Saturday, July 25, 2020
David P. Donery, Town Manager

'On the Avenue' Program Update

At the July 28, 2020 Council meeting, staff will be providing an update regarding the business support initiative called "On the Avenue." The program has closed San Anselmo Avenue for merchants and restaurants to utilize the street space as retail and dining space on the weekends.

Starting on July 24, 2020 the opening of San Anselmo Avenue to pedestrians only will be changed to nights only from 5:30-midnight, Friday through Sunday. This is in response to merchant requests. While the opening of San Anselmo Avenue to vehicular traffic during the day on Sunday may impact some restaurants in terms of having breakfast or brunch, there may be alternatives in terms of parklets and a potential one-way street.

QUICK-BUILD Project - Westbound One Way Traffic on San Anselmo Avenue

A new concept has been discussed regarding temporarily turning part of San Anselmo Avenue into a one-way street between Tunstead and San Anselmo Avenues.

Staff has applied for and received the Transportation Authority of Marin’s (TAM) Quick Build Grant and was awarded $20,000 for the pilot project. A one-way street would allow for additional space to widen sidewalks, parking will remain but will move away from the buildings creating greater opportunities for businesses to develop parklets to utilize their parking for outdoor activities. The street could also be meandered and narrowed to slow down traffic and add more bike improvements where feasible.The draft proposal in the grant is to make San Anselmo Avenue one way from Tunstead to Tamalpais in the northwest direction toward Fairfax with southeast local traffic toward Ross going one-way on Kientz to Library Place.

Staff will present updates on both the On the Avenue and the Quick Build projects at the Town Council meeting, Tuesday, July 28, 2020 starting at 7 PM. In order to attend, please use the following link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87460014141

Or Telephone: +1 669 900 6833
Webinar ID: 874 6001 4141

Enhanced Enforcement of Public Health Orders

The Town of San Anselmo joins Marin cities and towns along with the County of Marin on a program of enhanced enforcement of public health orders to help curtail the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. A new multi-jurisdictional task force consisting of County personnel along with staff members from each of the 11 Marin cities and towns is being assembled to conduct enforcement efforts county-wide.

The Marin County Board of Supervisors enacted an urgency ordinance at their meeting on Tuesday, July 21^st that created new civil penalties for violations of orders issued by County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis. Efforts will focus on business violations, but jurisdictions will have discretion to enforce where they see the greatest risk to public health in their communities.

Spike in Cases

With a recent spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Dr. Willis advocated that it’s necessary to recruit assistance to enforce the rules and stem the outbreak of the infectious disease. Wherever appropriate, informal intervention and education will be used as the method of choice to encourage voluntary compliance with public health orders. The new administrative penalties will provide an additional tool where education and warnings are not effective.

For information about Health Orders still in effect for Marin County, please click here: https://coronavirus.marinhhs.org/stay-home-order-effect-marin-county

Penalties

The civil penalty for noncommercial health code violations related to COVID-19 will start at $25 and will ascend to $500 based on the severity of the violation. For commercial activity, fines will range from $250 to $10,000. Factors determining the size of a penalty include risks to public health, previous warnings, lack of good-faith efforts to comply, and increased revenue generated from noncompliance.

Task Force

A task force – including Community Development Agency Code Enforcement, Environmental Health Services, the Sheriff’s Office, and the County Counsel’s Office – will collaborate with city and town personnel to focus on violations. Those authorized to issue citations for public health code violations include public safety officers (law enforcement and fire), code enforcement officers, park rangers, and any other employees designated by the Town or the County. They may enforce the public health code by inspecting public or private property and fine anyone obstructing the code enforcement. The designated officers may provide up to 72 hours for a violator to abate an issue and avoid penalty. The County will initiate a centralized hearing process for the administrative civil penalties.

Visit MarinRecovers.com

The updated status of businesses and industries reopening in Marin County can be found at MarinRecovers.com. Additional details about the Governor’s directive can be found at COVID19.CA.gov.

The California Department of Public Health, the County of Marin's Public Health Officer and the Town of San Anselmo Urge the Public to Wear Face Coverings in Most Settings Outside the Home

CLICK HERE for the June 18th Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings

As per Californians Must Wear Face Coverings
When in Higher-Risk Situations, Especially Indoors
Face Coverings Help Reduce the Spread of COVID-19
Governor Newsom: "Simply put, we are seeing too many people with faces uncovered – putting at risk the real progress we have made in fighting the disease."

