Council to Discuss San Rafael Airport Soccer Complex Tonight

After gathering public comment in its Dec. 3 meeting, the City Council will discuss the merits of the San Rafael Airport's proposal to bulid a recreational complexs on its ground at tonight's meeting.

The 39-foot-tall sports complex, built by the San Rafael Airport and Sports City, stirred controversy among neighbors in the past year due to concerns about the possible impacts it would have on the surrounding community.

The recreation complex is 85,700 square feet and will have indoor and two outdoor soccer fields as well as spectator seating, offices, food and beverage service, meetings rooms and a two-lane bridge deck. The project was first proposed in 2005. After drafting an environmental impact report and several public hearings, the Planning Commission approved the project in 5-1 vote in June 2012.

The project's opponents contend that the facility is unsafe due to the outdoor soccer fields' close proximity to the airport's runway. Other concerns include the annoyance of noise and lighting for neighbors and the possible disruption of the surrounding habitat due to the developement.

The project's supporters believe that the facility will fill a need for more recreation fields in Marin, where currently parents might spends large portions of time on the roads driving to distance soccer fields for games.

See San Rafael Patch's liveblog for more details on the meeting.

Other agenda items

The council will also hear a strategic plan for the San Rafael Library's budget and the finanical audit report for the 2011-12 fiscal year.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at 1400 Fifth Ave.

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