Return to Novato General Plan Menu
1. INTRODUCTION
The Environment Chapter combines the requirements for the Conservation Element and the Open Space Element required by state law. This chapter addresses the conservation, development, and use of natural resources, including streams and other waterways, wetlands, soils, woodlands, hillsides, ridgelines, wildlife habitats, and mineral deposits. It also plans open space for preservation and the protection of natural resources, for outdoor recreation, development of parklands and recreation areas, and for public health and safety.
The Environment Chapter is correlated with the Land Use Chapter, which also addresses suitable uses of land and preservation of open space areas.
The objectives, policies and programs of this chapter are based on the following goals from the Vision and Goals Statement adopted by the City Council in 1992:
| Goals | Preserve and improve the quality of life in Novato. Conserve and where appropriate restore the natural environment and strive for high quality in the built environment that complements the natural environment. |
| Preserve, protect and enhance the natural setting throughout the community, including creeks, hillsides, ridgelines, woodlands, wildlife, native plants, wetlands and open space. | |
| Preserve bayfront lands and diked wetlands for agriculture, resource restoration, conservation and recreation. | |
| Provide and maintain greater recreational, educational (including IVC) and cultural opportunities for all segments of the community. |
2. BACKGROUND
Following is a brief summary of characteristics of Novato's natural environment, its resources that require conservation, and its open space and parks. More detailed information can be found in the Existing Conditions Report and other documents listed in the Bibliography.
The Novato area encompasses bay plains, marshlands, hills, ridges, creeks, sloughs, and rivers. These undeveloped areas provide habitat for a wide range of plants and animals, as well as productive farmland for a variety of harvested crops, including oat hay and vineyards.
Streams and Other Bodies of Water
The Novato area contains a network of rivers, streams, creeks, lakes, and other water bodies, including:
In addition to these major waterways, numerous local drainage channels and storm drains discharge into Novato Creek and its tributaries. Pacheco Creek flows through the southern part of Novato.
Wildlife, Vegetation, and Habitats
The Novato Area of Interest contains a wide range of plant and animal communities, including:
Seasonal wetlands provide essential feeding, nesting, and roosting habitat at a time of year when California's limited wetland acreage must support a much larger bird population. The seasonal wetlands play a critical role in supporting migratory shorebirds. Extensive surveys of seasonal wetlands conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service indicate that 19 species of migratory waterfowl and 20 species of migratory shorebirds use these wetlands for feeding and roosting in the winter.
According to data from the State Department of Fish and Game and California Native Plant Society, these habitats may support a variety of rare or endangered plant and animal species. Sensitive species such as the California black rail, California clapper rail, and salt marsh harvest mouse have been found in the Novato area, particularly in bayfront areas.
Wetlands
Wetlands in the area include saltwater and brackish water-marshland, and freshwater wetland. The marshes and much of the freshwater wetlands habitat are part of the San Francisco Bay Estuary. Saltwater marsh communities occur in the upper intertidal zone of protected shallow bays, estuaries, and coastal lagoons. Brackish-water marshes occur at the mouth of large streams which enter northern San Pablo Bay, creating a gradual transition zone between salt marsh and riparian vegetation communities. Marshlands are very productive ecosystems which provide food, cover, nesting and roosting habitat, generate organic matter to fuel aquatic food chains, and function as natural flood control and pollution filtration systems. The bayside plains adjacent to Novato Creek east of Highway 101, and those along the lower reaches of the Petaluma River and Miller Creek, are subject to tidal action and support saltwater marsh and brackish-water marsh biotic communities.
Many of the wetlands in the Novato area are seasonal freshwater wetlands occurring in areas that were once part of the Bay and have been diked off to provide agricultural land. Freshwater wetlands are typically among the most productive wildlife habitats in California. Their functions include providing food chain support, providing habitat for waterfowl, fish, and other wildlife, and moderating hydrologic processes.
Ridgelines and Other Scenic Resources
Ridgelines surrounding Novato generally enhance the community's visual resources. Mt. Burdell, located north of the City of Novato, is a significant landmark in the open space network surrounding the City. Pinheiro Ridge functions as a ridge and upland greenbelt separator between the Atherton area and Gnoss Field. Big Rock Ridge, with a high point of about 1,400 feet, forms the western and southern edge of the Area of Interest, with an eastward extension to San Pablo Bay separating Hamilton Field from the St. Vincent's Silveira property. A series of canyons stretches into the western edges of the Area of Interest, following creek corridors. Small ridgelines also have a role in providing visual barriers from one residential area to another.
Other scenic resources are hillsides, Bay plains, and Bay shorelines. Hillsides, whether open and grassy like southern Mt. Burdell, or heavily wooded, provide a backdrop for developed areas. Bay plains provide expansive views to the east and south and are important to maintain the scenic qualities along Highways 101 and 37. The Bay shoreline is a scenic resource that would be of greater value if more public access were provided.
Energy Conservation
Energy conservation is promoted to reduce dependance on non-renewable energy and materials. The Land Use, Transportation, and Environment Chapters of the General Plan promote energy conservation through land use patterns and policies to encourage reduction of the use of single-occupant vehicles and Building Code requirements.
Archaeological Resources
Prehistoric sites are capable of yielding a variety of information about the early peoples of the region. Such sites may include locations of cultural, social, or economic importance and may also have spiritual significance to the ancestors of these peoples or to living Native Americans.
The Novato area lies within the ethnographic territory of the Coast Miwok people and contains the site of the village of Tcokette. While Miwok villages were located adjacent to the bay, lagoons, and sloughs, the Miwok people were hunters and gatherers who made use of seasonal resources from a variety of local environments, including bay and ocean coasts, sloughs, tidal marshes, inland valleys, and hills. They tended to live in small family units that came together at certain times of the year when the greatest amount of labor was needed to obtain resources (e.g., during salmon runs). The Coast Miwok lifestyle rapidly disintegrated with the arrival of Europeans in the area, beginning with the establishment of the Spanish missions in the late 18th century.
The Novato area contains many recorded prehistoric archaeological sites, on terraces adjacent to watercourses, at the base of hills where watercourses enter the valley floor, on mid-slope terraces and ridgetops, and along historical marsh margins. Recorded sites within the area include habitation, burial, resources procurement, camp, and petroglyph sites. There is a high probability of additional, as yet unrecorded, prehistoric archaeological sites within unsurveyed portions of the area.
Specific policies and programs on archaeological resources are located in the Community Identity Chapter under CI Objective 11 and related policies and programs. Protection is also provided through the California Environmental Quality Act and the Cultural Resources Ordinance of the City Code.
Historic Resources
See the Community Identity Chapter for information, objectives, policies, and programs for historic and archaeological resources.
Air Quality
Novato is located within the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), which regulates air quality in the San Francisco Bay Area. BAAQMD is primarily responsible for regulating air pollution emissions from stationary sources (e.g., factories) and from indirect sources (e.g., traffic associated with new development), and for monitoring ambient pollutant concentrations.
