MARIN COUNTY — Officials at the Tamalpais Union High School District are deciding whether to put a tax measure on the ballot to upgrade their high school campuses, but the amount of the bond issue has some in the community accusing them of swinging for the fences.

District representatives are set to weigh the measure at its meeting Tuesday evening.

Redwood High in Larkspur is an award-winning school but at more than 60 years old, it’s buildings have seen better days.

“Our school, as you can see, it’s a little run down, especially on the inside. It gets a little hot sometimes and the classrooms are super small,” said Redwood High junior Ginger Howard. “And it’s hard to get enough state funding to fix things like this because there are other priorities, and we understand that.”

The Tam Union High School District is set to vote whether to put a bond measure on the ballot for March of 2024. The bond would raise money to upgrade the facilities at its three comprehensive high schools, including Redwood, Tampalpais and Archie Williams.  

“The bottom line is we’ve got some leaky roofs that need to be tended [to]. We’ve got old outdated heating and plumbing and cooling systems and electrical systems,” said the district’s Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations Corbett Elsen.

But it goes far beyond that. New athletic fields and solar canopies are planned for all three campuses, as well as new classrooms at Tamalpais and a new $104 million cafeteria and commons building for Redwood High. There is a hefty cost for all the planned renovation.  

The ballot measure says it will raise $517 million in revenue, but if you add in the cost of the interest on the 30-year bonds, taxpayers will be paying a staggering $1.04 billion.

“We think that the size is too large. We think…we are concerned that they didn’t prioritize,” said Mimi Willard, president of the Coalition of Sensible Taxpayers.

The organization has taken up the fight to get the district to scale down the ballot measure. Willard pointed to the new cafeteria as an example of the district’s overreach.

“It was deemed by the district’s own metrics to be a ‘Priority 2,” she said. “So we would like to see the district focusing on the ‘Priority 1’ projects.”

Willard said the voters also deserve ballot language that reflects the true cost of over a billion dollars rather than just the amount of the bonds. She suspects that the district may be aiming high for the March ballot because of a large number of funding measures that are expected in November. But Elsen denied that Tam Union is trying to get all that it can before tax fatigue sets in.

“I don’t think we’ve swung for the fences,” he said. “We’ve identified what we need…in terms of what our community feels that we need. We feel we owe it to our community. They’ve asked for this, so we need to reflect upon what the cost of this is.”

The measure would tax property at a rate of $30 per $100,000 in assessed value. Elsen said that means the average homeowner in the district would pay $329 per year for the next 30 years. 

It will take a 55 percent vote to approve the measure, and an early poll showed 60 percent were in favor. But a later poll shows that number has been coming down. Whether the largest bond measure in the district’s history will pass now looks to be a toss-up.

More from CBS News

John Ramos

John Ramos accidentally launched a lifelong career in journalism when he began drawing editorial cartoons and writing smart-alecky satire pieces for the Bakersfield High School newspaper.

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A trip to Marin County can be a wildlife adventure. Just a short drive from San Francisco, it remains a hub of natural beauty.

With diverse landscapes including rolling hills, forest, pristine coastline, and offshore islands, Marin presents a special chance for nature lovers to see the wonder of wildlife in its natural setting.

One of the best ways to experience the beauty of Marin’s wildlife is to take a guided wildflower walk. Visitors can join a group hike or opt for a self-guided walk along one of the many trails that offer stunning views and an opportunity to see wildflowers like the California poppy, the golden lupine, and the Farewell to Spring.

If you are in the mood for a wildlife tour in Marin, you’ve come to the right place. Point Reyes National Seashore is famous for its Tule Elk Reserve, whale watching from Chimney Rock, and mating season at Elephant Seal Overlook. December through March, sneak a peek at these elephant seals and their pups, which have been coming to Marin since the 1970s, on Drake’s Beach.

Grab your binoculars or camera and book a tour with Point Reyes Safaris where naturalist photographer Daniel Dietrich and his team will help you locate the best of the best to bring home those memorable pictures of elk, fox, coyote, bobcat, raptors, owls, and more.

For guided tours of Marin’s natural wildlife and landscape, take a kayak tour with Tomales Bay Expeditions. A three-hour night tour with their experienced guides is very unique way to experience Tomales Bay, which is well known as a great place to see planktonic bioluminescence at night, as well as star gazing and spotting nocturnal predators. Explore other adventures on your own with a kayak rented from Blue Waters Kayaking located in Point Reyes.

The Marin Islands National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1909, is a crucial habitat for a variety of seabirds, marine mammals, and other species. More than 300,000 seabirds, including several threatened and endangered species like the Western Gull and the Ashy Storm-Petrel, find refuge on the islands. In December through May, you can see thousands of whales pass by the islands on their way to and from their breeding grounds in Mexico. The refuge also provides a chance to observe the gray whale migration.

