Rafael Council and Planning Commission members as well as changes and new hires at the City Planning Department

The Research and Community Vision Teams are reviewed various planning tools in preparation for the North San Rafael PDA process

In March, we were excited to learn that due in part to RGM’s activism that Costco was defeated at Northgate and Merlone Geier, Northgate Mall owners, submitted their re-development plans to the City

The RGM Community Vision Team designed a series of creative and attractive illustrations expressing what RGM thought possible for Northgate.

In April, RGM attended a Community Forum to learn about the project, and submitted questions to influence the development of a sustainable mixed-use Town Center at Northgate Center that the community has been imagining for 20+ years

In September, RGM attended a joint session of the San Rafael Design Review Board and the Planning Commission as the city started the process to determine the Future of Northgate. We submitted our concerns in advance of the meeting which included the need for a ‘true’ Town Center, Sustainability, Mixed Ownership, Density, Parking and Sensitivity to the Existing Neighborhood.

In January RGM was approved for nonprofit tax-exempt status

The Alliances and Community Vision teams were formed, making us 28 people strong (RGM is exclusively run by volunteers)

In February we were overjoyed to host a standing room only Supporters Meeting where we received confirmation that RGM was on the right path and garnished some great new ideas and donations

Sadly, February was RGMs last in-person meeting in observance of Marin County’s Pandemic rules. We miss the interaction with everyone, and we had to regroup and adapt to the new normal ►Zoom

In 2Q introduced RGMs bi-monthly newsletter to stay in touch with over 900 supporters and keep everyone informed

In September we held our first zoom Supporters Meeting and were thrilled to be in touch with everyone again, albeit with a smaller crowd and remotely. Supporters saw preliminary alternatives to what is possible at Northgate and were happy that commerce, neighborhood-scale businesses, attractive gathering places, and housing could coexist profitably and sustainably

RGM teams worked throughout the year on critical issues that directly impact plans for North San Rafael and Northgate Mall, e.g., traffic methodologies, North San Rafael Priority Development Area (PDA), GP 2040.

End of August kicked off first community meeting with 59 concerned residents at Quail Hill

By the September meeting organized into six work teams, introduced name Responsible Growth in Marin, created website, Facebook, developed letter writing campaign, canvassed petition, created flyers and posters

Thoroughly researched and reported on negative environmental impacts of noise and light pollution and increase in greenhouse gas emissions and deterioration of air quality from increased traffic and idling

In October, the Planning Commission and Design Review Board were surprised at City Hall with overflowing crowds, hundreds of emails, and 1000+ petitions to comment against Costco’s preliminary plans (pictured above)

By year end RGM was recognized as a credible organization, meeting with Council members and collaborating on Draft General Plan (GP) 2040.