San Rafael officials have released the final environmental impact report on the massive housing plan for the Northgate shopping center.

The hefty 1,480-page report examines the potential impacts of a proposal for 1,422 homes with shops and restaurants on 45 acres of land in Terra Linda.

Although the revised plans were submitted late in the game, the report notes that the changes “did not add significant new information” and “did not create a significant change in construction and operational impacts.”

The report is consistent with a draft assessment published in January that said greenhouse gas emissions and noise from the project would be “significant and unavoidable.”

Like the draft report, the final EIR, or FEIR, examines three other project alternatives, including a “no project” option. As a result, the report says a “fewer housing alternative” that proposes 63 fewer homes than developers are seeking would be “an environmentally superior alternative.”

This option would “slightly reduce” impacts on air quality, emissions, energy, noise and vehicle travel, the report says.

However, the report argues that a list of necessary construction and mitigation measures should be followed to minimize disruptions.

The report says the reduced housing alternative would meet stated project targets with only 63 fewer homes.

April Talley, the city’s project director, said the Planning Commission has been asked to make a recommendation on approving the document. Certification means the city determines that the EIR meets the requirements set by the California Environmental Quality Act, Talley said.

“Whether or not the project will be certified is independent of the decision, and approval of certification does not necessarily mean approval of the project,” Talley said.

“California law requires the city to complete the environmental review process before considering whether to approve a project,” Talley said. “EIR’s certification allows the city to continue review and evaluation of the project.”

The Planning Commission will consider the EIR when it meets at City Hall on Tuesday at 7 p.m. An endorsement will be sent to the City Council for approval.

“Every aspect of the plan was carefully considered to transform Northgate from a declining suburban mall to a dynamic, mixed-use downtown,” said Ross Guehring, a spokesman for mall owner and developer Merlone Geier Partners.

“We look forward to moving into the final review phase, which brings us one step closer to creating a vibrant new gathering place for San Rafael,” he said.

Merlone Geier Partners purchased the shopping center in 2017. The company proposes to begin phase one construction in 2025, followed by phase two in 2040.

The project will include six residential lots consisting of a mix of townhouses and apartments. Buildings will range from two to seven stories.

The proposal has become the poster child for demand for high-density housing in Marin as municipalities work to meet the state’s daunting housing needs.

Some residents support it, but the majority who lined up at City Hall to express their views say the project is too big for the quiet residential area.

One group that has consistently voiced concerns is the Marin nonprofit Responsible Growth.

Grace Geraghty, the group’s chief executive, said in an email that she thanked staff who held workshops and welcomed public comments but was “disheartened by the dismissive tone of FEIR.”

The report includes responses from staff and consultants to public letters and personal comments. Critics raised concerns about traffic, noise, emissions, emergency access and evacuations. They also say police and fire departments, schools and other institutions may be overburdened.

Geraghty said staff and consultant responses in the report were “misleading, sometimes deceptive, and ignore the legitimate and genuine concerns of the current community, whose lives will be negatively impacted for years to come.”

“These ongoing community concerns deserve genuine engagement and resolution rather than a gloss over,” Geraghty said.

Members of the Marin Organizing Committee, an advocacy group, have a different perspective. Linda Haumann, one of the volunteers of the organization, said that there is a housing crisis and the shopping center is shrinking. Haumann said the developer has been responsive to community concerns by making revisions along the way.

For example, developers plan to spread the 143 designated affordable apartments and houses throughout the site, rather than grouping the majority of low-income housing in a single complex, Haumann said. The change comes in response to concerns that a standalone complex for low-income households would segregate the community.

Some of these affordable houses will be for sale, and some will be for rent. Expanding homeownership opportunities at affordable levels is another response to public comments, Haumann said.

Additionally, the center’s “town square” feature was expanded to 57,000 square feet after critics said there wasn’t enough recreation space.

“We need to move forward to build more housing for our workforce and those who need a place to call home in Marin,” Haumann said. “The bottom line is, if we want our teachers, our EMTs, our healthcare workers to live closer to where they work, we need more housing.”

More project information at: cityofsanrafael.org/northgate-town-square-rev/.