HomeMy WebLinkAboutCD Downtown San Rafael Vision____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
File No.: 115 (2040)
Council Meeting: 11/06/2017
Disposition: Accepted Report
Agenda Item No: 6.a
Meeting Date: November 6, 2017
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Community Development
Prepared by: Paul Jensen, Director
Raffi Boloyan, Planning Manager
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: DOWNTOWN SAN RAFAEL VISION
SUBJECT: PRESENTATION ON AND DISCUSSION OF DOWNTOWN SAN RAFAEL VISION IN
PREPARATION FOR GENERAL PLAN 2040; GPA16-001 & P16-013
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
As the City prepares for General Plan 2040, it is prudent to revisit the General Plan 2020 design
policies pertinent to Downtown San Rafael (Downtown). This report provides an overview of the current
development policies and regulations for Downtown, which are rooted in the Downtown Vision (1993)
and reinforced by the General Plan 2020. General Plan 2040 will focus on Downtown for numerous
reasons, including increased development activity and interests. Current policies and regulations
governing Downtown allow for taller buildings and more dense development than what currently exists
on most blocks. Recent Downtown development projects are taking advantage of these allowances,
and in several cases, are proposing to exceed them.
At the City Council meeting, staff will provide an overview of the current Downtown policies, regulations,
and guidelines. This will include the use of a three-dimensional simulation model that visually
demonstrates potential land development for two areas assuming current building height allowances
and other design measures that are referenced in this report. Staff is seeking initial feedback and
direction from the City Council to inform the future General Plan 2040 Steering Committee’s work to
update these policies.
In addition, Planning Commissioner Larry Paul will present information to the City Council on a related
topic, the development of an informational handout for developers/applicants entitled, “City of San
Rafael Expectations for Good Design.” This effort was initiated by an Ad-Hoc City Council Sub-
Committee that convened in August 2017 to discuss community design.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Accept public comment;
2. Provide feedback and direction to staff and the future General Plan 2040 Steering Committee;
and
3. Accept report.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
BACKGROUND:
Initiation of General Plan 2040
The current San Rafael General Plan 2020 (the Plan 2020) was adopted in 2004. Preparation of the
Plan 2020 was a community-based effort involving the guidance of a Steering Committee appointed by
the City Council. This process also included multiple subcommittees (known as the task force) to
provide more detailed input on specific topic areas. The Plan 2020 incorporated many
recommendations from the Our Vision of Downtown San Rafael and Our Implementation Strategy
(“Downtown Vision,” 1993), which included: a) changes to the building height and floor area allowances
for Downtown; b) design guidelines; and c) regulations and policies to promote employment,
commercial, housing, and evening activities (“alive after five”). The process for Plan 2020 preparation
and adoption spanned close to five years.
In February 2017, the City Council authorized the preliminary work program to initiate the creation of
the General Plan 2040. A project manager has been hired (Barry Miller) and staff is completing the
final steps to begin accepting applications for another community-based Steering Committee. As
reported to the City Council, it is not expected that the General Plan 2040 will be a “start-from-scratch”
effort. General Plan 2020 involved a very comprehensive review process resulting in a well-organized
document covering a broad range of community goals and policies. Many of the community issues t hat
were vetted through the General Plan 2020 and the earlier General Plan 2000 (1986-87) are still
relevant and do not require major changes. Our approach will be to work from and build-off the current
General Plan 2020 by incorporating the topics and issues that are current and mandated.
The General Plan 2040 preliminary work program specifically addresses Downtown San Rafael as a
key focus area for numerous reasons. Downtown San Rafael is at a crossroads, which warrants
special planning attention and policy direction. In addition to the extent of Downtown development that
is approved, in-process or in the early planning stages, the following activities and efforts are in
process:
✓ The first phase of the SMART service (Initial Operating Segment) has commenced and construction
design is underway for the second phase (extension to Larkspur Landing).
✓ Downtown San Rafael has been designated as a “Priority Development Area” (PDA), where growth
is expected to be concentrated around transit (transit center and SMART station).
✓ A Downtown Station Area Plan (SAP) was completed and accepted by the City Council on June 4,
2012 (discussed below).
✓ The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District plans for relocating the Bettini Transit
Center are underway.
