4e795452-2.a-canal-neighborhood-active-transportation-enhancement-project

____________________________________________________________________________________

FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting:

Disposition:

Agenda Item No: 2.a
Meeting Date: June 15, 2026

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Public Works
Prepared by: Grey Shankel Melgard, Senior Civil
Engineer
April Miller, Public Works Director
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: CANAL NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROJECT SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF NEXT STEPS RELATED TO PROPOSED STARKWEATHER

PATHWAY LIGHTING IMPLEMENTED BY THE CANAL NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVE

TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENT PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council consider the following options:

1. Direct staff to modify the scope of work for the proposed lighting along Starkweather Path for the Canal Neighborhood Active Transportation Enhancements Project to include only waist-high bollards and to reduce hours of operations for the lighting (Staff’s recommendation).

2. Direct staff to continue with the scope of work for the proposed lighting along Starkweather Path for the Canal Neighborhood Active Transportation Enhancements Project as previously presented.

BACKGROUND:

The Canal Neighborhood Active Transportation Enhancement Project (the “Project”) is in San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood, bounded by I-580, Highway 101, Bellam Boulevard, and the San Rafael Creek.

The freeways and Creek physically isolate this disadvantaged community. There are limited shopping, educational, health services, and job opportunities within the neighborhood, and travel to other locations is constrained by poor bicycle and pedestrian connections.

The Project would support the complete design and construction of several pedestrian, lighting, bicycle, and transit enhancements in the public right-of-way and on City-owned property in the Canal neighborhood. These enhancements would improve the mobility, equity, safety, and comfort of people walking, biking, and using transit in the Canal neighborhood. They would help residents reach key destinations, such as schools, parks, and shopping areas, both within and outside the community.

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
In January 2023, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) adopted the Active Transportation Program (ATP) Cycle 6 program, which included the Project’s entire grant request for $4,123,000 as part of the ATP Cycle 6.

In May 2023, the San Rafael City Council adopted a resolution of local support authorizing the filing of an application for funding assigned to MTC, committing any necessary matching funds, and providing assurances to complete the Canal Neighborhood Active Transportation Enhancement Project.

In September 2024, the City Council adopted a resolution approving a Program Supplement Agreement (PSA) with Caltrans to receive $158,000 in State ATP funds for the Project's preliminary engineering phase.

In March 2025, the City Council awarded a Professional Services Agreement to BKF Engineers to provide professional services associated with the Project, including project management, public outreach, preliminary engineering, environmental compliance and permitting, right-of-way certification, plans, specifications, and estimates, and construction support services.

In March 2026, the City Council adopted a resolution finding that the Project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.25(b)(1) and Section 15301 of the State CEQA Guidelines and adopted a resolution approving a PSA with Caltrans for $630,000 in State ATP funds for the Project’s plans, specifications, and estimate (PS&E) phase.

ANALYSIS:

The City of San Rafael City Council retains the authority to make the final decision on the Project design and implementation. During the community outreach phase of the Project, staff heard concerns from residents about the potential impacts of including lighting improvements along Starkweather Path.

Generally, these concerns focused on potential environmental and biological impacts, the restriction of usable space on the Starkweather Path, and the use of the path beyond the currently allowed hours (dawn to dusk). Alternatively, staff heard from residents expressing their support for the lighting, citing improved safety and visibility needs, especially during low-light hours. In support of the City Council deciding on including or not including lighting along Starkweather Path, staff is presenting multiple options for the City Council’s consideration based on the feedback received, summarized below:

1. Modify the Project lighting design on Starkweather Path to include waist-high bollards only and reduce hours of operation to only have lighting on between set hours pre-dawn and post-dusk.

Staff recommends that lights be on between 5 am and 8 am and again between 5 pm and 8 pm.

This option is intended to be responsive to the feedback received on the lighting along the Starkweather Path, summarized in Attachment 1. This option could expand opportunities to use the Path, especially during the winter months, allowing residents to exercise before or after work when sunlight hours are limited. It is also intended to address concerns about the impact of the overhead lights on the environment, the views from properties adjacent to the Starkweather Path, and glare. If the City Council selects this option, staff will bring forward a City Council item to modify the posted hours for Starkweather Path in the coming months before the Project’s implementation. This option does not affect existing project funding (Staff’s recommendation) OR

2. Do not modify the Project lighting design on Starkweather Path as previously presented by staff, which includes a mix of waist-high bollard-style lights and 15-foot-high overhead small area lights. This option does not affect existing project funding. This design option is further described as follows:
a. The section of Starkweather Path from Pickleweed Park to approximately 100 feet east of Bedford Cove is proposed to be primarily lit with bollard-style lighting.

SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
b. The section of Starkweather Path from approximately 100 feet east of Bedford Cove to the junction of the pathway approximately 150 feet east of the end of Baypoint Drive (where the path diverts south toward the Target parking lot) is proposed to be primarily lit with the overhead style lighting for greater illumination of this secluded area. c. To close the full loop of the pathway, the section of Starkweather Path that travels parallel to Baypoint Drive is proposed to be primarily lit with bollard-style lighting. d. The section of the Starkweather Path from the junction towards the Target parking lot is not City-owned and is not included in the project.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH:

In May 2022, the proposed lighting was presented to the City Council as part of the informational report on the Canal Lighting Project. The Canal Lighting Project was a collaborative effort between the Dominican University of California, Canal Alliance, Voces del Canal, and the City of San Rafael to advocate for public lighting improvements in the Canal neighborhood.

The City has held several outreach events for the Project to gather community input on the proposed enhancements. These events included an in-person community meeting with Canal Alliance on January 14, 2026, a virtual community workshop on December 9, 2025, and an in-person/virtual community meeting on November 18, 2025. The Project also had a feedback form on the website for residents to submit comments, which closed on February 6, 2026. Staff has compiled questions, comments, and requests from these events into documents available on the Project’s website:
https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/canal-neighborhood-active-transportation-enhancement-project/.

Recordings of and presentation slides from December 9, 2025, and November 18, 2025, meetings are also available on the Project’s website. The Project’s website has a section of Frequently Asked Questions related to both the general Project and specifically the proposed lighting along Starkweather Path.

The City administered the Starkweather Path Use Survey (“Survey”) starting on February 19, 2026, through March 31, 2026, via Microsoft Forms. The seven-question Survey sought to understand how, why, and at what times the Starkweather Path is used, as well as to get feedback on the primary areas of concern and benefit previously raised by community members. This included path safety and access, as well as potential negative impacts on the environment, housing, users, and views. 385 responses were received, with the highest number of responses coming from Baypoint Lagoons Neighborhood (123 responses), Spinnaker Point Neighborhood (100 responses), and Canal Neighborhood (93 responses).

Attachment 1 provides background context, survey methodology, results, takeaways, and items for discussion based on the Survey. This attachment was posted to the Project’s website on May 29, 2026.

ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION:

In March 2026, the City Council adopted a resolution finding that the Project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.25(b)(1) and Section 15301 of the State CEQA Guidelines. The proposed lighting along Starkweather Path was included in the CEQA documentation as it represented the broadest environmental footprint for consideration. However, the Statutory Exemption and Notice of Exemption for the Project will remain valid with or without the inclusion of the proposed lighting improvements along Starkweather Path, as the Project would still properly qualify for an exemption under Public Resources Code Section 21080.25(b)(1) and State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.

The Project will still require a San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) permit, as it includes work within the first 100 feet inland from the shoreline around the San Francisco Bay. City staff is also working with other environmental regulatory agencies, including the San Francisco SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 4
Regional Water Quality Control Board, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, to delineate any additional environmental requirements for the Project.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Appropriations for the Plans, Specifications, and Estimate phase of the Project were included in the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Budget (Gas Tax Fund – Fund 206), approved by City Council on June 2, 2025.

No additional appropriations are being requested for this action.

OPTIONS:

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

2. Direct staff to continue with the scope of work for the proposed lighting along Starkweather Path for the Canal Neighborhood Active Transportation Enhancements Project as previously presented.

3. Direct staff to return to the City Council with additional information and/or alternatives for further consideration.

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Staff recommends that the City Council consider the following options:

2. Direct staff to continue with the scope of work for the proposed lighting along Starkweather Path for the Canal Neighborhood Active Transportation Enhancements Project as previously presented.

