Developer Paying to Poll Citizens on 836-Acre Project

SAN RAFAEL, CA-Shapell Industries is funding a telephone poll in Marin County to determine the level of support for its proposal to build a mixed-use project here on an 836-acre site. The site is home to the St. Vincent’s School for Boys, which is owned by the Catholic Youth Organization. The property sits east of Highway 101, between the San Rafael and Novato city lines. For several years, the two properties have served as a buffer between developments built from the north, south and west.

The Los Angeles developer says that telephone polls are effective in analyzing the value of a development project to a community. Recently, the city of San Rafael expressed doubts about the company’s proposal, which includes a 766-unit residential subdivision and 124,000-sf of commercial and retail space.

The city fears that it will greatly increase traffic and noise, as well as raise other environmental concerns. In addition, many residents say that they want the government or environmental groups to buy the property or at least the development rights, so that the land can be preserved.