✓ The Draft Downtown Parking & Wayfinding Study is complete and being vetted by a Community
Working Group. In addition, the City has initiated an update of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master
Plan (last updated in 2011).
✓ The Climate Change Action Plan is being updated. A likely outcome of this update is a continued
focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by encouraging walkable development and increased
density near transit.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
✓ The street network (intersections and arterials) is operating close to or at capacity during the peak
hours. A comprehensive update of traffic counts and modeling is critical now that SMART is in
operation.
These factors are cause to revisit the Downtown Vision and include a more specific focus on Downtown
as part of the General Plan 2040. A Downtown Specific Plan or a “form-based code” (code with
prescribed development and design standards) may be appropriate tools to consider as we move
forward.
Current Downtown Development Activity & Interests
Downtown San Rafael is growing and at present, there are fifteen development projects that are under
construction, approved, under review, or in the pipeline. These projects are presented on the
Downtown “watch area” list (Attachment 1). Although no development plans or applications finalized for
the potential BioMarin Office/Lab development at 999 3rd Street, there have been discussions about this
project exceeding the current building height limits. If ultimately proposed, a General Plan Amendment
would be required. During the General Plan 2040 process, the Community Development Department
will continue accepting and processing development applications for the Downtown area (and citywide),
which will be analyzed for consistency with current General Plan 2020 policies and adopted zoning
regulations.
A handful of projects have already been developed in Downtown which are a result of and consistent
with the Downtown Vision. These projects include, among others, the San Rafael Corporate Center
(BioMarin) and the Rafael Town Center (4th and Court Street). The most recent addition is the ‘G
Square’ mixed-use building located at the intersection of 4th and G Streets.
“Refresher” on Downtown Vision, General Plan Policies & Zoning Regulations
As the City is in the initial stages of the General Plan 2040 process and there is strong interest in new
development in the Downtown area, it is prudent to revisit the Downtown Vision and the current policies
and regulations that are applicable to Downtown. The following provides a brief “refresher” on what is
current and in-place for guiding the assessment of new development activities in Downtown San
Rafael.
Downtown San Rafael Vision - 1993
Our Vision of Downtown San Rafael and Our Implementation Strategy, commonly known as the
“Downtown Vision” is a community-based plan that was adopted by the City Council in 1993. A 17-
person Downtown Community Plan Committee led the preparation of the Downtown Vision, which
included numerous implementation measures, policies and design guidelines. A copy of the Downtown
Vision in its entirety is provided here. The primary goals of the Downtown Vision are to:
• Strengthen Downtown as a major business, financial and office center for City and County.
• Promote “Alive After Five” through business, housing, and entertainment and events.
• Establish six distinct districts: Fourth Street Retail Core; Hetherton Gateway; Lindaro District;
Second/Third Corridor; West End Village; and Fifth/Mission District.
The following are key Downtown Vision policies and guidelines that are specific to design and
development:
• Respect the historic heritage and character of Downtown.
• Promote pedestrian-friendly design for active streets; the ground floor of buildings should be
designed at a pedestrian scale with large storefront windows.
• Buildings should be designed to differentiate between the ground floor and the upper floor(s).
• Buildings should be located and designed to reinforce the street edge.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 4
• Building entrances should be oriented toward the street.
• Upper story “step backs” should be encouraged to reduce bulk, mass, maintain pedestrian scale
at street level and promote solar exposure at the sidewalk.
• Buildings should be designed to provide interest and variety at the street level, which should
include the use of, among others, awnings and marquees. Long, monotonous and uninterrupted
walls should be avoided.
• Roof shapes and forms should relate to those found in the area.
• Encourage the development of outdoor gathering places for public use.
• Incorporate public plazas and courtyards for pedestrian use and promote solar exposure at
ground level.
• For all development projects that are over one-story in height, a view analysis should be
conducted to assess view impacts from US 101 to the St. Raphael’s church spire.
General Plan 2020 Policies & Programs for Downtown - 2004
As noted above, Plan 2020 was adopted in 2004. Consistent with the recommendations of the
Downtown Vision, Plan 2020 includes numerous policies and programs specific to Downtown. The
following is a summary of the key Downtown development policies and programs that were carried over
from the Downtown Vision:
• The Plan 2020 Land Use Map established six Downtown land use designations to mirror the six
“districts” recommended in the Downtown Vision.
