San Rafael City Council
March 6, 2023

AGENDA
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL - MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2023
REGULAR MEETING AT 7:00 P.M.

In-Person:

San Rafael City Council Chambers
1400 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901
Participate Virtually:

Watch on Zoom Webinar: https://tinyurl.com/CC-2023-03-06 Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/cityofsanrafael
Listen by phone: (669) 444-9171
ID: 842 3259 1851
One Tap Mobile: +16694449171,,84232591851#
This meeting will be held in-person. The public may attend in-person or participate virtually using Zoom.

This meeting is being streamed to YouTube at www.youtube.com/cityofsanrafael.

How to participate in the meeting virtually:
• Submit public comment in writing before 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to [email protected].
• Join the Zoom webinar and use the 'raise hand' feature to provide verbal public comment. • Dial-in to Zoom's telephone number using the meeting ID and press *9 to raise your hand, and *6 to unmute yourself, then provide verbal public comment.

If you experience technical difficulties during the meeting, please contact [email protected].

OPEN SESSION

1. None.

CLOSED SESSION

2. None.

OPEN TIME FOR PUBLIC EXPRESSION
The public is welcome to address the City Council at this time on matters not on the agenda that are within its jurisdiction. Please be advised that pursuant to Government Code Section 54954.2, the City Council is not permitted to discuss or take action on any matter not on the agenda unless it determines that an emergency exists, or that there is a need to take immediate action which arose following posting of the agenda. Comments may be no longer than two minutes and should be respectful to the community.

CITY MANAGER AND COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS:
(including AB 1234 Reports on Meetings and Conferences Attended at City Expense)

3. City Manager and Councilmember Reports:

CONSENT CALENDAR:

The opportunity for public comment on consent calendar items will occur prior to the City Council’s vote on the Consent Calendar. The City Council may approve the entire consent calendar with one action. In the alternative, items on the Consent Calendar may be removed by any City Council or staff member, for separate discussion and vote.
2 4. Consent Calendar Items:
a. Approval of Minutes
Approve Minutes of the City Council Meeting of February 21, 2023 (CC) Recommended Action - Approve minutes as submitted
b. Voter-Approved Tax Oversight
Voter-Approved Tax Oversight Committee (VATOC) Annual Report (Fin) Recommended Action – Accept report
c. Termination of COVID-19 Local Emergency
Resolution Terminating the COVID-19 State of Local Emergency (FD) Recommended Action – Adopt Resolution

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

5. Special Presentations:
a. Presentation of Proclamation Supporting Women’s History Month (CC)

OTHER AGENDA ITEMS

6. Other Agenda Items:
a. Informational Report on Wildfire Prevention Efforts in the MWPA San Rafael Zone Informational Report on the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority Work Plan Projects for the Fiscal Years 2022-23 and 2023-24 (FD)
Recommended Action – Accept report
b. Camping at Albert Park
Resolution Prohibiting Camping on Certain Public Property: Albert Park (CD/CA) Recommended Action – Adopt Resolution
SAN RAFAEL SUCCESSOR AGENCY:

1. Consent Calendar: None.

ADJOURNMENT:

Any records relating to an agenda item, received by a majority or more of the Council less than 72 hours before the meeting, shall be available for inspection online and at City Hall, 1400 Fifth Avenue, and placed with other agenda-related materials on the table in front of the Council Chamber prior to the meeting. Sign Language interpreters may be requested by calling (415) 485-3066 (voice), emailing [email protected] or using the California 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/.

Minutes subject to approval at the March 6, 2023 City Council Meeting

MINUTES
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL - TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2023
REGULAR MEETING AT 7:00 P.M.

In-Person:

San Rafael City Council Chambers
1400 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901
Participate Virtually:

Watch on Zoom Webinar: https://tinyurl.com/cc-2023-02-21 Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/cityofsanrafael
Listen by phone: (669) 444-9171
ID: 844 3204 9611
One Tap Mobile: US: +16694449171,,84432049611#
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) ADVISORY NOTICE
In response to Assembly Bill 361, the City of San Rafael is offering teleconference without complying with the procedural requirements of Government Code section 54953(b)(3). This meeting will be held inperson, virtually using Zoom and is being streamed to YouTube at www.youtube.com/cityofsanrafael.

How to participate in the meeting in-person:
• Stay home if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
• Face coverings are recommended for attendees.
• Attendance will be limited to 50 percent of room capacity (no more than 90 persons) and all inperson attendees should socially distance as recommended by public health authorities. If the Chambers are 50% occupied, please participate online instead or utilize the audio feed in the lobby.
• All attendees are encouraged to be fully vaccinated.

How to participate in the meeting virtually:
• Submit public comment in writing before 4:00 p.m. the day of the meeting to [email protected].
• Join the Zoom webinar and use the 'raise hand' feature to provide verbal public comment. • Dial-in to Zoom's telephone number using the meeting ID and press *9 to raise your hand, and *6 to unmute yourself, then provide verbal public comment.

If you experience technical difficulties during the meeting, please contact [email protected].

Present: Councilmember Bushey
Councilmember Hill
Councilmember Kertz
Vice Mayor Llorens Gulati
Mayor Kate

Absent: None
Also Present: City Manager Jim Schutz
City Attorney Rob Epstein
City Clerk Lindsay Lara

OPEN SESSION

1. None.
2 CLOSED SESSION

2. None.

Mayor Kate called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. and invited City Clerk Lindsay Lara to call the roll. All members of the City Council were present.

Mayor Kate provided opening remarks, which included gratitude to staff, the one-year anniversary of the Ukrainian Russian conflict, the earthquakes in Turkey, a CDC report on mental health, the shooting down of weather balloons, gratitude to the community and a land acknowledgment. She invited City Attorney Rob Epstein to provide a report on last year’s police incident.

City Clerk Lindsay Lara informed the community that the in-person meeting would also be recorded and streamed live to YouTube and through Zoom, and members of the public would provide public comment either on the telephone or through Zoom. She explained the process for community participation on the telephone, through Zoom and in-person.

OPEN TIME FOR PUBLIC EXPRESSION
• Carey MacCarthy addressed the City Council regarding a loud noise and vibration complaint. • Salamah Locks, Age-Friendly Marin, addressed the City Council regarding City Attorney Rob Epstein’s report and on the Age-Friendly Celebration held on Sunday, February 19. • Al Vetere addressed the City Council regarding City Council purview, a San Rafael General Plan progress report update, as well as law enforcement and the public’s behavior in San Rafael.
• Amy Likover addressed the Council regarding commenting on a Consent Calendar item. • Eva Chrysanthe addressed Council regarding the City Attorney’s comments, other public comment and her correspondence with the City.
• Samantha Ramirez addressed the City Council regarding last year’s police incident.

CITY MANAGER AND COUNCILMEMBER REPORTS:
(including AB 1234 Reports on Meetings and Conferences Attended at City Expense)

3. City Manager and Councilmember Reports:

City Manager announced:
• Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) conversation (including project plan and budget for new fiscal year) at the March 6th City Council meeting. • Annual progress report on General Plan 2040 and Housing Element at the March 20th City Council meeting.

City Councilmember Reports:
• Vice Mayor Llorens Gulati reported on Policing in our Community and Marin Clean Energy (MCE) meetings. She met with PG&E regarding the lighting project in the Canal. • Councilmember Hill attended the memorial for Battalion Chief Paul Crimmins at the Marinwood Community Center.
• Councilmember Kertz reported on a Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) board meeting. She attended the Age-Friendly Celebration and expressed gratitude to staff for the event.
• Councilmember Bushey reported on a San Rafael Public Library Foundation board meeting and noted a first draft of a video presentation on the role of libraries in San Rafael. She attended a Resource Recovery Coalition of California event. She reported 3 on a Central Marin Sanitation Agency board meeting and noted the new, five-year financial plan.
• Mayor Kate reported on a SMART meeting and noted its newly established Citizens Oversight Committee. Also, she reported on an Economic Development Subcommittee report.

Mayor Kate invited public comment.

Speakers: Lori Schifrin, Eva Chrysanthe
CONSENT CALENDAR:

Mayor Kate invited public comment.

Speaker: Amy Likover
City Attorney Rob Epstein responded to public comment.

Councilmember Bushey moved and Councilmember Kertz seconded to approve the Consent Calendar.

4. Consent Calendar Items:
a. Approval of Minutes
Approve Minutes of the City Council Special Meetings of January 30, 2023 and February 2, 2023 and the City Council Regular Meeting of February 6, 2023 (CC) Approved minutes as submitted
b. Use of Teleconferencing for Public Meetings During State of Emergency Resolution Pursuant to Assembly Bill 361 Making Findings and Confirming the Need for the Use or Continued Use of Teleconferencing to Hold Public Meetings of the City’s Legislative Bodies During the Continuing State of Emergency Relating to the COVID-19 Pandemic (CA)
Resolution 15190 - Resolution Pursuant to Assembly Bill 361 Making Findings and Confirming the Need for the Use or Continued Use of Teleconferencing to Hold Public Meetings of the City’s Legislative Bodies During the Continuing State of Emergency Relating to the COVID-19 Pandemic
c. Vacancies on San Rafael Boards and Commissions
Announcement of Vacancies on the Fire Commission, Planning Commission and Pickleweed Advisory Committee (CC)
Received and filed
d. Pickleweed Advisory Committee Appointment
Reappoint Janet Tanchez to Fill One Four-Year Term to the End of December 2026 on the Pickleweed Advisory Committee Due to the Expiration of Term of Janet Tanchez (CC) Approved Appointment
e. Report on 2022 Fire Prevention Inspections of Certain Occupancies Resolution Acknowledging Receipt of a Report Made by the Fire Chief Regarding the 2022 Annual Fire Department Inspection of Certain Occupancies Pursuant to Section 13146.4 of the California Health and Safety Code (FD)
4 Resolution 15191 - Resolution Acknowledging Receipt of a Report Made by the Fire Chief Regarding the 2022 Annual Fire Department Inspection of Certain Occupancies Pursuant to Section 13146.4 of the California Health and Safety Code f. The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act Resolution Opposing the Proposed Ballot Measure: The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act (CM)
Resolution 15192 - Resolution Opposing the Proposed Ballot Measure: The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act
AYES: Councilmembers: Bushey, Hill, Kertz, Llorens Gulati & Mayor Kate NOES: Councilmembers: None
ABSENT: Councilmembers: None

OTHER AGENDA ITEMS

5. Other Agenda Items:
a. Citywide Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update
Report on the Progress of the Citywide Parks & Recreation Master Plan (LR) Catherine Quffa, Library & Recreation Director introduced Lauren Ivey-Thomas, RHAA Landscape Architects who presented the Staff Report.

Staff responded to questions from Councilmembers.

Speakers: Al Vetere, Amy Likover, Eva Chrysanthe
Staff responded to public comment.

Councilmembers provided comments.

Councilmember Llorens Gulati moved and Councilmember Kertz seconded to accept the report.

AYES: Councilmembers: Bushey, Hill, Kertz, Llorens Gulati & Mayor Kate NOES: Councilmembers: None
ABSENT: Councilmembers: None
Accepted report
b. Boards, Commissions & Committees Rules and Procedures Update Update on Boards, Commissions & Committees Rules and Procedures and Provide Feedback on an Annual Appointment Process (CC)
Lindsay Lara, City Clerk presented the Staff Report.

Staff responded to questions from Councilmembers.

Speakers: Al Vetere, Eva Chrysanthe
Staff responded to public comment.
5 Councilmembers provided comments.

Councilmember Bushey moved and Councilmember Kertz seconded to accept the report.

AYES: Councilmembers: Bushey, Hill, Kertz, Llorens Gulati & Mayor Kate NOES: Councilmembers: None
ABSENT: Councilmembers: None
Accepted report
SAN RAFAEL SUCCESSOR AGENCY:

1. Consent Calendar: None.

ADJOURNMENT:

Mayor Kate adjourned the meeting at 9:23 p.m., in honor of Battalion Chief Paul Crimmins. ___________________________
LINDSAY LARA, City Clerk
APPROVED THIS _____DAY OF____________, 2023
_____________________________________
KATE COLIN, Mayor
.
____________________________________________________________________________________

FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: _______________________
Disposition: ___________________________
Agenda Item No: 4.b
Meeting Date: March 6, 2023

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Finance
Prepared by: Claire Coleman
Senior Management Analyst
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: VOTER-APPROVED TAX OVERSIGHT
SUBJECT: VOTER-APPROVED TAX OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE (VATOC) ANNUAL REPORT RECOMMENDATION:

Accept the Voter-Approved Tax Oversight Committee (VATOC) Annual Report as presented.

BACKGROUND
The Voter-Approved Tax Oversight Committee was formed in September 2022 to consolidate oversight of the City’s voter-approved tax measures into one five-member committee. Members were interviewed and appointed to the Committee in late 2022. The committee provides independent oversight of all San Rafael voter-approved tax measures, Measures D, E, G, and R, to ensure the funds have been expended in accordance with the authorized purposes, and to prepare and submit to the City Council an annual report on the expenditures and revenues from each tax measure’s revenue from the previous fiscal year.

ANALYSIS
Measure D: Library Parcel Tax
In 2016, San Rafael voters renewed an annual parcel tax to fund opening hours and services for the San Rafael Public Library. As a special-purpose tax, the revenues from Measure D can only be spent for library services in San Rafael to staff, provide, and maintain hours of operation, services, equipment, programs and materials at the San Rafael Public Library. Measure D is scheduled to expire in 2027.

The audited financial statements for FY 2021-22 show Measure D revenues of $1,110,180, expenditures of $1,162,494 and an ending fund balance of $788,903. An overview of the Measure D expenditures can be found in Attachment 2. The accumulation of fund balance is a result of two primary factors over the life of the tax: vacant staff positions funded by the Parcel Tax, and the growth of small amounts being underspent in various line items over the life of the tax.

The final audited capital set-aside fund balance was $170,745. This capital set-aside was earmarked for new and improved library facilities as directed by the City Council as part of the previous Measure C and was capped at $500,000. The Measure C funds were utilized in the Albert Park Joint Library and Community Center conceptual design process, as well as surveys and an educational campaign to explore funding options for building a new library.

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
Measure R: Transactions and Use Tax (0.25%)
Measure R was passed in 2020 by San Rafael voters. Measure R is a general purpose transactions and use tax, often referred to as a local sales tax. Funds from this measure go to the General Fund and support a variety of City operations, including public works, recreation and library, administrative services, and public safety. Measure R is scheduled to expire in 2030. FY 2021-22 was the first full fiscal year of Measure R tax receipts, during which $4,778,951 of revenues were received.

Measure E: Essential Facilities Transactions and Use Tax (0.75%) San Rafael voters passed Measure E in 2013. Measure E is a general purpose transactions and use tax that was directed towards supporting essential facilities in San Rafael, including making critical improvements to our public safety facilities in San Rafael. Construction of the Public Safety Center was completed in 2020, and a variety of other facility construction and improvements are underway. Measure E is scheduled to expire in 2034.

During FY 2021-2022, a total of $14,828,804 of Measure E funds were collected by the City. Per direction from City Council given to staff in early 2014, one-third of Measure E funds are dedicated to supporting essential facility construction and improvements, net of debt service. A total of $714,885 was assigned to the Public Safety Facilities Fund this fiscal year.

Measure G: Cannabis Business Tax
In 2018, San Rafael voters approved Measure G, a business excise tax on cannabis businesses.

Measure G allows for a tax on cannabis businesses operating in the City of up to 8% on gross receipts, and taxes different types of businesses at different rates. Current rates can be found on the City’s website.

Measure G funds can be used for a variety of purposes, including police and fire services, street repair and improvements, and enhancing community centers. Measure G does not have an expiration date.

