FEBRUARY 13TH IMPORTANT MEETING ON THE NORTHGATE TOWN SQUARE PROJECT DEIR

Dear RGM Supporters,

The City of San Rafael has released the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the Northgate Town Square Project. This draft is an important first step in producing the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) which is required before the project is approved. The DEIR identifies and analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the proposed Northgate project and the mitigation measures, if any, that are needed to address significant impacts.

Attend Planning Commission Meeting

We urge you to attend, in person, the Planning Commission meeting on February 13th at 7 pm at the San Rafael City Hall, 1400 5th St., to show your support and assure community needs are heard. RGM supports mixed-use redevelopment, including housing, at the struggling Northgate Mall, but has concerns that the project will have impacts on the community that need to be mitigated.

A large community presence is essential to impress our concerns about the Northgate Town Square project and the impacts it will have.

When: Tuesday. February 13th at 7pm
Where: San Rafael City Hall, 1400 5th Street, San Rafael
How: Please attend to learn more about the environmental impacts of the project, listen to other people’s concerns, and express your concerns (3 minutes of comments allowed per person).

Issues RGM is focusing on

• Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases

  • Impacts on air quality and greenhouse gas emissions are underestimated because the DEIR’s studies rely on an incorrect baseline of a fully functioning mall (we all know that has not been the case for many years)

  • Propose to decrease traffic by decreasing the number of residences, which would decrease greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality

  • Propose to require an onsite construction manager who is responsible for all mitigation measures and who is available to respond to public complaints

• Pollution and Health

  • DEIR underestimates health risks because it relies on incorrect meteorological data not representative of San Rafael (inhalation of construction and operational emissions may result in cancer risks and other adverse health effects)

  • Residents of adjacent and nearby senior facilities are at particular risk from emissions

• Noise

  • DEIR noise studies use inaccurate measurements of existing ambient noise

  • DEIR underestimates the need for construction noise to be regulated under the City’s Noise Ordinance 

  • Even with proposed mitigation measures, noise levels in surrounding neighborhoods will exceed City standards

  • Decreasing traffic would decrease ongoing operational noise

  • Police are responsible for noise enforcement and need training and noise-measuring equipment

• Traffic

  • DEIR traffic studies use a wrong baseline of a fully functional mall, so it looks like the traffic effects are not significant

  • Residents of nearby senior facilities and clients of Guide Dogs for the Blind are particularly at risk from increased traffic

  • DEIR traffic studies need to include the three roundabouts planned on Freitas Parkway

  • Eliminating the drive-through restaurants would decrease traffic

  • Including a supermarket and other services onsite would decrease traffic

  • Reducing the number of apartments (Residence 4) would decrease traffic

• Evacuation Routes and Safety

  • DEIR does not consider the risks of urban wildfires

  • Terra Linda’s only two evacuation routes go past the mall

  • Eucalyptus trees along Los Ranchitos Rd. across from the proposed 7-story building are an evacuation hazard in case of urban wildfire

• Insufficient Public Open Space

  • The project does not provide an additional 4 acres of park per 1000 new residents as required by the City’s General Plan

  • Propose to enlarge Town Square by relocating center parking

  • Propose to move toddler playground to Town Square

  • Propose to keep public park space near Kohl’s in Phase 2

  • Propose to apply in-lieu parkland dedication fees to local recreation facilities rather than city-wide

• Building Height 

  • The project contains 5, 6, and 7-story buildings

  • Propose to reduce the height of 7-story Residences 4 to 6 stories (which could be a variant of DEIR’s proposed Reduced Residential Alternative)

• North San Rafael Promenade

  • Propose that mall owner contribute financially to completing the path from Northgate Mall to the SMART train station

Letters to the City

Through RGM’s efforts, the City extended the deadline to accept written comments to March 5th, 2024 at 5 pm.  

For more information: RGM has submitted detailed technical letters which you can view here or view individually:

• Northgate DEIR Reduced Residential Alternative 2-7-24

• Northgate DEIR Recreation 2-7-24

• Northgate DEIR Pedestrian Impacts Comments 2-7-24

RGM will be sending more letters on other topics in the next couple of weeks.

Stay tuned: You can write your letter/email stating your concerns and can support RGM’s recommendations.

Next week RGM will be sending suggestions for where to send your letters and how to make your comments on the DEIR most effective.

Seeking Donations for Expert Analysis

RGM has recently hired subject matter experts to analyze, and if appropriate, challenge the assumptions in the DEIR documents (traffic, air quality). 

We have also retained an experienced CEQA attorney to assist us with the DEIR/FEIR process and with the retention of experts.

We urgently ask for your donation to help us fund these efforts. Please donate what you can to help us effectively, fully, and professionally respond with the community’s priorities in mind. 

Thank you in advance for your engagement with this significant development project that will affect our community for years to come.

Best,

RGM