• Higher residential densities were adopted for Downtown with ranges from 15-32 dwelling
units/acre for the West End Village to 32-62 dwelling units/acre in the Fourth Street Retail Core,
Hetherton Office and Second/Third Corridor districts (Policy LU-8).
• Higher nonresidential intensities were adopted for Downtown allowing floor area ratios (FAR) of
0.5 to 2.0 depending upon the district (Policy LU-9). The allowable FARs by Downtown district
are presented in General Plan Exhibit 6 (see Attachment 2a). It is important to note that the
FAR allowance is applicable to non-residential use only. So, if a mixed-use project is proposed
(project combining non-residential and residential uses such as the Rafael Town Center), the
FAR allowance does not apply to the portion of the project that is residential.
• Taller building heights were adopted for Downtown (Policy LU-12) with height ranges of 30 to 66
feet (and one unique height exception of 102 feet for Courthouse Square). The allowable
building heights for Downtown districts are presented in General Plan Exhibit 9 (see Attachment
2b). The assignment of building height limits was carefully vetted during the initial Downtown
Vision and later Plan 2020 process. Factors in the variation of building height limits include,
among others: a) the priority to maintain views to the St. Raphael’s Church tower; b) allowing
taller buildings along the southern Downtown edge (San Rafael Corporate Center) and around
the transit center (Hetherton Office); and c) transitioning to lower buildin g heights in the West
End Village and the Fifth/Mission Districts that abut residential neighborhoods.
• A building height bonus provision was incorporated (Policy LU-13). A height bonus may be
allowed if a project amenity is provided, such as affordable housing, public parking or pedestrian
improvements. General Plan 2020 Exhibit 10 (see Attachment 2c) prescribes where a height
bonus can be requested and the type of amenity that is expected in return for the height bonus.
Attachment 2d illustrates the height bonuses applicable downtown (from Exhibit 10 of the
General Plan) on the downtown height limit map (Exhibit 9 of the General Plan). To date,
numerous development projects in Downtown were granted a height bonus in return for
providing a specific amenity. For example, the San Rafael Corporate Center was granted a 20+
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 5
foot height bonus for providing conference room space that is accessible to the community and
public access to the park and path along the Mahon Creek frontage.
• The Neighborhood Element contains design policies that are specific to Downtown. These
design policies mirror the Downtown Vision design policies and guidelines discussed above.
• The Community Design Element contains design policies that are applicable citywide. The
policies focus on reinforcing the City’s image by recognizing and protecting natural features
(e.g., views of the hillsides and bay), protecting historic resources, and enhancing gateways and
corridors.
For reference purposes, a map of the Downtown illustrating existing building height on selected
properties is provided (Attachment 3).
San Rafael Design Guidelines (Interim) - 2004
In tandem with the adoption of the General Plan 2020, the City Council adopted the San Rafael Design
Guidelines, which are used for assessing new residential and non-residential development. These
design guidelines can be accessed here. Please note that this document contains distinctive design
guidelines that are specific to Downtown and 4th Street, which mirror the Downtown Vision design
guidelines summarized above.
Zoning Regulations for Downtown - 2004
After the adoption of the Plan 2020, the San Rafael Municipal Code (Title 14, Zoning) was updated to
incorporate new Downtown zoning districts. The Downtown zoning district provisions confirm the
residential density allowances and building height and FAR limits adopted with the Plan 2020. In
addition, spatial standards that influence design and development were adopted that vary by Downtown
zoning district. For example, in the zoning districts that are within the Second/Third Street Corridor, a
five-foot front yard setback is required and 10% of the property area is required to be landscaped.
More restrictive spatial standards are required in the Downtown zoning districts that abut residential
districts (e.g., West End Village and Fifth/Mission District).
The zoning provisions that are most critical to assessing design of new development are the criteria for
Environmental and Design Review Permits. The review criteria are very specific to achieving:
competent site design and architecture; appropriate building scale, bulk/mass; suitable building
materials and landscaping; view protection; solar access and “shadowing;” and neighborhood
compatibility. These review criteria can be accessed here.
