San Rafael Snapshot - March 17, 2016

Ritter Center Performance Report

At the regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Monday at 7 p.m., the City Council will consider the fifth performance report (completed every six months) covering Ritter Center’s compliance with their use permit in regards to client caseload, litter control and security/safety issues. The City Council will also review Ritter Center’s overall site operations and take public comments. Click here for the staff report.

City’s New Blog on Homelessness

Reducing homelessness and its impacts to our community is a major priority of the San Rafael City Council. The City of San Rafael recently launched a blog to share news and information about the work that is being done in this area. The blog includes updates as well as articles and occasional guest writings. Click here for more information on the City’s homelessness initiative. You can also sign up for e-notifications by entering your email and selecting the topic “Homelessness” at www.cityofsanrafael.org/enotify.

Freitas Parkway and Las Gallinas Intersection Improvement Project

Also at Monday’s meeting, the City Council will consider plans for the Freitas and Las Gallinas Intersection Improvement Project. The City has recently developed a plan to modify this intersection which includes providing sufficient space for bicycle travel through the intersection, lengthening the left turn pockets to provide additional capacity, removal of existing pedestrian islands, and adding video detection to the signals. Click here for the staff report.

Community Development Block Grant

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program provides grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to local governments for specified programs serving low income residents such as housing renovation, community facilities, capital improvements, and human service programs. At Monday’s City Council meeting, the Council will consider which projects to fund through the CDBG program. Click here for the staff report.

5150 Mental Health Holds

Also for the City Council’s consideration on Monday night is a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and the County to give the City’s Mental Health Outreach Provider the authority to make 5150 mental health determinations. 5150 refers to a section of the California Welfare and Institutions Code under which peace officers and other specified persons may determine that an individual, “as a result of a mental health disorder, is a danger to others, or to himself or herself, or gravely disabled,” and may, upon probable cause, detain that individual involuntarily for a period of up to 72-hours in a facility designated by the County, for assessment, evaluation, and crisis intervention, or placement for evaluation and treatment. Click here for the staff report.

New Fire Engines

At Monday’s 7 p.m. City Council meeting, the City Council will also consider authorizing the purchase of two new fire engines to replace two engines that are approaching the end of their recommended service lives. Due to the age and deteriorated condition of the engines, for safety reasons, it is suggested that the vehicles be removed from the fleet. The new engines have significant advantages over the older apparatus concerning firefighter safety, environmental compliance and efficiency, reliability and operational capability. The purchase of new engines will help ensure that our firefighters have the tools they need to keep our community safe. Click here for the staff report.

Multi-service center

For several years, stakeholders in Marin County have discussed the possibility of developing a Multi-Service Center (MSC) as part of a solution to homelessness. Marin Community Foundation funded the organization “HomeBase” to facilitate a process to determine whether an MSC is an appropriate solution in Marin County, and if so, what mix of housing and/or services an ideal MSC should include. Between November 2015 and February 2016, HomeBase performed a survey of key stakeholders, and facilitated a discussion about its findings and short, medium, and long-term goals. On Monday, March 21 at 6 p.m., the City Council will hold a study session to receive a presentation from Homebase on their research.

Public Safety Center Plan Review

Design plans for the new public safety center will be considered by the Design Review Board at its meeting on March 22. Following review by the DRB, the plans will eventually be considered by the Planning Commission and the City Council. Construction for the public safety center is estimated to begin in early 2017. Click here for more information on this project, visit or sign-up for email alerts (check the box for Public Safety Facility Improvements).

Little Free Libraries come to San Rafael

The Library has sponsored two “Little Free Libraries” in Downtown San Rafael to support the love of reading and learning in our community. With the help of Public Works, two vacant news racks have been repurposed as book lending libraries. The books are graciously donated by the Friends of the San Rafael Public Library and the book inventory will be maintained with the assistance of volunteers from Community Homes and Services. One of the libraries is in front of the Starbucks on 4th Street (at A Street) and the other is in front of Lundy’s on 4th Street (at B Street).

Resilient Neighborhoods Class

Want to be part of the Climate Solution? Take a Resilient Neighborhoods Class! In this 5 meeting series, you will learn about specific actions that you can take to both combat climate change and make your household and community more resilient. In a fun and supportive atmosphere, class participants will work together to reduce their carbon footprints by at least 5,000 pounds! The class will be held at the San Rafael Community Center from 7 to 9 p.m. on the following dates: April 5, April 19, May 3, May 17, and June 7. To participate in this class, you must have access to your utility bills and to a computer. To register please click here and select the “Youth and Adult” tab. For more information, visit our website or email us at resilientneighborhoods@gmail.com.

Last Council Meeting Recap

At the March 7 City Council meeting, the Council:

• Accepted an informational report on possible amendments to the smoking ordinance
• Discussed Community Development Block Grant project funding
• Authorized construction to install a queue cutter traffic signal system at SMART at-grade rail crossings
• Confirmed the City’s continued participation in the Marin County Major Crimes Task Force

EVENTS

Growing Edibles: Plan to Plot to Plate

Want to learn about growing edibles? Come to the Downtown Library on Friday, March 18 at 2 p.m. and hear about the preparation of planting beds and containers, selection of plant varieties including tomatoes, best watering practices and managing diseases and problems – lessons learned from a real garden! Click here for more information.

Astronomical Society Presentation

Travel back almost 5 billion years with Vivian White, of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, to discover how our Sun and planets formed. Join us at the Downtown Library on Thursday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. to see how today’s scientists are using clues from all over our Solar System and beyond to piece together our humble beginnings. Click here for more information.

Library Open Houses

In honor of National Library Week (April 10-16), we invite our San Rafael neighbors to join us at the San Rafael Libraries for our open houses. Both locations (Downtown and Pickleweed) are readying both the well-known and super-secret spots in the libraries for you, our neighbors! Come to one of our open houses before the library opens to see all of the behind-the-scenes work! Click here for more information.

• Downtown Library: Sunday, April 10 – noon-1pm
• Pickleweed Library: Saturday, April 16 – 10am-11am