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San Rafael zoning administrator conditionally approves permit for auto sales at Francisco Boulevard site
Summary
The City of San Rafael zoning administrator conditionally approved a use permit Dec. 3 to allow motor vehicle sales and services on four adjacent parcels at Francisco Boulevard and nearby streets; approval includes hours, signage and floodplain conditions and is subject to a short appeal period.
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — The City of San Rafael’s acting zoning administrator, associate planner Renee Nicktonag, on Wednesday conditionally approved a conditional use permit to allow motor vehicle sales and services on four adjacent properties at 601 and 611 Francisco Boulevard, 141 Front Street and 12 Harbor Street.
The permit, approved at the zoning administrator hearing Dec. 3, includes standard conditions of approval and site-specific requirements recommended by staff. “So with that, I will conditionally approve the requested use permit for automobile sales at 601 Francisco Boulevard,” Nicktonag said during the hearing.
Michelle O’Brien, the city project manager, told the hearing the application requires a conditional use permit under the municipal code and identified several conditions: hours of operation limited to 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, a separate sign permit for any exterior signage, and a Public Works condition related to flood elevations because the property lies in FEMA flood zone AE with a base flood elevation of 10 feet.
An applicant representative, who participated remotely, said the proposal is consistent with surrounding uses. “The proposed conditional use for automobile sales is consistent with what the surrounding properties are being used for,” the representative said, offering to answer follow-up questions.
Staff and the zoning administrator discussed parking and transit access. O’Brien said the site is approximately 0.2 miles from a major transit corridor and that the project is eligible for a parking requirement waiver under California Assembly Bill 2097; she also confirmed on-site side parking is available. The zoning administrator described the site as within about a half-mile walking distance of transit in the area, reflecting slightly different characterizations of the distance on the record.
No members of the public offered oral comment during the hearing, and staff confirmed no written public comments had been received before the meeting.
Nicktonag said the approval applies to the use (motor vehicle sales and services) rather than to any specific future business branding; individual companies would pursue building and business licenses later. The decision is subject to appeal: the zoning administrator said an appeal must be filed with a letter and the required fee at the City of San Rafael planning division by 5 p.m. next Wednesday in December (the hearing record did not specify the calendar date). If no appeal is received within the appeal period, the project will become effective and applicants may pursue the necessary building permits and business licenses.
The record includes a reference to local municipal code requirements and to AB 2097 relating to parking, and notes a Public Works flood-elevation condition; planning staff also referred to public-works comments noted by a staff member named Makayla for the building-permit review.
The hearing closed after the administrator’s announcement; project representatives participating remotely and staff on site thanked the administrator and attendees.
