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San Marin Improvement Association

Monday, October 29, 2018

San Andreas Site


Dear San Marin Neighbors, 

Upon learning that NUSD is looking at possible uses of the San Andreas School Site located just south of the San Marin Drive, San Marin Improvement Association held a meeting on September 19th with NUSD, the Stakeholder, presenting and City of Novato, assisting, for our neighbors to get firsthand information from the source. 

Approximately 50 neighbors attended the meeting.  The meeting was interactive, with lively discussions and concerns for NUSD and the City to address.   

We learned from the meeting that the site has sat vacant for quite some time and it is time for NUSD to look at potential use of the site, especially with the declining school enrollment.  NUSD did a survey, first with NUSD employees and then included the City as well as Novato Fire District, to see if the employees would be interested in workforce housing.  The response was favorable.  The sites being considered include the San Andreas school site and the adjacent smaller city site, which is currently used as a  park (collectively called San Andreas Site).    

The plan is for NUSD to conduct a feasibility study of what can be done to the site.  An update of the feasibility study will be presented on November 13 at the joint meeting of the City of Novato and NUSD.  These are very preliminary discussions of  possibilities, such as workforce housing +/- market rate housing, possible sale of the lot and have workforce housing elsewhere in the city, etc.  Nothing is definite and no further action will be taken until after the feasibility study is completed with favorable results to go forward.  

If any project should go forward, the City of Novato said that proper development approval procedures will be followed, including full environmental review through the required CEQA (California Environment Quality Act) process to make sure the site is suitable for housing.  Workshops will be conducted to inform and receive feedback from Novato residents as well as San Marin neighbors. 

The San Marin Improvement Association feels strongly that San Marin neighbors should learn facts from the source.  As discussed in the meeting, we are waiting for the results of the feasibility study to be presented to both the NUSD Board of Trustees and the City Council.  We will arrange a San Marin Neighborhood meeting after that for NUSD and the City to come and present the findings and what their next steps might be for the property.

Thank you for your patience and we will be in touch once we hear from NUSD and/or City of Novato.

Questions and/or concerns about the site, the meeting, and the process, please contact Leslie Benjamin, NUSD Communications and Community Engagement Director, at LBenjamin@nusd.org  
Sylvia Barry
San Marin Improvement Association   




Saturday, October 20, 2018

The Annual San Marin Improvement Association's (www.SanMarin.org) San Marin Neighborhood Halloween Parade is scheduled Saturday, October 27th, at 11am. 

The parade starts in front of 181 San Andreas Drive (5 houses from San Marin across from the field) 

Categories are (0-2,3-5,6-8,9-12,groups/families, and pets). 

There will be a table set up before 11am for kids, families and pets to register and receive a number for judging. Parade will be led by Novato Fire and will commence on the normal route, down San Andreas, turn right onto San Carlos and finishing at All Saints Church where we will have a Halloween Costume contest. 

Big shout out to Novato Fire, Novato Police and the San Marin High School students for helping with the parade each year. 

Many thanks to San Marin neighbor Clint McArdell for stepping up to organize this event for the past few years, San Marin High students for helping, and All Saints church for allowing us to use their ground for awards ceremony each year! This is how we make our community great for everybody!

Let your neighbors and friends know and see you October 27th! 

We are in need of Volunteers - both Adults and High School Students (will receive volunteer hours). 

Please call Sylvia Barry (415) 717-0293 or email sylvia@SylviaBarryRE.com if you can help! 

Monday, October 15, 2018

San Marin Neighborhood Meeting - Fire Safety/Firewise Community Meeting - 7pm, Thursday, 10/18, at All Saints

Reminder about the Fire Safety and the Firewise Community via the FireSafe USA Program, 7:00pm, Thursday, October 18, at All Saints Church.

The San Marin Improvement Association (SMIA - www.SanMarin.org)  makes a lot of effort to invite out guest speakers for topics we believe are important to our neighbors. 

We hope we can have good attendance each time - Please know that the presenters also give up their precious time to come to our meetings.  It will be nice to have a full house each time.
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Please bring your neighbors to get to know SMIA and to learn together about FireSafety and on how to form Firewise Community!

With the devastating Northbay Fire and the Redding Fire, Firesafe is becoming increasingly important for ALL neighborhoods.  The Firewise USA Program encourages local solutions for safety by involving homeowners in taking individual responsibility for preparing their homes from the risk of wildfire. The program provides resources to help homeowners learn how to adapt to living with wildfire while encouraging and empowering neighbors to work together to take action now to reduce their wildfire risk and prevent losses.

Novato Fire District will be here to introduce the Firesafe Program to us, and Pacheco Valle Firewise Community leaders will provide a first-hand account on how to become a Firewise Community.

Doors open at around 6:45pm for Sign in.

Question about the meeting - please contact me at Sylvia@SylviaBarryRE.com or 415-717-0293.

Thank You,
Sylvia Barry
San Marin Improvement Association
415-717-0293