If you’ve ever mistakenly taken the Rodeo Ave. exit off Southbound 101 and came to its abrupt end, you're not alone. The freeway exit was constructed in the 1960s to allow access to the infamous planned development in the Headlands above Sausalito called 'Marincello.'
Marincello was planned to house up to 30,000 people in apartments, homes and townhouse and would also include a mall and hotel at the high point of the headlands. Working with Gulf Oil, a Pennsylvania developer named Thomas Frouge purchased 2,000 acres of land and made immediate plans for the new community.
However, the development was finally abandoned after long legal battles which are described in the documentary “Rebels With a Cause” narrated by the award-winning actress and Bolinas resident, Francis McDormand.
The saving of Marincello was the combination of lawyers and grassroots citizens. It became the centerpiece for what would become the Marin County section of the GGNRA, eventually stretching 35 miles north to reach the Point Reyes National Seashore.
But there is an even bigger story here. Despite protests from local preservationists, in 1965 the County of Marin officially gave Marincello a green light. Fortunately, after much legal maneuvering, Doug Ferguson, with colleagues Bob Praetzel (who passed away just this week) and Marty Rose, filed a lawsuit claiming that Marincello had been improperly zoned. The lawsuit led to discovery of other inaccuracies in the Zoning Outlines that Marin had approved in 1965.
Soon conservationists stopped another development plan - an expansion of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard through San Anselmo to the coast that would have allowed for a planned population of 150,000. Additionally, another development at China Camp, on the bay shore of San Rafael, was also stopped. Eventually, because of the efforts starting with Marincello, more than half of Marin County came under public ownership, a reality that some argue contributes to Marin’s housing crisis.
Those of us who live in Marin County are here because of the open spaces we can hike, bike and otherwise enjoy. So when you see the Rodeo exit, remember the hard-working conservationists who helped keep Marin wild.
Get out and enjoy Marin! May you and your family have a wonderful weekend planned in your own unique way. For more articles about buying, selling and living in Marin County, I invite you to visit my blog site. Tracy Curtis, Coldwell Banker Realty, Let’s Connect!
