BUSINESS & NONPROFITS
North Bay bike coalitions spread the word about the many benefits of cycling TWO WHEELS AND THE TRUTH
Inside: A salute to Redwood Credit Union at 75!
Business & Nonprofits Issue 2025
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THE NORTH BAY’S LEADING CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS
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CONTENTS
49 YEARS OF BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE
January 2025 • Volume 49 • Number 1
22
LEAD STORY 22 Two Wheels and the Truth Bill Meagher North Bay bike coalitions spread the word about cycling
FEATURE STORIES 30 Women and Children First Judith M. Wilson
YWCA of Sonoma County has safety and support for domestic abuse victims
38 In Doyle We Trust
Janis Mara How the Frank Doyle family continues to serve SRJC students
WORK/LIFE 16 Commute 17 Social media 18 Traffic
January 2025
NorthBaybiz 5
38
30
66
45 67 DEPARTMENTS 12 The 707
SPECIAL SPONSORED SECTION 45 A 75th anniversary salute to Redwood Credit Union
Jason Walsh The latest news from Sonoma and Napa counties The 415 Jason Walsh The latest news from Marin County The Month In Numbers Jason Walsh A look at the key figures shaping life in the North Bay
13
COLUMNS 11
Editor's Note Jason Walsh How the North Bay profits from nonprofits Only In Marin Bill Meagher Goodbye Northgate theater, farewell tequila
19
21
60
What’s Happening Upcoming North Bay events
29
Napa Insider Christina Julian A new year—and a new attitude
64
Biz Scene Photos from LUMA Ice in Petaluma Beyond the Boardroom
37
Tech Talk Michael E. Duffy From Blackberry to ChatGPT: 25 years talkin’ tech
66
Rosie Padilla Shirley Zindler, executive director of Dogwood Animal Rescue
53
Econ 101 Robert Eyler A look at tariffs
55
In the Kitchen John Ash The savory delights of miso butter
NorthBay biz (ISSN No. 1542-3549: USPS 097-770) is owned and published monthly (plus three bonus issues annually) by North Bay Media Group, LLC. Editorial offices are at 3392 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95403 USA: (707) 528-4434. Sub- scription price is $35 per year. Periodicals Postage Paid at Santa Rosa, CA 95402 and at additional mailing offices. Copyright 2022, NorthBay biz. Reproduction of this issue in whole or in part is strictly forbidden without written permission by the publisher. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to NorthBay biz, 3392 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, CA 95403 USA.
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6 NorthBaybiz
January 2025
THE NORTH BAY’S LEADING CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS
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Contributing Editor
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Administrative Assistant
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Marketing Consultant
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Writers Ana Fingerson Janet Perry Janis Mara Jason Walsh Judith M. Wilson Rosie Padilla Columnists Bill Meagher Christina Julian Jason Walsh John Ash Michael E. Duffy Robert Eyler Photographers Duncan Garrett Will Bucquoy
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8 NorthBaybiz
January 2025
THE NORTH BAY’S LEADING CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS
RUTHLESS KINDNESS “I'll reach safety once my dog can come with me. Until then, we're in this together.”
~ Ruthless Kindness domestic violence survivor client
Did you know?
• 1 in 4 women experience domestic violence • 65% of these women have pets • 71% of the pets have also been mistreated
Half of these women and pets won't reach safety simply because services don't accommodate pets.
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We are a Sonoma County 501c3 nonpro t organization.
If you can, please give today at www.ruthlesskindness.org/donate/ to help people and animals get through their toughest days together.
