Richardson's Bay Regional Agency

Mission and Meetings

Mission: The Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency (RBRA) is a local government agency serving Belvedere, Mill Valley, Tiburon, and unincorporated Southern Marin, RBRA is dedicated to maintaining and improving the navigational waterways, open waters, and shoreline of Richardson’s Bay.

Meetings: The next regular meeting of the RBRA Board of Directors is scheduled for October 14, 2021, at 5:30 p.m. There will be no September Board meeting.

News: Agreement on Anchorage Management and Environmental Protections

Under a new agreement between two agencies overseeing Richardson’s Bay in southern Marin County, only seaworthy vessels will be allowed to anchor on a temporary basis in the bay after October 2026 to preserve the area’s sensitive ecology.

Both the RBRA Board of Directors and the Bay Conservation & Development Commission (BCDC) have approved a settlement agreement that establishes milestones that RBRA must meet over the next five years as well as provisions for eelgrass recovery and protection actions. In return, BCDC will refrain from threatened enforcement action against RBRA and will support RBRA’s efforts.

Click here for Settlement Agreement

Click here for staff report

Click here for presentation

The RBRA’s enforcement focus will be to ensure that new vessels are prevented from taking up unauthorized anchorage in Richardson’s Bay so that the Marin County Department of Health and Human Services and community partners can focus on supporting residents already on the anchorage to transition from unsafe conditions on the water to land-based housing options or marina slips.

“The RBRA will support efforts to connect people living on vessels with housing alternatives and services, as we are mindful of the challenges that face vulnerable members of this community,” said RBRA Board President and District 3 Marin County Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters.

“The next five years of such a significant change in the bay will not be easy on the agency or those affected by its requirements. But this settlement agreement includes as much flexibility as was possible in negotiation with the state regulatory agency while considering what is best for vessel occupants in the context of solutions to homelessness and housing challenges faced statewide,” said Moulton-Peters.

BCDC has sought firm actions to address illegally anchored vessels and protection of habitat conditions. The RBRA adopted rules and regulations in 1987 that, in part, established 72-hour time limits for anchoring in the bay. For decades, mariners have anchored vessels in the bay for extended stays that were, and remain, inconsistent with the San Francisco Bay Plan, the Richardson Bay Special Area Plan, the Marin County Code, and the RBRA’s rules and regulations.

RBRA has endeavored to balance the call for stricter timelines on enforcement with a humane approach toward vulnerable residents on the water, especially in light of housing challenges and homelessness regionally and statewide.

The RBRA adopted a 2020 Transition Plan to improve the health, safety, and management of the bay through enforcement of requirements for anchored vessels, housing relocation support, and eelgrass protection and growth. Although BCDC viewed the Transition Plan and its implementation as a good first step, it has called for more definitive timelines to be established, including the removal of all vessels within five years.

With formal BCDC approval of the settlement agreement, staff will now turn toward updating the Transition Plan to incorporate the requirements of the agreement as well as efforts to coordinate with partners on potential housing and social services options.

The new agreement includes a timeline for phased removal of the remaining 86 vessels from RBRA waters. The number of vessels on the water has been reduced by more than half over the past two years. The settlement agreement includes establishment of an Eelgrass Protection Zone that prohibits anchoring in shallower areas attractive to eelgrass and to initiate eelgrass recovery efforts through the adoption and implementation of an Adaptive Management Plan. The commitments are expected to be resourced largely through grant funding.

Click here to download August 12, 2021 Agenda Packet

Click here to view meeting

Board of Directors meetings on Zoom:

Join Zoom Webinar: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89723707189?pwd=N21KMkd0aEd4QmZFWjBlaXozVVM4dz09

Webinar ID: 897 2370 7189

Webinar Passcode: 899921

One tap mobile: 1 669 900 9128 US (San Jose)

Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ayYK5Oc1j

Anchorage Transition: The Agency has initiated its Transition Plan to improve the health, safety, and management of the bay through enforcement of requirements for anchored vessels, housing relocation support, and eelgrass protection and restoration.

Vessels used as primary housing that were in the August 2019 census were able to enroll by October 15, 2020 to become eligible for deferred enforcement of the 72-hour anchorage time limits. Such vessels had until October 15, 2021 to become seaworthy and meet all other agency requirements as explained in this Transition Packet that was distributed to all eligible vessels.

