Government

County Settles with Nonprofit Trust on Litigation

OAKLAND POST — The County of Marin, the San Geronimo Advocates, and a nonprofit trust that owns the former San Geronimo Golf Course have settled out of court instead pursuing an appeal of the Marin County Superior Court decision regarding the 157-acre property.

Published

4 years ago

April 29, 2019

Oakland Post

By The Oakland Post

The County of Marin, the San Geronimo Advocates, and a nonprofit trust that owns the former San Geronimo Golf Course have settled out of court instead pursuing an appeal of the Marin County Superior Court decision regarding the 157-acre property.

The Trust for Public Land (TPL), which in 2017 bought the course in Marin’s San Geronimo Valley, had intended to sell the property to the County by the end of 2018 once the County arranged its finances. TPL was appealing an October 2018 court ruling that prevented the transaction.

County Counsel Brian Washington said TPL incurred significant expenses in defending the litigation alongside the County. The County has agreed to pay TPL’s share of the attorney fees and costs liability arising from the case and is resolving all outstanding issues with TPL over the purchase and sale agreement. The total compensation is $308,391, and it will be paid from the County’s litigation fund.

Starting in 2017, the County sought to purchase the golf course and preserve it as a park. The motivations were to protect the area’s character, preserve recreation and environmental values, and consider potential long-term public uses subject to the community planning process. The County leased the golf course and contracted with another company to manage golf operations as it worked on fundraising to complete the purchase. However, the Court decision required the County to rescind its purchase agreement. The County no longer has any control over the property and is not participating in any discussions about it, Washington said.

“The County appreciates TPL’s partnership with the County in attempting to acquire the San Geronimo property for park and recreational uses,” Washington said. “This is a fair resolution that allows TPL to move forward.”

A voter initiative aimed on restricting the use of the property will appear on the March 2020 ballot in Marin County. The Marin County Board of Supervisors voted in February 2019 to order the Registrar of Voters to place the initiative on the next statewide ballot. All registered Marin voters will be eligible to cast a vote on the issue. The initiative would amend the San Geronimo Valley Community Plan and the Marin County Development Code to mandate retention of a golf course use as the property’s primary use.

This article originally appeared in the Oakland Post.

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Oakland Post: Week of September 27 – October 3, 2023

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 27 – October 3, 2023

Published

1 day ago

September 29, 2023

Oakland Post

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 27 - October 3, 2023

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California Black Media

Crackdown: Gov. Newsom Adds Muscle to Fentanyl Fight by Increasing National Guard Presence at Border by 50%

Building on California’s $1 billion investment to tackle the fentanyl and opioid crisis, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced on Sept. 7, that he is increasing the deployment of California National Guard (CalGuard) service members by approximately 50% (from 40 to 60 soldiers) at the four U.S. ports of entry along the state’s U.S.-Mexico border.

Published

2 days ago

September 28, 2023

Oakland Post

“Fentanyl is a deadly poison ripping families and communities apart,” Newsom said in his announcement. “California is cracking down — and today we’re going further by deploying more CalGuard service members to combat this crisis and keep our communities safe.”

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and
Edward Henderson
California Black Media

This expansion enables CalGuard to further support U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) narcotic search operations, including through the operation of a vehicle X-ray system used for detecting the transportation and concealment of narcotics.

This increased deployment builds on Newsom’s prior expansion of CalGuard-supported operations that contributed to a 594% increase in seized fentanyl in the state last year.

Last year, CalGuard’s efforts helped law enforcement seize 28,765 lbs. of fentanyl, an amount with an estimated street value of more than $230 million.

According to the Department of Homeland Security, a majority of the fentanyl entering the U.S. is smuggled through ports of entry by U.S. citizens, not by migrants seeking asylum.

Over 150 Americans die every day from overdoses and poisonings related to synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

California Black Media

California to Roll Back Grant Program That Helps Low- and Middle-Income Residents Build ADUs

The California Housing Finance Agency’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Grant Program may receive only $25 million in new funding instead of the $50 million investment lawmakers initially proposed after negotiations with Gov. Newsom. The state had previously allocated $100 million to increase the housing inventory and address the homelessness crisis, but these funds were depleted months ago.

Published

2 days ago

September 28, 2023

Oakland Post

Homeowners with enough space can build an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to their property, either as an add-on to an existing building or a standalone building like the one above. Photo courtesy CBM.

By Joe W. Bowers Jr. and

Edward Henderson

California Black Media

The state had previously allocated $100 million to increase the housing inventory and address the homelessness crisis, but these funds were depleted months ago.

Since its inception, the program has provided up to $40,000 toward pre-development and non-recurring closing costs associated with the construction of the ADUs, an innovative, affordable, and effective living option for low-to-middle-income residents.

The predevelopment costs the grants cover include site prep, architectural designs, permits, soil tests, impact, fees property survey and energy reports.

One of the hurdles for ADU construction has been the reluctance of California lenders and major banks to offer ADU loans. Although CALHFA provides a $40,000 grant to qualified homeowners, the overall cost of an ADU can range from $300,000 to more than $400,000.

Funding for the program is in flux because of a disagreement between CalHFA and lawmakers over how to use it.

Lawmakers and Newsom signed a budget bill that would restore the $50 million funding in July only to see another budget bill in August take the money back. Now an amendment will put half of the money back to restart the program this month.