HomeMy WebLinkAboutPark & Rec Commission 2025-06-25 Agenda Packet1
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION
JUNE 25, 2025 AT 6:00PM
In-Person:
SAN RAFAEL COMMUNITY CENTER LOUNGE
618 B STREET, SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA
Participate Virtually:
Watch on Zoom Webinar: https://tinyurl.com/PRC-06-25-2025
Listen by phone: (669) 444-9171
ID: 846 2351 0390#
AGENDA
CALL TO ORDER
MINUTES
1. Approve regular meeting minutes of April 17, 2025
Recommended Action – Approve as submitted
OPEN TIME FOR PUBLIC EXPRESSION
The public is welcome to address the Commission at this time on matters not on the agenda that are
within its jurisdiction. Comments may be no longer than two minutes and should be respectful to the
community.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
2. None
AGENDA ITEMS
3. Agenda items:
a. 620 Canal St Acquisition for Potential Park and Bridge
• Recommended Action – Receive report and comment
b. Report on City’s Three Year Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2025-2028
• Recommended Action – Receive report and comment
STAFF LIAISON REPORT
4. Schedule of Upcoming Events and Staff Liaison Report
a. July Park and Recreation Month Proclamation
b. Status of Park Construction Projects
• Pickleweed Park
• Peacock Gap Park
COMMISSIONER REPORTS
5. Other brief reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by the Commission
members.
ADJOURNMENT
Any records relating to an agenda item, received by a majority or more of the Commission less than 72 hours before the meeting,
shall be available for inspection online and in the San Rafael Community Center, 618 B St., San Rafael, CA 94901 placed with other
agenda-related materials on the table in front of the San Rafael Community Center prior to the meeting. Sign Language interpreters
may be requested by calling (415) 485-3066 (voice), emailing city.clerk@cityofsanrafael.org or using the California
2
Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing “711”, at least 72 hours in advance of the meeting. Copies of documents are available in
accessible formats upon request. To request Spanish language interpretation, please submit an online form at
https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/request-for-interpretation/.
Page 1 of 5
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION
March 20, 2025 – 6:00 p.m.
DRAFT MINUTES
__________________________________________________________________
Watch the meeting on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuuYp3nuyXI
CALL TO ORDER
Vice Chair Pasternak called the meeting to order at 6:02 p.m.
ROLL CALL
Present: Commissioner Cabrales
Commissioner Emerson
Chair Sandoval
Commissioner Pasternak
Absent: Commissioner Gutierrez
Also Present: Craig Veramay, Assistant Library & Recreation Director
Steve Mason, Senior Recreation Supervisor
Becky Ordin, Senior Administrative Assistant
Joanna Kwok, Assistant Public Works Director/City Engineer
AGENDA AMENDMENTS
None.
MINUTES
1. Approve regular meeting minutes of March 20, 2025
Commissioner Pasternak moved, and Commissioner Cabrales seconded, to approve
the meetings minutes of March 20, 2025.
AYES: Commissioners: Cabrales, Emerson Pasternak, Sandoval
NOES: Commissioners: None
ABSENT: Commissioners: Gutierrez
ABSTAINED: Commissioners: None
2
Minutes approved as submitted.
MEETING OPEN FOR PUBLIC EXPRESSION
Public Comment from the audience regarding items not listed on the agenda
NA
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
2. NA
Public Comment: NA
OTHER AGENDA ITEMS
If necessary, to ensure completion of the following items, the Chairperson may establish time limits for
the presentations by individual speakers.
3. Other Agenda Items
a. Biannual Parks Project and Maintenance Status Report – October 2024-March 2025
Mr. Veramay introduced Ms. Kwok who presented the Biannual Parks Project
maintenance Status Report for October 2024 through March 2025.
Staff responded to questions and comments from the Commission.
Public Comment: Darlin Ruiz commented.
Commissioner Cabrales moved, and Commissioner Emerson seconded to accept the
Biannual Parks Project and Maintenance Status Report for October 2024-March 2025.
AYES: Commissioners: Sandoval, Cabrales, Emerson, Pasternak
NOES: Commissioners: None
ABSENT: Commissioners: Gutierrez
ABSTAINED: Commissioners: None
Motion passes.
b. Annual Pickleweed Advisory Committee Report 2025
Mr. Veramay introduced Mr. Mason who also introduced Darlin Ruiz who is a member of
the Pickleweed Advisory Committee. Mr. Mason presented the 2025 Annual Pickleweed
Advisory Committee Report.