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Remember being read to as a child? M and what it felt like leaning into her, while she read aloud to me. The pages of those books she read transported us to faraway places—real and imaginary—and taught me about life and oPened my mind to all the possibilities. So when I became a mother, I began reading to my kids. And now I’m reading to my grandchildren every chance I get. As for my mom, now a great-grandmother, she still takes great joy in reading to the kids whenever she visits. Remember to take time every chance you get—eat, play, read. Reading helps build language and thinking skills, develops a child’s imagination and empathy for others, achieve better in school, and it’s a great way to spend time together. And best of all, reading aloud to your child makes memories that will stay with you for a lifetime. That’s what my mother was doing years ago when she took the time to read aloud to me. y mother read aloud to me, and one of my favorite books was Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. But what I remember most was the sound of her voice, the rhythm of the words
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Editor's Note
We all profit from nonprofits
By Jason Walsh
to-work commuting. As part of the program, which I undertook as part of a cover story on the coalition, I biked twice a week from my home in Novato to our offices in central San Rafael—a 30-mile roundtrip—for six months. It was a wonderful program and I’ve been a regular cyclist ever since. (Though not necessarily to work; showing up
N orthBay biz’s January some of the lifeblood nonprofits of the North Bay—from homeless services and health care agencies to animal rescues and education advocates. The number of 501(c)(3)s working to better our communities is countless. (Not really, but there are more than 3,000 in Sonoma County alone.) This year’s issue happens to feature a trio of nonprofit subjects that issue has for years been dedicated to highlighting are particularly enlightening to me: up-close looks at the YWCA, local bike coalitions and the Doyle Trust “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” — Anne Frank
drenched in sweat with only the office restrooms for cleanup isn’t popular among coworkers, turns out.) Next, there’s Janis Mara’s story, In Doyle We Trust , which traces the origins of the Doyle Scholarship, which has helped tens of thousands of Santa Rosa Junior College students on their journeys toward earning advanced degrees, this editor included. Finally, we hope readers enjoy our salute to Redwood Credit Union, a sponsored section celebrating the 75th anniversary of the not-for-profit credit union dedicated to enriching the lives of its members, employees and the community at large. Together these nonprofit coalitions, programs and businesses are emblematic of thousands throughout the North Bay, in the above inspirational words of Anne Frank, “improve the world.” And they don’t “wait a
scholarships for Santa Rosa Junior College students. Writer Judith Wilson’s piece, Women and Children First , homes in on the efforts of YWCA Sonoma County to support and provide safe harbor for women in abusive domestic situations. The agency straddles a challenging line: keeping the locations of its safe havens discreet to ensure the safety of residents, while simultaneously elevating its brand beyond long-ago associations with the similarly acronymed health club and popular wedding-reception song. For those alternatively-transportation-minded, Janet Perry’s story, Two Wheels and the Truth , follows the path of the North Bay’s nonprofit bicycle coalitions—and their efforts to promote health, sustainability and fun by getting more people out riding bikes. As editor of the Pacific Sun a few moons ago, I took part in a Marin County Bicycle Coalition “challenge” to promote bike-
single moment” to start. g —Jason Walsh, editor in chief.
January 2025
NorthBaybiz 11
SDC development plan tossed out by Supes Plans to develop the former Sonoma Developmental Center near Glen Ellen are going back to the drawing board, as the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors last month decertified its environmental impact report and repealed their approval of the SDC “specific plan,” the comprehensive planning initiative created to guide development of the project. The board stopped short of abandoning the SDC Specific Plan altogether, as the years-long process in creating it included extensive community input, county officials said in a statement. The board’s move came in the wake of recent court rulings which found county officials had failed to adequately assess environmental impacts, wildfire safety nor account for community concerns over the draft EIR when they originally approved the plan in 2022. The plan had called for up to 1,000 housing units on the 180-acre main campus, which for decades had operated as a home for developmentally disabled residents. SDC was shuttered by then-Gov. Jerry Brown in 2018 and the state eventually turned management of the 945-acre property over to the county. The plan has faced fierce opposition from some community members. In January 2023, a group called Sonoma Community Advocates for a Livable Environment, or SCALE, took legal action against the county, alleging the project failed to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act. On Oct. 22, the court ruled for SCALE. Meanwhile, Eldridge Renewal—an LLC formed by Napa-based Rogal & Partners and the Grupe Company—was chosen in 2023 to develop the Eldridge property. In a statement from the county, officials stressed that "under state law, the county is restricted in its ability to deny or reduce the density of the project, even if it conflicts with the General Plan or an adopted specific plan." These latest actions will almost certainly set back development of SDC for months, if not years.— JW The 707
County contracted in-home care providers will see a bump in wages and benefits the next two years, as they assist with local seniors and people with disabilities. The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors ratified a three-year contract Dec. 10 between the Sonoma County In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority and Service Employees International Union Local 2015 which would increase the hourly wage for nearly 7,200 in-home care workers by 14.4% over the next two years. According to county officials, IHSS workers are paid the state minimum wage, currently $16 an hour, plus a local wage supplement negotiated by SEIU, currently $1.35 an hour. Under the new contract, the local wage supplement would double to $2.70 an hour in 2025 and increase to $3.35 an hour in 2026. When combined with the state minimum wage, the current $17.35 hourly wage for local IHSS workers would increase to $19.20 in 2025 and $19.85 in 2026. IHSS providers are employees of the people they care for but are paid by the California Department of Social Services with a mixture of federal, state and county funds, county officials explained in an announcement. Their last contract with the County of Sonoma expired in September 2023. “This agreement recognizes the incredible work of IHSS providers who help keep Sonoma County In-home care workers to see pay hike vulnerable residents safe in their homes,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors, which serves as the board of directors for the County’s IHSS Public Authority. The agreement must be reviewed by the California Department of Social Services. If approved by the state, the wage increases are expected to take effect March 1, 2025.— NBb staff
12 NorthBaybiz
January 2025
The 415
Northgate movie theater flickers out The curtain has lowered permanently on one of the North Bay’s longstanding movie theaters—the multi-screen cineplex at Northgate mall in Terra Linda is now closed. Cinemark Holdings, the Texas-based movie-theater chain that owns the Century Northgate Theater, decided not to renew its lease on the 45-acre complex, a mall spokesperson reported to the Marin Independent Journal . Cinemark acquired the Northgate theater as part of its acquisition of Century Theatres in 2006. The mall has been owned since 2017 by Merlone Geier Partners, a real estate investment company which specializes in redeveloping shopping centers. Merlone Geier has proposed reinventing Northgate into a residential-commercial community hub featuring apartments, townhomes, restaurants, shops and, until now, a movie theater. Merlone spokesperson Ross Guehring told the Marin IJ the closure could pave the way for a new theater operator, a different entertainment-center concept or “other compelling new retail tenants.”
