… Victory Village Update
Last week we sent you a note about Fairfax’s Victory Village Affordable Senior Housing proposal, and we asked you to attend the Planning Commission meeting this Thursday in support. BUT– based on community input, the Victory Village proposal per se is not on Thursday’s agenda but a zoning ordinance amendment is. So rather than come to the meeting, we’re asking you to write a quick email (see below) regarding this text amendment to simplify the review process for several affordable housing proposals, including Victory Village.
This important amendment to the Town’s zoning ordinance will support Victory Village. What it addresses, in short, is this: Currently, proposed projects in the Planned District (PD) zoning district are reviewed by the Planning Commission and the Town Council in three different phases, up to a year apart for the first two. This disjointed process is confusing and cumbersome, making it difficult to connect the dots and understand the project as a whole. This change will require applicants to present the complete project as a single package for review by the public, the Planning Commission and final action by the Town Council.
MEHC supports this change because it:
- does not in any way diminish the opportunity for public inspection, comment, and input;
- improves the capacity for holistic analysis;
- will affect only the three sites already designated in Fairfax’s General Plan Housing Element, starting with Victory Village.
This is strictly a procedural amendment to the Fairfax zoning ordinance, and it is the way many of Marin’s towns already address affordable housing proposals. You can read more about the proposal here.
In light of this agenda change, MEHC isn’t asking you to show up (unless you want to learn more).
We’ll keep you apprised of developments on the Victory Village proposal, and we’ll ask you in future to come to voice your support in person. But for now, we are asking that you simply drop an email to the Town planner, Linda Neal, at lneal@townoffairfax.org, saying that you support the proposed zoning ordinance text amendment and that you look forward to the Town Council applying its provisions to approve Victory Village when the proposal comes before it.
If you decide to attend anyway, the Planning Commission meeting will be at 7 pm on Thursday January 19 at the Women’s Club, 46 Park Rd., Fairfax.
Thank you as always for your attention and support for environmentally friendly affordable housing!