-----Original Message-----
From: Jessica Yarnall
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2026 5:50 PM
To: Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]>; Eli Hill <[email protected]>; Maribeth Bushey <[email protected]>; Maika Llorens Gulati <[email protected]>; Rachel Kertz <[email protected]>; Mayor Kate <[email protected]> Subject: Camping ordinance
Dear Mayor Colin and San Rafael City Council members:
I write as a San Rafael resident in strong support of the camping ordinance that bans camping along Anderson drive. This area is not appropriate for camping. It’s an open dumping hazard with all of the camp and trash and is in close proximity to Davidson Middle School, a Title 1 school that many students are already forced to walk past this dangerous and dirty area. Parkside children’s center is also in close proximity. I often drive past this area to visit local businesses and it’s not uncommon to have encampment residents jaywalking in traffic or their friends illegally parking cars to drop more junk in this area. There was also a stabbing and murder at this encampment earlier this year. To support the public health and safety of San Rafael, including the most vulnerable population of our children, the city must do away with camping in this area. The ban at Anderson is just a start and I would also expect the Mahon encampment behind Sprouts to go away so the bike path and creek is again accessible and available for public use.
In addition, I have concerns that there are unhoused individuals living in Gerstle Park posing a fire danger to our entire neighborhood. The city services should not be provided to places that are not sanctioned camping locations and the city should be enforcing the camping bans as we enter high risk fire season.
The residents of San Rafael disproportionally shoulder the burden of housing the unhoused here and it’s a real problem for our community. The rest of Marin needs to step up and take on this population.
Sincerely,
Jessica Loarie
Parent of incoming Davidson Middle School student and Parkside aftercare elementary school student Sent from my iPhone