February 2, 2026
San Rafael City Council
City Hall
1400 Fifth Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
RE: Housing Study Session Comments
Honorable Mayor and Council Members,
Sustainable San Rafael worked diligently with the City during the development of General Plan 2040, the Downtown Precise Plan, and the Objective Design Standards. We believe that State housing laws passed since the City's adoption of these documents now require adjustments to both the documents and the processes implementing them, in order to reach their intended results as fully as possible.
In particular, we ask that you consider:
1. Adjusting some building heights downward so that the originally intended heights may be achieved when
developers exercise the waivers now allowed by law.
2. Establishing sea-level-rise flood zones that limit
residential density, require flood safety features,
assure that buildings are bonded to repair flood
damage and to reimburse related public emergency
response cost, and mandate that owners join sea level
rise protection districts as these are established.
3. Reactivating the Design Review Board to provide noncompulsory advice to the developers' architects during one of the five public hearings allowed. Our
belief, based on long experience with design review, is that collegial discussion among design professionals
in most cases leads to improved results.
We remain supportive of attaining as much compact,
affordable housing as possible in downtown San Rafael and other appropriate infill areas, while at the same time realizing optimal design, safety, and livability throughout the city.
Sincerely,
William Carney
William Carney,
Vice President
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Annika Osborn, Co-President
Ben Snyder, Co-President
William Carney, Vice President
Miles Smith, Secretary
Greg Brockbank
Kay Karchevski
Rina Lopez
Phil Muller
Marisa Nordstrom
Stuart Siegel
415.302.0110