At the conclusion of a public hearing on November 13, the
City Council unanimously directed City staff to return on December 19 with a revised design for the plaza, pathways, and parking lot at the Sausalito Ferry Landing.
In continuing the hearing to a later date, the Council opted against affirming the Planning Commission's
modified version of a
preliminary design developed by local design professionals who worked closely with City staff on a volunteer basis.
The Council action on November 13 was taken in response to an
appeal of the Planning Commission design filed by a group of 42 individuals that included Jacques Ullman and Michael Rex of the local professionals group.
Deficiencies in the Planning Commission design cited in the appeal included the use of a double row of pedestrian and bicycle queues, failure to widen and improve access routes, and a plaza area that is smaller than the preliminary design. Additional concerns were detailed in a supplemental
memo.
Council direction to City staff on November 13 consisted of the following eight elements:
- Accept an offer made by the local professionals group to craft a revised design that addresses Council concerns such as loss of parking spaces and pedestrian and bicycle safety.
- Authorize a contract with SWA Group, a Sausalito-based landscape architecture firm, to assist the local professionals group.
- Develop a cost estimate for the revised design.
- Consider phasing elements of the project that cannot be accomplished with the funds currently authorized.
- Obtain a review of the revised design from the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District — the administrator of the $2.4 million grant that is funding the project — to ensure compliance with the grant.
- Direct the City's grant writer to seek additional funding for the project, in coordination with the bridge district.
- Get an opinion from the City Attorney regarding compliance of the revised design with Ordinance 1128, which restricts changes to the uses of municipal parking lots 1-4.
- Bring the revised design to the City Council to review at the regular meeting on December 19, 2023.
The following resources are available to those seeking a more complete understanding of "landside" improvements at the ferry landing:
- The meeting agenda from November 13, which includes links to supporting documents, plans, and presentation slides.
- The video recording of the November 13 public hearing.
- Written public comments received by the City Council in advance of the public hearing.
- The video recording and agenda of the Planning Commission meeting on September 13, when the modified design was approved.
- The City's Hot Topics page dedicated to improvement projects at the ferry landing.
Information about revised plans developed by the local design professionals will be included in the December 15 edition of Sausalito Currents, along with information about providing written and oral public comment to the City Council.
