This week in Marin County news brings a mix of culture, infrastructure planning, and daily economics. From the Eames Institute’s museum ambitions on the Novato corridor to county flood-plains talks in Kentfield and Ross, there’s a lot going on.
We’re also seeing local gas-price shifts and a new small-business permit in Marin County. Communities across Novato, Kentfield, Ross, and San Rafael keep shaping their futures—sometimes in ways you might not expect.
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Novato: Eames Institute plans to convert the Birkenstock complex into a museum
The Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity bought the 88.5-acre Birkenstock property at 8171 Redwood Blvd in Novato. Their goal? Preserve and catalog the archives of Ray and Charles Eames.
This site has a 32,000-square-foot office building and a 134,000-square-foot warehouse built in 1964 for McGraw-Hill. The institute wants to use the property for art exhibits, studios, an auditorium, offices, and gardens—a mid-century industrial campus reimagined as a public cultural hub.
Marin County residents are curious about how this plan could anchor a new cultural campus along the southern Novato corridor. The project sits right in the middle of Marin’s ongoing effort to balance growth, preservation, and environmental stewardship.
Design Review Commission workshop
The Design Review Commission workshop in Novato will happen at 6 p.m. on May 6 to review the museum proposal. This meeting is a key step in the permitting and design review process.
It’ll help decide how the site adapts for public use while keeping its historic character. People in Marin City, San Rafael, and San Anselmo seem eager to see how the plan evolves—and what it could mean for their neighborhoods.
Marin flood-control community meetings
Marin County will host two community meetings next month to update residents and get input on Corte Madera Creek flood control projects. Folks from Kentfield to Ross and beyond are encouraged to show up as the county refines risk-reduction strategies and long-range improvements.
- 6:30 p.m. May 7 at Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield.
- 6:30 p.m. May 20 at the Marin Art and Garden Center in Ross.
You can find updates and background at flooddistrict.marincounty.gov. There’s also a countywide survey at surveymonkey.com/r/CMCreek if you want to weigh in.
The meetings will cover flood risk, drainage improvements, and watershed planning for communities along Corte Madera Creek and downstream in Larkspur.
Gas prices rise across Marin County
AAA says the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Marin County is $6.195 this week. That’s up from $5.948 last week and $4.951 a year ago.
For comparison, the California average is $5.965, and the national average is $4.176. Drivers commuting between San Rafael, Novato, and Tiburón are definitely feeling it—weekend getaways, ferry rides, and coastal visits to places like Sausalito and Muir Beach all cost a bit more now.
Marin County’s towns, both coastal and inland, feel the pinch of higher fuel costs on local tourism and shuttle services. Small businesses that rely on regional travel are thinking hard about their budgets and options.
People are weighing these fuel costs against public transit, parking, and the region’s ongoing push for sustainable mobility. The conversation is far from over.
Mi Peru Groceries gain a use permit
In local business news, the city planning office has approved a use permit for Mi Peru Groceries at 455 Enfrente Road.
This permit lets them sell beer and wine for offsite consumption between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. every day.
The business still needs a permit from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC).
Honestly, it’s a pretty big deal for Marin County, which tends to move carefully on alcohol licenses, especially in busy spots serving Larkspur, Greenbrae, and San Rafael.
For folks in Marin and nearby towns, this permit sort of hints at the steady rise of specialty markets that mix cultural goods with the usual grocery run.
ABC permits and local reviews keep new food and drink options in line with the neighborhood vibe and public safety standards—especially around Novato and the surrounding area.
If you’re living in Mill Valley, Fairfax, or anywhere along the 101, you’ve probably noticed these changes shaping daily life, from culture to community to how we all get by.
Here is the source article for this story: In Your Town for April 29, 2026
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