Town Manager's Newsletter

Saturday, August 27, 2022

David P. Donery, Town Manager

Memorial Park
Athletic Field Renovation Project

San Anselmo is renovating and modernizing the Memorial Park Athletic Fields. This work will begin with fencing off the entire field expanse on September 6, 2022. The project is scheduled to be completed in time for Spring 2023 baseball season.

The scope of this project work includes:

Regrading field area
Improving drainage
Planting new grass sod
Installing water-wise irrigation
Laying new infields (note: field configuration will remain the same)
Installing piping connections for future rainwater harvesting
Improving the pathways on the west and north sides of the park

The following areas will remain open during construction:

Memorial Park parking lot & Log Cabin
Millennium Playground & Elders’ Garden
Memorial Skate Park, basketball courts, tennis courts
Picnic areas
Restrooms

Safety First:
Please do not enter the fenced construction zones at any time and exercise caution while in the park and around any construction vehicles.

New Fields are Coming!
This project will bring some some noise and inconvenience, however, the resulting improvements will be of great benefit not only to the Park’s surrounding neighborhoods but for the entire San Anselmo Community.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Project Manager: Scott Schneider, Public Works
Contact information: sschneider@townofsananselmo.org
Construction Hours: Monday - Friday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm
Budget: $600,000 - Funding includes Measure A Parks County sales tax, Prop 68 State Bond funds, and San Anselmo Measure D sales tax. These improvements will serve our active community for decades to come.

Housing Element Community Advisory Committee Meeting

Thursday, September 1, 2022

4:00 - 5:30pm

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/4152584636
Meeting ID: 415 258 4636

The meeting will include further discussions regarding the Housing Opportunity Sites, and work towards developing programs and policies, such as consideration of up zoning and/or increasing the Town’s density cap.

What is the Housing Element?

San Anselmo is in the process of updating its Housing Element, a chapter of the General Plan that outlines the plans and policies the community has in place to ensure we comply with state statutes. One component of our obligation is determined by the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). The RHNA establishes the minimum number of new housing units across various income levels that the Town must encourage the development of in the next 8 years by establishing supporting policy and development regulations.

How can you get involved?
Do you have ideas about where new housing should be located in San Anselmo? Come share them with us! The Public Workshop is your opportunity to provide feedback on preliminary housing opportunity sites identified by the Town and the Housing Element Advisory Committee. Your input is an essential part of this process.

Housing Opportunity Sites and Suitability Analysis

The site suitability analysis helps the Town identify housing opportunity locations to meet the 6th cycle RHNA requirements. These sites are expected to yield the target number of housing units based on four different income levels by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD).
To facilitate the discussion, a GIS map viewer tool has been developed to identify the potential housing opportunity sites. Each site has also been rated for suitability.

To view the San Anselmo Suitability Viewer Tool, please: CLICK HERE
For instructions on using the tool, please: CLICK HERE
The site suitability analysis considers the following factors: CLICK HERE

We Need your Input!

Please take the quick:

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Survey

A key tool in meeting San Anselmo's RHNA will likely be Accessory Dwelling Units and Junior Accessory Dwelling Units. Also referred to as mother-in-law suites, granny flats, second units, and accessory apartments, these small units on single-family lots can help to increase housing options in the community with minimal impact on San Anselmo's character.

Input from the community on current and prospective ADUs is essential in our use of this housing type to meet our RHNA. Thank you for taking the time to answer this brief survey and help plan for the future of our Town.

Note: The survey will close on September 1, 2022.

Butterfield Road Safety Campaign

In conjunction with the Safe Routes to School Committee and the Butterfield Road Safety Committee, the Town of San Anselmo has been working on a comprehensive safety campaign along Butterfield Road.

These recently completed improvements include:

pavement patching in the bike lane,
a slurry seal over the whole stretch of Butterfield Road from Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to the County Limit,
narrowed vehicle lanes/wider bike lanes,
additional speed limits signs (including 15 MPH speed limit signs within 500 feet of the Brookside Elementary parking lot),
targeted green bike lane markings at intersections.

The Town will also be installing a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at the crosswalk at Woodside Drive, and two radar speed feedback signs, one northbound near the fire station and one southbound north of Bay Tree Lane. The improvements should help reduce vehicle speeds and increase awareness of bicyclists and pedestrians throughout this busy corridor.

The improvements are funded by Measure D local sales tax.

Town Seeking Community Applicants for
Boards, Committees and Commissions

There are many open seats on the Town's community volunteer Boards, Committees and Commissions. A special edition newsletter was sent out to you on August 18 with details.

You can also find a list of each of them here:
Boards/Committees/Commissions Information

San Anselmo's Boards,Committees and Commissions provide a vital link between Town government and the community for gathering public input, reviewing projects and making recommendations on key issues.
If you are interested, we encourage you to submit a completed application and you will be scheduled for an interview with Town Council. Positions will remain open until filled by Town Council.