During FY 2021-2022, $557,407 of Measure G business tax proceeds were received and $151,754 were expended. An overview of those expenditures can be found in Attachment 2. On January 27, 2023, the San Rafael City Council committed the majority of the existing fund balance of $968,251 to support the pilot Alternative Response Team (ART), beginning in FY 2022-23.

Further detail about all of the voter-approved tax measures, as well as the City’s fiscal health, can be found in the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report available on the City’s website.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact associated with accepting this report.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Accept the Voter-Approved Tax Oversight Committee (VATOC) annual report for FY 2021-22.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Annual Report
City of San Rafael
Voter-Approved Tax Oversight Committee (VATOC)
Annual Report
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The City of San Rafael Voter-Approved Tax Oversight Committee met on /%. / S. 2023, and received a detailed report from City of San Rafael staff on the receipt and expenditure of funds during the fiscal year July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022 pursuant to voter-approved Measure D (Library Parcel Tax), Measure E (Essential Facilities Transactions and Use Tax), Measure R (General Purpose Transactions and Use Tax), and Measure G (Cannabis Business Tax).

Voter-Approved Tax Oversight Committee is required to review the collection, expenditure, and prioritization of the use of these funds, and report to the City Council and the community annually on the expenditures under Guidelines and Policy adopted by the San Rafael City Council.

After review, the Voter-Approved Tax Oversight Committee finds that these funds were properly allocated in accordance with the Measures and approved guidelines.

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____________________________________________________________________________________

FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting:

Disposition:

Agenda Item No: 4.c
Meeting Date: March 06, 2023

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Fire Department
Prepared by: Richard Diaz
Community Disaster Preparedness Coordinator
City Manager Approval: _________
TOPIC: TERMINATION OF COVID-19 LOCAL EMERGENCY
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL TERMINATING THE COVID-19

STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY
RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution terminating the COVID-19 state of local emergency.

BACKGROUND:

On March 10, 2020 the City of San Rafael City Manager in his role as the Director of Emergency Services, per San Rafael Municipal Code 7.12.020, proclaimed a state of emergency to help better prepare for and respond to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The City Council thereafter, on March 17, 2020, ratified and confirmed the City Manager’s proclamation of the state of local emergency.

The state of local emergency allowed the City to, among other things, streamline communication, increase coordination/collaboration among City and County staff, and access different sources of funding. The City Manager/Director of Emergency Services was the authorized City representative for purpose of receipt, processing, and coordination of all inquiries and requirements necessary to obtain available state and federal assistance. These powers allowed more flexible decision making to address urgent needs. Further, this proclamation served as a vehicle to meet the criteria for state/federal disaster funding/reimbursements.

In the three years since the Federal government, the State of California and the County of Marin declared a national, state and county-level emergency, respectively, much has been implemented and achieved in a collaborative effort to keep communities better informed, more resilient, and safer from future communitywide infections that may lead to another COVID-19 outbreak. In view of these outcomes and following guidance from public health experts and government stakeholders, the Federal government, the State of California, and the County of Marin are taking steps to officially end the COVID-19 state of emergency. Governor Newsom ended the COVID-19 State of Emergency on February 28, 2023.

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
ANALYSIS:

The City of San Rafael has been a strategic partner in the County’s COVID-19 response through close collaboration with the County’s Health and Human Services Department and community stakeholders.

Through these partnerships, San Rafael residents have benefited from safer health conditions and gained access to more protective measures to address future COVID-19 infections. The health and safety needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic are now deemed to be within the control of the normal protective services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of and within the City of San Rafael. As a result, staff recommend that the City end the COVID-19 State of Local Emergency.

Staff would like to highlight some of the critical response activities since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that contributed to achieving positive community outcomes for the San Rafael community.

Here are some examples:
• The City operated a virtual Emergency Operations Center (EOC) throughout the pandemic and maintained all essential emergency services, including routine emergency response and incident response to multiple hazardous events such as floods, power shut-offs, etc. • The City Council approved a COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan in June 2020 highlighting the anticipated fiscal impacts of the pandemic and recovery strategies. • Economic Development provided EOC COVID-19 business support during the pandemic, including administering the San Rafael Small Business Disaster Grant program, providing ongoing updates on reopening milestones, vaccine information, and access to capital and federal, state local relief programs.
• The City developed programs that helped businesses adapt to COVID-19 reopening protocols including curbside pick-up, parklets/outdoor dining opportunities, consumer health and safety compliance signage. The City also developed such programs to assist community members such as on-line permits, on-line permitting chat (“virtual public counter”), curbside pick-up at libraries, etc.
• The Library and Recreation Department created an array of virtual programming including story time and other age-appropriate programs using Facebook Live, YouTube, and Zoom (“virtual community center”).
• The Library and Recreation Department partnered with the Marin County Office of Education to provide essential Learning Hubs to San Rafael students in elementary though high school at the Albert J. Boro and San Rafael Community Centers.
• The City approved expenditures on non-personnel COVID-19 response operations, including sourcing and distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE). • The City narrowed the digital equity gap in San Rafael through the development of the Canal Wi-Fi Network in collaboration with the County of Marin, San Rafael City Schools, and Canal Alliance to provide free access to the internet.
• The City's childcare program provided childcare for essential workers through a partnership with the County of Marin, the YMCA, Community Action Marin, and the Marin County Office of Education.
• The City partnered with the SF Marin Food Bank to utilize the Albert J. Boro Community Center as a weekly food distribution site.
• The City Council adopted an urgency ordinance enacting a temporary moratorium on rent increase for tenants residing in certain residential units in areas most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
• The City participated in the disbursement of COVID-19 rental assistance to community members at risk of eviction due to COVID-19-related restrictions and job losses. • The City provided resources to minimize impact on people experiencing homelessness, including showers, hand washing stations, portable toilets, mobile testing, and mask distribution. • The City adjusted budget expenditures and sought new revenue streams to maintain short- and long-term fiscal health.
• The City developed and implemented remote work practices to assure City services continued while reducing risk to staff and the public.
• All City Council meetings were streamed live on YouTube and the hybrid format has been continued allowing both in person and virtual participation. • Code Enforcement completed approximately several hundred Covid-related compliance inspections.
• The Sustainability and Volunteer program created an older adult COVID-19 wellness check program co-implemented with the Library and Childcare that was used as a model by the State to develop their Social Bridging program.
• In coordination with local partners, establishment of a COVID-19 Canal Working Group and a San Rafael-specific Community Response Team (CRT) to reach underserved/underrepresented community members.
• In coordination with local partners, strategic mobilization of community volunteers who supported efforts in food distribution, testing, and vaccination centers and promoted neighborto-neighbor preparedness. • In coordination with local partners, ongoing strategic pop-up testing and vaccination sites, including as street closures, established throughout the city to support immunity levels in the community.
• In coordination with local partners, ongoing communication campaign to educate community residents on emerging COVID-19 variants and how to remain protected, including the regular “San Rafael is Resilient” e-newsletters.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no fiscal impact associated with this item. COVID-19 funding sources for which the City has been eligible are ending due to the termination of the Federal and State emergency declarations.

OPTIONS:

The City Council has the following options to consider on this matter:

1. Adopt the resolution.

2. Do not adopt the resolution.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Adopt a Resolution terminating the COVID-19 state of local emergency.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Resolution
RESOLUTION NO.

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL TERMINATING THE COVID-19 STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY
WHEREAS, a local emergency presently exists in the City of San Rafael, in accordance with the proclamation issued by the director of Emergency Services for the City of San Rafael on March 10, 2020, ratified by Resolution of the City Council on March 17, 2020, as a result of conditions of extreme peril to the safety of the community due to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic; and,
WHEREAS, the situation resulting from said conditions of extreme peril are now deemed to be within the control of the normal protective services, personnel, equipment, and facilities of and within the City of San Rafael.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY PROCLAIMED that the City of San Rafael City Council does hereby proclaim the termination of the COVID-19 state of local emergency, effective March 7, 2023.

I, LINDSAY LARA, 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 6th day of March 2023, by the following vote, to wit:

AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:
____________________
Lindsay Lara, City Clerk
Agenda Item 5.a

PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL

PROCLAIMING THE MONTH-LONG CELEBRATION OF
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH IN MARCH
WHEREAS, Each year, Women’s History Month offers an important opportunity for us to shine a light on the extraordinary legacy of trailblazing American women and girls who have built, shaped, and improved upon our nation; and WHEREAS, throughout history, extraordinary women have made significant contributions to the growth and strength of our city, state, and nation in countless ways; and WHEREAS, through leadership, innovation, and ingenuity, generations of women have made significant contributions in science, medicine, technology, business, politics, entrepreneurship, and arts and culture; and
WHEREAS, women have been leaders in securing their own rights of suffrage and equal opportunity; and in the abolitionist, emancipation, industrial labor, civil rights, and peace movements, creating a more fair and just society for all; and WHEREAS, whether serving in elected positions across America, leading groundbreaking civil rights movements, venturing into unknown frontiers, or programming revolutionary technologies, generations of women that knew their gender was no obstacle to what they could accomplish have long stirred new ideas and opened new doors, having a profound and positive impact on our community; and
WHEREAS, despite their contributions, the role of women in history has been consistently overlooked and undervalued in literature, education, and culture; and WHEREAS, this month, we celebrate countless pioneering women and their victories, and we continue our work to build a society where all children have equal possibilities.

NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of San Rafael Hereby Proclaims the month of March 2023 as Women’s History Month and recognizes the many accomplishments women have historically achieved and the many ongoing contributions they make to our society and our local community across Marin County and San Rafael.

Kate Colin
Mayor
____________________________________________________________________________________

FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: _______________________
Disposition: ___________________________
Agenda Item No: 6.a
Meeting Date: March 6, 2023

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Fire
Prepared by: Quinn Gardner, Deputy Director of
Emergency Management
Kate Anderson, Hazard Mitigation Coordinator
Manny Albano, Defensible Space Program Manager
City Manager Approval: _________
TOPIC: INFORMATIONAL REPORT ON WILDFIRE PREVENTION EFFORTS IN THE MWPA

SAN RAFAEL ZONE
SUBJECT: INFORMATIONAL REPORT ON THE MARIN WILDFIRE PREVENTION AUTHORITY WORK PLAN PROJECTS FOR THE FISCAL YEARS 2022-23 AND 2023-24 RECOMMENDATION:

Accept the informational report on the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority work plan projects for fiscal years 2022-23 and draft project list for fiscal year 2023-24 and provide feedback to staff.

BACKGROUND:

In March of 2020, Marin County voters approved Measure C, a parcel tax to fund wildfire prevention efforts in Marin County. Measure C established and funds the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) through a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA). The MWPA consists of 17 Marin County agencies and is tasked with improving wildfire safety for all of Marin residents, businesses and visitors. In June of each year, the MWPA Board approves a work plan for the upcoming fiscal year. Prior to Board approval, the work plan is developed and approved by the Advisory Technical Committee and Operations Committee.

In the first year of the MWPA, a Board of Directors and multiple Committees were established to help discuss, develop, and approve the proposed work plan projects and distribute the annual MWPA budget of approximately $20 million. The Board of Directors includes an elected official from each of the 17 participating agencies. The committees include an Advisory/Technical Committee (ATC) to provide expert advice and recommendations regarding the development and implementation of MWPA programs and an Operations Committee that includes fire chiefs and city managers who are responsible for creating the recommended annual budget and help guide the overall approach to the work plan development.

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
Each year starting in December, the work plan development begins for the following fiscal year. The project proposals are discussed multiple times at meetings of the ATC and Operations Committee before receiving approval from the Board of Directors in June. The six months of development may include multiple revisions of project scope and budget and continued coordination and planning with non-MWPA member partners.

In 2021, the MWPA developed a specific mission, vision, and goals to help guide project planning and work plan development. The mission is to support the creation of fire adapted communities through five main project areas. They include: Vegetation Management and Local Wildfire Development; Wildfire Detection, Alert, Notification, and Evacuation Improvements; Grants and Partnerships; Public Outreach and Education; and Defensible Space Evaluations and Home Hardening.

Per the JPA agreement, MWPA funding is divided into three main buckets: Core projects by Zone (60%), Defensible Space (20%), and Local Projects (20%). Local projects are at the discretion of and directly benefit the member agency. For the City of San Rafael, the Defensible Space Program is committed to adapting private parcels through home hardening and defensible space as defined in the San Rafael Municipal Code (SRMC) Chapter 4.12 citywide vegetation standards. Core projects impact the entire San Rafael Zone, including unincorporated San Rafael and Marinwood Community Services District, and are often completed in collaboration with other landowning partners.

To date, San Rafael has submitted three work plans and is in the process of developing the work plan for the fiscal year 2023-24. In developing the City’s annual work plan, staff utilize the San Rafael Wildfire Prevention and Protection Action Plan (WPPAP) and the Marin County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) as guides.

To implement the work plans effectively, San Rafael has prioritized and invested in staffing to accomplish a high volume of work early in the lifespan of the tax measure. Staffing accounts for approximately 40% of San Rafael’s annual MWPA work plan budget and has allowed for a robust effort in accomplishing defensible space evaluations for residents, implementing vegetation management projects, providing community education and outreach, and facilitating and managing resident direct assistance. As an early adopter of investing in staff, San Rafael has become a leader in project development and implementation, manages an effective and responsive defensible space inspection program, and facilitates multiple assistance programs for residents.

Over half of the staff costs associated with the MWPA are in direct support of the Defensible Space Program, which by MWPA design is required to be at least 20% of the MWPA budget. The Defensible Space Program consists of a Program Manager, six full time positions and up to twelve seasonal hires dedicated to individual property evaluations and one-on-one resident education. These staff have been essential to implementing the updated city-wide vegetation standards. Since ordinance adoption, per City Council’s direction, staff have taken a primarily educational approach throughout the city, allowing the community to adjust to the new ordinance. Since April 2021, the Wildfire team has conducted 27,322 defensible space inspections.

Adapting San Rafael and Marin County to wildfire takes a multi-faceted approach which is reflected in the diverse projects funded by the MWPA. These include efforts to educate and prepare residents before incidents occur, prevent incidents from occurring, and minimize the impact of incidents that may occur.

All of the City’s efforts are aimed at reducing the risk wildfire poses to our residents, visitors, and businesses in an equitable, sustainable and ecologically sound way.

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
ANALYSIS:

The adopted 2022-2023 MWPA Work Plan outlines a whole community fire-adapted approach that includes improvement to evacuation routes, open space fuel reduction, public education, defensible space and home hardening, ignition reduction, early detection, alert and warning, and numerous other projects. The WPPAP has continued to serve as a guiding document to develop projects for MWPA funding. A summary of the 2022-23 work plan and the associated MWPA goals is provided below.

