San Rafael planners release EIR for final mall redevelopment

San Rafael officials have released the final environmental impact report on the massive housing plan for the Northgate mall.

The voluminous, 1,480-page report examines the potential effects of the proposal for 1,422 homes mixed with shops and restaurants on the 45-acre Terra Linda site.

Despite the fact that the revised plans were presented late in the game, the report says the changes “do not add significant new information” and “would not substantially change the construction and operational impact.”

The report is consistent with a draft assessment published in January, which said greenhouse gas emissions and noise from the project would be “significant and unavoidable”.

Like the draft report, the final EIR, or FEIR, examines three other project alternatives, including the “no project” option. In conclusion, the report says the “reduced residential alternative” – ​​which proposes 63 fewer homes than developers are seeking – would be the “superior environmental alternative”.

The option would “slightly reduce” impacts on air quality, emissions, energy, noise and vehicle travel generation, the report said.

However, the report argues that a list of necessary construction and mitigation measures should be followed to minimize disruption.

The report says the reduced residential alternative would meet the project’s stated goals with just 63 fewer homes.

April Talley, the city’s project director, said the Planning Commission is being asked to recommend certification of the document. The certification means the city finds the EIR met the requirements set forth by the California Environmental Quality Act, Talley said.

“It’s independent of the design approval decision, and approval of the certification does not necessarily mean approval of the project,” Talley said.

“California law requires that before considering whether to approve a project, the city must complete the environmental assessment process,” Talley said. “Certification of the EIR allows the city to proceed with the review and examination of the project.”

The Planning Commission is scheduled to consider the EIR when it meets Tuesday at 7 p.m. at City Hall. An opinion will be sent to the City Council for certification.

“Every aspect of the plan was carefully evaluated to transform Northgate from a declining suburban mall into a dynamic, mixed-use downtown,” said Ross Guehring, spokesman for mall owner and developer Merlone Geier Partners.

“We are eager to move into the final phase of the overhaul, bringing us one step closer to creating a vibrant new venue for San Rafael,” he said.

Merlone Geier Partners bought the mall in 2017. The company aims to start the construction phase in 2025, followed by the second phase in 2040.

The project would include six residential parcels with a mix of homes and apartments. The buildings would range from two to seven stories.

The proposal has become the poster child for promoting high-density housing in Marin as municipalities work to meet daunting state housing requirements.

Some residents agree, but the vocal majority lining up at City Hall to voice their opinions say the project is too big for the quiet residential neighborhood.

One group that has consistently raised concerns is the Marin-based nonprofit Responsible Growth.

In an email, Grace Geraghty, the group’s chief executive, said she appreciated staff for holding workshops and for public comment, but said “we are disheartened by the dismissive tone of the FEIR.”

The report includes staff and consultant responses to public letters and in-person comments. Critics have raised concerns about traffic, noise, emissions, emergency access and evacuations. They also say police and fire departments, schools and other agencies could be overstretched.

Geraghty said the responses from staff and consultants in the report were “misleading, sometimes misleading and do not take into account the legitimate and real concerns … of the existing community whose lives will be adversely affected for years to come”.

“These persistent community concerns deserve sincere engagement and resolution rather than whitewashing,” Geraghty said.

Members of the Marine Organizing Committee, an advocacy group, have a different perspective. Linda Haumann, a volunteer with the organization, said there is a housing crisis and the mall is in decline. Haumann said the developer has been responsive to community concerns by making revisions along the way.

For example, Haumann said, the developers plan to spread 143 apartments and designated affordable homes throughout the site, rather than grouping most of the lower-income housing into one complex. This change was in response to concerns that a freestanding complex for low-income households would segregate the community.

Some of those affordable homes will be for sale, while others will be for rent. Expanding ownership opportunities to affordable levels was another response to public comments, Haumann said.

In addition, the centerpiece “town square” was expanded to 57,000 square meters after critics said there was not enough space for recreation.

“We need to move forward, build more housing for our workforce and for those in Marin who need a place to call home,” Haumann said. “The bottom line is, if we want our teachers, our EMTs, our healthcare workers to live closer to where they work, we need more housing.”

More information about the project is at cityofsanrafael.org/northgate-town-square-rev/.