Novato lies on the west shore of San Pablo Bay, directly west of the main air flow through the Carquinez Straits, but sheltered from this marine flow by high terrain to the west and southwest. Wind speeds in the area are usually low, with winds of five miles per hour or less occurring about 45 percent of the time at Hamilton Field.
Levels of ozone, carbon monoxide, and suspended matter (PM-10) in the Bay Area currently exceed California Clean Air Act standards, and therefore the area is considered a "nonattainment area" for these pollutants. BAAQMD's Bay Area '91 Clean Air Plan contains districtwide control measures to reduce carbon monoxide and ozone precursor emissions.
Air quality is a function of both local climate and local sources of air pollution. BAAQMD has found the air pollution potential in Novato to be high due to predominantly light winds, frequent temperature inversions, plentiful sunshine for photochemical reactions, and hills to the west that restrict the effectiveness of wind action in diluting pollution.
Despite these factors, pollutant monitoring results for the years 1988-1990 in San Rafael (the only ambient air quality monitoring station currently operating in Marin County) indicate that air quality in Marin County has generally been good, with only one violation of air quality standards, a single violation of the state ozone standard in 1988.
Water Quality
The Public Facilities and Services Chapter discusses the supply of potable water, and the Safety Chapter discusses flooding. Water is also an environmental resource because of its effects on wildlife and habitat.
Two general types of pollutant discharges affect the quality of surface water and groundwater in the Novato Area of Interest:
The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board requires that each Marin County municipality participate in the existing Baseline Plan, a program to prevent increased pollutant discharge from their storm drain systems, in particular by controlling erosion and sedimentation from construction projects.
Solid Waste
The City of Novato is responsible for solid waste and implementing state mandates. The Novato Sanitary District is currently responsible for trash disposal. They have granted a franchise to Novato Disposal Service for collection and disposal. Redwood Sanitary Landfill, about three miles north of the City, receives virtually all solid waste from Novato and the other cities in Marin. Serious public concerns have been expressed over the safety of the access to the landfill. The City has requested the operator, the County of Marin, and CalTrans to seriously investigate safety improvements or alternative access.
The Novato Sanitary District also operates the City's recycling program, under a Countywide program to meet State requirements for reduction of the sources of solid waste. The Novato Disposal Service has the recycling franchise with the Sanitary District.
(See Safety Chapter for a discussion of hazardous materials.)
Mineral and Geological Resources
The primary extractive resources in and around the Novato area are sand and gravel. Crushed rock quarries are located on the southeast slopes of Mt. Burdell, but these operations are not currently active. Decorative fieldstone is located on the south side of Mt. Burdell. Sand and gravel have been produced in the Black Point area, but operations have not been active since the 1950s. The State Division of Mines and Geology has designated three sites as Resource Sectors in the Novato area (MRZ-2 zones) in Black Point, Burdell Mountain, and Bowman Canyon. The California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act requires cities to adopt general plan policies to protect such sites.
Open Space and Parks
Open Space for Environmental Protection
In 1972, Marin County voters established the Marin County Open Space District and approved the assessment of a property tax for the purpose of acquiring and managing open space in the County. The District works cooperatively with federal agencies, the State Parks Department, and local communities to acquire open space in the eastern part of the County.
Open space areas in the Novato area that are identified in the Marin Countywide Plan include:
Community Separators
- Big Rock Ridge, separating the Novato basin from the Lucas Valley/Marinwood Communities, extending to Stafford Lake Park and bordering the Indian Valley Campus. (6,400 acres, of which 4,512 have been publicly acquired.)
- Hills east of Highway 101 south of Hamilton Field, separating Novato from the St. Vincent's property and extending to San Pablo Bay. (1,070 acres, of which 263 are publicly owned.)
- Pinheiro Ridge, the northern boundary of urban development east of the freeway, separating the Atherton area from Gnoss Field. (970 acres, of which 109 are publicly owned).
- Mount Burdell, a major landmark of North Marin. (1,400 acres, all publicly owned. The Olompali State Historic Park borders to the north.)
Other ridges of local as well as Countywide importance are shown on EN Map 3: Scenic Lands.
Water Edge Lowlands
- San Pablo Bayfront, extending from Gallinas Creek to Novato Creek and containing McInnis County Park. (1,850 acres, 788 in public ownership.)
- Novato Creek to Black Point, including the entire tidal marsh and flood ponding area. (1,808 acres, publicly owned.)
- Petaluma River (950 acres, of which 196 acres of wetlands between Rush Creek and Basalt Creek are publicly owned.)
- Deer Island Open Space Preserve (120 acres northeast of the intersection of Novato Creek and Highway 37, owned by the Marin County Open Space District.)
Stream and Creek Reserves
- Arroyo San Jose, extending through the Novato Golf and Country Club and Rafael Village.
- Novato and Warner Creeks, among the few remaining natural streams in East Marin.
The City of Novato also owns approximately 200 acres of open space, obtained through acquisition or dedication, and located throughout the City. There is approximately 4,000 acres of open space land in public ownership (state, county, city) in the City limits with another 1,000 acres in the Sphere of Influence. These lands are shown on EN Map 4: Open Space. The former Hamilton Army Airfield is a 700-acre property currently under Federal ownership that is being processed through the Federal disposal process known as the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC). The Reuse Plan prepared by the Hamilton Local Reuse Authority envisions wetlands conversion for this property which is below sea level and currently protected by a levee. The future ownership of the property is not yet decided.
Another portion of the base has an approved development plan that also provides for open space and wetlands restoration as part of the projects required mitigation measure.
Parks and Recreation, Trails, and Cultural Facilities
The City of Novato owns over 59 acres of developed parks and 169 acres of undeveloped future park lands, as shown in EN Table 1 below. Since 1970, the City and the Novato Unified School District have co-developed recreation areas at nine school sites, providing another 12 acres of community play fields, neighborhood parks, and recreation areas. The City of Novato and the Community College District have also collaborated on joint use projects. Park and Recreation Facilities and Existing Trails are shown on EN Map 5. The City is working with the County of Marin to complete the Countywide Trails Plan.
EN Table 1 provides an inventory of recreational facilities in Novato. Recreational facilities consist of playing fields and other sports facilities, as well as museums, community house, and a community center for senior citizens.
The Community Services Department's 1992 report Target 2000: Taking Novato's Park and Recreation Facilities into the 21st Century, recommends a 10-year park program, emphasizing the improvement of existing City-owned land and undeveloped park land and the use of opportunities such as joint use with the School District, rather than acquisition of additional land for parks. This will be revised to be consistent with the 1996 General Plan. The General Plan Appendix on Novato Neighborhoods contains information about proposed park improvements in the various areas of the City.
