Marin Voice: Northgate density, height concerns must be addressed

A redesigned town square and pavilion are shown in this rendering of the proposed redevelopment of the Northgate shopping mall in San Rafael. (Provided by Merlone Geier Partners)

By PATRICK GANNON |
PUBLISHED: July 6, 2022 at 1:51 p.m. | UPDATED: July 14, 2022 at 2:25 p.m.

One of Marin County’s largest residential and commercial developments is planned for Northgate mall in northern San Rafael.

Mall owners Merlone Geier propose that the 20-year construction project proceed in two phases. Revised plans were presented to the San Rafael Design Review Board earlier this year. It flagged numerous issues still to be addressed. Environmental and traffic studies need to be completed, hopefully by the end of the year.

Phase 1 includes plans for three residential towers totaling 822 rental units, plus 85 three-story townhouses for private ownership. The townhouses will be located opposite the Eichler neighborhood at the south end of the mall. A five-story building opposite Quail Hill comprises 96 rental units for affordable housing. That fulfills thecity’s affordable housing requirements.The first phase includes a six-story tower located on the corner of Northgate Drive and Las Gallinas Avenue (near the former location of the Sears tire store), which will add an additional 280 units. It also features a seven-story building located opposite the Chase bank that will yield an additional

446 units. Phase 2 adds two more five story buildings to be built when the leases for Macy’s and Kohl’s expire.

Community response to the proposal has been somewhat mixed. On one hand, the new plan is an improvement over the initial proposal to convert the Sears site into a Costco megastore and gas station. It also adds much-needed housing – a state and city goal.

The design includes green space, referred to as the “town square,” in addition to a bicycle center and a dog park. New retail stores, an enlarged movie theater and a variety of restaurants and other amenities are proposed. Buildings will be built to “green” standards.

Several concerns have been raised. For example, the town square feature is welcomed but the size of the plot (just over 1 acre) is small. The city’s 2040 general plan calls for a minimum of 4 acres of “green space” for each 1,000 residents, while the project design would add as many as 5,000 new residents. There is concern that Merlone Geier may disregard this requirement by paying in-lieu fees to the city.

Another concern is that the number of units proposed would create density and traffic problems while putting added stress on water and infrastructure resources. The roads around Northgate are mostly just a single lane in each direction. At the moment, there is no plan to widen them to accommodate increased traffic. The forthcoming traffic study will address how surrounding streets will be impacted.

Many design elements contravene general plan guidelines which state that “standards for density, design, traffic and parking shall be tailored to reflect local context. ...The scale of improvements should be compatible with the surrounding community and should not exceed infrastructure capacity. ... New or expanded structures should demonstrate how views, sightlines, visual integrity and character will be impacted and addressed.”

Besides density concerns, the height of the three residential towers is out of scale with the surrounding existing neighborhood of single-story historic Eichler homes and two- or three-story commercial buildings.

For example, the AlmaVia senior center opposite the proposed six-story building is only three stories. The height and location of the seven-story tower will dominate the entire campus, especially the entry promenade on the east side of the mall.

Concerns include shading, wind-tunnel effects and noise from the roof deck reverberating across the surrounding area. The review board suggested including housing at the north end of the property to obviate the need for the seven-story tower.

Patrick Gannon is a San Francisco psychologist and 27-year resident of San Rafael. He is a member of the group Responsible Growth in Marin.