Marin Interfaith Worker Justice

Don’t let large corporations make unilateral decisions that affect our neighborhood. We need to be vigilant and proactive to keep our community intact, and preserve the independent spirit that brought us here.

A Community Impact Report policy will get the information into our hands early and give us an opportunity to suggest ways to improve or disallow large development projects. The result will be better development and better neighborhoods.

Community members will have a forum in which to address their concerns about jobs, housing, and neighborhood needs.

Policymakers will be able to respond to community concerns in a more timely, efficient way.

Developers will receive input from the community in time to avoid costly redesigns.

San Rafael residents will be more confident that city resources are being used wisely.

What is a community impact report?

A Community Impact Report (CIR) is a public policy tool that gives community members greater voice in shaping development. If San Rafael were to adopt a Community Impact Report policy, every developer undertaking a major project in San Rafael would be required to produce a short report detailing the community and economic impacts of the project. Community members would have the opportunity to weigh in on the project early enough to make a difference. The policy would cover large, commercial and industrial projects of more than 25,000 square feet.

What questions does a CIR answer?

• JOBS: A CIR includes the kinds and number of jobs that would be created by the proposed development, and whether local people would be hired to fill those jobs.

• HOUSING: A CIR includes information about what housing would be created by the proposed development, how affordable would it be, who would live in it, and what existing housing would be lost.

• NEIGHBORHOOD NEEDS: A CIR includes evaluation of the community’s needs for parks, childcare, and retail businesses, and how the proposed project would help residents meet those needs.

• SMART GROWTH: A CIR describes the ways in which the proposed project would help build pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods with green space and links to public transportation.

• FISCAL IMPACT: A CIR details the costs and benefits to the public agencies responsible for the project, and its expected impact on local agencies and organizations such as traditional city and county services, social services, health care, and schools.

At what point does is the CIR completed?

The CIR is completed early in the planning of the project, after the developer determines the general features of a proposed project, but before detailed plans and specifications are developed. This enables the developer to make desirable modifications early in the development process.

What is the CIR process?

The CIR process involves three simple steps:

Step 1: The developer works with a consultant designated by the city to produce a report.

Step 2: The San Rafael City Council staff accepts the report and adds comments as needed.

Step 3: The San Rafael City Council holds a public hearing.

Who benefits from a CIR?

When CIRs are required, everybody wins:

• CIRs provide information and a forum to residents, and alert developers to community concerns early on in the process.

• CIRs can help build support for a project early in the planning process and avoid costly delays or litigation.

• CIRs give policymakers the information they need to make development decisions that truly benefit the San Rafael community.