Politics & Government

Did You Want a Say in SMART Station Design?

Governor allows local jurisdictions to skip regular design review process. You OK with that?

To streamline the construction of a new commuter train system, SMART has been given the freedom to design its stations in Marin and Sonoma counties without going through the design review process in each municipality along the route, according to a report in the .

With a bill signed Friday by Gov. Jerry Brown, the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit authority can call the shots, likely resulting in speeding up the construction process by months, the IJ reported.

Were you itching to participate in the discussion? You still can at upcoming SMART meetings, but the San Rafael Design Review Commission won't have a say in how the Civic Center or downtown stations look when the system opens in a few years.

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Do you like this new bill signed by the governor? Do you trust SMART to make sure the station, or stations, look good and fit in well with the rest of the community? Share a comment below.


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