Phil Lesh's Vision for Terrapin Crossroads
Music venue begins its permitting process.
Phil Lesh of The Dead performs part of the bands' Spring Tour 2009 at Shoreline Amphitheatre on May 14, 2009 in Mountain View California.
Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images
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Now that Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh has submitted plans for a music venue and community music center on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard next to the Good Earth building, residents are weighing in, discussing pros and cons, and rallying supporters on both sides. But, before too many lines are drawn, Lesh and his wife, Jill, want to make sure the community understands their vision for the project.
Terrapin Crossroads, as the project will be known, is modeled after the Levon Helm’s Midnight Rambles in Woodstock, NY.
Helm turned his barn, about a mile from the downtown of Woodstock, into an intimate music venue after he developed throat cancer. Unable to travel, said Phil’s wife Jill Lesh, he was going to lose his house. But, the town changed the zoning to allow him to turn his barn into a place for music guests to play with Helm.
“It’s like going to American music church,” said Phil of his first visit in the summer of 2010, when he played with his two sons, Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen, and Helm, in front of a small crowd that included Jane Fonda. “It’s magical.”
After that first trip, Phil and Jill had “an intense desire to do something similar here at home,” he said.
Forty-six years of touring (including the most recent tour where his bus broke down), has left the Leshes with a desire to stay at home. With their younger son graduating from Princeton next year, it also seemed like a good time to create a venue where they can stay in one place and have family and friends come to visit – and play music! – without having to travel.
“I want to create a musical home for myself,” said Phil.
Once the idea was planted, it wasn’t too long before the couple settled on Fairfax as the perfect place.
“Fairfax just felt right,” said Jill.
They considered West Marin, a building in Kentfield, and even a possible location at Marin Country Mart, but a site in Fairfax, where Phil lived for 13 years, was ideal.
“[Fairfax] just strikes a chord with me because of the feeling of community and mutual respect,” said Phil. “A place like that makes the music better.”
Of course, that respect goes both ways and the Leshes are aware of the concerns some residents have about the project.
You can see the plans, project description and rendering here.
Both Phil and Jill said they heard the concerns neighbors have about traffic and parking and security, which was why they decided the Good Earth building was just not going to work and chose the lot next door instead.
“They’re protecting the wonderful place they live and that’s understandable and we want to be respectful of that,” said Jil.
Additionally, they plan to offer than the number of required parking spots at an off-site location and are currently working out contracts with other sites. They’re also considering options like offering priority ticket-buying to carpools or requiring ticket buyers to sign off on an agreement not to park on residential streets.
No paper tickets will be sold at all and no tickets will be sold at the door; every ticket will be connected to a name and ID. That means no scalping and it means that if you violate an agreement not to park on residential streets or not to camp out, then you could be barred from ever buying tickets again.
“And, that’s a big deal,” joked Phil.
Jill said, though, she’s not that worried about fans causing problems. The venue will be soundproof, so there’s no chance anyone hanging around outside would hear anything. They plan to work with the police on a zero-tolerance policy for camping out, causing disturbances or vending. And there’s no way to get tickets at the door or scalp them. “So, there’s no reason to come,” she said.
And, she pointed out, the Midnight Rambles have no problems with people hanging out or mobbing the venue – and there aren’t even fences there.
Shows would wrap up by 11:30 p.m., she said, and then musicians and patrons might even play after-party shows at other local bars or simply spend money and buy food and drink in Fairfax.
In addition, the Leshes hope to offer something back to the community. Because part of the appeal of creating a musical venue at home to invite friends to play at was the idea of their two sons being involved and having a chance to play too, they wanted to also get the local youth involved.
After talking to Jack Irving, who has been helping with the music nights at the newly-revived Fairfax Youth Center, they want to offer youth workshops for free and youth music sessions. The other music venues in town, Jill said, have been very supportive and it’s even possible the youth workshops would then play in a showcase at the Sleeping Lady.
She also has a number of ideas for other youth workshops. After singing the national anthem at the Giants game Tuesday night, Phil talked to Bill Walton, who said he was interested in doing leadership workshops at the venue. There’s also writers, countless musicians, a renowned soccer coach and a Pulitzer-winning historian, said Jill, all interested in leading workshops – which would be offered free to local youth in some kind of lottery system or by targeting kids interested in those subjects through the Ross Valley and Marin schools.
And, then, the workshops would be offered as ticketed casual dinner seminars for adults.
Although the Leshes have big plans for the venue and are full of idea possibilities, they recognize that it may take awhile to go through the full permitting, design and traffic study process.
“This is a process and it’s just getting started,” said Bruce Burman of Jazz Builders in San Rafael, who is managing the construction of the project.
In fact, Fairfax Town Manager Michael Rock released an outline earlier this week of the necessary steps the proposal must go through before being approved by the town.
The Leshes will have to complete an initial study of the project to determine if there are any potential environmental impacts. If the study finds no potential impacts or those impacts are mitigated adequately, then it will be filed as a negative declaration and available for public comment for 30 days. If there are impacts found that are no adequately mitigated, then the proposal would have to go through a full environmental impact report, required by the California Environmental Quality Act.
