Parts of San Rafael potentially impacted PG&E let the County of Marin know that during August 18-20, residents will likely experience rolling blackouts of up to 2 hours. The blackouts may occur from 3pm to 11pm today, Wednesday or Thursday. Residents should take prompt action to prepare by charging cell phones and medical devices, signing...
Based on current energy supply forecasts, rotating power outages are likely to occur Monday. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) urges customers to conserve electricity in response to the California Independent System Operator’s (ISO) statewide Flex Alert called for Monday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. CAISO is the organization that manages the state's power grid. Best ways to...
Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) released a recent press release of potential outages that could affect parts of California this evening. Stay informed about outages affecting your service by viewing PG&E's outage map. Visit California ISO's (CAISO) web page for information about California's electric grid.
An unexpected heat wave is bringing unusually high temperatures to Marin County. People who are more vulnerable to hot conditions now have an option to escape the heat. Marin Public Health is opening a cooling center Saturday, August 15 through Tuesday, August 18, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm, at the Marin Center Exhibit Hall (10 Avenue of...
Earlier this evening, Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) implemented a rotating power outage due to a strain on the electrical grid. The power will be turned off in rotating blocks until about 11 p.m. Power could be out for about one hour for each block. Some households in San Rafael have already begun to experience restored...
On Monday, August 17th, the City Council will review recommended changes to the City of San Rafael Police Department’s Use of Force Policy. In June 2020, Mayor Phillips signed President Barack Obama’s “Mayor’s Pledge” to review San Rafael’s use of force policing policies. Additionally, the Mayor assembled a community task force to assist City leaders...
Access to the internet is necessary for so many facets of our lives including getting news and information, participating in civic life, applying for jobs or unemployment, access to education, and more. Residents in San Rafael do not have equal access to the internet and computers at home. The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated digital equity...
The City of San Rafael (City) hereby requests proposals for janitorial services for City facilities. It is the intent of the City to hire a fully-licensed contractor. Services shall include routine janitorial maintenance for all City facilities, including the Police Department, Library, Recreation Centers, Department of Public Works, and City Hall. Work will include: vacuuming,...
Throughout the City, our staff have been working hard to update and maintain the marking and signage on the roadways. Recently, our striping contractor has been updating the crosswalks and other various striping along Fifth Avenue to make them safer for pedestrians and visible for motorists. Paint isn’t the only thing that helps with visibility...
Streets crew members Brendan Smith, Trevor Thomas, and Matthew Von Bima were at the new Public Safety Center adding some final touches to the area. This will not only bring a fresh look to the steps, but it will ensure and improve visibility of the steps. The staff were tasked to go around the building...
Arturo Tinoco and Kenny Gaitlin worked with and oversaw Ad-Lite clamming services to remove debris from the Kerner Boulevard ditch. The project happened over the course of three (3) days, and team removed more than 20 tons of vegetation and garbage from the drainage channel. During this time of the year, our crews inspect all...
The Parks Division and AmeriCorps worked together setting up the landscaping of Fire Station 57. Parks crew member Valente Curiel prepped the area by laying down the fabric layer for the group to start putting down the mulch. With the helping hands of AmeriCorps, we were able to complete the work at Fire Station 57...
The Parks Division is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the vegetation along the drainage ditch on Freitas Parkway. When the crews are ready to get to work, they follow the necessary safety protocols by setting up necessary traffic control in the area early in the morning before they commence work. The crews trimmed...
The Parks Division does not only deal with vegetation issues. Parks crew member Jim O’Hagan assists with checking the water quality of the pool. Jim regularly goes to the Terra Linda Community Center to check the pool’s sanitation balance and verify that the water is circulating properly. If there are any issues, Jim will correct...
Construction has started on Francisco Blvd East from Vivian to Grand Avenue. The City has coordinated with the San Rafael Sanitation District to complete a much-anticipated sidewalk widening project with a sewer replacement project. We are taking advantage of the decrease in traffic volume during the COVID pandemic to do construction during the day for...
