Novato, California, Urban Growth Boundary Continuation, Measure D (November 2017)
| Measure D: Novato Urban Growth Boundary Continuation |
|---|
|
| The basics |
| Election date: |
| November 7, 2017 |
| Status: |
 Approved
|
| Topic: |
| Local zoning, land use and development |
| Related articles |
| Local zoning, land use and development on the ballot November 7, 2017 ballot measures in California Marin County, California ballot measures City governance on the ballot |
| See also |
| Novato, California |
A measure to continue the city's urban growth boundary was on the ballot for Novato voters in Marin County, California, on November 7, 2017. It was approved.
| A yes vote was a vote in favor of continuing the city's expiring Urban Growth Boundary law—which limits development outside of the established limits—until 2042. |
| A no vote was a vote against continuing the city's expiring Urban Growth Boundary law—which limits development outside of the established limits—until 2042, thereby allowing it to expire in November 2017. |
Novato originally adopted the Urban Growth Boundary in 1997, with an expiration date of November 2017. Measure D was designed to maintain the Urban Growth Boundary through 2042, continuing limits on residential, commercial, and industrial development.[1]
Election results
| Measure D | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 8,933 | 73.93% | ||
| No | 3,150 | 26.07% | ||
- Election results from County of Marin
Text of measure
Ballot question
The ballot question was as follows:[1]
| “ |
Shall the City of Novato adopt an ordinance amending the General Plan to continue the Urban Growth Boundary to December 31, 2042 and adopting policies and programs relating thereto be adopted?[2] |
” |
Impartial analysis
The following impartial analysis of the measure was prepared by the office of the Novato City Attorney:
| “ |
In November of 1997, the voters of the City of Novato approved Measure G, an amendment to the Novato General Plan incorporating an Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). The text of Measure G provided that the UGB was to be in place for a 20 year period, until November 4, 2017. Measure D would amend the City of Novato General Plan to continue the UGB and related goals and policies which, with certain exceptions, will restrict the City from approving permits for urban development outside the boundary line set by the UGB until December 31, 2042, unless earlier amended by a majority vote of the electorate. If adopted by the requisite vote, Measure D will impose development restrictions on land located outside the UGB, when city permits are sought or when such land is annexed to the City. The uses to which such land may be put, without the granting of an exception, are limited and are described in Measure D as “non-urban” uses such as “agricultural, conservation, parkland and open space uses”. Exceptions are provided in the Measure D allowing the Novato City Council, under certain circumstances and based on specified facts, to change the UGB, or grant an exception, without a vote of the people. These include, by a majority vote of the City Council, exceptions: (1) to accommodate up to ten (10) acres of land per calendar year for housing primarily for low and very low income households; (2) to avoid an unconstitutional taking of private property; (3) for the development of a public park, public school, public facility, or public open space project and (4) to permit development with a vested right under the law to proceed consistent with that vested right. Further, by a 2/3 vote of the City Council additional exceptions may be granted: (a) to address a significant threat to the public health, safety or welfare relating to non-residential properties, where modifications to the UGB do not involve new development or a change in use and involves only developed or substantially developed lands; (b) to permit the construction or expansion of a single family residential structure and one accessory dwelling unit, consistent with all applicable regulations, on a legal conforming lot which existed on November 7, 2017 and which has a failing septic system, or which must pursuant to applicable County requirements, connect to the Novato Sanitary District in order to construct or expand, provided in either case, that the owner of such lot agrees to legally restrict further subdivision thereof. The General Plan amendments proposed by Measure D would be adopted if approved by a simple majority of those electors voting on the measure at the November 7, 2017 election.[2] |
” |
| —Novato City Attorney[1] | ||
Full text
The full text of the measure is available here.
Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot through a vote of the Novato City Council.[1]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Novato Local zoning, land use and development Measure D. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
External links
Footnotes
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