ABAG Won't Go Away Quietly

Corte Madera might be ready to cut ties with ABAG, but the numbers game isn't necessarily over yet.

The Corte Madera Town Council voted last month to leave the Association of Bay Area Governments after balking at ABAG's first set of projected numbers for jobs and population growth for the community over the next 30 years.

ABAG has since come back with a modified report that includes more modest growth predictions for Corte Madera. There is still some question from the public over how ABAG comes up with its numbers and how towns like Corte Madera can accommodate the predicted growth.

ABAG will make a return appearance on the Corte Madera Town Council agenda for the Tuesday, April 17 meeting. The meeting is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.

The Town Council is expected to discuss ABAG's latest Sustainable Communities Strategy Preferred Scenario projections and possibly craft a response to ABAG.

The Transportation Authority of Marin's Executive Committee, including Corte Madera Vice-Mayor Diane Furst, looked at the latest ABAG numbers on April 9 before approving a letter to ABAG that stated, in part, not all of Marin County's land is suitable for development in preparing for job and population growth.

There was some debate among TAM members, however, over whether towns should address any concerns individually or as a group to ABAG.

Corte Madera officials, meanwhile are hoping to drum up support among the town's neighbors to form a new group representing Marin County municipalities that would take the place of ABAG.

Also on Tuesday's agenda is a discussion regarding the Ross Valley Sanitary District.