Staff responded to questions and comments from the Commission.
3
Public Comment: NA
Commissioner Pasternak moved, and Commissioner Cabrales seconded to accept the
2025 Annual Pickleweed Advisory Committee Report.
AYES: Commissioners: Cabrales, Emerson, Pasternak, Sandoval
NOES: Commissioners: None
ABSENT: Commissioners: Gutierrez
ABSTAINED: Commissioners: None
Motion passes.
STAFF LIAISON REPORT
4. Staff Liaison Report.
Mr. Veramay shared several updates with the Commission:
Steve Mason will be retiring August 31st. The recruitment of a new supervisor is coming
soon. There will also be a Childcare Instructor II, which will close on 4/23, Interviews for
our Marketing Coordinator Recruitment will be next week. Darcie Chellew led
production of activity guide during vacancy. The summer playbook is being mailed
soon. Lastly, the Library Supervisor interviews will be held soon.
Recent Events, Programs, and Highlights:
Sunday, March 23rd Gerstle Park neighborhood park cleanup day.
National Library Week – April 6-12
Week of the Young Child: April 5-11
FARE Grant. Staff met with the County at Canal Community Garden in early April to
issues $35k grant funding, and project goals.
April 11th – Childcare program training
April 22nd is earth Day. Citywide events will be on April 19th: Starkweather Path
cleanup 9am-11am with Councilmember Llorens-Gulati and Citizen of the Year Tom
Harrison. April 22: Downtown Clean & Green: 10am-12pm. April 24: 5:30pm-7:30pm
SF Climate Week in San Rafael – What’s SR doing about Sea Level Rise?
4
May is Older Americans Month – proclamation celebrating older adults scheduled to be
delivered by Council on May 5th
Registration is now open for the Junior Giants registration held at the Albert J Boro
Community Center. Drop In Pickleball is ongoing. There is a Marin Stargazers
program.
The Terra Linda Community Center has new lockers in the pool locker rooms.
The theatre program at the San Rafael Community Center has completed and
Staff attended the CPRS Conference held in Sacramento this year.
City staff night with the Pacifics – Friday, May 30th!
Canal Community Fair – May 3rd
San Rafael Heads Up Carnival at the San Rafael High School on April 26th.
The San Rafael Chamber of Commerce and SRLI will be putting on a local vendor
market & small business showcase on Saturday, June 7th
Next Public Art Review Board meeting will be held on April 30th and there will be a
SRAD presentation, and they will have two other proposals to review.
2nd Friday Art Walk will be May 9th
Falkirk Cultural Center: Terra Linda Ceramic Artists presents.....”What Dreams Are
Made Of”.
CA Film Institute at the Rafael Theater: Doclands Film Festival, April 30-May 4
There has been a change from three minutes to two minutes for all of the boards and
commissions public comment.
Upcoming PRC meetings are working on fine tuning the agendas, but it might be a
lighter schedule. We may be asking the Commission in the future to participate in
Bicycle and Pedestrian Access Plan. The next meeting is scheduled for June 19th,
which is Juneteenth and we will be rescheduling that meeting.
5
Staff responded to questions and comments from the Commission
Public Comment: None
COMMISSIONER REPORTS
5. Other brief reports on any meetings, conferences, and/or seminars attended by
the Commission members.
Commissioner Emerson shared that the Health and Human Services is feeling the
impact of the new Administration and bracing for cuts and doubling down on public
health messaging.
Commissioner Cabrales visited Brete Harte park and was happy to see the trees that
were planted by the arbor look great. She also invited everyone to the Heads Up
Carnival at the San Rafael High School.
Commissioner Sandoval was at Peacock Gap park earlier in the day and saw they have
broke ground on the playground.
Commissioner Pasternak shared the opening of the Marin swim team season is the
upcoming Saturday. The Orcas Swim team will be at the Terra Linda Pool every
Saturday through June.
Public Comment: None
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Sandoval adjourned the meeting at 6:59 p.m.
___________________________________________
BECKY ORDIN, Senior Administrative Assistant
APPROVED THIS_____DAY OF___________, 2025
___________________________________________
CATHERINE QUFFA, Library & Recreation Director
Page 1 of 3
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION
AGENDA REPORT
June 25, 2025
Item #3a
TITLE: 620 CANAL STREET ACQUISITION FOR POTENTIAL PARK AND BRIDGE
BACKGROUND:
The property at 620 Canal Street, shown below in Exhibit 1 is 1.69 acres of land located along the
southern edge of the Canal at the end of Canal Street northwest of Harbor Street. The property is
designated as Marine-related Mixed Use within the General Plan and currently consists of three
buildings, storage racks, and containers that support maritime uses. This property has been identified
as a potential park and possible location for the southern landing of a bicycle and pedestrian bridge
between the Canal Neighborhood and destinations north of San Rafael Creek.
