Grand Jury

MARIN COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY REPORT SUMMARY 11 MARIN COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY 2014-2015 • AUGUST 2015 THE WINCUP/TAM RIDGE RESIDENCES: How Did It Come to Pass? Report issued June 24, 2015 e Marin County Civil Grand Jury received a complaint concerning Tam Ridge Residences (herea er referred to as WinCup) at the former WinCup factory site. e complaint charged malfeasance and bribery; it also questioned the integrity of the Town of Corte Madera's Town Council and Planning department members. rough interviews and review of relevant documents, the Grand Jury's investigation found neither malfeasance nor bribery. e Town of Corte Madera (herea er referred to as Town) in the main complied with the public notice requirements and held the required public meetings. However, the fact that the WinCup project was embedded in the Town's General Plan and was not specifi cally noted on the Town Council's agendas resulted in the public not actually knowing it was to be considered. When the WinCup development became physically visible, the community reacted by questioning the process by which this project was approved, feeling that they were not given suffi cient notice and opportunity for input. Concerns included traffi c, parking, and concessions made to the WinCup property owner. e Grand Jury identifi ed a number of factors in the WinCup approval process that led to the public outcry, including but not limited to: 1. In 1998, a group of housing advocates brought a lawsuit against the Town for not having a state required certifi ed Housing Element. e purpose of the Housing Element is to ensure that local governments adequately plan to meet the housing needs of all people within the community, regardless of their income. e lawsuit was settled at great expense and therea er the Town's offi cials were very concerned about future lawsuits. Harsh economic conditions prevailed while the Town's offi cials were considering the WinCup Project and more than one Town offi cial indicated that another lawsuit would have been disastrous. 2. Prior to the Town offi cials' adoption of the 2007-2014 Housing Element, astute developers and housing advocates (both internal and external to town staff ), saw the opportunity to meet and even exceed state housing and planning mandates. Coincidentally, for the 2007- 2014 time period for housing Photographer: Stuart Lirette. Continued on page 12

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