____________________________________________________________________________________
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
Council Meeting: _______________________
Disposition: ___________________________
Agenda Item No: 2.e
Meeting Date: October 19, 2026
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: Community and Economic Development
Prepared by: Margaret Kavanaugh-Lynch
Planning Manager
City Manager Approval: ______________
TOPIC: AUTHORIZE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH PLACEWORKS TO
PREPARE THE NORTHGATE SPECIFIC PLAN
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH PLACEWORKS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $797,000 FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE NORTHGATE
SPECIFIC PLAN UTILIZING FUNDS PREVIOUSLY AWARDED FROM THE
METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION THROUGH THE ONE BAY AREA GRANT 3 PROGRAM: CEQA DETERMINATION: EXEMPT PURSUANT TO CEQA GUIDELINE 15262
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a professional services agreement between PlaceWorks and the City of San Rafael to prepare the Northgate Specific Plan in an amount not to exceed $797,000.
BACKGROUND:
In January 2022, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) released the third round of One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) 3 funds. In this round of funds, the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) was responsible for evaluating projects, establishing initial project prioritization based on a list of criteria, and submitting project nominations for consideration by MTC.
On October 17, 2022, the City Council passed Resolution No. 15144 to authorize local support for the filing of applications for funding with MTC and to ensure completion of both the Canal/Southeast Area Priority Development Area (PDA) and the Northgate Area PDA studies. This action was aligned with the vision included in General Plan 2040, which included these documents in the future “Family of Plans.” The MTC defines PDAs as “locally and voluntarily identified locations within existing communities that present infill development opportunities, and are easily accessible to transit, jobs, shopping, and services.” Specific plans serve as standalone planning documents, generally aligned with a general plan but far more granular for the area of the specific plan. Under California Government Code Section 65450 et seq., a specific plan is required to include:
1. Land use regulations and development standards;
2. A program of implementing measures;
3. Planned and needed public works projects to serve the specific plan area (essentially a capital SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
improvement program); and
4. Financing measures necessary to implement the Plan and its recommendations.
While there have been some delays related to COVID, staff turnover, and other challenges, on October 21, 2025, City staff received final approval for the funding from MTC to prepare the Northgate and Southeast San Rafael Specific Plans. As part of the City’s FY 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, the City Council has identified the preparation of these specific plans as Citywide Priorities. Specifically, in support of City Council’s Goal A.3 to “enhance neighborhoods to be the most resilient, diverse, and vibrant places to live, work, and visit,” the City Council adopted the following objective:
• A.3.4 Develop the North San Rafael Priority Development Area Plan.
On February 13, 2026, staff released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit proposals for consulting services to prepare the Northgate Specific Plan, including environmental review and technical support services. The original proposal deadline was March 16, 2026; however, because of the RFP's complexity, staff received requests for an extension and subsequently extended the deadline to April 2, 2026. Staff received four proposals and interviewed the top three consultant teams. After extensive discussion and deliberation, on July 30, 2026, staff selected PlaceWorks to recommend as the consulting firm for this project because of its demonstrated expertise and successful track record in creating specific plans. It has assembled a team that combines local knowledge and experience working in San Rafael with newer team members who can bring “fresh eyes” to the Northgate Priority Development Area. Because the team has expertise in MTC’s Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) policy, planning for transit-adjacent areas, and developing plans to revitalize aging commercial areas into vibrant mixed-use spaces, staff believes it will lead a successful planning effort. At the same time, City staff has worked with MTC to extend the grant deadline to June 30, 2029, to ensure sufficient time to create this important document.
ANALYSIS:
PlaceWorks is qualified for the task of developing a Northgate Specific Plan based on its expertise, as they have completed more than 300 specific plans for small, medium, and large cities throughout California, including plans for new mixed-use communities and neighborhoods, transit station area plans, downtowns, and areas undergoing significant transformation and reuse. Additionally, authorizing a professional services agreement with PlaceWorks will advance both the General Plan 2040 and FY 2025- 2028 Strategic Plan objective of developing a specific plan for the North San Rafael Priority Development Area. The proposed professional services agreement is included as Attachment 2 to this staff report.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Authorizing a professional services agreement with PlaceWorks will commit the City to an expenditure of up to $797,000. Funding to support this contract is provided through the OBAG 3 grant previously awarded by MTC in October 2025. The OBAG 3 grant budget appropriation of $1,594,000 within the Development Services Fund (207), has been carried forward to FY 2026-27. Of this amount, $797,000 will cover the PlaceWorks agreement, The remaining amount will fund the development of the Southeast San Rafael Specific Plan.