Downtown San Rafael Station Area Plan - 2012
In 2012, the City Council reviewed and accepted the Downtown San Rafael Station Area Plan (SAP).
The SAP area covers a one-half mile radius around the new SMART rail station and Bettini Transit
Center, so it does not cover all of Downtown (e.g., West End Village). However, the SAP takes in
areas east of US101 and some of Woodland Avenue/Francisco Boulevard West and Lincoln Avenue.
For the most part, the SAP reinforces the earlier efforts of the Downtown Vision and General Plan
2020. However, it includes additional recommendations which influence land use, development and
design in Downtown. The additional recommendations are summarized as follows:
• Create an improved gateway into Downtown.
• Increase commercial and housing use activity by: a) extending the 66-foot height limit in the
Hetherton Office District east to Hetherton Street, and increasing the FAR limit from 1.5 to 2.0
for this area; and b) increasing the FAR limit east of US101 along Irwin Street and portions of 4th
Street from 0.4 and 0.7 to 1.5.
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• Create active street frontages.
• Plan for an integrated transit center and assist in the relocation of the Bettini Transit Center.
• Modify zoning to facilitate transit-supported redevelopment; rezoning Bettini Transit Center from
P/QP District to Hetherton Office.
• Develop and implement a form-based code eliminating residential density and FAR limits and
incorporating design standards.
• Explore height and FAR bonuses for development projects that provide community benefits.
• Continue to require building “step backs” for multiple story buildings to reduce height and bulk
and to increase solar exposure.
• Reduce the parking requirements around the transit center and consider efficient parking
alternatives such as “parking lifts.”
• Incorporate changes to improve the street, bicycle and pedestrian network.
To date, the City has moved forward with a few of the SAP recommendations (e.g., preparation of the
Downtown Parking and Wayfinding Study). However, the other recommendations involving land use
and zoning ordinance changes have not been pursued. The General Plan Update will provide an
opportunity to discuss these recommendations further and provide direction on priorities and
implementation. The SAP can be accessed here.
City Council Ad Hoc Sub-Committee- “City of San Rafael Expectations for Good Design” - 2017
An Ad Hoc City Council Sub-Committee convened on August 14, 2017 to discuss “Community Design,”
with a primary focus on Downtown development. The Ad Hoc Sub-Committee included Mayor Phillips,
Council Member Andrew McCullough, two members of the Design Review Board (Eric Spielman and
Stewart Summers) and Planning Commissioner Larry Paul. The initial purpose of the meeting was to
determine if there are adequate tools and resources to facilitate and achieve good design in
development in San Rafael. The Sub-Committee was provided with an inventory of our current
resources (all referenced in this report), which are abundant and comprehensive. Mayor Phillips
assigned Planning Commissioner Larry Paul the task of forming a working group to review these
resources and to develop a more concise and consolidated list of key criteria. The goal is to develop an
informational handout (“City of San Rafael Expectations for Good Design”) that can be provided to
developers/applicants. Planning Commissioner Larry Paul will present an oral report on the progress of
this effort at the City Council meeting.
Other Related Downtown Activities
At present, there are two other related and on-going activities that are specific to Downtown San
Rafael. First, as referenced above, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway & Transportation District
(GGBHTD) is starting the planning process to relocate the Bettini Transit Center. With SMART’s plans
to extend commuter rail service to Larkspur, the current Bettini Transit Center will be substantially
impacted and relocation is inevitable. GGBHTD is in-the-lead on this effort and has hired a consultant
team. Further, an initial three relocation options have been identified. The City will be directly
participating in this process to ensure the City’s goals, policies and interests are considered and
incorporated into the relocation plan. To guide the City’s position on this project, the Downtown Station
Area Plan (SAP) addressed the Bettini Transit Center and specifically addressed relocation options.
Steve Kinsey, transportation consultant with ALTA Planning + Design has been assisting to coordinate
the City’s planning participation. As the relocation of the transit center is at the gateway to Downtown,
it is a key element to long-range planning for this area. A City Council study session on the Bettini
Transit Center Relocation Plan will be held at an upcoming meeting.
The second related activity is that City staff is considering a proposal for services from Urban3.