Whether you’re visiting for the flowers or the animals, Marin County always has something for everyone. The Marin Convention & Visitors Bureau looks forward to seeing you this season.

// For suggestions on places to stay, go to visitmarin.org.

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Ellen Mattesi with her 3-D creation, “Evil Clown,” on Montford Avenue. (Photo by Mary Ann Hogan)

The Urban Dictionary defines Mill Valley as “a city in Marin County, California that was the basis for the South Park episode ‘SmugAlert!’ The people … are generally smug entitled hermits who live in tiny 837 sq ft shacks that they paid $1.2 million for.”

The “generally smug” people tend to make everyone else grumpy. Or so the story goes. If only life here were that simple. As a dinner host said recently: “I get grumpy about people who get grumpy over what’s happened to Mill Valley.”

Just look around and you may find an old-fashioned village with a small-town ethos and a big-hearted soul. Here’s a potpourri of Real Mill Valley:

Frightfully good

At the bend in the road where Molino Avenue T-bones with Montford, you’ll find artist and designer Ellen Mattesi’s Halloween Valentine to the world. For the past eight years, Mattesi, a “fantasy environment creator,” has adorned her front yard with elaborate 3-D bodies, torso-less arms and hands, skulls, teeth, skeletons, odd bones and a bunch of clowns, including the massive Evil Clown with footlong teeth. Says Mattesi: “All the other clowns have to keep feeding him body parts.”

Every year, people honk and wave, flash a thumbs up, or scream like banshees as they come off Molino, a funnel for hordes from Mount Tam and the beaches, as well as neighbors who live up the hill.

A few years back, Mattesi injured her knee and couldn’t create her display. She apologized on social media. Neighbors didn’t waste a second: “Would you like help putting them up?” “I’d help too. Have appreciated our Halloween fun since we’ve lived here … ” Her teenage daughter jumped in and saved the holiday.

That year, the mayor of Mill Valley left a business card with a note in Mattesi’s mailbox: “Thank you for bringing Halloween back to Mill Valley.”

Yes, they can

One day last week, a wayward bird made its way into Scott Snyder’s Tam Valley stovepipe chimney. Snyder and his wife could hear the hapless flapping.

First, they called a chimney sweep. “They said they didn’t deal with critters,” says Snyder, a data engineer, voice actor and critter lover. Then Marin Humane, which sent out someone to look. “They thought it might be an owl.” The group transports creatures, but doesn’t dislodge them from stovepipes. So Snyder called WildCare. But they only receive and treat. They don’t dislodge or transport.

Snyder asked neighbors for suggestions. Several offered help. One suggested Southern Marin Fire District, which covers Tam Valley. “It had just rained the night before,” says Snyder, “so I didn’t feel so bad.”

Within a couple of hours, a team of three showed up. They climbed up the steep Snyder roof. Removed the top of the stovepipe. Lowered a rope down the chimney. The bird clawed up the rope, about half way. Then it took flight. It wasn’t an owl. “Probably a scrub jay.”

Neighbors cheered on social media. “What a happy ending! … Cats in trees, birds in chimneys, our Southern Marin Firefighters can do it all!”

Yes, they can.

And did.

Signs of optimism

Says the sign on wall of Two Neat, a long-time funky art-and-dog-centric gift shop downtown: “Unattended children will be given an espresso & a free puppy.”

One Friday afternoon, a posse of middle-school boys came in and told shop owner Bob Bijou: “We’re unattended 12-year-olds. Can we have our free puppy?” Bijou gave them each a free piece of 10-cent taffy instead. The kids gobbled it down. Before long, regular Mill Valley Fridays became Free-taffy Friday, for the original gang of “unattended” and their friends. Even when the taffy’s not free, says Bijou, it’s a bargain. “Where else in Mill Valley can you get something for 10 cents?”

Notable signs abound:

• At the organic produce stand, corner of Shoreline Highway and Tennessee Valley Road, a roadside sign: “Peace, Love, and Pickles.”

• On the chalkboard sign at the Book Depot & Café: “What I say is, a town isn’t a town without a bookshop. It may call itself a town, but unless it’s got a bookstore, it knows it’s not fooling a soul.” (From Neil Gaiman’s “American Gods.”)

Befriend the parks

At the Sweetwater Music Hall next Thursday night, Nov. 2, 6:30 to 11 p.m., there’s a fundraiser for Friends of Parks and Recreation. Tickets, at $100, include wine, beer, appetizers and rock music by Mustache Harbor. Sponsors include the Mill Valley Soccer Club and the Southern Marin Lacrosse Club.

