Politics & Government

Do You Know The Difference Between Larkspur And Greenbrae?

Proposal would fully incorporate the Greenbrae neighborhood into the City of Larkspur, but there are some concerns.

Finding Larkspur's borders can be tricky. Strangers to town have a hard time figuring out where Larkspur ends and Corte Madera begins. But even longtime residents can have a hard time finding the city limits in Greenbrae.

Larkspur City Councilman and Greenbrae resident Brad Marsh is exploring a proposal that would change the local map by bringing Greenbrae completely within Larkspur's city limits.

"Most of the attendees and board members who attended are interested in exploring the idea of solidifying Greenbrae within the City of Larkspur. It's more of a study really. They're interested in finding out what that means," Marsh said after attending a Greenbrae Property Owners Association meeting. Marsh is a former member of the GPOA Board.

Find out what's happening in Larkspur-Corte Maderawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Greenbrae is currently only partly incorporated within the City of Larkspur. The rest of the neighborhood near Sir Francis Drake Boulevard lies within unincorporated Marin County. According to Mayor Len Rifkind, 46 percent of Larkspur's population lives in Greenbrae.

That can reportedly cause some confusion with service calls to the police or other agencies. Greenbrae property owners have argued that while one house lies within Larkspur and the jurisdiction of the Twin Cities Police, another house a block away might be outside city limits and thus in the jurisdiction of the Marin County Sheriff. The police and fire agencies have mutual aid pacts to ensure that all residents in the area are protected.

Find out what's happening in Larkspur-Corte Maderawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The residents continue to be concerned about traffic and safety," Marsh said.

Via La Cumbre resident Jay Leone was the victim of an attempted armed burglary on Jan. 4 when Sam Cutrufelli broke into his house.

In August, a pedestrian was hit by a speeding car and severely wounded in an accident on Via La Cumbre.

Marsh said Twin Cities Police Chief Todd Cusimano is working with the City of Larkspur and other agencies to improve safety in the neighborhood.

There are some details that would have to be worked out before Greenbrae completely joined Larkspur. Some residents expressed concern over the possibility of losing funds from the County for landscaping, street repair and other maintenance.

What do you think should happen? Did you know the difference between Larkspur and Greenbrae? Let us know with your comments below.

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