San Rafael council accepts update to five-year economic development strategy

San Rafael's City Council on April 6 accepted an update to the city's five-year Economic Development Strategic Plan, approving staff'reported progress on business support programs, fee reductions and a string of large development projects moving through the pipeline.

The vote, which carried 3'0to'0 with Council Members Bushey and Hill absent, followed a presentation by Community Economic Development Director Micah Hinkle and Economic Development Program Manager Stacy Lauman that summarized work across 31 program tasks tied to the 2023'2028 strategy.

“Of the 31 task items, we've made really significant progress in implementing and also working toward implementing most of those items,” Lauman said, describing the department's focus on a new San Rafael Go concierge service designed to help businesses and developers navigate city permitting and approvals.

The presentation highlighted a series of short'term incentives aimed at business retention and activation, including two'year fee reductions for streeteries and for retail cannabis delivery to ease start'up costs. Lauman also described a recently implemented mobile vending ordinance and an arts grant partnership funded in part by the California Arts Council.

Staff provided data on local indicators: taxable sales trends through 2024, an estimated transient occupancy tax (TOT) revenue of about $3.5 million in 2025, and increases in assessed commercial and industrial property values. Lauman said roughly 1,000 housing units are proposed for downtown in projects under review.

Councilors focused questions on subareas and implementation. Vice Mayor Rachel Kurtz asked whether corridor strategies include Northeast San Rafael; Hinkle said that corridor is identified in the plan but a specific vision is still to be determined, and noted the Northgate PDA work could inform expansion. Council members also pressed staff on timelines and data for neighborhood revenue contributions.

Lauman said the department will continue to integrate high'priority economic development tasks into the city's broader strategic plan and to collaborate with partners including the Chamber of Commerce and Canal Alliance on marketing and opportunity-zone discussions.

The council adopted the update with a motion by Vice Mayor Kurtz and a second from Mayor Kate. The plan will inform staff workplans and subcommittee follow'ups; Council requested additional data on neighborhood contributions and noted continued attention to business retention and the East San Rafael commercial corridor.

The item was informational and procedural; no regulatory change was enacted as part of Monday's vote.