Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for May 12, 2024

Approving the changes to countywide plan a mistake

Despite expressed public concern over housing policies, why did the Marin Board of Supervisors approve and adopt countywide-plan and housing-element language against which they were repeatedly cautioned? (“Marin judge rules against county in housing power struggle,” April 15)

The supervisors knowingly ignored many warnings about language regulating development in unincorporated Marin.

They ignored a warning from former Planning Commissioner Andrea Montalbano that the proposed language overriding community plans was unlawful.

They ignored a petition signed by 1,500 of their constituents entitled, “Save Our Community Plans.” They ignored the advice of local land use attorney Riley Hurd to change the unlawful language. They ignored the detailed analysis and recommendations of the late community leader Sharon Rushton. They ignored public testimony of their constituents asking to preserve the authority and integrity of community plans.

And, above all, they ignored the Planning Commission’s stated reasons for not recommending approval of the housing element, including the language that subjugated community plans.

As a result, Marin Superior Court has found the supervisors’ actions to be unlawful and has given them 120 days to make things right.

Instead of listening to their constituents and planning commissioners, the supervisors went along with recommendations of unelected county planners, who want ministerial authority over development in unincorporated Marin without community input.

County planners pushed policies that voluntarily and unnecessarily go beyond the requirements of a compliant housing element. Now they are proposing development code amendments that could upzone environmentally sensitive areas.

Supervisors should not follow these planners further “down the rabbit hole” by adopting unrequired and unwanted amendments. They have lost credibility. Our communities will suffer the consequences of their missteps.

— Bruce Corcoran, Strawberry

Newsom appears to be avoiding State of the State

Gov. Gavin Newsom has gone two years now without a traditional State of the State address. I would be embarrassed to do so too if I were him, given the nosedive we are taking from being the once great state of California, and the upcoming tax tsunami he has coming at us this autumn.

His actions (along with the actions of the ruling majority in the state Legislature) are causing good people and good businesses to escape to long-proven, better-run states. Having our governor hide behind a written report won’t cut it.

I think most of his decisions are based on a possible future run for president. Instead, he should focus on cutting spending here. That’s what a responsible governor would do.

If he were leading our country, I worry Newsom would resort to the same level of obfuscation he appears to be using now.

— Roland Underhill, Novato

Marin GOP should fill committee seats now

The Marin Republican Central Committee was established by state law. It is composed of members from each of the five county supervisor districts. Right now, there are 23 occupied seats. Seven seats are currently vacant.

District 2 (which includes Ross, Fairfax, Kentfield and San Anselmo) is completely empty with four vacant seats, District 3 (including Mill Valley, Sausalito, Belvedere and Tiburon) has two vacant seats and District 4 (West Novato and West Marin) has one vacant seat. As a result, I estimate that 30% of registered Marin Republicans have no representation on the committee.

For the first time in decades, registered Republicans had an opportunity to elect a full slate of members to the Marin GOP in the recent presidential primary. Voters responded by electing a majority of new members. In defiance of voters and committee bylaws, the establishment Republicans refused to seat the new members until January.

There is no good reason that the vacant seats should remain empty. Committee bylaws provide a mechanism for filling vacant seats. One must ask the “old guard” why it is clinging to power while denying so many Republicans full representation.

The decision contradicts their calls for “unity” and the need for “all hands on deck” as we approach the November presidential election.

— Francis Drouillard, Novato