Town of Corte Madera
Town Council
NOTICE OF SPECIAL MEETING AND AGENDA FOR
TOWN COUNCIL AND MARIN COUNTY SANITARY DISTRICT NO. 2
STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP
TUESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2024
9:00AM
Location: Corte Madera Interim Town Council Chambers
240 Tamal Vista Blvd., #108, Corte Madera CA 94925
NOTICE TO PUBLIC:
The Strategic Planning Workshop will be held at the Corte Madera Interim Town Council Chambers and will not be videoconferenced over Zoom.
Members of the public may participate and provide public comment in person during the meeting.
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
2. INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW OF THE STRATEGIC PLANNING WORKSHOP This workshop is for the Town Council to discuss short and long-term priorities and objectives for the Town as carried out by staff in the work plan. While Council will discuss priorities and the proposed work plan and may provide direction to the Town Manager, the Town Council will not take action to approve the proposed work plan or any projects within the proposed work plan at this workshop. The Town Council may direct the Town Manager to place specific items for discussion or adoption on the agenda of future Town Council meetings.
3. DISCUSSION OF WORK PROGRAM AREA PRIORITIZATION
The Town Manager will facilitate Council discussion of work program areas and receive direction from Council on priority areas for 2024.
4. PRESENTATION OF OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGETS
Eli Beckman
Mayor
Pat Ravasio
Vice Mayor
Fred Casissa
Councilmember
Charles Lee
Councilmember
Rosa Thomas
Councilmember
Adam Wolff
Town Manager
Amy Ackerman
Town Attorney
Lorena Barrera
Town Clerk/Asst.to the Town Manager
Town Hall Council Chambers
240 Tamal Vista Blvd., # 108
Corte Madera, CA 94925
townofcortemadera.org
Staff will provide a high-level overview of current and projected Operating and Capital Budget revenues and expenditures.
5. PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION OF DRAFT 2024 WORK PLAN
Staff will present the proposed projects within the draft 2024 Work Plan for Council discussion.
6. LUNCH
7. CONTINUED DISCUSSION OF DRAFT 2024 WORK PLAN/RECAP
Continued discussion of remaining topics related to the Draft Work Plan and recap direction provided by Council relating to the proposed 2024 work plan.
8. ADJOURNMENT
REPORTS: Town Council Staff Reports and materials related to agenda items are usually available by 5:00 p.m., the Friday prior to a regularly scheduled Council Meeting and available for review in the Town Clerk's Office and on the Town’s website via the hyperlinks included on the agenda which can be found at www.townofcortemadera.org/681/Agendas-Minutes-and-Notices. Materials related to an item on this agenda that have been submitted to the Town Council or staff after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection in the Town Clerk's Office located at Town Hall, 240 Tamal Vista Blvd., Ste. 110, Corte Madera, CA 94925, during normal business hours, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and on the Town’s website.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT: If you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the Town Clerk at 415-927-5086. For auxiliary aids or services or other reasonable accommodations to be provided by the Town at or before the meeting please notify the Town Clerk at least 3 business days in advance of the meeting date. If the town does not receive timely notification of your reasonable request, the Town may not be able to make the necessary arrangements by the time of the meeting.
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1 CORTE MADERA TOWN COUNCIL
STAFF REPORT
REPORT DATE: January 25, 2024
MEETING DATE: January 30, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Town Council
FROM: Adam Wolff, Town Manager
Amy Ackerman, Town Attorney
Rebecca Vaughn, Assistant Town Manager
Daria Carrillo, Finance Director
Amy Lyle, Community Development Director
R.J. Suokko, Public Works Director
Tim Barry, Parks and Recreation Director
Michael Morarity, Communications/Code Enforcement Manager Lorena Barrera, Town Clerk/Assistant to Town Manager
Phoebe Goulden, Climate Action and Adaptation Coordinator SUBJECT: Strategic Planning Workshop: Prioritization of Work Program Areas and Review and Direction of 2024 Draft Staff Work Plan
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Discuss and prioritize staff work program areas and review and provide direction regarding Draft 2024 Staff Work Plan.
