Bay Area
San Geronimo Valley Ordinance Receiving Changes
San Geronimo Watershed supports one of the largest populations of wild federally listed endangered coho salmon, steelhead trout, and chinook salmon in Northern California. Coho were once plentiful in the natural waters that drain into Tomales Bay and the Pacific Ocean, but recent spawning counts were well below the federal recovery target needed to bring the salmon out of its endangered status.

Development rules within Stream Conservation Area head to Board this spring
Courtesy of Marin County
After passing a key juncture, a draft ordinance designed to protect and restore the San Geronimo Valley’s stream resources appears headed to the Marin County Board of Supervisors this coming spring — with a few changes and more community feedback still to come.
The Marin County Planning Commission recently approved the draft of the Stream Conservation Area (SCA) ordinance with some modifications to be made by staff of the Marin County Community Development Agency (CDA). The opportunity remains open for San Geronimo Valley residents to review documents and share thoughts right up until the Board hears the matter, tentatively in March.
There are 1,485 households in the San Geronimo Valley based on census tract information. The valley, near Marin’s geographic centerpoint, is surrounded by wooded open space areas just west of densely populated parts of central and eastern Marin.
CDA staff released an initial draft of the ordinance in September and heard the Planning Commission’s formal recommendation on approval Dec. 13, pending changes (the staff presentation is online). The draft ordinance would amend the County’s zoning ordinance (Development Code) to establish an SCA buffer of 100 feet or more where development is restricted from the stream bank, create standards for development within the buffer, and provide consistent permit review procedures and requirements.
The ordinance includes various supporting resource materials to provide guidance to homeowners and contractors. It would expand the existing site plan review provisions to encompass development activities proposed within SCAs in the San Geronimo Valley.
Planning Commission recommendations Dec. 13 included modifications to add information about the removal of certain fire-prone trees, including language that clarifies allowances for building additions, and a requirement for staff to provide public biannual reports to the Supervisors that include facts and figures about building applications within the SCA.
“We’re in favor of full transparency, so we will be happy to provide the number of applications, the proposed project types, enforcement actions, appeals, and ultimately how many projects are approved, denied, or withdrawn,” said CDA Senior Planner Kristin Drumm.
The proposed SCA ordinance builds upon efforts to protect the health of streams and habitat for the endangered coho salmon and steelhead trout in the valley, consistent with riparian protection policies from the 2007 Marin Countywide Plan and mitigation measures from a final supplemental environmental report (EIR). Lagunitas Creek in the San Geronimo Watershed supports one of the largest populations of wild federally listed endangered coho salmon, steelhead trout, and chinook salmon in Northern California. Coho were once plentiful in the natural waters that drain into Tomales Bay and the Pacific Ocean, but recent spawning counts were well below the federal recovery target needed to bring the salmon out of its endangered status.
All the SCA work is part of the ongoing staff update of the 2007 Countywide Plan, a long-range, comprehensive, land use blueprint for the unincorporated areas of the county. The proposed ordinance is a continuation of the County’s effort to study, educate, and protect stream and streamside conditions.
The draft SCA ordinance, supporting reference materials, and a subscription option for e-mailed updates are available at www.marincounty.org/SCA. Comments or questions about the proposed ordinance may be submitted by email to CDA Senior Planner Kristin Drumm.
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Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of February 5 – 11, 2025

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Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025
The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of January 29 – February 4, 2025

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Oakland Poll: Tell Us What You Think About the Cost of Groceries in Oakland
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.

By Magaly Muñoz
In 2023, the average spending on groceries increased by nearly $30 each month from the year before;people are spending over $500 a month to put food on the table.
Through previous reporting by the Post, we’ve learned that families in Oakland are depending more and more on free or low cost groceries from food banks because they can no longer afford the rising costs of food at the store.
Food banks and grocery giveaways are a large part of the resources nonprofits in Oakland prioritize, particularly in areas like East and West Oakland where low-income families of color tend to reside. These neighborhoods are often labeled as “food deserts” or communities that have limited access to affordable and nutritious foods.
We’ve recently spoken to families across these two areas of Oakland and have heard several stories that all point to one problem: food is expensive. Some individuals are spending upwards of $150 a week for themselves or double if they have teens or small children in the family.
We’ve also heard stories of people with chronic illnesses like diabetes and high blood pressure struggling to maintain their diets because they’re having a hard time affording the food that helps them stay healthy.
Do these experiences sound similar to what you or your family are dealing with every month? Are you struggling to afford your basic groceries every week? Do you depend on food banks to help you get by? Are there any chronic illnesses in your household that need to be managed by a special diet?
We want to hear about your experiences and ideas for solutions!
The Oakland Post is investigating food access in Oakland and how residents are surviving as the cost of living continues to increase. Your experiences will help shape our reporting and show local leaders the need to invest in our communities.
In order to get as much feedback as possible, we ask that you click this link to fill out a brief questionnaire or visit tinyurl.com/Oakland-Post-food-survey. You can also scan the QR code above to reach the survey. After you fill it out, please consider sharing the link with your friends and family in Oakland.
If you have questions, please reach out to our Oakland reporter Magaly Muñoz at mmunoz@postnewsgroup or text/call her at (510) 905-5286.
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