Saturday, August 22, 2020
David P. Donery, Town Manager

Public Meeting for Downtown One-Way Street Pilot Project 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 Tamalpais 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.

The Town is in the process of conducting two community forums in August. At the August 12, 2020 community meeting, staff received feedback regarding the proposed project. To invite additional feedback we would like to invite you to another meeting taking place on August 26^th, at 6 pm via Zoom.

Downtown One-Way Street Pilot Project Meeting
August 26th, at 6 pm
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81961912247
Or Telephone:+1 669 900 6833
Webinar ID: 819 6191 2247

Further information can be found here:  https://www.townofsananselmo.org/1425/17329/Downtown-One-Way-Street-Pilot-Project

For more information or questions, please contact Dmitriy Laptev at dlaptev@townofsananselmo.org

The Sustainability Commission is seeking your input on potential regulations to limit or restrict the use of gas-powered landscaping equipment.

According to California Air Resources Board, operating a best-selling commercial leaf blower for one hour emits smog-forming pollution comparable to driving a 2016 Toyota Camry about 1100 miles, or approximately the distance from Los Angeles to Denver. The Town of San Anselmo is considering a plan to phase out gas-powered, 2-cycle landscape maintenance equipment that includes leaf blowers, in addition to vacuums, trimmers, edgers, and cutters) as well as chain saws, chippers, rotary tillers, stump grinders, shredders, tractors, turf equipment, and other similar equipment with electric alternatives. The goal is to reduce the pollution and health impacts on equipment users and neighbors, and is part of the implementation of the Town’s Climate Action Plan. Many cities and towns have taken similar steps, including several towns in Marin.

The Town of San Anselmo and the Sustainability Commission are seeking community input on this topic to assess how to design a program to avoid economic impacts on contractors and residents via a phase-in period and a buy-back or rebate program, and to ensure that operations for wildfire preparedness and emergency response are not hindered.

The Town already has a Leaf Blower Ordinance that restricts the use of ALL motorized leaf blowers (gas and electric) to specific times of the week (Monday, Thursday, Saturday, from 1 pm to 4 pm) – to restrict noise impacts. The phasing out of gas-powered landscape equipment would not replace this ordinance.

The Town Council considers all community input before making decisions such as the proposed action of phasing out gas-powered, 2-cycle landscape maintenance equipment.

Please fill out the survey here: https://www.townofsananselmo.org/1424/Current-Surveys

Join the Marin Climate Challenge!

Want to learn about ways to reduce your climate impact by reducing your energy and water consumption and waste generation? Using Climate Solutions Net, you can record information about your household’s current carbon footprint, make pledges to complete activities to reduce your emission impacts, and join a community to measure progress towards your goals. Sign up at the Climate Solutions website free to Marin residents: https://marin.goco2free.org/

San Anselmo Fall Sports and Classes Open Now!!

Robson University
Robson Aftercare
Parkside Preschool (Waitlist Available)
Soccer

Click to register now!

After School Enrichment Classes (9/14) and Sports coming soon!
One on One Basketball
Creative Sewing
Fuzed Glass
Minecraft Class
Academic Chess
Lacrosse
Cross Country

Marin Lodging Facilities Allowed to Reopen to Tourists

Ongoing progress in Marin County’s COVID-19 case rates is allowing for Marin County Public Health to reopen local hotels, motels, and short-term rentals to tourism-based businesses and clients. The guidelines for businesses are now online.

The reopening affects all lodging facilities within the county boundaries renting accommodations for 30 days or less, including in West Marin along the Pacific coast. The facilities had been closed to tourism since May 29; only first responders, essential workers, those quarantining or isolating due to COVID-19, residents evacuated due to fire, and homeless or displaced individuals were permitted to stay at the facilities.
In addition to hotels and motels, the short-term rentals allowed to reopen include inns, bed & breakfasts, timeshares, and properties marketed through online rental services such as Airbnb and VRBO.

Parties, events, or outside visitors (other than the renters, which must belong to a single household) will not be permitted indoors. Any gatherings outdoors must comply with the Social Bubbles guidance. Lodging with pools, tennis courts, restaurants, and other food services must follow additional Public Health guidelines found on MarinRecovers.com.

San Anselmo Flood Project Construction to Begin

Excavation of the Fairfax flood control basin set to start in September

San Rafael, CA – The Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District will begin excavating Sunnyside Basin near Fairfax in early September as part of the San Anselmo Flood Risk Reduction Project. The excavation and relocation of 20,000 cubic yards of earth is expected to take up to three months and cost approximately $1.2 million.
The San Anselmo project, which completed the environmental review process in 2018, is designed to improve public safety and reduce flood risk for residential and business properties along Fairfax and San Anselmo Creek in the Ross Valley, a region that has suffered significant damages from flood events for decades.

The 33-acre Sunnyside Basin is a former nursery located at 3000 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, about a mile northwest of downtown Fairfax. Ultimately the site will divert and store floodwater during the rainy seasons, significantly lessening flood risk to the historically impacted area.

