Newsroom

Plant Trees, Heal the Planet!

Posted on February 19, 2020

Join us to plant 100 beautiful, carbon-capturing trees in San Rafael on March 28! Here’s how to help: Learn how to plant and maintain trees at a Tree Planting workshop, February 29, 9am, 618 B St. Volunteer to plant, mulch and water, March 28, 8:30 am, McInnis Parkway. Adopt-a-tree. Donate funds to water the trees...

Congratulations to the B Team!

Posted on February 14, 2020

If you know about the new Albert Park playground, then you have probably heard of the B Team. A group of community members, known as the B Team, came together a few years back to co-create solutions to challenges in their neighborhood, including, spearheading the design and construction of Albert Park. They hosted fundraising events, developed relationships...

Potential Changes to Land Use

Posted on February 14, 2020

On Tuesday evening, the City Council will hold a public hearing to review proposed changes to the General Plan 2040 Land Use Map. The Land Use Map is used to determine how parts of the City are used (such as residential, commercial, industrial, etc.). These land uses are then used to determine property zoning. The City Council will invite public...

Francisco Boulevard East Sidewalk Improvements

Posted on February 14, 2020

Also on Tuesday night, the City Council will hear an informational report about the final phase of a multi-project, long-term vision to fill a significant bicycle and pedestrian safety gap between the Canal neighborhood and Downtown. This project spans ¾ mile along the roadway and will provide a seamless pedestrian and bicycle connection, increasing safety...

Reduce and Reuse

Posted on February 14, 2020

Historically, the United States has relied heavily on China to manage our recycling needs. Amidst recent changes we are facing new recycling challenges. Did you know recycling still uses energy and causes pollution? And although it is still good to do, it’s the last thing to consider when it comes to the “stuff” we use....

Marin County Storefront Advertising Survey

Posted on February 14, 2020

Advertising impacts our health! The Community Health and Prevention Program with Marin Health & Human Services is conducting a survey about the retail environment and wants to know your opinion about advertising in stores. The survey takes about five minutes. TAKE THE SURVEY

Sidewalk repair program sign along newly repaired sidewalks

Sidewalk Repair Update

Posted on February 14, 2020

Thanks to a partnership with property owners and the City, over 20,000 square feet of new sidewalk was installed last year; that’s a mile of new sidewalk! In two weeks, we will finish up projects in both the Gerstle Park and Bret Harte neighborhoods and gear up to start projects in East San Rafael, with work starting...

Video Detection System for San Rafael

Posted on February 13, 2020

The City of San Rafael (City) is seeking proposals from responsible, qualified firms to provide Video Detection System (VDS) at traffic signal intersections within the City’s downtown area. This VDS shall monitor vehicles on a roadway through video analytics and provide detector outputs to a traffic controller or similar device. Proposals shall be submitted by...

Public Works Development Review of Building Permits

Posted on February 7, 2020

In 2019, the Department of Public Works completed reviews for approximately twice as many building permits than in 2017 and 2018. The increase in demand was accommodated by existing staff working with applicants directly whenever possible to ensure that projects met the necessary standards. We also provided positive recommendations on improvements. Even though there were...

All Way Stop at Belle Ave and Park Street

New All Way Stop at Park Street and Belle Avenue

Posted on February 7, 2020

Up until last week, the intersection of Park Street and Belle Avenue was a two-way stop controlled on Park Street. The Traffic Engineering Division determined that an All Way Stop was warranted at the intersection, so Public Works maintenance crews freshened up the paint on the intersections and added STOP signs to Belle Avenue. Notifications...

Sidewalk Repair Program Shifting from Gerstle Park to East San Rafael

Posted on February 7, 2020

The Sidewalk Repair Program is nearly complete for residents who signed up for the 2018 program in the Gerstle Park and the Bret Harte neighborhoods. The last of the nearly 90 properties will completed in the next two weeks. 13,000 square feet of new sidewalk were poured during this round, which would be enough to...

Gregory Kelly, Employee of the 4th QTR 2019

Posted on February 6, 2020

Gregory Kelly, Parking Services, was recognized as the Employee of the 4th QTR 2019! "Greg is an all-around awesome human and such a pleasure to work with. Greg makes work enjoyable through his optimism, integrity, sense of humor, readiness to be a team-player, and respect for those he works with. Great played a major role...

C Street Beautification Project, Team of the 4th Quarter 2019

Posted on February 6, 2020

Public Works Community Development Digital Services Art Works Downtown Youth in Arts Fox & Kit Economic Development Parking Services "This project was a true public-private collaboration with multiple city departments, local businesses, and nonprofits all pitching in. The rehabilitation of the 5th & C Garage included a new modern paint job designed in collaboration with Fox and Kit...

Reusable Takeout Containers in Marin? YES!

Posted on February 6, 2020

Try out the new SPARKL Reusables takeout container program at Whole Foods Market in San Rafael The City of San Rafael has partnered with SPARKL Reusables to offer a reusable takeout container program at the local Whole Foods Market to help customers reduce waste and their impact on the environment. This new program is a...

Census 2020

Posted on January 31, 2020

On Monday evening, the City Council will hear a special presentation about the countywide efforts underway to ensure maximum participation in this year’s census. The City has been working closely with the County, Canal Alliance, and others on outreach and education efforts related to our “Hard-to-Count” communities across Marin. Over the next few months, these efforts will...

