Sensitive species photographed in the Princess Grove on August 19, 2025. Western Grey Squirrel (left), Monarch Butterfly (center), and Coopers Hawk (right).
Save Our Sausalito has filed critical legal arguments and a devastating biological report that expose fatal flaws in both the 605 Bridgeway and 83 Princess Street development projects. Our attorneys at Lozeau Drury LLP and expert wildlife biologist Dr. Shawn Smallwood have identified why these projects cannot legally proceed under California law.
Developer Expected to Use New Law - But It Fails
The developer will likely claim exemption under AB 130, brand new legislation signed just last June that allows some projects to bypass environmental review. However, our legal team has demonstrated this exemption fails on four independent grounds:
- Historic structures: Project demolishes buildings listed on the California Register since 1984
- Zoning violations: Exceeds height limits by 32 feet and density limits significantly
- Tribal consultation: Required consultation with Native American tribes not completed
- Protected habitat: Site documented as home to 20+ special-status species including Monarch butterfly
No Density Bonus = No Zoning Waivers
This legal finding is crucial. Projects eligible for California’s Density Bonus Law can waive many zoning rules and exceed height and density limits. This project is not eligible because the City already documented significant impacts to historic resources. Without density bonus eligibility, the project must comply with all standard zoning requirements—which it currently violates.
Princess Grove: Decades-Old Habitat Being Clear-Cut
Dr. Shawn Smallwood, a PhD ecologist with 37 years of California wildlife survey experience, documented that these two adjacent properties form a single unified habitat—Princess Grove. The developer proposes to clear-cut 33 mature trees:
- 17 protected California live oaks, buckeyes, and bay trees at 83 Princess
- 16 protected oaks and buckeyes at 605 Bridgeway
The arborist report states replacement is “infeasible.” Translation: once these decades-old trees are cut down, they’re gone forever. These trees ARE the habitat—they provide active nest sites, bat roosting cavities, and foraging areas for the species living there.
20 Special-Status Species Documented
Dr. Smallwood found 20 special-status species actively using Princess Grove, including:
- Five bat species roosting in the trees (146 bat passes in just 2 hours)
- Protected raptors including Cooper’s hawk, great horned owl, barn owl
- Birds of Conservation Concern including western gull, oak titmouse, Allen’s hummingbird
- Monarch butterfly (federal candidate for endangered listing)
An additional 117 special-status species have documented occurrences within 4 miles and potential to use these sites.
Devastating Quantified Impacts
Habitat Loss:
- 28 active bird nest sites destroyed
- 113 fledgling birds lost per year
- 127 birds per year lost to California when calculating breeding capacity
Bird-Window Collisions:
Based on analysis of 213 scientific studies, the massive glass facades will kill 176-196 birds per year. The projects sit directly between oak woodland and the Bay—a deadly location for reflective glass.
Wildlife Predation:
98 new residential units will bring an estimated 16 free-roaming house cats, predicted to kill 1,952 wild animals annually.
What's Next
The developer’s appeal for the proposed luxury project at 605 Bridgeway will not be heard by the City Council on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, as previously anticipated. However, our legal filing demonstrates that full environmental review under CEQA is required—there are no valid exemptions. The community relies on SOS to hire the attorneys and experts needed to protect our neighborhood, historic district, and irreplaceable natural resources like Princess Grove.
The law is clear: this project cannot proceed as proposed.