The work at the basin will include clearing vegetation, demolition and removal of vacant residential and former nursery structures, excavation of approximately 4,000 cubic yards of topsoil and roadway gravel to be re-used on site and about 16,000 cubic yards of earthen material as well as related erosion control. The excavated material will be hauled off and may be repurposed at other locations.

The construction of Sunnyside Basin is one of three parts of the overall San Anselmo Project. The other parts include the removal of a building at 634-636 San Anselmo Avenue, part of which spans over San Anselmo Creek, and restoration of the creek bank next to the park. The street level structure was removed by the Town of San Anselmo in May 2020. The structure’s foundation, which obstructs the creek’s natural flow, will be extracted next year.

The Flood District has worked with the towns in the Ross Valley since 2016 to develop and analyze the flood control project. District staff sought input during 40 meetings with various community stakeholders, neighbors, public environmental impact report (EIR) scoping sessions, the Flood Control Zone 9 Advisory Board and the Fairfax and San Anselmo Town Councils. Feedback from these public engagement activities was considered and incorporated in the completed EIR.

The flood risk reduction project is being funded by an $8.7 million state grant from the Department of Water Resources and from Flood Control Zone 9 funds.

FOLLOW-UP “Q & A” ON YOUTH Childcare and Recreation COVID 19 Forum

The County, Chambers and local jurisdictions wish to invite you to a Question and Answer zoom call on Tuesday, August 26 at 2:30 PM. On Wednesday, August 12^th we had a number of residents and business owners who could not connect to the zoom call as we went over our limit. We apologize for this inconvenience and wish to provide this new zoom call to answer your questions and concerns. In addition to the call we have posted the recording of the August 12^th presentation and discussion on Marin Recovers. Please go Marin Recovers and watch the presentation (link below) as we will not do a repeat of the presentation on August 26^th – this meeting will just be an opportunity to have your questions addressed.

Dr. Lisa Santora, Deputy Public Health Officer and Max Corten, Director of Marin Recovers will both be available to address your inquiries.

Link to August 12^th Youth Childcare and Outdoor Recreation presentation. https://marinrecovers.com/public-health-business-briefings/

Please Join ZOOM Meeting August 26th at 4:00 PM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86753205621

Meeting ID: 867 5320 5621
Dail In: +1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

Renaming Session for High School

The Tamalpais Union High School District is currently engaged in a process for renaming the school formerly known as Sir Francis Drake High School (currently being referred to as High School 1357). Detailed information regarding the renaming process, including a link to submit suggestions, can be found by clicking this LINK.

The school's Site Leadership Council (DLC) will be making a recommendation to the Board for a new name of the school. To prepare for this discussion and decision, the school will be organizing a series of input sessions to discuss the name change and ideas for new names.

These input sessions are being offered on evenings in August and early September. Upcoming community meetings are scheduled for Thursday 8/27 and Thursday 9/10 at 6:30 pm. The school will place all recordings and notes on their website under the Community Tab named “DLC-Name Change”. All recordings and notes from these community meetings will be reviewed in the DLC meetings as the school begins this process at the site level.

The Site Leadership Council will decide on a process for gathering new names and selecting a name to recommend to the Tamalpais Union High School District Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees must approve a new name per Board Policy 7310.
The school will be hosting several input sessions with a student advisory committee and all current students to discuss and process the name change during the return to school period of August 19-21. In addition, there is an online form for people to suggest ideas for a new name.

For information on how to join the upcoming community input sessions, visit the school's main webpage (LINK), or email Administrative Assistant, Jolie Jacobs at: jjacobs@tamdistrict.org for further information about the sessions and renaming process.

MASK UP, MARIN!

Marin's Public Health Department has created a new YouTube video with information about the do's and don'ts of facial coverings. Please remember mask to MASK UP!

Watch it now!

Organic Waste Program for 2020

Residents of incorporated San Anselmo can opt to receive a second or third green waste cart as part of their basic bundled service package with Marin Sanitary Service (MSS). Customers who want the third green waste cart must make the request by December 31, 2020 to be able to have the third cart as part of their basic bundled service. After that date, customers will be entitled to two green waste carts as part of the bundled service, and will be able to rent additional carts (up to 4).

In summary, customers who have secured up to three (3) total green waste carts before December 31, 2020, will keep this secured level of service at no additional cost until the customer terminates service with the Marin Sanitary Service. This change is part of the new program for the collection of organic waste (food and yard waste). Beginning in 2020, Marin Sanitary will no longer collect organic waste from customer-owned cans. You will be receiving more information from MSS and the Town throughout 2020 on this program change.

It is important to note that these changes are for customers in the incorporated town of San Anselmo. This does not apply to customers who may have a San Anselmo address but reside in unincorporated Marin County, such as residents of Sleepy Hollow.

For additional information, click here.

The Go Fund Me for the utility boxes is live!
gofundme.com/f/art-boxes-in-san-anselmo

More information:
http://sananselmoarts.org/paintbox-phase1

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 high school)
All winners will be displayed on the “mask trees” in downtown San Anselmo
Questions? Email: saraagefriendlysa@gmail.com

2020 Census

Complete the 2020 Census today! Visit my2020census.gov for more info.

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, August 22, 2020 David P. Donery, Town Manager