Urban3 is a consulting firm that specializes in linking community design by analyzing land value
economics, and property and retail tax. Urban3 services provide visual tools to promote development
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 7
patterns that align with a city’s fiscal condition and its growth goals. Urban3 utilizes a “value-per-acre”
methodology, which is specifically useful for planning Downtown development. Staff believes that this
analysis would help inform the land use decisions to be made during the General Plan Update.
ANALYSIS:
As the City moves forward with the General Plan 2040 process, the current design and development
policies and regulations summarized above will need to be reviewed to determine if: a) we continue
with current standards and regulations that originated with the Downtown Vision; b) we modify specific
aspects of the Downtown Vision c) we move in a different direction (e.g., scale back allowable heights,
allow for more lenient building heights, or make additional height contingent on benefits above and
beyond those now required).
Early feedback and direction is needed by the City Council for several reasons. First, new development
activity will continue in Downtown as we progress through the General Plan 2040 process. Therefore,
developers should be informed of the City’s current policy direction and expectations for good design.
Second, clear direction and guidance will need to be given to the General Plan 2040 Steering
Committee. As the General Plan 2040 is a community-based process, the Steering Committee will be
leading the authorship of the Plan. Initial direction from the City Council is critical to avoid outcomes
where the Committee’s recommendations may be inconsistent with the Council’s priorities.
CivicKnit, a locally-based visual simulation consultant, has been hired to assist the City in assessing the
current development standards and allowances for Downtown. Specifically, CivicKnit has created a
three-dimensional computer model of Downtown to test and visually demonstrate potential land
development. A model demonstration of the following two areas will be presented at the City Council
meeting:
➢ The Third Street corridor. The model will demonstrate the current building setback allowances
and height limits for properties along the corridor, including the addition of height bonuses
where amenities are provided.
➢ A site-specific demonstration development using the City’s public parking lot located at the
corner of 3rd and Cijos Streets. For this demonstration, building height, FAR and other design
measures (e.g., upper floor “step backs” and differentiation in the ground floor) have been
factored into this model. A snap shot of the demonstration site is provided in this report
(Attachment 4). A more detailed simulation will be presented at the meeting.
Staff presents the following three discussion questions for the City Council to consider:
1. What is the City Council’s vision for Downtown San Rafael?
2. To what extent do the existing policies, guidelines and regulations support this vision or not?
3. What feedback and/or general policy direction do you have for the future General Plan 2040
Steering Committee (and staff) moving forward?
COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
Notice of this public meeting was provided to a specific list of stakeholders that include major
Downtown San Rafael property owners (e.g., BioMarin, Seagate Properties, and Monahan Pacific), San
Rafael Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Business Improvement District (BID), Marin Builders
Association, Federation of San Rafael Neighborhoods, and neighborhood associations/organizations
that border Downtown San Rafael. A copy of the public meeting notice is attached (Attachment 5).
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 8
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of the computer-generated, three-dimensional modeling is under the $10,000 budgeted
amount, which has been appropriated in General Plan Revenue Fund #218.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options to consider regarding this matter:
1. Accept the report and provide feedback and direction as recommended by staff; or
2. Reject the report; or
3. Direct staff to return with more information.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Accept report and provide feedback and direction to staff.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Downtown San Rafael Development “Watch Area” List- September 2017
2. General Plan 2020 exhibits on building height and floor area ratio (FAR) limits
a. Exhibit 6 – Floor Area Ratios in Downtown
b. Exhibit 9 – Building Height limits in Downtown
c. Exhibit 10 – Height bonuses
d. Exhibit 9 Building Height limit in Downtown with graphical representation of height
bonuses outlined in Exhibit 10
3. Map of Downtown San Rafael Illustrating Existing Building Heights on selected properties and
the Height Limit for These Properties
4. Site-specific demonstration development using the City’s public parking lot located at the
corner of 3rd and Cijos Streets.