The conversion and development of Hamilton Field will have significant impact on the City's inventory of recreational facilities, parks, and open space. There are three separate portions of the Base: a parcel with an approved major development plan, a Navy-owned parcel with existing facilities that is being processed through the Federal disposal process and an Army-owned parcel that is also involved in the Federal disposal process.
The Hamilton Field developer is obligated by agreement to provide such improvements and land in both Phase I and Phase II of their development. As part of Phase I, the developer will construct two neighborhood parks totaling 4.5 acres on two sites. These two parks will be built around important existing structures on the base. The first will improve approximately two acres around the original fire station. The fire station itself will be brought to code for public use and compliment the surrounding park. The second park will be developed around the old base amphitheatre and will provide opportunity for both recreational and cultural activities.
Also in Phase I, the developer will improve building complex 500-501-502, the headquarters building, in order to provide much needed space for City and local nonprofit organizations. A building will be a future hub for community arts, educational, cultural, and recreational programs.
As part of Phase II, the City will receive title or license to use the approximately 60-acre landfill which could be used for future active recreational playfields. The City also receives the benefit of new open space and wetlands restoration as part of the project's required mitigation measures.
Conversion of Navy properties will also yield potential for new community recreational facilities. Throughout the Federal reuse process and now through the Base Realignment and Closure Commission (BRAC) process, the City has pursued title and ownership of several major facilities on base. These include the swimming pool complex, the gymnasium complex, the officers' club, the base theater, and all existing ball fields currently used by local Little Leagues. Please refer to EN Table 3 for a listing of potential publicly-owned recreational facilities at Hamilton.
The 700-acre Olompali State Historic Park, north of the City and west of Highway 101, was established in 1981. The park contains sites once occupied by the Coastal Miwok people, as well as the Burdell House, which was built in the 1860s. The Olompali State Historic Park General Plan, adopted by the State Park and Recreation Commission in 1988, calls for improvements to historical resources and trails. Capacity of the park is currently limited to 225 visitors at any one time because of parking availability.
| EN Table 1: Publicly Owned Developed and Undeveloped Parks in Novato |
|
| Park Site | |
| Developed Parks | Number of Acres |
| Hill Recreation Area | 13.00 |
| Hillside Park (Aaron & Highland) | 1.00 |
| Pioneer Memorial | 8.75 |
| Josef Hoog | 9.94 |
| Miwok | 6.14 |
| Marin Highlands | 4.07 |
| Slade | 3.10 |
| Marion/Stafford Grove | 2.75 |
| Lee Gerner | 1.88 |
| Arroyo Avichi | 0.58 |
| Bahia Mini Parks (6) | 1.00 |
| Partridge Knolls | 0.50 |
| Olive/Elmwood | 0.25 |
| Joyce Street | 0.25 |
| Pansy Tong Lo | 0.75 |
| Robinhood | 0.25 |
| Pacheco Valle/Creekside | 4.65 |
| Fairway - Alameda | 0.30 |
| Total - Developed Parks | 59.16 |
| Undeveloped Parks | |
| O'Hair/Fuchs | 100.00 |
| Lynwood Hill | 13.30 |
| San Andreas Park Site | 4.43 |
| Scottsdale Pond and Marsh | 40.63 |
| Pacheco Valle | 2.37 |
| Park Novato | 1.30 |
| Pell | 0.88 |
| Terry Circle | 0.60 |
| Spyglass Park | 1.00 |
| Hamilton Parks | 4.50 |
| Total - Undeveloped Parks | 69.01 |
| Total Park Acreage | 228.77 |
| Source: Community Profile, 1994, City of Novato | |
| EN Table 2: Publicly Owned Recreational Facilities in Novato |
|
| Facility | Description |
| Specialized Facilities | |
| Babe Silva Field | Little League field |
| Hill Recreation Area | Soccer, softball fields; senior center, gymnasium, multi-purpose room |
| Margaret Todd Center | Multi-purpose senior center |
| Marin Museum of the American Indian | Local cultural resources museum, located in Miwok Park |
| Novato Community House | 4,000-square-foot multi-purpose center and performing arts building |
| Novato History Museum | Local history and archives |
| Novato High School Pool | City-owned pool on Novato High School campus |
| Novato Fitness and Gymnastics Centers | 10,000 square feet leased and operated by City |
| Jointly Developed Facilities | |
| Indian Valley Campus | 6 tennis courts, 50-meter pool |
| Lu Sutton School Recreation and Pinheiro Field | Little League field, soccer field, softball field |
| Lynwood School Recreation Area | 2 softball fields |
| Olive School/Hamman Field | Little League field, neighborhood park |
| Pleasant Valley School Recreation Area | Little League field, soccer field |
| Public School Facilities | |
| Hamilton/Meadowpark Elementary School | 2-acre play field, multi-purpose room |
| Loma Verde Elementary School | 2-acre play field, multi-purpose room |
| San Ramon Elementary School | 4-acre soccer, softball fields* |
| San Jose Middle School | soccer, football field, softball field, multi-purpose/gym |
| Sinaloa Middle School | 4-acre play field, 2 tennis courts, multi-purpose/gym* |
| Novato High School | 6 acres of play fields, baseball field, softball field, soccer field, 8 tennis courts, pool (municipal) 2 gyms* |
| San Marin High School | 6 acres of play fields, softball/baseball/football facilities, 3 tennis courts, gym* |
| *Partially developed for recreation with the City. | |
| EN Table 3: Potential Publicly Owned Recreational Facilities - Hamilton |
|
| Facility | Description |
| Neighborhood Parks | Two parks, 4.5 acres, including improvements to firehouse and amphitheater. Provided by developer as turnkeys. |
| Headquarters Building 500 | Approximately 21,000 square feet to be improved and given to City as center for arts, educational, cultural, and recreational programs. Provided by developer. |
| Landfill Site | Future active recreational play field site for athletic activities. May be provided to City by license agreement as part of Phase II. |
| Swimming Pool Complex | Pool, cabana, locker rooms. To be acquired as part of BRAC proceedings. |
| Gymnasium Complex | Includes gym, exercise room, and bowling lanes. To be acquired as part of BRAC proceedings. |
| Officers' Club | Community center and office facility to be acquired as part of the BRAC proceedings. |
| Base Theater | Theater for use by local performing arts organizations and to be acquired as part of the BRAC proceedings. |
| Ballfields | Four existing Little League and Senior League fields on base, to be acquired by City for continued use for the Little League organization. To be acquired through BRAC. |
| Open Space, Parks, Wetlands | The City will may acquire approximately 200 acres of open space parks and wetlands as part of the development project |
3. OBJECTIVES, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS
Watercourses, Wetlands, and Baylands Areas
| EN Objective 1 | Preserve, protect, and enhance streams and other bodies of water. |
Streams and other water bodies are shown on EN Map 1. Areas next to streams contain environmental resources that are important to the ecology of the area, such as plants and animals that require a riparian habitat, scenic and open space values, and wildlife corridors. These areas are easily damaged by water pollution and construction activity, and therefore careful control of development is necessary.
