Thursday, January 9, 2014

What's Next



Safe Passage Along Lucas Valley Road
Project Update
January 9, 2014
As you can see in the photos, Safe Passage is an “6-year overnight” success!  Giant leaps of progress are being made daily in the construction of the pathway on Lucas Valley Road between Las Gallinas and Los Gamos.  All of the curbing (below) was laid in a single day!

As the project nears the home strech, we anticipate two ribbon-cutting ceremonies!  The County of Marin will hold an event during the week, probably in the afternoon and Safe Passage along Lucas Valley Road will schedule weekend festivities for those who cannot attend during business hours.  As soon as we are able, we will let you know the time/date.  Let us know your ideas for the celebration!

P.S.  If you are going to miss pulling broom, let us know!



What’s next?
A group of our supporters wants to do more! 
Next, we are endorsing Lucas Valley Road as a California Scenic Highway!  We would like your support and will include you unless you ask to be removed from our database.  We expect this project to only take 2-3 years, so we will keep you up to date and offer ways for you to get involved.



Why?
The stated intent (Streets and Highway Code Section 260) of the California Scenic Highway Program is to protect and enhance California's natural beauty and to protect the social and economic values provided by the State's scenic resources.

Benefits!
  
1. A scenic highway designation protects the scenic values of an era. Specifically:
·         Protect from encroachment of inappropriate land uses such as junkyards, dumps, rendering plants and gravel pits.  
·         Mitigate uses which detract from scenic values by proper siting, landscaping or screening.  

·         Prohibit billboards and regulate on-site signs so that they do not detract from scenic views.

·         Make development more compatible with the environment by requiring building siting, height, colors and materials that are harmonious with the surroundings.

·         Regulate grading to prevent erosion and cause minimal alteration of existing contours and to preserve important vegetative features along the highway.

·         Protect the hillsides by allowing only low density development on steep slops and along ridge lines.  

·         Prevent the need for noise barriers (sound walls) by requiring a minimum setback for residential development adjacent to a scenic highway.

2. A scenic highway designation can enhance community identity and pride, encouraging citizen commitment to preserving community values.
3. By preserving scenic resources, a scenic highway designation will enhance land values and make the area more attractive.