The movie theater has been a Northgate staple since opening in 1966, a year after the launch of Northgate Fashion Mall—a then-state-of-the-art retail center anchored by the Emporium and Sears and featuring an open-air design by Marin-based architect Lawrence Halprin notable for its fountains and reflecting pools. The movie theater industry has faced a headwind of challenges in recent years, as options for viewing films and various entertainment content have spread to streaming and other digital platforms. An estimated 25% of movie theaters nationwide never reopened following the pandemic. Cinemark has closed about 50 theaters since the pandemic. The Century Regency 6, also in Terra Linda, closed last November; Century Larkspur closed in 2022.— JW
North Bay tule elk will soon be free to roam free in Tomales Point, as federal officials plan to remove the controversial fence enclosures that have limited the elks’ mobility within the Point Reyes National Seashore. The removal of the fencing was announced as part of the Tomales Point Area Plan, finalized last month by the PRNS, which is maintained by the National Park Service. The fencing has induced criticism by animal-rights watchdogs, as it has prevented the ungulates from reaching vital water sources during times of drought. The plan also calls for the removal of all temporary water systems installed during the most recent drought. Additionally, the plan includes future opportunities to improve recreational uses and the visitor experience at historic Pierce Ranch, new approaches to preserve and maintain wilderness character in the Phillip Burton Wilderness, and methods to better protect natural and cultural resources. Under the General Agreement for a government-to-government partnership, PRNS consulted and collaborated with the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria throughout this planning process. The park is incorporating the tribe’s views and traditional ecological knowledge into the management of Tomales Point. Park Superintendent Anne Altman said the plan incorporated feedback from more than 35,000 public comment letters. “The benefit of removing this enclosure is to allow elk to access additional habitat, increase the Don’t Fence Them In: PRNS plans to remove tule elk barriers
species’ population resilience during drought, and promote a more natural population cycle,” Altman said in an announcement of the finalization of the plan. Tule elk are native fauna to the Point Reyes Peninsula. The species was extirpated from the area by human encroachment by the end of the 19th century but were reintroduced to the region in 1978. To view the Tomales Point Area Plan, visit go.nps.gov/pore/tpap .
January 2025
NorthBaybiz 13
THE NORTH BAY’S LEADING CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS
Farms and food manufacturers donate large amounts of food, or we purchase it at a discounted rate.
What we do is simple, but how we do it is surprisingly complicated. The Redwood Empire Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in our area, serving Northern California from Sonoma County to the Oregon border. Each year, we serve more than 140,000 individuals, families, and children—and we need your help.
At the Redwood Empire Food Bank, food is sorted, gleaned and organized for distribution to the community.
Here’s how to get involved:
Food Connections MARKET
GIVE FOOD The best food we are able to give is from our community. Donate food in our barrels, or start a food & funds drive. GIVE MONEY
Our Food Connections Resource Center is the first stop for individuals seeking food assistance. We help them navigate vital hunger relief programs, connect them to resources in the community, and oer CalFresh application assistance.
We need donations to keep food fresh and distribute it to our community. For every $1 received, we provide $3 of healthy food.
GIVE TIME We need 11,000 volunteers to help in our warehouse or at distribution sites in our service area.
