MINUTES OF MAY 14, 2025
SPECIAL MEETING
OF THE
CORTE MADERA TOWN COUNCIL
Meeting video available at: https://youtu.be/V3n3g6MnnI0?si=V8loXtXZwB_Ff2yy To access a guide on how to activate transcripts for the Town’s video recordings, visit https://www.cortemadera.gov/DocumentCenter/View/10133/How-to-Activate-and-Use-the-Transcript-Feature-onYouTube PUBLIC ATTENDANCE OPTIONS FOR THIS MEETING:
Members of the public had the option to attend the meeting in person, or view and participate in the meeting remotely through the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84104397707 Attendees could also call in using: 1 (408) 638-0968 (Zoom webinar ID: 841 0439 7707) Or iPhone one-tap: +14086380968,,84104397707#
Options for Submitting Public Comment for this meeting:
1. Emailing [email protected] prior to 5:00 PM on the day of the meeting,
2. Attending the meeting in-person at the Town Council Chambers, 300 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera
3. Selecting the “Raise Hand” icon in the Zoom meeting or dialing *9 if calling in to the meeting.
To download the complete agenda packet for this meeting, visit our archive center:
https://www.cortemadera.gov/archive.aspx
1. CALL TO ORDER, ROLL CALL
Mayor Ravasio called the Meeting of the Town Council to order at Town Hall Council Chambers, 300 Tamalpais Drive, Corte Madera, CA on May 14, 2025 at 6:30PM.
Councilmembers Present: Mayor Ravasio, Vice Mayor Thomas, Councilmembers Andrews, and Casissa
Councilmembers Absent: Beckman
Staff Present: Town Manager Adam Wolff
Town Attorney Amy Ackerman
Assistant Town Manager Rebecca Vaughn
Fire Chief Ruben Martin
Community Development Director Amy Lyle
Senior Planner Martha Battaglia
Town Clerk/Assistant to the Town Manager Lorena Barrera
2. PUBLIC HEARING
2.A. Public Hearing to Consider Appeal Application PL25-0024 Requesting Reversal of the Planning Commission’s Approval of Design Review Application PL24-0059 for the Demolition of an Existing TwoStory Office Building and the Construction of a Six-Story Residential Development with 99 Multi-Family Units at 240 Tamal Vista Boulevard (APN 024-011-66) and Adopt Resolution No. 20/2025 Denying the Appeal and Upholding the Planning Commission Decision
Mayor Ravasio explained the procedure that would be held to ensure a fair hearing for the appeal of the Planning Commission’s decision. The order of proceedings and time limits would be as follows:
• Statements disclosing Ex Parte Communications
• Staff report and Council questions for staff
• Open public portion of the hearing
• Presentation by appellant (10 minutes)
• Presentation by applicant (10 minutes)
• Council questions for appellant, applicant and/or staff • Public comment
• Rebuttal by applicant (5 minutes)
• Rebuttal by appellant (5 minutes)
• Final Council questions of applicant and appellant
• Final Council questions of staff
• Close public portion of hearing
• Council discussions, deliberation and findings and motion(s) Town Attorney Amy Ackerman announced that Councilmember Eli Beckman was absent from this meeting as he was asked to recuse himself as the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) found that under the conflict of interest provisions of the Political Reform Act, it is reasonably May 14, 2025 Corte Madera Town Council Special Meeting Minutes 2 foreseeable that decisions concerning the project will impact his use and enjoyment of his apartment, and the Political Reform Act prohibited him from participating in the decision.
Community Development Director Amy Lyle introduced the item and the CEQA consultants who assisted staff on this project: Teri Wissler Adam and Shoshana Lutz of EMC Planning and Andrew Lee of Parametrix. Senior Planner Martha Battaglia and Community Development Director Amy Lyle provided a presentation to Council. Town Attorney Amy Ackerman provided background on the laws and standards for denying affordable housing projects including potential penalties related to the Council’s decision. With the assistance of Fire Chief Ruben Martin, Town Manager Adam Wolff, Town Attorney Amy Ackerman, Lyle and Battaglia answered questions from Council.
Mayor Ravasio opened up the public portion of the hearing. (Discussion begins at 1:09:57 / 3:10:49 https://youtu.be/V3n3g6MnnI0?si=u8J8p-pIHZSx-Zl4&t=4197) Presentation by appellant (Julie Jay of 36 Lucky Drive, Greenbrae) (Discussion begins at 1:10:37 / 3:10:49 https://youtu.be/V3n3g6MnnI0?si=mc-4uK4WJFoMPJ46&t=4237) Presentation by applicant (David Blackwell, attorney for applicant spoke on behalf of his client) (Discussion begins at 1:21:47 / 3:10:49 https://youtu.be/V3n3g6MnnI0?si=_324JPdZnMvqDQ8h&t=4907) Council questions for appellant, applicant and/or staff (Discussion begins at 1:26:06 / 3:10:49 https://youtu.be/V3n3g6MnnI0?si=gN-6QjN9h65FJr0O&t=5166) Public comment
(Discussion begins at 1:34:30 / 3:10:49 https://youtu.be/V3n3g6MnnI0?si=uz1_eAbsvgtMKg68&t=5670) For the public comment portion of the hearing, Council received public comment from residents of Corte Madera and Marin County. The comments received via email after publication of the agenda can be found on the Town’s website:
www.cortemadera.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/6215
From attendees in person and on Zoom during the meeting, Council received 23 comments from residents of Corte Madera and Marin County.
Mayor Ravasio closed public comment and continued with the order of proceedings.
Rebuttal by applicant
(Discussion begins at 2:24:20 / 3:10:49 https://youtu.be/V3n3g6MnnI0?si=yQ9c-knnBY9rUSY9&t=8660) The applicant yielded his rebuttal time.
Rebuttal by appellant
(Discussion begins at 2:25:21 / 3:10:49 https://youtu.be/V3n3g6MnnI0?si=Qv2u8ETj_ikcyvfr&t=8721) Final Council questions of applicant, appellant, and of staff (Discussion begins at 2:31:13 / 3:10:49 https://youtu.be/V3n3g6MnnI0?si=Yl3gOC7khTlsunfb&t=9073) Close public portion of hearing and Council discussions, deliberation and findings and motion(s) (Discussion begins at 2:45:38 / 3:10:49 https://youtu.be/V3n3g6MnnI0?si=RI6rQuJzWStI5wnz&t=9938) Council deliberated on the item.
Per the Council Rules of Order Section 6.10: Meeting End Time, a majority vote is required when the meeting end time of 9:30PM has been reached and there is a need to continue the meeting to 10:00PM.
MOTION: It was M/S/C (Casissa/Thomas) to extend meeting to 10:00PM.
ROLL CALL VOTE: 4-0-1 (Absent: Beckman) in favor of the motion.
Council continued deliberations and stated their findings. Mayor Ravasio called for a motion.
MOTION: It was M/S/C (Casissa/Thomas) to deny the appeal, and uphold the Planning Commission's decision by adopting Resolution No. 20/2025.
ROLL CALL VOTE: 4-0-1 (Recused: Beckman, refer to explanation stated above)
3. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Ravasio adjourned the Special Meeting at 9:42PM to the next regular Town Council meeting on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 6:30PM.