**We are currently not accepting applications to paint utility boxes but will re-evaluate as budgeting and policy changes. Please check back here for any future updates.** Public Works has been working in collaboration with Economic Development to pilot the City’s first ever Utility Box Art Program. The program will have a dual purpose of 1)...
In partnership with the Marin Builders Association and the Marin Economic Forum, the City of San Rafael recently participated in a pilot program to gather and analyze feedback from the City’s permit applicants. The Customer Satisfaction Assessment Program is a new pilot program managed by the Marin Builders Association aimed at helping improve the permit...
Effective as of Wednesday, November 7, 2018, Counter Hours for Massage Inspection Program will be changed to Wednesdays from 8:30am to 12:30pm. The following day/hours will be the only times when staff will be available to address massage ordinance related questions or accept applications. You can also contact the massage inspection staff at (415) 485-3487  or  massage@cityofsanrafael.org
Less than one percent of the world’s water supply is readily available for human use. The rest is salty, frozen at the poles, or trapped underground. Yet, we collectively waste gross amounts of water in several ways: poorly maintained water infrastructure (such as leaking water pipes), industrial water waste, water use for agriculture in arid...
At Monday night’s meeting, the City Council will provide feedback on a proposed draft ordinance relating to rental discrimination based on the source of the income that a prospective tenant receives, such as a Housing Choice Voucher or a Veterans Affairs Supporting Housing Voucher. These types of local laws have been approved by the legislative...
Over the past several meetings, the City Council has discussed and approved several employee labor agreements with various bargaining groups. At Monday night’s meeting, the City Council will consider approving a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the San Rafael Firefighters’ Association (SRFA), as well as a revised labor agreement with the Executive Management staff. For...
The Tiscornia Marsh site covers 20 acres of tidal marsh and bay lands located north of East Canal Street. The marsh has experienced considerable erosion along its bayward edge and over the last 30 years, approximately three acres of the tidal marsh has been lost, dramatically impacting habitat for species. On Monday evening, the City...
Each year, we observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of community members whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America--from all communities that identify as Hispanic. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon...
Since 1973, the City of San Rafael and the Marinwood Community Services District have provided shared fire protection services in each other’s service area. The Marinwood Fire Chief recently announced his retirement, and Marinwood officials have expressed that their fire department is in need of obtaining Fire Chief Officer Services to provide administration and operations...
National Rail Safety Week is September 23-29. Please take some time this week to talk to your family about rail safety. Rail safety is everyone’s responsibility. Check out the safety tips below to increase rail safety: Never walk on the tracks—it’s dangerous and illegal. Wait for the gate. Pay attention to signs and signals at...
Project Update: The Public Safety Center team continues with concrete placement. The interior shotcrete walls are almost complete in the basement. The soils that were stockpiled on the north west corner of the site is completely gone as the contractor prepares for their first slab on grade installation in the next couple of weeks. Site...
Project Update: The construction team continues to show evident results at our Essential Facilities projects. At Fire Station #52, with the training tower complete, the contractor has refocused its resources to interior build out of the main building, exterior façade, on-site, and off-site utilities activities.   Bay Cities Paving & Grading, a subcontractor to Alten, will...
Project Progress During the month of August 2018, Alten Construction continued with the forming of the shotcrete walls for the remaining perimeter of the basement along Via Sessi and interior walls. Contractor also continued with the installation of underslab utilities Storm Drain, Sewer, Drainage Systems, waterproofing, water stoppers, electrical conduits and electrical boxes, rebar and...
Marin County, CA -- The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the North Bay mountains and other parts of the Bay Area, which is in effect until 5 PM Tuesday, September 25. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are expected during this time frame with a combination...
On Tuesday, September 18th, the City’s contractor, Ghilotti Bros., resurfaced G Street between Fourth Street and Mission Avenue. Prior to resurfacing, new concrete wheelchair ramps and a drainage system were installed. The work has progressed quickly over the past month and will be done by the end of September.
Weekend Striping! On Sunday, September 23, the Department of Public Works will be center striping, or re-painting the center road markings, through Downtown San Rafael. Staff will be using a water-based paint to do the job. It’s environmentally responsible, paint remains flexible and withstands movement, it’s fast drying (10-15 minutes!), and it comes in many...
