Point Tiburon Plaza parking lot could get nine townhomes

Berkeley-based developer Black Oak Ventures is proposing nine townhomes in the parking lot at Point Tiburon Plaza at 1801 Tiburon Blvd. The units are proposed under Senate Bills 624 and 1123, the Starter Home Revitalization Act, which allows for ministerial approval of 10 or fewer units on parking lots. (Macy Architecture via town of Tiburon)

A developer plans to build nine three-story townhomes on part of the Point Tiburon Plaza parking lot under state laws that would override Tiburon’s zoning requirements for lot size and density.

Black Oak Ventures is working with property owner Chong Cook to subdivide a portion of the plaza at 1801 Tiburon Blvd. into nine lots for townhomes. The lots would total 17,720 square feet of the existing 87,120-square-foot parcel. The remaining 69,400 square feet would continue as parking.

Tiburon received the proposal Nov. 20 under Senate Bill 1123, the Starter Home Revitalization Act. Under the law, towns must ministerially approve qualifying projects — automatic approval if objective standards are met, with no public hearings or discretionary review. SB 1123 applies to developments of 10 homes or fewer on vacant lots in single-family zones, expanding on SB 684, which created the streamlined process for up to 10 units on lots zoned for multifamily development.

While the law requires approval or denial within 60 days of receiving a completed application, Senior Planner Neal Toft said Jan. 16 the town notified the owner and developer Dec. 19 that the application was incomplete — “so no decision is required at this time,” Toft said.

Black Oak Ventures founder and managing partner Michael Yarne told The Ark in a Jan. 16 phone interview he intends to refile a completed application by late January or early February, restarting the 60-day review window.

Read the complete story in our e-edition, or SUBSCRIBE NOW for home delivery and access to the digital replica.

Comment on this article on Nextdoor.