Saturday, April 3, 2010, 10:00 am (don’t be late!)
Marinwood Park

Following the Easter Egg Hunt there is a “Breakfast with the Bunny” pancake breakfast.

Advance Tickets: $3 Child / $5 Adult
At the Door: $5 Child / $7 Adult

Advance tickets can be purchased at www.marinwood.org.

Please spread the word to your neighbors and feel free to print out and share the attached flyer.

See you Saturday.

Breakfast with the Bunny Flyer.

After a long wait, the first of two public input meetings for Marinwood’s Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP) planning grant is scheduled for March 31st, 6:30 at the Lucas Valley Community Church, 2000 Las Gallinas Ave (see flyer: Community Meeting.)

The Marinwood Safe Routes committee has put together a vision for the focus of this planning project, from the North end of Las Gallinas Ave to Lucas Valley Road and from Miller Creek Road down to the Marinwood Plaza at 101. More details can be seen in the attached document: Vision Plan.

Our plan highlights are a “Complete Street” set of best practice changes including:

• “Safe and Separate” colorized single directional bike lanes on Miller Creek Road from Las Gallinas Ave to Marinwood Ave.

• Roundabouts at the intersection of Las Gallinas Ave / Miller Creek and the intersection of Miller Creek / Marinwood Ave that give priority to non-motorized users.
• Center medians on Las Gallinas Ave with improved crosswalks and speed tables that create traffic calming and better conditions for student travel to Miller Creek School.
• Increased curb appeal for Marinwood residents.

It would be great if we could all attend this workshop. I’m also starting to gather signatures of support for the project. If we can get our vision into the county plan and have a very good chance at future funding.

Please help get the word out to the community. A letter of support is expected from the Marinwood Community Services District as well!

Present:
Walter Dods, President
Bruce Anderson, Vice President
Denise Castellucci, new Boardmember
Kel Harris, Safe Routes to Schools

Walter opened the meeting stressing the importance of letting residents know that the planned October 14th meeting with a Grady Ranch presentation by Lucas Film has been canceled and needs to be rescheduled before the Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays. It is important that in regards to the Grady Ranch plans that the community has a forum to voice their concerns. Marin county recently asked Lucas to spend an additional 400k and is impacting their time table to speak with the community.

James “Jamie” Shaw, a member of the community who lives on Cedarberry is running against the incumbents of the Las Gallinas Sanitary District. While the Association does not endorse any candidates, we wanted to acknowledge that one of our own is participating in local government. People are encouraged to contact Jamie with questions at jameshshaw@sbcglobal.net.

Bruce brought up a need for a permanent sign that is a closed letter board to post information on meetings and events. The board could be shared by the CSD as well and can be an alternative to the sandwich boards. We are going to research the cost of such a sign and see if the CSD can contribute.

Denise asked about the size of the Membership list and found that there is about 400 people on the list. Walter pointed out the need for us to acknowledge each membership contribution with a thank you with contact information of the board and website address. This membership list needs to be made available. Speaking of website address, we need to have a sign that moves around the community promoting the website: marinwoodassociation.org.

Bruce introduced the topic of a Spring Fundraiser which would be a Garden & Art Tour with 5 gardens and 5 artists. Bruce offered his garden as one of the five. He knows of several artists as well who may want to participate. The date for this event is to be determined.

Another event to coordinate will be Spring Community Day which would be scheduled either before or after the Dixie District Spring Break. Possible dates would be the weekend of April 3rd, or the weekend of April 24th. Spring Community Day would enable local organizations to have a table to do outreach to the community. Organizations like the Lions Club, CERT, Sheriff’s office, Marinwood CSD, DYSO, Little League, Marinwood Fire, Watershed Stewards, Boy and Girl Scouts, Rotary Club, Safe Routes to Schools, Marin Bike Coalition, Waterdevils, Waldorf, Marin Day School, Marin Formative, Oakview School, Marinwood and San Rafael Mothers Clubs, and any other non-profits that serve the community.

The October 14th Association meeting could have a presentation from the Marin Energy Authority to explain to residents what they are doing and discussion Community Choice Aggregation. We are still trying to get a representative to come.

In past years, the Association has hosted Dumpster Day, where residents can take their large greens, wood boards, old furniture and dump it in a large dumpster. Given the state of our financial resources we may need help paying for the dumpster. We could contact someone who can also recycle electronics and computer parts. Kel brought up Dumpster Day could be combined with the Spring Community Day, where you can bring your dumpster fodder, grab a glass of wine and learn about the resources of our community.

The last Sunday afternoon-evening of the Month there is a Sunday Supper Jam at the Howard Council Community Center or the Marinwood Community Center.

The next CSD Meeting will be October 13th.

Kel Harris notified us that the sidewalk on Huckleberry now has access to the multiuse path on Lucas Valley.

I also want to quickly mention that the debate planned for the upcoming CSD Board election has been cancelled. Eugene Elliot has decided not to run, and that leaves just two candidates for the two open seats. You an read a bit more over at the Independent Journal.

We had a great meeting with a number of interesting topics. Our newest director, Denise Castellucci has an updated play-by-play report of the meeting available on the Marinwood Association Facebook page.

If you have not yet paid your annual dues, or you would like to become a member of the Marinwood Association, you can do so here: Join the Marinwood Association

At the request of a number of Marinwood Association members we are providing a ballot prior to the September 9th Marinwood Association meeting for those that wish to vote and pay their dues early. www.marinwoodassociation.org/Ballot2009.doc Please understand that at this time there are only four names on the ballot as no one else has indicated a willingness to run for the open director position. By voting early you will not get a chance to vote for anyone that comes to the meeting that night and wishes to serve our community.