When the City was looking at furloughs and budget cuts for FY 2020-21, the Parks Division revaluated their contracted support and offered to take two major contracted services in-house for this fiscal year: maintenance of the citywide parkettes and the Puerto Suello Bike Path. Together, cutting these two contracts and performing the work with our...
A little-known fact: The Parks Division has planted more than 70 new trees around the City as after all, we are a tree city. And with new trees comes more maintenance. Here we see Parks crew member Alexis Nacaspaca watering one of those many new trees. Alexis waters between 60-80 newly planted trees per week....
Parks crew member Jim Dunn has been doing an extraordinary job keeping up with the mowing needs of the City. Earlier in the month, Jim was seen doing some much needed mowing around City Hall. Once this task was complete, Jim moved on to complete his other tasks around the City, which included the parks...
Parks crew member Daniel Walzer is the go-to person for any irrigation issues. Here we see Daniel working on a leaking valve at one of the Spinnaker Parkettes. Daniel took on the role as the irrigation technician for the Parks Department last year and has been learning on the go. He has been working diligently...
Parks Department crew members Matthew Scales, Jose Tellez, and Alex Nacaspaca have been working diligently to clear vegetation along Lucas Valley Rd. They all worked on cutting back the vegetation away from the sidewalk to create safe walkway for pedestrians. After loading up the truck with vegetation debris, the crew makes several trips to the...
Garage staff continue to keep busy with regular maintenance and unscheduled repairs of City vehicles. The Garage staff has also been working on putting this Black and White PD unit back into service. We salvaged parts from two other vehicles that will be sent to auction to make one functioning vehicle and will replace a...
Facilities crew members Michael Rieser and Anthony Heaven made necessary repairs to the Albert J Boro community Deck. The deck was missing boards and the existing gate and railing needed updating. The staff made repairs and inspected other areas of the deck to ensure that it was safe for use
Along with 10 other Marin Agencies, San Rafael was awarded funding to support local businesses and redesign public streets through the TAM Quick Build Program. San Rafael’s application proposed to convert 7-9 parking areas along Fourth Street into outdoor dining areas. The City would procure and install the barricades and planter boxes, so that restaurants...
It took a village, but with the help of City Maintenance Crews, Parking Services, Emergency Services, DC Electric, and the Striping Contractor, C and D Streets were opened to two-way traffic on Wednesday August 5. The main purpose was to better facilitate Emergency Access to and from the new Public Safety Center, but all visitors...
Matt Gaehwiler and the Forester & Kroeger crew worked in unison to prepare for the upcoming rains. Matt and the contractor worked on not only clearing the ditch near Smart & Final, but also did some vegetation management in the area. This work is important in helping prevent flooding and ensures proper water flow.
After two years of coordination between the City, Caltrans, County of Marin, and Kaiser, the City is moving forward with construction of the Smith Ranch Road Resurfacing project. This project stretches from just east of Smith Ranch Road and Los Gamos Drive under Highway 101 to Smith Ranch Road and Redwood Highway. As part of...
The Dining Under the Lights program has now expanded to Friday nights! It will run every Thursday and Friday night, from now to the end of October. We were able to expand it because of the overwhelming support of the local community in maintaining safe distances and wearing masks, except while eating. Fourth Street will...
It’s no secret that COVID-19 is dynamic, from how long the virus lives on various surfaces to the level at which some are affected by the virus compared to others. It can feel complex and exhausting in the ways in which we must be on guard to protect ourselves and others at all times. COVID-19 safety measures, including wearing a mask, are still more important than...
Inclusionary housing is a requirement that when a new housing development is built, that it includes some units that are considered affordable. Alternatively, the housing developer can pay a fee that goes towards creating affordable housing at another location in the City to meet this requirement. To make San Rafael a more livable and inclusive...
Construction has started on Francisco Blvd East from Vivian to Grand Avenue. The City has coordinated with the San Rafael Sanitation District to complete both a much anticipated sidewalk widening project with a sewer replacement project. Due to the decrease in volume of traffic during the COVID pandemic, construction has moved to day work during...
