SMART Officials Seek Public Feedback on Downtown San Rafael Station

The city of San Rafael is holding a planning meeting tonight to receive public input on development ideas for the site of the future downtown Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit station. 

The city's planning department has until February 2012 to draft a final plan for access, connectivity, land use and economic redevelopment near the station, which will be built near the existing bus station at Third and Hetherton streets, project planning coordinator Rebecca Woodbury said.

The department held a meeting in November to solicit ideas for the site, and is now asking residents to weigh in on proposals that were developed based on the earlier input it received, Woodbury said.

She said the city hopes to create one integrated transit hub that would include the new train station and the existing Bettini Transportation Center, which is the largest bus port in Marin County.

The rail service is scheduled to begin operating in 2014.

Tonight's meeting will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the center, located at 930 Tamalpais Ave.

Bay City News Service