Learn more at refb.org
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THE NORTH BAY’S LEADING CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS
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Work/Life COMMUTE
Bridge Too Far? Tolls raised on 7 Bay Area bridges
By Jason Walsh
C ommuting to and from work in the North Bay just got a little more expensive, as officials last month approved a plan to raise bridge tolls beginning now through 2030. As of Jan. 1, the cost to cross the Richmond- San Rafael Bridge, along with six other state-owned Bay Area bridges, is up $1, to a total of $8. Tolls will continue to rise over the next five years, under the plan worked out by the Bay Area Toll Authority. The Golden Gate Bridge is not state owned and isn’t subject to the BATA toll increases; the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District raised tolls on the Golden Gate last year. As directed by Regional Measure 3, the transportation initiative approved by voters in 2018, bridge-toll revenues from the previous rate structure go toward projects aimed at reducing traffic. Revenues from the new toll increases will be put toward rising maintenance costs and capital improvements. Fastrak users will enjoy a discounted rate beginning in 2027.
These 7 Bay Area bridges are subject to the new toll increases:
Richmond-San Rafael Bay Antioch Benicia-Martinez Carquinez Dumbarton San Mateo-Hayward
The Richmond-San Rafael Bridge
Bridge tolls: A historic comparison
The first Bay Area bridge to open was the Antioch Bridge, which crosses the San Joaquin River, in 1926. The original toll was toll was 45 cents per car (about $10 today) plus five cents (equivalent to about $1 today) per passenger. The state acquired the bridge in 1940 and dropped the toll altogether, before reinstating a 50-cent toll in 1978, equivalent to about $2.50 today. The Carquinez, Dumbarton and San Mateo bridges opened in 1927, ’28 and ’29, respectively. Our local Richmond-San Rafael Bridge opened in 1956. The most recent of the state-owned bridges to open was the Benicia-Martinez Bridge in 1962.
The Antioch Bridge.
16 NorthBaybiz
January 2025
Work/Life SOCIAL MEDIA
Majority supports social media ban for children
A ustralia has to companies including Instagram, X and TikTok. The measure is intended to reduce the “social harm” done to young Australians and is set to come into force from late 2025. Tech giants will be up against fines of up to $32.5 million (U.S.) if they do not adhere to the rules. The new law was approved in December, with support from a majority of the general public. However, the blanket ban has sparked backlash from several child rights groups who warn that passed a social media ban for teenagers and children under the age of 16, which will apply it could cut off access to vital support, particularly for children from migrant, LGBTQIA+ and other minority backgrounds. Critics argue it could also push children toward less-regulated areas of the internet. The new legislation is the strictest of its kind on a national level and comes as other countries grapple with how best to regulate technology in a rapidly evolving world. Data from an Ipsos survey fielded last year shows that it’s not just Australians who support a full ban of social media for children and young teens. As the following chart shows, two thirds of respondents across the 30 countries surveyed said the By Anna Fleck
same. In France, an even higher share of adults (80%) held the view that children under the age of 14 should not be allowed social media either inside or outside of school. This belief was far less common in Germany (40%), which was the only nation where a majority did not support the ban.
Sentiments on smartphone use differed by generation. Where 36% of Gen Z said they would support a ban on smartphones in schools, the figure was far higher among older generations (66% of boomers, 58% of Gen X and 53% of millennials.)
January 2025
NorthBaybiz 17
Work/Life/ Traffic
Endgame in sight for ‘Novato Narrows’
A s lane-expansion work continues on the so-called “Novato Narrows,” the 17-mile stretch of Highway 101 between Novato and Petaluma that drops from three lanes to two in both directions—for years creating a bottleneck for weary commuters—transportation planners By Jason Walsh
a.m. southbound and 4:30 to 7 p.m. northbound. Members of several regional agencies are already in talks on the matter, including folks from Caltrans, the Transportation Authority of Marin, the Sonoma County Transportation Authority, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, the California Highway
5 fascinating facts about carpool lanes • Carpool lanes are also known as commuter lanes or High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes. • The first carpool lane in the United States was in Northern Virginia in 1969, and was originally only for buses. Carpools were finally allowed to join in 1973. • The Lincoln Tunnel carpool lane in New Jersey is the bUsiest HOV lane in the country, serving 62,000 passengers daily during the four-hour morning commute. • The first permanent HOV lane in California was the bypass lane at the San Francisco– Oakland Bay Bridge toll plaza, opened in 1970. • In 2013, Marin motorist Jonathan Frieman was ticketed for driving solo in a local carpool lane, but contested the citation due to having the Articles of Incorporation paperwork for his business resting on his passenger seat. He argued his business met the legal definition of a person, citing the principle of corporate personhood. When his citation was upheld in traffic court, Frieman said his gambit wasn’t about avoiding a ticket, but an attempt to expose the fallacy of corporate personhood established by the U.S. Supreme Court in its 2010 Citizens United decision.