A traffic impact permit is also required with the initial study to consider the proposal complete.
The completed application will be reviewed at the Design Review Board and Planning Commission for a conditional use permit and traffic variance. The Town Council would also approve the final negative declaration and traffic impact permit.
The first step is for the Fairfax Town Council to approve the scope and methodology of the traffic study before the traffic consultant conducts the traffic analysis for the permit. The council will consider and approve the scope of the traffic study at its next council meeting, Aug. 17 at 7 p.m.
Since that meeting will be the first time the project is presented to the town, Phil plans to make a special presentation. And then the two of them will go listen to their son play at one of the many music venues in town.
“Music feeds the soul,” said Jill.
“In that sense, you can never have too much of it,” said Phil.
In This article
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Good Earth Natural Foods
1966 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Fairfax, CA -
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The Sleeping Lady
23 Broadway Blvd, Fairfax, CA
Claus Res
2:40 pm on Thursday, August 11, 2011
While this all sounds all well and good as a neighbor of the new potential venue I am still very concerned about parking, traffic and the quantity of people coming into town 50-100 times per year. The rambling midnight that inspired this (according to Google earth) is in the middle of nowhere not 400 ft away from residents. Choosing to move 1 parcel away out of concern for the neighborhood seems like a meager act. The rumors around town are the cost to modify the GE building were just to high vs. building a new building. The idea and concept is great but the affect on our town seems to have more negatives than positive results. As a neighbor we were advise the location would be 5000 sq ft now it is 16,000 sq ft. We were told there would be parking spots on site as well as off now there will be none on site. The permit submitted indicates 12:30 am shows will end now this article indicates 11:30pm. The details are constantly changing and at what cost to us as town resident, home owners and people who actually live here in Fairfax.
keo
5:09 pm on Thursday, August 11, 2011
I feel like Claus Residents are walking around w/ their fingers in their ears singing "lalalalalala we can't hear you!" Look what the Leshs are proposing for our town ! Most towns, especially in this economy, would welcome in someone who wanted to help present and fund arts and arts education, especially with arts dwindling in our schools. It's almost insulting, at least if I was the Leshs I'd be insulted. The positives appear to seriously outweigh the negative. Parking and traffic should be able to be mitigated and peoples xenophobic concerns over who may invade our town are just that, xenophobic concerns! Maybe you misunderstood the rep as it seems that the overall envelope of the foundation being 8,000sqft...not huge by commercial standards and not that far off the original 5000 stat. Claus Res, have you ever gone and experienced the arts in other small towns? It is a really fabulous coming together of community, I have life long friends in which the context I most often see them is at live shows, now we all go to festivals and bring our kids along, it's a really special relationship we have by going to these live music happenings. What you see as something that might create blight in our town, many see as something that would be an incredible gift. I think the Leshs have gone above and beyond what most folks would do when submitting a biz app. as far as trying to appease the neighbors. They are trying to do this the right way and u aren't letting them !
clare
6:36 pm on Thursday, August 11, 2011
Hey Keo...
I think "xenophobe" might be a little extreme. How bout this...little town...lots of people!
Not big enough...?? AND, really, the arts are here!! All kinds of artists, all kinds of cool music ALREADY HAPPENING!! Check it out. They just don't hold the same notoriety and fame as Phil Lesh and Friends, and thus won't create the same madness and overcrowding.
kim
9:52 am on Friday, August 12, 2011
This article felt like a press release from the Lesh's. Could it have been more imbalanced? My concerns still stand for traffic and noise. How the Leshes can guarantee that people who improperly park won't be able to buy tickets again - pardon me but I would love to know how that would be enforced! And the traffic is still an issue - are they planning to widen the road? I understand the Leshes live in Ross - I think that town could use a music venue and we can go there and enjoy the nightly performances. I vote for Ross!
keo
10:28 am on Friday, August 12, 2011
I think this article is a press release from the Leshs, explaining their vision since most of the other articles in the Patch were coming from the position of the neighbors. How long you been in Fairfax kim ?
Kelly Dunleavy O'Mara
3:37 pm on Friday, August 12, 2011
If you want to read all the articles about the project, you can click on them at the bottom of the article - under the heading "Terrapin Crossroads." And you'll see a lot of different opinions and information. Since we've written a good amount about the concerns of neighbors (for a project that's not yet approved), it seemed only equitable and fair to also write about the Leshes point of view. Clearly, it's not a press release; all the info came from an interview with them about the project.
E. Williams
9:56 am on Friday, August 12, 2011
Are we going to be able to get in with Fairbucks?
kim
10:04 am on Friday, August 12, 2011
Please note that many residents on Marinda Drive share the concerns of Claus drive. This isn't just a Claus street vs. Fairfax concern.
Ethan Bratrud
5:52 pm on Friday, August 12, 2011
Let the music play!!!
