The county wedged between the Golden Gate and Wine Country loves many things. Give Marinites an environmental crisis, a chance to know their farmer and some organic vittles, and life is pretty good. Next month, voters will have a chance to prove it.
If a majority of Marin voters give the nod to Measure B, it will create a permanent home for the Agricultural Institute of Marin’s farmers market, the third-largest farmer’s market in the state, near the Marin Center at the Civic Center campus. Plans call for a market canopy and an indoor market building not to exceed 30,000 square feet, which would be open seven days per week.
Because of controversy over the construction of a new jail in a hillside at the public safety wing of the center in 1994, voter approval is now required for any new construction at the center. And the ballot measure is a mouthful: “To enhance local farmers’ contributions to our economy and provide Marin residents access to healthy, locally grown foods, shall Marin County permit the Agricultural Institute of Marin to create a permanent home for the farmers market at the Marin Civic Center, including an eco-friendly canopy designed to respect Frank Lloyd Wright’s building, accessible to pedestrians, bikes and public transit and an indoor market building not to exceed 30,000 square feet at no cost to Marin taxpayers?”
I’m not quibbling with the prose; good writing is hard to come by (as this column sadly proves every month). But it’s the last sentence of the ballot measure that cries for help. See, the county is paying $1 million to do the prep work on the parking lot so the new market can be built. And since the county is funded with taxpayer dollars, it would seem “at no cost to Marin taxpayers” turns out to be what my college baseball coach always referred to as “horseshit.”
Perhaps some fund-raising we’re unaware of is in the offing.
Since famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Civic Center (the only public complex Wright ever designed), an expert recommended by the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy will be consulted before the final plan for the farmers market is authorized.
Wright is, of course, regarded as a design genius, but the futuristic complex (it was part of George Lucas’ first film, “THX 1138,” as well as the 1997 sci-fi flick “Gattaca”) proved to be less practical as the roof leaked like a grand jury for years before the county broke down and replaced it.
Something for the carnivores
Marin Sun Farms bought Rancho Feeding Corporation at a time when the Feds were falling on the Petaluma slaughterhouse in a major kind of way, giving local ranchers the opportunity to forego a trip to Modesto (the next closest facility) and build their own brands.
While Rancho was accused of sidestepping USDA inspections and selling meat from diseased cows, Marin Sun Farms brings a serious reputation for organic, grass fed and humanely raised cattle and is redesigning the business from top to bottom.
Marin Sun Farms plans to offer ranchers a menu of services to choose from to make it easier to make local products available to North Bay consumers. Services may include livestock hauling, slaughtering, packaging, distribution and sales. A certified organic facility is also in the works so organic ranchers can use the facility as well.
Your Marin moment
J.B. Matteson, the company that brought you the Millworks in Novato (the mixed-use development that includes Whole Foods on the ground floor), has made its second move in Marin. It bought the Rafael Town Center for $50 million. The downtown San Rafael complex includes 133 apartments, almost 42,000 square feet of office space and a little more than 20,000 square feet of street retail space.
The shops include Line Wireless, Opus Bank, Coldstone Creamery, Mountain View Vintners and, of course, Mr. Pickles. Nothing says hot retail like a place where you can go to the bank, get a sandwich, eat a cone with more than just jimmies, buy a phone and toast your shopping spree with a spicy Zinfandel.
In the end, it’s all about options.
