By Amy Kalish
PUBLISHED: August 20, 2025
https://www.marinij.com/2025/08/20/marin-voice-transit-oriented-housing-bill-goes-too-far/
For years, Marin’s cities and unincorporated areas have juggled ambitious state housing mandates with realities of wildfire risk, evacuation constraints, sensitive and beautiful ecology, fragile infrastructure and beloved historic districts.
We’ve done the hard work — parcel by parcel, plan by plan — crafting state-certified “housing elements” to add multi-family housing while protecting public safety while preserving what we can.
Senate Bill 79 before the California Legislature now would sweep that work aside, dropping half-mile radius bull’s-eyes around “qualified transit stops” statewide. Developers could automatically build projects five to seven stories inside those circles, at densities from 80 up to 120 units per acre.
When buildings pop up in their neighborhoods — sometimes with little notice — residents will likely blame their local governments, who will be acting with their hands tied. Cities that hesitate to approve SB 79 projects would automatically be considered in violation of law and swiftly fined.
In Marin, SB 79’s bull’s-eyes would land on every ferry terminal and Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit station. It would include Golden Gate Transit express-lane stops and any future SMART extensions. Fire-hazard zones may sound exempt, but if buildings meet required code, they qualify. The densification of hazard areas greatly impacts evacuation potential, but it gets no mention.