City Hall and other offices will be closed to the public from December 23 to January 3, but appointments are available upon request. Public safety and emergency services remain available 24/7.  

Search Results

Filters

1230 Results Found

What does the City Clerk's Office do?

The City Clerk's office keeps everything running smoothly behind the scenes in local government. They handle public records, manage elections, and ensure city meetings are organized and transparent. From helping you access important city documents to overseeing the proper filing of campaign forms, the City Clerk’s team is here to support both the public and...

What does the Community Development Department do?

The Community Development Department is made up of three different divisions: Planning Division, Building Division and the Code Enforcement Division. The role of the department is to foster public involvement and creativity and assist decision makers and the public in formulating and implementing policies which balance environmental, economic and social needs for the present and future. They...

What does the City Manager's Office do?

The City Manager's Office advises the City Council on policy matters and manage the operations of the City with economy, efficiency, equity and effectiveness. The City Manager's office carries out the policy and directions of the Mayor and City Council and supports the Council's efforts to engage in legislative advocacy on the local, state and national...

What does the Economic Development Department do?

The Economic Development Department works to improve the business environment in San Rafael. They are here to help you with your business location questions, permit process issues, real estate investment needs, or other business assistance. They also provide real estate project planning,  oversee special events throughout the City, and administer various special projects.

What does the Human Resources Department do?

The Human Resources Department serves as a strategic partner to both our internal and external customers, providing leadership, expertise, support and guidance with benefits administration & wellness, workplace safety, workers compensation & risk management, policies & procedures and long range strategic planning. The Human Resources Department also focuses on employee development and training, recruitment and selection and...

How to Cancel a Pool Reservation

"...  Refund back to the same payment method (please do not choose return to Account ... will need to do this for each person. Please email ... requests may be requested between people on the same account, as long as the request is done in writing ..."

If you are unable to make your reserved swim time, you may either cancel your reservation online and receive a 50% refund or you can transfer your reservation to another member within your account. Requests for cancellations must be made a minimum of three hours prior to the start of a swim reservation to receive...

What does the City Attorney's office do?

The City Attorney is the attorney for the City of San Rafael, as an entity. Because of the nature of the City Attorney's role, they cannot represent or provide legal advice to individual residents. They are therefore unable to respond to individual requests for legal advice or representation.

I Need To Remove A Dead Tree or Cut Vegetation Around My Home. Who Can I Hire to Do This Work?

"... in wildfire preparedness. Any licensed tree company or arborist should do fine for tree removals. We don't ... a landscaping service is fine, too. Be sure they carry insurance. Grass cutting should be done with string ..."

See https://www.firesafemarin.org/contractors for a list of contractors who've completed basic training in wildfire preparedness. Any licensed tree company or arborist should do fine for tree removals. We don't typically recommend specific contractors, and have had good experiences with nearly every tree service you'll find in the "yellow pages" or Google. Ensure that they are a...

Outdoor Grills

"... setting up, using and cleaning your BBQ grill. Unattended cooking remains the number one cause ... and condominium apartments within 10’ of combustible construction. Do not operate a grill right ... sources. There are also electric charcoal starters, which do not use fire. Be sure ... by a professional before using it again. If the leak does not stop, call the fire department ... . If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not move the grill. ..."

It is anticipated that many backyard barbecue’s will be in use during a power outage. Please exercise extreme caution during these times of elevated fire risk and keep safety in mind when setting up, using and cleaning your BBQ grill. Unattended cooking remains the number one cause of fires and fire related injuries in San...

Do I need a business license and how do I get one?

A business license is a tax required of most businesses that conduct business within the city limits of San Rafael, even if your physical office is located outside city limits. Business license taxes help to pay for street maintenance, police and fire protection, and other services that benefit businesses and the general public. You need...

Abandoned Shopping Carts

"... .  What can residents do? Report ... with a store’s branding, the best thing you can do is report ... cart from one of the following ..."

Abandoned Shopping Carts Abandoned carts interfere with pedestrian and vehicular traffic and create potential hazards.  What can residents do? Report!  If you see an abandoned shopping cart that is labeled with a store’s branding, the best thing you can do is report the lost cart to a shopping cart retrieval service or call the store directly.  Is the...

Fences, Signs and Other Applications

"... to 4 feet in height provided they do not obstruct vehicle sight distance at driveways or intersections ... Dining Public Property We require an outdoor dining license agreement for businesses ... or business location changes. For more information regarding Outdoor Dining on Public Property ...  Outdoor Dining on Public Property Handout ... Occupations The home occupation requirements are from Chapter 14 (the Zoning Ordinance) of the San ..."

