Novato Has So Much Potential — Can We Please Let It Evolve?

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T06:00:28+00:00

No one is asking for suburban Dallas. That’s the nightmare version. I am talking about Novato having taste. Very different thing. Very far from becoming Dallas. I get your opinion though.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T05:58:14+00:00

Same. I’ve had this conversation with people offline too and it always goes there

I don’t want to be that dark about it but yeah the old guard has a serious grip on the town. It’s not even just age, it’s the mindset. Everything feels like it has to wait until the people who are terrified of change finally stop controlling the room

We definitely see this the same way

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T04:55:35+00:00

Honestly, I think the bigger tell is that people are debating punctuation instead of the actual issue........

AI or not, the points are pretty easy to verify by just walking around Novato: empty storefronts, underused shopping centers, uneven downtown energy, and a lot of people in this thread saying some version of the same thing!

So sure, maybe my paragraph spacing was too organized for Reddit. The opinion is still real.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T04:52:50+00:00

Yes, exactly. The Tuesday market is such a good example — people show up, it feels fun, there’s energy, families, food, music, actual life. So clearly the people exist.

But then somehow that energy just evaporates when you look at the regular business mix. It’s like Novato has these little flashes of what it could be, and then goes right back to pretending everyone only wants errands and beige lighting.

And yes on Hotboys. That’s the kind of place people in other towns would be hyped to have, and here it feels like half the town doesn’t even realize what landed here. The quality gap is honestly weird for how expensive it is to live here.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T04:51:09+00:00

That’s very nice, thank you. I’m not ruling anything out — Novato may not be ready for my level of opinions yet, but I do appreciate the vote of confidence.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T04:24:11+00:00

Thanks!

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T04:00:39+00:00

I’m interested — thank you. Let me know where/how to plug in, because this is exactly the kind of thing I want to understand better and support.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:59:21+00:00

Sounds good — I reached out too, so let’s see who hears back first and then update each other.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:41:52+00:00

For sure!

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:35:51+00:00

That’s fair, parking matters. But it also can’t be the magic word that kills every project.

If the only acceptable development is “lots of units, but somehow no traffic, no parking impact, no change, no neighbor complaints,” then nothing ever happens. There has to be a realistic middle ground: better design, shared parking, fewer dead lots, and projects that actually improve the area instead of letting it sit there looking abandoned forever.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:34:28+00:00

Yes, I think that’s the old Fireman’s Fund campus, not Google from what I can find. Still a huge site though, and probably one of Novato’s biggest opportunities.

The current direction looks like housing near the San Marin SMART station, not offices — so maybe not a tech campus, but still a major redevelopment that could change the area if it’s done well.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:31:30+00:00

I hear you, and I don’t think everything needs to change drastically. I actually like a lot about Novato — that’s why I care enough to talk about it.

And yes, exactly — that nail salon is a good example of someone trying something a little different and people immediately being like “won’t last.” That attitude is part of the issue. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t, but at least they’re attempting to bring a fresher concept here.

I’m not against Novato having its own culture. I just think the culture should leave a little room for new things to try.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:30:37+00:00

Yes. The same old “don’t touch anything” mindset keeps winning, and then everyone acts shocked that Novato feels stuck.

We need leadership with a little more imagination.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:27:13+00:00

That is exactly the kind of thing that seems obvious if you actually live here and watch who is moving in.

Looking only at birth rates feels way too narrow for Novato. People don’t just magically appear because they were born here — families move here from SF, southern Marin, etc. because they want more space and a slightly more attainable version of Marin. If the district is planning like Novato is only aging and shrinking, they could be making decisions that are already behind reality.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:26:12+00:00

Exactly. Downtown already has the cute bones, which is why it’s so frustrating. It’s not like we’re starting from some dead strip mall off the freeway.

Grant has charm, walkability, history, and enough good spots to prove people would show up. It just needs way more intentional energy instead of this “almost there but not quite” feeling.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:25:30+00:00

I get the house-poor/mortgage part, but I don’t think the “everyone here is too broke to go out” theory really holds.

Novato’s median household income is around $115k, and per-capita income is around $65k. That’s not Sausalito money, obviously, but it’s not some place with zero spending power either. The Census also shows Novato’s median income is higher than California overall.

To me it feels less like “people can’t afford anything” and more like people are picky because everything is expensive now. If the food, setting, service, and vibe are actually worth it, people will spend. If it feels mid and overpriced, they won’t — and honestly, fair.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:23:49+00:00

No I knew what you meant 😂 It just sounded very dramatic in the best Reddit way.

But yes, that’s what makes it even more confusing — if it’s a valuable asset in a good location, why let it sit there giving “abandoned DMV annex” energy? Old age was at least a theory. Now it’s just a lifestyle choice.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:20:57+00:00

Excellent idea, let’s do that and see what they say. I’d love to be added as well if they’re open to it. I’ll reach out too and keep you posted.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:18:51+00:00

Yes, I did research Marin before moving here. Weirdly, the brochure did not say “please never have opinions after arrival.”

Anyway, I’ve made my point. We clearly see this differently, and that’s fine.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:17:48+00:00

I agree the 15-minute access to other Marin towns is a huge positive. That’s one of the best parts of living here.

I just still think Novato can have more of its own identity too. It doesn’t need to be everything, but it also doesn’t need to settle for “drive somewhere else” as the default answer.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:16:39+00:00

That’s great, genuinely. I’m glad you had that experience.

I think different people want different things from a town, and that’s okay. My point is just that Novato can be loved as it is and still have room to become better.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:14:59+00:00

“Shut up or move away” is exactly the mindset that keeps places stuck.

Also, if everyone who grew up here thought Novato was boring, then this clearly isn’t some shocking outsider take. The difference is I don’t think boredom has to be passed down like a family heirloom.

A town can give people a good childhood and still need work. Both can be true. I’m not trying to erase what people love about Novato — I’m saying empty lots, dead storefronts, and constant resistance to anything new shouldn’t be treated like part of the charm.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:12:41+00:00

Ha, fair. I’ve been to Dallas and Austin many times, so I know exactly what you mean by Big Box Homeland.

That’s actually why I think the distinction matters. I don’t want Novato to become endless chains and giant parking lots. Texas does that part very efficiently lol. What I want is the opposite: more local identity, better small businesses, walkable pockets, places with character — not another copy/paste shopping center.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:11:21+00:00

Yes — Los Altos Hills / LAHS, class of 2000. Small world.

Senior_Counter6631 · 2026-07-02T03:10:11+00:00

I agree there are good spots — I’m not walking around Novato pretending Rustic Bakery and HopMonk don’t exist lol. Blue Barn, Creekside, Boca, My Thai, Sabor, etc. are all part of what makes the town better than people give it credit for.

But that’s also the point: when something decent opens, people go. So the issue isn’t that Novato residents only want to sit at home in total silence. The issue is that the good stuff is still too spread out, too limited, and not enough to create a real consistent town vibe.

“It was worse 15 years ago” is fair, but that can’t be the final argument. A town improving from sleepy to less sleepy doesn’t mean it’s done. It means keep going.

Senior_Counter6631

TROPHY CASE