neighborhood and city should care about how they/we impact each other.
Unfortunately, City of San Rafael staff and leaders again show us that they do not care about neighborhood working people. What a bummer.
What I can see is that an acoustical engineer will be attending "one of" the events - not the first one - to establish some type of standard which will not include any input from the working people who reside in the block.
If the City was interested in doing anything in good faith with this proposal, they would have the engineer attend THE FIRST concert, have him/her figure out how to make the 50-150 people standing in front of the speakers have their fun while not blasting the entire block and surrounding area. That should be a transparent process, involving stakeholders from the neighborhood. This engineer should produce clear decibel guidelines (I have emailed city staff and asked for that–they will not answer my question about the decibel level) which then are publicly released. The engineer should report their findings and suggestions to Micah Hinkle or Sullina Smith, not the BID director or the bar owner.
As a fairly new resident, I am joining the ranks of longer term residents who are gobsmacked by the City's rubber stamping and promotion of this event over the "reasonable" needs of working residents.
Sincerely,
Eileen
“
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BID website, despite no final approval, we also proposed reasonable compromises: reduce the number of concerts, lower the volume, or both.
We explained that the music is not merely audible it shakes our homes. Dual-pane windows provide little relief. We explained that eight consecutive Friday evenings throughout the summer represent a significant intrusion into the lives of the people who actually live in the neighborhood. Unlike a one-weekend event such as PorchFest, these concerts require residents to repeatedly plan around street closures and excessive noise for nearly two months. Working people should not have to surrender every Friday evening simply because one recurring event has been approved.
At that meeting, we were told that our concerns were appreciated and that our neighborhood had approached the issue reasonably. We left believing a compromise was possible.
Unfortunately, that optimism was misplaced.
Once again, residents' concerns appear to have been set aside in favor of an event that primarily benefits a single establishment while imposing the costs on the surrounding neighborhood.
Closing a public street for eight consecutive Fridays to support one business is difficult to justify as broad community programming.
Equally disappointing is the lack of creativity in the City's approach to community engagement.
If the goal is to bring people together, there are countless ways to accomplish that without concentrating eight amplified concerts in one residential neighborhood. Smaller events in multiple locations, partnerships with different neighborhoods and businesses, family-oriented programming, rotating venues, or lower-impact performances would distribute both the benefits and the impacts far more equitably. Instead, the City continues to rely on the same model that places a disproportionate burden on one neighborhood while providing little direct benefit to the residents who live there.
Even if attendance reaches several hundred people, there is no reason the music must be played at a volume that carries far beyond the audience and throughout the surrounding neighborhood.
This is not an outdoor amphitheater or city park it is a residential area where people live, work, care for families, and reasonably expect to enjoy their homes on summer evenings.
I also understand that the City intends to have an acoustical engineer attend one of the concerts to establish sound standards. If this process is intended to build public trust, it should begin with the very first concert not after several events have already occurred. The engineer should work independently, establish objective decibel guidelines, and report directly to City staff.
Those guidelines should be publicly released, and neighborhood residents should have an opportunity to participate in the process. I have asked City staff what decibel standards will be used and have not received an answer.
As a relatively new resident, I have been surprised to learn that many longtime neighbors share the same frustration: despite respectful participation and reasonable requests, residents feel their concerns receive little meaningful consideration while this event continues to receive routine approval.
I support community events and a vibrant downtown. However, successful community programming should balance the interests of businesses, visitors, and the residents who call these neighborhoods home. This proposal, as currently structured, does not achieve that balance.
7/20/26, 9:53 AM Inbox - Lindsay Lara - Outlook
https://outlook.office365.com/mail/inbox/id/AAkALgAAAAAAHYQDEapmEc2byACqAC%2FEWg0AOJ8v9gzPFE6wSNu2pNW1awALRx79oAAA 2/3 Thank you for considering these comments.
Sincerely,
Mitch Brown
7/20/26, 9:53 AM Inbox - Lindsay Lara - Outlook
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Fw: West End Block Party support
From Michaela O’Brien <[email protected]>
Date Mon 7/20/2026 9:58 AM
To Distrib- City Clerk <[email protected]> Forwarding public comment for West End Block Party.
Best,
Michaela O'Brien | City of San Rafael
Community & Economic Development
Assistant Planner
1400 5th Avenue
San Rafael, CA 94901
(415)485-3468
From: Kerry & Colleen Hansen < >
Sent: Monday, July 20, 2026 9:54 AM
To: Michaela O’Brien <[email protected]>
Subject: West End Block Party support
I am writing to express our support and gratitude for the West End Block Party.
We live at the corner of F St and Latham, about a block and a half from the location.
We love the outdoor music and gathering. It builds community and gives local residents a free and fun concert.
Please grant the noise exception permit needed to continue these music events! Thank you,
Kerry and Colleen Hansen
7/20/26, 10:04 AM Inbox - Lindsay Lara - Outlook
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