The long-awaited expansion of Highway 101 from Novato to Petaluma is expected to complete this summer.
are already looking toward post-project considerations for when the new carpool lane finally opens toward the end of 2025. Notably: What hours will the carpool lane restrict vehicles to two or more passengers? The new stretch will link carpool lanes in Marin and Sonoma— two counties with two very different sets of carpool-lane hours. In Sonoma County, the hours are 7 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6:30 p.m. in both directions; in Marin, carpool hours are 6:30 to 8:30
Patrol, Marin Transit and Golden Gate Transit. So far, they’re eyeing either of two options: The first is to align the hours with the Bay Area’s seven- state owned bridges, which restrict carpool lanes weekdays from 5 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 7 p.m. The second is to simply restrict the lanes for most of the day, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Another option could be somewhere in between.
18 NorthBaybiz
January 2025
The Month In Numbers
A look at the key figures shaping life in the North Bay
Sonoma County Kicking the tires
Go Broncos!
$11 million Amount allegedly unaccounted for in DEMA’s billing to the County of Sonoma, over the course of its DEMA contracts. Patino denies any billing improprieties. 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Hours former DEMA CEO Michelle Patino allegedly billed the County of Sonoma for work on behalf of her homeless-services business on Nov. 20, 2022, the same date she attended a Denver Broncos game at Mile High Stadium.
$20k Average price of a used car in the Bay Area in 2019.
$30k Average price of a used car in the Bay Area in 2024.
Source: Bay Area News Group
Source: Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Napa County
Labor violations
$45k Fine the U.S. Department of restaurant for violating child-labor laws. Labor slapped C Case
14 Age of children working at the Oxbow Public Market-located eatery outside of permitted hours during school days, at times operating hazardous equipment. Source: Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Marin County
The cost of living
2 Decades of work on the Highway The cost of commuting
$17.27 New minimum hourly wage for “very large” businesses in Novato, raising the minimum by 40 cents. New minimums at large and small businesses are $17 and $16.42 per hour, respectively. $32.19 Hourly “living wage” an adult with no kids needs to earn to make ends meet in Marin County, according to MIT. Source: Marin Independent Journal
101-widening project between Novato and Petaluma. Construction on the 16-mile Novato Narrows portion is expected to wrap this summer.
$767 Million Amount spent on the Novato Narrows work alone .
January 2025
NorthBaybiz 19
THE NORTH BAY’S LEADING CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS
To End the Wait Your Support Matters
As another year begins , Council on Aging remains committed to serving older adults living in Sonoma County by providing life sustaining, physical and mental health-focused programs that enhance the quality of life for our aging population . However as needs grow and funding decreases, many programs have long waiting lists and older adults must wait to receive critical services. Ending the Wait matters.
Council on Aging witnesses hunger rst hand , o Ō en finding b are refrigerators and cupboards. There are currently over 150 seniors on the wait-list for Meals on Wheels. No one in our community should ever go hungry — especially the older adults who contributed to our community for most of their lives.
Your response supports Council on Aging ’ s work and helps to make Sonoma County a better place to grow up and to grow old. Your contribution at any level, now and throughout the year , is always appreciated.
Wishing you and your famil y a happy and healthy New Year.
