Terra Linda, San Rafael, California
| Terra Linda | |
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| Former unincorporated community | |
Terra Linda
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 Terra Linda
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| Coordinates: 38°00′15″N 122°32′59″W / 38.00417°N 122.54972°WCoordinates: 38°00′15″N 122°32′59″W / 38.00417°N 122.54972°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Marin County |
| City | San Rafael |
| Elevation | 171 ft (52 m) |
Terra Linda is a former unincorporated community incorporated in San Rafael in Marin County, California. It lies at an elevation of 171 feet (52 m).
Terra Linda is a residential and light commercial/office community in the Las Gallinas Valley area of Marin County, approximately 14 miles (23 km) north of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Terra Linda is located on what was formerly the property of the Manuel T. Freitas family, immigrant Portuguese owners of part of the Rancho San Pedro, Santa Margarita y Las Gallinas Mexican land grant. The ranch was originally operated as a dairy farm. The site of the ranch house and buildings is now the site of St. Isabella's Catholic Church and School.
Terra Linda shares ZIP code 94903 with Santa Venetia, Marinwood, and Lucas Valley. The Terra Linda post office was established in 1961. Its main streets are Las Gallinas, Freitas Parkway, and Redwood Highway. Early Terra Linda residents formed a Community Services District, and Recreation & Parks District, under the direct authority of the Marin County government. These entities built the public infrastructure that stands today. In the early 1970s, citizens voted to annex these entities to the City of San Rafael. Its population is about 10,000.
Most of Terra Linda was built after World War II and was largely completed by 1970. Terra Linda was originally developed by the development group Alliance Construction. The first residences were model homes on Hyacinth Way. They were of the then-contemporary modern (Eichler) style: concrete-slab foundation; hydronic heat; cork floors; low-pitch, open-beam ceilings; clerestory and gable windows. About 900 homes in Terra Linda were built by Joseph Eichler from 1955 to 1965. The distinctive architectural style of Eichler homes provides a historic element.
The valley's main arteries, Manuel T. Freitas Parkway and Del Ganado Road, follow Santa Margarita Creek, whose bed was cemented over in the early 1960s and turned into a storm trough when the area was developed. Plans are being made to restore the creek to its original state and redesign Freitas Parkway to accommodate the creek, at an estimated cost of $20 million. These plans have been in fruition for years and as of 2015 there is no news about this moving forward. Freitas Parkway was originally designed to have three lanes each way (currently there are two) that cross over the ridge into the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood of San Anselmo. This design was never finished after those lands were purchased by the public and placed into the care of the Marin County Open Space District. Details follow: 1972 San Rafael residents approved a bond issue of $2,250,000 bond issue to purchase open space city-wide, including parcels in North San Rafael. 1973 Mont Marin neighborhood formed an assessment district to purchase the 184 acre Mont Marin Open Space for $314,000. 1975 Terra Linda residents, with a 76 percent yes vote, established a community services area with a $1,150,000 bond issue to purchase open space properties. These funds were combined with $500,000 from the 1972 San Rafael bond and $500,000 from the Open Space District to buy the Nunes, Freitas, de Long and Turski lands, the semi-circle of ridges around Terra Linda. per www.94903community.org/Vision.html
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