To submit an application: Apply Here
For Youth Information & Application: Apply Here

Dine. Shop. Stroll. Dance

The Town of San Anselmo and the San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce are pleased to announce that San Anselmo Live On The Avenue is back in full swing this summer through October 15. Live entertainment coincides with a pedestrian thoroughfare straight through the heart of town. Come stroll, shop, dine, and dance on San Anselmo Avenue! Concerts will be at Creek Park and the Town Hall Plaza between 6:00-8:30pm on Fridays and Saturdays. San Anselmo Avenue will be closed to cars from 6:00-10:00pm.

Click here for the current line-up of spectacular entertainment.

Music from July – October (yes that’s 32 nights of music!) has been made possible by our gracious sponsor: Eric Gelman of Coldwell Banker.

Parking for Live on the Avenue Events

IMPORTANT INFORMATION - PLEASE READ

We have created a pedestrian friendly event area on San Anselmo Avenue between Tunstead Avenue and Tamalpais Avenue.

A lot of time and energy goes into preparing and running these popular evening events. In an effort to strike a balance between allowing our small businesses to close out their days while maintaining as much customer parking as possible and providing enough time to allow cars to exit the area before the event begins at 6pm, the event area on San Anselmo Avenue will remain open for parking until 5:30pm each Friday and Saturday night through October 15th. In addition, there will be three 30 minute spaces available for retail customers in three separate convenient locations that are available from 4:30 to 6:00pm throughout the event series.

CLICK HERE for a downtown parking map.

Please do not park in the event area on the Avenue past 5:30pm
It creates a very dangerous situation when a vehicle attempts to exit the event area after the event has started, so please help us keep these events safe by not parking in the event area on San Anselmo Avenue after 5:30pm.

Any vehicles remaining on San Anselmo Avenue (between Tunstead and Tamalpais Avenues) after 5:30pm will be ticketed and not allowed to leave the event area until 10pm.

San Anselmo Recreation
Fall Activity Guide

We have Fall classes for people of all ages and we’re even rolling out some new toddler programs! Make sure to check out our new Early Childhood Adventures classes and Young Ones Yoga to get your tots signed up now!
On the other end of the spectrum, our adult classes are back! And there are After School classes for children with all sorts of interests!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN

Visit www.sananselmorecreation.org register!!

In Person Author Event - Library Reading Room

Meet Local Author Scott Fletcher

Wednesday, August 31 at 6:30pm

Library Reading Room

Travel through time and Marin history with San Anselmo author Scott Fletcher.
Moments in Marin History is a collection of photographs and accompanying articles that first appeared in the Marin Independent Journal. The photographs, taken from the Marin History Museum’s vast collection, were carefully selected and researched by Scott Fletcher to capture moments in time that tell the story of the people and land of Marin County.

Elders' Garden volunteers needed

Memorial Park - next to Millennium Playground

Please Join us! There is much to do in the garden. No previous garden experience is necessary, we all learn from each other in the garden. Volunteering is an opportunity to meet neighbors, make friends, and contribute to the community. Anyone with interest or questions is welcome to email us: eldersgardenvolunteers@gmail.com

And please take our quick volunteer survey - scan the QR code or
click here: SURVEY

In September the volunteers from UC Master Gardeners Native Plant Pruning Guild will do some expert pruning in the Elders Garden. We are thankful for this generous gift.

Ross Valley Seniors Meeting

Come join the next Ross Valley Seniors Meeting:

Thursday, September 1

at the Fairfax Women's Club

11:00 am - bocce ball and social hour
12:00pm/Noon - Lunch
1:00 pm - the program starts with Scott Tye from Surfrider Foundation

Scott will discuss Ocean and Coastal Health and how everyone can help. Scott has extensive experience in this area; he founded the Marin Surfrider chapter over 20 years ago and continues with this very important work in our community.
Check out the link to this organization:Surfrider Organization Marin County

If you would like to attend, please e-mail your RSVP to Kevin MacLeod at kmacleod@townofsananselmo.org or call 415-258-4669.

Age Well, Drive Smart Program

Join Age Friendly San Anselmo and the California Highway Patrol for their Age Well, Drive Smart program:

Wednesday, September 14^th - 11:00am-12:00pm

Vista Room at the Isabel Cook Community Center (1000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd)

This program is designed to help senior drivers tune up their driving skills and refresh knowledge of rules on the road along with other valuable tools and lessons!

For more information and to RSVP please e-mail Kevin MacLeod at kmacleod@townofsananselmo.org or call 415-258-4669.

September is National Preparedness Month, so let’s Get Ready,
San Anselmo!

There's a lot to think about when preparing for real-time emergencies, so let's take it one step at a time.

Getting prepared is within your reach! All month long, we will be offering a tip of the week to help better prepare our communities.

If we all prepare, our community is safer during a disaster and more resilient afterwards.

Week 1: Sign up for Alerts & Notifications

There are two primary alerts to sign up for:

AlertMarin - sends critical information from local agencies during a disaster if you need to take

action. Register up to five phones in your household.
Sign up for AlertMarin

Nixle - sends out general public safety information alerts via text based on your zip code about local issues.

