Decision Day for Marin Valley Mobile Country Club

It is fork-in-the-road time for the , a southern Novato community for senior residents on city-owned land. The residents would like to assume ownership — nothing new there — but the time might be right for the city to grant the wish.

The Novato City Council meets at 6:30 tonight, July 9, to determine whether there is majority support to address the topic of the park's ownership and place it on a future council agenda for vote. If so, the council would direct city staff to come up with a process and budget for council consideration. If not, it'll be punted down the road.

For almost two decades, park residents have expressed concerns about securing a low-rent place to live and sought action that would assure park ownership wouldn't be transferred without some measure of stability or say in the matter.

The 70-acre property southwest of the Hamilton area and just north of the St. Vincent property in Marinwood is estimated to be worth at least $25 million.

The park's website states that the residents are "a self-sustaining community and proudly operate with no financial support from local, county, state or federal funds. We have independently maintained our community in terms of financial, infrastructure, and social needs since 1997. Our financial model is solid, and there is a feeling of neighborliness, friendliness, and quiet enjoyment in the club."

Mike Read, a former park board member, said it was too expensive for the park residents to purchase the property when the chance surfaced four years ago, but bond prepayment penalties are no longer a factor for the city. He said the residents have been trying to buy the park since 1987 when there was a private owner, but the owner wanted too much money and the residents couldn't get a bank loan. 

The city was asked by the residents to get involved in 1996. It has been owned by the Novato Financing Authority, a joint powers authority comprised of the city and the Novato Redevelopment Agency. But the state-prompted axing of all redevelopment agencies earlier this year forced the city to take over full ownership sparked new talks about the club's future.

Today the club's Park Acquisition Corporation has a goal of creating whatever legal entity is required which conforms to state law to assume club ownership.

"It was always the plan for the city to help the residents make it become a resident-owned park," Read said. "The only way to do it is to pay off the bonds. ... I think the council members have always had the intent to give it back to the park but haven't put it on the record yet."

The council's focus on fiscal sustainability and generating new sources of revenue — either ongoing or one-time — could favor a move toward the club's sale.

Note: The meeting will be at the Marin Valley Mobile Country Club's clubhouse at 100 Marin Valley Drive, not Novato City Hall.