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Agenda Item No:
Meeting Date: January 5, 2009
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Community Services
Prepared by: Carlene McCart City Manager Approval:
SUBJECT: San Rafael Ridge Access Committee Formation and Scope of Work
RECOMMENDATION: Approve Resolution
BACKGROUND: On December 1, 2008 the City Council approved the first reading of the Mt. Tamalpais
Cemetery (2500 Fifth Avenue) 50 -Year Master Plan and Prezoning of Three Contiguous Properties for
Annexation to the City of San Rafael (2450, 2452, 2468 Fifth Avenue) consisting of requests for approval
of a Mitigated Negative Declaration, Annexation/Prezoning, Master Use Permit and Environmental and
Design Review Permit. At that Public Hearing the Council heard testimony from the public on the desire
to continue public bicycle and pedestrian access through the privately owned cemetery onto County Open
Space leading to San Rafael Ridge. Without agreement of the Cemetery owner the City has no legal
mechanism to impose public easement across the property. A representative of the Sun Valley
Neighborhood Association suggested a committee be formed to study alternative access options and
make recommendations to the City Council. Staff was directed to convene a committee consisting of
City, County, neighborhood representatives along with a Park and Recreation Commissioner, and
Councilmember Heiler to make findings and recommendations.
ANALYSIS: The topography of the Sun Valley neighborhood, adjacent San Rafael Ridge, the limited
public held land in the area, coupled with the built out hillsides, make access for off road bicycle and
pedestrian from the neighborhood to the ridge a challenge. Over the course of two years, Marin County
Open Space studied and developed conceptual proposals for access to San Rafael Ridge from the Sun
Valley neighborhood that do not encroach on Cemetery property. City staff was included in the
discussions that led to the proposals.
It is recommended that a San Rafael Ridge Access Committee consisting of James Reyes and Elise
Holland, Marin County Open Space, Carlene McCart and Kraig Tambornini, City of San Rafael, Ralph
Mihan, Park and Recreation Commission, a member of the San Rafael Bike and Pedestrian Advisory
Committee, and a representative of the Sun Valley Neighborhood Association meet with Councilmember
Heller to
1. Review the opportunities and constraints for a bike/ped off road trail.
2. Review and evaluate the findings of the conceptual proposals developed by the County and make
recommendations on this and/or other options.
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
File No.:
Council Meeting:
Disposition:
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
3. Review estimated costs associated with each option.
The Committee will convene in mid January and make a final report on recommendations at the February
16 Council Meeting.
FISCAL IMPACT: There is no cost associated with the Committee assignment. There are no City funds
budgeted for engineering, plan development or trail construction at this time. Alternative resources would
be needed to act on the Committee recommendations.
OPTIONS: 1. Seat the Committee with the describe scope of work.
2. Modify the Committee scope of work assignment
ACTION REQUIRED: Approve Resolution
Encls.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL TO
APPROVE THE SAN RAFAEL RIDGE ACCESS COMMITTEE FORMATION AND
SCOPE OF WORK
WHEREAS, On December 1, 2008 the City Council approved the first reading of the Mt.
Tamalpais Cemetery (2500 Fifth Avenue) 50 -Year Master Plan and Prezoning of Three Contiguous
Properties for Annexation to the City of San Rafael (2450, 2452, 2468 Fifth Avenue) consisting of
requests for approval of a Mitigated Negative Declaration, Annexation/Prezoning, Master Use Permit and
Environmental and Design Review Permit; and
WHEREAS, The Master Use Permit does not memorialize public access to San Rafael Ridge
Open Space through Mt. Tamalpais Cemetery; and
WHEREAS, The City desires to determine alternative routes for bicycle and pedestrian off road
access to San Rafael Ridge and Open Space beyond from the Sun Valley Neighborhood; and;
WHEREAS, the City Council directed the formation of a committee of residents, staff, appointed
and elected officials to review the options for a trail and make recommendations on the preferred
resolution,
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL DOES RESOLVE TO
APPROVE THE San Rafael RIDGE ACCESS COMMITTEE FORMATION AND SCOPE OF WORK
I, Esther C. Beirne, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly
and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of San Rafael,
held on Monday, the 5'" of January, 2009, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Councilmembers
NOES: Councilmembers:
ABSENT: Councilmembers:
Esther C. Beirne, City Clerk