EN Policy 1 Ecology of Creeks and Streams. Preserve and enhance the ecology of creeks and streams.
EN Program 1.1: Establish a Stream Protection Zone for watercourses shown on EN Map 1 and their significant tributaries. The width of the Stream Protection Zone shall include the watercourse itself between the tops of the banks (existing height) and a strip of land extending 50 feet laterally outward from the top of each bank. Include provisions to extend the Stream Protection Zone where critical habitat areas and riparian vegetation exist and can be restored, wherever feasible, or to reduce the zone if physical conditions so warrant. Establish standards to protect riparian habitat, water quality, provide long-term flood management and establish continuous wildlife corridors. Require a permit for any excavation, filling, or grading; removal or planting of vegetation; construction, alteration, or removal of any structure; or alteration of any embankment that is proposed in the Stream Protection Zone. Permits shall include mitigations to protect wildlife and to protect, enhance, and restore native vegetation. The permit shall take into account aesthetic, scenic, environmental, and recreational impacts or benefits.Under this program, the City will permit uses in Stream Protection Zone that are allowed in the underlying zoning district on parcels that fall entirely within the zone. On parcels partially within the zone, uses will be permitted in the Stream Protection Zone where it can be conclusively demonstrated that development on any other part of the parcel is not feasible or would have a more adverse effect on water quality, flood management, vegetation or wildlife habitat. In addition, the City will encourage other public agencies to provide conditions to protect and preserve the natural resource qualities of the watercourse area:
- Water supply projects
- Flood control projects
- Maintenance of water channels and levees for erosion control, flood control, and other public purposes
The waterways shown on EN Map 1 constitute important physical, habitat, aesthetic, and recreational assets to the residents of Novato. The Stream Protection Zone will implement the goals and policies of the General Plan related to reducing flood risk and damage, and to protecting and preserving natural resources. It will also reduce flood losses; minimize indirect costs to government caused by development in flood hazard areas; preserve biological diversity and habitat; prevent erosion of stream banks; prevent siltation of stream waters; and generally conserve and protect woodland and wildlife resources in the Novato Area of Interest. Marin County's Streamside Conservation Areas provide similar protections for watercourses.
EN Policy 2 Vegetation in Watercourse Areas. Protect vegetation in watercourse areas.
EN Program 2.1: Require mitigation for loss of riparian vegetation. On-site mitigation is preferred wherever possible.EN Program 2.2: Encourage planting of native vegetation and discourage planting of exotic, invasive vegetation.
EN Program 2.3: Develop educational programs to inform property owners about protecting native vegetation in watercourse areas.
(See EN Programs 1.1 and 5.2)
The largest concentration of riparian vegetation occurs where land along streams has not been developed. Native vegetation can be protected by minimizing disturbances, encouraging removal of non-native species such as eucalyptus, palm, broom and other exotic, invasive plants, and replacing them with native plants. Planted trees and shrubs should include a variety of species that would grow naturally in riparian areas.
EN Policy 3 Wildlife Habitat. Endeavor to preserve and enhance wildlife habitat areas in watercourse areas and control human use of these areas as necessary to protect them.
EN Program 3.1: Refer for comment to the State Department of Fish and Game and Marin County Flood Control District any grading, filling, or construction proposal that would alter a watercourse shown on EN Map 1.
EN Policy 4 Erosion Control. Minimize soil disturbance and surface runoff in the Stream Protection Zones. Pursuant to the City's grading ordinance, work in and adjacent to the zones shall be conducted during the dry season only, at times when the Community Development Department determines that surface runoff will be minimal or containable.
(See EN Programs 1.1)
EN Policy 5 Habitat Restoration. Restore damaged portions of riparian areas to their natural state, wherever feasible.
EN Program 5.1: Continue to participate in the Petaluma River project to restore marshland habitat and provide public access as long as it does not adversely affect wildlife habitat.EN Program 5.2: Prohibit further degradation and require restoration of previously-degraded riparian areas as a condition of development approval when restoration is feasible, taking into account the project's size and cumulative impacts.
See also EN Program 6.2
EN Program 5.3: Encourage riparian restoration as part of permit approval.
EN Policy 6 Public Access. Manage public access to watercourses shown on EN Map 1 in a manner that will not degrade the habitat.
EN Program 6.1: Develop guidelines for public access to watercourse areas. Include guidelines dealing with appearance and view preservation.EN Program 6.2: Evaluate proposals for trails and waterway access relative to potential impact on habitat value. Consequences such as wetland impacts, removal or damage to trees or other habitats, or invasion by domestic animals should be avoided. Where avoidance is not possible, alternative access should be sought.
In most cases, point access rather than linear access will minimize adverse impacts. Use of vegetated buffer areas, rather than fences, to separate watercourses from paths will be considered. Bridges, increased access points and additional paths will be considered in watercourse corridors.
Responsibility: Community Services Department
EN Policy 7 Water Quality. Encourage protection of water resources from pollution and sedimentation, and preserve their environmental and recreation values.
EN Program 7.1: Develop practices to protect water quality and natural ecosystems in the Stream Protection area.
EN Policy 8 Environmentally Sound Flood Control Measures. Encourage flood control measures that retain the natural features and conditions of watercourses to the maximum feasible extent. (Also see sections on flooding in Safety Chapter.)
EN Program 8.1: Ensure the retention of flood protection easements held by the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District on private property to prevent development in these areas.Ways to retain natural features for flood control include maintaining drainageways above ground, keeping an adequate flood plain area to enable runoff to spread out when needed, and/or providing naturally vegetated ponding areas.
EN Program 8.2: Encourage the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to manage floodplains in accordance with policies of the Novato General Plan.
| EN Objective 2 | Preserve, protect and enhance wetlands. |
EN Policy 9 Determination of Wetlands. Recognize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) as the designated permitting agency that regulates wetlands. In regulating wetland activities, the ACE consults with other agencies and organizations including but not limited to U.S. Fish and Wildlife and State Department of Fish and Game.
EN Program 9.1: The City shall establish programs and ordinances that develop a process for determining, regulating and permitting wetlands.
EN Policy 10 Wetlands Ecology. Preserve and enhance wetlands ecology.
EN Program 10.1: Establish Wetland Protection Standards for wetlands as defined in EN Policy 9. Include provisions to extend the Wetlands Protection area where critical habitat areas (including uplands) and riparian vegetation exist or to reduce the area if physical conditions so warrant. Establish standards and require a permit for any excavation, filling, or grading; removal or planting of vegetation; construction, alteration, or removal of any structure; or alteration of any embankment that is proposed in or near a Wetland area. Permits shall include mitigations to protect wildlife and to protect and replace native vegetation, and shall take into account aesthetic, scenic, environmental, and recreational benefits.EN Program 10.2: Require development plans to avoid wetlands to the maximum extent feasible. If development is permitted within wetlands, require mitigation at 2:1 replacement to provide wetland habitat of the same type as the lost habitat. Require off-site mitigation of wetlands impacts in cases where on-site mitigation is not possible. Off-site mitigation sites should be as close to the project site as possible.