ATTACHMENTS:

1. Canal Neighborhood Active Transportation Enhancement Project - Starkweather Path Use Survey

2. Public Comment
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Kate Colin, Mayor • Rachel Kertz, Vice Mayor • Eli Hill, Councilmember • Maribeth Bushey, Councilmember • Maika Llorens Gulati, Councilmember DATE: May 18, 2026 File No: 16.01.312
SUBJECT: Canal Neighborhood Active Transportation Enhancement Project - Starkweather Path Use Survey Results
Overview:

As part of the Canal Neighborhood Active Transportation Enhancement Project, lighting enhancements are proposed for the city-owned portions of the Bay Trail/Jean & John Starkweather Path (“Starkweather Path”). The City of San Rafael is exploring the possibility of installing waist high, bollard lighting and overhead lighting along the Starkweather Path. The City administered a public survey to learn more about how residents use the path, and their thoughts on the lighting project.

Background Context:

For context, the initial proposal for lighting along the Starkweather Path came from a collaborative effort between the City of San Rafael, Dominican University of California, Canal Alliance, and Voces de Canal to advocate for public lighting improvements in the Canal neighborhood1. The team identified seven routes that required improved lighting (Figure 1) with the Starkweather Path being listed as route number seven (7). These recommendations were included and highlighted as a key issue for the community in the Canal Neighborhood Community-Based Transportation Plan2.

Figure 1 - Lighting Routes
1 https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/canal-community-lighting-project/ 2 https://www.cityofsanrafael.org/documents/canal-neighborhood-community-basedtransportation-plan/ Page | 2
Kate Colin, Mayor • Rachel Kertz, Vice Mayor • Eli Hill, Councilmember • Maribeth Bushey, Councilmember • Maika Llorens Gulati, Councilmember Additionally, the City’s Police Department recommended the proposed lighting enhancements to improve safety in the area. The proposal for lighting was a response to the feedback from the residents and the City’s Police Department recommendation.

Survey Methodology:

The City administered the Starkweather Path Use survey starting on February 19, 2026, through March 31, 2026. The survey was sent via email to residents and interested stakeholders, including neighborhood groups, Canal Alliance, San Rafael City Schools.

A link to the survey was available on the Project’s website, and several flyers with QR codes to the survey were posted along Starkweather Path for individuals to scan and take the survey with a mobile device. The seven-question survey sought to understand how, why, and at what times the Starkweather Path is used as well as to get feedback on the primary areas of concern and benefit previously raised by community members.

This included path safety and access as well as potential negative impacts on the environment, housing, users, and views. 385 responses were received with the highest number of responses coming from Baypoint Lagoons Neighborhood (123 responses), Spinnaker Point Neighborhood (100 responses), and Canal Neighborhood (93 responses).

Results:
 Frequency of Use: Overall, majority of respondents indicated daily and weekly use of the path
o Baypoint Lagoon: majority of respondents indicated daily use of the path o Canal: respondents were split evenly between daily and weekly use of the path
o Spinnaker Point: majority of respondents indicated daily use of the path  Mode of Transportation: Walking is the most common activity for the Starkweather Path across all three neighborhoods.
o Baypoint Lagoon: majority of respondents indicated walking and biking as the top two modes of transportation along the path
o Canal: majority of respondents indicated walking and jogging as the top two modes of transportation along the path
o Spinnaker Point: majority of respondents indicated walking and jogging as the top two modes of transportation along the path
 Reason for use: Recreation/exercise, enjoying nature, and running errands are the top three uses for the path across all three neighborhoods. o Baypoint Lagoon: running errands represented 8.1% of responses o Canal: running errands represented 25.8% of responses o Spinnaker Point: running errands represented 15% of responses  Times of use: Overall, majority of respondents indicated 3pm-6pm (afternoon) and 9am-12pm (mid-morning) as the most common times of use.

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Kate Colin, Mayor • Rachel Kertz, Vice Mayor • Eli Hill, Councilmember • Maribeth Bushey, Councilmember • Maika Llorens Gulati, Councilmember o Baypoint Lagoon: most common times of use were 3pm-6pm (afternoon) and 9am-12pm (mid-morning)
o Canal: most common times of use were 6pm-9pm (evening) and 3pm6pm (afternoon) o Spinnaker Point: most common times of use were 3pm-6pm (afternoon) and 9am-12pm (mid-morning)
 Impacts of proposed lighting: Overall the majority of respondents indicated they agreed most with the statements that lighting will negatively impact the surrounding environment and lighting will increase safety. o Baypoint Lagoon: most agreed with the statements that lighting will negatively impact the surrounding environment, lighting will block path, and lighting would not change their use of the path
o Canal: most agreed with the statements that lighting will increase safety, lighting will prevent illegal activities, and lighting will negatively impact the surrounding environment
o Spinnaker Point: most agreed with the statements that lighting will negatively impact the surrounding environment, lighting will block path, and lighting would not change their use of the path
Takeaways:

Some of the main takeaways from the survey include:
 The Starkweather Path is used heavily across all neighborhoods.  Walking is the primary mode of use.
 Recreation and nature enjoyment are the dominant reasons for using the path across all groups.
 Usage patterns vary by neighborhood and time of day.
 Perspectives on proposed lighting differ by neighborhood.  Overall, the findings suggest differing community priorities.

Considerations for Discussion:

As the City decision-makers consider next steps, below are a list of questions of considerations for discussion:
 Are there limited or targeted lighting options rather than corridor-wide lighting?  Are there operational improvements, such as maintenance, sightlines, patrol visibility, signage, that could address some safety concerns?  How should neighborhood differences inform future outreach and engagement?  How can Starkweather Path serve multiple neighborhood needs while respecting both access and environmental stewardship?
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Kate Colin, Mayor • Rachel Kertz, Vice Mayor • Eli Hill, Councilmember • Maribeth Bushey, Councilmember • Maika Llorens Gulati, Councilmember Next Steps:
 Staff will be taking the results of the Survey and additional community feedback received previously to the City Council during the June 15th General Meeting.  In an effort to be responsive to feedback received through community outreach Staff will be presenting options for City Council consideration regarding the proposed lighting along Starkweather Path.

City of San Rafael Starkweather Path
Lighting Plan
Q1: Which area of San Rafael do you live in?
123
6 93
17 21 20
2 100
3 0
20 40
60 80
100
120
140
Baypoint Lagoons Bret Harte Canal
Neighborhood
Downtown San
Rafael
Elsewhere in
Marin County
Elsewhere in San
Rafael
Elsewhere in Bay
Area
Spinnaker Point Blanks
Number of Survey Respondents
A total of 378 survey
responses were received
Q2: How often do you use Starkweather Path?
18 229
2 29
100
7 0
50 100
150
200
250
Few Times a Year Daily Never Used It Monthly Weekly Blanks Number of Survey Respondents
Q2: Based on neighborhood, how often do you use Starkweather Path? Baypoint Lagoons Bret Harte Canal
Neighborhood
Downtown San
Rafael
Elsewhere Marin
County
Elsewhere San
Rafael
Elsewhere Bay
Area Spinnaker Point
Few 1 0 2 1 5 5 1 3
Daily 94 1 41 3 2 2 0 82
Never 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0
Monthly 1 2 3 7 9 6 1 0
Weekly 26 3 41 4 5 5 0 15
Blanks 1 0 2 2 0 0 0 0
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100
Top 3 highest usage neighborhoods
include Baypoint Lagoons, Canal
Neighborhood and Spinnaker Point
Q3: What activity/mode of transportation do you use on the path? 396
95 22
91 0
50 100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
Walk Jog E-bike Bike
Highest mode of transportation for the
path is walking
*Respondents had the opportunity to select all that apply Q3: Based on neighborhood, what activity/mode of transportation do you use on the path? Baypoint
Lagoons Bret Harte CanalNeighborhood
Downtown San
Rafael
Elsewhere
Marin County
Elsewhere San
Rafael
Elsewhere Bay
Area Spinnaker Point Blanks
Walk 123 6 89 15 17 18 1 100 1
Jog 27 1 34 9 5 2 0 17 0
E-bike 11 0 10 0 0 1 0 0 0
Bike 35 1 28 2 4 4 1 16 0
0 20
40 60
80 100
120
140
Highest mode of transportation for the
path is walking
*Respondents had the opportunity to select all that apply Q4: What is the most common reason you use the path?
342
50 283
12 1
14 0
50 100
150
200
250
300
350
400
Recreation/Exercise Stores/Running Errands Enjoy Nature Travel/Commuting Friends Walking Walking Dogs Top 2 highest uses for the path are 1
st
Recreation/Exercise and 2
nd Enjoying
Nature
*Respondents had the opportunity to select all that apply Q4: Based on neighborhood, what is the most common reason you use the path? Baypoint
Lagoons Bret Harte CanalNeighborhood
Downtown San
Rafael
Elsewhere
Marin County
Elsewhere San
Rafael
Elsewhere Bay
Area
Spinnaker
Point Blanks
Recreation/Exercise 117 5 82 14 16 17 1 89 1
Stores/Running Errands 10 0 24 0 1 0 0 15 0
Enjoy Nature 102 4 64 13 12 10 2 76 0
Travel/Commuting 3 0 4 0 2 0 1 2 0
