This blog post takes a look at San Francisco Supervisor Alan Wong’s monthlong contest. He’s inviting residents and businesses to nominate the city’s “dumbest laws.”
The SF effort wants to shine a light on outdated, overly complex, or just plain annoying ordinances. It’s all about sparking a bigger conversation on how to make government more efficient and actually useful for people today.
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Repeal isn’t promised, but the process should get people talking—and maybe even help shape future policy. There’s hope that communities across the Bay Area, including Marin’s towns from San Rafael to Sausalito, will pay attention.
What San Francisco’s Dumbest Laws Contest Is Trying to Do
The main idea: gather nominations for laws that started with good intentions but now seem pointless or just get in the way. People submit their picks online, mixing serious feedback with a bit of humor to call out where bureaucracy really drags things down.
The contest isn’t about instant change. It’s more of a jumping-off point for real dialogue, since a lot of these rules were written in a different time with different priorities.
Supporters point out that even well-meaning regulations can fall behind as the city changes. In Marin County, small business owners along San Anselmo’s corridor or creative folks in Mill Valley echo that frustration.
They want government to keep up—whether it’s for opening a new shop, building housing, or just getting permits for a shoreline event in Sausalito.
Why a Marin-friendly approach could work
Marin folks care about open government, clear rules, and not getting bogged down by paperwork. A Marin version of this contest could use the same idea—let people from San Rafael, Novato, Corte Madera, Tiburon, Larkspur, Ross, and Fairfax send in their gripes.
That feedback could help start real policy conversations at the county level. The goal isn’t to promise big changes overnight, but to get people talking, share the results, and maybe push for some targeted fixes where it makes sense.
How Marin County Could Launch a Similar Conversation
Picture a countywide effort that borrows from the SF model but fits Marin’s vibe. An easy online submission form could get shared by local chambers of commerce in Sausalito, business groups in Mill Valley, and neighborhood associations in Belvedere and Tiburon.
County supervisors could use social media to spotlight the most interesting nominations, just like San Francisco plans to highlight winners and ideas online. The hope? Make it easier for everyone to call out outdated rules and help shape how local government works, from San Geronimo to Point Reyes Station.
For Marin’s schools, parks, and shoreline neighborhoods, this could mean real suggestions for updating things—maybe faster permits, better signage, or smarter parking rules near shops. Even small tweaks could make a difference for people living in places like Fairfax and Corte Madera.
The conversation should stay focused on making things better, not getting stuck in politics. It’s about inviting everyone in, from all the towns that make Marin County what it is.
Who Could Join the Conversation?
- Residents of San Rafael, Mill Valley, and Sausalito who want easier permits and clearer signs
- Small-business owners in Novato, Corte Madera, and Larkspur tired of endless red tape
- Community groups in Tiburon, Belvedere, and Ross looking for a county that actually listens
- Nonprofits and senior advocates in Fairfax and Point Reyes Station hoping for more accessible government
Quirky Rules: A Glimpse of What Might Surface
In the original SF article, a bunch of oddball rules popped up—some funny, some just stubbornly outdated. Residents still bring them up when arguing about what’s actually useful these days.
There’s a ban on carrying bread or cakes in baskets, and you’re not supposed to play ball games on public streets. You can’t ride a horse while drunk, and apparently walking more than eight dogs at once is a no-go.
Feeding parakeets in parks? Also forbidden. Sure, these specific ordinances might come from another city’s rulebook, but they remind us that it’s probably time to sift out the weird stuff from what matters.
Honestly, Marin’s towns could do with some new rules that fit today’s world. It wouldn’t hurt to keep the local character alive in places like San Anselmo, Kent Woodlands, and Marinwood, either.
The Bay Area’s always wrestling with growth, housing costs, and climate issues. Maybe Marin could start its own version of this debate and set an example for other counties.
If a respected local gets people talking—kind of like SF did—maybe folks in Marin will feel more involved in shaping the rules that affect them. That’d be a win for everyone from San Geronimo to Tiburon, Fairfax to Novato.
Here is the source article for this story: Contest asks San Franciscans to name the city’s ‘dumbest laws’
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