This week, Streets Maintenance Crews added some safety aspects to the Puerto Suello bike path heading southbound on the bike path and coming up the Linden lane tunnel/stairway. Delineators were added to guide bicyclists coming down the hill away from the stairway and approaching pedestrians, as well as, a bright PEDESTRIAN sign to the left....
Last year, City Council supported a 6-month study to evaluate existing East San Rafael parking conditions and better prepare parking solutions the City could implement. The City is first pursuing a short-term strategy of implementing time-limited parking. Following the estimated sign installation timeline, the Department of Public Works Maintenance crews have been hard at work...
On Monday night’s Council Meeting DPW’s own Senior Civil Engineer Hunter Young was recognized as San Rafael’s 2018 Employee of the Second Quarter. From managing the complex $3.5 million Freitas Las Gallinas Intersection Improvements project, to Grand Avenue Pedestrian Bridge to coordinating all things SMART in San Rafael – including rail crossings downtown and...
The SMART Larkspur extension construction realignment of Francisco Blvd. West and first phase of the Multi-Use Path (from Rice Street to Andersen Drive) continues to move forward at a rapid pace. The Contractor has nearly completed the curb & gutter and sidewalk installation for the new Francisco Blvd West. The sheet piles that support the...
Van Midde Concrete has conducted 114 of 198 final inspections and will be sending out all remaining final agreements for property owners to sign over the next few weeks. Property owners are instructed to sign the final agreement from Van Midde, and send the City a copy. Once the City receives the copy of the...
Warning to remain in place until Thursday afternoon The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the North Bay Mountains and other parts of the Bay Area, which is in effect from 11 PM this evening to 5 PM Thursday, September 20. This supersedes the Fire Weather Watch that was previously in...
Hunter Young, Sr. Civil Engineer, was recognized as the Employee of the 1st Quarter of 2018! "Hunter Young is a Senior Civil Engineer in the Department of Public Works. In his more than 8 years here at the City Hunter has been the engineer and manager of some very important projects here at the City....
Juan Carlos Sorto, Custodian, was recognized as the Employee of the 1st Quarter of 2018! "The City of San Rafael’s roster of employees contains many unsung heroes. One of these shining stars is the Albert J. Boro Community Center’s custodian Juan Carlos Sorto. Carlos does an incredible job of maintaining the City’s HEAVILY used community...
The City Council is seeking applications to fill a vacancy on the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. This Committee meets on the first Wednesday of every even-numbered month at 6 p.m. and works to promote bicycling and walking as viable means of transportation throughout San Rafael, to provide conceptual input on public bicycle and pedestrian...
Also on the City Council agenda for Monday night is the consideration of new play area improvements at Albert Park. The project has been a joint partnership with the nearby community who has been instrumental in advocating for and raising funds for the project. If approved, the project would include new play structures, ground surfacing,...
Last week, San Rafael Emergency Manager Quinn Gardner led City staff in a "Yellow Command" Emergency Operations Center exercise in coordination with other city and county Bay Area jurisdictions. About 50 City employees responded to a scenario in which a massive earthquake hits the Bay Area, with an emphasis on mass care and sheltering operations....
On August 31, Lieutenant Raffaello “Ralph” Pata retired after 34 years of service to the City of San Rafael. Ralph was born and raised in San Rafael, attending St. Raphael’s School and San Rafael High School. He began his service to the City as a dispatcher for the San Rafael Fire Department. Two years later,...
Our 3D printers at both the Downtown and Pickleweed libraries are working hard everyday, printing out adorable and practical things. We also have Oculus Go and Vive virtual reality systems. With Vive, you can experience painting in 3D using Tilt Brush, an immersive painting program. Come by and check them out! On Wednesday afternoons at...
Over the past several meetings, the City Council has discussed and approved several employee labor agreements with various bargaining groups. At Monday night’s meeting, the City Council will discuss a proposed employee labor agreement with the San Rafael Firefighters’ Association (SRFA), which represents 67 employees in the San Rafael Fire Department, including safety and non-safety...