MWPA 2022-23 San Rafael Workplan Projects
Project Name
Funding
Source MWPA Goal Budget Status
China Camp LRAD
Emergency Notification
System Core Detection, Notification, Evacuation $150,000 Postponed Debris Disposal Core
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $40,000 In progress
Direct Resident
Assistance Core Grant Management $336,242 Ongoing
Educational
Landscaping Core
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $85,000 Completed
Evacuation Route
Vegetation Management Core
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $75,000 Completed
Fire Road Vegetation
Clearance Core
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $150,000 Ongoing
Open Space Defensible
Space Fuel Reduction Core
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $200,000 Ongoing
Prescribed Herbivory Core
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $200,000 Ongoing
Public Education,
Outreach, and
Engagement Core Public Education $125,000 In progress
Ridgewood Shaded Fuel
Break Planning Core
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $100,000 In progress
*South San Pedro Fuel
Reduction Core
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $95,533 Ongoing
*South San Rafael Hill
Fuel Reduction Core
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $57,663 Completed
Vegetation Project
Management Staff Core
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $350,000
Funded
Salaries
West San Pedro Fuel
Reduction Core
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $75,000 Not Started
Defensible Space
Program
Defensible
Space
Defensible space and Home
Hardening $969,010
Funded
Salaries
Cal Fire Forest Health
Grant Local Grant Management $100,000 Not Funded
Landscape Restoration Local
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $200,000 In progress
Management Staff Local
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $96,000
Funded
Salaries
Mitigation and
Preparedness Staff Local
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $60,000
Funded
Salaries
*Parking Boxes Local Detection, Notification, Evacuation $92,000 Ongoing Police Rangers for
Ignition Reduction Local
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $350,000
Funded
Salaries
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 4
Project Name
Funding
Source MWPA Goal Budget Status
Small and Responsive
Projects Local
Vegetation Management and Fire
Hazard Reduction $163,000 In progress
*Projects rolled over from the 2021-22 workplan.
**Cumulative project costs over multiple workplans
MWPA Goal Allocated Funding Percent of Total
Defensible space and Home Hardening $969,010 24%
Detection, Notification, Evacuation $317,000 8%
Grant Management $436,242 11%
Public Education $125,000 3%
Vegetation Management and Fire Hazard Reduction $1,366,196 33% Wildfire Mitigation Team Staff $856,000 21%
Total $4,069,448
Throughout the project development and implementation phases, project budgets and timelines may need to be adjusted. With the approval of the MWPA Board, staff will reallocate funding from one project to another within the same funding bucket and zone. In some cases, projects such as the long-range acoustical device (LRAD) alert system installation proposed in the 2022-23 work plan, are deferred to future years due to unforeseen delays such as environmental compliance or partner scheduling.

Provided below are the draft project proposals for the 2023-24 work plan. Budgets provided are only an estimate and will be adjusted based on total funding available. They are provided to help provide scale and prioritization context. These projects and budget estimates are still subject to the review of the Advisory Technical Committee, Operations Committee, and MWPA Board. All physical projects that have a direct impact on the environment will be subject to an environmental review prior to implementation.

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 5
MWPA 2023-24 San Rafael Workplan Projects
Project Name
Funding
Source MWPA Goal Budget Status
Direct Residence Assistance Core Grant Management $250,000 Ongoing Educational Landscaping Core Public Education $50,000 New Site Evacuation Route Vegetation
Clearance Core Detection, Notification, Evacuation $100,000 Ongoing Fire Road Vegetation Clearance Core Vegetation Management and Fire Hazard Reduction $200,000 Ongoing
Open Space Defensible Space
Fuel Reduction Core Vegetation Management and Fire Hazard Reduction $150,000 Ongoing Prescribed Herbivory Core Vegetation Management and
Fire Hazard Reduction $250,000 Ongoing
Public Education, Outreach and
Engagement Core Public Education $100,000 Ongoing
Ridgewood Shaded Fuel Break
Implementation Core Vegetation Management and Fire Hazard Reduction $500,000 New Vegetation and Project
Management Staff Core Wildfire Mitigation Team Staff $350,000 Ongoing Defensible Space Program Defensible
Space
Defensible space and Home
Hardening $969,010 Ongoing
Management Staff Local Wildfire Mitigation Team Staff $96,000 Ongoing Marinwood Fuel Reduction Local Vegetation Management and Fire Hazard Reduction $65,000 Ongoing
Mitigation and Preparedness
Staff Local Wildfire Mitigation Team Staff $60,000 Ongoing Parking Boxes Local Detection, Notification,
Evacuation $50,000 Ongoing
Police Rangers for Ignition
Reduction Local Wildfire Mitigation Team Staff $350,000 Ongoing San Rafael Landscape Restoration Local Vegetation Management and Fire Hazard Reduction $100,000 Ongoing
San Rafael Small and Responsive
Projects Local Vegetation Management and Fire Hazard Reduction $248,010 Ongoing MWPA Goal Allocated Funding Percent of Total
Defensible space and Home Hardening $969,010 25%
Detection, Notification, Evacuation $150,000 4%
Grant Management $250,000 6%
Public Education $150,000 4%
Vegetation Management and Fire Hazard Reduction $1,513,010 39% Staff $856,000 22%
Total $3,888,020
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 6
The 2023-24 projects will largely be continuations of previously started projects as well as maintenance of projects completed in previous years. The proposals also continue the City’s commitment to supporting residents in adapting to wildfire through education, direct assistance, and grant programs. Some annual projects such as goat grazing are expanding as a means to maintain treatment sites from previous years.

The proposed San Rafael workplan represents a continued commitment to assuring adequate staff are available to meet resident needs and effectively, safely, and sustainably implement projects while implementing a 360-degree approach in alignment with the WPPAP. The projects continue the five main focus areas of the MWPA as explained below.

Vegetation Management and Local Wildfire Prevention Mitigation Vegetation Management accounts for most of the allocated funding and is one of the most visible types of projects the City accomplishes. Through managing unhealthy, overgrown, and non-native vegetation, the fuel available to a wildfire is reduced and thus there is a lower chance of ignition, slower spread, and less impact should a fire occur. Vegetation management includes a broad array of project types such as shaded fuel breaks, defensible space, prescribed herbivory (goats), evacuation route vegetation clearance, fire road vegetation clearance, invasive plant removal, demonstration gardens, chipper days and debris disposal, and hazardous tree removal.

In the first three years of the tax measure, staff have focused most of their fuel reduction efforts within the defensible space zone around residential development that abuts open space and along fire roads to improve open space access for emergency response. Targeting these areas encourages and reenforces the work residents do on their own property by creating an effective fuel break between open space and the built environment. Defensible space shaded fuel breaks are constructed in a way to serve as permanent wildfire mitigation infrastructure and will require ongoing maintenance to keep vegetation and fuel loading at desired levels. In the 2023-24 work plan, funding will be allocated to maintenance of fuel breaks established in the first three years.

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 7
As the MWPA moves into the fourth year, the City will begin to focus on long-term landscape restoration as a strategy to maintain established fuel breaks and adapt the larger landscape to wildfire. Landscape restoration will look at larger pieces of the landscape around the City and consider treatment across land ownership and jurisdictional boundaries. Coordination among landholders, land managers, and agencies is crucial to achieving the land management objectives and the risk reduction goals. The City has successfully partnered with landholders that include Marin County Parks, California State Parks, and private landowners of large parcels, as well as adjacent fire response agencies including Marin County Fire Department, Novato Fire Protection District, and Central Marin Fire District, to begin planning larger cross-boundary projects within the San Rafael MWPA Zone. The 2023-24 workplan will continue these efforts.

Similar to previous years, treatment activities proposed for 2023-24 include the removal of invasive plants, including French broom, Scotch broom, eucalyptus trees, and acacia trees; creating breaks in horizontal fuel continuity to reduce fire spread; removing ladder fuels to reduce vertical continuity of fuels to keep the fire on the surface; and in some cases where it is responsible to do so, the application of prescribed fire, which is the intentional use of fire on the landscape. All prescribed fire must be conducted under a strict set of weather parameters to increase the likelihood of achieving the desired effect and minimize the risk of fire escapes.

Prescribed burning is a commonly used tool to help dispose of biomass from a project site, modify fuel loading, or achieve an ecological goal. Marin County has a history of prescribed fire, regularly used in the form of pile burning. Prescribed fire can be applied in many ways, with pile burning being the most used and accepted by the public. Pile burning is most commonly used when vegetation cannot be effectively removed from a project site by manual or mechanical means. Pile burning is a relatively safe activity and is only conducted by qualified suppression personnel under appropriate weather conditions after the piles have cured to reduce smoke impacts. Broadcast burning is another method of prescribed burning and is used to cover larger swaths of land to consume and reduce surface fuels in strategic areas. Broadcast burns are only initiated under specific weather conditions after extensive planning with ample fire suppression resources on hand. Broadcast burning is an important tool to begin re-introducing fire to California’s landscape where most of the vegetation communities evolved with fire.

In 2023, there are three prescribed burns planned for areas within the MWPA San Rafael Zone. No prescribed burning is planned for City-owned lands. Two burns, one within the Terra Linda/Sleepy Hollow Preserve owned by Marin County Parks and one within China Camp State Park, are planned for areas within the Local Responsibility Area (LRA) where San Rafael Fire Department has emergency response and fire code jurisdiction. The third prescribed burn is planned for lands owned by the City of Novato and privately-owned lands within unincorporated areas of the San Rafael Zone where Marin County Fire has emergency response jurisdiction.

In partnership with Marin County Parks and the County Fire Department, spring pile burning is scheduled to occur in the MWPA funded Terra Linda Defensible Space Fuel Reduction Project on Marin County Park’s Terra Linda preserve that was completed in April 2022. After a burn window is established by State Parks, broadcast burning will occur within China Camp State Park, conducted by State Parks staff and Marin County Fire Department staff. A portion of the burn unit falls within the San Rafael LRA and San Rafael Fire will be notified of the burning and likely asked to participate and support the project.

Lastly, the Novato Fire Protection District is planning a broadcast burn in coordination with the Marin County Fire Department on lands owned by the City of Novato and St. Vincent’s that fall into an unincorporated area within the MWPA San Rafael Zone. The burn is not within the city limits or the San Rafael LRA but may have smoke impacts to San Rafael residents.

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 8
Wildfire Detection, Alerts, and Evacuation Program Improvements In August 2020, as part of the WPPAP, staff began developing a parking box program to ensure emergency access and egress on narrow roadways. These regulations were further defined in a 2021 amendment to SRMC section 5.40.080 (parking prohibited on narrow streets). A pilot project on San Rafael Lincoln Hill was completed in late 2021. Funding for implementing this program has been included in previous work plans and will be continued in the 2023-24 work plan.

In addition, all staff are trained and committed to helping residents sign up for emergency alerts and develop family evacuation plans. Staff have prioritized removing hazardous and overgrown vegetation along roadways and key evacuation routes to promote the safety of residents and first responders. These are ongoing efforts that will be continued in the next fiscal year to cover new areas and maintain previously completed areas. To date, 17 miles of roads have received initial treatments.

Grants and Partnerships
In 2022, the Wildfire Team started offering a Defensible Space Grant in addition to the ongoing direct assistance program. This grant was developed to assist homeowners with the financial burden of creating defensible space to lower wildfire impact on individual properties. Of the $336,242 allocated towards resident assistance in FY 22-23, $285,000 has been earmarked for grants, with the option to adjust as needed. This grant was developed to assist homeowners with the financial burden of creating defensible space to lower wildfire impact on individual properties. The grant program was made retroactive to 2021 to compensate property owners who took mitigation steps before the grant release. The work completed supports the resident’s compliance with the vegetation standards described in the SRMC Chapter 4.12 or retrofitting homes with 7a construction building materials, which include items such as ember-resistant vents and dual-paned windows. This grant program is managed internally by the defensible space program and is funded through MWPA. Residential Grants are one of the ways, along with the Direct Assistance Program, that staff have allocated resources to directly support residents in their efforts to adapt to wildfire. Both the Grant Program and Direct Assistance Program will be continued in the 2023- 24 budget.

In addition to providing grants to residents, staff have sought out grants at the State and Federal level to help fund wildfire mitigation projects. Recently, a fuel reduction project was completed through the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, with the local match provided through MWPA funds. This strategy helps stretch MWPA funds to complete more projects. Staff continue to seek out grant funding with the intention of expanding the capacity to complete larger-scale and previously cost-prohibitive wildfire mitigation projects. San Rafael Fire was part of a group of agencies who applied for a large-scale Cal Fire Forest Health Grant in 2022 to address invasive species in the defensible space zone of the City’s San Rafael Hill open space where a fire had previously occurred in late 2021. Although the grant was not awarded, staff will again seek a Cal Fire Wildfire Prevention Grant in 2023 to help supplement MWPA funding.

Public Outreach and Education
Community wildfire prevention is driven by a robust, community-specific outreach and education strategy.

In 2022, San Rafael through the Office of Emergency Services (OES) expanded on its wildfire-specific community preparedness approach by updating and tailoring its outreach materials and resources to specific audiences. For instance, by contacting Homeowner’s Associations (HOAs) directly, OES was able to understand their specific preparedness concerns to wildfire and develop custom materials. Staff have increased the availability of Spanish language material both in print and through Spanish language presentations with an emphasis on emergency alert registrations. Staff will continue to build on and expand community partnerships to reach residents previously less engaged and informed about wildfire SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 9
safety. Overall, OES carried out and supported over 15 community preparedness events throughout the city and its vision is to expand on this number in the coming year.

Partially funded by the MWPA, OES was able to hire a bilingual Spanish-speaking Community Preparedness Coordinator in the last quarter of 2022 to help address the growing need to engage local community organizations, businesses, and individuals in understanding the importance of wildfire preparedness. While a lot has yet to be accomplished, there are promising community outreach and education plans that will continue through the next 12 months, which include establishment of a Spanish language community preparedness pilot project in San Rafael, acquisition of wildfire community awareness systems, and expanding the number of sign-ups on Alert Marin, mainly from non-Englishspeaking residents.

Defensible Space Evaluations and Home Hardening
One of the primary objectives of the MWPA is to improve defensible space and home hardening. To this end, San Rafael has designed a defensible space program that allows for year-round engagement and support with increased staffing during the summer and fall months through a seasonal program. The City program includes both door to door, neighborhood to neighborhood evaluations, and also offers in person on site visits by requests. This hybrid approach has allowed staff to reach residents and gather data citywide, while remaining responsive to individual schedules and needs.

During a property evaluation, the inspection staff contact the property owner, evaluate the property for wildfire hazards, and provide a report to the property owner. This report provides specific details on steps the residents can take to adapt to wildfire and information on resources to assist. When speaking with residents, inspection staff are also able to provide education on topics such as evacuation preparedness, community assistance opportunities, vegetation plant choices, emergency alerts, and up-to-date information on larger wildfire projects. As an additional resource, each year staff directly mail defensible space and wildfire safety information to residents.

Since the establishment of the MWPA, staff have provided over 24,000 defensible space evaluations across the City. Since 2021, over 230 properties have been provided with direct assistance to help them comply with the citywide vegetation standards. In addition, San Rafael has directly issued over 171 defensible space and home hardening grants to residents, totaling over $153,000.

Following two years of an education-first approach, staff have made the shift toward enforcement of high hazard properties that refuse to comply with the updated citywide vegetation standards. Prior to entering the enforcement process, staff attempt to contact residents multiple times in person, via letter, and email or phone (if available). Residents are offered a variety of support resources and provided information on how to request exemptions from the city ordinance. Prior to issuing fines, two additional contact attempts via letters are made. To date, this has included 770 pre-enforcement letters that notify properties that there is a hazard that requires action and inform the resident of community assistance options provided by the city such as free chippers, grants, and direct assistance. Following this, the properties receive a pre-citation notice that notifies owners they have 15 days to act before the property is moved to code enforcement for citation.

For the 2023-24 fiscal year, staff will continue the same approach with an expanded focus on ensuring compliance with SRMC Chapter 4.12 via the enforcement process. Staff anticipate this will be the last year of a large seasonal program, before transitioning to a maintenance program. The maintenance program will aim to visit each neighborhood every two to three years on a rotating basis. During that time, SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 10
on demand property evaluations will continue at an owner’s request and staff will continue enforcement on properties with large hazards.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

Staff remain committed to engaging and informing the public through our prevention and adaptation efforts. This has included community meetings, virtual and in person trainings, direct mail campaigns, the use of signs on A-frames, and coordination with community and neighborhood leaders. In addition, staff continuously provide updates on the City and MWPA websites, and maintain a social media presence, and wildfire prevention direct emails and phone numbers. The MWPA Board, Operations Committee, and Technical Committee are all Brown Act compliant and meetings are open to the public for their information and feedback. Staff will continue their efforts to expand their Spanish language outreach.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no direct fiscal impact associated with this informational report.

