What’s Happening In North San Rafael
The largest residential & commercial development in Marin County has been approved for Northgate Mall:
20+ year construction project
Built-in two phases
The project will allow
1,422 housing units
3600 ± new residents
Note scale of people & cars (rendering from the developer’s proposal)
Phase i:
Plans are to build 864 rental units and including 138 townhouses for private ownership
96 of the rental units will be affordable rental units in a separate 5-story building
Includes a 7-story building with 446 units and a 6-story building with 280 units
Northgate Town Square is about 1.3 acre
San Rafael’s General Plan 2040 requires 4 acres of open space per 1,000 people
Proposal provides only 40%± of the required acres. Developers can pay in-lieu fees to avoid requirement
Phase ii:
An additional two buildings; 6-story and 7-story comprising of 500 rental units
The open space will decrease in Phase II and will drop to 25%± of the GP2040 requirements
The developer states it:
“Reserve[s] the right to modify and to request later any waivers or reductions of development standards.”
For more information visit the City of San Rafael website.
New Projects
Below is a map showing other proposed housing projects within 1 mile of the Northgate property. RGM supports housing, but not dense massive disproportionate growth.
Map Key
1) Los Gamos: 212 rental units - Approved
2) 245 Nova Albion Way: Developer withdrew plan to build 87 townhouses - TBD
3) 350 Merrydale: 45 Townhouses Ownership - Approved
Map designed by Kuth Ranieri Architects
Advocacy Remains Important
* Terra Linda High School, not shown on map, is undergoing a major remodeling project and is estimated to be under construction from June 2024 - August 2029. This construction site will coincide with the Northgate Town Square Re-development construction.
The anticipated projects will result in over 1,900 units within less than one square mile. RGM agrees that housing is vital but how much is too much in one area? This does not include any additional projects that may be coming down the pike nor does it include smaller housing projects under 20 units.
The City of San Rafael is mandated by the state to build 3,220 new residences during 2023–2031. Suburban Terra Linda comprises only about 14% of San Rafael’s total square miles and is surrounded primarily by single-lane roads. Unlike downtown San Rafael there is no overall comprehensive development plan for Terra Linda. Regardless, Terra Linda is currently targeted to absorb approximately 57% of the state’s mandated Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). Disproportionate and unplanned growth can overburden a community in negative ways.