Beneficiaries include the new city skate park-in-the-planning, an effort of, by, and for a savvy group of Mill Valley middle-schoolers.

So have a good-hearted Mill Valley day.

The post Smug and grumpy Mill Valley? Look once more – Marin Impartial Journal appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Consultants less valuable than polling residents

For the last few years, Marin County has continually spent large sums of money hiring housing consultants.

These consultants usually come to Marin from other parts of the country. I suspect most really know nothing about our unique lifestyle. Thus, we ultimately end up with a lot of housing element babble and no real solutions. I find some of their information to be so far-fetched, it’s laughable.

My suggestion would be to ask Marin’s residents directly as to what they are facing as homeowners and renters in regard to their income, expenses, mortgages, leases, rents and their rights. That invaluable information would be a lot cheaper to collect than hiring another consultant.

— Sandra Macleod White, San Rafael

Novato’s empty buildings can become more useful

The recent article on Novato’s vacant buildings (“Novato to weigh ideas for abating vacant, blighted buildings,” July 19) is a timely summary of the problem.

This is a worldwide issue. It is especially troubling in San Francisco. What is needed is a combination of relaxed building code and occupancy permitting so live/work and multiple uses can form congregate situations.

This is not new. While “cohousing” is succeeding in a number of California locations, some European cities are producing environments where families and individuals, including elderly, can create a community that is economical, stable, friendly and supportive.

Using organizations like Habitat for Humanity, “sweat equity” projects can save older structures, reducing the cost of rehab. This reduces the amount of construction waste that goes into landfill.

In San Francisco during the 1970s, artists swamped commercial building vacancies. They reshaped these buildings as live/work opportunities. San Francisco’s city planning and inspection offices became aware of the dangers to health and safety at the same time they realized it was a solution to the mass vacancies.

Art groups worked to create new guidelines to address dangerous potential conditions. This avoided disasters like the terrible 2016 Ghost Ship warehouse fire in Oakland, where officials appeared to simply ignore the developing situation.

The new guidelines allowed owners to rent buildings to artists and craftspeople that would otherwise be unused spaces, allowing each artist to create the space and utility (electrical/plumbing) infrastructure.

Costs were low and inspections maintained safety. Unfortunately, this created a “loft” living movement where architects, lawyers and other professions competed for the spaces, driving up prices by the 1990s.

— Niccolo Caldararo, Fairfax

Novato City Council is only standing in the way

I am writing in regard to the article published July 19 with the headline, “Novato to weigh ideas for abating vacant, blighted buildings.”

From my perspective, it appears these properties are vacant because the Novato City Council is in the way of a buyer and seller getting together. This has been the case for a long time.

In the history of our country, there is no reason why the owner of private property needs the OK of the government, local or otherwise, to do a transaction. Otherwise, property rights have no meaning.

The IJ’s recent editorial (“It’s time Novato addressed issue of long building vacancies,” July 30) implies that the City Council should take its time to make long-overdue decisions about matters the council is inept to deal with. I totally disagree. Doing so will only ensure that transactions do not occur in the natural flow of buyers and sellers operating in their own best interest.

The council should have no say in all this. I believe in the foundational axiom that the more government gets involved in a matter the more it gets the matter fouled up. I dare anyone to challenge that assertion.

Simple capitalism has been solving situations like this for over 233 years. If it didn’t, we would be like a lot of other countries — eternally stuck in a morass.

While time is being frittered away by the Novato City Council, other communities are outgrowing Novato readily. The City Council’s range of authority should be substantially reduced.

— Roland Underhill, Novato

Schools should look into Linux computers

I am writing in regard to the article published July 25 with the headline, “Marin schools face expirations of COVID-era Chromebooks.”

It’s a pity schools in the state, or perhaps even across the country, can’t get together and each contribute a small amount to the Linux operating system community to provide money to encourage the development of open-source software meeting their students’ needs.

Computers can last many years with a Linux OS — there are still perfectly good Linux systems that run on older, less powerful machines that have been around for many years.

— Edward Clapp, Corte Madera

San Quentin should be closed immediately

After closely reading the Marin IJ recently, I feel prepared to critique Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to turn San Quentin State Prison into a Scandinavian model favoring rehabilitation over punishment.

First, on July 27 the IJ picked up an article by the Los Angeles Times headlined “Newsom’s signature move: Jam the Legislature.” It pointed out his disputed strategy of ramming his major policy programs through. The author stated that Newsom “has a penchant for publicly manufacturing a sense of urgency and giving lawmakers as little time as possible to act.”

The next day, the headline on another LA Times article in the IJ read, “Newsom’s San Quentin plan advances despite questions.” This $380 million plan is a perfect example of the above strategy. His lack of information is particularly alarming to most, as is the rushed timeline and high cost.