New Housing Development Proposal for Merrydale Road

Posted on January 31, 2020

Also on Monday, the City Council will consider a proposal involving a new 45-unit townhome development at 350 Merrydale Road / 3833 Redwood Hwy. The project proposes a creative redevelopment of an underutilized infill site with much-needed housing, on a site that is located near major employment and services and with a variety of transportation...

business people discussing during a meeting

Mid-Year Budget Adjustments & Personnel Changes

Posted on January 31, 2020

On Monday evening, the City Council will also consider amending the 19-20 budget based on a mid-year budget report. This report presents the City’s financial condition in the current fiscal year (2019-2020) based on actual revenue and expenditure performance for the period July 1 through December 31, 2019, as well as budget actions taken through...

Martin vs. Boise

Posted on January 31, 2020

Over the past year and a half, a court case called Martin v. Boise has been significantly impacted cities’ abilities to respond to street homelessness. In a nutshell, the 9th Circuit Court ruling essentially says that imposition of criminal penalties for sitting, sleeping, or lying outside on public property for homeless individuals who cannot obtain shelter is unconstitutional. In...

Call for Artists – Public Safety Center Project

Posted on January 28, 2020

The City of San Rafael is pleased to announce a Call for Artists to submit images/renderings/drawings of public art to be permanently installed at the main entry of the new Public Safety Center Building. This art piece will be highly visible from both outside and inside of the Public Safety Center (PSC). Work must be...

Martin v. Boise

Posted on January 27, 2020

Over the past year and a half, a court case called Martin v. Boise has been significantly impacting cities' ability to respond to street homelessness. In a nutshell, the 9th Circuit Court ruling essentially says that imposition of criminal penalties for sitting, sleeping, or lying outside on public property for homeless individuals who cannot obtain...

New Donation Signage Downtown

Posted on January 24, 2020

In collaboration with Andrew Hening and PD, Public Works installed new signage encouraging residents to donate to local charities and nonprofits that offer services for the homeless, rather than donating to panhandlers. The Marin IJ covered this story, as well!

Overhead view of Public Safety Center's roof

Public Safety Center – Interior Finishing Touches

Posted on January 24, 2020

Construction of the Public Safety Center continues to progress. The exterior brick installation is well underway, despite the recent rainstorm. The City’s contractor, Alten Construction, is currently working on the interior finishes. Painting of the interior walls, as well as, installation of T-bar ceilings and lighting is around 90% complete. In addition, the first and...

Winter Maintenance – Fixing Old Drainage Pipes and Rebuilding Guard Rail

Posted on January 24, 2020

With the recent break in the rainy weather, Public Works Streets and Parks crews have been able to get a jump on some much-needed maintenance, including the City storm drain systems on Gold Hill Grade and Main Drive. City crews removed deteriorating metal drainage pipes in both locations and replaced it with high density plastic...

New Bike Racks Downtown

Posted on January 24, 2020

Ever biked to the San Rafael Theater and had nowhere to lock your treasured two-wheeled steed? Well, that should no longer be an issue because Public Works has been busy installing 20 additional bike racks downtown! There are at least four racks per block of Fourth Street, from Lincoln Avenue to D Street. Additionally, Public...

Wildfire Protection Community Meetings

Posted on January 23, 2020

On January 28th, 29th, and 30th, the City will host a series of Community Meetings to provide updates to Wildfire efforts. We will also be seeking feedback on new evacuation maps that will be available this summer. All residents are encouraged to attend a meeting to provide feedback on this important safety issue. The meeting...

Boards and Commissions December 2019 Appointments

Posted on January 16, 2020

In December, the City Council appointed five members to the ADA Access Advisory Committee: Ashley Tomerlin, Ewen McKechnie, John Erdmann, Timothy Lord and Francine Falk-Allen. Here is a little information about our newly appointed members: Ashley Tomerlin is a Certified Access Specialist and landscape architect specializing in inclusive outdoor recreation environments and Title II accessibility. Professionally,...

Francisco Blvd East Sidewalk – Approved by State Transportation Commission

Posted on December 31, 2019

The project was presented to the California Transportation Commission on December 5th and was approved for federal funding allocation. Once we receive clearance from Caltrans to proceed with the project, we will be advertising for bids, which is anticipated by mid-January 2020. The project is on schedule with a proposed construction start time of early summer...

Sidewalk Repair 2019 Year-end Update

Posted on December 23, 2019

As we cross the one year anniversary of the commencement of the Sidewalk Repair Program I want to take the time to let you know where we stand and how we intend to move forward. Some of you signed up for the 2018 program and already have contracts in hand, others are part of the...

John Coen, San Rafael Police Department Open Space/Park Ranger, Retiring After 40 Years of Service

Posted on December 23, 2019

San Rafael is home to an impressive array of natural resources, including 19 parks, many miles of open space vegetation, and nearly 100 acres of marshland and estuarine settings leading out to the waters of the San Pablo Bay. For the last decade, these diverse and beautiful public resources have been overseen by Open Space/Park...

Southern Heights Bridge Utility Work Underway

Posted on December 20, 2019

For over one year, City staff and the design team have coordinated with impacted utilities on the Southern Heights Bridge replacement project. In late October, PG&E gas crews began the process of installing a new gas main on both approaches to the bridge and deactivating the gas line currently attached to the old bridge. Work...