For information visit councilonaging.com or call 707-525-0143
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20 NorthBaybiz
January 2025
Only In Marin
Theaters close, condos stall and missing tequila By Bill Meagher
C inemark has rolled the closing credits on its Northgate mall by its owners Merlone Geier Partners, which won approval Dec. 2 from the San Rafael City Council for the proposed Northgate Town Square project. The ambitious project proposes to dump the retail concept in favor of 1,422 housing units with a bit of Northgate movie theaters, casting a bit of mystery on the redevelopment of the
In media reports, Fotsch said the city is simply trying to stop the project and it may not have a solid legal
The author of this column is a contributing editor with this fine periodical and is a senior reporter at The Deal, a Manhattan-based digital financial news outlet. He wishes everyone a peaceful and prosperous New Year. Hagar told the New York Times that “Guy and I are not the type to sit back and whine over spilled tequila. Our distillery is working day and night right now to replace as much stock as we can.” g were told to forget about the east coast and instead deliver the Mexican liquor to a storage facility in the City of Angels. Once it was delivered it disappeared like the 49ers playoff hopes, but with fewer injuries. foundation for its objections. She also said her project could help revitalize a declining downtown. A love affair between downtown merchants and Fotsch is no doubt blossoming as you read this. The city’s letter also said the affordable units differ greatly from the market rate condos in size, design and location. But O’Neill points out that the market and affordable units don’t have to be equal under the law. Since this is Marin, there is a formal group, Save Our Sausalito, which gathered more than 2,000 signatures to fight the project. O’ Neill disagreed with the city’s take. “The city’s conduct is clearly intended to frustrate the proposed project, which is intended to bring a significant amount of housing to the city and revitalize a financially declining downtown.” The above quote is provided as a public service so that all intentions are clear. Your Marin Moment When you are in the tequila business, you expect some headaches—with some of those triggered by thoroughly testing your product. But when two truck loads of primo tequila disappear, now you have a million-dollar headache. Just ask Sammy Hagar and Guy Fieri, the founders of Santo Tequila. Hagar, who calls Marin one of his many homes, and Sonoma’s Fieri, are busy playing detective as they try to figure out how two trucks bound for Pennsylvania from Mexico ended up in L.A. and then disappeared. The shipment contained 240 bottles Extra Anjeo Single Barrell, at $119 each, the most expensive tequila the pair has created to date. All told more than 24,000 bottles went missing. The booze was bound for a warehouse in Penn. when the drivers
mixed-use and a town center gathering spot. The multi-screen cinema complex was part of that formula. But Cinemark elected to not renew its lease and Merlone Geier was taken by surprise with the new vacancy. For Cinemark, it’s the third time the company has elected to shutter one of its theaters in Marin. COVID hit the company hard as it closed 50 venues across the United States. Locally, it closed the Century Regency 6, also in Terra Linda, last November; Century Larkspur closed in 2022. Credit where it’s due, however. The Marin IJ reported that while the San Francisco-based developer wasn’t on the need-to-know-list, it rose to the occasion when some quality spin was required. “Although this news came as a surprise, we see it as an exciting opportunity to welcome either an innovative entertainment concept, a new theater operator, or other compelling new retail tenants as part of our revitalization efforts. In any scenario, we are confident that the Northgate Town Square redevelopment project will attract strong interest from a variety of exciting potential tenants.” The redevelopment has fans that applaud new housing being added in San Rafael including some affordable units, while critics question if the proposed project is out of scale and will produce too much traffic. With its recent approval from the San Rafael City Council, the new venture could break ground in 2025, though a finished product would push beyond 2040. Condo worries Linda Fotsch would like to build some housing in downtown Sausalito; 50 units to be exact. Her vision would be to construct condos that include 14 affordable units as well as five retail spaces and a parking lot. The project would be 85 feet tall, seven stories and be built on the city’s main drag, Bridgeway. It would be called Waterstreet. To the City of Sausalito, it sounds a little more like Waterworld , the 1995 movie flop starring Kevin Costner on a post-apocalyptic planet. The city sent a missive to Fotsch and her lawyer Brian O’Neill, advising them Sausalito has some issues with the proposed development revolving around the project’s density as well as the location. The letter is 18-pages long—and they say nobody writes anymore.
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Two wheels a n
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a nd the truth North Bay bike coalitions are spreading the word about the many benefits of cycling
Napa County Bicycle Coalition Executive Director Kara Vernor is flanked by board members Mario Valadez and Joel King at Bikefest in May of 2024. All photos for this story courtesy the Napa, Marin and Sonoma county bicycle coalitions.
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Left, a student learns how to fix a tire as part of the Cory's Ride program through MCBC. Right, students and administrators enjoy Walking and Rolling to School Day at Glenwood Elementary School in San Rafael.
