As a lifelong San Anselmo resident, I was very disappointed to read that our town feels the need to install parking meters throughout downtown (“San Anselmo approves changes for downtown parking,” Oct. 16).
Now we will have to pay to pick up our library books, get money from an ATM, shop at the farmers market, enjoy some quiet time in Imagination Park, join a friend for coffee or pop into a shop for a quick look around. I suspect that metered parking is in no way going to discourage driving, since most of us live well beyond walking distance of downtown.
This move is certainly not a very welcoming message from our town. It feels like we are asking people to pay for the privilege of doing business in San Anselmo.
— Sue Ream, San Anselmo
I am a resident of Fairfax who chose to purchase a house here because of the open stretches of natural beauty surrounding the town.
The previous proposals for development of Marinda Heights (aka the Wall property) and the 615 Oak Manor Drive property are examples of shortsighted urban planning prioritizing profit over people and the planet. Those plans failed to address the pressing needs of our community. They would have depleted our natural resources, increased traffic congestion and failed to create much-needed affordable housing.
Building new homes in a wildland-urban interface area, with its heightened wildfire risk, is madness. Ultimately, the decisions made about both properties will have a lasting impact on our community and our quality of life.
I urge Fairfax officials to make decisions prioritizing sustainability, livability and community wellbeing — deeming these spectacular stretches of land part of our permanent open space.
— Bonnie Solow, Fairfax
Having read the IJ’s report on higher rates by the Marin Municipal Water District (“‘This is an outrage’: MMWD water bill surge stuns some ratepayers,” Oct. 6), I was struck by the idea that this is similar to a long delayed rent increase.
Some might say renters do not get to “elect” their landlord, but I suspect that tenants would remove their landlord after a big increase, if given the chance.
That’s what should happen to the MMWD Board of Directors at our next election. Will it make a difference? Probably not, but hope springs eternal. Lies and statistics are also eternal. When an agency claims rates will go up 20% for the average customer and some see their bills rise 111% on only the first round of four increases, it is hardly sustainable.
My suggestion is to recognize that the district is sitting on a recreational “gold mine.” The MMWD watershed includes some of the finest coastal scenic lakes in California. It should be used for recreation, just like many other lakes filled with drinking water.
We should create sandy swimming beaches with paddle boats or small electric boats allowed for fishing and enjoyment. Summer rental cabins could be built on Lake Nicasio, Alpine lake and Bon Tempe. There is no doubt that they would rent for $500 or more a night.
The construction could be funded by vendors and leased for 10 years. This would bring in considerable income and be a great asset for Marin visitors as well as summer swimming (for a fee) for local families.
— Tim Peterson, San Anselmo
I am writing about the unfortunate accident that killed a truck driver at the toll plaza of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (“Richmond-San Rafael Bridge toll booth crash kills driver,” Oct. 11).
Since the plaza was damaged, I noticed that authorities changed the lane configurations. Rather than trying to take six lanes down to the two lanes available on the bridge in that direction, they are now keeping the approach at three lanes (which is then reduced to two).
In doing so, it appears that officials have partially corrected the congestion leading up to the bridge.
The next step, of course, would be to end the experiment of using the third westbound lane for cyclists and pedestrians. Doing so would help commuters and stop the dangerous merging on the bridge. It’s a simple solution that would benefit many.
— Bob Keller, Tiburon
