Planning and Building Director: Lisa Wight


The Planning Division is responsible for all land use functions within the Town. Activities include maintaining the General Plan, Zoning Ordinance amendments, and the processing of Use Permit, Design Review, Variance, Sign, and Subdivision applications.

All planning and zoning information, as well as Planning applications can be accessed in person or on-line (from the homepage, click Municipal Code, then Title 10 of the San Anselmo Municipal Code). New ordinances not yet codified are available in the Planning Division for review.

Planning applications and design review standards may be picked up at the Planning Department counter anytime during hours of operation, or mailed to citizens upon request.

Hours of operation:
Monday through Thursday,
8:30 a.m. – 12 noon

Location: Town Hall (2nd Floor)
525 San Anselmo Avenue
San Anselmo, CA 94960

Phone Number: (415) 258-4616
Fax Number: (415) 454-4683

• Email us at planning@ci.san-anselmo.ca.us

DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS 2007

• Executive Summary Community Workshop #1

• Downtown Community Workshop #1 Summary

• Downtown Community Workshop #2 Summary

• Downtown Community Workshop #3 Summary

• Downtown Workshops Final Summary Report

• Downtown Vision Guidelines

SIGN ORDINANCE

In 2006 the Town Council adopted a new Sign Ordinance. The adoption of the new Sign Ordinance followed several months of public meetings by a Sign Advisory Committee (made up of community members), the Planning Commission and Town Council, with notification and reports for each meeting forwarded to the Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Merchants Association, Red Hill Shopping Center, and the Marin Association of Realtors.

Favorable changes with the new Sign Ordinance include additional signage for business owners, such as: One (1) A-Frame per parcel is now allowed on C-1, C-2 and C-3 zoned properties and is exempt from the permit requirement; and One (1) Projecting Sign per use is still allowed on all commercial and professional zoned properties, but now is also exempt from the permit requirement (reference page 2 of the permit application for the parameters of these and other types of exempt signs).

Most sign permits can be reviewed and approved within a week. The ordinance can be found by clicking Municipal Code on the homepage, then clicking Title 10, then clicking Chapter 9. Sign applications are available on-line and at Town Hall.

• Ordinance setting policy for signs on private property

• Resolution setting policy for signs on Town property

• Planning Department Fees - click here

• Planning Department Forms - click here

• Submittal Requirements

Second Unit Ordinance

In 2004 the Town Council adopted a new residential Second Unit Ordinance. To view details, click on Second Unit Ordinance.

• Second Unit Ordinance

• San Anselmo Municipal Code

Housing Element

The Town's Housing Element was certified by the State in 2004. In 2008 the 11 jurisdictions in Marin hired a consultant who is working with us to prepare a Countywide Housing Workbook. This workbook will then be used by San Anselmo for updating our Housing Element. The Housing Element update is due by the State in 2009.

• Housing Element 2004

• Appendix A

• Appendix B

• Appendix C

General Plan

The Town's General Plan was adopted in 1989. The Housing Element of the General Plan has recently been updated, as reflected in the above link.

• General Plan, Title page through page 18

• General Plan - Page 19 through 81, map table of contents

• General Plan - Maps

• General Plan - Appendix

Americans with Disabilities Act Accommodations

In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in any of the Town's programs, please contact the Town Clerk at 258-4652. TTY phone number is 453-4690. Notification at least 48 hours prior to the event/program/meeting will enable the Town to make reasonable accommodation to help insure accessibility to all the Town's programs.