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Good news! After our recent call to action and in part because of strong community support, on June 15, 2020 the City Council of San Rafael voted to adopt a resolution authorizing the submittal of a Letter of Interest nominating North San Rafael/Northgate as a Priority Development Areas (PDA) as Part of the Plan Bay Area 2050 Program. It is expected that the city will be informed of the acceptance of their application by August 2020 and funding will be allocated by October 2020. Why does RGM support a PDA designation? A PDA would support the development of a North San Rafael/Northgate town center which the community has been striving to implement for many years. The PDA would help obtain the funding needed to bring together the major stakeholders — residents, property owners, businesses and San Rafael officials — to create a viable holistic plan. Want to learn more about the PDA? Below are a few key questions/answers from the City of San Rafael’s website. Please visit their website for more information: (website link here) What is a PDA? First, a Priority Development Area or “PDA” is a place that has convenient public transit service that is prioritized by local governments (cities/counties) for housing, jobs and services. PDAs range from Downtowns to Main Streets to aging shopping malls. Second, a PDA is a funding and planning tool. If a local jurisdiction voluntarily nominates an area for PDA designation, the designation provides the local jurisdiction with access to funds and grants to: a) develop and adopt area Plans to plan for, design and regulate future growth of the area; and b) constructed needed and/or planned infrastructure improvements. PDAs are voluntarily nominated by the local jurisdiction. Further, the local jurisdiction has the full discretion to set the boundaries of the PDA within the eligible PDA areas that have been identified by Plan Bay Area. By nominating a PDA, San Rafael is prioritizing a community-driven planning process looking at housing, jobs and services, and intensified land uses within this area. Can a PDA be removed by the City? Yes. After a PDA has been designated, it can be removed at any time by the local jurisdiction. This process is known as a rescinding a PDA. A designated PDA can be removed by the City Council adopting a resolution rescinding the PDA. While removing the PDA is immediate, it may continue to appear as a PDA until the next update of Plan Bay Area (updated every four years). How would a PDA designation affect the Costco proposal and process for Northgate Mall? Establishing a PDA designation that includes Northgate Mall would have no impact on City permit and review process for a Costco proposal. The PDA designation is a planning and funding tool. In and of itself, a PDA holds no authority or power over City zoning or development review. This lack of authority would apply to Costco or any other project proposed. A PDA can provide a funding source to develop and adopt a Specific Plan for an area. A Specific Plan is structured to include both land use policies and zoning regulations. The Specific Plan sets forth the type and amount of land uses and type of development that are allowed or not allowed for the Plan area. Besides being a funding tool, the PDA commits the City and developer to work with the community to develop a specific plan. RGM is committed to being involved in this process so that we can have a voice in the development of Northgate Mall with the goal of creating a vibrant mixed-use town center that supports our vision. Click here for more information about the PDA on the City of San Rafael’s website. As always, we’ll keep you informed as new developments and calls to action arise. Thank you for your continued engagement!
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