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Health & Fitness

Will Blithedale Terrace Project Really Make Traffic Worse Than It Already Is?

Mill Valley's Closet Conservative speaks out on Blithedale Terrace development

It’s hard to know when it happened, but for all of my adult life the word “Developer” has generally implied a person of greed and selfishness, with little concern for the well being of the environment or needs of the local citizens. 

But I’m puzzled: Do all who complain about developers live in their automobiles? If not, was it not at one time a developer who planned, designed, and oversaw the “development” of the homes in their neighborhood? Tam Valley, Sycamore Park, the Bolsa Tract, Cascade Canyon, Scott Valley, Alto, Enchanted Knolls, Almonte, Homestead Valley and Tamalpais Park. These are just a few of the neighborhoods in Mill Valley that contain hundreds of homes, which were at one time built by “developers.”  

Do any of the people in these homes have the same contempt for those developers as they do for modern day developers?

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I’m not writing here to promote the development of Blithedale Terrace, or for that matter to jump on the bandwagon of local citizens and vilify the project. I’m suggesting a look at not only history, but the bigger picture for the future of Mill Valley, or for that matter – California. 

In spite of the massive exodus of Californians who are LEAVING the state, there are still more coming in each year than those exiting. Those coming in would like to live somewhere other than their cars. Ideally most would like to one day become homeowners. Given the fact that the population increases each year, is it not logical that there must be development so “everyone” has the opportunity live the American dream? 

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Somewhere in the hidden vaults at , there is a zoning plan that was designed and progressively modified as the years have passed. For better or worse, Mill Valley has pretty much maxed out on the amount of homes that can be built. Yet, there are still a few lots and areas that at one time had been zoned for the building of homes. Given the constant political jabber about lacking affordable housing, would it not benefit first time homeowners, and those with modest incomes the chance to enter the housing market by purchasing a small 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom homes, similar to the hundreds of homes that were built in Mill Valley shortly after World War II?

Apparently there is talk and hope that 20 “smallish” homes can be built in the Blithedale Terrace development. Who’s to say, perhaps with an added stoplight, or the re-routing of some streets, that the already awful traffic in this area during the afternoons might be improved. How much of an impact will 20 homes make to an already lousy traffic situation?

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