See also LU Policy 9 for consideration of Constraints Analysis of wetlands areas, and policies and programs in other sections of the Environment Chapter. Implementation of this program should be coordinated with the appropriate state and federal authorities.
EN Program 10.3: Encourage wetlands restoration where appropriate.
Restoration of historic wetlands such as those at the Hamilton Field runway is contributing towards restoring those lands that experienced a significant loss (over 80 percent) in the Bay Area.
| EN Objective 3 | Preserve, protect, and enhance historic bayland areas. |
EN Map 2, Bayland Areas, shows the historic shore of San Pablo Bay. Areas near the Bay include wetlands, habitat areas for endangered plant and animal species, streams, and lands that are at risk for damage from flooding and earthquakes. Careful regulation of development is necessary to protect environmental resources and minimize the effects of natural hazards. Many diked historic bayfront areas are used for agriculture.
EN Policy 11 Bayland Overlay Zone. Establish a Bayland Overlay Zone to preserve and enhance natural and historic resources, including wildlife and aquatic habitats, tidal marshes, seasonal marshes, lagoons, wetlands, agricultural lands and low-lying grasslands overlaying historic marshlands. The Bayland Overlay Zone will be established as part of the adoption of the General Plan and all policies related to this zone (EN Policies 11-17) are effective with Plan adoption.
EN Program 11.1: Revise the Zoning Ordinance to include a Bayland Overlay Zone consisting of bayland areas as shown on EN Map 2, excluding land that has been filled or legally developed. Permit uses in accordance with the underlying General Plan designation and Zoning District that are consistent with the other specific regulations pertaining to the Overlay Zone, recognizing the range of values which may characterize different areas.See LU Policy 9 regarding Constraints Analysis of Bayland Areas.
EN Policy 12 Bayland Area Protection. Regulate development in the Bayland Overlay Zone so that it does not encroach into wetlands or sensitive wildlife habitats, provided that this regulation does not prevent all use of a property. Discourage human activity that damages fisheries, or habitat for birds, fish or other wildlife.
EN Program 12.1: All new development within the Bayland Overlay Zone shall provide a buffer between wetlands and the development. The buffer shall be of sufficient width to protect wetland habitat values. The buffer will be commensurate with the habitat value and it will be established as part of a site-specific decision.EN Program 12.2: Encourage protection of migratory and other birds, anadromous fish and endangered species.
EN Policy 13 Views. Encourage protection of visual access to the San Pablo Bay Shoreline and the Petaluma River. EN Map 3, Scenic Resources.
EN Program 13.1: Establish design guidelines for the Bayland Overlay Zone. Consider guidelines for signs, protection of views, and requiring design review for all development in the area.
EN Policy 14 Tidal Areas. Cooperate with State and Federal agencies to ensure that areas subject to tidal action remain in their natural state.
EN Policy 15 Agriculture in Bayland Areas. Encourage the continuation of agricultural uses in Bayland Areas that do not adversely affect wetlands or sensitive wildlife habitats and do not damage fish habitat.
EN Program 15.1: Work with the County to establish programs that will encourage agriculture that does not degrade the environment in the baylands or cause pollution of Bay waters.
EN Policy 16 Public Access and Water-oriented Uses. Encourage public access to shoreline areas, consistent with wildlife and habitat protection and safety considerations. Allow water-oriented uses such as public access, docks and piers, and low-intensity recreational and educational activities which provide or protect wetland or wildlife habitat, and which do not require diking, filling, or dredging. Encourage restoration to tidal status, and seasonal wetlands. Allow use of shoreline areas for flood basins, and wastewater reclamation.
Where feasible, the City will accept dedicated public access easements, to be improved and maintained by the City, provided City funds are available. These easements should separate public access from habitat areas. The design of paths and viewpoints should minimize conflicts between public and private uses.
EN Policy 17 Inter-Agency Coordination. Facilitate coordination and consultation with other agencies with jurisdiction over the bay in the review of development and conservation proposals in the Bayland Overlay Zone.
EN Program 17.1: Provide information to applicants about agencies with jurisdiction over baylands.
Wildlife and Native Plant Protection
| EN Objective 4 | Preserve and protect native plant and animal species and their habitat. |
Protecting the diversity of plant and animal species is important to the environmental health of the community. The Novato area contains important habitat areas and wildlife corridors in hillsides, along streams, and along the Bay.
EN Policy 18 Species Diversity and Habitat. Protect biological resources that are necessary to maintain a diversity of plant and animal species.
EN Program 18.1: Develop standards and mitigations to help ensure protection of native plant and animal species and their habitat, including the preservation and enhancement of wildlife corridors and edge habitats.
EN Policy 19 Special Status Species. Cooperate with State and Federal Agencies to ensure that development does not substantially adversely affect special status species appearing on the State or Federal list for any rare, endangered, or threatened species. The environmental documentation will screen for the Federal Candidate Species, plants listed on lists 1A, 1B, or 2 of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS), inventory of rare and endangered vascular plants of California and animals designated by CDFG as species of special concern or their current equivalent.
Agriculture
| EN Objective 5 | Encourage continued agricultural use. |
Encouraging agricultural uses is a complex task that involves, for example, maintaining parcel sizes large enough to sustain agricultural production; preventing conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses; discouraging uses that are incompatible with agricultural activities; implementing programs that assist agricultural operators and owners to maintain and improve agricultural productivity of their land; and assisting local marketing of locally-produced agricultural products. Most of the agricultural land in the Novato area is outside the City limits, although some agricultural activity still takes place inside Novato.
EN Policy 20 Agricultural Lands. Encourage preservation of agriculture.
EN Program 20.1: Coordinate with the County of Marin to maintain policies to protect agricultural land.EN Program 20.2: Revise development regulations as required to preserve agricultural and maricultural activities on lands designated for agricultural use, by retaining or establishing very low density zoning categories; by specifying appropriate land uses in agricultural and maricultural areas; and by requiring clustering of development for maximum protection of lands. (Refer to Land Use Chapter.)
EN Program 20.3: Assist public agencies or a non-profit land trust in the acquisition of conservation easements on agricultural lands in the Novato area.
EN Program 20.4: Develop appropriate City policies and programs to protect the right to farm and agricultural land.
EN Policy 21 Environmental Impacts of Agriculture. Encourage agricultural activities that minimize adverse effects on environmental resources.