OPTIONS:

Staff suggest the following options be considered on this matter:

1. Accept the report

2. Provide feedback
RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Accept the informational report and provide feedback to staff.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. MWPA 2022-2023 Executive Summary

INVESTING IN A FIRE ADAPTED MARIN COUNTY
MWPA 2022–2023 WORK PLAN
Executive Summary
Photo Sherry LaVars/Marin Independent Journal
“The vast majority of our Marin residents live in areas that face potential near-term wildfire threats. Given this reality, MWPA is executing a systematic approach to transform Marin into a more resilient, fire-adapted community. The 2022-2023 Work Plan prioritizes a number of key initiatives that will reduce wildfire risks and help residents take the necessary steps to prepare themselves and their properties.” – Mark Brown, Executive Officer of MWPA

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Board of Directors adopted the Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) Work Plan for 2022-23 on May 19, 2022. The Work Plan outlines approximately $20 million in funding for 124 wildfire-related projects prioritized by the Marin Community Wildfire Protection Plan and the MWPA Strategic Plan. This Executive Summary is a condensed version of the Work Plan.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 iii MWPA, a Joint Powers Authority (JPA) among 17
member agencies in Marin County, has determined
that the most effective way to create a more fireadapted future for Marin County is to pursue a multi-pronged “systems” approach.

The 2022-23 Work Plan contains proposals that
address the following five goals: Vegetation
Management and Local Wildfire Prevention
Mitigation; Detection, Alert and Evacuation; Grants;
Public Outreach and Education; and Defensible
Space and Home Hardening.

Among the list of projects in 2022-2023 are these
large wildfire safety initiatives:
• Investment of $4 million toward home hardening
and defensible space evaluations
• Implementation funding for 83 miles of new
shaded fuel breaks in the greater Ross Valley
and Novato areas, comprised of 3,298 total acres
• Vegetation management and maintenance of
extensive open space areas and existing shaded
fuel breaks
• Expansion of the resident grant program that
includes up to $5,000 for home hardening and
$1,000 for defensible space projects
• Investment in a new, science-based risk model
to analyze the quantitative safety impact of fuel
reduction, defensible space, home hardening,
and other risk reduction activities in the MWPA’s
jurisdiction
• Addition of acoustic warning systems in targeted
locations for evacuation and notification purposes
The development of the Annual Work Plan is a
complicated process that takes place over the course
of six months. The process for development of
the 2022-23 Plan kicked off in December of 2021.

Major milestones included a total of six public
meetings of the full MWPA Advisory/Technical
Committee and four public meetings of the full
MWPA Operations Committee. Additionally, seven
ad hoc subcommittee meetings took place to
explore details of specific topics. An online project
portal was developed to streamline proposal
development by MWPA’s 17 member agencies.

A jurisdictional breakdown of the funding
allocations for the projects includes:
• JPA-wide: 23 proposals totaling over $4.5 million
• Novato: 20 proposals totaling over $2 million
• San Rafael: 21 proposals totaling over $2 million
• Central Marin: 22 proposals totaling over
$1.8 million
• Southern Marin: 23 proposals totaling over
$1.44 million
• West Marin: 15 proposals totaling $827,000
The approval of the annual Work Plan adopts a set
of priorities that the MWPA and member agencies
intend to pursue. It is not a final approval of the
proposals in the Plan as “projects” under the
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Rather,
this action allows for fiscal year 2022-2023 funding
to be released for certain activities starting July 1,
the beginning of the next fiscal year.

View the full range of individual 2022-2023
Project Proposals found in the workplan on the
MWPA website at webportal.marinwildfire.org.

The 2022-23 Work Plan, containing all proposals,
can be found at marinwildfire.org.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 iv

CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Organizational Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 MWPA Mission, Vision, and Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 MWPA Guiding Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Background and Need for Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Reducing Wildfire Risk to Residents, Businesses, and Visitors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Adapting to a Changing Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Funding and Program Area Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Table 1. Program Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Table 2. Operational Areas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Table 3. Core Program Area Categories and Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Table 4. Defensible Space (D-Space) Evaluations and Home Hardening . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Table 5. Local Wildfire Prevention Mitigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Table 6. FY2022-2023 MWPA Budget Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Methodology for Building the Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Work Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Guiding Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Guidance from MWPA Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Public Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Proposals Included in the FY22-23 Work Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Next Steps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 MWPA WORK PLAN PROPOSALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Central Marin Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Central Marin Zone Work Plan Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 City of Larkspur Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Kentfield Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Sleepy Hollow Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Town of Corte Madera Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 1 Town of Fairfax Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Town of Ross Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Town of San Anselmo Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Central Marin Core Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 West Marin Zone......................................................... 20 West Marin Zone Work Plan Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Bolinas Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Inverness Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Marin County Fire Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Stinson Beach Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 All West Marin Zone Core Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Novato Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Novato Zone Work Plan Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 All Novato Fire District Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 San Rafael Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 San Rafael Zone Work Plan Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 San Rafael Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Marinwood Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 San Rafael Zone Core Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Southern Marin Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Southern Marin Zone Work Plan Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Mill Valley Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Muir Beach Community Services District Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . 34 Southern Marin Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 All Southern Marin Zone Core Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 JPA-WIDE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 JPA-wide Budget Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 APPENDIX A: JPA OPERATIONAL BOUNDARIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 APPENDIX B: REFERENCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 2

INTRODUCTION
The Marin Wildfire Prevention
Authority
Organizational Overview
The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA)
consists of 17 member agencies covering nearly
all of Marin County and was established by a voter
approved parcel tax (2020 Measure C). MWPA is a
joint powers authority1 (JPA). The Board of Directors
is composed of 17 voting member agencies within
Marin County.

The organization is funded by a parcel tax, Measure
C, commencing in the 2020/21 fiscal year and
expiring in 2029/30. These funds, estimated to raise
approximately $20 million annually, are managed
and distributed by MWPA to local agencies working
in fire prevention and protection in Marin based on
the priorities outlined in the Marin County Community
Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) and other guiding
documents.

The revenues raised by this tax are used to prevent
and mitigate the risk of wildfires in Marin County.
1 A joint powers authority (JPA) is an entity working under a joint exercise of powers agreement which allows for two or more public agencies – such as a city, county, school district, or special district (e.g., fire department, municipal utility, etc.) - to cooperatively provide services or exercise shared powers outside each agency’s normal jurisdiction.

The following 17 agencies are voting
members in MWPA:
• Bolinas Fire District
• City of Larkspur
• City of Mill Valley
• City of San Rafael
• County of Marin
• Inverness Public Utility District
• Kentfield Fire Protection District
• Marinwood Community Services District
• Muir Beach Community Services District
• Novato Fire Protection District
• Sleepy Hollow Fire Protection District
• Southern Marin Fire Protection District
• Stinson Beach Fire Protection District
• Town of Corte Madera
• Town of Fairfax
• Town of Ross
• Town of San Anselmo
Novato Fire
Protection District
City of
San Rafael
Southern Marin Fire
Protection District
County of Marin
Bolinas
Fire District
Stinson Beach
Fire Protection
District
Kentfield Fire
Protection District
Town of
Fairfax
Sleepy Hollow Fire
Protection District
City of
Mill Valley
City of
Larkspur
Town of
San Anselmo
Marinwood Community
Services District
Town of Ross
Town of
Corte Madera
Inverness
Public Utility
District
Muir Beach
Community
Services District

WEST MARIN

SAN RAFAEL

CENTRAL
MARIN

SOUTHERN
MARIN
NOVATO

WEST MARIN

SAN RAFAEL

CENTRAL
MARIN

SOUTHERN
MARIN
NOVATO
17 agencies combine into 5 Geographic Zones
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 3 MWPA Mission, Vision, and Goals
The MWPA’s mission is to lead the development
of fire adapted communities using sound scientific,
financial, programmatic, ecological practices,
vegetation management, community education,
evacuation and warning systems with the support
of its member and partner agencies.

The MWPA’s vision is for communities to be informed,
prepared, fire adapted, resilient and capable of
withstanding a major fire limiting loss of life and
major property damage while protecting Marin
County’s rich environmental diversity.

The MWPA Board of Directors developed five goals
to describe the activities that the MWPA intends to
pursue. MWPA’s activities support one or more of the
following goals directly or indirectly. They include:

1. Vegetation Management and Local Wildfire
Prevention Mitigation

2. Wildfire Detection, Alert, and Evacuation
Program Improvements

3. Grants and Partnerships

4. Public Outreach and Education

5. Defensible Space Evaluations and Home
Hardening
This Work Plan outlines proposed projects to further
the MWPA’s mission, vision, and goals within each of
the geographic zones for the next fiscal year.

The MWPA’s vision is for communities
to be informed, prepared, fire adapted,
resilient and capable of withstanding a
major fire limiting loss of life and major
property damage while protecting Marin
County’s rich environmental diversity.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 4 MWPA Guiding Principles
Operational Intent
As a public service agency dedicated to the safety
of our community, agency staff and volunteers, the
MWPA has outlined the following as recommended
guiding principles and overall operational intent.
• Public safety and risk reduction
• Transparent and effective use of public funds
• Coordination and collaboration among agencies
and residents
• Incentivize voluntary compliance through
education and support before fines and penalties
• Ecologically sound practices
• Social and environmental equity
A “Systems” Approach
The MWPA and its member agencies have
determined that the most effective way to create
a more fire-adapted future for Marin County is to
pursue a multi-pronged “systems” approach.

This approach recognizes that the challenges that
the County of Marin faces are many and varied
and, therefore, necessitate a holistic suite of
solutions rather than any single “silver bullet.”
Generally, these solutions include:
• Informed residents: The more knowledgeable
Marin County’s residents are about wildfire and
how to reduce risk, the better communities can
be prepared. A key component of the MWPA’s
mission is funding public education through
its member agencies and its nonprofit partner,
Fire Safe Marin.
• Home hardening: Homes are major contributors
to fire spread during urban conflagrations. If
homes are more resistant to embers, the speed
and intensity of fires will be decreased and
fewer homes will be lost.
• Defensible space/fire-smart landscaping:

Properly managing the landscaping around
a home greatly reduces the risk to the home.
• Escape route and systems improvements:

The MWPA is working with each of its member
agencies to study barriers to safe evacuation and
make physical and systematic improvements to
evacuation routes to allow for safer evacuations.
• Vegetation management: In partnership with
fire agencies, land management agencies,
towns and cities, the MWPA is building a
comprehensive vegetation management program
guided by our community wildfire protection plan
and other prioritization efforts, the stewardship
goals of our partner agencies, and input from
our environmental community. This program has
begun addressing Marin County’s backlog of
vegetation management on public and private
lands needed to address fire risk and provide
benefits to ecosystem health and long-term
resilience of local landscapes.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 5 Background and Need for Action
Reducing Wildfire Risk to Residents,
Businesses, and Visitors
Northern California has seen some of the deadliest
and most destructive wildfires in recorded history
since 2017. Sonoma and Napa counties lost over
5,000 homes during the North Bay Fires of 2017.

In 2018, the Mendocino Complex, Carr, and Camp
fires burned hundreds of thousands of acres and
destroying thousands of structures. In 2020, a
rare dry lightning weather event followed by strong
easterly winds ignited and fueled hundreds of fires
throughout northern California, burning a record

2.4 million acres by early October.

Marin County has not yet seen this level of wildfire
activity in recent decades but is no less at-risk.

Most structures in Marin County are vulnerable
to wildfire threats due to their location and lack of
hardening against embers and most communities
in Marin County are located in areas that face
potential near-term wildfire threat. According to
an assessment by CALFIRE, approximately 82
percent of Marin County’s land (nearly 313,000
acres) is within a fire hazard severity zone ranking
of moderate, high, or very high (Marin County Fire
Department, 2020). Bold action is needed to help
Marin County become more fire resilient.

A significant portion of residents are especially
vulnerable due to factors such as age and/or lack
of mobility. For example, approximately 13.5 percent
of residents are age 65 or over according to the
2020 census (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020). The tragic
loss of life and property in the town of Paradise
during the 2018 Camp Fire further demonstrates
such vulnerability as many of the victims were older
adults and many were unable to flee due to a lack of
mobility (Ramsey, 2020).

Adapting to a Changing Climate
Wildfire risk is predicted to increase in Marin County
and throughout the region due to climate change
and other factors (California Natural Resources
Agency, 2018). Increasing emissions from wildfire
further accelerates this change. In fact, emissions
from California wildfires in 2020 were nearly an
order of magnitude above the average annual
emissions in the two previous decades (well
over 100 million metric tons (MMT) CO2 in 2020
compared to an annual average of 14 MMT CO2
from 2000 to 2019) (California Air Resources
Board, 2020). While lack of action will continue
to deepen this feedback loop, proper vegetation
management can help sequester more carbon and
secure remaining carbon stocks. The California
Forest Carbon Plan and other sources state that
unmanaged, overcrowded forestland sequesters
significantly less carbon than a landscape with tree
densities that more closely resemble conditions
before modern fire suppression. Remaining trees
are healthier and more resilient to drought, fire, and
disease (California Forest Climate Action Team,
2018).

While the Work Plan does not propose removal
of significant numbers of mature trees, various
proposals include reducing the density of weedy
understory species and immature trees that
compete with mature trees and act as ladder fuel
in an unnaturally crowded ecosystem. This work
will result in benefits in terms of forest health,
carbon sequestration, potential for crown fire and
reduced fire severity. Such projects reduce risks
to communities, to ecosystems, and reduce the
potential for fires in Marin County to contribute to
global carbon emissions.

