Fairfax housing plan eschews large developments

After quarreling with state officials for years over the require to provide affordable real estate, Fairfax leaders have unveiled a plan that would set aside space for seniors, low-income workers and the homeless.

But town officials say they do not care regardless of whether the state - which rejected Fairfax’s previous real estate proposal in 2006 - accepts this one.

“I think we’ve put together a plan that meets the state’s real estate goals in a way that fits into our community very beautifully,” mentioned Mayor Lew Tremaine, who serves on Fairfax’s affordable housing committee. “The fact that we’re not doing it in (the state’s) prescribed way might be a problem for them. But we’re going to create affordable real estate our way. We do not need to have the state’s blessing on how we do it.”

Rather than designating areas of town for high-density inexpensive real estate, the housing proposal Fairfax leaders described at a public forum Thursday depends on a few little developments, the legalization of 2nd “in-law” units and a zoning alter that allows construction of second-story apartments above downtown retailers.

The plan’s biggest change would transform the 12-acre “highway commercial zone” along Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to a brand new “central commercial” zone, in which property owners would not be required to seek a unique use permit in order to develop a second-story apartment.

“This would be returning to the historic roots from the town, in terms of conventional neighborhood design and transit-oriented development,” said Fairfax Planning Director Jim Moore. “About 42 parcels and 12 acres is going to be rezoned away from an auto-centric plan back to human scale.”

Other changes would allow the construction of 40 units of senior housing at the Lutheran Church’s property at 2525 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., and also the building of 20 units of workforce real estate for low- to middle-income workers at 2170 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., website from the former Mandarin Garden restaurant.

“We’re trying to meet our local needs, which we see as affordable housing for seniors and workforce real estate,” said Town Manager Michael Rock. “Those are the things we see as really lacking in this community.”

Those two projects would furnish at least 60 of the 108 housing units the town is needed to offer by the Association of Bay Area Governments. Fairfax officials hope to generate another 27 by striking a provision that requires the owners of second units - guest cottages or “in-law” apartments - to provide sprinkler systems for fire suppression. The move would legalize existing 2nd units.

The plan also allows the establishment of emergency homeless shelters within the new “central commercial” zone, and alters the zoning of School Street Plaza to encourage the creation of a new school. Although Ross Valley District officials passed on the idea of locating a new elementary school on School Street this summer, Fairfax leaders want to leave the possibility open for future plans.

“There appears to be strong support for re-creating the historic Central College at that website - or perhaps a private school,” Moore mentioned.

The Fairfax Town Council will consider the town’s real estate proposal Wednesday as part of a review of the town’s common plan. Ought to the council approve the proposal, a “super committee” that includes members from the council, the Planning Commission, the general plan advisory committee and the open space committee would then evaluate the overall strategy, a procedure that could take a minimum of a year.

By next fall, Moore believes, Fairfax could be on track to approve the very first complete general strategy within the town’s history.

Source: Contra Costa Times