BACKGROUND:
It is the practice of the Town Council to hold a strategic planning workshop each year to discuss short and long-term priorities and objectives for the Town as carried out by staff in the work plan. While Council will discuss priorities and the proposed work plan and may provide direction to the Town Manager, the Town Council will not take action to approve the proposed work plan or any projects within the proposed work plan at this workshop. The Town Council may direct the Town Manager to place specific items for discussion or adoption on the agenda of future Town Council meetings.
Previous strategic planning workshops have included a review of the prior year’s work plan, including accomplishments and status of specific work plan items, however this information was reviewed by the Town Council at its January 16, 2024 regular meeting. The staff report and recap of the 2023 work plan 2 can be accessed here: https://www.townofcortemadera.org/DocumentCenter/View/9031/6C-Staff-Reportand-Attachments. Video recording of the discussion of this item at the January 16, 2024 regular meeting can be accessed here (at 44:30): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4vZrawb-FM.
DISCUSSION:
Work Program Area Prioritization
At the March 7, 2023 Town Council meeting, the Town Council accepted the 2023 Work Plan, and set overall priorities for various work program areas into three categories, with Category I being the most important. At the January 30, 2024, strategic planning workshop, the Town Council will be asked to revisit the various work plan areas and determine if modifications or adjustments should be made. The 2023 work program areas were grouped within the following categories (note that work program areas within each category are not listed in any particular order of importance):
Category I
Fiscal Sustainability: (maintain Town finances, unfunded OPEB liabilities, protecting recurring revenues, controlling costs, explore shared service opportunities where appropriate; update fee schedules to address cost of services )
Climate Action, Adaptation, and Preparedness: (plan and implement climate action and adaptation projects, sea level rise/flooding and wildfire/egress strategies, reducing the Town’s carbon footprint, disaster preparedness)
Town Operations: (staff recruitment, retention and development, complete reorganization and staffing of planning and building (community development) department, IT modernization and cybersecurity)
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: (ie. provide all staff, committees, and council with training tied to Town’s mission, values and goals; assess fee schedules for opportunities to increase equity; implement Housing Element policies and programs related to affirmatively furthering fair housing)
Community Responsiveness: (i.e. day to day responsiveness to community questions, concerns, and complaints, and resolving complex community issues) Public Safety: (ensure effectiveness of CMPA and CMFD JPAs via Police and Fire Councils) Category II
Infrastructure Maintenance and Improvements: (i.e. circulation improvements, roadwork, flood control, SD2)
Community Events and Involvement: (i.e. promote and support town-wide events and community gathering, volunteerism, and connectedness)
3 Customer Service: (i.e. digitizing services, town-wide communications; Open Gov; streamlining special event permit processing)
Land Use Planning and Economic Development: (i.e. Housing Element, Parklets, Macy’s site, completion of new hotels)
Town Facilities and Amenities - Maintenance and Improvements: (i.e. Town Hall project, Park Master Plan, addressing fire station deficiencies) Category III
Quality of life issues: (i.e. short-term rentals; dogs off leash, lighting) Everything else
Draft 2024 Staff Work Plan
The Draft 2024 Staff Work Plan is included as Attachment 1 to this staff report. The Draft Work Plan highlights major areas of staff work, including work that is being carried over from 2023 and new projects and programs intended to be the focus of staff resources in 2024. However, the Draft Staff Work Plan does not include the full body of Staff’s work. Other critical functions, such as reviewing and processing permit applications, performing management and administrative functions, and responding to community member requests and concerns, also requires a significant portion of Staff time on a daily basis.
Furthermore, the 2024 Staff Work Plan is not a static document and is intended to evolve and adapt as unanticipated needs and opportunities arise in the course of a given year.
FISCAL IMPACT:
None.
