From: Lauren Withey
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 4:23 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Cc: Maribeth Bushey <[email protected]>; Mayor Kate <[email protected]>; Rachel Kertz <[email protected]> Subject: RE: January 20, 2026 San Rafael City Council Meeting — Items not on Agenda Dear San Rafael City Council,
I was heartbroken to learn of another unnecessary and tragic death of a member of our community on Point San Pedro Road. Lucia Jennifer Blandina Sontay Vicente was simply trying to cross the street on foot, and her life was taken because of a failure of planning, of imagination, of political will, and of cross-jurisdictional coordination.
Indeed, the current state of Point San Pedro Road is a tragedy of a different kind, and one that will result in more deaths if something is not done quickly. Fortunately, the antiquated wide road, while currently a death sentence for pedestrians, also offers opportunities for major improvements in safety for both bikes and pedestrians. I urge the City of San Rafael to work with the County of Marin on a new Safety Project to make the entire Point San Pedro Road corridor safer and more welcoming to all modes of transportation, including through the following actions:
1) Reduce the speed limit. AB 43 and its companion AB 1014 should enable the City and County to reduce the speed limit across the entire corridor. Even reducing speeds by 5-10 mph can save lives and reduce severe injuries. Dedicate resources to strictly enforce the lower speed limits.
2) Reduce the two lanes to one in each direction and use the extra space to build a continuous protected bike corridor. Current traffic demand does not warrant two lanes in each direction and encourages speeding. Protected bike lanes can be designed to allow emergency vehicle access during emergencies or two-way vehicle egress during an evacuation. Parking would be unaffected.
3) Improve pedestrian crossings corridor-wide. Many interventions could be designed to improve pedestrian crossing safety, including quick-build curb extensions to shorten crosswalks. HAWK signals and median pedestrian refuges will also be critical (including the one at Summit Ave. where Lucia was killed).
Thank you for doing all you can to prevent such an unnecessary tragedy from occurring again on Point San Pedro Road.
Sincerely,
Lauren Withey
San Rafael resident
From: Matt Farber
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2026 7:31 AM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Cc: Maribeth Bushey <[email protected]>; Mayor Kate <[email protected]>
Subject: Lucia Jennifer Blandina Sontay Vicente - Please do something to help situations like this.
Dear City Council,
I was unable to make the City Council meeting yesterday, but I wanted to write in my thoughts. Once again, another member of our community was killed while walking or biking on Point San Pedro Road. A recent San Rafael High School graduate named Lucia Jennifer Blandina Sontay Vicente. This isn't the first time this has happened and if we continue to do nothing, it won't be the last. Please don't sit idle and let another driver kill or seriously injure another member of our community - especially after this very Council passed it's Vision Zero goal.
What will you do to help prevent this from happening again? Thank you,
Matt Farber
From: Marianne Nannestad
Sent: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 8:01 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Subject: Fwd: Council meeting 1-20-2026
Marianne Nannestad
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Marianne Nannestad
Date: Tue, Jan 20, 2026 at 18:54
Subject: Council meeting 1-20-2026
To: <[email protected]>
Consent Calendar Item b. Public Comment
I’d like to ask for clarification on an important point in the staff report, because as written it is genuinely unclear.
The report states that the population camping around San Rafael City Hall has grown significantly and that this includes individuals who are new to San Rafael. It then explains that those individuals are being told they may need to relocate, and that staff will prioritize outreach and referrals to available shelter and housing resources.
Immediately following that discussion, the report cites the City’s investment in shelter capacity and specifically references the proposed interim shelter at 350 Merrydale Road as an example.
In the past, the City has clearly stated that Merrydale is intended to serve people experiencing homelessness in San Rafael, not as a regional intake site. However, the way this report is structured makes it reasonable to wonder whether individuals currently camping at City Hall—particularly those described as new to San Rafael— could be referred to Merrydale once it opens.
I’m not suggesting that is the City’s intent. I’m saying the report does not clearly state otherwise.
Given the sensitivity of this issue and the level of concern in surrounding neighborhoods, clarity matters. Can the City state clearly, on the record, whether individuals displaced from the City Hall encampment—especially those who are not San Rafael residents—would be eligible for placement at Merrydale, and how residency or eligibility would be determined?
If Merrydale is truly intended to serve San Rafael residents only, I would respectfully suggest that this be stated explicitly in future staff reports and incorporated clearly into the project plan, so residents are not left to infer policy from ambiguous language.
This is not about opposing services or relocation efforts. It is about transparency, consistency, and making sure expectations are clear for everyone involved.
Marianne Nannestad
San Rafael Meadows