Additionally, the property at 620 Canal Street is ideally suited for transformation into an outdoor
community gathering space and recreational gateway to the Canal and San Francisco Bay. Residents
have long recognized the need for more public parks, plazas, walkways, and recreational amenities in
the Canal neighborhood. Both the City’s 2009 Canalfront Conceptual Design Plan and the 2023 Parks
and Recreation Master Plan incorporate community recommendations for such amenities. A site of
this type and location may be highly competitive for future park development grant opportunities.
Exhibit 1: 620 Canal Street (APN# 014-162-01) highlighted in yellow
The Canal neighborhood has limited access points to the rest of the City of San Rafael (City) due to the
neighborhood being bordered by the San Rafael Creek (Canal) and the Highway 101 and Interstate
580 freeways. The Canal neighborhood and the City have identified the desire to have a bicycle and
pedestrian bridge in multiple planning documents including, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
(2018) and Downtown Precise Plan (2021). Most recently, the City Council identified as part of the
Fiscal Year 2025-2028 Strategic Plan Goal B.1.3: “Conduct East San Rafael Canal Crossing feasibility
Page 2 of 3
study and pursue partnerships and funding sources for possible construction of a swing bridge.”
On April 7, 2025, the City Council authorized the acceptance of a $1,575,000 Active Transportation
Program (ATP) grant to fund a feasibility study of the San Rafael Crossing Project. Although the City
has been awarded an additional $2.35 million in ATP grant funds for bridge design and subsequent
phases, the City will only utilize these funds if the study determines a bridge is feasible.
ANALYSIS:
In the fall of 2024, the Trust for Public Land (TPL) began negotiating with the property owner on behalf
of the City, culminating in an executed purchase and sale agreement in December 2024. After months
of negotiations, TPL and the property owner have reached an agreement on a sale price of
$3,335,000. The purchase would be funded through anticipated contributions from the City, the County
of Marin, and TPL, as shown below in Table 1:
Table 1: 620 Canal Street Acquisition Funding
Funding Source Amount
City of San Rafael $500,000
Marin County (Measure A Grant) $1,150,000
Private Philanthropy (Fundraised by TPL) $1,705,000
TOTAL $3,355,000
The TPL requested that the County of Marin and the City formalized their funding commitments before
the end of TPL’s due diligence period on July 18, 2025. City staff have submitted a staff report to City
Council for their June 23rd, 2025 meeting, and recommended that Council adopt a Resolution
authorizing the purchase of 620 Canal Street, Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN) 014-162-01, to serve
as a park and potential base of a bicycle and pedestrian bridge across the San Rafael Creek (Canal).
Following the City Council’s consideration of the acquisition at their June 23, 2025 meeting, the Marin
County Board of Supervisors will consider approval of a Measure A Grant on July 8, 2025, which would
provide funding for purchasing 620 Canal Street provided the property serves as a public park. If the
City Council and Marin County Board of Supervisors provide approvals consistent with the above
timeline, the TPL has indicated that it will have the assurance it needs to finalize the purchase of the
property. Ultimately, after July 18, the TPL has thirty days to close on the property.
If the property is acquired, it will take several years to secure funding to make the property safe for
public access and enjoyment, but purchasing the 620 Canal St. property will bring the City closer to
providing this much needed public space and the potential landing place for a pedestrian and bicycle
bridge.
The longer-term planning for a future park and bridge could take a decade, depending on funding and
environmental clearance. However, ownership of this property should make the City more competitive
for future grants that the City will need to build these future improvements. Additionally, securing the
property now will eliminate the uncertainty, time, and resources the City would otherwise have to
expend to obtain the land through either an alternative voluntary transaction or eminent domain.
