Draft Fiscal Year 2025-2028
City Council Goals and Objectives
**Goals are note in ranked/priority order**
| Priority Area A - Economic Development and Neighborhood Vitality San Rafael has vibrant neighborhoods and a strong economy | Required by law or Grants |
New or Ongoing |
Year of Plan |
Lead | Support |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A.1 Strengthen the local economy by supporting existing businesses and attracting new enterprises. | CED | ||||
| A.1.1 Reduce commercial vacancies through business expansion, attraction, and retention efforts and enhanced customer support via the San Rafael GO Program. | No | Ongoing | 1 | CED | |
| A.1.2 Explore the creation of new revenue streams to fund economic growth and vitality through partnerships to identify mutually beneficial investments. | No | New | 2 | CED | CM |
| A.1.3 Drive local economic activity through promotion of destination tourism, enhancing special events, and optimizing city-owned assets by leveraging targeted marketing initiatives. | No | Ongoing | 1-3 | CED | CM |
| A.1.4 Evaluate the Cannabis Program and determine if changes are needed to support a well-regulated, transparent, and sustainable cannabis industry while balancing community concerns and benefits. | No | New | 2 | CED | |
| A.1.5 Assess the existing tourism funding model to determine if alternative models would enhance tourism sector growth for San Rafael. | No | New | 1-2 | CED | CM |
| A.2 Transform City gateways and public spaces to be more inviting and enhance civic pride. | DPW | CED, DS, CM | |||
| A.2.1 Create and implement a gateway beautification program with enhanced signage, landscaping, and public art that reflects the City’s identity and vibrancy. | No | New | 1-2 | CED | DPW, LR |
| A.2.2 Develop and implement a program for enhancing and maintaining high visibility public spaces that signals thoughtful investment and care for the places people see and use every day. | No | New | 1-2 | DPW | CM, CED |
| A.2.3 Implement a comprehensive, citywide illegal dumping program. | No | New | 1-3 | SUS | DPW |
| A.3 Enhance neighborhoods to be the most resilient, diverse, and vibrant places to live, work, and visit. | CED | DPW | |||
| A.3.1 Deliver placemaking elements through funded public art projects in the Downtown San Rafael Art District. | No | Ongoing | 1-3 | CED, LR |
DPW |
| A.3.2 In partnership with the downtown business owners and stakeholders, continue evaluating the development of a community benefit district that would expand services downtown. | No | Ongoing | 1 | CED | FIN, CM |
| A.3.3 Update the special event permit program to streamline the special events process and identity opportunities for partnerships with the City to facilitate more special events. | No | Ongoing | 1 | CED | PD, LR, CM, FIN |
| A.3.4 Develop a Northgate Specific Plan. | No | New | 1-2 | CED | |
| A.3.5 Develop an East San Rafael Specific Plan using the City’s inclusive resident engagement philosophy; collaborate with the community and Canal Alliance to ensure alignment with their community vision plan (Nuestro Canal, Nuestro Futuro). | No | Ongoing | 1-2 | CED | CM, DS |
| A.4 Streamline and modernize the City's land use regulatory framework to facilitate development and growth. | CED | ||||
| A.4.1 Update the City’s Objective Design Standards. | Yes | New | 1 | CED | CAO |
| A.4.2 Update the Citywide Zoning Ordinance to align with the General Plan 2040. | Yes | New | 3 | CED | CAO |