Doubling down on rehabilitation-based incarceration might have merits, but why do this at San Quentin? According to the article, the program is mostly focused on inmates with shorter sentences because they will be released sooner. But San Quentin, a male-only prison, has a high percentage of “lifers.” Why not try this experiment with female inmates too?

The state wants to close several prisons. Why not close the oldest, most expensive one to operate in the highest cost of living area for its staff? Prisons should be in small markets where an influx of revenue is needed, and housing costs are moderate.

This property should be turned into a state-of-the-art transportation hub with retail, commercial, and residential buildings, plus parks. The ferry terminal should move there.

This would shorten the commute to San Francisco and would eliminate the agonizingly slow boat speeds between Larkspur Landing and San Quentin (mandated to minimize wave action in the shallow bay).

— John Neuenburg, San Rafael

Ballot transparency measure must go further

It is good to read about the discussion the state has created by requiring the naming of top supporters of ballot measures (“Marin County opts out of law aimed at ballot transparency,” July 23). However, I believe that all tax ballot measures should at least also include the total local, state and federal tax burdens for taxpayers, in addition to the additions each measure adds to that burden.

Ballot measures for raising or continuing taxes should also include a comprehensive list of future anticipated tax measures and their anticipated tax burdens, so that the public has a complete context upon which to base a more fully informed vote.

Local authorities could require these ballot enhancements, but the state needs to step up and get the process begun, the sooner the better.

— Randall Knox, San Rafael

The post Marin IJ Readers’ Discussion board for Aug. 5, 2023 – Marin Unbiased Journal appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Golden Gate Village in Marin City. (Robert Tong/Marin Independent Journal)

A recent sewage spill in a Marin City apartment was enough to show that Golden Gate Village residents should be able to rely on response from county environmental health officers.

Over the past decade, oversight of such matters had to go to the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, a giant bureaucracy with offices in San Francisco.

The Marin Housing Authority, which manages and governs Golden Gate Village and other public housing in Marin, opted out for HUD to review health-related inspections.

The recent spill prompted a change back.

It makes sense, in terms of the promise of a fast and local response to any problems or complaints and independent oversight to make sure they’ve been remediated properly.

The housing authority says the sewage backup occurred because a tenant had flushed paper towels down a toilet and caused a blockage. The authority called in a plumbing contractor and the line was cleared.

Clean-up and sanitation crews were also called in.

The incident is one of the reasons the authority is replacing sewer pipes as part of the rehabilitation plan for the 60-year-old public housing complex.

Golden Gate Village, with nearly 300 apartments, is the largest and oldest low-rent public housing complex in the county.

The county’s involvement will be to provide oversight of the authority-hired contractor that is the front line when it comes to handling those inspections.

HUD, which funds the public housing, also performs its own inspections.

County and authority officials say that it is unclear why the authority shifted primary oversight to HUD. It may have been because it seemed bureaucratically redundant.

In recent years, the county and the Golden Gate Village Residents Council have had a rocky relationship, with the council filing complaints about rat problems, mold and wiring problems. The council also advanced its own proposal for a multi-million dollar overhaul of the complex, including creating a trust that would enable tenants to own their units.

The primary objective of shifting inspection oversight should be that public housing residents receive the same level of public-health inspection response as anyone else in the county.

If those inspectors come up with a finding with which the housing authority disagrees, that’s part of the process. Protecting the health of the tenants should be the overriding  focus.

The shift to HUD long predates the arrival of Sarah Jones, who took over as head of the county Community Development Agency in April. The county Environmental Health Division is part of her agency.

She told the IJ that the county and the housing authority decided to put the county back in charge of supervisor inspections to add an “extra layer of accountability and objectivity” in the performance of that important job.

It’s the right thing to do.

It is a responsive action and strategy that set a strong standard for local protection of public housing conditions and its tenants in Marin, today and as the authority moves forward with its plans to renovate and repair the Golden Gate Village complex.

The post Taking again oversight of health-related inspections at Golden Gate Village is true for Marin – Marin Unbiased Journal appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Many ways to help kids through difficult spots

I am writing in regard to the editorial by the IJ article concerning the partnership between the Point Reyes Seashore Association and Camp Avary for children with incarcerated parents (“Camp’s Pt. Reyes partnership a winning connection for underserved group,” July 27).

Camp Avary, like the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America program, gives kids hope and a way to cope day to day, other than staring at the internet. As a 10-year “big brother” whose “little brother” was going through many of the same things I did growing up, I shared some of the healthy activities I used to cope with it all when I was growing up. Our Saturday get-togethers involved fishing the lakes (Bon Tempe or Laganitas) or taking in a ball game.