Most structures in Marin County are vulnerable to wildfire threats due to their location and lack of hardening against embers and most communities in Marin County are located in areas that face potential near-term wildfire threat.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 6 Funding and Program Area Overview
Measure C provides the funding for MWPA
programs. Measure C is expected to raise an
estimated $20M annually. Per the initiative’s
language and MWPA adopted ordinance, it
divides the use of these funds into six categories
or programmatic areas each containing specific
bodies of work. The first four categories are known
as the Core. There are two additional categories:

Defensible Space Evaluations and Home Hardening
can be shared services or local control; and Local
Wildfire Prevention Mitigation which is specifically
identified for local control. These program areas
are identified in Table 1. The MWPA’s 17 member
agencies have been grouped into five operational
boundaries identified in Table 2 and displayed
in the map to the right and in Appendix A: JPA
Operational Boundaries. Details describing these
program areas are included in Tables 3 through

6. Anticipated funding by agency and category is
descried in Table 6.

Table 1. Program Areas
Program Area Percent of
Measure C Funds
JPA Core:

Cross-Jurisdictional Projects
• Wildfire Detection, Notification
& Evacuation Improvements
• Vegetation Management &
Fire Hazard Reduction
• Grants Management
• Public Education
60%
Defensible Space Evaluations
and Home Hardening 20%
Community-Level Wildfire
Prevention Mitigation 20%
Table 2. Operational Areas
Agency Zone
Novato Fire Protection District Novato
City of San Rafael
Marinwood CSD
San Rafael Area
City of Larkspur
Kentfield Fire District
Sleepy Hollow Fire District
Town of Corte Madera
Town of Fairfax
Town of Ross
Town of San Anselmo
Central
City of Mill Valley
Muir Beach CSD
Southern Marin Fire District
Southern
Bolinas Fire District
County of Marin Fire
Inverness Fire District
Stinson Beach Fire District
West
*County of Marin Fire has pockets of jurisdiction in all 5 zones.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 7 Table 3. Core Program Area Categories and Examples
Area Categories Emphasis Project Examples
Detection, Notification,
Evacuation
Wildfire Detection Detection Cameras, lookouts, linking to satellite systems, aircraft and vehicle patrols
Detection, Notification,
Evacuation
Notification Alert Marin, WEA, EAS, NOAA Weather Radios, Sirens, Pulse Point, Hi-Lo Vehicle Sirens, Red Flag Warning
Signage
Detection, Notification,
Evacuation
Evacuation Evacuation Route Study, Mutual Threat Zone Maps, Parking Boxes, Public Evacuation Maps, Choke Point
Reduction, Evacuation Route Signage, Evacuation Drills
Vegetation Management
and Fire Hazard
Reduction
Physical Projects Evacuation Route Clearance, Shaded fuel breaks, defensible space work, grazing, fuel breaks, fire road
maintenance, broom pulling, invasive plant control,
chipper days, fire prone vegetation removal, hazardous
tree removal, replanting, example gardens and homes
Vegetation Management
and Fire Hazard
Reduction
Planning Projects CWPP update, update WUI maps, ordinance updates, compliance protocols
Vegetation Management
and Fire Hazard
Reduction
People and Infrastructure Fuels Crews, Temporary housing for work crews, vehicles, equipment needs: masticators, chippers,
saws, hand tools, project management and supervision,
private contractors, volunteers
Grant Management Local Matching or direct needs based to qualifying individuals (seniors, AFN, etc.)
Grant Management State CAL FIRE CA Climate Investments Fire Prevention Grant Program, Fire Prevention and Forest Health
Grant Management Federal Hazard Mitigation Grants, Fire Prevention and Safety Grants, FEMA Pre-Disaster mitigation Program
Grant Management Private PG&E, NFPA Firewise, Donations Public Education Stakeholder Collaboration FPOs, ESP, WMS & Seasonal inspectors, residents, public inquiries, Master Gardeners, FSM
Public Education Print Media Mass Media, brochures, handouts, mailers, newsletters, op-eds, bi-lingual
Public Education Digital Media Social media, PSA for movie theaters, Social networking sites, Website
Public Education Trainings Live webinars, workshops for residents, & professionals, schools, bi-lingual
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 8 Table 4.

Defensible Space (D-Space) Evaluations and
Home Hardening
Per the JPA agreements, the 17 MWPA agencies
have the option to opt into a MWPA shared seasonal
defensible space inspector program, or opt out into
a locally controlled of D-Space/Home Hardening
Evaluation program, or establish a hybrid model.

Agencies opting to maintain local control will receive
their proportionate amount of the 20% total JPA
budgeted to defensible space and home hardening.

With the approval of the work plan, agencies will
be able to immediately begin implementing or
expanding their existing Defensible Space and
Home Hardening programs.

For this year, the Defensible Space and Home
Hardening programs will be established as follows:
1) Novato Fire Protection District
2) City of San Rafael and Marinwood CSD
3) Bolinas Fire District, City of Larkspur, County
of Marin Fire, Muir Beach CSD, Inverness Fire
District, Kentfield Fire District, Sleepy Hollow
Fire District, Stinson Beach Fire District, Town
of Corte Madera, Town of Fairfax, Town of
Ross, and Town of San Anselmo
4) City of Mill Valley and Southern Marin Fire
District
Table 5.

Local Wildfire Prevention Mitigation
The final 20% of Measure C funds are reserved for
local jurisdiction control to address unique needs
or projects not approved as part of the overall Core
function. These projects remain consistent with the
purpose of the MWPA and provide a higher level of
service then was previously available.

Examples of potential projects include but are not
limited to: Ignition Reduction Efforts, Community
Wildfire Demonstration Gardens, Community Wildfire
Home Hardening Demonstration Props, Electronic
Message Boards, Essential Facility Hardening
Projects, Fuel Crew Expansion, Additional targeted
vegetation management, street widening for choke
point reduction, evacuation drills, NOAA Weather
Radios, Cost-share programs for resident home
hardening for vegetation removal projects, or the
expansion and acceleration of any of the other
programmatic areas identified within the JPA Core
or Defensible Space and Home Hardening.

Defensible space creation and removal of juniper in San Rafael Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 9 Table 6.

FY2022-2023 MWPA Budget Summary
Zone Agency Local
(20%)
D-Space
(20%)
Core
(60% -
Admin Costs)
Core Budget
for JPA-wide
Proposals
Core Budget
per Zone
Central Marin City of Larkspur $216,858.47 $216,858.47
Central Marin Kentfield Fire $137,952.23 $137,952.23
Central Marin Sleepy Hollow Fire
District $47,314.59 $47,314.59
Central Marin Town of Corte
Madera $170,466.33 $170,466.33
Central Marin Town of Fairfax $102,070.24 $102,070.24
Central Marin Town of Ross $56,393.37 $56,393.37
Central Marin Town of San
Anselmo $190,691.19 $190,691.19 $1,485,333.69
West Marin Bolinas Fire
District $24,889.39 $24,889.39
West Marin
Inverness
Volunteer Fire
Department
$21,171.88 $21,171.88
West Marin Marin County Fire
Department $339,913.80 $339,913.80
West Marin Stinson Beach Fire
District $27,844.78 $27,844.78 $394,336.38
Novato Novato Fire District $1,006,437.26 $1,006,437.26 $1,597,062.33 San Rafael City of San Rafael $969,009.79 $969,009.79
San Rafael
Marinwood
Community
Services District
$68,346.54 $68,346.54 $1,886,242.35
Southern Marin City of Mill Valley $247,319.23 $247,319.23 Southern Marin
Muir Beach
Community
Services District
$6,319.95 $6,319.95
Southern Marin Southern Marin
Fire District $468,238.58 $468,238.58 $1,209,298.23
JPA-wide Core $4,501,068
Totals $4,101,237.60 $4,019,212.85* $11,073,341.52 $4,501,068 $6,572,272.98 Core (JPA-wide Core + Zone-specific Core) $11,073,341.52 Total Measure C (Local + D-Space + Core + Admin) $20,506,188.00 *minus 2% holdback for abatement.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 10 Methodology for Building the
Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Work Plan
This MWPA 2021 Fiscal Year 2022-2023 Work
Plan (FY22-23 Work Plan) builds upon existing fire
protection, prevention, and mitigation efforts as
well as guidance from existing guiding documents,
MWPA committees and other experts, and
members of the public.

Guiding Documents
The MWPA continues to build its overall approach
through review of the science, strategy, and case
studies encapsulated in a variety of existing
documents. A sample of the documents used
to inform strategy are included below.

In November 2017, the Marin County Board of
Supervisors created a subcommittee to study
lessons learned from the North Bay Fires. This
subcommittee conducted a series of interviews
with Sonoma County officials, collected input
from the public, and conducted a review of Marin
County’s existing structures and systems. The
subcommittee created a report entitled, “Lessons
Learned: 2017 North Bay Fire Siege” (Marin County
Fire Department, 2018) which outlines the main
findings and areas for improvements to decrease
the County’s vulnerability and increase fire
preparedness.

A 2018 NFPA report entitled, “Reducing Wildfire
Risks: 3 Powerful Tips to Move People to Action”
(National Fire Prevention Association, 2018) reports
the results of a survey to determine what helps spur
the public to take action to reduce wildfire risk.

In 2019, the 2018-2019 Marin County Civil Grand
Jury Report released a report entitled: “Wildfire
Preparedness: A New Approach” (Marin County
Civil Grand Jury, 2019) which identified four areas
of vulnerability including vegetation management,
educating the public, alerts, and evacuations. Further, the report recommends creation of a joint powers
authority to coordinate a comprehensive, consistent
approach to pre-ignition planning using tax revenue.

The Marin County Community Wildfire Protection
Plan (CWPP) (Marin County Fire Department, 2020)
provides a scientifically based assessment of
wildfire hazard and threat to homes in the wildland
urban interface (WUI) of Marin County. The CWPP
includes the following key elements: vegetation
management; improvements to alerts, warning
systems, and evacuations; public education; grants;
defensible space evaluations; and local wildfire
prevention mitigation.

Guidance from MWPA Committees
The Operations Committee is composed of
agency staff from each of the MWPA member
agencies. Representatives on the Operations
Committee generally include a balance of executive/
administrative and fire expertise individuals,
including several fire chiefs and city managers. The
Operations Committee is responsible for creating
a recommended annual budget as well as the
recommended annual Work Plan.

Each year, the Operations Committee determines
an overall approach to guide development of
the next annual Work Plan. On January 13, 2022
the Operations Committee determined an overall
approach for the FY 2022-2023 Work Plan:
• Continue the “House Out” approach;
• Increase the funding and variety of resident
grant programs;
• Prioritize shaded fuel breaks adjacent to
communities;
• Partner with insurance companies and the
Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety
to help avoid insurance cancellations;
• Increase public education, particularly to new
audiences.

The Advisory/Technical Committee (ATC) works
with the Operations Committee and provides expert
advice and recommendations regarding how MWPA
programs are developed and implemented. The ATC
is comprised of one technical staff member from
each MWPA agency. Additional at-large, non-voting
committee members include Marin Municipal Water
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 11 District (MMWD), Marin County Open Space District
(MCOSD), National Park Service, California State
Parks, and Ecologically Sound Partnership.

Voting members of the ATC and associated member
agency staff drafted and submitted proposals for
FY22-23 Work Plan reflecting the overall approach
created by the Operations Committee. Non-voting
members of the ATC provided input.

Draft project descriptions, maps, goals, objectives,
budgets, and other data were made public and
simultaneously reviewed by the ATC and the
Operations Committee to ensure that they provide
a balanced approach, both in terms of physical
distribution across the landscape as well as among
MWPA Board-determined goals and objectives.

Public Involvement
Proposals included in the FY22-23 Work Plan were
discussed during several public meetings of the
ATC and Operations Committee prior to Board
of Directors consideration. The ATC discussed
proposals during four separate public meetings
and received public comment. The Operations
Committee discussed proposals during three public
meetings and received public comment.

Community stakeholder input is also derived from
the MWPA Citizens’ Oversight Committee that
reviews MWPA’s spending on an annual basis as
well as the Ecologically Sound Practices Partnership
(ESP Partnership) that has prepared draft best
practices for wildfire mitigation efforts.

Proposals Included in the FY22-23
Work Plan
This Work Plan outlines proposed projects to
further the MWPA’s mission, vision, and goals
within each of the geographic zones for the next
fiscal year. Additionally, Work Plan proposals reflect
the overall strategy provided by the Operations
Committee and described above. To see a full list
of project proposals in the FY22-23 Work Plan,
visit webportal.marinwildfire.org or download the
2022-23 Work Plan.

The project proposals include staff and funding
to support the house-out approach for wildfire risk
reduction. Funding would be allocated to home
hardening and defensible space inspections as
well as support for those residents working to
implement the recommendations provided during
those inspections. That support includes grants to
reimburse residents who pay contractors for help
and direct assistance for low-income residents to
receive help directly without the need to pay up
front. The Work Plan also includes a free chipper
program for residents performing their own
defensible space work. Additionally, MWPA will
ramp up its work with insurance companies to help
avoid insurance cancellations.

Evacuation and alert systems are another key
component of the FY22-23 Work Plan. Proposals
include auditory alert systems, online evacuation
management systems, as well as a study of barriers
to safe evacuations which will inform future projects.

The Marin Community Wildfire
Protection Plan emphasizes the
importance of individual homes
in preventing disaster. This
“House Out” approach means
being prepared to evacuate,
hardening homes, and creating
defensible space.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 12 Proposals also include vegetation management
to reduce risk around key evacuation routes and
vulnerable communities. Roadside vegetation
management will reduce flame lengths adjacent
to important evacuation routes to improve the
likelihood that residents can get out safely during a
wildfire. Shaded fuel breaks, goat grazing, and other
vegetation management activities near homes are
proposed in order to modify fire behavior; generally,
such activities reduce fire intensity and severity,
rate of spread, and potential for burning embers to
be carried downwind into adjacent communities.

These activities improve the chances that residents
can evacuate safely and that firefighters can be
successful. While no vegetation management is
guaranteed to stop a fire during extreme conditions,
these activities greatly improve the chances of
stopping a fire during most weather conditions.

Proposals are also included to provide funding
for less tangible, but equally important initiatives.

For example, the MWPA would work with partners
to expand public education beyond the usual
audiences and measure success in these efforts.

The Knowledge and Attitudes Survey will help
identify opportunities to reach new audiences and
kickoff a larger conversation around diversity, equity
and inclusion for wildfire risk reduction efforts.

Measuring benefits of on-the-ground projects such
as vegetation management is another effort included
in the FY22-23 Work Plan. In order to implement
many of the proposals included in the Work Plan,
particularly vegetation management, environmental
compliance is needed. This effort is included as
a single proposal rather than attached to each
individual proposal to streamline funding of required
environmental compliance studies.

Next Steps
The recommendations in this Work Plan, while
significant, represent only a fraction of the work that needs to be done to help Marin County become
more resilient to wildfire. Member agencies, partner
agencies, stakeholders from all sectors, and residents
of Marin County must adopt an “all of the above”
approach to protecting public safety and maintaining
the health of Marin County’s abundant open space
lands and native ecosystems.

MWPA Board of Directors approval of the annual
Work Plan as a set of priorities that the MWPA and
member agencies intend to pursue, is not a final
approval of the proposals in the Work Plan as
“projects” under the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA). Rather, this action allows for fiscal
year 2022-2023 funding to be released for certain
activities starting July 1, the beginning of the next
fiscal year. The 20 percent of the Measure C funding
related to Defensible Space Evaluations & Home
Hardening may be distributed to member agencies
starting July 1, in addition to the 20 percent for Local Wildfire Prevention Mitigation.

The remaining 60 percent of funding may be
distributed for core proposals that do not require
environmental compliance. Core proposals that
require environmental compliance pursuant to
federal, state, and local laws and regulations
may receive funding for implementation once
environmental compliance is complete and has
been acknowledged by the Board. Therefore, this
initial approval is not a “project” under the CEQA,
because it does not involve an activity which
has the potential to cause a direct or reasonably
foreseeable indirect physical change in the
environment. (Cal. Pub. Res. Code § 21065).
“The 2022-2023 Work Plan represents many months of collaboration among the MWPA’s 17 member agencies, community stakeholders, and the general public.