WORK PLAN:
The development of the work plan is not listed as a project in the Staff work plan ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
This activity is not defined as a project under CEQA (Section 15378 CEQA Guidelines).
OPTIONS:
N/A
ATTACHEMENTS:
1. Draft 2024 Work Plan
4 ATTACHMENT 1
Draft 2024 Work Plan
Draft 2024 Work Plan
Program Area Department Project Description
Fiscal Sustainability
1 CDD/PW Update fee schedule for Planning, Building and Public works departments to account for current costs of service delivery (last updated in 2015) and align with policy goals and objectives. 2 FINANCE Work with Finance Committee to protect reserves and recurring revenue, and develop strategies to pay down unfunded liabilities and reduce costs when possible
3 FINANCE In consultation with HdL, the Town’s sales tax advisors, analyze the strengths and vulnerabilities of the Town’s finances.
Stay abreast of trends and forecasts affecting the Towns sales tax revenues. 4 SD2 Complete SD2 Rate Study, conduct public outreach, and set new rates for 2024/25 fiscal year Climate Action, Adaptation and Disaster Preparedness
5 ADM Develop environmentally preferable purchasing policy (EPPP) for the Town 6 ADM/PW Implement procedures to comply with California Air Resources Board (CARB) Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation and Implement EV Acceleration Strategy Work Plan
7 ALL Collaborate with Marin Office of Emergency Management on training exercises and emergency preparedness plans 8 CDD As part of Zoning Amendments related to Design Review, streamline approval of applications seeking to raise homes out of flood plain
9 CDD/ADM Consider new strategies to reduce building emissions in light of CA Restaurant Assoc. v. City of Berkeley Ruling and discuss options with CAC and TC
10 CDD/PW/ADM Continue Shoreline Adaptation Engagement Effort through Spring 2024, determine appropriate next steps to address flooding vulnerabilities in Bayside neighborhoods, and undertake follow-up actions as directed by TC 11 PW Complete Storm Drain Master Plan and prioritize future capital improvement needs for flood control system 12 PW Conduct public outreach and begin design work related Lower Christmas Tree Hill Complete Streets, Evacuation Improvement, Sewer Rehab, and Undergrounding project
Town Operations
13 ADM Implement cyber security measures and IT modernization outlined in the Town cyber security risk assessment 14 ADM Develop program and communication around opening of new Town Hall facility 15 ADM Ensure efficient and well-functioning Town operations w/in new Town Hall facility. Adapt current operations to new facility; optimize use for community needs; train staff on new procedures for security, IT/AV, and general operations. 16 ADM Develop staff program for yearly participation in Sonoma/Marin Leadership Academy. Send participant in 24/25. 17 ADM/HR Approve new employee MOUs and contracts for all Town employees, CMPA, and CMFA 18 ADM/PW Coordinate orderly move from 240 Tamal Vista to new Town Hall facility Equity and Inclusion
19 ADM Continue with a training program that is tied to the Town’s mission values and goals related to equity and inclusion.
Develop training for Town Boards, Commissions and Committees.
20 CDD Implement Housing Element programs related to affirmatively furthering fair housing 21 CDD/PW/ADM Evaluate fee schedules and consider strategies to make Town programs and services more accessible to lower income community members
22 P+R Continue to develop and promote Town scholarship program for Rec programming 23 P+R Explore opportunities to create classroom or gathering space for seniors 24 PW Hire consultant and begin work on ADA transition plan to update and document the Town's accessibility improvement needs and to prioritize various improvements accordingly.
Infrastructure Maintenance and Improvements
25 P+R Establish policy and application process for memorial gift donation program (i.e. benches, bike racks, picnic tables, etc.) 26 P+R/PW Approve design of new skate park and work with Scotty Lapp Foundation to facilitate construction 27 P+R/PW Facilitate development of Menke Park renovation plans 28 P+R/PW Town Park East Field - Begin process of evaluating cost of field renovation improvements to drainage and grading and new natural turf.
