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Record of Proceedings

Novato Planning Commission Meeting - June 23, 2025: NUSD Property Disposal General Plan Consistency Report

City Council — Monday, June 23, 2025
BodyNovato, California
SessionCity Council
DateMonday, June 23, 2025
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:21

Liberty Justice Raw.

0:25

Thank you.

0:30

So I need to do a roll call.

0:33

So Commissioner Crockett here.

0:37

Commissioner Havill.

0:38

Here.

0:39

Commissioner Stutenbrock.

0:41

Steck and Broker.

0:42

Stuck and Broker.

0:43

We're gonna get there someday.

0:44

Here.

0:45

And Commissioner Tiernan is attending.

0:47

So we're missing Derby.

0:49

Yes, we'll be missing Commissioner Derby.

0:51

And I had expected Commissioner Roche and see if he shoves up.

0:56

Okay.

0:57

At this point on our agenda, and it would be nice to lower the volume just a little bit.

1:01

I sound like I'm screaming.

1:05

Better?

1:06

How is that?

1:07

Okay.

1:08

This is open time for public comment.

1:10

If there's something other than what we're looking at on the agenda that members of the public want to bring to our attention, this is the time.

1:18

Commissioner Tiernier, we'll need a motion for the final agenda.

1:21

And to move on to that.

1:23

For this evening, uh staff would ask that the commission continue item H1.

1:31

We would want to have all the commission here for that conversation.

1:36

And so it's looking like perhaps in our early or late August, we'll have the full commission back together, and we can bring the uh city attorney on board to make that uh help with that discussion.

1:47

Oh, we have Commissioner Rocher joining us.

1:51

Excellent.

1:52

Um so I'll entertain a motion to approve the final agenda, but putting aside H1 for a future agenda.

1:59

So moved.

2:01

Second.

2:01

Okay, I'll do another roll call.

2:03

Commissioner Crockett.

2:05

Aye.

2:05

Commissioner Havill.

2:06

Hi.

2:07

Commissioner Student Brock.

2:09

And Stecken Broker.

2:13

Commissioner Roche.

2:14

Hi.

2:15

I'm here.

2:16

And here as well.

2:17

I appreciate that.

2:18

Okay, once again, we have some open time for the public.

2:21

I see nobody.

2:22

Um nothing on our consent calendar nor unfinished business.

2:27

Uh so we'll move right to the public hearing.

2:29

The item before us has to do with the uh Novato Unified School District and a general plan consistency report regarding some property disposal.

2:39

So first we'll let staff talk to us.

2:42

Yes, good evening.

2:43

Uh Steve Marshall, Deputy Director of the Navado Community Development Department.

2:47

And as uh Chair, Vice Chair Tiernan mentioned uh tonight the commission is being asked to consider uh making a report regarding a potential property disposal that will be undertaken by the Nevada Unified School District.

3:03

Uh so to start off, um first and foremost, this report is required by state law.

3:08

Uh the commission may recall that there is a section of state law uh that applies to public agencies where before an agency buys or sells a piece of property leases or grants and easement, um the local planning agency has to provide a report to the uh review authority.

3:26

Um the commission usually does this for city uh actions where you're making a report to the planning, or excuse me, to the city council.

3:34

In this instance, there's a subsection of state law that requires other districts to come to the local planning agency to get that report.

3:42

So in this instance, the planning commission serves as the planning agency and we'll make that report this evening.

3:48

Uh the commission is to consider the location, purpose, and extent of the property disposal, and then just to be clear, um the commission is not making a recommendation or expressing any support or opposition to a particular project that might occur in the future.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing███████████████████████████████████35%
Land Use Policy██████████████████████████26%
Procedural██████████████████████22%
Economic Development██████████████14%
Public Engagement███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Novato Planning Commission Meeting - June 23, 2025

At its regular meeting on June 23, 2025, at 7:00 PM, the Novato Planning Commission considered a General Plan Consistency Report for the proposed disposal (sale or lease) of two surplus properties by the Novato Unified School District (NUSD): 5 San Andreas Drive (APN 124-010-08) and 5520/5530 Nave Drive (APN 155-020-16). The commission also deferred a discussion item on the Housing Accountability Act to a future meeting.