5. Public meeting notice
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Sites
1203 Lincoln Ave. (36 residential units; approved)
524 Mission Ave./1200 Irwin St. (15 residential units; completed and occupied)
930 Tamalpais Ave. (Whistlestop, 50 senior units & senior services, restaurant; on hold)
700 3rd St. (13,000 s.f. site/30 units no application to date)
San Rafael Corporate Center Lincoln Ave. Parking Garage (@ build out 1,558 parking spaces; completed and occupied)
San Rafael Corporate Center Lincoln Ave. Parking Garage (600 space parking garage expansion [Phase II]; approved)
San Rafael Corporate Center Lincoln Ave. (80,000 s.f. lab; constructed and occupied)
San Rafael Corporate Center Lindaro St. (72,000 s.f. office [Phase II]; approved)
Bio Marin @ PG&E - 999 3rd St. (200k office/lab [estimate by FAR], Whistlestop, 50 senior apartment units; pre-application completed)
1001 4th St. (no additional commercial sq. ft. anticipated; potential for 100+ units, no application to date)
809 B St. (41 residential units [2,000 s.f. retail]; approved)
638-640 4th St. – House of Bagels (mixed use); no application to date
703-723 3rd St. (138 residential units; pre-application and conceptual review completed)
1313 5th Ave. (Public Safety Center – 44K; approved; under construction)
1201 5th Ave. (5000K office addition, approved)
800 Tamalpais Ave. (Bettini Transit Center re-location; under review)
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San Rafael Downtown Development "Watch Area" List September 2017
Downtown Development "Watch Area"
SAN RAFAEL 2020 / LAND USE Reprinted 04/28/2017 28
LU-13. Height Bonuses.
A height bonus may be granted with a use permit for a development that provides one
or more of the amenities listed in Exhibit 10, provided the building’s design is
consistent with Community Design policies and design guidelines. No more than one
height bonus may be granted for a project.
See LU-2a. (Development Review).
Exhibit 10: Height Bonuses
Location Maximum
Height Bonus
Amenity
(May provide one or more of the following)
Fourth Street Retail Core
Zoning District 12 feet
Affordable housing
Public courtyards, plazas and/or passageways
(consistent with Downtown Design Guidelines)
Public parking (not facing Fourth Street)
PG&E site in the Lindaro
Office land use district 24 feet
Park (privately maintained park with public
access, adjacent to Mahon Creek; an
alternative is tennis courts tied to Albert Park.)
Community facility (10,000 sq. ft. or more in
size)
Second/Third Mixed Use East
Zoning District 12 feet
Affordable housing
Public parking
Overhead crosswalks
Mid-block passageways between Fourth
Street and parking on Third Street
Second/Third Mixed Use
West District, north of Third
Street and east of C Street
18 feet Public parking
West End Village 6 feet
Affordable housing
Public parking
Public passageways (consistent with
Downtown Design Guidelines)
Lincoln Avenue between
Hammondale and Mission
Avenue
12 feet Affordable Housing
See NH-120 (Lincoln Avenue)
Marin Square 12 feet Affordable housing
North San Rafael Town
Center 24 feet Affordable housing
Citywide where allowed by
zoning. 12 feet Hotel (1)
(1) See policy LU-20 (Hotels, Motels and Inns)
CourthouseSquare 110'
ClocktowerBuilding 45'
10994th 35'
H StreetApartments45'
BioMarin55'
CityHall 35'
TownCenter75'
Whistlestop30'Sol Food25'
The AlbertBuilding 56'
30 ftAllowed
36 ftAllowed
42 ftAllowed
42 ftAllowed
36 ftAllowed
102 ftAllowed
36 ft Allowed
66 ftAllowed
36 ftAllowed36 ft Allowed
54 ftAllowed
36 ftAllowed
0 ftAllowed
Path: X:\CityManager\DowntownBuildingHeights\DowntownBuildingHeights.mxdDate: 2/16/2017Building Heights in Downtown AreaExisting and Allowed
REVISED NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING – CITY COUNCIL
You are invited to attend the City Council meeting on the following topic: (NOTE NEW DATE)
TOPIC: Downtown Vision Discussion – Presentation on Downtown Vision in preparation for General Plan 2040. Discussion will include: a)
refresher on the Downtown Vision (1993) and Downtown Station Area Plan (2012), b) current General Plan policies and Zoning Ordinance
regulations specific to Downtown San Rafael; c) report on development projects currently under review in the Downtown; d) presentation of a
computer-generated simulation depicting a demonstration project meeting current zoning allowances; and e) update on the City Council
subcommittee evaluating “good design” criteria. The City Council will be requested to provide feedback and direction on the current zoning
allowances and development policies in preparation of General Plan 2040; Citywide; GPA16-001/P16-013.