29 PW Build and open new Town Park Restroom
30 PW Complete the construction of the San Clemente Pump Station force main discharge project 31 PW Construct Echo to San Clemente Multi-Use Connector Path in coordination with CA. Dept. of Fish and Wildlife 32 PW Field Maintenance - Implement enhanced athletic field maintenance 33 PW Construct Casa Buena Complete Streets Project
34 PW Complete joint project with MMWD to pave the roads in Marin Estates, previously identified by the 2023 Road Resurfacing Project
35 PW Construct Central Marin Regional Pathways Gap Closure Project (Bicycle/Pedestrian Project on Nellen & Wornum Aves.) 36 PW Complete environmental compliance and 90% plans for Paradise Dr. Complete Street Project 37 PW Facilitate construction of traffic signal improvements as part of County Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) 38 PW Construct storm damage retaining wall at 170 Summit Drive 39 PW Initiate a tree inventory and assessment program for Town parcels 40 PW Continue to administer the Sidewalk Pilot Program 41 PW Construct various priority improvements and deficiency repairs at Town park 42 PW/ADM Continue to work w/ Caltrans on design of Alternative 4b of Tamalpais Overcrossing Project & define project schedule 43 PW/SD2 Construct phase 1 of Madera Gardens project to improve storm and sewer infrastructure. 44 SD2 Complete Sewer Master Plan and secure funding to facilitate implementation of projects 45 SD2 Initiate design and conduct outreach for lower Christmas Tree Hill roads in conjunction with complete streets, evacuation improvement, and electrical undergrounding project. 46 SD2 Complete design and begin rehabilitation of Paradise Pump Station Community Events and Involvement
47 ADM/PW/P+R Continue to support community organizations with events and programming including July 4th, Oktoberfest, etc.
48 P+R Continue and enhance community events programming 49 P+R Standardize special events permit application for all events 50 P+R Update Building/Facility Use Agreements with Town Civic Organizations Customer Service
51 ADM Digitize Town property files and other records and documents and implement a software solution that will enhance both staff and public access to the Town’s records and archives. 52 CDD/ADM Optimize new Town Hall amenities for enhanced customer experience, efficiency, and utility 53 P+R Develop and award a RFP for new Parks and Recreation registration and facility software scheduling system Land Use
54 CDD Amend Zoning Ordinance regulations related to Design Review 55 CDD Implement and enforce Short-Term Rental ordinance 56 CDD Update of ADU Ordinance to comply with new State laws 57 CDD Establish enhanced public noticing standards for large projects 58 CDD Housing Element Implementation
59 CDD Explore Opportunities and Options for the Development of Housing for Staff to address long-term staff recruitment and retention needs
60 CDD Apply for and facilitate technical assistance grants in coordination with approved Priority Site property owners 61 CDD/ADM Select and implement an automated solar permitting system to comply with SB 379 62 CDD/CE Continue to close, final and otherwise resolve expired building permits throughout Town.
Economic Development
63 CDD Propose zoning amendments to allow businesses to expand operations outdoors (i.e. gyms) Sustainability and Beautification
64 ADM Administer compliance of SB 1383 requirements in coordination with Zero Waste Marin 65 ADM/CDD Develop education and potential grant program in advance of Reusable Foodware Ordinance effective date and work with businesses to achieve compliance after effective date. 66 ADM/PW/CDD Consider updates to programs and ordinances to maintain and increase tree canopy and coverage Quality of Life Issues
67 ADM Continue efforts with USPS and Cong. Huffman to address neighborhood impacts while retaining retail services (and counter public misinformation)
Town Administrative
68 ADM Continue to clean up Municipal Code by removing outdated ordinance and simplifying/clarify language 69 ADM Solidify yearly cadence of activities and processes and develop tools to communicate flow of information/decisions 70 ADM Provide summaries of council meeting outcomes/actions in Corte Madera Chronicles