Planned building along Shoreline will be a monster

Last month, the Marin County Planning Commission unanimously gave final approval to a five-story, 32-apartment building proposal at 150 Shoreline Highway near Mill Valley. I believe it is the largest building with the most variances in recent history. As the owner of an adjacent property, I think it will be a monster.

This location is in the “scenic zone” along Richardson Bay. Projects there should adhere to a 25-foot limit. I think it will be the tallest building visible along Highway 101 from the Golden Gate Bridge to San Rafael.

The designs look like a concrete monolith. It will be three stories taller than any other in the skyline. It could set the tone of Southern Marin for the next 50 years. This project, with its low-income units, has been fast-tracked by the county. It is disingenuous to say that the state forced it to happen.

The county is asking the developer to transfer units from a Marin City proposal to Shoreline Highway. There is no law requiring a transfer of the right to build 32 units in a mixed-use neighborhood in Marin City to the most visible site in Southern Marin.

This monster will be in your face when you exit at the junction of 101 and Highway 1. I suspect the additional residents will generate even more congestion at the nearby intersection. The county has thousands of acres under control. Why here?

I plan to file an appeal. I don’t want to wake up a year from now with all the increased congestion at Tam Junction and this ugly monster dominating our field of view and say, “I wish I had done something.”

— Roger Hall, Lafayette

Many have lost confidence in targets of Fairfax recall

Fairfax is currently dealing with many contentious issues, including grappling with the attempted recall of Mayor Lisel Blash and Vice Mayor Stephanie Hellman. While some suggest the recall should be abandoned to pull together and address the issues of state-mandated housing, the homeless encampment, crumbling roads and infrastructure, others contend they have exacerbated those issues as well as facilitated overspending on consultants and attorney’s fees, silenced constituents and pursued agendas that weren’t the town’s.

Many have lost confidence in their mayor and vice mayor, believing they are a hindrance to progress and the wedge in a divided town. Those residents believe Fairfax can better come together and address the current and coming challenges without them.

Recall is a process provided for in the California Constitution. As such, I find it incredibly disingenuous when anyone weighs-in against the recall movement and argues “it circumvents the will of the electorate” or is “undemocratic.”

In actuality, the recall is an opportunity to confirm the will of the electorate, the very same electorate that put Blash and Hellman in office in the first place. The potential for recall holds elected officials accountable to their constituents.

Maybe some voters were misled or deceived. Maybe some were uninformed or mistaken. Many are dissatisfied with the stewardship of the town’s resources, outside influence or lack of representation and civility. Regardless of justifications, the California Constitution doesn’t require specific reason, just a certain number of signatures.

This is democracy in action and it should be encouraged. Fairfax voters deserve to have their voices heard and their intentions made clear. Let’s sign the petitions and support the recall process.

— Steve Ardito, Fairfax

Those opposed to bill should be real on tax rates

As someone with a degree in economics, I find the obsession with the tax effects of President Donald Trump’s proposed bill to be somewhat disingenuous. I’ve seen those who are against the bill describe it as a “tax cut for the rich.” But it maintains the tax rates that have been in effect since 2017. If those rates expire, many of us, including those of us who are middle income, will see an increase in our taxes.

The tax rates were put there to enhance economic activity and hiring. I think they have done a reasonable job in doing so. It appears that moving the tax rates back to what they were eight years ago would be a fairly across-the-board tax increase for most of us.

If the Democrats want to increase taxes on those who are productive (and, by the way, many more of us who are taxpayers), then they should say that is what they want.

— Peter H. Behr Jr., San Anselmo