Mallard Pointe redevelopment plan sparks early opposition

Renderings show preliminary redevelopment plans for the private Mallard Pointe community in Belvedere, which currently includes nine duplexes and a fourplex on Mallard Road between Community Park and the lagoon. Here, a new two-story, 32-foot tall apartment complex would include 23 units, replacing the duplex and fourplex in the island between Mallard and Community Roads. Also, the eight lagoon-side duplexes would be replaced with five duplexes and six single-family homes. (Provided by Mallard Pointe 1951 LLC)

A group of Belvedere residents has banded together to fight the redevelopment of a private community between the lagoon and City Hall, saying plans to nearly double the number of residential units there is out of character and will displace current tenants, jam up traffic and challenge water supplies.

Built by the Belvedere Land Co. in 1951, Mallard Pointe currently consists of nine duplexes and one fourplex, for 22 housing units along private Mallard Road. On June 18, the developer submitted a preliminary application to tear down the duplexes and redevelop the site with 42 units and 102 parking spaces in a mix of single-family homes, some with accessory-dwelling units, new duplexes and an apartment complex.

An opposition group, which calls itself Belvedere Residents for Intelligent Growth, or Brig, says it has more than 100 members and is urging the Planning Commission and City Council to “keep any new housing development within our current codes.”

Co-founder Joyce Griffin — a former 17-year Mallard Road resident who with husband Martin is known for decades of environmental activism and conservationism — issued a call to action in an Aug. 9 email.

“Let’s find another way to add housing to Belvedere,” she said.

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