Once neglected Marin County Baylands gain new status

For many years Marin's Baylands got little respect. In the 1960s and '70s Marin environmentalists focused on preserving ridgelands, the ocean coast, and agricultural areas. Even in the landmark Marin Countywide Plan of 1973, the shore of San Pablo Bay was seen mainly for development potential.

Consequently, the Marin Open Space District concentrated on acquiring the ridge and upland greenbelt between communities in Eastern Marin. County zoning and the Marin Agricultural Land Trust worked effectively to protect farms and ranches from development. The Coastal Commission, established in 1972 by California voters, protected areas near the ocean. But lands along the Bay were subdivided and developed, with projects like Bahia in Novato, and Bel Marin Keys on unincorporated land.

This neglect of Baylands was partly cultural. Hills, mountains, and the ocean have historically been seen more favorably than low-lying areas. The Bible states, "I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help," with no reference to spiritual guidance from low-lying wetlands.

Another problem was lack of public appreciation of the significance of wetlands and Baylands. In the 1980s and 90s, information diffused about the ecological value of these lands, and regulations evolved accordingly. Loss of life and property damage painfully illustrated the flood and earthquake dangers of Bay mud development.

Today the major planning and development issues facing Marin County involve areas along San Pablo Bay.

• Baylands Protection Corridor. As Marin revises its Countywide Plan, it is time to create a Baylands Protection Corridor, designated primarily for natural resource protection rather than development. The designation would parallel the Coastal, Inland Rural, and City-Centered Corridors established in the 1973 plan. Serious debate is happening over the boundaries of the new corridor. Environmentalists want it to include all major undeveloped lands north of Point San Pedro, and to extend west to the 101 freeway.
• St.Vincent/Silveira. This unincorporated site in East San Rafael, with its historic church and ranch, as well as a unique ecosystem of wetlands, uplands, and areas subject to tidal action, has been controversial for decades. In 2003 the city of San Rafael rejected an application by Catholic Charities/Catholic Youth Organization to develop 766 homes, but the property owner has stated the intent of submitting the same application to the county. The proposed development would badly impair the ecosystem, block views of the Bay, and bring traffic on highway 101 to a standstill.
• Bahia. An environmentally damaging expansion of this development in Novato was stopped by a 2001 referendum in which the Sierra Club played a major role. Restoration of the disputed site is now under way.
• Bel Marin Keys. Another ill-advised subdivision expansion, which would have continued the pattern of using dredge spoils to create boat slips and building pads, was turned down by the county in the early 1980s. The Coastal Conservancy is now working on a restoration project.
• Hamilton Field runways. Another long-running dispute in Novato was whether the decommissioned Hamilton Field should be used for general aviation. Voters expressed their opposition in several elections in the 1970s. The Coastal Conservancy is about to restore the runway to wetlands, with the use of dredge spoils from the Port of Oakland.
• San Quentin. The state Department of Corrections has proposed adding a new Death Row to the existing prison. Environmentalists are concerned about the impacts of this proposed facility. At the same time, the competing idea of relocating the prison and replacing it with a new "transit village", promoted by development interests and some "new urbanists", raises issues of how to provide needed services and support for prisoners at a more remote location, and how to deal with the traffic from a new town.
• Canalways. An 85-acre diked historic marsh on the San Pablo Bay shoreline, surrrounded on three sides by densely populated, multi-cultural areas of San Rafael, Canalways is big enough for shy species to get away from the edges, yet it is surrounded by a levee that gives easy access for local residents to stroll by. The owners are have indicated interest in developing the site, but have not submitted a project application.

WhatYouCanDo

The Sierra Club Marin Group will be working on some of these issues in the next several months, as part of its campaign to mobilize the public in reviewing the Marin Countywide Plan. The Club will be cooperating with other environmental organizations in this effort, including the Marin Conservation League, Marin Audubon Society, Environmental Action Committee of West Marin, Marin Baylands Advocates, and Citizen Advocates for the Preservation of St. Vincent/Silveira. To get involved, contact Cathleen Sullivan at (510)848-0800, ext. 316, or cathleen-at-sfbaysc.org

Marjorie Macris, Marin Group delegate to Bay Chapter ExComm