Recreation Competition for San Anselmo Mask Poster!!

Age-Friendly San Anselmo invites all residents under age 18 to participate in an art competition creating a poster that encourages residents and town visitors to wear masks.
Submissions need to be:

on paper sized 8 1/2 by 11
can use painting, drawing, coloring, or any other media
can use photographs, words, or both
have first initial, last name, and age on the front of poster
have full name, school, if applicable, and grade and contact phone number on the back (will be covered in display)
deliver or mail to the San Anselmo Recreation Department (1000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, Suite 14) and placed into one of the boxes designated for submissions

Competition runs from Saturday July 25 thru Monday September 7.
Winning posters will be creative and relay compelling information through the design.
4 Winners will be chosen (Categories: preschool, elementary, middle and grade school)
All winners will be displayed on the “mask trees” in downtown San Anselmo
Questions? Email: saraagefriendlysa@gmail.com

Public Health Ends Local Ban on Reusable Bags

Marin County Public Health has ended a local ban on reusable bags. Marin residents are allowed to use reusable bags for shopping again.

Marin County Public Health has updated the most recent shelter-in-place order related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Revised language says customers may bring reusable bags to a store as long as they carry them or leave them in a shopping cart or basket and bag their own items after checkout.

A local ban on the use of reusable bags was first installed on March 31 as a precaution to limit the spread of COVID-19. Bags are considered high-touch items unless shoppers handle their own bagging. Recent studies have shown that virus transmission through reusable bags is a much lower risk than originally believed, and the risk is even lower if shoppers are the only ones to touch the bags. Most Bay Area counties have removed temporary bans on reusable bags during the public health emergency.

More information is available at marinhhs.org/coronavirus

State Outlines Path to Resume Classroom Learning

TK-12 students in Marin County to begin school year with distance learning

On July 17, Governor Gavin Newsom announced plans for how TK-12 public, private, independent and parochial students across California will begin the new school year in light of rising COVID-19 infections. The plan focuses on the use of local data to determine when students can safely return to classroom-based instruction. Most importantly, counties on the state’s monitoring list, Marin County included, are required to implement distance learning until the data shows infection rates are under control.

The state’s guidance does not apply to summer classes, camps, day care and sports practices that can operate under Marin’s existing Public Health Guidance.

As of July 20, more than 30 counties in California were on the state’s monitoring list due to elevated disease transmission rates and/or hospitalized patients or limited hospital capacity. Marin County met the threshold for elevated disease transmission on at 185.2 cases per 100,000 residents. To reopen the classrooms to students, counties must be off the monitoring list for at least 14 days. A local health officer may grant a waiver for schools to open for in-person instruction if requested by school leaders in consultation with labor, parent, and community organizations.

The Governor said distance learning practices would include access to devices and connectivity for all students, daily live online interaction with teachers and other students, challenging assignments that are equivalent to in-person instruction and adopted lessons for English language learners and special education students.

The Governor emphasized the need for everyone in the state to take action to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by wearing a face covering, washing hands, and physically distancing from each other.

Planning Commission Seats Available

The Town of San Anselmo is seeking applicants for the Planning Commission. The Commission hears and determines applications for individual zoning changes, planned use developments, design reviews and such. In addition, it evaluates the General Plan and advises the Council, recommending implementing ordinances and broad changes in zoning.

The Commission consists of seven members with a range in skills and experience in the following areas:
• Construction
• Law
• Architecture
• Public relations
• Familiarity with various aspects of the San Anselmo community

The Commission meets on the first and third Mondays at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Chambers and via Zoom during COVID-19. There are four seats available.

To apply, please go here: https://www.townofsananselmo.org/FormCenter/Administration-Forms-4-4/Boards-Committee-Applications-38-38

Opportunities to Get Involved!

Getting involved in the Town is a great way to give back to our wonderful community and meet new friends. There are currently opportunities available on the Town’s Boards, Commission and Committees. Please visit https://www.townofsananselmo.org/175/Boards-Commissions for further information.

Town Hall Office Hours

Town Hall will be reopening for in-person services. Permits, Planning and Business Licenses will be available from 8:30 am - 12 pm Monday through Thursdays.
Social distancing and masks will be required while in the building.

Saturday, July 25, 2020 David P. Donery, Town Manager