By Janet Perry
A s society grapples with the impacts of climate change and extreme weather, a growing number of locals are letting their cars sit, pulling bikes back out of the garage and going for a spin. Repeating that small act can help mitigate the large carbon footprint left by gas-powered vehicles. Nonprofit North Bay bicycling groups are increasingly pointing to the many benefits cycling provides and why safer streets for both cyclists and pedestrians makes perfect sense. When Gov. Gavin Newsom signed state Sen. Scott Wiener’s (D-San Francisco) so-called Complete Streets bill (SB 960) into law this past September he helped move the state closer to friendlier, safer streets for everyone. The legislation will require Caltrans to consider the needs of those who bike, walk and take public transit, as well as people driving, on the state roads it maintains—a design and operational approach known as “complete streets” in transportation planning. The California Bicycle Coalition, or CalBike, was a big proponent of the legislation. The organization is adept at bringing together advocacy groups to work toward safer streets for cyclists and pedestrians. In Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties, local bicycle coalitions work with CalBike to promote cycling and work toward creating bike-friendly streets. All three encouraged members to contact local legislators in support of the Complete Streets legislation. We spoke with the executive directors of the three bicycle coalitions about their work, their support of the legislation and the joys of cycling. Marin County Bicycle Coalition Tarrell Kullaway is the executive director of the Marin County Bicycle Coalition. She’s been with MCBC for five years and in that time has noticed a shift in the community’s understanding of the benefits of cycling. “People are increasingly understanding that transportation is the largest chunk of climate emissions and that if we want to address our climate emergency, getting people out of cars is going to be crucial,” Kullaway says. When she started with MCBC Kullaway says it felt as though they were a fringe group. With the growing awareness around the effects of vehicle emissions, that’s changed too. “Whenever there was an agency meeting or elected officials were
talking, we always were kind of on the sidelines making noise,” she says. “Now the agencies and elected officials really are understanding the importance of our work and understanding the importance of getting people out of their cars. They're prioritizing it more.” Kullaway says they still have a lot of work to do, but she’s encouraged that there’s more awareness. Meanwhile, MCBC hosts fun cycling events like the Family Biking program, held four or five times a year, often during local festivals. They help families understand how to ride safely with kids on their bikes or riding alongside them. They have a program geared specifically for teens called E-Bike Smart Marin. The program’s league-certified instructors help educate teens on things like how fast e-bikes go and how to ride them safely. “E-bikes have the opportunity to really revolutionize the way that people get around, especially in Marin County where we have a lot of hills,” Kullaway says. “I have an e-bike and I replace at least 10 car trips a week with my bike. My car has like cobwebs growing all over it, and I rarely have to get in my car because the e-bike is so convenient.” Kullaway believes that a lot of the bad press around e-bikes and their possible dangers are focusing on what are essentially e-motorcycles. She says that it’s best to avoid e-bikes that you don’t have to pedal and that can go more than 20 miles an hour. Safety is important to MCBC and they work with the Transportation Authority of Marin on its Safe Routes to Schools program. Kullaway says they oversee the education and encouragement component of the program. They work in the schools to educate kids on how to ride safely and encourage them to get to school in green ways. “Third to fifth graders in every single public school in Marin County get a learn-to-ride curriculum provided by us,” Kullaway says. “Most of the kids come to that already knowing how to ride but there are a handful that we teach to ride as well. “There's nothing like seeing a kid learn to ride. They get this look in their eyes when they realize they can do it and the freedom it offers them.” “That’s especially true for the kids who are in fifth and sixth grade who can go off to practice on their own or are old enough to navigate to their friend's house down the street on their bike,” Kullaway says. “It's like a whole new world opens up for them.” MCBC hosts a lot of community building rides and fundraising rides
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for the organization. They recently helped organize a ride celebrating the fifth anniversary of the bike path crossing the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. MCBC is also helping bring cycling to the broader community with programs like Cory’s Ride, an initiative to bring cycling to local youth of all household-income levels. Kullaway says they’re very proud of the impact it’s having on the equity issues in the cycling movement in Marin County. She says they realized there were plenty of people who could benefit from bicycling who maybe couldn't afford a bike or maybe didn't have access to lessons. “We conducted strategic planning when I first started here,” Kullaway says. “And it became clear that a lot of our programs and activities were really geared toward people of means.” Cory’s Ride was created in collaboration with the Leonoudakis family who had lost their son Cory unexpectedly. He was an avid bike rider, and they wanted to do something in his memory. The program supports a six-month school curriculum where students learn about safe cycling and get a brand new bike from REI with racks, lights, helmets and locks. “We don't just give them a bike,” Kullaway says. “It's an earn-a- bike program and we work with them to learn how to maintain it themselves, like how to fix a flat, and then we lead rides with them.” Cory’s Ride also has paid internships for students who have completed the program, to help organize and lead rides and recruit people to the program. “The idea behind it is not only to give students access to the joy of bicycling, but also get them involved in their community,” Kullaway says. “We pay them to go to community meetings and speak up on behalf of their community and the cycling infrastructure that needs to get safer in the places where they ride.” Safety may be the biggest challenge that cyclists of all ages are
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition volunteers run clinics to teach safety and maintenance.
