San Rafael Snapshot - January 14, 2016

City Council Meeting on Tuesday

Due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Holiday, the next City Council meeting will be on Tuesday, January 19 at 7 p.m. The City’s administrative offices in City Hall, the San Rafael Public Library, and the City’s community centers will be closed on Monday, January 18, in observance of the holiday. 24-hour operations will remain in effect for the Police and Fire Departments.

New Public Safety Facilities

On Tuesday, the City Council will hold a study session at 6 p.m. to discuss design options for the Essential Facilities Phase 1 projects. The study session will take place in the Community Development Conference Room at City Hall. For more information about this project, visit www.cityofsanrafael.org/facilities.

Plan Bay Area 2040

At the regular City Council meeting on Tuesday at 7 p.m., the City Council will receive an informational presentation by the Association of Bay Area Government (ABAG) staff on the Plan Bay Area 2040 Update--a regional plan addressing long-range growth and planning for the Bay Area. The presentation will be a summary of what will be covered in this plan update, as well as the process and schedule for the release of information and public input. When more detailed information on the plan update and projections are made available later this year, the City will be carefully reviewing this information, which will be formally presented at a future City Council meeting.

Update on SMART

One of our key priorities in 2016 will be to prepare for Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) with commercial operations slated to commence at the end of the year. On Tuesday evening, the Department of Public Works will provide the City Council an update on all current and future activities associated with SMART. Click here for the staff report and click here for general information about SMART in San Rafael.

Help with out-of-control adolescents

Offered by the San Rafael Police Department, Parent Project is a program designed to meet the specific needs of parents raising strong-willed or out-of-control adolescents. This 10-week, award-winning program begins Thursday, January 21 and covers such topics as: drug and alcohol use, running away, gang involvement, and poor school attendance. Parents of kids ages 11 – 18 are invited to learn how they can best influence their child’s choices through behavioral interventions that begin at home. The cost for this program is $100 and includes a workbook; a sliding scale is available and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Space is limited. For more information, or to sign up for the class, please call Rebecca Kuga, of the SRPD Youth Services Bureau at 415-485-3025.

Call for Applications

The City Council is seeking applicants to serve a term on the Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District Board (MSMVCD). The MSMVCD is committed to protecting the health and welfare of the communities we serve from mosquitoes and vector-borne disease. It is governed by a Board of Trustees and each member represents a city or county at large. Starting Wednesday, applications will be available at the City Clerk’s office in City Hall and online.

Energy and Water Efficiency Home Upgrades

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program providers make energy and water efficiency projects like solar, heating or air conditioning system replacements, windows, or the installation of an electric vehicle charging station, more affordable and accessible for businesses and homeowners. It is done through an innovative public-private financing partnership that allows you to pay back the financing through a line item on your property tax bill. The following programs are now operating in San Rafael:

• AllianceNRG
• CaliforniaFIRST
• California HERO
• FigTree
• YgreneWorks

Great for businesses, too! Find out how PACE can help you finance your next energy or water efficiency project.

Business of the Year Nominations

The San Rafael Chamber of Commerce is excited to once again recognize excellent San Rafael businesses at the annual State of the City Dinner. Be sure to nominate your favorite local business for Small, Large and Green Business of the Year. The deadline to submit nominations is Wednesday, February 17 (February 12 for Green Business of the Year). Please click here for the Large and Small Business of the Year nomination form, and here for the Joe Garbarino Green Business of the year form. Also, save the date for the upcoming State of the City Dinner on Thursday, March 3.

Rotary Home Team

The Rotary Club of Mission San Rafael provides free light home maintenance for San Rafael seniors and people with disabilities. Teams of Rotarians will replace light bulbs, install new CO2/smoke detectors, replace batteries in smoke alarms, unclog most drains, silence squeaky doors, reset blown fuses, trim bushes from front doors and perform other small repairs. To arrange a Rotary Home Team Visit please contact Leslie Klor at 415-456-9062 ext. 132 or Lklor@jtm-esc.org no later than noon on Friday, February 12. The next workday for the Home Team will be Saturday, February 20 from 9 a.m. to noon.

Last Council Meeting Recap

At the January 4 City Council meeting, the Council:

• Established maximum rates collected by Marin Sanitary Service for refuse and recyclable material collection and disposal services. Rates are set to increase by 5.71% over 2015 levels.
• Established permit provisions and performance standard requirements to allow for junior second units.
• Elected Kate Colin as the new Vice-Mayor for 2016. Congratulations Kate!
• Approved new City Council Committee Appointments for 2016.

EVENTS

ACT Practice Test

In coordination with C2 education, the San Rafael Public Library will offer a series of free seminars and workshops designed to explain, explore, and prepare today’s students for the testing and essay writing features of the college admission process. On Saturday, January 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., students can take a free ACT Practice Test in the Library Meeting Room, 1100 E Street, San Rafael.

Color Me Calm

Coloring isn’t just for kids…it’s relaxing and fun for adults, too! And, not only is it a de-stressor, it also stimulates the brain. Drop-in at the Downtown Library every 2nd Thursday night starting at 6:30 p.m., and every 4th Wednesday afternoon, starting at 2 p.m. for music and coloring. We’ll provide a variety of coloring sheets and colored pencils, but feel free to bring your own favorite supplies. The next coloring session is Wednesday, January 27 at 2 p.m.

San Rafael Chamber GreenBrief

On Wednesday, January 27 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., join the San Rafael Chamber of Commerce at the San Rafael Corporate Center, 750 Lindaro Street, for a free GreenBrief on Building Value. Marin’s top building performance professionals will share their expertise in a lively discussion with the business community and others on how to reduce the 47% of San Rafael’s greenhouse gases that emanate from buildings. Discussion topics to include LEED certification, energy retrofits and renewables, energy financing, and public incentives. Click here for more information or to RSVP.