____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting:
Disposition:
Agenda Item No: 2.g
Meeting Date: July 20, 2026
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Community & Economic Development
Prepared by: Micah Hinkle,
Community & Economic
Development Director
Alex Holm,
Police Lieutenant
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: TEMPORARY STREET CLOSURES FOR SPECIAL EVENTS
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING TEMPORARY STREET CLOSURES IN SAN RAFAEL
FOR SPECIAL EVENTS INCLUDING DANCING UNDER THE LIGHTS, THE
DAVIDSON SCHOOL PICKLEBALL BLOCK PARTY, THE WEST END
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BLOCK PARTY, AND SAN RAFAEL PORCHFEST RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing temporary street closures in San Rafael for special events, including Dancing Under the Lights, the Davidson School Pickleball Block Party, the West End Neighborhood Association Block Party, and San Rafael Porchfest.
BACKGROUND:
Under California Vehicle Code Section 21101(e), a local authority may, by resolution, temporarily close portions of public streets for celebrations, parades, or local special events when such closures are necessary to protect the safety of participants and the public.
The City of San Rafael has received several special event permit applications. These events require temporary street closures and parking restrictions to safely accommodate setup, event operations, pedestrian circulation, and breakdown.
The applicants have submitted materials for the proposed events, and staff is working to ensure all requirements are met before final authorization. If Council approves the temporary street closures, City staff will finalize the application and authorize the special event permit.
ANALYSIS:
The proposed special event, temporary street closures are as follows:
Event Name: Dancing Under the Lights
Event Date(s): Friday, August 7, 2026
Event Time: 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
Street Closure Time: 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm
Closure Location(s): Fourth Street from A Street to Lootens Place Event Name: Davidson School Pickleball Block Party
Event Date(s): Saturday, August 22, 2026
Event Time: 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Street Closure Time: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
Closure Location(s): Eye Street from Harcourt Street to Center Street Event Name: West End Neighborhood Association Block Party 1 Event Date(s): Sunday, September 13, 2026
Event Time: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Street Closure Time: 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Closure Location(s): Neame Avenue from Santa Margarita to West Crescent Drive Event Name: San Rafael Porchfest
Event Date(s): Sunday, September 20, 2026
Event Time: 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Street Closure Time: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Closure Location(s): Bayview Street from Clark Street to D Street Clorinda Avenue from Clark Street to Marin Street
San Rafael Avenue from Clark Street to D Street
Marin Street from Ross Street to San Rafael Avenue
City departments, including Police, Fire, Public Works, and Parking Services, have reviewed the proposed temporary street closures and determined they are appropriate and necessary. Traffic control, barricades, and emergency access will be coordinated to ensure public safety.
The City has also received a request for an exception to the Noise Ordinance (San Rafael Municipal Code Chapter 8.13) to permit amplified music during the San Rafael Porchfest event. If the City Council authorizes the street closure, the Director of Community & Economic Development will consider approval of the Noise Ordinance Exception Permit, subject to conditions designed to minimize neighborhood impacts.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
The public will be notified of the temporary street closures through several outreach channels, including this staff report, event promotions, posters distributed by the organizers, and advance on-site signage.
As part of the City’s Noise Ordinance Exception Permit process for the San Rafael Porchfest event, staff mailed a public notice on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, to property owners within 300 feet of the proposed event location, in accordance with San Rafael Municipal Code Section 8.13.060. The notice informed neighboring property owners of the applicant’s request for an exception to the City’s Noise Ordinance to allow amplified music during the San Rafael Porchfest event on September 20, 2026. It also included instructions on how to review the application, contact City staff for more information, and submit public comments prior to the permit determination. The notice also stated that the event requires a Special Event Permit and a temporary street closure, and that the City Council would consider the temporary street closure at the July 20, 2026, meeting.
1 The West End Neighborhood Association Block Party is a separate event from the 2026 West End Block Party concert series, which is addressed in a separate City Council agenda item on July 20, 2026.
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
Correspondence received by the City as of July 14, 2026, is included as Attachment 2. All of comments received expressed support for the event and requested noise permit.
FISCAL IMPACT:
These events require City services that generate costs related to public safety, traffic control, street closures, and parking operations, including but not limited to Police staffing, Public Works support, and Parking Services operations. Estimated costs to support are as follows: Dancing Under the Lights ($6,320), Davidson School Pickleball Block Party ($285), West End Neighborhood Association Block Party ($285), and San Rafael Porchfest ($2,613) for a combined total of $9,503.
Historically, the City has supported these costs within departmental budgets. Beginning in Fiscal Year 2026-27, the City Council approved a dedicated Special Event Sponsorship budget of $50,000 to fund this type of support. The combined cost of $9,503 falls well within that appropriation, and no additional departmental budget impact is anticipated. Staff recognizes the value these events bring to downtown activity and community engagement and will continue to develop a formal sponsorship process to guide future decisions on event support.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options to consider in this matter:
1. Adopt the resolution as presented.
2. Adopt the resolution with modifications.
3. Direct staff to return with more information.
4. Take no action.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing temporary street closures in San Rafael for special events, including Dancing Under the Lights, the Davidson School Pickleball Block Party, the West End Neighborhood Association Block Party, and San Rafael Porchfest.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
2. Correspondence
RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING TEMPORARY STREET
CLOSURES IN SAN RAFAEL FOR SPECIAL EVENTS INCLUDING DANCING UNDER THE
LIGHTS, THE DAVIDSON SCHOOL PICKLEBALL BLOCK PARTY, THE WEST END
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BLOCK PARTY, AND SAN RAFAEL PORCHFEST WHEREAS, California Vehicle Code section 21101(e) authorizes a local authority to temporarily close streets for celebrations, parades, or local special events when such closures are necessary for the safety and protection of participants and the public; and WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael has received Special Event Permit applications for the following events: Dancing Under the Lights, the Davidson School Pickleball Block Party, the West End Neighborhood Association Block Party, and San Rafael Porchfest; and WHEREAS, these events require temporary street closures and parking restrictions to safely accommodate event setup, operations, pedestrian circulation, traffic control, and breakdown activities; and
WHEREAS, City departments, including Police, Fire, Public Works, and Parking Services, have reviewed the proposed temporary street closures and determined they are appropriate and necessary to ensure public safety and emergency access; and WHEREAS, the temporary street closures are described in detail in the Staff Report accompanying this Resolution, and the City will provide public notice of the closures through advance signage and other appropriate outreach methods.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council hereby authorizes as follows:
1. That all the above findings are true and correct; and
2. That pursuant to the authority granted under California Vehicle Code Section 21101(e), and in the interest of public health, safety, and welfare, the City Council hereby authorizes the temporary closure of the listed streets for the locations and dates described in the Staff Report accompanying this Resolution.
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 20th day of July 2026, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Councilmembers:
NOES: Councilmembers:
ABSENT: Councilmembers:
_______________________
Lindsay Lara, City Clerk