Yet residents and environmental groups oppose the project because of its potential impact on traffic and because it would put houses on a large, visible piece of property that has remained largely undeveloped. The remaining 89 percent of land is devoted to parks, wetlands, open space and agriculture. The opposition also ignores the need for work force housing. After gaining three or four years of experience they move to an area where the pay is less, but they can afford to buy a home. So many fire fighters and police officers live in Sonoma or Solano counties that an emergency planning scenario estimates it would be 48 hours before reinforcements arrived in the case of an earthquake affecting the 101 corridor.
Retailers struggle to fill low-paying service jobs with people who are commuting from other areas.
While Marin's policies keep the county's growth girdled, the excess spills over into neighboring communities. Marin workers forced to live in Petaluma, Rohnert Park and Cotati create more traffic on Highway 101 and drive up local housing demand and prices. The only sure thing is that the decision made by a few thousand voters in Novato will have a regional impact.