San Rafael officials air vexation over housing laws

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.