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Residential Parking Permit Program Development

Welcome to our webpage dedicated to San Rafael's Residential Parking Permit Program development. This page will serve as your go-to source for updates and background on the project.

The City of San Rafael has partnered with Dixon Resources Unlimited, a consulting firm experienced in nationwide parking program development, to create a new parking permit program. The project began on February 14th and aims to address parking needs through a phased approach.

The City and Dixon will work on developing a program that considers the unique issues of each neighborhood while aiming for citywide equity. Community engagement is a key part of this process, with plans for stakeholder meetings to gather input and ensure the program meets the needs of San Rafael's residents.

For more information or to participate in upcoming meetings, please contact Bernadette.Sullivan@cityofsanrafael.org.

Contact:

Bernadette Sullivan
bernadette.sullivan@cityofsanrafael.org

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How does the Draft Proposed Parking Permit Program work?

1. The Problem Parking is hard: Many community members have said that it is hard to find parking. In some areas, over 85% of the parking spaces are full, which means very few spots are left. Community Concerns: Residents have been worried for years about these parking problems. The City wants to ensure that any proposed program is equitable.
2. Our Data and Findings Data Collection: Experts from Dixon Resources Unlimited studied parking in East San Rafael. They counted all the parking spaces. They checked how many spaces were filled during the day, at night, on weekdays, and on weekends. Industry Rule: Dixon used the 85% occupancy rule. When more than 85% of spaces are taken, there aren’t enough spots. What We Found: The study showed that some neighborhoods have very crowded parking, which confirms the problems that residents reported.
Permits in Zone 1: 1 permit per address Residents can obtain one-day passes for visitors. Periphery Permit: Zone 1 residents can opt for lower cost permits to park in Zone 2. Zone 1 Neighborhoods: Canal, Bahia, Spinnaker and Baypoint Parking Rules in Zone 1: 24-hour time limit for all vehicles. 3:00 PM – 7:00 AM: Permit required for parking. 20-minute spaces available to accommodate short-term childcare and caretaker parking, transitioning to permit-only after 6:00 PM. = 1 permit per address
Permits in Zone 2: 2 permits per address Residents can obtain one-day passes for visitors. Zone 2 Neighborhoods: Kerner and Commercial Area Parking Rules in Zone 2: Kerner Area: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM: 4-hour time limit for all vehicles. 2:00 AM – 5:00 AM: Permit required for parking. Commercial Area: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM: 4-hour time limit, unless a vehicle has a valid permit. 6:00 PM – 8:00 AM: Permit required for parking. = 2 permits per address
Rules and Eligibility Only regular passenger vehicles can have permits. Applicants need a valid California Driver’s License and proof of residency. A low-income option is available for those who participate in SSI, Medi-Cal, Food Stamps, CARE/FERA, and WIC.
Less Crowding: The permit system is designed to reduce the number of cars on the streets during busy times. Only 90% of all available permits are going to be distributed, reserving 10% for guests. 4. What Are the Outcomes and How Does the Program Address the Problems? Easier Parking: By giving permits only to residents, the program helps make sure people who live in the area have a place to park. Available!
Community Input: The program was made with ideas from local residents, so it meets the specific needs of each neighborhood. Fair and Cost-Neutral: The program works in a way that is fair and minimizes costs.

Background

Over the past decade, community members in East San Rafael have consistently voiced concerns about worsening parking conditions in their neighborhoods. In response to these ongoing challenges, the San Rafael City Council included a specific objective in its 2023-2025 Goals and objectives to "Assess the feasibility and revise the city’s current residential parking permit program to address overcrowding of neighborhood parking in a cost-neutral and equitable manner."

To support this objective, the City engaged DixonResources Unlimited, a parking and mobility consulting firm, to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the residential parking program. Over the past year, Dixon has reviewed past studies, analyzed community feedback previously brought to by the City, and conducted new data collection to assess current parking conditions.

The study area was selected based on multiple factors, including concerns raised by community members about increasing parking challenges and observed occupancy rates exceeding 85% on several streets. The 85% occupancy threshold is widely recognized as an industry benchmark for evaluating parking management strategies, as it indicates fewer than 1-2 available spaces per block face, significantly impacting accessibility for residents and visitors.

Dixon’s findings have informed the development of a draft program, which is being presented for further community input to ensure that any proposed solutions align with the needs and priorities of East San Rafael. Read on to learn more about the draft program details.

Data Collection

Dixon conducted a comprehensive data collection effort in East San Rafael to analyze parking occupancy patterns during various times of day, including daytime, nighttime, weekdays, and weekends. As part of this process, they inventoried all available parking spaces and compared the observed occupancy rates to widely recognized industry benchmarks. Specifically, the 85% occupancy threshold is a standard measure used to evaluate parking management strategies. The data gathered through this analysis was then utilized to develop a draft residential parking program for community input and feedback.

Collection Area Map & Schedule

ESR map

 

Occupancy Data Collected

occupancy

Watch the January 28th Virtual East San Rafael and Bret Harte Residential Parking Permit Program Community Meeting

News & Updates

Proposed Residential Permit Parking Program: Bret Harte Neighborhood Update

Posted on February 6, 2025

Proposed Residential Permit Parking Program: Bret Harte Neighborhood Update  February 6, 2025 Bret Harte will not be included in the Residential Parking Permit (RPP) program currently under development by the City. Over the past two weeks, the City has received significant feedback from Bret Harte residents regarding their concerns about being included in the proposed...
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