I entered the program as a person wondering whether I would have the stuff it takes to be a parent. After one year of our match, I knew that I could bring something to the parenting table. My “little brother” would later become godfather to my son.

Although he did not graduate college, my “little brother” did become a Renaissance man by learning the plumbing and butcher trades. Given his language skills, he also did well in his work on the suicide prevention hot line.

If you can spare the time to be a big brother or sister, it is well worth the effort.

— Rick Johnson, Novato

Don’t allow one person to impact traffic for all

I am writing to express my concern of the events of July 21 and 22, with respect to the closure of the eastbound lanes of Richmond-San Rafael Bridge during one person’s mental health crisis (“CHP: Safety concerns necessitated Richmond-San Rafael Bridge closure,” July 25).

I would implore our leaders to please review and come up with a more expedient plan for future incidents. I am very surprised that there has not been a greater uproar over this situation.

It is unacceptable that one individual could disrupt thousands of commuters throughout Marin, Sonoma, Contra Costa, Alameda and San Francisco counties. I would expect that all of you must share this concern and frustration.

I have been worried about dedicating the third lane on the westbound upper deck of the bridge to bikes and pedestrians. With only two lanes open to vehicles, any hiccup results in stopped traffic. Now it is a concern that one disturbed individual can access the bridge and completely block it for many hours. People were stuck for hours with no food, no water and no facilities — all on an afternoon with air quality so poor it was designated as a “Spare the Air” day. Cars were in danger of running out of gas or having their electric battery run out. People in poor health could have become ill.

This all happened because of one person. Certainly there had to be steps that could have been taken to remove this individual quicker. Accommodating these people is not in the interest of the greater good.

— Kim Sandholdt, San Rafael

Put focus back on using public transportation

Why am I reading reports that Bay Area transit agencies are running out of money, yet the traffic jams on Highway 101 are back to pre-pandemic levels? Nowadays, many people in our area are working at home either most or some of the time. When considering the cause of these related observations, I can only deduce that former transit riders must now be driving.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 29% of greenhouse gas emissions are caused by transportation. To help address this locally, I think Marin County officials have done a wonderful job gathering information and providing rebates to encourage emissions reduction.

Let’s not forget about the opportunity public transit provides to shrink our carbon footprints.

— Karen Andresen, Novato

Too many off-leash dog parks across Marin

Judy Spelman’s recently published letter to the editor suggests that a beach in Tomales Bay State Park (Millerton Point) should be opened up to off-leash dog recreation, adding that she hopes to garner letters of support for her initiative.

In opposition, I write in support of the regulations that Spelman seeks to have removed. I don’t find her argument that “managing a leashed dog can lead to human falls (and) limits freedom to focus on nature” to be persuasive. People at risk of falls caused by walking with a leashed dog can avoid injury by recreating in a less challenging environment, or by recreating without their dog. Additionally, I would say that, because dogs are domesticated pets and are not part of nature, walking without a dog (leashed or unleashed) is the best way to “focus on nature.”

Aside from chasing, maiming or killing wildlife, dogs also generate waste that can spread diseases to wildlife (and people). The Environmental Protection Agency says dog waste contains hazardous pollutants. Given that dog waste can foul nearby water bodies with pathogens, it is sensible to conclude that dogs should not be allowed on any beaches, whether leashed or unleashed.

Spelman’s group seeks to remove leashing regulations at one beach, but she ends her letter with the hope that “other parks will follow our lead.” In opposition, I will end my letter with the hope that Spelman’s efforts fail, and that future attempts to rewrite sensible regulations pertaining to dogs in county, state and federal parks are ignored. Far too many public outdoor spaces in Marin have been converted into dog parks (aka “dog toilets”) to the detriment of wildlife, the environment and public safety.

— Byron Wilson, Kentfield

Supreme Court correct to flip affirmative action

Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court correctly ruled that race-based preferences (aka “affirmative action”) are illegal in direct contradiction of our Constitution and civil rights laws.

In her recently published Marin Voice commentary (“North Bay Leadership Council CEO responds to affirmative action ruling,” July 15), Cynthia Murray disagrees and is seeking a workaround under the banner of DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion). She lauds the virtues of a “diverse” workforce without citing specific examples.

Murray is far from alone. Despite scant evidence, it appears to me that nearly all politically liberal people agree that “diversity” is more important than a merit-based system.

Some, including President Joe Biden, appear to not only look to flout the Supreme Court’s ruling, they support packing the court with additional justices who are like-minded.

We should demand a higher burden of proof for a policy that I am convinced goes completely against the principles of equality under the law and a color-blind society.