Together, we have identified 124 projects to begin implementing over the course of the next year. Each of these projects will make a significant contribution toward our multi-faceted approach to fire prevention and safety throughout the county.” – Bruce Goines, MWPA Board President
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 13

MWPA WORK PLAN PROPOSALS
Pacific
Ocean
San
Francisco
Bay

WEST MARIN NOVATO
SAN
RAFAEL

CENTRAL
MARIN

SOUTHERN
MARIN
§¨¦580
§¨¦101
Created: 5/18/2022
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Proposal Location (pin)
Proposal Location (linear)
Proposal Location (polygon)
MWPA Zone
MWPA Work Plan Proposals
Overview Map
0 2 4
Miles
Scale = 1:355,000
Legend
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | 2022-2023 Work Plan | May 19, 2022 210 Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 14

MWPA WORK PLAN PROPOSALS
CENTRAL MARIN ZONE For detailed proposal information, go to portal:
webportal.marinwildfire.org
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Ocean
San
Francisco
Bay
2 7
5 6
4 3
1 10
11 9
Strawberry
Mill Valley
San Rafael
Santa Venetia
Woodacre
Terra Linda
Lucas Valley
Marinwood
8 §¨¦580
§¨¦101
Created: 5/18/2022
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Proposal Locations
Sleepy Hollow*
Fairfax*
San Anselmo*
Ross*
Kentfield*
Larkspur*
Corte Madera*
Central Marin Zone Evacuation Route Core
Project - Implementation FY2022-2023
Greater Ross Valley Shaded Fuel Break
Palm Hill Evacuation Route Parking Boxes
Ridgewood Shaded Fuel Break Planning Central Zone Share Central Marin Zone
MWPA Work Plan Proposals
Central Marin Zone
0 1 2
Miles
Scale = 1:110,000
Legend
*Location includes multiple projects.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | 2022-2023 Work Plan | May 19, 2022 211 Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 15 Central Marin Zone Work Plan Proposals
Map Key Draft Proposal Name Lead Agency D-Space
Budget Local Budget Core Budget
Key 1 Sleepy Hollow Defensible Space Inspection and
Evaluation Program
Sleepy Hollow x
Key 1 Sleepy Hollow Local D-Space Grants Sleepy Hollow x Key 2 Fairfax Defensible Space Inspection and Evaluation Program
Fairfax
x
Key 2 Fairfax Invasive Vegetation Treatment Program Fairfax x Key 3 San Anselmo Defensible Space Inspection and
Evaluation Program
San Anselmo
x
Key 3 San Anselmo Invasive Vegetation Treatment
Program
San Anselmo
x
Key 4 Ross Defensible Space Inspection and Evaluation
Program
Ross
x
Key 4 Greater Ross Valley Defensible Space and Home
Hardening Evaluation and Inspection Program –
Supplemental Funding
MWPA
x
Key 4 Ross Invasive Vegetation Treatment Program Ross x Key 5 Kentfield Defensible Space Inspection and
Evaluation Program
Kentfield
x
Key 5 Kentfield Defensible Space Voluntary Abatement
Program
Kentfield
x
Key 5 Invasive Vegetation Treatment Program – Kentfield Kentfield x Key 6 Larkspur Defensible Space Inspection and
Evaluation Program
Larkspur x
Key 6 Larkspur Defensible Space Voluntary Abatement
Program
Larkspur x
Key 6 Larkspur Invasive Vegetation Treatment Program Larkspur x Key 7 Corte Madera Defensible Space Inspection and
Evaluation Program
Corte Madera
x
Key 7 Corte Madera Defensible Space Voluntary
Abatement Program
Corte Madera
x
Key 7 Corte Madera Invasive Vegetation Treatment
Program
Corte Madera
x
Key 8 Central Marin Zone Evacuation Route Core Project – Implementation FY2022-2023
MWPA
x
Key 9 Greater Ross Valley Shaded Fuel Break MWPA x
Key 10 Ridgewood Shaded Fuel Break Planning – Central
Zone Share
Corte Madera
x
Key 11 Palm Hill Evacuation Route Parking Boxes Larkspur x Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 16 Central Marin Zone Proposal Budget Summary
City of Larkspur Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Larkspur Invasive Vegetation Treatment Program City Of Larkspur Local $100,000 Palm Hill Evacuation Route Parking Boxes City Of Larkspur Local $16,858 Larkspur Defensible Space Voluntary Abatement Program City Of Larkspur Local $100,000 Larkspur Defensible Space Inspection and Evaluation
Program
City Of Larkspur Defensible Space $216,858
Total $216,858 $216,858
Approx Budget $216,858 $216,858
Remaining $0 $0
Kentfield Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Kentfield Invasive Vegetation Treatment Program Kentfield Fire District
Local $68,976
Kentfield Defensible Space Voluntary Abatement Program Kentfield Fire District
Local $68,976
Kentfield Defensible Space Inspection and Evaluation
Program
Kentfield Fire
District
Defensible Space $137,952
Total $137,952 $137,952
Approx Budget $137,952 $137,952
Remaining $0 $0
Sleepy Hollow Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Sleepy Hollow Local D-Space Grants Sleepy Hollow Fire
Protection District
Local $47,315
Sleepy Hollow Defensible Space Inspection and
Evaluation Program
Sleepy Hollow Fire
Protection District
Defensible Space $47,315
Total $47,315 $47,315
Approx Budget $47,315 $47,315
Remaining $0 $0
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 17 Town of Corte Madera Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Corte Madera Invasive Vegetation Treatment Program Town Of Corte Madera
Local $85,233
Corte Madera Defensible Space Voluntary Abatement
Program
Town Of Corte
Madera
Local $85,233
Corte Madera Defensible Space Inspection and Evaluation Program
Town Of Corte
Madera
Defensible Space $170,466
Total $170,466 $170,466
Approx Budget $170,466 $170,466
Remaining $0 $0
Town of Fairfax Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Fairfax Invasive Vegetation Treatment Program Town Of Fairfax Local $102,070 Fairfax Defensible Space Inspection And Evaluation
Program
Town Of Fairfax Defensible Space $102,070
Total $102,070 $102,070
Approx Budget $102,070 $102,070
Remaining $0 $0
Town of Ross Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Ross Invasive Vegetation Treatment Program Town Of Ross Local $56,393.37 Ross Defensible Space Inspection and Evaluation
Program
Town Of Ross Defensible Space $56,393
Total $56,393 $56,393
Approx Budget $56,393 $56,393
Remaining $0 $0
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 18 Central Marin Zone Proposal Budget Summary
Town of San Anselmo Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
San Anselmo Invasive Vegetation Treatment Program Town Of San Anselmo
Local $190,691
San Anselmo Defensible Space Inspection and Evaluation
Program
Town Of San
Anselmo
Defensible Space $190,691
Total $190,691 $190,691
Approx Budget $190,691 $190,691
Remaining $0 $0
Central Marin Core Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Ridgewood Shaded Fuel Break Planning – Central Zone
Share
MWPA Core $75,000
Central Marin Zone Evacuation Route Core Project –
Implementation FY2022-2023
MWPA Core $210,334
Greater Ross Valley Shaded Fuel Break MWPA Core $900,000 Greater Ross Valley Defensible Space and Home
Hardening Evaluation And Inspection Program –
Supplemental Funding
MWPA Core $300,000
Total $1,485,334
Approx Budget $1,485,334
Remaining $0
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 19 Shaded Fuel Break in Larkspur: Before and After
Shaded Fuel Break in Corte Madera: Before and After
Creating defensible space and removing fire hazardous species: Before and After Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 20

MWPA WORK PLAN PROPOSALS
WEST MARIN ZONE For detailed proposal information, go to portal:
webportal.marinwildfire.org
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Pacific
Ocean
2 1
3 4 5
6 7
8 Bolinas Mill Valley
Larkspur
Kentfield
Ross
San Anselmo
Fairfax
Woodacre
Sleepy Hollow
Lagunitas Terra Linda
Forest Knolls
Lucas Valley
Marinwood
Point Reyes
Station Ignacio
Inverness
Novato
Petaluma
Dillon Beach
Bodega Bay Cotati Rohnert Park
§¨¦101
Created: 5/18/2022
¢
Proposal Locations
Marin County Fire*
Bolinas*
Stinson Beach Fire*
Inverness Volunteer Fire Department*
Inverness Ridge Association Evacuation
Route Vegetation Management
Rancho Santa Margarita Vegetation Management
Stinson Beach Fuel Break 22/23
West Marin Zone Evacuation Route Core Project
West Marin Zone
MWPA Work Plan Proposals
West Marin Zone
0 2 4
Miles
Scale = 1:300,000
Legend
*Location includes multiple projects.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | 20222023 Work Plan | May 192022 214 Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 21 West Marin Zone Work Plan Proposals
Map Key Draft Proposal Name Lead Agency D-Space
Budget Local Budget Core Budget
Key 1 West Marin Defensible Space and Home Hardening
Evaluation and Inspection Program
Marin Co Fire
x
Key 1 West Marin Firewise Community Hazardous Plant
Removal Support
Marin Co Fire
x
Key 1 West Marin Vegetation Management Equipment Marin Co Fire x Key 2 Bolinas Defensible Space Inspections Bolinas x
Key 2 Bolinas UTV for Prevention Bolinas x
Key 3 Stinson Beach Defensible Space Inspections Stinson Beach Fire x Key 3 West Marin Zone Hi-Lo Sirens Stinson Beach Fire x Key 4 Inverness Ridge Association Evacuation Route
Vegetation Management
Marin Co Fire
x
Key 5 Rancho Santa Margarita Vegetation Management Marin Co Fire x Key 6 Inverness Evacuation Route Vegetation Management Inverness Volunteer Fire
Department
x
Key 6 Inverness Vegetation Management Equipment Inverness Volunteer Fire
Department
x
Key 6 Inverness Defensible Space Inspections Inverness
Volunteer Fire
Department
x
Key 7 West Marin Zone Evacuation Route Core Project Marin Co Fire x Key 8 Stinson Beach Fuel Break 22/23 Stinson Beach Fire x Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 22 West Marin Zone Proposal Budget Summary
Bolinas Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Bolinas UTV For Prevention Bolinas Fire
Department
Local $24,889
Bolinas Defensible Space Inspections Bolinas Fire
Department
Defensible Space $24,889
Total $24,889 $24,889
Approx Budget $24,889 $24,889
Remaining $0 $0
Inverness Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Inverness Evacuation Route Vegetation Management Inverness Volunteer Fire Department
Local $10,000
Inverness Vegetation Management Equipment Inverness Volunteer Fire Department
Local $11,172
Inverness Defensible Space Inspections Inverness Volunteer Fire Department
Defensible Space $21,172
Total $21,172 $21,172
Approx Budget $21,172 $21,172
Remaining $0 $0
Marin County Fire Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
West Marin Firewise Community Hazardous Plant
Removal Support
County Of Marin Local $150,000
Rancho Santa Margarita Vegetation Management County Of Marin Local $50,000 Inverness Ridge Association Evacuation Route Vegetation Management
County Of Marin Local $64,914
West Marin Defensible Space and Home Hardening
Evaluation and Inspection Program
County Of Marin Local $75,000
Defensible Space and Home Hardening Evaluation and
Inspection Program
County Of Marin Defensible Space $339,914
Total $339,914 $339,914
Approx Budget $339,914 $339,914
Remaining $0 $0
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 23 Stinson Beach Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Stinson Beach Fuel Break 22/23 Stinson Beach Fire
Department
Local $27,845
Stinson Beach Defensible Space Inspections Stinson Beach Fire Department
Defensible Space $27,845
Total $27,845 $27,845
Approx Budget $27,845 $27,845
Remaining $0 $0
All West Marin Zone Core Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
West Marin Zone Hi-Lo Sirens Stinson Beach
Fire Department
Core $40,000
West Marin Zone Evacuation Route Core Project County Of Marin Core $244,336 West Marin Vegetation Management Equipment County Of Marin Core $110,000 Total $394,336
Approx Budget $394,336
Remaining $0
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 24

MWPA WORK PLAN PROPOSALS
NOVATO ZONE For detailed proposal information, go to portal:
webportal.marinwildfire.org
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Francisco
Bay
2 3 1
4 5
6 7
8 9
10 11
§¨¦101
Forest Knolls
Lucas Valley
Marinwood
Ignacio
Novato
Black Point
Created: 5/18/2022
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Proposal Locations
Novato*
Novato Fire Smart Demonstration Garden - Station 63
Marin Valley Goat Grazing Maintenance
Novato Evacuation Route
Bahia Fuel Break Maintenance
Black Point Evacuation Routes
Greater Novato Fuel Break Plan + Implementation*
Marin Highlands Fuel Break Maintenance
Marin Valley/St. Vincent Prescribed Burn Project
Ignacio Valley Fuel Break Maintenance
Valley Memorial Park Eucalyptus Removal
Novato Zone
MWPA Work Plan Proposals
Novato Zone
0 1 2
Miles
Scale = 1:125,000
Legend
*Location contains multiple projects.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | 20222023 Work Plan | May 192022 216 Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 25 Novato Zone Work Plan Proposals
Map Key Draft Proposal Name Lead Agency D-Space
Budget Local Budget Core Budget
Key 1 Novato Fire Smart Demonstration Garden – Station 63 Novato Fire x Key 2 Novato Fire Adaptive Multimedia Campaign Novato Fire x Key 2 Novato Home Hardening Grant Program Novato Fire x Key 2 Novato Long Range Acoustic Device Warning
System Plan
Novato Fire
x
Key 2 Novato Fire Road Maintenance Novato Fire x
Key 2 Novato Voluntary Hazard Abatement/Invasive
Vegetation Program
Novato Fire
x
Key 2 Novato Vegetation Management Grant Program Novato Fire x Key 2 Novato Wildfire Mitigation Specialists Novato Fire x Key 2 Novato Senior Vegetation Management Specialist Novato Fire x Key 2 Novato Vegetation Management Program Manager Novato Fire x Key 3 Novato Evacuation Route Novato Fire x
Key 4 Marin Valley Goat Grazing Maintenance Novato Fire x Key 5 Greater Novato Fuel Break Plan Novato Fire x
Key 5 Greater Novato Fuel Break Implementation Novato Fire x Key 6 Black Point Evacuation Routes Novato Fire x
Key 7 Marin Valley/St. Vincent Prescribed Burn Project Novato Fire x Key 8 Ignacio Valley Fuel Break Maintenance Novato Fire x Key 9 Marin Highlands Fuel Break Maintenance Novato Fire x Key 10 Bahia Fuel Break Maintenance Novato Fire x
Key 11 Valley Memorial Park Eucalyptus Removal Novato Fire x Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 26 Novato Zone Work Plan Proposals
All Novato Fire District Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Novato Vegetation Management Grant Program Novato Fire District Local $210,000 Novato Home Hardening Grant Program Novato Fire District Local $746,437 Novato Voluntary Hazard Abatement/Invasive
Vegetation Program
Novato Fire District Local $50,000
Novato Wildfire Mitigation Specialists Novato Fire District Defensible Space $1,006,437 Greater Novato Fuel Break Plan Novato Fire District Core $258,000 Greater Novato Fuel Break Implementation Novato Fire District Core $170,000 Novato Fire Smart Demonstration Garden Station 63 Novato Fire District Core $100,000 Marin Valley Goat Grazing Maintenance Novato Fire District Core $40,000 Novato Fire Road Maintenance Novato Fire District Core $130,000 Valley Memorial Park Eucalyptus Removal Novato Fire District Core $100,000 Novato Long Range Acoustic Device Warning
System Plan
Novato Fire District Core $50,000
Bahia Fuel Break Maintenance Novato Fire District Core $30,000 Black Point Evacuation Routes Novato Fire District Core $90,000 Ignacio Valley Fuel Break Maintenance Novato Fire District Core $50,000 Marin Highlands Fuel Break Maintenance Novato Fire District Core $30,000 Novato Evacuation Route Novato Fire District Core $100,000 Marin Valley/St. Vincent Prescribed Burn Project Novato Fire District Core $24,062 Novato Fire Adaptive Multimedia Campaign Novato Fire District Core $100,000 Novato Vegetation Management Program Manager Novato Fire District Core $175,000 Novato Senior Vegetation Management Specialist Novato Fire District Core $150,000 Total $1,006,437 $1,006,437 $1,597,062
Approx Budget $1,006,437 $1,006,437 $1,597,062
Remaining $0 $0 $0
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 27 The wildland-urban interface from Loma Verde Open Space Preserve in southern Novato.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 28