Michael
7:17 pm on Friday, August 12, 2011
Wow a wonderful idea and a wonderful caring couple bringing it to our county. There will always be nay sayers to ANY change. That is a given. Let's hope the local governments do not crush the life out of this idea with the mountains of regulations and red tape that have a virtual stranglehold on almost anything good people want to do these days. We have allowed our government to regulate everything to death not once or twice but as many times as they can get away with. And at each step more and more hard earned money is demanded for fees, assessments, inspections BRIBES and more inspections and on and on and on. I really hope Phil and his wife can find a way to pull this off. Seems to me that Fairfax should be asking them "how can we help you make this a success because it will be good business for our little town. Recall the most recent fight in San Rafael regarding the color of paint on Pizza Orgasmica? Can you imagine that they actually fought these business owners about the color they painted their building? Insanity when these folks took a huge space that had been sitting vacant and invested their own money to turn it into a viable business that generates tax revenue for everyone. Won't Fairfax be better served with a well run vibrant music venue rather than a vacant lot? Good luck to the Lesh(s)
McKgirl
9:44 pm on Friday, August 12, 2011
I understand what the Leshes are going for here. It sounds like they have put a lot of thought into many of the problems a venue like this could cause in a small town like ours of 7500. But they don't have a barn a mile from downtown Fairfax to convert. They want to do it right downtown and with no parking. And a capacity of 500? That's hardly "a venue where they can stay in one place and have family and friends come to visit – and play music!" I understand why they like Fairfax for this venue, it's a wonderful artistically bohemian piece of Americana. But if they really want to support our community perhaps they should invest and play in the venues and programs that we currently have. I myself am an artist. I am also a parent and I understand and support the need for arts education. I think Jack Irving has been doing a wonderful job with our young musicians and I would love to see him get more support, but I'm not sure this is the right way. I think the traffic and parking issues will drive regular business away from our other music venues, restaurants, and movie theatre. Seriously, it does seem a little narcissistic.
Brian
12:42 am on Saturday, August 13, 2011
Fairfax Theater has a 500 capacity and is adding another screen - and is closer to homes. People do raise legitimate concerns, but none are insurmountable.
Selena Xochitl Martinez
8:49 pm on Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Brian, Well said........
keo
5:32 am on Saturday, August 13, 2011
19 Broadway - 200-250 capacity, no parking. Sleeping Lady - no parking, Peris- 5 parking spots, Naves-no Parking, Fairfax Theater - 500 Capacity - maybe 15 spots...now that they took away a bunch (why isn't anyone complaining about that ?). McKGirl- I don't see how this is narcissistic. The guy has been touring and busting his butt for years and has made some $$ and wants to create a space for himself.....but also share it with the community....much more than most people do in this county. We should be happy that someone wants to come in, take over a vacant space, create a new beautiful space and then share all it's potential resources with our community. It is a GOOD thing that he wants to only operate it as a venue a few nights a week, and that it won't have to operate like a normal music venue, it is really like having the best of both worlds. This venue would be filling a void that hasn't been filled yet in Fairfax, that of a somewhat larger venue that will be presenting different artists than those that play at the existing venue....to me this compliments rather than detracts from the other businesses. Like Brian says, concerns are legitimate, none are insurmountable !
mick jagger
9:12 pm on Wednesday, August 17, 2011
People should stop worrying...the amount of people that follow Phil is minimal these days. Futhur doesn't even sell out 3000 capacity venues. This isn't 1995. There will be no camping or traffic or noise. Few people will drive out to Fairfax. Get over yourselves.
Georgia Gibbs
12:24 am on Saturday, August 20, 2011
On a practical note, every election since I moved to Fairfax has included a bond or a bond extension because this town does not have much of a revenue stream. So I ask those of you who posted your signs after secretly following around decent people (scary!) if you wouldn't mind taking on a little extra of our communities' tax burden. Could you come out of hiding long enough to provide your addresses? We need to pay for police, fire and medical emergency services. It is usually the role of business to maintain the financial health and well being of a town but you usurped that position in your singular advocacy against even discussing a proposal. Sooo... Where do we send the bills?
keo
5:22 am on Saturday, August 20, 2011
Georgia - I am thinking the address to send the bills is somewhere on Claus Circle/Dr.
There are little chirps around town on who might have done this, so maybe the will come out of hiding eventually.
Georgia Gibbs
8:21 pm on Saturday, August 20, 2011
Thank you keo. :-)
Kid Adam
9:01 am on Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Did any of you read this in the FAQ? Some locals would rather have a New York Bank there than Terrapin Crossroads? Thats ridiculous. Phil and the Grateful Dead are part of this community and have been for decades...
Heres what the FAQ says...
Are there alternative proposals for the site?
The property is owned by the owners of Good Earth and is used, currently, for overflow parking for them. They have said a New York-based bank is interested in buying the property and coming into town, but that the Phil Lesh proposal was a better fit for Fairfax. There are no other applications filed with the town.