The Village at Loch Lomond Marina Project

The Loch Lomond Marina. . .

The Loch Lomond Marina is located at 110 Loch Lomond Drive, approximately three miles east of US 101.  As a full-service marina, the facility offers 517 boat berths, a public boat launch, fueling facilities, harbormaster’s office, boat repair, bait shop, and dry dock boat storage.  Andy’s Market, a local neighborhood grocery store is located on the eastern, upland portions of the 131-acre marina site.  Several neighborhood commercial uses and services are located on the western portion of the marina site.

• Retention of the existing full-service marina including public launch, fueling facilities, harbormaster’s office and boat repair. Of the 517 boat berths, 52 were approved for “liveaboards’ allowing permanent residency.  As part of the marina improvements, the existing breakwater, which separates the marina basin from the bay, was required to be reinforced and raised.
• Development of a new Andy’s Market, a full-service grocery store, on the west side of the marina site. North of the market, a new mixed-use building is approved to include neighborhood commercial uses and services.
• Development of 81 residential units in four housing types: detached, single-family residences, detached residential cottages, townhomes, and residential condominiums developed in the mixed-use building. Of the 81 units, 17 were required to be sold to owners that qualify in the “below-market-rate” household income levels of low- and moderate-income (BMR Units). In 2020, project approvals were amended to allow a "buy-out" of six of the 17 required BMR units.
• Development of an expansive marina green, boardwalk and both active park (playground) and passive park (walking trails/paths, picnic areas) areas. The City approvals require that these recreation amenities be retained in private ownership but be open and accessible to the public.
• Enhancement, expansion and preservation of an existing seasonal wetland, which is located at the eastern edge of the marina site.
• City approvals require that all of the above improvements be constructed/installed by the property owner/developer.
• As the publicly-accessible recreation amenities are to be retained in private ownership the City approvals require the establishment of a “Community Facilities District” (“CFD”, Mello-Roos District) to ensure long-term maintenance of these facilities. The CFD requires that the property owners within the geographic boundaries of this district (marina property boundaries comprised of the marina owners, commercial property owners and residential owners) be responsible for the cost of maintenance. Once the district is established, the annual cost for maintenance is included on the property owner’s annual property tax bill.

The City approval documents addressing environmental impacts, property zoning and land use project design and subdivision area available as follows:

• All of the subdivision improvements and utilities have been installed.
• A new Andy’s Market has been constructed and is open for business. The old grocery market/market located at the easternmost area of the marina site will be demolished in 2017 and this area will be graded for residential development.
• The publicly-accessible marina green, boardwalk and park facilities are complete and open for public use. In addition, the upgrades to the marina breakwater has been completed, which includes a paved public path that is accessible to the public.
• The seasonal wetland restoration has been completed and fenced to prohibit access to the area and to ensure protection of wildlife.
• The first phase of the residential development (“The Strand”) is completed. Forty-four (44) homes have been built and are occupied.  The second phase of The Strand (32 units) have not been constructed.
• A building permit has been issued for the development of a new harbormaster’s office. Construction is expected to be completed in 2021.
• City building permit applications have been filed for the approved boat repair building and the refacing of the Loch Lomond yacht club. It is anticipated that the construction of these buildings will commence in spring 2021.
• At present, the marina boat fueling facilities are not in operation. City permits for the fueling facility are ready to be issued pending the approval of permits from BCDC. New fueling facilities are expected to be on-line in the near future.
• The “CFD” Mello-Roos District established in 2010. The tax amount for the property owners within the marina district is confirmed and adjusted annually by the City Council.  For new resident property owners in the “The Strand,” the assessment is capped at approximately $2,000 per residential unit, per year.  The “below-market-rate” units are exempt from this assessment.  The assessment will appear on the property owner’s tax bill commencing in November 2017.  A link to the July 17, 2017 City Council staff report on the “CFD” is provided below under “Links for more information. . .”
• In 2020, the San Rafael City council approved a new Subdivision Improvement Agreement for the development. The agreement sets forth terms and approved plans for improvements to the playground area on the eastern jetty and the entrance to the break water. These areas flood during peak storm events and King tides. These improvements which will remedy this periodic flooding are scheduled to commence in spring 2021 and be complete by late 2021.