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facing. MCBC wrote a letter of support for the Complete Streets bill and let their constituents know why the legislation was important, encouraging them to write letters as well. “We think it's a great bill and we're very excited that it passed,” Kullaway says. Caltrans maintains thousands of miles of state roads throughout California. Kullaway explains that the agency has focused on how many cars can get through an area fast. “And so a lot of these places, even though some of them go right through small towns, they're some of our deadliest streets for people walking and biking,” she says. “The Complete Streets bill will mandate that Caltrans do a better job with their state highway operation and protection program and will help provide funding for bikeways, sidewalks and bus boarding islands,” Kullaway says. Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition “The safer people feel while cycling on the road, the more likely people are to cycle,” Eris Weaver says. Weaver is the executive director of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition. She has been working with SCBC since April of 2017 and says she’s very happy to have seen the implementation of protected bike lanes during that time. “If you've seen them, they're the ones that have a row of posts, or board, or some vertical element that separates the bike lane from the vehicles,” Weaver says. “The importance of this is the actual physical protection they provide.” Weaver explains that there are some places in the country that use heftier structures which do provide more of a physical barrier. “But even the plastic bollards or posts are more of a barrier to folks wandering into the bike lane than a line painted on the roadway,” she says. “People like me, I ride my bike everywhere I go, including in the rain,” Weaver says. “But there's so many people who would like to ride who aren't as confident or as skilled and won't do it because they're afraid. And so the more we make these protected places for people to ride, then the more people will get on their bikes.” SCBC began a campaign to encourage community members to ride a bike if they were going two miles or less. “A huge percentage of vehicle trips that people take here in Sonoma County are two miles or less,” Weaver says. “You can ride that in 15 minutes, 20 minutes if you're really slow. And you don’t have to search for a parking place once you get to your destination.” SCBC is also encouraging women to join the fun. They host the popular Biker Chicks rides that were started in 2012 by SCBC members and former Sonoma County Supervisor Shirley Zane. “Here in the U.S., the cycling world is very male dominated,” Weaver says. “That was the impetus for starting that particular ride. It’s a chance for women to go and ride together and not be mansplained to when you're trying to change a tire. It's been going on every month except a couple of months in the winter when it's just too wet.” Weaver says they’ve had “hundreds if not thousands” of women participate over the years. “It's a very friendly and welcoming group,” she says. “Each month we're in a different part of the county. We'll have multiple routes of different distances and speeds, so you can go with the short, slow group or the long, fast group.” Weaver says that after the Biker Chicks ride they all go and eat together. “It’s become a big community of women riders,” she says. “We often have people come who've not done a whole lot of riding, are unsure, or they don't have anybody to ride with. They start out with one of our shorter rides and get hooked. It's been a lot of fun.” They have a Safe Routes to School program funded by a federal grant. “We're in about 60 schools this year,” Weaver says. “Our instructors go into elementary classrooms to teach them about pedestrian and cycling safety.” Their Bike Rodeos for fourth graders are also part of that Safe Routes to School program. “We set up a whole course on the
Let’s go ride a bike! Marin County Bicycle Coalition encourages new riders to check out these beginner-friendly rides. Hamilton Bay Trail This flat, unpaved multi-use pathway has some brief exposure to traffic in the loop. It has educational signage about the marsh habitat, its restoration and the birds that frequent the area. Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District Ponds There are four loops to choose from on these unpaved service roads. The only vehicles you’ll see are sanitary district vehicles. The bird watching promises to be rewarding. San Rafael Bay Trail This trail goes from Pickleweed Park to Starkweather Shoreline Park. It’s 4 miles long if you do the round trip. It has a combination of paved and unpaved multi-use pathways but no cars to contend with, just great views of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and East Bay. Tam Valley Junction to Tennessee Valley This trail is 7 miles round-trip with a gradual, paved climb to Tennessee Valley followed by a gradual descent down to the beach. You could encounter some traffic on Tennessee Valley Road so best to be cautious, ride carefully and use a rear light and reflectors. China Camp State Park This trail is just over 4 miles out-and-back with options for more riding along the route. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the bay as you ride. Rush Creek Ramble Enjoy a ride along the 500-acre preserve that borders the Petaluma River Marsh Wildlife Area with its groves of manzanita, black oak and California bay. The 9-mile out- and-back ride is mostly flat fire road and a multi-use trail. It’s a fun trail that the whole family can enjoy. Napa rides Napa County Bicycle Coalition encourages beginners and those wanting family-friendly rides to check out the Napa Valley Vine Trail’s Calistoga Segment and the Calistoga Loop. Both are just over 2 miles long and easy enough for kids to enjoy. All three bicycle coalitions lead group rides that are great for beginners and advanced riders as well. Visit marinbike.org, napabike.org and bikesonoma.org.
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