SAN ANSELMO BUSINESS UPDATE
October 30, 2021

e-Commerce Cannibalizing Local Retail

Part of a series of roundtable discussions about post-covid economic development in Marin County. November 1, 2021, 10:00-11:30 a.m. Register here.

Ribbon Cutting for Keintz Hall Today at 2:00 p.m.

Join the San Anselmo Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting event at 2 pm Saturday October 30th at Kientz Hall to commemorate their grand opening and start of their lunch service. Stick around to enjoy a glass of wine and sample some delicious bites by Chef Gary Faulkner. Be sure to explore all the dining spaces including the sun-drenched atrium replete with 20 skylights.

Congratulations and Welcome to Town,
Linda and Marc and staff!

EDC Meeting Tuesday November 9 at 8:45 am on Zoom to discuss Downtown Uses

Please join the EDC for their monthly meeting Tuesday November 9, 2021, at 8:45 a.m. by Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84918272568 or call in: (669) 900-6833 Webinar ID: 849 1827 2568. On the agenda:

The Town of San Anselmo is striving to improve the economic and social vitality of San Anselmo Avenue by encouraging uses that create foot traffic for other downtown businesses. Increasingly, businesses in the historic downtown are expressing serious concerns about the number of offices moving into street front retail spaces, reducing the area’s attractiveness as a retail destination.

We invite you to the EDC meeting to comment on a proposal to require Planning Commission review of non-active office uses in ground-floor storefront spaces. The focus is on San Anselmo Avenue between Ross Avenue and Bridge Avenue. Under the proposal, existing office uses would be grandfathered in and could be replaced. Offices would remain a permitted use in any upper floor space, on ground floor spaces on side streets, or spaces at least 30 feet from the San Anselmo Avenue street frontage.
All other towns and cities in Marin County have similar requirements for their downtown areas already In place.

We are hosting two special Zoom sessions with landlords, property managers and agents on November 8, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Please email or call for more information planning@townofsananselmo.org or call 415-258-4636.

Full EDC agenda and prior meeting recordings may be viewed here.

Presentation on Inclusionary Housing Policy and Commercial Development Impact Fee for Housing

On November 1, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. by Zoom here the San Anselmo Planning Commission will receive a presentation and provide direction to staff on an inclusionary housing policy, which would enable the Town to require or encourage developers to set aside a certain percentage of housing units in new or rehabilitated projects for low- and moderate-income residents. This would ensure that the Town provides a range of housing choices and creates new affordable homes without needing government subsidies. The policies can provide developers with options to build the affordable units on-site, offsite or to pay in-lieu fees into a local housing trust fund. The Planning Commission will also receive information on commercial development impact fees, also known as job-housing linkage fees, which could be a per square foot development fee levied on non-residential development (e.g., restaurants, retail, office, etc.) to ameliorate some of the housing impacts generated by commercial projects. While new commercial development creates jobs, a portion of those jobs are low-paying, and employees cannot afford market-rate housing. A recording of the meeting will be available. View the full agenda and reports here.

Town Council to Review Guidelines for Downtown Parklets

The Town Council will receive and discuss draft guidelines for long term parklets on Tuesday November 9, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. by Zoom. Agenda and staff recommendations may be viewed here on Friday before meeting.
Zoom link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89277419792
Or call in: (669) 900-6833 Webinar ID: 892 7741 9792 (use *9 to comment).

Click here to view the video of the September 28, 2021, Town Council meeting to consider establishment of a permanent parklet and streetlet program.

Town Residential Tenant Eviction Moratorium and Rent Freeze in Place until December 31, 2021

San Anselmo tenants are protected by an Eviction Moratorium and Rent Freeze through December 31, 2021

No Landlord may terminate a residential tenancy for non-payment of rent if the tenant has provided a Declaration of COVID-19-Related Financial Distress to the Landlord within 15 days after receiving notice demanding payment of rent (see form enclosed). These eviction protections apply to all residential tenants. Ordinance 1155 Moratorium on Evictions to December 31, 2021
No property owner may increase rent on a residential unit through December 31, 2021, if the tenant has provided a Declaration of COVID- 19-Related Financial Distress (see form enclosed). The rent freeze does not apply to units that are exempt from rent control regulations, including single-family homes, condominiums and residential units for which an initial Certificate of Occupancy was issued on or after February 1, 1995.Ordinance 1154 Moratorium on Rent Increases through December 31, 2021

More information is available at the Town website https://www.townofsananselmo.org/1466/COVID-19-Housing-Help or contact town staff (415) 258-4617 or planning@townofsananselmo.org.

The County of Marin has a program to assist certain Marin County residents with unpaid back rent, utilities, back rent paid by credit, and future rent. The application does not ask for any citizenship information and is open to all eligible Marin County renters. Contact the County Contact the County of Marin for eligibility. www.MarinCounty.org/RentalAssistance
RentalAssistance@MarinCounty.org
(415) 473-2223

Marin Small Business Development Center

Marin SBDC provides both virtual and in-person trainings and workshops designed for business development on a variety of key topics. See online schedule SBDC or call (415) 482-1819. Contact them for free personal assistance with business grants and loans.

San Anselmo Business Resource Center

Please visit San Anselmo's
Business Resource Center for information and links for COVID 19, business licenses, Town permitting and available business spaces.

SAN ANSELMO BUSINESS UPDATEOctober 30, 2021