— Michael Hartnett, Greenbrae

Understandable fear of police leads to injuries

My first time as a juror was in the 1980s in Honolulu. The defendant was a young man who led police on a high-speed chase. His defense was that he was afraid the police would beat him up if he stopped. When he did stop, it appeared to everyone that the police did just that. Our jury voted unanimously to acquit. I was reminded of this seeing the horrific traffic stop in Ohio (“Black man attacked by Ohio police dog during traffic stop,” June 23).

The 23-year-old man who was driving a semi-truck with a missing mud flap said he was afraid to pull over while being chased by the Ohio State Highway Patrol. When his truck was finally stopped with the help of tire-deflation devices, he exited the truck with his hands raised. On the video posted online, a member of OSHP can be heard telling a Circleville Police Department officer not to release a police dog on the suspect, yet the local officer did anyway.

The young man now faces charges of failure to comply, a fourth-degree felony. Where is the justice in this?

— Kay Noguchi, Terra Linda

The post Marin IJ Readers’ Discussion board for Aug. 2, 2023 – Marin Impartial Journal appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

A 3,974-square-foot home in the town of Kentfield, Marin County, California caused quite a stir when it first came on the market.

A reason? The four bedroom, 3.5 bath home is almost unchanged, virtually unchanged since it was designed by the architect John Marsh Davis in 1965. Original appliances, plumbing, tall bookshelves, bench seats and fir floors have not been replaced.

The home is listed for $4,995,000.

The same family has owned the home since they commissioned it from Davis. His other projects include other homes in the San Francisco Bay Area and wineries in the Napa Valley, such as Joseph Phelps Vineyards and Rutherford Hill Winery.

“It defines Zen life,” he says Elizabeth Freeman with Boulevard Real Estate. “It’s full of natural elements, it has loads of natural light, it’s surrounded by forest and [there’s] an iconic view of Mount Tamalpais.”

Seventeen days after the market launch, the house was under contract. The attractive property is currently for sale.

“The only changes that were made were repainting the upstairs and laying new carpet,” says Freeman. “Otherwise the house remains in its original condition. Everyone who was interested in the house wanted it for the house. They didn’t consider it a demolition, although that does happen in our community.”

Potential buyers were delighted with the open floor plan and the two 14 foot tall sliding glass doors that connect the living room to the gardens and patio.

Living Room (Brian McCloud)
Kitchen (Brian McCloud)
Breakfast Area (Brian McCloud)
Deck (Brian McCloud)
One of the Bedrooms (Brian McCloud)
One of the Baths (Brian McCloud)
Staircase (Brian McCloud)

“The owner who buys it likes it the way it is,” Freeman says, while still acknowledging that “it’s a work of art that needs a major update.”

Expected improvements include new decking (sun and humidity have taken their toll over the years) and air conditioning, which the house currently lacks.

The offer also includes a 19,000 square meter plot ideal for a pool or guest house.

“It feels like a nature reserve,” says Freeman.

Thomas Church designed the gardens of the estate. The famed landscape architect’s 4,000 projects included master plans for UC-Berkeley and Stanford University, as well as the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Mrs. Clinton Walker House in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, which sold over the counter for $22 million in February, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Kentfield is 20 miles north of San Francisco. There are currently only 15 listings in the region with an average price of $2.7 million on Realtor.com®.

“The local market is pretty hot, especially at the lower end,” Freeman says. “Most of our houses don’t last long. We have the constant stock and things sell pretty fast.”

The post “$4.9M Mid-Century Modern Masterpiece in Marin County, California Goes Off the Market” appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

The post A $4.9M midcentury fashionable masterpiece in Marin flies off the market appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

A 3,974-square-foot home in the town of Kentfield, Marin County, California caused quite a stir when it first came on the market.

A reason? The four bedroom, 3.5 bath home is almost unchanged, virtually unchanged since it was designed by the architect John Marsh Davis in 1965. Original appliances, plumbing, tall bookshelves, bench seats and fir floors have not been replaced.

The home is listed for $4,995,000.

The same family has owned the home since they commissioned it from Davis. His other projects include other homes in the San Francisco Bay Area and wineries in the Napa Valley, such as Joseph Phelps Vineyards and Rutherford Hill Winery.

“It defines Zen life,” he says Elizabeth Freeman with Boulevard Real Estate. “It’s full of natural elements, it has loads of natural light, it’s surrounded by forest and [there’s] an iconic view of Mount Tamalpais.”

Seventeen days after the market launch, the house was under contract. The attractive property is currently for sale.

“The only changes that were made were repainting the upstairs and laying new carpet,” says Freeman. “Otherwise the house remains in its original condition. Everyone who was interested in the house wanted it for the house. They didn’t consider it a demolition, although that does happen in our community.”

Potential buyers were delighted with the open floor plan and the two 14 foot tall sliding glass doors that connect the living room to the gardens and patio.

