Community Mobilizes to Protect Sausalito's Views
In late November, Save Our Sausalito launched an urgent campaign to preserve View Protection in the city’s new Objective Design and Development Standards (ODDS)—state-required rules that streamline housing approvals. Without these protections, developers could build projects that permanently block cherished views without public review.
SOS sent three action alerts urging residents to email the City Council and attend the December 2 meeting. The message was clear: approve the ODDS draft as written, including Chapter 3: View Protection.
Residents Answer the Call
The response was overwhelming. More than 115 public comments flooded in, and strong turnout filled both the Council Chambers and Zoom. Supporters emphasized that view protection unites the community—95% of SOS survey respondents backed strong view standards.
Residents shared talking points explaining how View Protection safeguards Sausalito’s culture of respecting neighbors and preserving the bayside setting that makes our town special.
Council Votes Unanimously for View Protection
On December 2, the City Council voted 5-0 to keep Chapter 3: View Protection in ODDS. Mayor Joan Cox credited Sausalito volunteers for their months of work: “If not for this effort…there wouldn’t be view protection.”
The win was enabled by ViewSync, innovative software developed by local experts that objectively measures view impacts using detailed aerial mapping. Vice Mayor Steven Woodside called it “brilliant,” while architect Michael Rex praised it as a welcome design tool.
Additional Victory: Historic District Height Fix
SOS also secured a critical fix to a height-measurement loophole in the Historic District. The new method measures from the midpoint of the street-facing property line, making the 32-foot limit enforceable and preventing developers from exploiting slope formulas to build structures up to 54 feet tall.
What's Next
With View Protection now part of ODDS, Sausalito has clear, objective standards that protect views while providing developers predictable rules. This victory demonstrates the power of community engagement and ensures future development respects the character our residents cherish. Thank you to everyone who took action—your voices made the difference.
