Housing

in Marin

The Marin County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved an updated plan to meet housing needs and address barriers to new housing. The supervisors sought feedback during an online meeting, with most speakers voicing support for the adoption of the plan known as the Housing Element. “We want to make sure residents know they will be invited to engage with us again if developers approach the county about creating new housing in our unincorporated areas,” says Sarah Jones, director of the Marin County Community Development Agency. By state law the county must plan for at least 3,569 new units in unincorporated areas from 2023 to 2032, and at least 1,734 must be affordable to lower-income households. Since the Housing Element is not a development plan, any future projects must be pursued by landowners interested in building housing on their properties.

Songwriters in Paradise

Wine Country will provide a picturesque backdrop for a series of unforgettable performances at this year’s Songwriters in Paradise Napa (SIP, www.songwritersinparadise. com). From April 19 to 22, more than a dozen musical artists will take the stage at wineries throughout Napa Valley, while Harvest Inn will once again be the host hotel for the event, offering up room packages and after-parties. Opening night takes place at Frank Family Vineyards, with Alpha Omega, Charles Krug and Brasswood Cellars serving as venues for the rest of the festivities. Since 2013, SIP has raised and donated over $1 million in charitable funds.

Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium to Undergo Retrofit

On May 15, the Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium in San Rafael will begin previously postponed seismic work that will temporarily shutter the venue. Projected to last for as long as nine months, the work will cost roughly $4.91 million and is being partially funded by FEMA. The closure, while necessary, does present a problem for the performing arts groups that use the 2,001-seat auditorium: “This year, the only theater available to us seats less than 500 audience members,” says Nancy Rehkopf, president and acting executive director of Marin Ballet. “We will lose money during this year’s Nutcracker, and that will continue to slow our recovery from the pandemic.”