The Community and Economic Development Department will ensure that payments to the consultant are based on meeting key milestones.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Authorizing the professional services agreement is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies), because it involves SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3
only planning studies for possible future actions that the City has not approved, adopted, or funded. The Northgate Specific Plan itself will undergo environmental review before it is considered for adoption.
OPTIONS:
The City Council has the following options to consider on this matter:
1. Authorize the City Manager to enter into the agreement.
2. Authorize the City Manager to enter into the agreement 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 the City Manager to enter into a professional services agreement between PlaceWorks and the City of San Rafael to prepare the Northgate Specific Plan in an amount not to exceed $797,000.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Resolution
2. Professional Services Agreement with PlaceWorks
RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION OF THE SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH PLACEWORKS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $797,000 FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE NORTHGATE SPECIFIC PLAN
UTILIZING FUNDS PREVIOUSLY AWARDED FROM THE METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION THROUGH THE ONE BAY AREA GRANT 3 PROGRAM
WHEREAS, in January 2022, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) released the third round of One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) 3 funding, and in this round of funds, the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) was responsible for evaluating projects, establishing initial project prioritization based on a list of criteria, and submitting project nominations for consideration by MTC; and
WHEREAS, on October 17, 2022, the City Council passed Resolution No. 15144 to authorize local support for filing applications for funding with the MTC and to provide assurance to complete both the Canal/Southeast Area Priority Development Area (PDA) and the Northgate Area PDA studies; and WHEREAS, this action was consistent with the vision in General Plan 2040, which included these documents in the future “Family of Plans.” PDAs are defined by the MTC as “locally and voluntarily identified locations within existing communities that present infill development opportunities, and are easily accessible to transit, jobs, shopping, and services”; and WHEREAS, specific plans serve as standalone planning documents, generally aligned with a general plan but far more granular for the area of the specific plan, and under California Government Code Section 65450 et seq., a specific plan is required to include, among other things: 1. land use regulations and development standards; 2. a program of implementing measures; 3. planned and needed public works projects to serve the specific plan area (essentially a capital improvement program); and 4. financing measures necessary to implement the specific plan and its recommendations; and WHEREAS, on October 21, 2025, the City received final approval from MTC of OBAG 3 funding to prepare the Northgate and Southeast San Rafael Specific Plans; and WHEREAS, in the FY 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, the City Council identified preparation of the Northgate and Southeast San Rafael Specific Plans as Citywide Priorities, including, in support of Goal A.3 to “enhance neighborhoods to be the most resilient, diverse, and vibrant places to live, work, and visit,” Objective A.3.4 to “Develop the North San Rafael Priority Development Area Plan”; and WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael’s Community and Economic Development (CED) Department issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on February 13, 2026, to solicit proposals from qualified consultants to prepare the Northgate Specific Plan, including environmental review and technical support services; and
WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael’s CED Department closed the RFP process on April 2, 2026, following an extension of the original March 16, 2026, deadline; and WHEREAS, four qualified consulting firms submitted proposals by the deadline; and WHEREAS, a panel of City staff reviewed each proposal and interviewed the top three consulting firms; and
WHEREAS, on July 30, 2026, the selection panel identified PlaceWorks as the best firm for the task of developing the Northgate Specific Plan based on its expertise, as it has completed more than 300 specific plans for small, medium, and large cities throughout California, including plans for new mixed-use communities and neighborhoods, transit station area plans, downtowns, and areas undergoing significant transformation and reuse.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of San Rafael finds the foregoing recitals are true and correct, and authorizes the City Manager or their designee to execute a professional services agreement with PlaceWorks in a form approved by the City Attorney, in an amount not to exceed $797,000 to prepare the Northgate Specific Plan; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council finds that this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies).
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 said City held on Monday, the 19th day of October 2026, by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: Councilmembers:
NOES: Councilmembers:
ABSENT: Councilmembers:
______________________
LINDSAY LARA, City Clerk