Page 3 of 3
To mitigate the cost of operating a park at 620 Canal Street, staff intend to pursue an agreement with
Marin County to assist with the property’s maintenance.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
This Project is exempt from environmental review under Public Resources Code Section
21080.28(a)(1)(F) and California Environmental Quality Act Guideline 15325(f) because it involves the
acquisition of land for park purposes, partially funded by Measure A funds from the County. The
County has found that projects satisfying Measure A requirements and receiving funding are exempt
from CEQA under the foregoing provisions.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
For decades, community members have advocated through multiple processes for more public
gathering spaces in the Canal and a pedestrian and bicycle crossing of the San Rafael Creek. The City
maintains a project website for the feasibility study of the Canal Crossing Project.
In addition to the City Council Meeting on Monday, June 23rd and this Park and Recreation
Commission Meeting, the Marin County Board of Supervisors will consider awarding Measure A Grant
funds for the Project during its July 8th meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The acquisition of 620 Canal Street will result in short-term and long-term fiscal impacts to the City. In
the short term, the acquisition will require a funding commitment of $500,000 toward the purchase of
the property. Funding has been provided in the FY 2025-26 Adopted Budget via appropriations of
$375,000 within the Parkland Dedication Fund (240) and $125,000 within the Capital Improvement
Fund (401).
In the long term, the City will need to identify additional funding, either through grants or future
investment of City funds, to cover the costs associated with securing the property, making it safe for
public access, and developing the property into a park. Staff have not had the opportunity to quantify
the precise costs of these long-term improvements. However, initial estimates suggest that the
medium-term costs could require hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the long-term costs of
developing and constructing the park will require tens of millions of dollars. Notably, the City can avoid
incurring these significant medium- and long-term costs until the City secures a grant or other funding
to advance the Project.
RECOMMENDATION:
City staff recommend that the Park and Recreation Commission receive this report and provide
comments.
Submitted by:
Craig Veramay
Assistant Library and Recreation Director
PARK AND RECREATION COMMISSION
AGENDA REPORT
March 20, 2025
Item #3b
TITLE: REPORT ON CITY’S 3-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN FOR FISCAL YEARS
2025-2028
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Commission receive the report and provide comments.
BACKGROUND:
The City Council has historically established goals and objectives that provide direction for what
the City will accomplish in the year to come. Over the last two years, the City has been
operating under the City Council’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2025 Goals and Objectives, which
were initially adopted on June 5, 2023. The City Council received a mid-point status update on
these goals and objectives on May 20, 2024. The City Manager proposed a new three-year
strategic planning approach for FY 2025-28 at the City Council’s annual retreat last December,
which the Council approved. The new strategic planning approach is outlined below.
Three-Year Strategic Plan Approach Overview
In recognition of the new strategic planning framework, the prior goals and key policy focus
areas have been re-categorized into the following seven City Council priority areas:
A. Economic Development and Neighborhood Vitality: Strengthen local business
growth, revitalize neighborhoods, and create vibrant community spaces that foster
economic prosperity and enhance quality of life.
B. Mobility and Infrastructure: Enhance and maintain the City’s infrastructure, streets,
and facilities through the Capital Improvement Program.
C. Sustainability and Resilience: Foster a resilient community through climate adaptation,
sustainability, hazard mitigation, and emergency preparedness efforts.
D. Housing and Homelessness: Facilitate new housing development, assist in ensuring
housing stability, support a “Housing First” model, and implement strategies that reduce
homelessness.
E. Quality of Life: Safety and Wellbeing: Foster a safe, healthy, and thriving community.
F. High Performing Government – Innovative, Inclusive, Efficient, and Accessible:
Innovate by implementing forward-thinking solutions, delivering exceptional services that
meet community needs equitably, transparently, and efficiently.
G. Equity, Access, Belonging, and Opportunity for All: Our City strives to create
equitable outcomes and address systemic injustices.
Page 2 of 4
The Three-Year Strategic Plan targets advancement in seven priority areas through specific,
measurable goals and objectives. For each of the priority areas, there will be a detailed
workplan document developed over the next few months that will be brought to the City Council
for adoption in the Fall 2025. By integrating strategic initiatives and essential core services into
a unified framework, the strategic plan creates powerful alignment that accelerates progress in
areas most valued by our community. This holistic approach ensures every action the City takes
contributes to a more vibrant, resilient, and inclusive San Rafael.
The purpose of the new three-year strategic planning approach is to focus City resources on the
top priorities, as defined in the annual workplans for each priority focus area which are being
created for the following purposes:
• Prioritization and Re-Prioritization: Clear direction and commitment from the City
Council to support the City’s efforts to accomplish its objectives in the face of emerging
or competing priorities; or provide clear direction on what other objectives will be
deferred, in order to make way for a new, emerging priority.