EN Program 21.1: Permaculture. Encourage permaculture, the conscious design and maintenance of agriculturally productive ecosystems, which have the biodiversity, stability, and resilience of natural ecosystems, in the project design of developments and the activities of public agencies in the Novato area.
EN Policy 22 Mariculture. Consider maricultural use, the cultivation of marine organisms in their natural environment, of tidelands and on-shore production areas where possible along the shore of the Bay.
Woodlands
| EN Objective 6 | Preserve, protect, and enhance native woodland areas. |
EN Policy 23 Native Woodlands. Maintain age and species diversity of native woodlands, and preserve the health of trees and other vegetation wherever feasible.
EN Program 23.1: Require replacement of native trees/woodland with native species when projects result in the loss of woodland habitat.(See EN Program 26.1)
EN Policy 24 Trees on Public Land. Protect native woodlands and significant trees on public lands by planting additional trees needed to maintain age and species diversity, ensuring the proper and timely pruning of trees, and removing non-native species, particularly if they are invasive.
EN Program 24.1: Consider adopting a Tree Management Program, establishing varieties, size and spacing requirements, maintenance standards, and priority planting schedules.Funding for such a program may be available from Federal forestry and transportation-related grants, State grants, assessment district funds, and other public and private sources.
EN Policy 25 Trees on Private Property. Encourage and, where appropriate, require actions by private property owners to protect the health of native woodlands and trees.
EN Program 25.1: Continue requiring the planting of trees in parking lots to provide shade and visual screening.(The Community Identity Chapter has additional policies relating to landscaping parking areas.)
EN Program 25.2: Develop educational programs to inform property owners of good tree management practices.
EN Program 25.3: Adopt a tree preservation ordinance that incorporates the City's Heritage Tree Ordinance.
EN Policy 26 Trees in New Development. Require that the site planning, construction and maintenance of development preserve existing healthy trees and native vegetation on site to the maximum extent feasible. Replace trees and vegetation not able to be saved.
EN Program 26.1: Consider amending the City's Zoning Ordinance and other regulations to improve policies for tree and native vegetation preservation, planting, maintenance, and replacement.
Scenic Resources
| EN Objective 7 | Protect visual values on hillsides, ridgelines, and other scenic resources. |
EN Map 3, Scenic Resources, shows areas characterized by the significant ridgelines, hillsides, and other scenic elements that help to form the visual character of Novato and that define community separators. It is important that development be located and designed in such a way that these resources are protected.
EN Policy 27 Scenic Resources. Protect visual values on hillsides, ridgelines, and other scenic resources.
EN Program 27.1: Establish Hillside and Ridgeline Protection Standards and Scenic Resource Protection Standards to preserve visual values on hillsides, ridgelines, and other scenic resources. Existing policies would remain in effect until the standards are established.This ordinance would include development standards and measures for hillsides and scenic ridgelines. A slope density regulation which decreases allowable development densities as slope increases would be a practical method to protect hillsides. Refer to the Safety and Noise Chapter for additional policies and programs dealing with development controls for unstable slopes.
Energy Conservation
| EN Objective 8 | Reduce dependence on non-renewable energy and materials. |
EN Policy 28 Energy Conservation. Consider land use patterns and policies that promote energy conservation.
The Land Use Chapter encourages mixed use projects in and near the Downtown and in neighborhood shopping centers. The Transportation Chapter contains policies and programs that encourage reductions in the use of single-occupant vehicles and encourage the use of bicycles and other travel modes that do not consume fossil fuels.
EN Policy 29 Energy Conservation Measures in Buildings. Reduce energy consumption by requiring structures to meet the energy conservation requirements stipulated in the State Building Code and State Title 24 regulations.
EN Program 29.1: Adopt a program to encourage retrofitting of energy-saving features in existing structures by providing information, technical assistance, and other incentives.EN Program 29.2: Review, and if necessary revise, planning and regulatory documents to ensure if they adequately promote energy efficiency, make use of sustainable renewable resources, and protection of solar access.
EN Policy 30 Energy Efficiency in Public Programs. Assure energy efficiency in local government operations.
EN Program 30.1: Continue to conduct energy management studies to evaluate opportunities for energy savings and use of local renewable sources.EN Program 30.2: Incorporate energy conservation measures in the design of capital improvement projects.
EN Program 30.3: Consider using electric, zero-emission vehicles or alternative fuel and alternate energy efficient building materials.
EN Policy 31 Development Review Process. Consider energy conservation in the development review process.
EN Program 31.1: Consider adopting a solar access ordinance that would require all development applications to be reviewed for potential energy conservation measures and design, including site orientation, building design and aesthetics and use of materials, landscaping and solar access.EN Program 31.2: Make available to the public PG&E literature and other information on energy conservation and energy efficient design.
EN Program 31.3: Analyze energy consumption aspects of site design and service delivery, such as drive-up windows.
EN Program 31.4: Encourage use of alternative energy-efficient building materials.
Air Quality
| EN Objective 9 | Work to protect and improve air quality. |
Refer to the Transportation Chapter for additional policies and programs regarding air quality.
EN Policy 32 Regional Planning to Improve Air Quality. Continue to cooperate with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) in implementing the regional Clean Air Plan.
EN Program 32.1: Use the environmental review process to determine whether air emissions from proposed development would exceed BAAQMD standards.EN Program 32.2: If fireplaces or wood burning stoves/heaters are installed in new development, these fireplaces, stoves, and/or heaters shall meet the most current EPA standards regarding particulate emissions.
EN Program 32.3: The City shall monitor new development to ensure that projections made in the Draft General Plan are not exceeded. If there is substantial increase in development over projections; then the City shall investigate additional transportation, land use, and air quality beneficial measures to improve air quality.
EN Policy 33 Vehicle Trips. Encourage transportation facilities and modes that minimize motor vehicle use.
EN Program 33.1: Develop program for trip reduction and implement as permitted by law.
EN Policy 34 Local Efforts. Encourage local efforts to improve air quality.
EN Program 34.1: Use the City's development review process and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) regulations to evaluate and mitigate the local and cumulative effects of new development on air quality.EN Program 34.2: Continue to include responsible agencies in the review of proposed land uses that would handle, store or transport any potential air pollutant sources such as, but not limited to, lead, mercury, vinyl chloride, benzene, asbestos, beryllium, and all fossil fuels.
EN Program 34.3: Continue to require and enforce a dust emissions control plan for construction.
EN Program 34.4: Review all new industrial development for potential air quality impacts on sensitive receptors. Require adequate buffer zones between industrial development and sensitive receptors to ensure public health and to prevent odor-based nuisance.
EN Program 34.5: Support a strong street tree planting and community forest component of the proposed Tree Preservation Ordinance and tree management program to help improve local air quality.
Water Resources
| EN Objective 10 | Preserve, protect, and enhance water resources. |
Reduce urban runoff pollutants that enter storm drains and infiltrates groundwater resources. Urban runoff pollution prevention is also accomplished by policies and programs in this chapter relating to wetlands and bayfront areas and riparian corridors.