Living Room (Brian McCloud)
Kitchen (Brian McCloud)
Breakfast Area (Brian McCloud)
Deck (Brian McCloud)
One of the Bedrooms (Brian McCloud)
One of the Baths (Brian McCloud)
Staircase (Brian McCloud)

“The owner who buys it likes it the way it is,” Freeman says, while still acknowledging that “it’s a work of art that needs a major update.”

Expected improvements include new decking (sun and humidity have taken their toll over the years) and air conditioning, which the house currently lacks.

The offer also includes a 19,000 square meter plot ideal for a pool or guest house.

“It feels like a nature reserve,” says Freeman.

Thomas Church designed the gardens of the estate. The famed landscape architect’s 4,000 projects included master plans for UC-Berkeley and Stanford University, as well as the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Mrs. Clinton Walker House in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, which sold over the counter for $22 million in February, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Kentfield is 20 miles north of San Francisco. There are currently only 15 listings in the region with an average price of $2.7 million on Realtor.com®.

“The local market is pretty hot, especially at the lower end,” says Freeman. “Most of our houses don’t last long. We have the constant stock and things sell pretty fast.”

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Marin County $4.9 million single-owner mid-century modern Marvel disappears from market

A 3,974-square-foot home in the town of Kentfield, Marin County, California caused quite a stir when it was first put on the market.

A reason? The four bedroom, 3.5 bath home is almost unchanged, virtually unchanged since it was designed by the architect John Marsh Davis in 1965. Original appliances, plumbing, tall bookshelves, bench seats and fir floors have not been replaced.

The home is listed for $4,995,000.

The same family has owned the home since they commissioned it from Davis. His other projects include other homes in the San Francisco Bay Area and wineries in the Napa Valley, such as Joseph Phelps Vineyards and Rutherford Hill Winery.

“It defines Zen life,” he says Elizabeth Freeman with Boulevard Real Estate. “It’s full of natural elements, it has loads of natural light, it’s surrounded by forest and [there’s] an iconic view of Mount Tamalpais.”

Seventeen days after the market launch, the house was under contract. The attractive property is currently for sale.

“The only changes that were made were repainting the upstairs and laying new carpet,” says Freeman. “Otherwise the house remains in its original condition. Everyone who was interested in the house wanted it for the house. They didn’t consider it a demolition, although that does happen in our community.”

Potential buyers were delighted with the open floor plan and the two 14 foot tall sliding glass doors that connect the living room to the gardens and patio.

Living room (Brian McCloud) Kitchen (Brian McCloud) Breakfast area (Brian McCloud) Terrace (Brian McCloud) One of the bedrooms (Brian McCloud) One of the bathrooms (Brian McCloud) Staircase (Brian McCloud)

“The owner who buys it likes it the way it is,” Freeman says, while still acknowledging that “it’s a work of art that needs a major update.”

Expected improvements include new decking (sun and humidity have taken their toll over the years) and air conditioning, which the house currently lacks.

The offer also includes a 19,000 square meter plot ideal for a pool or guest house.

“It feels like a nature reserve,” says Freeman.

Thomas Church designed the gardens of the estate. The famed landscape architect’s 4,000 projects included master plans for UC-Berkeley and Stanford University, as well as the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Mrs. Clinton Walker House in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, which sold over the counter for $22 million in February, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Kentfield is 20 miles north of San Francisco. There are currently only 15 listings in the region with an average price of $2.7 million on Realtor.com®.

“The local market is pretty hot, especially at the low end,” says Freeman. “Most of our houses don’t last long. We have the constant stock and things sell pretty fast.”

The post A $4.9M Midcentury Fashionable Masterpiece in Marin County, CA, Flies Off the Market appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

• Chrissy Costello speaks to a group of Marin dancers practicing their routine for the Carnaval San Francisco event. The exercise took place on May 15, 2023 at Lucas Valley Elementary School in San Rafael. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special for the Marin Independent Journal)

• Tara Costello (center) helps lead a group of Marin dancers practicing their routine for the Carnaval San Francisco event. The exercise took place on May 15, 2023 at Lucas Valley Elementary School in San Rafael. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special for the Marin Independent Journal)

• Tara Costello leads a group of Marin dancers practicing their routine for the San Francisco Mardi Gras. The exercise took place on May 15, 2023 at Lucas Valley Elementary School in San Rafael. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special for the Marin Independent Journal)

• Debora Teixeria, second from left, a Brazilian living in San Rafael, joins a group of Marin dancers practicing their routine for the San Francisco Carnival. The exercise took place on May 15, 2023 at Lucas Valley Elementary School in San Rafael. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special for the Marin Independent Journal)

• Doug Koefoed joins a group of Marin dancers practicing their routine for the San Francisco Mardi Gras. The exercise took place on May 15, 2023 at Lucas Valley Elementary School in San Rafael. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special for the Marin Independent Journal)

• Natalya Peter, 8, dances with a group of Marin dancers, practicing her routine for the San Francisco Mardi Gras. The exercise took place on May 15, 2023 at Lucas Valley Elementary School in San Rafael. (Douglas Zimmerman/Special for the Marin Independent Journal)

When Chrissy Costello and Angelita Peter formed a Marin dance group to participate in the San Francisco Carnaval parade in 2016, it consisted of 36 women.