MWPA WORK PLAN PROPOSALS
SAN RAFAEL ZONE For detailed proposal information, go to portal:
webportal.marinwildfire.org
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Francisco
Bay
11 1
2 3
4 8
7 9
6 5
10 Corte Madera
Larkspur
San Quentin
Green Brae
Kentfield
Ross
San Rafael San Anselmo
Fairfax
Santa Venetia
Sleepy Hollow Terra Linda
Lucas Valley
Marinwood
Ignacio
§¨¦101
§¨¦580
Created: 5/18/2022
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Proposal Locations
San Rafael*
China Camp LRAD
Emergency Notification System
Marinwood Defensible Space Program
San Rafael Evacuation Route Vegetation Management
Fire Road Vegetation Clearance, Phase 2
San Rafael Zone
Cal Fire Forest Health Grant
Marinwood Fuel Reduction
Prescribed Herbivory
Ridgewood Shaded Fuel Break
Planning San Rafael Zone Share
San Rafael Zone Open Space Defensible
Space Fuel Reduction, Phase 2
West San Pedro Fuel Reduction
MWPA Work Plan Proposals
San Rafael Zone
0 1 2
Miles
Scale = 1:100,000
Legend
*Location includes multiple projects.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | 2022-2023 Work Plan | May 192022 218 Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 29 San Rafael Zone Work Plan Proposals
Map Key Draft Proposal Name Lead Agency D-Space
Budget Local Budget Core Budget
Key 1 San Rafael Debris Disposal City of San Rafael x
Key 1 Defensible Space Program City of San Rafael x
Key 1 San Rafael Direct Residence Assistance City of San Rafael x Key 1 San Rafael Educational Landscaping City of San Rafael x Key 1 San Rafael Landscape Restoration City of San Rafael x Key 1 San Rafael Public Education, Outreach and
Engagement
City of San Rafael x
Key 1 San Rafael Small And Responsive Projects City of San Rafael x Key 1 SRFD Management Staff City of San Rafael x
Key 1 SRFD Mitigation and Preparedness Staff City of San Rafael x Key 1 San Rafael Police Rangers for Ignition Reduction City of San Rafael x Key 1 SRFD Vegetation and Project Management Staff City of San Rafael x Key 2 China Camp LRAD Emergency Notification System City of San Rafael x Key 3 San Rafael Evacuation Route Vegetation
Management
City of San Rafael x
Key 4 Fire Road Vegetation Clearance, Phase 2 City of San Rafael x Key 5 Marinwood and San Rafael Open Space Prescribed
Herbivory
City of San Rafael x
Key 6 Marinwood Fuel Reduction Marinwood CSD x
Key 7 San Rafael Zone Open Space Defensible Space Fuel
Reduction, Phase 2
City of San Rafael x
Key 8 Ridgewood Shaded Fuel Break Planning San Rafael
Zone Share
City of San Rafael x
Key 9 San Rafael Cal Fire Forest Health Grant City of San Rafael x Key 10 West San Pedro Fuel Reduction City of San Rafael x Key 11 Marinwood Defensible Space Program City of San Rafael x Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 30 San Rafael Zone Budget Summary
San Rafael Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
San Rafael Landscape Restoration City Of San Rafael Local $200,000 San Rafael Police Rangers for Ignition Reduction City Of San Rafael Local $350,000 SRFD Mitigation and Preparedness Staff City Of San Rafael Local $60,000 SRFD Management Staff City Of San Rafael Local $96,000
San Rafael Small and Responsive Projects City Of San Rafael Local $163,010 San Rafael Cal Fire Forest Health Grant City Of San Rafael Local $100,000 Defensible Space Program City Of San Rafael Defensible Space $969,010 Total $969,010 $969,010
Approx Budget $969,010 $969,010
Remaining $0 $0
Marinwood Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Marinwood Fuel Reduction Marinwood Csd Local $68,347
Marinwood Defensible Space Inspection Program Marinwood Csd Defensible Space $68,347 Total $68,347 $68,347
Approx Budget $68,347 $68,347
Remaining $0 $0
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 31 San Rafael Zone Core Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
San Rafael Educational Landscaping City Of San Rafael Core $85,000 San Rafael Debris Disposal City Of San Rafael Core $40,000 San Rafael Evacuation Route Vegetation Management City Of San Rafael Core $75,000 West San Pedro Fuel Reduction City Of San Rafael Core $75,000 Ridgewood Shaded Fuel Break Planning - San Rafael
Zone Share
City Of San Rafael Core $100,000
San Rafael Zone Open Space Defensible Space Fuel
Reduction Phase 2
City Of San Rafael Core $200,000
SRFD Vegetation and Project Management Staff City Of San Rafael Core $350,000 San Rafael Direct Residence Assistance City Of San Rafael Core $336,242 San Rafael Public Education, Outreach and Engagement City Of San Rafael Core $125,000 Marinwood And San Rafael Open Space Prescribed
Herbivory
City Of San Rafael Core $200,000
China Camp LRAD Emergency Notification System City Of San Rafael Core $150,000 Fire Road Vegetation Clearance Phase 2 City Of San Rafael Core $150,000 Total $1,886,242
Approx Budget $1,886,242
Remaining $0
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 32

MWPA WORK PLAN PROPOSALS
SOUTHERN MARIN ZONE For detailed proposal information, go to portal:
webportal.marinwildfire.org
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
! !
!
Pacific Ocean
San
Francisco
Bay
10 1
2 3
4 5
6 7
8 9
Sausalito
Marin
City
Almonte
Strawberry
Mill Valley
Corte Madera
Larkspur
San Quentin
Green Brae
Kentfield
§¨¦101
§¨¦580
Created: 5/18/2022
¢
Proposal Locations
Mill Valley*
Southern Marin Fire District*
Muir Beach*
Throckmorton Ridge Evacuation
Route Vegetation Management
Southern Marin Hazardous Tree Removal*
Mill Valley Hazardous Tree and
Flammable Vegetation Removal*
Marin City Fuel Reduction Zone
Muir Beach Hwy 1 Evacuation Corridor/Banducci Ranch
Ring Mountain Fuel Break
Mill Valley Summit and Ralston Fuel Break
Southern Marin Zone
MWPA Work Plan Proposals
Southern Marin Zone
0 1 2
Miles
Scale = 1:105,000
Legend
*Location includes multiple projects.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | 20222023 Work Plan | May 192022 221 Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 33 Southern Marin Zone Work Plan Proposals
Map Key Draft Proposal Name Lead Agency D-Space
Budget Local Budget Core Budget
Key 1 Mill Valley Evacuation Maps Mill Valley x
Key 1 D-Space Inspector, Full-Time – Mill Valley Mill Valley x Key 1 D-Space Inspector, Part-Time – Mill Valley Mill Valley x Key 2 Southern Marin Wildfire Evacuation Maps SMFPD x
Key 2 SMFD D-space Inspector, Full-Time SMFPD x
Key 2 SMFD D-space Inspector, Part-Time SMFPD x
Key 2 Regional Neighborhood Response Coordinator SMFPD x Key 2 SMFD Vegetation Management Project Coordinator SMFPD x Key 2 SMFD Vegetation Management Specialist SMFPD x
Key 2 Southern Marin Emergency Notification Network SMFPD x Key 3 Throckmorton Ridge Evacuation Route Vegetation
Management
Marin Co Fire
x
Key 4 Mill Valley Hazardous Tree and Flammable
Vegetation Removal
Mill Valley x
Key 4 Mill Valley Hazardous Tree and Flammable
Vegetation Removal – Supplemental Funding
Mill Valley x
Key 5 Southern Marin Hazardous Tree Removal SMFPD x
Key 5 Southern Marin Hazardous Tree Removal –
Supplemental Funding
SMFPD
x
Key 6 Mill Valley Summit and Ralston Fuel Break Mill Valley x Key 7 Ring Mountain Fuel Break SMFPD x
Key 8 Marin City Fuel Reduction Zone SMFPD x
Key 9 Muir Beach Highway 1 Evacuation Corridor/
Banducci Ranch
Muir Beach
x
Key 10 Muir Beach Equipment Fund Muir Beach x
Key 10 Muir Beach Tree Thinning Muir Beach x
Key 10 Muir Beach Defensible Space Tree Limbing and
Thinning
Muir Beach
x
Key 10 Muir Beach Defensible Space Inspections Muir Beach x Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 34 Southern Marin Zone Budget Summary
Mill Valley Local and D-Space Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Mill Valley Hazardous Tree and Flammable Vegetation
Removal
City Of Mill Valley Local $241,319
Mill Valley Hazardous Tree and Flammable Vegetation
Removal - Supplemental Funding
City Of Mill Valley Defensible Space $ 9,773
Mill Valley Evacuation Maps City Of Mill Valley Local $6,000 Mill Valley D-Space Inspector, Part-Time City Of Mill Valley Defensible Space $90,546 Mill Valley D-Space Inspector, Full-Time City Of Mill Valley Defensible Space $147,000 Total $247,319 $247,319
Approx Budget $247,319 $247,319
Remaining $0 $0
Muir Beach Community Services District Local and D-Space Proposals Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Muir Beach Equipment Muir Beach
Community
Services District
Local $5,000
Muir Beach Tree Thinning Muir Beach
Community
Services District
Local $1,320
Muir Beach Defensible Space Tree Limbing and Thinning Muir Beach Community
Services District
Defensible Space $2,320
Muir Beach Defensible Space Inspections Muir Beach
Community
Services District
Defensible Space $4,000
Total $6,320 $6,320
Approx Budget $6,320 $6,320
Remaining $0 $0
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 35 Southern Marin Fire District Local and D-Space Proposals Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
Southern Marin Hazardous Tree Removal Southern Marin Fire Protection District
Local $450,239
Southern Marin Hazardous Tree Removal - Supplemental
Funding
Southern Marin Fire
Protection District
Defensible Space
$64,238.58
Southern Marin Wildfire Evacuation Maps Southern Marin Fire Protection District
Local $18,000
SMFD D-Space Inspector, Full Time Southern Marin Fire
Protection District
Defensible Space $145,000
SMFD D-Space Inspector, Part-Time Southern Marin Fire
Protection District
Defensible Space $91,000
SMFD Vegetation Management Project Coordinator Southern Marin Fire Protection District
Defensible Space $168,000
Total $468,239 $468,239
Approx Budget $468,239 $468,239
Remaining $0 $0
All Southern Marin Zone Core Proposals
Proposal Title Lead Member
Agency Program Area Local D-Space Core
SMFD Vegetation Management Specialist Southern Marin Fire Protection District
Core $167,529
Regional Neighborhood Response Coordinator Southern Marin Fire Protection District
Core $79,873
Mill Valley Summit and Ralston Fuel Break City Of Mill Valley Core $229,023 Muir Beach Hwy 1 Evacuation Corridor / Banducci
Ranch
Muir Beach
Community
Services District
Core $98,153
Ring Mountain Fuel Break - SMFD Southern Marin Fire
Protection District
Core $143,957
Marin City Fuel Reduction Zone County Of Marin Core $65,435 Throckmorton Ridge Evacuation Route Vegetation
Management
County Of Marin Core $65,435
Southern Marin Emergency Notification Network Southern Marin Fire Protection District
Core $359,893
Total $1,209,298
Approx Budget $1,209,298
Remaining $0
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 36

MWPA WORK PLAN PROPOSALS
JPA-WIDE For detailed proposal information, go to portal:
webportal.marinwildfire.org
JPA-wide Budget Summary
JPA-wide Proposals FY22-23 Costs Itemized Costs
MWPA Operational Costs $400,000 -
Environmental Compliance for Core Projects $750,000 -
Knowledge and Attitudes Survey $75,000 -
Risk Reduction Tracking Through Parcel-Level Risk Modeling $60,000 - Evacuation Ingress/Egress Risk Assessment $350,000 -
Zonehaven Subscription $75,000 -
FireAside Defensible Space Inspection Application Subscription $155,000 - Fire Camera Coordination $30,000 -
Home Hardening and Defensible Space Grant Programs
(and staff to support)
$250,000 -
Chipper Day Program (and staff to support) $1,250,000 - Regional Wildfire-Disaster Preparedness Coordinator $43,000 - UCCE / Marin Master Gardeners position (year 2) $75,000 - Public Education Overall $988,068 individual proposals
listed below
Firewise USA Support - $91,960
Written Educational Materials - $73,568
Ember Stomp - $0
Outreach To Marin Schools - $30,653
Adapt Campaign - $325,000
Social Media Outreach - $110,352
Spring Workshops - $18,392
D-Space Program Support - $12,261
Video Outreach - $214,574
Bilingual Outreach - $50,000
Website Maintenance & Response to Public Inquiries - $61,307 Total Public Education $988,068
Total JPA-wide proposals $4,501,068
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 37 The Ember Stomp wildfire prevention festival on May 28, 2021 Marin’s wildfire camera network is a collaborative effort MWPA Staff at the Ember Stomp festival Zonehaven is a web-based mapping tool that helps communities better plan, communicate, and execute
evacuations
Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 38 APPENDIX A: JPA OPERATIONAL BOUNDARIES
6 Figure 1. Map of MWPA Zones / Operational Areas.

Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority | Executive Summary 2022 – 2023 39 APPENDIX B: REFERENCES
California Air Resources Board. (2020). Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Contemporary Wildfire, Prescribed Fire, and Forest Management Activities (Public Comment Draft). Sacramento: CARB.

Retrieved from https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/cc/inventory/pubs/ca_ghg_wildfire_forestmanagement.pdf California Forest Climate Action Team. (2018). California Forest Carbon Plan: Managing Our Forest Landscapes in a Changing Climate.

Sacramento: State of California.

California Natural Resources Agency. (2018). California's Fourth Climate Change Assessment: San Francisco Bay Area Region Report.

Sacramento: State of California.

Retrieved from https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Reg_Report-SUM-CCCA4-2018-005_SanFranciscoBayArea_ADA.pdf Marin County Civil Grand Jury. (2019). Wildfire Preparedness: A New Approach. San Rafael: County of Marin.

Retrieved from https://www.marinwildfire.org/about-mwpa/guiding-documents Marin County Fire Department. (2018). Lessons Learned: 2017 North Bay Fire Seige. County of Marin.

Retrieved from https://www.marinwildfire.org/about-mwpa/guiding-documents Marin County Fire Department. (2020). Marin County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. County of Marin.

Retrieved from https://firesafemarin.org/resources/marin-community-wildfire-protection-plan/ National Fire Prevention Association. (2018). Reducing Wildfire Risks: 3 Powerful Tips to Move People to Action.

Quincy, Massachusetts: NFPA.

Retrieved from http://tkolb.net/FireReports/2019/NFPA_Risk_Reduction_Wildfires_White_Paper_REVISED_JAN10.pdf Ramsey, M. L. (2020). The Camp Fire Public Report: A Summary of the Camp Fire Investigation.

Oroville, CA: Butte County District Attorney's Office.

Retrieved from https://www.buttecounty.net/Portals/30/CFReport/PGE-THE-CAMP-FIRE-PUBLIC-REPORT.pdf U.S. Census Bureau. (2020). Bay Area Census: Marin County. San Francisco: MTC-ABAG Library.

Retrieved from http://www.bayareacensus.ca.gov/counties/MarinCounty.htm ____________________________________________________________________________________

FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting:

Disposition:

Agenda Item No: 6.b
Meeting Date: March 6, 2023

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Community Development and City Attorney
Prepared by: Chris Hess, Assistant Community
Development Director; Genevieve Coyle,
Assistant City Attorney
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: CAMPING AT ALBERT PARK
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION PROHIBITING CAMPING ON CERTAIN PUBLIC PROPERTY: ALBERT PARK
RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt the Resolution prohibiting camping on certain public property: Albert Park.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution prohibiting camping in Albert Park. There are presently more than 20 campsites at Albert Park inhabited by people experiencing homelessness. The campsites are causing adverse health and safety, and nuisance conditions in the park; are exacerbating conflicts with park users; and are obstructing public use of the property for its intended purpose as a community park and recreational facility. Seasonal openings of Albert Park’s ballfields, tennis courts, playground, and bocce ball court for community, school, Little League, Pacifics Baseball Club, and other recreational uses draw thousands of visitors to the park throughout the season. At this time, staff recommend a seasonal prohibition, for the months of March through October annually, based on the increased community uses and programmatic events at the park during these months of the year.

