Tam Junction site proposed as solution to Marin City housing conflict

A plan to split up a controversial housing development in Marin City now has a second site.

The county unveiled a plan Wednesday for a 32-apartment affordable housing complex at 150 Shoreline Highway, a vacant lot near Tamalpais Junction.

The project stems from a developer’s plan to build a five-story, 74-apartment complex at 825 Drake Ave. in Marin City. In May, after protests from residents, the plan was split into 42 apartments in Marin City and 32 apartments elsewhere in southern Marin.

The developer of the Drake Avenue site, Pacific West Communities, recently purchased the Shoreline Highway property, said Sarah Jones, the director of Marin County Community Development Agency. The property sits next to a county-owned parcel that could be used for parking, county staff said.

Neighbors of the Drake Avenue project cited concerns such as gentrification, increased traffic in a densely populated area, and blocked sunlight for residents at a complex for seniors next door.

A representative of Save our City, a community group opposed to the development, could not be reached for comment.

Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters promoted the two-site idea on Wednesday.

“The county listened to the community at a number of meetings and worked to find a solution that addressed their concerns,” she said.

Jones said the Shoreline Highway site was already approved for 22 dwellings in 2021. The property was also included in the county’s housing element plan that identified 148 sites for a total of 5,197 dwellings.

“If this goes forward, it’s not a significant increase or departure from that,” Jones said of the Shoreline Highway plan. “It’s a location that works well for multifamily housing — it’s near transportation, near services, and near stores.”

The developer considered the location after months of negotiations with county staff, Jones said.

Jones said the changes to the Drake Avenue project would mean more open space around its building and less impact on the Village Oduduwa seniors’ complex next door.

Caleb Roope, president and chief executive officer of Pacific West Communities’ parent organization, the Pacific Companies, could not be reached for comment.

An “affordable” residence is priced for tenants whose incomes are below Marin County’s area median income. Jones said that the original Drake Avenue project was planned for low-income households at 50% to 70% of the AMI and very-low-income households at 30% to 50% of the AMI. For a “very-low-income” household of three people, 50% of Marin’s AMI would be $84,000, according to data by the Housing Authority of Marin County.

The Shoreline Highway project has several hurdles ahead. The proposed rezoning for the development will be reviewed by the Tam Design Review Board and then the county’s Planning Commission. Afterward, county supervisors must rezone the location for the 32 dwellings to fit into the county’s housing element plan.

Supervisors are scheduled to review the proposed changes to the Drake Avenue project at their meeting on Oct. 15.

The development’s grading and foundation work could begin as soon as this fall, the county staff said. A state law allowed the project to be approved by the county without a required environmental impact review and without rejection if it met minimum affordable housing guarantees.