Note: All Planning applications use the same application form. Fences Fences and walls located in the front and street side yard may be up to 4 feet in height provided they do not obstruct vehicle sight distance at driveways or intersections per §14.16.295. Side and rear yard fences may be up to 7 feet without a...

Business License Division

"... zoning map ... and approved by our Planning Department for zoning regulations. Your initial business license tax ... are evergreen.  That means they do not display an expiration date so they can be reused as long as the basic ... or related fees.  It does not mean that a business is in compliance with any other legal ... requirements, including zoning and fire codes ..."

The City of San Rafael requires most businesses operating within City limits to apply for and maintain a business license, which is a local tax.

Digital Transformation

"... to project management and be a leader in getting things done on time and on budget. Product management ... delivery. Tools Provide collaborative and modern tools that empower employees to do their best work. ..."

Government services should be easy to use, accessible, and designed with an understanding of user needs. Human-centered design Apply the principles of human-centered design and empathy to orient services around user needs and build trust with the public. Accessibility Ensure government services are accessible to people with disabilities, different cultures, on any device, and in...

Renewable Energy:

"... here if you do not already have one ... . Do not include the solar panel count or kilowatts for the  solar ... If Solar Panels, Battery Back Up and/or Service Panel upgrades are being done at the same ... portion. DO NOT include the solar tiles in your value ..."

**ATTN CUSTOMERS**  Effective 1/1/2023 all Building Permits issued after this date will be valid for 2 years.  Minor permits such as water heater & furnaces, etc. will be valid for 180 days only.    If your permit is not Finaled by the expiration date you will need to pay a renewal fee.   Solar, Battery Back...

What resources are available to help me comply with City Standards

"... available for over three years and many residents have taken advantage of them. We encourage you to do ... the same! Educational resources include one on one inspections with our trained staff as well ..."

The City has a variety of options available to help residents. These support options have been available for over three years and many residents have taken advantage of them. We encourage you to do the same! Educational resources include one on one inspections with our trained staff as well as online resources via firesafemarin.org and...

Sustainability

"... .) Learn what you can do at our ... . Take the planet into consideration when you make decisions. What’s one more thing you can do ..."

Sustainability in San Rafael Keep Informed Join us at our quarterly Community Climate Action Forums, which are held virtually on the 3rd Thursday of the month starting at 4pm each January, April, July and October. Details are posted on the Events Calendar a few weeks before. Video recordings can be found on our YouTube page. ...

Takeout Containers and Sustainability

"... and over again plastics that go into the recycling stream are “upcycled” or “downcycled” into just one ... ugly. So, what’s a person or business to do? Reusables are the best! If you ... . If you don’t have an easy way to wash dishes you can rent them and let someone else do the washing. San ... forget to shop local! There are several places you can go to buy compostable products, just do a web ... of corn, potato or sugar cane. None of it can be composted here. Can it be recycled? One ..."

County Reusable Foodware Ordinance The County of Marin adopted the Reusable Foodware Ordinance on May 10, 2022. In 2021, various outreach efforts were conducted by the County to garner countywide feedback from residents and businesses. During the food vendor site visits, businesses were informed of the ordinance features, provided outreach materials, and offered free technical...

What does the Digital Service and Open Government Department do?

"... , citywide open data initiatives, and performance measurement. They do this by leveraging digital principles ..."

The new demands of the digital era require a new approach to government. Technology now touches everything in the 21st century. Digital Service and Open Government provides oversight of the City's technology operations, service design, community engagement, help desk support, network infrastructure, citywide open data initiatives, and performance measurement. They do this by leveraging digital...

Downtown Historic Preservation Information

"... ”?  Existing plans and zoning rules for Downtown were ... development, housing, infrastructure, and historic preservation issues.  It also includes new zoning ... , this process can be streamlined. How do I ... designated as eligible landmarks in a survey done over 40 years ago, and about 35 buildings ... the Planning Commission.  The standards do not generally apply to interior spaces. Properties ..."

Downtown Historic Preservation Information For questions regarding Downtown Historic Preservation Contact Renee Nickenig This page provides comprehensive information on historic resources  data collected through the Downtown Precise Plan program.  It includes the following components: Access to the Summary Report Webinar Information (Feb 23, 24, 25) Frequently Asked Questions DPR Forms May 2021 Revised Summary Report...

Close window