Housing Critics vs. Insurgents

The Marin Independent Journal had a recent editorial that twisted the facts surrounding the overcrowding issue, which the IJ presents only as a housing issue.  Actually, the IJ twisted quite a few points.  But first and foremost the IJ seems to think that we Marinites are concerned about who wants to move to Marin.  Untrue.  No, our concern is the number of people, rampant growth, and overcrowding.

I think the Larkspuropolis project near the ferry terminal has been well vetted by the public.  We have heard the objections.  Marin has 92,000 residences, and Larkspuropolis would add 920 more…a full 1% increase in countywide population at one address.  Where?  Right at the nastiest traffic congestion in Marin County.

But in all the debate, I heard not a single objection based on economic  or racial demographics.  It is quite irrelevant to the point, which is this:  Marin County’s ecosystem cannot support unsustainable population growth.  The state will not give us a final number.  They just say, “Marin, keep building, we’ll tell you when, or if, you can stop.”

I just came back from Los Angeles.  As I attempted to drive around, I found freeways packed to such amazing densities that I can barely fathom what we are complaining about in Marin.  Bad here yes, but so much worse there!   L.A. has a great metro rail system and commuter rail system.  Yet even with abundant transit options, their freeways are a virtual parking lot.  Too many people.  That is the problem.

Whereas L.A. has roads going in all directions, Marin has a single north-south corridor upon a narrow stretch of land.  If we keep increasing the population, we will become L.A. in terms of traffic density.  And as L.A. found out, if you make some bad guesses as to how the future population will be getting around town, there is no way to turn back from the mistake.

It shocks me that some in Marin think we cannot ruin our home the same way that L.A. permanently ruined theirs.  Our place may be paradise, but our southern neighbors’ home was once so lovely it was named City of Angels.  Now look at it.

In the IJ’s editorial on housing design guidelines, those of us firmly committed to protecting our community and living within our ecosystem are called housing critics.  I think that is wrong.  It is the IJ and developers who are the insurgents here.  Marin was the genesis of Slow Growth, and this has been the rule of our land for more than 40 years. 

Media labeling does not alter our heritage.  It is our duty, and our privilege, to stand up for this beautiful county, and to do our part to maintain balance between people and nature.  This is a battle we lovingly embrace, with roots in Marin that are historic, proud, and strong.  The state tries to seduce us with transportation dollars that ultimately are less important than our character. 

The IJ tries to make our numbers seem small, arguing that opponents of the Marinwood Plaza housing project failed in efforts to recall Supervisor Susan Adams.  But this misses two important points. First, for months the IJ wrote that Adams would be up for elections shortly after the proposed special election date so we should oppose a recall as unnecessary and costly even if we opposed her.   Save it for the 2014 election, said the IJ.

Second, and far more telling, in last month’s 2013 elections the residents of Marinwood spoke at the ballot box.  They kicked out all of their incumbents, electing a slate of Slow Growth advocates expressly opposing that project.

Therein lay the message, and the truth about what the majority of us in Marin have our hearts.  No editorial is going to change that.  The soul of Marin is not for sale.