Refer to the Public Facilities and Services Chapter for policies and programs regarding potable water quality.
EN Policy 35 Watershed Management. Minimize the effects of pollution in stormwater runoff. Retain and restore where feasible the natural hydrological characteristics of watersheds in the Novato Area of Interest.
EN Program 35.1: Continue to implement the Clean Stormwater Ordinance. As budget allows, increase storm drain maintenance to reduce urban runoff pollutants and increase street sweeping programs.
The City Council adopted the erosion and sedimentation controls in ABAG's "Manual of Standards for Erosion and Sediment Control Measures" in June 1995.
The City participates in the Marin County Stormwater Pollution Protection Program, designed to substantially reduce pollution, and minimize hydrological changes due to development and urbanization of watersheds. Federal mandates determine the basic level of participation and requirements of this program.
EN Policy 36 Point Source Pollution. Continue to prohibit discharges of any substances other than stormwater and prevent illicit dumping of wastes into storm drains and creeks.
EN Program 36.1: Investigate reports or evidence of illicit discharges or dumping into creeks or storm drains and work with the appropriate state and local agencies to determine causes and take measures to prevent such occurrences.
EN Policy 37 Using CEQA to Reduce Water Quality Impacts. Use the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) process to identify measures to prevent erosion, sedimentation, and urban runoff pollution resulting from development.
EN Program 37.1: Include analysis and mitigation measures to reduce the harmful effects of runoff as part of project review.
Solid Waste Reduction
| EN Objective 11 | Reduce the volume of solid waste generated by the City. |
EN Policy 38 Solid Waste Reduction. Encourage solid waste reduction methods.
EN Program 38.1: Continue working toward implementing AB 939. The California Integrated Waste Management Act of 1989.Responsibility: Central Administration
EN Program 38.2: Consider enacting ordinances that increase recycling, reuse, and waste reduction. This includes recycling of green waste, construction debris, etc.
EN Program 38.3: Purchase goods containing recycled materials for City use wherever feasible.
EN Program 38.4: Revise the Zoning Ordinance to allow a solid waste recycling transfer station and/or a Materials Recovery Facility MRF to locate in the Light Industrial and the Public Utilities Zoning Districts with Conditional Use Permit approval.
EN Program 38.5: Consider locating a compost facility within the City of Novato.
Responsibility: Central Administration
EN Policy 39 On-Site Recycling Areas. Require on-site areas for recycling in commercial/retail, office and multi-family residential developments as required by State law.
EN Program 39.1: Evaluate and revise the City ordinance to implement State requirements for recycling, requiring all commercial/retail, office and multi-family developments to provide on-site drop-off areas. Coordinate with the City's refuse disposal contractor or other recycling services to ensure regular pick-up.EN Program 39.2: Encourage development to provide for areas for storage of recyclables in the design of new development and remodeling.
EN Program 39.3: Consider requiring in the ordinance a debris and reuse plan for recycling on construction sites and to include recycling of existing materials on site and construction materials. The Plan would require estimating the amount of construction derived solid waste the project will generate, identifying the market opportunities for recycling and reuse and developing a strategy and action plan to recycle and reuse material.
Mineral Resources
| EN Objective 12 | Designate mineral resources. |
EN Policy 40 Mineral Resources. Designate mineral resources as required by the State Division of Mines and Geology as mineral resource sites.
EN Program 40.1: Use the environmental review process to determine areas that are potential mineral resources.
Open Space
Protection and acquisition of Open Space can be accomplished through public purchase, or through negotiated transfers of various types, including through development review.
| EN Objective 13 | Preserve open space for the protection of natural resources. |
EN Policy 41 Open Space of Countywide and Local Importance. Protect designated open space of Countywide and local significance in the Novato area.
The Marin Countywide Plan designates portions of the following areas: Ridgelines (Community Separators): Big Rock Ridge, St. Vincent's, Pinheiro Ridge, and Mount Burdell; Water Edge Lowlands; San Pablo Bayfront; Novato Creek/Black Point and Petaluma River; Watercourse Areas: Arroyo San Jose, Novato and Warner Creeks; Safety Zone, Gnoss Field. (See EN Map 1: Waterways, EN Map 2: Bayfront Areas, and EN Map 3: Scenic Resources and EN Map 4, Open Space. The City will identify open space of local significance.
EN Program 41.1: Continue to work with the Marin County Open Space District to establish a preservation plan for open space.EN Program 41.2: Coordinate with the Marin County Open Space District to establish a funding program to acquire and maintain open space of local importance.
EN Program 41.3: Work with state and federal agencies and non-profit organizations to obtain funds for acquisition of significant open space.
EN Program 41.4: Identify open space of local importance and prioritize for acquisition. Develop a strategy for local funding and donations. Provide technical assistance to property owners to establish assessment districts or other mechanisms to acquire open space.
EN Policy 42 Specific Use Objectives for Open Space. Protect publicly-owned open space areas in their natural state; limit uses to those with a minimal adverse environmental impact.
EN Program 42.1: Establish standards for the management and maintenance of City-owned open space.EN Program 42.2: Establish an annual City open space maintenance and environmental needs inventory, and include a budget for open space maintenance.
EN Policy 43 Access to Open Space. Provide public access to public open space in a manner compatible with the preservation and enhancement of the natural environment.
EN Program 43.1: Provide access to public open space through the review of development proposals in adjacent areas.
Parks and Trails
| EN Objective 14 | Provide an attractive and comprehensive system of parks and trails throughout the city to meet the recreational needs of the entire community. |
EN Policy 44 Park and Recreation Facilities. Develop and maintain to the maximum extent possible given available resources a system of parks to meet the needs of Novato residents.
EN Program 44.1: Review the 1992 report Target 2000 and develop an updated Master Plan for Parks and Recreation facilities. (See Novato Neighborhoods Appendix for more detailed recommendations.)Responsibility: Community Services Department
Refer to EN Map 6 which shows future major park development.
EN Program 44.2: Coordinate recreation programs with the Novato Unified School District, the Community College District, other public and non-profit agencies, and commercial recreation facilities.
Responsibility: Community Services Department
EN Program 44.3: Evaluate parking and facilities for transit access at all recreation facilities.
Responsibility: Community Services Department
EN Program 44.4: Require design of screening, lighting, and noise protection to reduce impacts on nearby neighborhoods.
Responsibility: Community Services Department
EN Program 44.5: Review and update regulations establishing impact fees for residential development to provide a fair share of the costs of park and recreation facilities.
Responsibility: Community Services Department
EN Program 44.6: Conduct a nexus study to investigate the feasibility of establishing impact fees for non-residential development to provide a fair share of the costs of park and open space.
