Council nails down site options for housing
The San Anselmo Town Council has advanced a list of 173 properties where more than 1,000 new residences could be constructed.
Three of those sites were also selected Tuesday for renderings to be prepared to show the mass and scale of what could be developed on the properties.
The discussion was part of the town's process to update its housing element. The town is required by the state to show it can accommodate 833 new residences over the next eight years, as well as plan for an extra 20% as a buffer, said Heidi Scoble, the planning director.
“So essentially, we're planning for 1,000 units,” Scoble said.
Of the mandated homes, 127 must be designated for extremely low-income households; 126 for very low income; 145 for low income; 121 for moderate income; and 314 for above moderate income.
Renderings will be prepared for the U.S. post office site at 121 San Anselmo Ave., where up to 14 residences can be built; the flat area adjacent to 300 Sunny Hill Drive, where up to 77 homes could be constructed; and a stretch of Greenfield Avenue, which runs parallel to Red Hill Avenue.
The town received a $10,000 grant to develop the renderings to be incorporated in the planning document.
Other potential housing sites listed include the US Bank at 305 San Anselmo Ave., which can accommodate up to 26 residences; a portion of the field at Archie Williams High School, for up to 56 residences; part of the field at Wade Thomas Elementary School, for up to 12 residences; the United Market property, for up to 22 residences; and Andronico's, for up to 42 dwellings.
Councilmember Brian Colbert asked the town staff whether property owners have been contacted and what their positions are. He raised concern specifically about the school district properties.
Scoble said the staff is working to contact schools and other property owners to get input on
whether they would consider housing on their sites.
“That really just seems to be so tone deaf,” Colbert said, referring to the potential loss and development of the field at Wade Thomas school.
Mayor Alexis Fineman shared the concern, saying that adding school sites to the list without district collaboration could “cause unnecessary friction.”
Scoble said the purpose of the housing element is not to build the housing, but to show the state that the town has laid the framework so that development could happen.
On that point, Councilmember Eileen Burke said, “I think it gets us to our number is sort of the bottom line. We have submitted sites in the past that never ever got developed.”
Burke said regardless whether these properties are developed, this is a planning process that “satisfies the state.”
After several workshops, staff received feedback to keep open space areas out of the potential site inventory, Scoble said.
The strategy is to “upzone” in areas where housing is already allowed, so that more can be built.
The council did choose to remove one property from the housing inventory list: the dog park at 100 Shaw Drive. The park was created through long community planning. Although it was identified to accommodate up to 21 dwellings, the council agreed the potential loss of the park didn't make sense.
Scoble said the staff is meeting with consultants to kick-start the environmental review of the plan.
Before the end of the year, the Housing Element Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission are scheduled to review the draft housing element. The Town Council is expected to review the plan in January.
More information on the housing element is online at townofsananselmo.org/1517/HousingElement-Update.