Early voting is provided as connivance for those not planning to attend the meeting and still wishing to have their voice heard and their dues collected. As the time is near, please mail your ballot and dues to Geoff as soon as possible. Only those votes received by Geoff by Wednesday’s mail delivery will count. That means if you want to take advantage of this offer you probably have to mail you ballot by Saturday, September 5 to be certain it is received.

We apologize that you do not have more time but this was a last minute decision based on some inquires from our membership to provide them the opportunity to vote by proxy.

Bruce Anderson

Vice President

You have probably noticed new “striping” on Miller Creek Avenue allowing for a bike lane? One person who put in a lot of time and effort to get that lane is Kel Harris. Kel will tell us about those new lanes on Miller Creek and Las Gallinas along with some other future plans to make safer routes in Marinwood and along Lucas Valley Road. Kel will also talk about the very successful if unsightly (think orange cones) traffic calming that occurred earlier this year.

For you creek lovers, Rachael Kammen will tell us about the Miller Creek Watershed Stewards and the efforts to preserve and protect Miller Creek.

There is much more. This is a wonderful chance to learn about your community.

This is a free information meeting provided by the Marinwood Association. For over 30 years the Marinwood Association has been your local non-profit community organization. We are not a homeowners association; we are an association of home dwellers and local businesses here in greater Lucas Valley. If you live or work or have an interest in Marinwood you are considered a member. The Association is mainly supported by voluntary annual dues of $10 per membership. Only current paid-up members may vote in elections. You may pay your dues at the meeting. There is no charge for this meeting.

We hope to see you at the meeting.

Progress Marinwood is an evening to inform you of a number of community topics. We will have an election of officers of the Marinwood Association after some opening remarks by Association President Walter Dods and a treasurer’s report by Association Treasurer Geoff Mack.

Supervisor Susan Adams will bring us up to date on the county budget and other items affecting Marin County District one. Kel Harris, chair of the Marinwood Safer-routes committee, will make a presentation regarding the progress his committee is making towards creating safer streets in Marinwood. One of our neighbors in the “Berries”, Jennifer Brooke will discuss the steps taken by the “Neighberries” to deter crime. Tom Horne, the Marinwood CSD District Manager, will inform us our local CSD financial status. Geoff Mack will give a short introduction to the Lucas Films project at Grady Ranch. This is a prelude to a community meeting scheduled for October 14, 2009 where Lucas Films has agreed to present the Grady Ranch project and take questions and comments from our entire community.

We will receive an update regarding the Marinwood Plaza. Bruce Anderson, Marinwood Association Vice President and a Marinwood CSD Director will discuss the effort underway at the CSD to review and possibly increase the powers granted to it.

Finally there will be an opportunity to meet the three candidates for the two open positions on the Marinwood CSD Board of Directors. The candidates, Bruce Anderson, Gene Elliot and Leah Green will introduce themselves and be available for a couple of questions. This is not a debate just an introduction of the candidates.

Please plan to attend Progress Marinwood. It is an excellent opportunity to learn about your community.

You can help increase awareness of the meeting by printing and distributing this flyer to your neighbors.
general-meeting-2009-flyer

With a goal of February 2009, the Marinwood Village Collaborative (Members listed below) will build on the results of the successful community planning process to finalize a detailed development plan and engineering study for the site along with pedestrian, bicycle and transit studies. One caveat - The contamination from previous dry cleaners may be more extensive then previously thought.

Supervisor Susan Adams, the Marin County Development Agency, Trammell Crow (Site Developer) and members of our community (See list) have formed the Marinwood Village Collaborative. Their first meeting is scheduled for September. They have set a goal to complete their process by February, 2009.

You will have an opportunity in the coming weeks to provide input to the process. Watch your email.

The Marinwood Village Collaborative will be led in this process by David Early, Principal of the urban design firm, Design, Community & Environment (DC&E).

The developer, Trammell Crow, is committed to continue to work with the community. The next steps will be to work with Trammell Crow to finalize a detailed development plan through engineering study while also studying pedestrian, bicycle and transit linkages.

The process will build on the Marinwood Village Guiding Principles which provide a preliminary development program for the site. These Principles include provisions for a grocery store, ancillary retail space, a plaza or community gathering area, a redesign of Marinwood Avenue, not more than 100 residential units and environment friendly features.

Our community members will have a set of responsibilities during the process, review detailed site plans and receive updates on the status of the contamination clean-up and negotiations with grocery stores.

We will discuss the responsibilities of the community members in another email. We will also provide you with the means to let this group know your thoughts on how the Village Center can address the challenges facing our community.

Community members in the Marinwood Village Collaborative currently include:

Walter Dods, President, Marinwood Association
Geoff Mack, Director, Marinwood Association
Cyane Dandridge. Director, Marinwood CSD
David Mitchell, Director, Marinwood CSD
Andy Hyman, Trustee. Dixie School District
Steven Rule, President, Lucas Valley Homeowners Association
Juliette Anthony
Dan Carraher
Cameron Case
Kathleen Gaines
Dave Green
John Hammond
Curtis Krone
Frank Nelson
Joe Runco

Above information contains some material directly from a letter by Alex Hinds, Director Marin County Development Agency.