Responsibility: Community Services Department
EN Program 44.7: Consider geoseismic and other potential hazards prior to City acceptance of dedications of land for park or open space. Identified hazards shall be fully repaired and/or financial protection for liability provided to the City before acceptance of land.
EN Policy 45 Community and Neighborhood Parks. Consider implementing planning and funding for community parks. Encourage neighborhood parks emphasizing homeowner association ownership.
EN Program 45.1: Consider requiring developers to provide neighborhood parks in keeping with their project and also contribute toward communitywide parks consistent in the anticipated use of community facilities by potential residents of the proposed development.EN Program 45.2: Consider evaluating existing underdeveloped park sites for feasibility of developing as community parks or consideration of other options such as neighborhood ownership or open space.
EN Program 45.3: Identify locations for additional community parks.
EN Policy 46 Existing Park Land and Facilities. Continue to emphasize improvement of the City's extensive holdings of undeveloped parkland over the acquisition of new land for parks and open space.
EN Program 46.1: Develop a financial plan to improve undeveloped park land, maintain existing facilities, and acquire land for new neighborhood parks .Responsibility: Community Services Department
EN Policy 47 Hamilton Field. Develop and rehabilitate appropriate parks and recreation facilities on portions of Hamilton Field that become City-owned.
EN Policy 48 Greenways. Provide a system of greenways, consisting of natural lands, wildlife corridors, open space, watersheds, forests, landscaped borders, and landscaped pathways for pedestrians and bicycles. Greenways should connect major open space areas, and habitat areas including perimeter open space, creeks, Stafford Lake, O'Hair Park, and Scottsdale Pond, with the developed parts of the City.
EN Program 48.1: Consider developing a Greenways Plan indicating locations and design criteria for a City-wide system, including consideration of privacy issues along creeks and in other developed areas and minimizing impacts on wildlife.Responsibility: Community Services Department
EN Policy 49 Annual Review of Open Space, Parks, and Trails Acquisition. Review the status of open space, parks, and trails acquisition and development.
EN Program 49.1: Prepare a report for the City Council and the Parks and Recreation Commission on the status of the acquisition and the improvement of parks and trails, including a list of existing and proposed projects, estimated cost and sources of funding. Determine what additional actions, if any, may be necessary to implement the policies of this Chapter.Responsibility: Community Services Department
EN Program 49.2: Develop a financial plan for the improvement and maintenance of an urban trails system.
Responsibility: Community Services Department
EN Policy 50 Integrated Trails System. Facilitate the development of an integrated trails system and a continuous Bay Trail that connects regional trails, schools, open space, parks, recreation facilities, and residential areas. (See Transportation Chapter.)(33B)
EN Program 50.1: Continue to develop and enlarge a comprehensive and coordinated trails and paths system that serves both recreational and utilitarian travel.
Responsibility: Community Services Department
EN Program 50.2: Consider the access needs of a variety of users, including school-age children, the elderly, and those with disabilities when designing trails and paths.
EN Program 50.3: Minimize impacts to habitats and wildlife in planning, construction and operation of trails.
EN Program 50.4: Require new developments to provide direct pedestrian connections to parks and trails and to dedicate portions of the mapped trail system that extend through the property, consistent with nexus considerations and applicable laws.
EN Program 50.5: Work with the Marin County Open Space District, the Association of Bay Area Governments, and other regional, state and federal agencies to implement the trail system as described in the Hamilton Bay Trail Public Access Plan, Marin Countywide Plan and ABAG Bay Trail Project.(33B)
EN Map 5 shows the preferred alignment for the Bay Trail along the eastside of Pacheco Pond and connecting to the south through the Las Gallinas Sanitary District lands to the existing bayfront trail on the outboard levee. The Bay Trail Plan provides for alternate alignments to the north and south of Hamilton in case the preferred alignment cannot be implemented. An alternate alignment to the north provides for connection of the trail from Hamilton airfield/runway parcel to Bel Marin Keys Boulevard along the westside of Pacheco Pond. This alternative alignment may be supported by the City only if the state and federal agencies undertaking the Hamilton Restoration Project and Bel Marin Keys Unit 5 Restoration construct the alternate route as part of the restoration project in order to offset the potential impact to existing wetland habitats. Provision of point access along the southern cross levee and a connection to the south on the west side of Las Gallinas lands is shown as an interim connection with a recommendation for a future connection to the Las Gallinas Bay Trail segment along the outboard levee with appropriate habitat buffers.(33B)
EN Program 50.6: Obtain easements from the Coastal Conservancy to ensure access in perpetuity for the Bay Trail through Hamilton and Bel Marin Keys.(33B)
EN Program 50.7: Obtain formal support for the Bay Trail connection to the south from the Las Gallinas Sanitary District.(33B)
EN Program 50.8: Work with the Bay Area Ridge Trail Council to implement the Novato portion of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, encircling San Francisco Bay on ridge lines.(33B)
Responsibility: Community Development Department, Community Services Department
The Bay Area Ridge Trail is a proposed 400-mile multi-use trail system that will connect 75 parks and public open spaces along the ridges with the communities that encircle San Francisco Bay. In Marin County the system will mostly use existing trails shown on the Countywide trails plan. The Ridge Trail is planned to run along the perimeter of Novato on a yet to be determined route from Big Rock Ridge to Mount Burdell. The City has endorsed the Bay Area Ridge Trail and will participate in trail planning to assure the maximum recreational benefit to area residents.(33B)
EN Policy 51 Environmental Education. Provide opportunities for environmental education, recreation and wildlife interpretation that integrate and link the City's parks and trails systems to environmental education, scientific research, and restoration activities within the watershed as well as, the community's cultural heritage.(33B)
EN Program 51.1 Work with regional, state and federal agencies and other interest groups to develop an environmental educational and interpretive center at Hamilton with connections to the Bay Trail, Hamilton community park and wetland restoration activities in the vicinity.(33B)
EN Program 51.2 Address potential wildlife disturbance from trail use by incorporating adequate buffers and screening into the design of restoration projects, providing physical and visual separations to minimize habitat conflicts, such as grade-separated trails, screening vegetation, point access and overlook areas, berms, and fencing. Consider seasonal closure of trail sections during nesting season, and prohibition of dogs adjacent to sensitive wildlife areas.(33B)
EN Program 51.3 Address potential security, parking and privacy issues for existing residences and businesses along trail routes by providing adequate trailhead parking, seating and viewing areas, and several access points along the trail to disperse trail use; incorporating adequate screening vegetation, fencing, gate controls, grade separation of trail paths, and providing appropriate signage, trash and animal waste receptacles, and restrooms. (33B)
Responsibility: Community Development Department, Community Services Department
EN Policy 52 Continue to work closely with the Rancho Olompali organization concerned with planning and improving the historic park, and the State Parks Department to enhance the park.
Responsibility: Community Services Department
Return to Novato General Plan Menu