An aerial of the section of Miller Ave. most often identified as possible housing on Miller Avenue.
As we reported earlier this month, now that the City of Mill Valley’s Housing Element has been approved by the State of California’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), it’s now time to advance through the next phase of the process – namely, re-zoning.
What’s that, you ask? All cities in Marin must close out their required zoning updates and preparing to implement updated housing elements. The updated documents will guide the production of new housing over the eight-year period through 2031.
Under the state’s housing mandate, the city must permit 865 more residences during the next eight-year planning cycle. The mandate includes 262 residences for very-low-income households, 151 for low-income households, 126 for moderate-income households and 326 for above-moderate-income households.
Mill Valley is planning for 969 dwellings, including 289 for very-low-income households, 185 for low-income, 151 for moderate-income and 344 for above-moderate households.
The Mill Valley Planning Commission, led by Senior Planner, Advanced Planning Danielle Staude, began the re-zoning process this week.
The lengthy hearing saw the commission take action to recommend adoption the of the re-zonings in the ordinance and to establish regulations for their housing overlays.
The commission will further discuss objective design standards at the Feb 13th Planning Commission hearing.
The city council will consider first reading of the re-zoning on Feb. 5th, and will also go through the next phase of the 1 Hamilton property. The process could include the Comcast building on East Blithedale.
The hearing did provide some good news: that even at this early phase of re-zoning, there are a few developers interested in pursuing re-zoning for properties within the city, including 20 Sunnyside.
In addition to the aforementioned 1 Hamilton plan, the housing element identifies 401 Miller Ave., the complex that’s home to Sol Food and Simple Mills, as well as the large property on East Blithedale Ave. owned by Comcast building. City officials added that property owners interested in the redevelopment include Mill Creek Plaza, Sloat Garden Center, the former Jolly King Liquor store site and the former KFC/Taco Bell building. The city also plans on 16 residences developed under SB 9, a state housing law that allows property owners to split lots for up to four dwellings, according to the Marin Independent Journal.
City officials have made it clear that they are serious about pulling every lever possible to create the conditions that would significantly expand on the approximately 6,670 current housing units and support the amount of additional housing for which they’re on the hook, according to ABAG.