Update from Kate - North Coast and Community Members Discuss Plans for the Seminary

County of Marin, California sent this bulletin at 05/22/2018 05:22 PM PDT

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Update from Kate

North Coast and Community Members Meet to Discuss

New Plans for the Seminary

On December 12, 2017, at the hearing denying an extension of the Master Plan for the Seminary site project, I urged both the land owner, North Coast Land Holdings, and community members to come together and “get real.”

I'm pleased to report that North Coast and Strawberry community representatives have formed a working group, called “Seminary Tomorrow,” to come together to engage in dialogue about the redevelopment of this special site. Please read Seminary Tomorrow's statement attached.

During my comment time at the December hearing, I pointed out that everyone - the property owner, the Strawberry community groups, as well as everyone who had gotten frustrated with the process and the proposed project - needed to come out of their corners, stop trying to throw up roadblocks or maximize their perceived entitlements, be willing to learn what a more clearly defined proposal could mean in terms of real, on the ground impacts, and be open to changing their minds.

I made clear my expectations for the way forward. I asked North Coast and the Strawberry community to find a different way of engaging with one another. I challenged all of us to open this window of opportunity with our minds firmly fixed on what we need to be a better, more future-ready community. I encouraged everyone to see this project with new eyes, to start afresh and rebuild trust where trust had broken down.

We live in changing times and what happens at the Seminary site will be with us for a very long time. Does what we envision there meet current needs as well as those of the community that will be here in the future? Our challenge is to make sure we get it right. I applaud the efforts of the Seminary Tomorrow working group and thank everyone for engaging in this important dialogue.

Please feel welcome to write me at ksears@marincounty.org.