Can you believe Memorial Day weekend is coming up!? We hope you’ll take an opportunity to relax and reflect. Maybe enjoy a local trail or park, go out for a bike ride or walk in your neighborhood, have a barbecue with your household, or treat yourself to a frozen dessert. Don’t forget to thank the people in your life who have served...
Happy Friday, San Rafael! Today, the County Health Officer issued an updated Parks Public Health Order that supersedes the order issued on April 29. Under the new order, certain parks and open spaces in Marin County will allow motorized vehicle access again, effective May 18. This means you will now be able drive to some of your favorite trailheads to enjoy the outdoors. Not all areas are open yet, so please check this list before heading out the door. ...
The County of Marin issued a new public health order today with guidance for retailers. Starting Monday, May 18, 2020, retailers will be able to reopen for curbside pick-up and delivery only. Each curbside Retailer must create, adopt, and implement a written COVID-19 Site-Specific Protection Plan that incorporates and addresses all applicable Public Health Order requirements....
Happy Friday San Rafael! This is week four of tackling one fire safe tip per week to make your home, drum roll please, more fire safe! This week we'll be working on how to choose fire safe landscaping while maintaining your defensible space. We aren’t looking to get rid of all plants, don’t be crazy! The goal is to identify landscaping that...
Coming soon… Last week the State of California announced that retail businesses could begin reopening for curb-side pickup, subject to local orders. Later this week, Marin County will provide reopening guidelines for retail businesses in Marin to reopen on Monday, May 18th—we can’t wait! The goal is to reopen safely and thoughtfully, while maintaining compliance with the Public Health Order. Tomorrow evening at 5:30 p.m., Supervisor Damon Connolly will host “office hours” and has invited Vice...
At the end of April, Governor Newsom announced a new food delivery service program for older adults called, Great Plates Delivered: Home Meals for Seniors. It’s intended to accomplish two things: provide access to nutritious meals for older adults who are sheltering in place, and support local restaurants. The framework for Great Plates was developed at the State level, but it must be first...
What up! It’s Friday! We're in our third week of sending out one tip per week that you can tackle to make your home more fire safe. Just to reiterate, last week modifications were made to the extended Public Health Order to allow for the operation of “outdoor businesses”, including gardeners and landscapers. Last week we cut our tall grasses, this week we’ll jump...
To continue to slow the spread of COVID-19, the Marin County Health Officer has issued a new Shelter in Place Order (“Order”) that extends the shelter in place mandate through May 31, 2020 with some modifications. Under this new Order, small construction projects may continue if Construction Safety Protocols per Appendix B-1 of the Order...
State’s Great Plates Delivered program goes before Board of Supervisors May 12 San Rafael, CA – In partnership with the local community, the County of Marin plans to start participation in the State of California’s Great Plates Delivered Program, set up to support older adults who are sheltering in place, unable to access meals, and ineligible for...
There’s a lot happening in the month of May! Did you know that the first ever Bike to School Day event was May 9, 2012? The event builds off Walk to School Day, which is a globally recognized event held in October. One of the things we’ll be recognizing this month is National Bicycle Safety month. You have probably noticed that many more people are out on...
As of May 4, 2020 San Rafael’s parks and open space remain closed to motorized access, except for disabled individuals who have valid disabled placards or license plates, our skate park, golf course and tennis courts are now open for use with some guidelines and restrictions. Please follow these guidelines: For all activities: Singles play ONLY. No tennis doubles...
Happy Friday! As we step into the weekend with the news of the updated Public Health Order, keep in mind that the easing of some restrictions is designed to set the stage for a gradual resumption of activity and prevent rapid, exponential growth of cases. It’s been a difficult adjustment, but we’ve been doing an outstanding...
With the extension of the Shelter in Place Order and modifications to the Public Health Order, “outdoor businesses”, including gardeners and landscapers services, are allowed to operate with social (physical) distancing requirements of at least six feet between all persons. We're in our second week of sending out one tip per week that you can tackle to...
COVID-19 is an emergency on so many levels – physically, emotionally, and financially just to name a few. The staff report being presented to City Council on Monday evening provides a brief summary of COVID-19’s impact on San Rafael as context to a larger financial response discussion. While there are many financial unknowns (e.g. will...
Through the CARES Act, a federal funding program called the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) will provide restricted funding to local governments to assist their communities with financial relief programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday evening, the City Council will consider allocating these additional CDBG funds to provide emergency assistance to qualified households...
