San Rafael panel advances Northgate mall redevelopment plan

A plan to redevelop Northgate mall in Terra Linda with a mix of housing, shops and restaurants is headed to the San Rafael Planning Commission.

After a five-hour hearing Wednesday, the city’s Design Review Board voted 4-1 to recommend approval of the proposal for the 45-acre site.

The meeting focused on the design elements of the six residential complexes proposed across the property. The housing ranged in height from 35-foot townhomes to 77-foot apartment buildings.

“I’m really excited about the vibrant mix of uses that’s needed to activate this space,” said board member Sarah Rege, who cast the dissenting vote. “However, I remain deeply concerned with the distribution of affordable units in phase one.”

The applicant, Merlone Geier Partners, is proposing that 96 affordable apartments be situated within a complex to be managed by EAH Housing of San Rafael. Phase one is expected to start in 2025.

Another 51 affordable homes would be spread across the rest of the two apartment complexes in phase two, which is referred to as the “2040 Vision Plan.”

“This idea of everything all in one building is something I just cannot get over as an acceptable idea or as a successful idea,” Rege said of the 96-apartment complex.

The project is proposed under the state density bonus, stifling the panel’s discretion to require the applicant change the height.

“I’m struggling to find comments that are within the confines of the items we’re being asked to talk about that will have a meaningful impact,” Rege said.

Merlone Geier Partners, which bought the property in 2017, calls the proposed development “Northgate Town Square.” Overall, the project aims to mix transit-oriented housing with community space, retail and restaurants.

At a meeting in July, the board dug into the details of the retail design and site layout, including landscaping, parking, bicycle and pedestrian features and the namesake square, which would include a park area, tables and seating and a flexible event space.

The board and many residents agreed that the square needs to be larger. Trimming the number of parking spaces was the board’s preferred method to accomplish it. That position was reinforced Wednesday.

“It needs to get a lot bigger,” board member Stewart Summers said.

As for the residential buildings, Chek Tang, principal architect at Studio T Square, provided an overview of the project’s goals.

“What does the housing do for this project? The housing that we bring to the table is to increase the 24/7 vitality to this district,” Tang said.

He said it was designed so that the tallest seven-story buildings were positioned up against hills to minimize the visual impact. On the east side, the residences are across from the Mt. Olivet Cemetery. On the west, the residences are against the hill atop of which sit the Villa Marin and Quail Hill developments.

Tang said the height and mass steps down as it gets closer to the single-family homes on the south side of the property.

As at the last meeting, residents offered mixed views. Few talked about the details of the architecture and site plan, and instead focused on the density, fire, traffic and safety concerns and the need for housing.

Matthew Hartzell, director of planning and research for WTB-TAM, a bicycling advocacy group, said he likes the proposal.

“This is a good project for Terra Linda; it’s a good project for San Rafael; it’s a good project for Marin County,” Hartzell said.

“Seven stories is not high density,” he added. “This is entirely suitable for a city of San Rafael’s size.”

Sophie Shehi, who lives at the Quail Hill homes, disagreed.

“I am not opposed to commercial with residential on top of it, but I am opposed to having it be right smack dab up against the sidewalk with no push back — it needs to be pushed back further,” Shehi said.

“And the three stories is fine; I’m fine with three stories,” she said. “I’m not fine with seven stories.”

James Quigley, who said he lives within a short walk of Northgate, said he understands his neighbor’s concerns.

“I also understand that we desperately need more housing,” he said.

“I think you’ve done a great job,” he told the board and the applicant. “Everything looks really nice.”

The panelists spent about two hours combing through the details of color, materials, articulation, roofs, building orientation and awnings, suggesting a laundry list of edits.

Board member Don Blayney said he appreciated that the architects stepped down the height closer to the neighborhood.

However, he said, “I think it’s just too big, too massive. I think the scale is all wrong.”

Summers said the architects did “an incredible job,” calling the presentation “awe inspiring.”

“I’m starting to accept things are changing; there’s a need,” Summers said. “I hope this reinvigorates this area. It does seem like the logical site for higher-density housing, close to transit, close to the freeway.”

David Geiser, managing director of Merlone Geier, said his team will continue to work with the city staff “on implementing these changes and doing what we can.”

The draft environmental impact report, which analyzes topics such as traffic, utilities, water supply, noise, air quality and other potential consequences of the development, is expected to be released this fall.

That report will be available for a 30-day public review and will also be vetted at a public meeting when the project is presented to the Planning Commission.

If the commission approves the project and documents, the proposal will be sent to the City Council for consideration.

As of Friday, the Planning Commission hearing had not been scheduled.

More information is online at bit.ly/3sNAipL.