• Alignment: Improve alignment between the City Council, the community and city staff,
and with the budget and resources available to accomplish the City’s goals. In addition,
the strategic plan aims to better integrate the work already set by existing plans, such as
the General Plan 2040 and the Park and Recreation Master Plan.
• Transparency and accountability: Improves the City’s ability to measure progress and
report out progress towards specific goals and objectives.
An important consideration in the creation of this plan was balancing the ability for City staff to
successfully achieve these goals while maintaining excellence in the delivery of core services.
ANALYSIS:
Inclusive strategic planning is essential for effective governance and delivering innovative
services. The planning process must center the community’s voice. The strategic plan reflects
the City’s commitment to a community-first approach, where goals and objectives are informed
by the people that we serve. It creates vital alignment between the City Council, who
establishes high-level policy direction, and City staff, who implement those policies and
programs, all in collaboration with the community. By grounding the City’s work in community
input, we ensure that our efforts are responsive, inclusive, and impactful. This framework
connects the City’s day-to-day operations with a longer-term vision.
The Three-Year Strategic Plan has been shaped by extensive community input gathered
through public meetings, community engagement events, and surveys associated with the City’s
ongoing work. Community voices are centered in the development of these goals and
objectives. Using that as a framework, the initial draft was developed by Executive and mid-
management staff who participated in workshops for each priority area to collectively identify
and co-create the priority areas, goals and objectives. Aligned the draft plan with past planning
documents, then reviewed this information and developed it into a draft document for the City
Council and the community to review and provide feedback.
The draft went through two rounds of review at City Council Study Sessions. The first was on
March 3, 2025, and the second on May 5, 2025. Following each session, staff refined the
document to incorporate feedback, review, and concurrence, prior to bringing a final draft for
adoption at Council’s June 2, 2025, meeting. The adopted Three-Year Strategic Plan document
is available on the City’s website, here: City of San Rafael Strategic Plan Fiscal Years 2025-
2028.
Page 3 of 4
Performance metrics have been prepared for each priority area and its objectives to track
progress toward defined goals (Attachment 3). This data is publicly available on the City’s online
performance management dashboard and will be updated annually. Additionally, the
Performance Measurement Dashboard will be updated with the latest performance metrics data
for Fiscal Years 2023-25.
Library & Recreation Department Goals
While many of the goals in the City’s strategic plan are cross-departmental, several Goals fall
directly under the purview of the Library & Recreation Department and align with Park and
Recreation Commission work:
• E.3: Develop and implement a community engagement, design, and planning
process for Measure P Implementation that will result in a new community center
at Albert Park and will meet the needs of San Rfaael Residents now and into the
future and will identify adaptive reuse options for the historic Carnegie Library
o E.3.1 Establish a project team, including specialists in building and landscape
architecture, design, engineering, environmental, community engagement,
project management, construction management, and regulatory compliance, to
ensure the City has the capacity and expertise to successfully complete the
Albert Park Library and Community Center project.
o E.3.2 Based on robust community engagement, develop a preferred site plan for
the Albert Park Library and Community Center that includes the proposed
building location, surrounding site layout, recommended programmatic elements,
and a preliminary cost estimate.
o E.3.3 Develop and select final conceptual design/architectural rendering,
building floor plan, and cost estimate the Albert Park Library and Community
Center, and begin the creation of detailed design and construction documents,
due diligence, and permit applications.
o E.3.4 Initiate a public planning process related to the preservation of the historic
Carnegie Library for ongoing civic, community, or community-serving commercial
uses.
• E.4: Maintain and Improve Parks, Libraries, Recreation Facilities, and Outdoor
Spaces to ensure they are clean, safe, and accessible for all community members
o E.4.1: Complete the Pickleweed Library and Pickleweed Preschool renovation
o E.4.2: Utilize the Terra Linda Park and Community Center Enhancement Plan to
guide future site improvements, seek funding, and enhance the park and
community center’s role as a community resource.
o E.4.3: Initiate the planning process to renovate the play area and make pathway
improvements at Gerstle Park.
• E.5: Deliver diverse recreational, cultural, and literary programs and services that
engage residents and respond to evolving community interests.
o E.5.1: Evaluate library and recreation programs to identify opportunities for
improvements in service delivery and enhanced program offerings.
o Evaluate options for providing enhanced library services in North San Rafael.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact associated with receiving this report.
Submitted by:
Page 4 of 4
Craig Veramay
Assistant Library and Recreation Director