Friends Walking 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Walking Dogs 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
0 20
40 60
80 100
120
140
Top 2 highest uses for the path are 1st
Recreation/Exercise and 2nd Enjoying
Nature
*Respondents had the opportunity to select all that apply Q5: When do you typically use the path?
106
173
143
228
139
0 50
100
150
200
250
6AM-9AM 9AM-12PM 12PM-3PM 3PM-6PM 6PM-9PM
Top 2 highest usage timeframes are 1st
3PM-6PM and 2nd 9AM-12PM
*Respondents had the opportunity to select all that apply Q5: Based on neighborhood, when do you typically use the path? Baypoint
Lagoons Bret Harte CanalNeighborhood
Downtown San
Rafael
Elsewhere Marin
County
Elsewhere San
Rafael
Elsewhere Bay
Area Spinnaker Point Blanks
6AM-9AM 45 1 26 2 5 1 0 26 0
9AM-12PM 62 4 27 4 7 7 0 62 0
12PM-3PM 56 2 17 4 8 9 2 45 0
3PM-6PM 80 4 48 10 9 9 2 65 1
6PM-9PM 23 5 60 9 12 5 0 25 0
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
Top 2 highest usage timeframes for
both Baypoint Lagoons and Spinnaker
Point in order are 1
st 3PM-6PM and
2 nd 9AM-12PM
Top 2 highest usage timeframes for
Canal Neighborhood in order are 1
st
6PM-9PM and 2
nd 3PM-6PM
*Respondents had the opportunity to select all that apply Q6: Which statements below do you agree with regarding the proposed lighting project? 259
110
127
98 99
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
Lighting Negative Impact
Surrounding Environment
Lighting Will Block Path Lighting Will Increase Safety Lighting Will Prevent Illegal Activities
Lighting Would Not Change My
Use of Path
*Respondents had the opportunity to select all that apply Q6: Based on neighborhood, which statements below do you agree with regarding the proposed lighting project?
Baypoint
Lagoons Bret Harte
Canal
Neighborho
od
Downtown
San Rafael
Elsewhere
Marin
County
Elsewhere
San Rafael
Elsewhere
Bay Area
Spinnaker
Point Blanks
Lighting Negative Impact Surrounding Environment 113 4 27 7 13 12 0 83 0 Lighting Will Block Path 55 2 9 3 6 1 0 34 0
Lighting Will Increase Safety 17 1 62 11 6 8 2 19 1
Lighting Will Prevent Illegal Activities 7 1 54 10 7 6 1 12 0 Lighting Would Not Change My Use of Path 38 1 17 1 4 8 0 30 0 0 20
40 60
80 100
120
259 respondents agreed
with statement that lighting
would be a negative impact
for the surrounding
environment
127 respondents agreed
with statement that lighting
will increase safety
98 respondents agreed that
lighting will prevent illegal
activities
*Respondents had the opportunity to select all that apply June 5, 2026
Re: Starkweather Pathway Lighting Project
Mayor Kate and Members of the City Council,
We at the Marin County Bicycle Coalition and our colleagues at WTB-TAM write to you in support of the proposed Starkweather Path Lighting project. This project, which is part of a larger effort to improve lighting and public safety throughout the Canal Neighborhood, is one that we have supported and written in favor of several times in recent years, starting with the state Active Transportation Program (ATP) grant that funded the Canal Neighborhood Active Transportation Enhancement Project.

Lighting is a critical component of safe streets infrastructure. Without it, many people do not feel safe traveling at night, particularly those who are more likely to be victims of crime or harassment, such as women and girls. By lighting our bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure, particularly trails that are somewhat secluded from the rest of the transportation network, we improve perceived and actual safety. In this, we were pleased to see that the San Rafael Police Department is in support of this project as part of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).

Potential Wildlife Impacts
We acknowledge that there is a vocal group of residents from nearby neighborhoods who do not support lighting on the Starkweather path. Their main argument is that lighting would negatively impact wildlife. They cite two federally threatened species specifically — the ridgway’s rail and the salt marsh harvest mouse, with the statement that artificial lighting disrupts critical feeding and breeding patterns.

