But after spending years and millions of dollars, Mr. Lucas abruptly canceled plans recently for the third, and most likely last, major expansion, citing community opposition. An
emotional statement posted online said Lucasfilm would build instead in a place that sees us as a creative asset, not as an evil empire.
If the announcement took Marin by surprise, it was nothing compared with what came next. Mr. Lucas said he would sell the land to a developer to bring low income housing here.
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Plans to develop Grady Ranch had been stalled for years. Credit The New York Times Its inciting class warfare, said Carolyn Lenert, head of the North San Rafael Coalition of Residents.
Mr. Lucas said in an e-mail that he only wanted to do something good for Marin, waving away accusations of ulterior motives.
Ive been surprised to see some people characterize this as vindictive, he said, adding that there was a real need for affordable housing here. I wouldnt waste my time or money just to try and upset the neighbors.
Whatever Mr. Lucass intentions, his announcement has unsettled a county whose famously liberal politics often sits uncomfortably with the issue of low-cost housing and where battles have been fought over such construction before. His proposal has pitted neighbor against neighbor, who, after failed peacemaking efforts over local artisanal cheese and wine, traded accusations in the local newspaper.
The staunchest opponents of Lucasfilms expansion are now being accused of driving away the filmmaker and opening the door to a low-income housing development. That has created an atmosphere that one opponent, who asked not to be identified, saying she feared for her safety, described as sheer terror and likened to Syria.
Carl Fricke, a board member of the Lucas Valley Estates Homeowners Association, which represents houses nearest to the Lucas property, said: We got letters saying, You guys are going to get what you deserve. Youre going to bring drug dealers, all this crime and lowlife in here.