This Marin County blog post breaks down the county’s plan to shape local rules for onsite wastewater systems through a Local Agency Management Program (LAMP).
It explores why Marin wants more local control, what the public meetings will cover, and how these changes could affect housing from San Rafael to West Marin while protecting water quality along the bay and coastline.
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Marin’s push to tailor septic rules through a Local Agency Management Program
Marin County is advancing a Local Agency Management Program (LAMP) under state law to tailor onsite wastewater treatment standards to Marin’s climate, soil, and housing realities.
The goal is to align local regulations with state water quality standards while offering options that could reduce costs for homeowners and developers alike.
If approved, the Marin-specific LAMP could open the door to alternative, lower-cost septic systems and more flexible wastewater calculations.
This could ease some constraints on housing development from Novato to Tiburon and beyond.
Public input will shape the plan as Marin moves forward with a framework that respects both local conditions and statewide protections.
The county’s process draws on a long history of state-level requirements while acknowledging the unique features of Marin’s coastal and inland communities, from Point Reyes Station to Sausalito and Mill Valley.
Public meetings kick off in West Marin
The first public meeting is set for Thursday, March 5 at the West Marin School in Point Reyes Station.
Additional sessions will be announced as the process unfolds.
County officials hope residents across the North Bay Peninsula—from San Rafael to Larkspur and from Fairfax to Inverness—will share input on how a Marin LAMP could work on the ground.
These meetings offer a chance for residents, landowners, and builders in towns like Novato, Marin City, Sausalito, and Tiburon to weigh in on local fit and safeguards.
What a Marin LAMP could mean for housing and wastewater
As Marin weighs local rules, several practical possibilities are on the table:
- Cost-conscious options for households and developments in San Rafael, Mill Valley, and Ross.
- Flexibility in wastewater calculations to reflect low-flow fixtures and real usage, reducing overly conservative designs in dense neighborhoods like Larkspur and Corte Madera.
- Streamlined pathways to bring unpermitted systems into compliance, an issue Marin has grappled with given the roughly 8,000 septic systems countywide, many with incomplete records.
- Opportunities to tailor maintenance and monitoring programs to protect water quality around the Marin Headlands and the Tomales Bay watershed while supporting housing goals.
Historical context and ongoing challenges
The county started work on a Marin LAMP more than two decades ago after A.B. 885, a state measure that required uniform septic standards but also allowed local agencies to craft plans.
Marin submitted a LAMP in 2016, but the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board rejected it after staff review.
Since then, county teams have worked with the regional board to address concerns, especially around water quality protections and ensuring ongoing compliance across communities from Stinson Beach to Inverness.
Bringing unpermitted systems into the formal system remains a major challenge.
Records are missing for nearly a third of the county’s ~8,000 septic systems, which complicates enforcement and permitting.
County-hired engineer Norman Hantzsche notes that the historical approach tied system size to bedroom counts.
This method has trended downward over time as fixtures became more water-efficient.
Shifting sizing standards and what it means for future rules
Hantzsche points out that sizing has changed: former standards used 150 gallons per bedroom, then 105 gallons per bedroom.
He suggests that actual per-person wastewater generation may be under 50 gallons per day.
This could support updates to rules that better align with housing goals in Marin’s towns—from Novato to Fairfax and along the coast near Point Reyes Station.
What comes next for Marin communities
As public input starts in West Marin and expands to all corners of Marin County—including San Anselmo and Coté Madera—officials will work with the RWQCB to balance local flexibility with core water protections.
The process will continue with additional public sessions, technical reviews, and stakeholder discussions aimed at translating the LAMP into workable, equitable rules for on-site wastewater systems across diverse Marin neighborhoods.
Local flavor: Marin towns and communities at a glance
Marin’s scenic towns and hamlets—from the Marin City enclave to the West Marin coastline—are all part of the conversation.
Residents from San Rafael to Sausalito, Mill Valley, Tiburon, Larkspur, Corte Madera, and beyond will be watching how the LAMP evolves.
Here are some communities where input will matter:
- San Rafael
- Novato
- Mill Valley
- Tiburon
- Sausalito
- Larkspur
- Corte Madera
- Ross
- Fairfax
- Marin City
- Point Reyes Station and West Marin
- Inverness and Stinson Beach
Marin County is winding its way through public meetings and technical reviews. It’s a process—sometimes slow, sometimes a bit confusing, but always important.
If you live in West Marin or find yourself in the Point Reyes area, keep an eye out for the first public session. Check local city and county channels for updates; you don’t want to miss what’s next.
Here is the source article for this story: County asks public for take on septic rules
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