We think the residents may be referencing this map of the salt marsh harvest mouse range (source: California Department of Wildlife BIOS mapping system).

The Starkweather Path is indeed within the salt marsh harvest mouse range. As is Larkspur Landing, San Quentin, and all of East San Rafael. The freeways, local streets, and institutional and big box uses are already major sources of light pollution. The luminosity of the proposed lighting, designed specifically with flares to illuminate the pathway and not the night skies, is negligible next to the existing conditions. Furthermore, the shaded area in the map does not mean that the salt marsh harvest mouse lives everywhere shaded green. It just means the mouse may look for its den within this zone. It will naturally seek out darker, tucked away spaces within the zone.

In this map of the ridgeway rail’s habitat areas (source: California Department of Wildlife BIOS mapping system), the dark green areas represent prime habitat areas and critical marsh. The Light green-yellow areas represent low suitability for ridgeway rail habitat. The Starkweather Path is located in the light green-yellow zone. There are no dark green zones adjacent to the portion of the Path along which lighting is proposed.

Lighting can, and should, be designed in such a way as to not impinge on the residences of nearby neighbors or negatively affect wildlife. As we understand it, the city is committed to down-shielded fixtures or defensive lighting design. The only lighting that will be near any homes will be of the low, bollard-type lighting widely used across the Bay Trail network. The larger, overhead lighting fixtures will not be closer than half a football field from any residences, which seems to be a more than adequate buffer.

Lighting Design
The following is a reference image from the City’s presentation on the lighting project. It shows roughly the style of lighting to be used in the bollard section, with the caveat that the chosen design will include back shields not depicted in this image. The back shields will keep the light focused on the path and away from the shoreline, with even less light impact than what is seen in this image.

Public Outreach Survey
Staff will present the findings of public outreach at the June 15th City Council meetings and the results should be read carefully. As is typically the case, project opposition is more organized than support. As such, residents of the Spinnaker Point and Baypoint Lagoons neighborhoods responded at far higher rates than residents of the rest of the Canal.

Census Tract 1122.02, Block Group 1, which includes Spinnaker Point and Baypoint Lagoons is home to roughly 1,900 people. Between Spinnaker Point and Baypoint Lagoons, there were 223 survey responses, nearly 60% of all responses received, representing an almost 12% completion rate. These respondents were far more likely to indicate that the lighting would “negatively affect the surrounding environment” or “block the path” (the latter being an assertion we find perplexing). On the whole, they did not believe that lighting would improve safety or prevent illegal activities.

Contrast that with the responses from people who indicated they lived in the Canal Neighborhood. This presumably refers to Census Tract 1122.03 (population 2,180), 1122.04 (population 4,280), and 1122.02 Block Groups 2 (population 845) and 3 (population 3,515).

Collectively these areas are home to over 10,000 San Rafael residents, or roughly 5x the population of the Spinnaker Point/Baypoint Lagoons neighborhoods. Roughly 2/3rds of these respondents indicated that the lighting would improve safety and reduce illegal activity, with only 1/3rd saying it would negatively affect the environment. But critically, only 93 Canal neighborhood residents completed the survey, less than 1% of the total population, meaning that the Spinnaker Point/Baypoint Lagoons residents completed the survey at 12x(!) the rate as their neighbors.

We urge the City Council to take this large disparity in response rates into consideration when choosing a path forward. The preferences of residents of the Canal neighborhood, we feel, should be weighted appropriately with respect to their far greater population than the adjoining, wealthier neighbors, as well as the respective response rates of both groups. A survey is not an electoral referendum, and the responses should not be treated as indicative of anything like “the will of the people” (for perspective, according to the city’s usage data, more than twice as many people use the path every single night than filled out the survey).

We believe that the pathway lighting will improve safety and access on Bay Trail. The present controversy, like many controversies before it, will almost certainly be forgotten within a short time, leaving generations of San Rafael residents to enjoy a safer, more accessible path.

Sincerely,
Warren J. Wells, AICP
Policy & Planning Director
Marin County Bicycle Coalition
Matthew Harzell
Director of Planning

WTB-TAM

San Rafael City CouncilJune 15, 2026

San Rafael City Council
June 15, 2026