San Anselmo permitting process needs to change

I read the article published Feb. 21 under the headline “San Anselmo grapples with building permit problems” with interest. I think San Anselmo has a serious building and planning permit problem, not just an issue with the building department. I’ve had bad experiences and so have others I know. I have also heard complaints from building professionals who have dealt with the system.

I have found the process to be inconsistent and unfair. In my opinion, not all are treated the same. In that climate, I think it’s no wonder so many proceed without a permit. Acknowledging the problem is the first step toward real change. While providing excellent customer service may not always be achievable, treating the public with respect should be a baseline expectation.

If the Town Council genuinely wants to fix this issue, it needs to move beyond lip service. Instead of relying on input from those responsible for the problem, council members should turn to their constituents — the very people they claim to represent. Why not conduct a town-wide survey led by a neutral third party?

A confidential survey would allow residents to speak openly without fear of retribution. It would provide real insights into the frustrations and challenges they face. If San Anselmo officials are serious about improving, it’s time to really listen to the people.

— Ken Mayer, San Anselmo

Point Reyes cows will likely go to factory farms

I have been disappointed to see members of the community spreading myths and sharing assertions without context regarding the Point Reyes National Seashore ranches and the recent settlement prompting all but two of them to close by next year. In his recent Marin Voice commentary (“Pt. Reyes settlement reflects changes in how we eat, farm,” Feb. 21), Jack Gescheidt repeats a disputed detail, saying ranchers agreed to leave by 1987. The initial deals may have been for 25-30 years, but there was no guarantee ranching in the park would end at that time.

Here is my question: When these small, family-run dairies close, where do you think their cows go? I expect most are sold to the only buyers who will take them: massive factory farms in the Central Valley or other states. Or worse, Marin cows who had been grazing on healthful grasses out in the open air for all their lives could be trucked to a 10,000-cow facility in Texas, where it is too hot to keep cows outside so they are kept in brightly lit massive steel barns through the night and sprayed with cooling water during the day.

This is not how the world should behave today. The settlement is not good for those animals. “Big Ag” has been killing family farms like these for years, but so are the environmental groups who have relentlessly sued the National Park Service.

— Dewey Livingston, Inverness

Dominican Sisters share thanks for swift response

I write on behalf of the Dominican Sisters who live at Jane D’Aza Convent on Locust Avenue in San Rafael to share gratitude. To all the utility workers, fire and police department personnel: We are grateful for the swift emergency response when a tree fell nearby on Feb. 18, breaking the utility pole.

Response was rapid and well coordinated, with the closing of the street ensuring safety for those in the neighborhood. Pacific Gas and Electric Co. crews worked through the night to remove the tree, replace utility poles, restore power and reopen the street by 3 a.m. Xfinity, AT&T, Sonic and others worked throughout the following days to restore services.

We are grateful for their rapid and thorough response and completion of the project. For all involved, we offer blessings and thanks.

— Sister Cyndie Cammack, San Rafael

Pt. Reyes could be home to ‘enlightened’ ranching

I think the recent settlement to close nearly all ranches in Point Reyes National Seashore should be canceled. We need a compromise. The park should be a model for enlightened agriculture coexisting with environmental protection.

Instead of adding all the Point Reyes ranch workers and their family members to the list of people at risk of becoming homeless in Marin County, why not employ the ranch workers planting hedgerows, improving the soil, creating a fire-safe environment, remodeling buildings and monitoring wildlife in an effort to create our enlightened park.

The work would include rotational grazing (to maintain diverse vegetation), establishing wildlife-friendly plants, creating riparian buffers, providing supplemental water sources, managing invasive species, prescribed burns and strategically placing cover structures to provide food, shelter and breeding areas for wildlife species while allowing for livestock grazing.

Although the National Park Service is currently hobbled in hiring and trying to survive, perhaps the Nature Conservancy could establish such programs.

Removing fences so the elk can roam is OK, provided there are methods for keeping them within the carrying capacity of the land, which varies depending on random but increasingly dire drought events. There are no hunters, grizzlies or wolves to do so, and cougars are scarce.

I fear that much of the sentiment for evicting ranchers stems from misguided activists who have little-to-no concept of biology or wildlife management.

Point Reyes is unique within the national park system. It should continue to be specifically administered. There should be room for both a natural environment and a top-notch example of how grazing can be done in limited areas according to sustainable principles.

Recent lawsuits indicate that this multi-year controversy will continue.

There should be some compassion for land and workers by proposing suitable compromises.

— Richard L. Bailey, Novato

Education board member wants better Oak Hill plan

I write as an individual, elected director of the Marin County Office of Education; I’m not speaking on behalf of the entire board.

I’m alarmed by the proposed shift of the financial risk in the 135-unit Village at Oak Hill “affordable workforce housing” project near San Quentin to struggling Marin school districts, while the developer walks off with what I consider to be a risk-free $5.9 million profit (“Marin worker housing plan faces budget shortfall,” Feb. 18).

Everyone should look carefully at this situation. Later this month, proponents will ask school boards to commit to being financially responsible for any rental revenue shortfalls.

In 2022, this project was announced to great fanfare. It was expected to require zero fiscal impact. With higher interest rates and construction costs, the project now faces a $17.4 million shortfall. The county and school districts are being asked to be financial guarantors.

A staff housing project at Sonoma State University (with what ended up to be mostly market-rate rents) produced huge financial losses, few units occupied by teachers and substantial cutbacks at the college.

This is a perilous time for Marin school finances. The Miller Creek, Mill Valley, Sausalito-Marin City and Kentfield districts have had or are facing big cutbacks, including the loss of teachers.

The county and Marin Community Foundation committed millions of dollars to help start Oak Hill and appear intent to proceed, despite this huge shift of financial risk. The county Office of Education hasn’t backed away, yet. We should remember that MCOE exists to support and protect local school districts, not encourage financial risk-taking outside their main mission of educating students.

Tell your school boards to demand a better plan or to quickly walk away.

— Nancy McCarthy, San Anselmo