The district, founded in 1961, is the governing body for this waterfront neighborhood. The neighborhood, which does not have a homeowners association, is amid the marshlands east of Highway 101 and south of Highway 37 and is just outside the Novato city limits.
A community services district is the smallest form of local government. The Bel Marin Keys CSD has five board members elected by residents within the district. Ernie Ganas is the CSD board president for 2010 and Madeline Thomas is the district manager. The CSD manages all the public facilities with the district borders, including parks, streetlights and undeveloped lands. Services are contracted out independently for garbage, water, sewage and public safety and paid via property taxes.
The district facility, formerly a real estate office, serves as a community center with a full kitchen and bar that doubles as the clubhouse for the Bel Marin Keys Yacht Club. There are lots of tables and chairs available, and the view of the waterfront homes out the eastern windows is wonderful. It is available for rent only to Bel Marin Keys residents.
Keys residents receive a community newsletter from the district every other month, and the Web site is a wealth of information for updates on meeting schedules, tides, wildlife, environmental impact reports and nearby developments.