San Rafael, California Development News
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Regular City Council Meeting 07/20/2026 at 6:00PM
Published: Jul 20, 2026
San Rafael Adopts New Traffic Calming Program Policy
The city council reviewed and adopted a Traffic Calming Program Policy aimed at addressing excessive speed and volume on residential streets. The policy establishes objective standards, definitions, and thresholds for traffic calming measures. The process involves a tiered approach: Tier 1 includes informational signage and striping, initiated by individual requests. Tier 2 (passive traffic calming) and Tier 3 (active traffic calming) require community support via a petition signed by a majority of affected households. These tiers may involve measures like speed humps, radar signs, and reduced speed limits, with careful consideration for emergency response times. Staff will design the petition process, incorporating community and legal review. The policy is intended to create a more objective and consistent approach to traffic calming requests, moving away from ad-hoc decisions.
San Rafael Moves Forward with 18 Additional Roadway Speed Limit Reductions
The city council reviewed and approved a proposal to reduce speed limits on 18 roadway segments outside of downtown San Rafael, as part of Phase 2 of the city's speed limit reduction initiative. These reductions, consistent with California Assembly Bill 43 (AB43), allow for a 5 mph decrease from the existing speed limits, provided the roadways meet specific criteria related to vulnerable roadway users, crash history, and measured travel speeds. Phase 1, which reduced downtown speeds to 20 mph, was implemented earlier. The new reductions are intended to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety by lowering the risk of severe injury or fatality in case of a collision. The ordinance requires a 30-day warning period before citations are issued. The proposal also addresses the need for ongoing traffic enforcement and effectiveness evaluation.
San Rafael Nominates Five Census Tracts for Federal Opportunity Zone Program
The city council nominated five census tracts for the Opportunity Zone 2.0 program, a federal tax incentive program designed to encourage investment in economically distressed areas. The IRS identified five eligible census tracts in San Rafael, including large areas in East San Rafael, west of Highway 580, and a portion of downtown. Staff recommended nominating all five tracks, prioritizing the largest track (1122.02) and the downtown tract for their alignment with city economic development and housing objectives. The nomination process is a once-a-decade opportunity. Separately, the council is addressing tenant protection strategies citywide, as existing protections tied to Opportunity Zone 1.0 are set to expire. Staff will bring recommendations for citywide tenant protection strategies to the council. The council voted 4-0 to nominate the five census tracts.
San Rafael Council to Consider 1% Real Property Transfer Tax Increase on November 2026 Ballot
The city council considered a resolution to place a measure on the November 2026 ballot to increase the real property transfer tax rate from $2 per thousand ($0.2%) to $10 per thousand (1%). This increase is projected to generate an additional $6 million per year for the general fund. The measure requires a simple majority vote to pass. Staff recommended this option over a public safety parcel tax, which would have required a two-thirds vote and generated less revenue. The increased revenue is intended to address unfunded needs such as infrastructure maintenance, public safety, and homelessness. The proposal includes an oversight provision and requires annual audits. The current real property transfer tax rate was originally adopted by the council in 1990. The proposal to increase the rate to 1% would still be lower than some other cities in California with similar taxes, but would be among the highest in the North Bay region. The city attorney clarified that due to Proposition 218, voter approval is required for this type of tax increase.
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