San Rafael city staff are seeking guidance from the City Council as the state transforms how residential projects are reviewed and approved by cities, choking local authority.

Recent laws have opened the floodgates to applications for housing at heights and scales never seen in the city.

The shift and the speed with which projects are now mandated for approval has overwhelmed the public and left staff unsure on how to move forward, Margaret Kavanaugh-Lynch, the city’s planning manager, said during a study session last week.

“Staff has seen over the last few years that there’s some frustration on behalf of both the public and the planning commissioners when housing projects are being discussed,” Kavanaugh-Lynch said.

“We really need to revitalize downtown and improve our economic position,” Vice Mayor Rachel Kertz said. “And I think housing brings people, which then brings in more revenue.”

Mayor Kate Colin had a different view, saying that the city developed a general plan and downtown precise plan that took years and millions of dollars to put together with a community vision in mind.

“I want to defend the work that this community has done,” Colin said. “So, my answer to that would be yes, to shore up the work that is in our general plan.”

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