On Monday, the City Council will hear an informational report about a project to increase internet connectivity in the Canal Neighborhood. With the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including school closures, students and employees need access to reliable internet now more than ever—to complete homework, apply for government assistance, and sign up for food assistance....
The majority of restrictions remain in place in light of the extended order, but let’s celebrate the re-opening of our outdoor businesses! COVID-19 has absolutely delivered a tough blow to our local, small businesses. The San Rafael Small Business COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund continues to help our small businesses stay afloat during these unprecedented times. You can help our local economy by donating to the fund, and by patronizing our businesses that remain open. Why not treat your household to...
Since shelter in place began, city employees are taking on new roles in an effort to care for the residents we’re committed to serve. Over the past several weeks, several Library & Recreation employees have been making calls to residents over 90 years old to conduct wellness calls and provide them with resources. This initiative was proposed by Vice-Mayor Kate Colin and was coordinated through...
Seven Bay Area Public Health Officers released an updated order that will go into effect on Monday, May 4, 2020, and extend through May 31, 2020. The updated order extends shelter in place, but eases certain restrictions. The Health Officers caution that reducing restrictions too quickly could lead to a substantial resurgence of COVID-19. Modifications Construction activities are allowed to resume. Construction projects, small and large, must...
April is National Safe Digging Month SAN RAFAEL, Calif.— Starting Monday, April 27, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will conduct routine low-level helicopter patrols to inspect gas transmission and distribution lines in Marin County, as part of our 6-month leak survey and maintenance program. A helicopter will fly over parts of Wolfback Ridge and...
Wondering what types of gardening and landscaping that can be done during the shelter-in-place order? The County urges non-essential outdoor services to be deferred to minimize risk of transmission. However, there are some outdoor services that would be considered essential and are permitted under the current Order, in effect until May 3, 2020, including fire...
We hope everyone is staying safe and well at home. While we adjust our daily lives to minimize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, fire season is still fast approaching. Over the next seven weeks, we will be sending out one tip per week that you can tackle to make your home more fire safe for the...
DESPLAZARSE HACIO ABAJO PARA ESPAÑOL We’re covered, are you? Starting today, it is now mandatory to wear face coverings when we’re outside of our homes for essential needs, including waiting in line for or inside of a grocery store or on public transportation. Additionally, transportation workers and other employees who interact with the public must...
Looking for the perfect way to support your neighbors? Vice Mayor Kate Colin initiated this Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) Toolkit to arm residents with the tools and resources to help neighborhoods unleash the power of their relationships through reaching out, offering support, and making connections with one another. The N2N Toolkit is simple. Even something...
“As you stay inside for us, we will stay outside for you. Staying home saves lives.” Diana Bishop, San Rafael Police Chief It’s hard to not want to go outside to hit the beach, hike to a swimming hole, or meet up with your favorite group for a bite. However, it’s more important now than...
Launch Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2020 and complete applications must be submitted Deadline: No later than 5pm (PDT) on Monday, April 20, 2020. Application Closed About the Fund A San Rafael Small Business COVID-19 Disaster Relief Fund (the “Relief Fund”) has been created to help small businesses struggling to maintain cash flow and financial solvency...
DESPLAZARSE HACIO ABAJO PARA ESPAÑOL We hope that you all had a restful and safe holiday weekend and are enjoying this turn in weather to get some sun while staying healthy and maintaining social distance. Don't forget to take some time to get out for a walk in your neighborhood and, if you can, plant some seeds. Did you...
DESPLAZARSE HACIO ABAJO PARA ESPAÑOL We understand the desire to get outside as the weather continues to get nicer, especially to gather with family and friends this upcoming holiday weekend. With the emergence of COVID-19 and the sudden shift to staying at home, our community needs to rethink how to celebrate holidays to incorporate social distancing and other safety measures. We must remain...
Have you been making cloth face coverings at home? Know someone who is? Looking to donate? We need your help. Cloth face coverings can help to mitigate the spread of infection among our homeless population and to our community as a whole. Help us to ensure that members of our vulnerable populations has a cloth...
DESPLAZARSE HACIO ABAJO PARA ESPAÑOL The County of Marin issued a quarantine order and an isolation order which “requires anyone who has been diagnosed with or is likely to have COVID-19” to isolate themselves in their home or another residence. They may not leave their place of isolation or enter any other public or private place, except to receive necessary medical care. The order also requires members of...