Tiburon, CA - Synagogue Urged To Trim Plans

Tiburon, CA - The Planning Commission has offered to come up with a less divisive alternative for Congregation Kol Shofar's controversial expansion plan.
The commission appointed a subcommittee to review the synagogue's plan - the seventh in two years - after hearing speakers who were evenly split at a public hearing attended by about 150 residents at the Tiburon Lodge. "We think there are a very large number of unresolved issues, and we're awaiting with some interest the results of this ad hoc committee," said Kol Shofar board member Ron Brown, after the meeting. "We want a project that does not significantly impact the neighborhood. If working along with the committee can help make it an even better project, we'll see what they come up with."

Since the synagogue's 2004 application to update and expand its aging facility, the project has been re-worked based on recommendations by town staff, environmental consultants and Kol Shofar.

The expansion project on the 6.94-acre site includes a new 9,733-square-foot multipurpose room consisting of a meeting space, lobby, kitchen, restrooms and storage space and 3,662 square feet of new classrooms and service rooms - a 30 percent increase in facility size.

Town officials noted the most recent plan Kol Shofar provided would create less noise, parking and traffic than earlier plans by reducing the number of events at night and limiting the number of people at such events. The proposal would allow an additional 27 annual events in the new multipurpose room with a maximum 250 people until 11 p.m. Saturday and 9 p.m. Sunday.