San Rafael Historic Preservation
City of San Rafael’s Historic Preservation
This is the City’s web page summary of historic preservation efforts, with links to
recognized landmarks, potentially eligible landmarks, and how to seek
recognition as a historic landmark.
Historic Preservation Handout
This is an abbreviated companion to the City’s Historic Preservation page. It ties
historic preservation to relevant laws and the process of determining whether a
property qualifies for historic landmark status. It also summarizes past survey
efforts.
San Rafael Municipal Code Chapter 2.18 Historic Preservation
This is San Rafael’s Historic Preservation Ordinance. It includes language about
the purpose and value of historic preservation, powers of the Planning
Commission, designation of landmarks and historic districts, the process for
designation, criteria for designation, development standards, appeals, recognition
of structures of merit, and public acquisition of properties.
Downtown San Rafael Precise Plan
This is the City’s downtown plan with goals for 2020-2040. Chapter 5 -Historic
Resources (June 2021 final draft) specifically focuses on historic preservation. It
also contains the goals for work to be done (5.2), the 2019-2020 updated survey
of historic resources (5.3), potentially eligible historic districts (5.4),
recommendations for the historic preservation ordinance (5.5), and procedures
for additions, alterations, or demolition (5.6). In addition, Chapter 9 – Form Based
Code provides extensive design requirements.
Downtown San Rafael Precise Plan Historic Resources Inventory Summary
Report (May 2021)
This is the 2019-2020 survey of historic resources – updating the 1978 and 1986
surveys for downtown properties, providing a context statement, and covering
existing historic landmarks, existing historic districts, eligible historic districts,
resources deemed eligible in 1978/1986, resources deemed eligible on 2019-20
that were not previously inventoried, and newly eligible resources. The survey
rated buildings on a series of eligibility criteria. It did not consider for inclusion
buildings outside the area covered by the Downtown Precise Plan; those are
covered only in the 1978/1986 surveys (below).
Structures on the San Rafael Historical/Architectural Survey and/or the
California Register of Historical Resources (1986).
This is the last survey of buildings across the entire city.
Major Planning Projects, City of San Rafael
This page lists current development projects under consideration by the City.
This is the City’s web page summary of historic preservation efforts, with links to
recognized landmarks, potentially eligible landmarks, and how to seek
recognition as a historic landmark.
Historic Preservation Handout
This is an abbreviated companion to the City’s Historic Preservation page. It ties
historic preservation to relevant laws and the process of determining whether a
property qualifies for historic landmark status. It also summarizes past survey
efforts.
San Rafael Municipal Code Chapter 2.18 Historic Preservation
This is San Rafael’s Historic Preservation Ordinance. It includes language about
the purpose and value of historic preservation, powers of the Planning
Commission, designation of landmarks and historic districts, the process for
designation, criteria for designation, development standards, appeals, recognition
of structures of merit, and public acquisition of properties.
Downtown San Rafael Precise Plan
This is the City’s downtown plan with goals for 2020-2040. Chapter 5 -Historic
Resources (June 2021 final draft) specifically focuses on historic preservation. It
also contains the goals for work to be done (5.2), the 2019-2020 updated survey
of historic resources (5.3), potentially eligible historic districts (5.4),
recommendations for the historic preservation ordinance (5.5), and procedures
for additions, alterations, or demolition (5.6). In addition, Chapter 9 – Form Based
Code provides extensive design requirements.
Downtown San Rafael Precise Plan Historic Resources Inventory Summary
Report (May 2021)
This is the 2019-2020 survey of historic resources – updating the 1978 and 1986
surveys for downtown properties, providing a context statement, and covering
existing historic landmarks, existing historic districts, eligible historic districts,
resources deemed eligible in 1978/1986, resources deemed eligible on 2019-20
that were not previously inventoried, and newly eligible resources. The survey
rated buildings on a series of eligibility criteria. It did not consider for inclusion
buildings outside the area covered by the Downtown Precise Plan; those are
covered only in the 1978/1986 surveys (below).
Structures on the San Rafael Historical/Architectural Survey and/or the
California Register of Historical Resources (1986).
This is the last survey of buildings across the entire city.
Major Planning Projects, City of San Rafael
This page lists current development projects under consideration by the City.