Sign up for Nixle

Learn More:

How to Sign up and Bypass "Do Not Disturb" on Your Phone
ReadyMarin.org: Learn more about local Alerts & Notifications

CLIMATE ACTION UPDATE:

Electric Leaf Blower Rebate Offer Extended

If you haven’t already made the switch to an electric leaf blower, now is your chance to get a 50% rebate (up to $150) off the purchase of a new electric leaf blower from Jackson’s Hardware located in San Rafael.
As of January 1, 2022, San Anselmo no longer allows the use of gas-powered leaf blowers due to the impacts of this equipment on the environment, public health, and noise pollution.

To apply for the rebate, you’ll first need to go to the Leaf Blower Information page on the Town website to get instructions on dropping off your gas blower, and to download and complete the rebate application that provides further details about the program.

Limited funds remain for the rebates, so get yours now!

Fire-smart Landscaping Tips from
UC Marin Master Gardeners

SEPTEMBER: Maintaining a Fire-smart Landscape

Clear leaf and needle litter around structures including under decks, around gutters, roof, eaves, vents, and chimney.
Clear branches 10 feet from the chimney.
Prune trees and shrubs to open structure and increase space between plants both vertically and horizontally.
Remove dead vegetation, dry grasses, and dead wood from trees and shrubs.
Check plants for drought stress. Hydrated plants stay healthy and fare better when exposed to high heat.
Mow during cooler and/or foggy days -mowing can kick up rocks that cause sparks & fires especially on hot dry days. Have a hose ready.
Apply no more than a 2” layer of appropriate mulch to feed the soil, keep plants healthier, retain moisture and keep soil temperatures more uniform.

For more fire-smart landscaping information, visit the
UC Marin Master Gardener Website:
https://marinmg.ucanr.edu/BASICS/FIRESMARTLANDSCAPING/

The Student Elections Ambassador Team applications

The Department of Elections is calling on students across Marin County to volunteer as Elections Ambassadors, serving as a critical link between our department and Marin students.
The Marin County Elections Department, Marin League of Women Voters (LWV), and the Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) have joined forces to annually recruit civic-minded students who are interested in the electoral process.
To be eligible, students must meet one of the following criteria:

Students: A student who lives in Marin County or attends a Marin County school.
Recent School Grads: Anyone aged 25 or younger who considers Marin County their home/community. There are no requirements to be enrolled in a college/university or currently live in Marin County

Ambassadors are required to participate in one virtual training, dates and times are listed below.
Upcoming Ambassador Training Schedule: Ambassadors may select one date that works best with their schedule, all at 4 p.m. via Zoom.

Wednesday, September 14
Tuesday, September 20
Wednesday, September 28
Thursday, October 6

For more information and the application, visit their website: HERE or
Contact: Megan Stone at MStone@marincounty.org

LOCAL VISTAS

Featured Artist: BENJAMIN NOAH BENET

September & October 2022

TOWN BOOKS is proud to host an exhibit of paintings by Marin artist, Benjamin Noah Benet in his first solo exhibit. Ben was born and raised in Marin and after high school, spent a couple of years in Boston for college. Though he had an interest in creative fields, he didn’t pursue art until his 20s. After a long series of circumstantial events, he enrolled at College of Marin where he studied painting and drawing with very talented teachers and professors.

ARTIST RECEPTION: Friday, September 16, 5:00 - 7:00pm.

TOWN BOOKS
411 San Anselmo Avenue, San Anselmo
HOURS: Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 4pm
INFO: 415.526.3791 • townbooks.org
Town Books is run by the Friends of the San Anselmo Library and all profits are donated to the San Anselmo Library.

Delicious Art Exhibition

“Delicious”, a juried exhibition presented by Cedars and the San Anselmo Arts Commission, will be showing at the Cedars’ Artist Within Gallery.

Don’t miss the opening reception:
Saturday, September 10, 6-8pm,
with live music, wine and delicious treats!

The show runs September 3 thru November 11, 2022.

For more information and to register please visit: cedarslife.org/delicious

Stroll Through San Anselmo’s History

The Historical Commission is excited to again sponsor Dick Miner’s popular free walking tour through downtown. Learn about San Anselmo’s historic Hub, the role the railroad played in the development of town and the changing character of the businesses and architecture on San Anselmo Avenue.

The remaining Tour Dates for 2022 include: September 10, October 8.
Meet Dick Miner at Creek Park at 9:00 a.m. - no reservations are required.
The tour ends at the Historical Museum for refreshments.
For more information: San Anselmo Historical Museum

Help Keep the Flower Baskets in
Downtown San Anselmo

Donations are being accepted to help
fund this annual community effort

The San Anselmo Beautification Committee has launched its 2022 fundraising campaign to raise funds for the annual hanging flower basket program in the downtown.

There are two ways you can contribute:

Donate by visiting the program’s GO FUND ME PAGE or
Mail a check to: San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 2844, San Anselmo, CA 94979
(please mark check for “baskets”)

For more information about this project contact:
Nancy Altman at nnaltman@me.com

Town Manager's NewsletterSaturday, August 27, 2022