The Transition Plan also calls for protecting and restoring eelgrass beds, which are critically important to the bay ecosystem. Strategies under review include establishing allowed uses and eelgrass protection measures for designated areas of the bay.

What's Happening

Eelgrass Protection and Management Plan Adopted August 12, 2021.

Assisted by Coastal Policy Solutions with the involvement of stakeholders and other interested parties, RBRA has adopted an Eelgrass Protection and Management Plan (EPMP) that recognizes the important eelgrass habitat of Richardson’s Bay. The plan establishes an eelgrass protection/no-anchoring zone separate from an anchoring zone.

Click here for EPMP

Community Message There have recently been a number of online postings regarding the treatment of individuals living in vessels on the Richardson’s Bay anchorage that are misleading and inaccurate. The misleading postings have implied that individuals have been removed from their vessels, had their vessels destroyed and were subsequently made homeless amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. None of this is true. If you are not familiar with Richardson’s Bay, it is a 72-hour anchorage that is a shared resource enjoyed by Sausalito, Belvedere, Tiburon, Mill Valley, Marin County and the larger Bay Area community. Additionally, Richardson’s Bay serves as a key stopover for birds to rest and feed while on their migratory routes, as well as providing an ideal habitat for a critical stand of eelgrass that serves as the keystone for a much broader ecological system that supports multiple types of sea life and animals. Complaints from community and business owners about Richardson’s Bay have greatly intensified over the last few years due to the proliferation of inoperable and unseaworthy vessels in Richardson’s Bay. The complaints include sunken vessels releasing rubbish and petrochemicals into the bay, vandalism at various public locations and private marinas directly attributed to individuals on vessels anchored in Richardson’s Bay, hostile and threatening behavior towards mariners seeking to use the anchorage, dumping of sewage directly into the bay, and dumping of trash directly into the bay and along the streets of Sausalito. Local residents, members from the environmental and business communities, as well as visitors from outside the area were finding it increasingly difficult to enjoy the bay with their families, for recreational and commercial activities, and as a place of refuge. After observing the problematic impacts the vessels were having on the environment as well as to the public health and safety, proactively managing vessels anchored in the bay became a high priority. Read full message here Being on Richardson’s Bay Welcome to your temporary stay on Richardson’s Bay! Vessels may anchor in the bay up to 72 hours without a permit. If you wish to stay longer, click here for the application to request a 30-day permit from the Harbormaster. See attached Transition Packet being distributed for vessels interested in enrolling in the Safe & Seaworthy program by October 15, 2020. Please note that each vessel owner and operator is responsible for securing their vessel and ensuring it does not drift, drag, sink or otherwise get loose on the bay or onto the shoreline. RBRA is not responsible for vessels or dinghies that have drifted, dragged, run aground or sunk; the agency may tow and impound such vessels as a health and safety measure for persons, property, and/or the environment. Vessel owners who wish to retrieve their vessel must reimburse the agency for the agency’s costs to secure, tow, impound and/or store the vessel. Vessels that are marine debris will not be allowed back in Richardson’s Bay. You may contact the RBRA Harbormaster about retrieving your vessel at 415-971-3919 or chavel@marincounty.org; immediate response about retrieval may not be possible during a storm event. The Richardson Bay Resource Guide provides information about rules and access to assistance. Click here for more information about RBRA regulations and vessel responsibilities On June 11, 2020, the RBRA Board of Directors adopted a Transition Plan with a vision, goal, principles, and policy direction for the anchorage. The plan affirms a vision for the bay as a temporary anchorage, while providing a pathway for certain pre-existing eligible vessels that are determined by RBRA to be safe & seaworthy to remain for a limited duration. Vessels arriving into the bay may not stay more than 72 hours without permission from the Harbormaster. An Anchoring Permit Application to request a stay longer than 72 hours is available here. On September 12, 2019, the marine ecology firm Merkel & Associates presented a summary of its Mooring Feasibility & Planning Study to the Richardson’s Bay Regional Agency Board of Directors. The Ecologically-based Mooring Study by Merkel & Associates released November 11, 2019 analyzed eelgrass and other bay conditions to inform decisions on potential mooring locations, equipment, capacity, and transiting to shore. On July 11, 2019, the RBRA Board of Directors adopted Ordinance 19-1 updating requirements for vessels on Richardson’s Bay.