Now, eight years later, there are 73 dancers of all ages, sizes and skill levels. Seventy women and three men will dance adorned in bikinis, elaborate headdresses, glitter and feathers at the 45th annual Carnaval San Francisco event on May 28th.

They will be the only Marin troupe – or “comparsa” in Spanish – out of more than 70 groups taking part in the parade.

“Our comparsa is Esforço, which means ‘effort’ in Portuguese,” said Costello, a teacher at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley.

Costello, who was born and raised in Marin, said she has long felt the need to bring community to Marin’s diverse cultural milieu.

“Esforço is all about inclusion,” said Costello, 40, of Olema. “Any age, race, height, gender, dance background, sexual orientation, etc. is welcome with open arms and butt shaking.”

In addition to creating a community, strengthening the body is a goal.

“We find that people of all ages, even people in their 50s and 60s, still have so much not to love and appreciate themselves,” Costello said. “It’s really nice to see how just by wearing a bikini and feathers on the street, people can finally connect with themselves and feel empowered.”

Costello recruited part of the team through Zumba classes she teaches at the Marinwood Community Center. Incorporating almost all Latin dance styles such as salsa, cumbia, mambo, samba and cha-cha, Zumba creates hip-moving choreographies to popular songs that students can easily imitate by following the instructor.

“My daughter took me to Chrissy’s Zumba class eight or nine years ago,” said Doug Koefoed, 66, one of the three male dancers.

“My daughter didn’t stick with it, but I’ve been with it ever since,” said Koefoed, a visual artist who said he’s been dancing since the 1970s. “I love it. This is mainly due to the community.”

Koefoed and many other dancers wore gold-colored sneakers at a recent rehearsal on Sunday. They will all wear similarly spectacular costumes designed by Katie Lister and Apocalypse Fabrication for the parade.

A fundraiser to help pay for costumes and other expenses will be held Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Round Table Pizza at 1565 S. Novato Blvd in Novato.

Peter, daughter of former longtime Carnaval CEO Roberto Hernandez, met Costello at a 2013 Carnaval event. The women were then members of a different group.

When they met, they realized that they both had the same goal: to bring a love of dance and a community of different cultures to Marin.

“We just wanted to create a community where people can be themselves and feel as good as they want,” said Peter, 42, of Santa Rosa.

“We wanted to encourage them and give them the opportunity to do their best,” she added. “We truly believe that dancing heals the mind, body and spirit.”

Peter’s daughter Naitalya, 8, is one of the youngest dancers in Esforço.

“She’s been dancing since she was three,” said Peter.

“I’ve been dancing since I was five,” added Peter. “I’ve been to so many different comparsas. This is my absolute favorite.”

During the pre-Mardi Gras season from February through May, the group rehearses for about an hour every Sunday morning at Lucas Valley Elementary School. At least two of the troop members — Tara Costello, Chrissy’s sister, and Mary Krause — are teachers in the Miller Creek School District, which includes the Lucas Valley school.

“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done in my life,” said Krause, who joined Esforço seven years ago. “It’s about the community.”

Sunday’s rehearsal music reflected Esforço’s theme for this year: female musicians through the decades and female empowerment. Hits like the Thelma Houston classic “Don’t Leave Me This Way” from 1977 and the Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine song “Conga” from 1985 could be heard from the big boom box, which played the whole hour.

After Sunday rehearsals, some group members often meet for tacos at Big Rock Deli, a short walk down Lucas Valley Road from the school. Other social events tend to be spontaneous, such as small groups of friends occasionally taking a pub crawl around town and dancing between stops.

“It’s so much fun,” Tara Costello said. “It’s a good mix of cultures, ages and shapes.”

“Some people have never danced in their lives, others dance their whole lives,” she said. “It’s just great to be comfortable in your own skin. It’s about strengthening the body.”

The festival takes place on May 27th and 28th from 11am to 6pm and spans 17 blocks in the Mission District. The grand parade begins May 28 at 10 a.m. on 24th Street and Bryant Street. General admission tickets are $30.

For more information, visit carnavalsanfrancisco.org online.

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