Housing projects at Christ Lutheran and Mandarin Gardens

A new housing plan in Fairfax could lead to 40 senior units being built on the Christ Lutheran Church property and 20 units of workforce housing at the old Mandarin Gardens property at Olema Avenue and Sir Francis Drake Boulevard.

The proposals are part of a housing element that will come to the town council this Wednesday and then be sent to the state for approval. The last housing element Fairfax sent to the state in 2006 was rejected.

"The town council rejected the state's rejection," said Mayor Lew Tremaine at a presentation of the housing element on Thursday night. "We wanted to show the state we could do it our own way with or without their blessing."

Part of the state's concerns in 2006 were that Fairfax did not want a high density of units and that the town also didn't want any new buildings higher than two stories in downtown. But the new plan attempts to stay true to Fairfax's character and still meet the goal of planning for 108 new units of housing within the town.

Though Tremaine said he doesn't care if the state approves the plan or not, Planning Director Jim Moore felt that the new housing element will meet the goals of planning for the new housing units and to make nearly half of those units affordable.

"I'm not interested in facilitating market-rate housing," said Tremaine.

Much of the housing element is aimed at rezoning areas like the Fair-Anselm Plaza and the buildings around the Fairfax Market and Good Earth to allow some residential mixed in with the retail and to encourage people to walk around.

"It became clear these bookends of town represent post-World War II autocratic planning," said Moore.

There is actually an application in to the town right now to put in ground floor commercial with units above in the large parking lot next to the Fairfax Cyclery. The project, being designed by architect and San Anselmo council member Jeff Kroot, wants to put two floors of apartments above ground floor stores, but Moore said he's encouraging the owner to think about putting the apartments set back behind the retail and off the street.

All the areas that are being rezoned to central commercial – including the area around Good Earth and Fair-Anselmo Plaza – will allow housing on the second floor.

The central commercial zones will also allow for the possibility of a homeless shelter. Per a new state law, all towns have to zone an area where a homeless shelter would be allowed – though one may never necessarily be built. In Fairfax this will include all central commercial areas and public facilities.

Most towns, though, are merely updating their housing element and making little effort to encourage projects into existence. Fairfax is going beyond merely change zoning at the Christ Lutheran Church and the former Mandarin Gardens site.

Site capacity studies, in conjunction with the town, have been completed at both sites and planners confirm that the ideas for senior housing and workforce housing are, indeed, possible.

 At the church, the new development would all be in the same area that currently houses the church and Cascade Canyon School. The undeveloped open space that runs extensively behind the church would remain untouched.

The area at the front, near Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, would resituate the church and school on one half of the front lot. Forty units of two-bedroom senior housing would cover the other half.

"The church wants to be a joint venture partner," said Moore.

At the old Mandarin Gardens site – at the corner of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Olema Avenue – the plan calls for rehabilitating the old house. It is one of the oldest buildings in Fairfax and originally belonged to the granddaughter of the Spanish soldier who was granted the land deed for Marin.

Along with rehabbing the old building, 20 units of workforce housing will be made up of small cottages, fourplexes, units in the old restaurant and even in the old house. There could also be a mixed commercial building at the corner with a small café and efficiency studios above.

"It would be a high-profile little site," said Moore, particularly given the number of cyclists that travel along that bike route.

All of this Fairfax hopes will help encourage some affordable housing for residents and provide housing so that workers in town wouldn't have to commute.

"We're headed in a better direction in terms of affordability," said Moore.