Marin may give hook to new development to protect salmon

By Mark Prado
MEDIANEWS STAFF, Contra Costa Times
02/08/2008

Marin County may ban creekside construction in the San Geronimo Valley for two years while it assesses how building, existing structures and other human activity affect endangered coho salmon and other fish in area creeks.

The plan, which includes a study on how to address effects, was announced Wednesday by the Lagunitas-based Salmon Protection and Watershed Network, also known as SPAWN, and Supervisor Steve Kinsey, who represents West Marin. The Board of Supervisors will take up the issue Tuesday.

The proposal caught a local builders' group by surprise, and the agency called for a delay on the moratorium vote. The proposal, which would cost the county $300,000, comes on the heels of reports that fewer coho salmon are spawning in the county this winter than at any time in the past dozen years.

"We want to give our very best effort to restore our salmon fishery in the Lagunitas Creek watershed as we see very grim numbers this year," Kinsey said. "The county has decided to work together with SPAWN on this."

The deal aims to stave off legal action against the county from the salmon network organization, which said the county's new general plan does not do enough to protect sensitive fisheries.

The moratorium would be on new construction inside the county "stream conservation area" within the San Geronimo Valley -- a 100-foot buffer surrounding creeks.

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