Consent Calendar

  • No items.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • No members of the public spoke during the open comment period.

Discussion Items

G.1. Novato Unified School District General Plan Consistency Report – Property Disposal

  • Staff (Steve Marshall, Deputy Director of Community Development) explained that state law requires the local planning agency to provide a report on land transactions by other public agencies. The report is limited to the location, purpose, and extent of the disposal and does not involve endorsement of any specific project. Both properties are zoned for residential uses: 5 San Andreas (21+ acres, medium density detached residential, 4.1–7 du/ac) and Nave Drive (2.5 acres, community facilities with max FAR 0.8, requiring mixed-use for housing). Staff concluded that the proposed disposal is consistent with General Plan 2035 policies supporting housing variety, affordability, and diverse types.

  • Derek Nell, representing NUSD, provided background on the district’s educational workforce housing initiative. He stated that the district is experiencing a 14% annual staff turnover rate (up from 3% a decade ago) and that 7% of teaching positions were filled without proper credentials last year. He cited a median home price in Marin County of $1.47 million, requiring a household income of over $500,000 to qualify for a mortgage. Nell emphasized that the district aims to attract and retain staff by developing workforce housing on surplus properties, with an initial target that at least 51% of units would be reserved for NUSD employees on a rental basis tied to employment. He noted that the district is pursuing a waiver from the Naylor Act to allow a request-for-proposals (RFP) process, rather than an auction, giving the district control over future development.

  • Commissioners expressed strong support for the concept. Commissioner Roche questioned the ownership model and timeline; Nell responded that options include sale, ground lease, or district self-development, with an estimated 1–3 years for entitlements. Commissioner Tiernan noted the alignment with General Plan policies. Commissioner Crockett discussed retention challenges and the history of a prior NUSD housing effort that was halted by the pandemic. The commission unanimously supported the resolution.

H.1. Housing Accountability Act Discussion

  • This item was postponed to a future meeting (likely August 2025) to allow for full commission attendance and participation by the city attorney.

Key Outcomes

  • Motion to adopt the resolution reporting that the disposal of 5 San Andreas Drive and 5520/5530 Nave Drive for residential development is consistent with Novato General Plan 2035. Carried 5–0 (Commissioners Crockett, Havill, Stuckenbroker, Roche, Tiernan voting aye; Derby absent).
  • Action: The resolution was adopted. Next steps include NUSD seeking approval from the State Board of Education in July 2025 and proceeding with an RFP process for development.
  • Referral: The Housing Accountability Act discussion was continued to a future meeting in August 2025.

Meeting Transcript

Liberty Justice Raw. Thank you. So I need to do a roll call. So Commissioner Crockett here. Commissioner Havill. Here. Commissioner Stutenbrock. Steck and Broker. Stuck and Broker. We're gonna get there someday. Here. And Commissioner Tiernan is attending. So we're missing Derby. Yes, we'll be missing Commissioner Derby. And I had expected Commissioner Roche and see if he shoves up. Okay. At this point on our agenda, and it would be nice to lower the volume just a little bit. I sound like I'm screaming. Better? How is that? Okay. This is open time for public comment. If there's something other than what we're looking at on the agenda that members of the public want to bring to our attention, this is the time. Commissioner Tiernier, we'll need a motion for the final agenda. And to move on to that. For this evening, uh staff would ask that the commission continue item H1. We would want to have all the commission here for that conversation. And so it's looking like perhaps in our early or late August, we'll have the full commission back together, and we can bring the uh city attorney on board to make that uh help with that discussion. Oh, we have Commissioner Rocher joining us. Excellent. Um so I'll entertain a motion to approve the final agenda, but putting aside H1 for a future agenda. So moved. Second. Okay, I'll do another roll call. Commissioner Crockett. Aye. Commissioner Havill. Hi. Commissioner Student Brock. And Stecken Broker. Commissioner Roche. Hi. I'm here. And here as well. I appreciate that. Okay, once again, we have some open time for the public. I see nobody. Um nothing on our consent calendar nor unfinished business. Uh so we'll move right to the public hearing. The item before us has to do with the uh Novato Unified School District and a general plan consistency report regarding some property disposal.

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