BACKGROUND:

Albert Park is one of three community parks in San Rafael, and the only one located within close proximity to the downtown corridor. Community parks are a classification in the General Plan of parks that primarily serve residents of San Rafael but attract users from multiple neighborhoods (as opposed to neighborhood parks, pocket parks, etc.) Albert Park is a community and family gathering place. It is home to a number of different recreation facilities, community amenities, and programmatic event spaces, including the San Rafael Community Center, Parkside Preschool and Children’s Center, Albert Park Baseball and Softball Stadium, Marin Bocce, Albert Park Tennis Courts, and Albert Park Playground:
• The San Rafael Community Center is a year-round facility that is home to the San Rafael Goldenaires, a senior organization. The community center offers daily programming for all ages, SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
the most popular of which are preschool and older adult programs as well as special event rentals for meetings, seminars, banquets, celebrations, fundraisers and more. • Parkside Preschool and Children’s Center provides childcare programming year round, including school-year after school programs, full day preschool, and summer camps. The facility typically serves between 60-90 children daily throughout the year. • Albert Park Baseball and Softball Stadium is a seasonal facility that typically runs each year from February/March through October, depending on weather. This year, the Softball Field opened on February 6 for practice for Marin Academy. The full facility is scheduled to open on March 13, with the season ramping up after the San Rafael Little League opening day event on March 18. The Stadium will see daily use from Little League and high school teams, with the professional Pacifics Baseball Club and other recreational softball and baseball leagues starting to use the facility in April and May. These games draw thousands of visitors to the park over the course of the season.
• Marin Bocce is a non-profit that runs a City-owned facility to provide seasonal bocce opportunities for the community. League play is scheduled to begin at the facility on March 21 for the Spring season. Marin Bocce runs an incredibly popular league program and serves hundreds of participants during the season.
• Albert Park Tennis Courts and Playground provide for self-directed recreational opportunities.

These are used on a daily basis by families and individuals as well as for youth tennis lessons, with usage increasing in the Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Over the past several years, the City of San Rafael, like many cities throughout the state, has experienced a significant increase in the numbers of people experiencing homelessness and an increase in the establishment of campsites on public property. This was exacerbated beginning in early 2020 by the widespread business closures and loss of employment arising out of health orders and other governmental regulations imposed by the State and the County of Marin to help control the COVID-19 pandemic which led to financial hardships for many residents of the City and the County of Marin.

The City has responded to this increase in homelessness by investing in long-term solutions such as permanent supportive housing, and in programs to alleviate suffering and provide hope and support for residents experiencing homelessness. During this period the City:
• Contributed $1.1M in Affordable Housing Trust Fund dollars to 190 Mill Street, Homeward Bound’s project known as “Jonathan’s Place,” which is now open and occupied. Jonathan’s Place offers 32 permanent supportive housing SRO units and 40 emergency shelter beds, with onsite case management.
• Contributed $2.1M in Affordable Housing Trust Fund dollars to 3301 Kerner Boulevard, Eden Housing’s project which will provide 40 units of permanent supportive housing upon completion in 2024. The City’s contribution leveraged Permanent Local Housing Allocation dollars and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and provided key gap financing. • Added the aforementioned projects to the City’s portfolio of project-based permanent supportive housing units, which includes housing by Buckelew Programs, the Center for Domestic Peace, Center Point, Inc., EAH, Homeward Bound, and St. Vincent de Paul. • Supports and participates in the countywide Coordinated Entry System, which has housed 583 people since launch through various housing voucher programs. • Led a multi-agency collaboration with Caltrans, the County of Marin, CHP, and multiple service organizations to serve the City’s Service Support Area between July 2021 and July 2022. Of SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
46 individuals who camped within the SSA, 31 have gained permanent housing to date.

Participants receive case management from St. Vincent de Paul, which the City provides using its Encampment Resolution Fund (ERF) grant of $522K awarded by the state. • Continues to fund case management services, contributing $260K to the County regional case management program.
• Continues to fund free mobile showers and laundry services weekly for people experiencing homelessness, provided by Dignity on Wheels (part of Project WeHope) and hosted by Ritter Center.
• Provides SRPD’s Community Mental Health Liaison – Lynn Murphy, LMFT, working with each individual experiencing homelessness in the City to get them into shelter and coordinating various agency staff to address homelessness, camping, and housing retention. • Added staffing positions to create a Housing and Homelessness Division in the Community Development Department to oversee homelessness response, develop policies and programs responding to community needs, increase and manage resources, and coordinate across agencies and jurisdictions. New positions include the recently-named Assistant Director of Community Development (Chris Hess) and the Homelessness Program Analyst (to be named this spring), plus Housing Programs Analyst Alexis Captanian. • Continues to fund Downtown Streets Team in cleaning up the City with volunteers from the homeless and formerly homeless community, building leadership and employment skills while receiving case management and food and housing support. • Has begun contracting with Petaluma People Services Center for a three-year Alternative Response Program pilot, replacing traditional law enforcement responders to 911 calls involving people in crisis with social workers, mental health counselors, or medical staff, expected to begin in late March/early April 2023.
• Conducted a study session on an Interim Housing pilot, and conducting a Request for Information (RFI) to identify private property owners that could host the pilot. Actively seeking funding partners and working to implement Interim Housing in San Rafael. • Applied on February 28, 2023 for an additional $250K ERF grant for case management for people experiencing homelessness and camping at Albert Park.

At Albert Park, there are presently more than 20 campsites inhabited by people experiencing homelessness. The campsites consist of tents or tent-like structures and personal belongings and property kept by the campers. Most of the campsites are collected in the north-central portion of the park, immediately adjacent to the Albert Park Baseball and Softball Stadium’s north entrance and bathroom facilities, and directly behind the Community Center.

The City of San Rafael’s ordinance, at Section 19.20.080(C) of the San Rafael Municipal Code (“SRMC”), prohibits camping in public parks as follows:

C. Camping.

1. No person shall camp, in any park, building or portion thereof, including the parking lot of any such area.

2. No person shall use or store camp facilities or camp paraphernalia in any park, building, or portion thereof, including the parking lot of any such area.

3. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit camping on all public property, including parks, when there is no alternative shelter available to the person camping; provided that the city manager may nevertheless absolutely prohibit camping at any time in one (1) or more SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 4
specific parks where such prohibition is determined to be a threat to the public, health, safety, or welfare.

Beginning on February 21, 2023, the San Rafael Police Department noticed the occupants of existing campsites, and new campsites established after that date, at Albert Park in violation of the City’s camping ordinance and other state laws. The occupants have been ordered to vacate and relocate immediately, but no later than March 13, 2023.

The Police Department’s Community Mental Health Liaison, Lynn Murphy, and the City’s contracted service providers have been performing daily outreach to the campers to connect them with available shelter and temporary storage options for their personal belongings to aid individuals with their relocations.

ANALYSIS:

As the City becomes aware of certain public properties where the presence of camping activities can be seen to significantly jeopardize the health, safety and welfare of the City’s residents, workers, visitors, and properties, or to significantly impair essential City or public use of the property, the City may enforce its camping ordinance. The City may also expressly declare and confirm the absolute prohibition of camping activities on those properties.

The campsites at Albert Park are causing adverse health and safety, and nuisance conditions in the park. The San Rafael Police Department has responded to an increase in volume of calls for service related to sanitation, human waste, biohazards, and litter and refuse; abandonment of personal property; vandalism; theft from vehicles; physical fights amongst people experiencing homelessness; public alcohol consumption and intoxication; drug possession and use, including several reports of drug overdose, requiring medical transport to the hospital; obstruction of access points, including encampments located in the Community Center doorways, sidewalks, and pathways; smoking in areas affecting patrons of the center; campfires located next to the center; and disruptive behavior of encampment occupants, which have impacted meetings held at the Community Center by community groups.

The conditions associated with the campsites are exacerbating conflicts with park users. The City’s Recreation and Childcare staff at the San Rafael Community Center and Parkside Preschool and Children’s Center, receive frequent inquiries from community members and program participants expressing concern about the impact of the campsites and the safety of those trying to use the park site for recreational purposes. When accepting facility use requests for the Spring opening of the ballfields and other outdoor spaces, staff received reports from user groups that they would not be willing or were concerned about booking the fields because they fear for the safety of their players and event attendees as a result of the campers in the park.

In effect, the campers are obstructing public use of the property for its intended purpose as a community park and recreation facility. We also expect park user conflicts to increase significantly beginning this month in March if the camping conditions stay the same or worsen. Seasonal openings of the outdoor spaces and ballfields will draw thousands of visitors to the park in the Spring, Summer, and Fall months. The Albert Park Baseball and Softball Stadium opened in February for school uses and the Little League use will begin with a large event in mid-March. The State’s COVID-19 state of emergency expired on February 28, 2023 and the City Council will be considering termination of the local state of emergency at this meeting on March 6, 2023. Termination of the emergency orders is expected to draw more visitors to the park and its event spaces in 2023 than the previous three seasons.

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 5
The 2019 federal court decision in Martin v. City of Boise (920 F.3d 584), and its progeny, have limited the ability of cities to enforce camping prohibitions. The Martin v. Boise case held that the City of Boise’s criminal enforcement of its ordinance banning camping on all public property was unconstitutional when applied to individuals who had no alternative shelter available to them.

The City of San Rafael’s camping ordinance, at SRMC Section 19.20.080(C), prohibits camping, or using or storing camp facilities or camp paraphernalia, in any park in the City. This ordinance complies with Martin v. Boise case law as nothing in the ordinance “shall be deemed to prohibit camping on all property, including parks, when there is no alternative shelter available to the person camping.” However, the City may “absolutely prohibit camping at any time in one (1) or more specific parks where such prohibition is determined to be a threat to the public, health, safety, or welfare.” In consideration of the Martin v. Boise decision, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the intermittent lack of sufficient shelter for all of the unhoused persons living in San Rafael, the City has not been strictly enforcing existing limits on camping in and on some public properties. This was the case at Albert Park at which the number of campsites have grown, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and winter months of 2022-2023. However, while Martin v. Boise dictates that a city without sufficient alternative shelter may not criminalize the act of sleeping somewhere on public property, the decision does not require a city to allow camping/sleeping everywhere on public property. The case law recognizes that there may be certain public properties where the existence of encampments will be at odds with the necessary use of the property by the public, or where they will pose unacceptable hazards and/or costs to a city’s operations and to the public. In such cases, the City needs to be able to enforce a camping prohibition, and case law does not prevent the City from doing so.

Compelling circumstances exist at this time to prohibit camping in Albert Park. The campsites at Albert Park threaten the public, health, safety, or welfare of the community. In this case, the City needs to be able to enforce a camping prohibition. At this time, staff recommends the Council adopt a seasonal prohibition, effective from March through October of each year. The City Manager would have the authority to extend or modify these dates each year based on scheduled seasonal uses of the ballfields and other park areas.

FISCAL IMPACT:

This resolution has no fiscal impact. Enforcement of the City’s camping ordinance and related services is an existing operational function of the City.

OPTIONS:

The City Council has the following options to consider on this matter:

1. Adopt resolution.

2. Adopt resolution with modifications.

3. Direct staff to return with more information.

4. Take no action.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Adopt the Resolution prohibiting camping on certain public property: Albert Park.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Resolution
RESOLUTION NO.

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL PROHIBITING CAMPING ON CERTAIN PUBLIC PROPERTY: ALBERT PARK WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael’s camping ordinance, at Section 19.20.080(C) of the San Rafael Municipal Code (“SRMC”), prohibits camping, or using or storing camp facilities or camp paraphernalia, in any park in the City; and WHEREAS, the Ordinance further provides that “[n]othing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit camping on all public property, including parks, when there is no alternative shelter available to the person camping; provided that the city manager may nevertheless absolutely prohibit camping at any time in one (1) or more specific parks where such prohibition is determined to be a threat to the public, health, safety, or welfare”; and
WHEREAS, Albert Park is one of three community parks in San Rafael, and the only one located within close proximity to the downtown corridor, and is home to a number of different recreation facilities, community amenities, and programmatic event spaces, including the San Rafael Community Center, Parkside Preschool and Children’s Center, Albert Park Baseball and Softball Stadium, Marin Bocce, Albert Park Tennis Courts, and Albert Park Playground; and
WHEREAS, seasonal openings of Albert Park’s ballfields, tennis courts, playground, and bocce ball court for community, school, Little League, Pacifics Baseball Club, and other recreational uses draw thousands of visitors to the park throughout the season; and
WHEREAS, termination of the federal, state and local COVID-19 state of emergency orders is expected to draw more visitors to the park and its event spaces in 2023 than the previous 3 seasons; and
WHEREAS, there are presently more than 20 campsites at Albert Park inhabited by people experiencing homelessness; and
WHEREAS, the campsites at Albert Park are causing adverse health and safety, and nuisance conditions in the park; are exacerbating conflicts with park users; and are obstructing public use of the property for its intended purpose as a community park and recreational facility; and
WHEREAS, the San Rafael Police Department has responded to an increase in volume of calls for service related to the existing campsites, including sanitation, human waste, biohazards, and litter and refuse; abandonment of personal property; vandalism; theft from vehicles; physical fights amongst the campers; public alcohol consumption and intoxication; drug possession and use, including several reports of drug overdose, requiring medical transport to the hospital; obstruction of access points, including encampments located in the Recreation Center doorways, sidewalks, and pathways; smoking in areas affecting patrons of the center; campfires located next to the center; and disruptive behavior of encampment occupants, which have impacted meetings held at the community center by community groups; and
WHEREAS, the City’s Recreation and Childcare staff at the San Rafael Community Center and Parkside Preschool and Children’s Center, receive frequent inquiries from community members and program participants expressing concern about the impact of the campsites and the safety of those trying to use the park site for recreational purposes. When accepting facility use requests for the Spring opening of the ballfields and other outdoor spaces, staff have received reports from user groups that they would not be willing or were concerned about booking the fields because they fear for the safety of their players and event attendees as a result of the campers in the park; and
WHEREAS, prohibiting camping at Albert Park is necessary to eliminate or mitigate a substantial risk or risks to the public health, safety and welfare of the City’s residents, businesses, visitors and/or property, and such prohibition is permissible under applicable law, including SRMC section 19.20.080(C); and WHEREAS, an absolute prohibition of camping in Albert Park for the months of March through October annually is appropriate based on the increased community uses and programmatic events at the park during these months of the year.

NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of San Rafael hereby resolves as follows:

1. No person shall camp or lodge at any time in any fashion, including in a tent, on the ground, in a motor home or in another vehicle, or use or store camp facilities or camp paraphernalia, as defined in the San Rafael Municipal Code, in Albert Park or in any portion thereof.

2. The forgoing prohibition shall be seasonal, effective March 1 through October 31 of each year; provided that the City Manager shall have the authority to extend or modify these dates each year based on scheduled seasonal uses of the ballfields and other park areas. This seasonal prohibition shall have no effect on the City’s authority to enforce local and state laws, including but not limited to SRMC section 19.20.080(C), related to camping in Albert Park at any other time of the year.

3. City staff, including the San Rafael Police Department and Department of Public Works, shall have the authority to take all actions deemed appropriate to implement the prohibition established by this resolution.

I, LINDSAY LARA, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council held on Monday, the 6th day of March 2023, by the following vote, to wit:

AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS:

ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS:

Lindsay Lara, City Clerk