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.
Tell Us Your Thoughts: Take the Residential Parking Permit Survey
Your feedback is valuable. Please complete and share the survey, which closes on March 7.
- English survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZB878HQ
- Encuesta en español: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BPTVMTK
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.
Draft Permit Information
Residents in East San Rafael will have access to zone-specific parking permits based on their location:
- Zone 1 Permit: one (1) permit per unit (single-family or multi-family). 1,077 permits available.
- Zone 2 Permit: two (2) permits per unit (single-family or multi-family). 878 permits available.
- Periphery Permit: Zone 1 residents can opt for lower-cost permits to park in Zone 2.
- Guest Parking: Guest Passes – Residents can obtain single-day passes for visitors
Permit zones are typically determined based on parking utilization, such as occupancy levels. For the proposed RPP program, two zones were established to manage demand: Zone 1 covers areas with high parking congestion, including Canal, Bahia, Spinnaker, and Baypoint, while Zone 2 includes areas with lower demand. The goal is to shift parking pressure from Zone 1 to Zone 2.
Draft Eligibility
- Applicants must provide a valid California Driver’s License and proof of residency in the zone.
- Only passenger vehicles are eligible—oversized vehicles are not permitted.
- A low-income permit option will be available for applicants who participate in SSI, Medi-Cal, Food Stamps, CARE/FERA, and WIC.
Collection Area Map & Schedule
Occupancy Data Collected
The draft program establishes designated permit zones with specific regulations for each:
Canal, Bahia, Spinnaker & Baypoint
Neighborhoods (Zone 1):
- 24-hour time limit for all vehicles.
- 3 PM – 7 AM: Permit required for parking.
- 20-minute spaces available to accommodate short-term childcare and caretaker parking, transitioning to permit-only after 6 PM.
Commercial Areas (Zone 2):
- 8 AM – 6 PM: 4-hour time limit, unless a vehicle has a valid permit.
- 6 PM – 8 AM: Permit required for parking.
Kerner Area (Zone 2):
- 8 AM – 6 PM: 4-hour time limit for all vehicles.
2 AM – 5 AM: Permit required for parking.