Marin County may be closer to building an all-affordable, multi-family housing complex on the site of Marinwood Plaza off of U.S. Highway 101, the county said.

Tableau Development Co., in cooperation with Marinwood Propco L.P., submitted an application to develop 125 units on the site in an unincorporated area of San Rafael known as Marinwood on the corner of Miller Creek Road and Marinwood Avenue.  

The county is anticipating completion of land remediation at the site, which will be overseen by the San Francisco Bay Area Regional Water Quality Control Board due to chemicals from a former dry cleaning business there. 

Builders want to create apartments for households with incomes that range from 30 to 70 percent of the area median income, which was just over $51,000 in 2022, according to U.S. Census data.  

The project was included in the county’s housing plan and an environmental review has already occurred, the county said. There are, however, several hoops to be jumped through beyond just mitigating chemicals in the area.  

The application will first undergo a housing compliance review with multiple agencies, which could take anywhere from 60 days to several months. After that, the state requires a 60-day compliance review, during which time public workshops must be held to present details about the project. Once the state greenlights everything, the applicants can apply for building permits and inspections.  

Marin County Community Development Agency Director Sarah Jones said in a news release sent out Thursday that this site could provide a “great opportunity” for some of Marin’s workforce to be able to afford to live near their jobs, which has been an issue for the county. 

“By adding affordable housing in a location near services and amenities, this proposed development will use resources efficiently, and helps to meet our commitment to fair housing and addresses disparities that have occurred from past housing decisions,” she said. 

Environmental concerns

Jones said the county is aware that some residents of toney Marinwood — home to million-dollar homes designed by architect Joseph Eichler — may have reservations about a new affordable housing development, but that they should lay their worries to rest.  

“We know some in the Marinwood area may be concerned by this application,” she said. “But the county’s role is to create affordable housing that supports health and safety, while being sensitive to environmental and community resources and the views of residents. We’ll seek to meet those in evaluating this project.” 

As for the site’s cleanup, a deadline for total remediation has been set by the Regional Water Quality Control Board by 2027. According to data about the cleanup, contaminants “of concern” include acetone, dichloroethene, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene and vinyl chloride — all chemicals that can contaminate groundwater.  

According to the state, in 2017, 510 tons of impacted soil were removed from under the site of the dry cleaner and a soil sample taken afterward “met the cleanup goals.” About 5,105 gallons of groundwater were also removed and treated. 

Katy St. Clair got her start in journalism by working in the classifieds department at the East Bay Express during the height of alt weeklies, then sweet talked her way into becoming staff writer, submissions editor, and music editor. She has been a columnist in the East Bay Express, SF Weekly, and the San Francisco Examiner. Starting in 2015, she begrudgingly scaled the inverted pyramid at dailies such as the Vallejo Times-Herald, The Vacaville Reporter, and the Daily Republic. She has her own independent news site and blog that covers the delightfully dysfunctional town of Vallejo, California, where she also collaborates with the investigative team at Open Vallejo. A passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities, she serves on both the Board of the Arc of Solano and the Arc of California. She lives in Vallejo.