General Plan Documents

Adopted Plan

On August 2, 2021, the City Council adopted San Rafael General Plan 2040.  Links to the adopted document are below.  To view earlier drafts, please scroll down this page to "Archived Documents."

• Entire Document

To Download Individual Chapters of General Plan 2040, or to access the Appendix, click on the links below:

• Cover
• Title Page/ Acknowledgments/ Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Framework and Guiding Principles
3. Land Use Element
4. Neighborhoods Element
5. Community Design and Preservation Element
6. Conservation and Climate Change Element
7. Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Element
8. Safety and Resilience Element
9. Noise Element
10. Mobility Element
11. Community Services and Infrastructure Element
12. Arts and Culture Element
13. Economic Vitality Element
14. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Element
15. Housing Element (update in progress)

APPENDICES

• A. Implementation
• B. Housing Element Technical Background Report
• C. Transportation Background Data
• D. Flood Risk and Sea Level Rise Adaptation Study
• E. San Rafael Sea-level Rise Adaptation Technical Guidance Study
• F. Geotechnical Review Requirements
• G. Recreation Facilities to Retain through Naylor Legislation
• H. Potential Open Space Sites for Public Acquisition
• I. Noise Contour Diagrams

ARCHIVED DOCUMENTS

Earlier DRAFT versions of General Plan 2040 are provided below for archival reference only.

August 2, 2021 City Council Draft (includes tracked changes showing edits made after July 19, 2021 City Council hearing)

• Entire Document
• List of Edits Made After July 19 (included in the August 2 draft)

July 2021 City Council Draft ("clean" version, incorporating edits approved by Planning Commission from 10/2/20 to 6/30/21)

Entire Document

Individual Chapters

• Cover
• Title/Table of Contents

1. Introduction (includes changes after 7/19/21 Council hearing)
2. Framework and Guiding Principles
3. Land Use Element
4. Neighborhoods Element
5. Community Design and Preservation Element (includes changes after 7/19/21 Council hearing)
6. Conservation and Climate Change Element (includes changes after 7/19/21 Council hearing)
7. Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Element
8. Safety and Resilience Element (includes changes after 7/19/21 Council hearing)
9. Noise Element
10. Mobility Element
11. Community Services and Infrastructure Element
12. Arts and Culture Element
13. Economic Vitality Element (includes changes after 7/19/21 Council hearing)
14. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Element (includes changes after 7/19/21 Council hearing)

July 2021 City Council Draft ("tracked change" version, highlighting Planning Commission edits in red)

Entire Document (showing tracked changes)

May 2021 "Tracked Change Draft"

Entire Document (44 MB file)

Individual Chapters

• Cover
• Title Page/ Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Framework and Guiding Principles
3. Land Use Element
4. Neighborhoods Element (supplemental edits from June 29 meeting shown in blue)
5. Community Design and Preservation Element
6. Conservation and Climate Change Element (supplemental edits from June 29 meeting shown in blue)
7.   Park, Recreation, and Open Space Element
8. Safety and Resilience Element
9. Noise Element
10. Mobility Element
11. Community Services and Infrastructure Element (supplemental edits from June 29 meeting shown in blue)
12. Arts and Culture Element
13. Economic Vitality Element
14. Equity Diversity and Inclusion Element

Appendices

• Appendix A: Plan Implementation Matrix
• Appendix B: Housing Element Technical Report
• Appendix C: Transportation Data
• Appendix D: Flood Risk and Sea Level Rise Adaptation Study
• Appendix E: San Rafael Sea Level Rise Adaptation Technical Guidance Study
• Appendix F: Geotechnical Review Requirements
• Appendix G: Recreational Facilities to Retain Through Naylor Legislation
• Appendix H: Potential Open Space Sites
• Appendix I: Noise Contour Diagrams
• Appendix J: Glossary of Terms (to be developed following Plan adoption)

October 2020 Draft

You can download the entire Plan at the link below, or click the links further down the page to open individual chapters.

• General Plan 2040 (full document--47 MB file)

  Individual Chapters

• Cover
• Title, Acknowledgments, Table of Contents
• Section Divider: Introduction/Framework
  • Chapter1: Introduction
  • Chapter 2: Framework and Guiding Principles
• Section Divider: The Built Environment
  • Chapter 3: Land Use Element
    • Need to take a closer look at the Land Use Map?  click here
  • Chapter 4: Neighborhoods Element
  • Chapter 5: Community Design and Preservation Element
• Section Divider: The Natural Environment
  • Chapter 6: Conservation and Climate Change Element
  • Chapter 7: Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Element
  • Chapter 8: Safety and Resilience Element
  • Chapter 9: Noise Element
• Section Divider: Connecting the City
  • Chapter 10: Mobility Element
  • Chapter 11: Community Services and Infrastructure Element
  • Chapter 12: Arts and Culture Element
• Section Divider: Opportunity for All
  • Chapter 13: Economic Vitality Element
  • Chapter 14: Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Element
  • Chapter 15: Housing Element

The Planning Commission began the public hearing process on General Plan 2040 in October 2020.  The bulleted list below provides comments received in writing during the public review process, along with staff responses indicating how each comment will be addressed.  Comments received from Commissioners and from public testimony at the hearings are also included.

• Comments and Responses - December 2020 to March 2021
• Comments and Responses - October and November 2020
• Comments and Responses - Planning Commission Hearings
• Comments and Responses - April and May 2021
• Supplemental Comments and Responses June 1-June 24 2021
• Supplemental Comments and Responses: June 15/29 hearings and June 25-June 29 2021

The documents listed below have been completed as part of the 2040 General Plan Update.

Please scroll down to the next section to review documents prepared prior to the kick-off of the 2040 General Plan Update in 2017.

• Draft Traffic Impact Analysis Guidelines (3/15/21)
• Sea Level Rise Documents
  • Flood Risk and Sea Level Rise Adaptation Report for General Plan 2040 (staff)
  • San Rafael Sea Level Rise Adaptation Technical Guidance Study (ESA Consultants)
• Executive Summary on Spanish Language Survey and Interviews
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Vehicle Miles Traveled (6/29/20)
• Draft General Plan Elements - Goals, Policies, and Programs (May 2020)
• Responses to RGM comments on transportation metrics (6/18/20)
• Draft Policy M-2.5 on transportation level of service (6/18/20)
• Memo on VMT recommendations (6/16/20)
• Draft 2040 General Plan Land Use Map
• Definition of Map Categories
• Demographics Background Report
• Real Estate and Economics Background Report
• Land Use Background Report
• Transportation Background Report
• Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Background Report
• Community Services Background Report
• Environmental Justice (SB 1000) Background Report
• How Will the Pandemic Reshape Cities?  A Reader

Below are documents prepared prior to the kick-off of the 2040 General Plan Update in 2017.   The first link is to General Plan 2020, which was adopted in 2004 and serves as the current General Plan for the City of San Rafael.  The other links are to plans and studies that have been completed since 2004 that may shape new General Plan policies and actions.