**Item was moved to November 6, 2017 Council meeting**
This is a discussion item and not considered a project under 14 CCR Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). This discussion item does
not authorize any changes to development regulations nor result in any direct physical changes to the environment.
MEETING DATE/TIME/LOCATION: Monday, November 6 October 16, 2017, 7:00 p.m. City Council Chambers, 1400 Fifth Ave at D St, San
Rafael, CA
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Raffi Boloyan, Project Planner at (415) 485-3095 or raffi.boloyan@cityofsanrafael.org. You can also
come to the Planning Division office, located in City Hall, 1400 Fifth Avenue, to look at the file for the proposed project. The office is open from
8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday and Thursday and 8:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. You can also view the staff
report after 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before the meeting at http://www.cityofsanrafael.org/meetings
WHAT WILL HAPPEN: You can comment on the topic. This is a discussion item and the City Council will hear the update and provide direction.
No decisions will be made and this meeting will amendments to current rules are proposes
IF YOU WANT TO COMMENT: You can send written correspondence by email to the address above, or by post to the Community Development
Department, Planning Division, City of San Rafael, 1400 5th Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901. You can also hand deliver it prior to the action date.
At the above time and place, all written correspondence received will be noted and all interested parties will be heard. If you challenge in court the matter described above, you may be
limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered at, or prior to, the above referenced
public hearing (Government Code Section 65009 (b) (2)).
Judicial review of an administrative decision of the City Council must be filed with the Court not later than the 90th day following the date of the Council’s decision. (Code of Civil
Procedure Section 1094.6)
Sign Language and interpretation and assistive listening devices may be requested by calling (415) 485-3085 (voice) or (415) 485-3198 (TDD) at least 72 hours in advance. Copies of
documents are available in accessible formats upon request.
Public transportation to City Hall is available through Golden Gate Transit, Line 22 or 23. Para-transit is available by calling Whistlestop Wheels at (415) 454-0964.
To allow individuals with environmental illness or multiple chemical sensitivity to attend the meeting/hearing, individuals are requested to refrain from wearing scented products.
STAFF REPORT APPROVAL
ROUTING SLIP
Staff Report Author: Paul Jensen & Raffi Boloyan Date of Meeting: 11/6/2017
Department: Community Development
Topic: Downtown San Rafael Vision
Subject: Presentation on and Discussion of Downtown Vision in Preparation of General Plan 2040
Type: (check all that apply) ☐ Consent Calendar ☐ Public Hearing
☒ Discussion Item ☐ Resolution ☐ Ordinance
☐ Professional Services Agreement ☐ Informational Report
*If PSA, City Attorney approval is required prior to start of staff report approval process
Was agenda item publicly noticed? ☒ Yes ☐No Date noticed:
9/29/2017
☒Mailed ☐Site posted ☐Marin IJ
Due Date Responsibility Description Completed
Date Initial / Comment
DEPARTMENT REVIEW
FRIDAY
noon
10/21
Director Director approves staff
report is ready for ACM,
City Attorney & Finance
review.
10/3/2017
☒
PJ
CONTENT REVIEW
TUESDAY
morning
10/24
Assistant City Manager
City Attorney
Finance
ACM, City Attorney &
Finance will review items,
make edits using track
changes and ask questions
using comments. Items will
be returned to the author
by end of day Wednesday.
Click here to
enter a date.
10/4/2017
10/5/2017
☐
☒
LG
☒
MM
DEPARTMENT REVISIONS
FRIDAY
noon
10/28
Author Author revises the report
based on comments
receives and produces a
final version (all track
changes and comments
removed) by Friday at
noon.
10/23/2017
☒
RB – all revisions
accepted and
attachments updated.
2 comments were left
to be reviewed
ACM, CITY ATTORNEY, FINANCE FINAL APPROVAL
MONDAY
morning
10/30
Assistant City Manager
City Attorney
Finance
ACM, City Attorney &
Finance will check to see
their comments were
adequately addressed and
sign-off for the City
Manager to conduct the
final review.
Click here to
enter a date.
10/30/2017
Click here to
enter a date.
☐
☒
LG
☐
TUES
noon
10/31
City Manager Final review and approval 10/31/2017 ☒
JS