This form needs Javascript to display, which your browser doesn't support. Sign up here instead
Novato General Plan Update
The city of Novato has begun a major update of its General Plan. By California state law, every city and county must have a general plan. Novato’s general plan will serve as the blueprint for growth and development throughout the city with an initial focus on housing and a planning study of the North Redwood Boulevard commercial corridor near downtown. With the passage of Measure Q in November 2008, Novato must also begin its planning for at least two Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) train stations.
As general plans are updated only about every ten to fifteen years, this is a critical opportunity to shape the future of Novato.
Greenbelt Alliance and many local advocates are working to ensure that this update will incorporate sustainability and the threat of climate change as guiding principles in the plan. This focus on sustainability offers a chance to address health, transportation, housing, air quality and climate change issues together, and as inextricably linked.
What's at Stake
Cities in Marin County such as Novato have per capita carbon footprints much larger than that of California or of the Bay Area as a whole. A big part of this is due to the transportation sector and the extreme reliance on solo driving trips to and from work, school, and shopping.
These transportation patterns can be addressed by including forward looking policies in our local general plans. It is possible to reduce traffic congestion and green house gas emissions, improve air quality and community health, create a pedestrian friendly and ecologically sound environment, and foster a sense of inclusiveness in our towns and cities by coming together to create shared visions and identifying solutions.
As the Novato general plan moves forward, it is important to make sure effective policies are drafted and implemented to support this vision. Some strategies include:
Focus initial efforts in key areas such as downtowns and transit stations.
Zone for a mix of uses. Plan for homes and shops around workplaces and allow integration of housing into existing office parks.
Take a city-wide approach to traffic and parking by reducing the need to drive. Create dense, mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods with many transportation options.
Write a letter to the General Plan Steering Committee or the Novato City Council to let them know you support more mixed-use, walkable, neighborhoods that include homes that are affordable to the city’s hard-working families. For more information on how to contact a Council member or the committee, click here. Or write a letter to:
City of Novato
75 Rowland Way #200
Novato, California 94945-5054
415-899-8900
Write a letter to the editor (250 words max) to the Marin Independent Journal to call for effective policies that encourage a vibrant mix of homes and storefronts as part of the North Redwood Boulevard planning study.
To get involved directly with our campaign to promote a more climate and pedestrian-friendly general plan in Novato, contact Greenbelt Alliance at (707) 575-4275 or by email.
