FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
1 AGENDA ITEM #9
MEETING DATE November 1, 2023
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Christine Foster, Deputy Town Clerk
SUBJECT Receive report on Councilmembers’ assignments, committees, and activities in October.
RECOMMENDATION
Receive Councilmember activities report.
DISCUSSION
Every month, each Councilmember provides a list of the meetings they attended in the preceding month on behalf of the Town, for inclusion in this report. Under the agenda section entitled “Council Reports and Comments” Councilmembers may choose to highlight one of those meetings.
Mayor Cutrano
Not received in time for publication.
Vice Mayor Coler
Oct 9 - Wall Property Subcommittee – Attended meeting with Supervisor Katie Rice, OS County Staff – Korten, Somers, MOST – Bill Long, J. Braun & Mayor Cutrano to discuss County/MOST/Town roles and next steps.
Oct 10 – Attended Housing Element Subcommittee meeting with Town staff and HE Consultant Dyett & Bhatia.
Oct 10 – Attended Agenda Setting meeting for Oct 18 & Nov 1 Council mtgs w/ Mayor Cutrano & Town staff.
Oct 12 – Attended Marin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) meeting – primary topic was to review draft Municipal Services Review for Southern Marin Wastewater Agencies; public comment period ends Nov 17.
Oct 17 – Met with Town Manager on Council matters.
Oct 17 – Attended MCE Clean Energy Ad Hoc Contracts Committee meeting– review of confidential elements of two energy storage contracts for recommendations to the full Board on Oct 18.
Oct 18 - Attended Special Town Council meeting – Housing Element interim draft revision report and administrative zoning amendments.
Oct 18 - Attended Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) Board meeting – Chief Jason Weber has been named the California Fire Chief of the Year! (Well deserved!). The Board approved: Acceptance of the CAL FIRE Climate Investments Wildfire Prevention Grant which will provide MWPA $2.6 million toward implementation of the Greater Novato Shaded Fuel Break project (funds must be expended by March 2029); the 3rd Addendum to the Agreement with Bill Keene of Climate Equity Solutions ($75K for 2 years 2 for planning & organizational assistance); Proposed Rules of Decorum for MWPA Public meetings. The Board received the Evacuation Egress/Ingress Risk Assessment Report, approved release of the report & the GIS platform to the public (5 test areas were used: Fairfax, San Rafael, Novato, Tamalpais & Inverness; Fairfax specific findings can be found on pages 33-37 of the report – most congested roads were Olema, Scenic & Cascades from 4-7pm) – this is to be used by fire/police professionals, MWPA & others for planning purposes, it is not intended as an incident evacuation tool for residents (the FireSafe Marin maps that were developed by Fairfax and other jurisdictions should be used by residents https://firesafemarin.org/prepare-yourself/evacuation-guide/evacuation-maps/#gsc.tab=0). UPDATES:
Defensible Space & Home Hardening Grants - this fiscal year, MWPA has awarded 198 resident grant applications and distributed $485,006 to residents. Residents have spent ~ $3.2 million in additional dollars on these actions. In general, for every $1 of Measure C funds invested, an additional $6.50 was spent by residents. Combined with the applications currently in review (totaling ~$185,137), funds will now be exhausted for this year. Chipper Day program - the 2023 season began in mid-May (ends midNov) and has completed 3,647 pickups with 11,834 cubic yards of material removed thus far. Over 80% of residents surveyed reported that their defensible space inspection report helped them identify what vegetation to manage - over 90% of those surveyed rated the Chipper Day program 5 out of 5. MWPA hired two new veg. mgmt. specialists making a total of 3. Also, a Grizzlycorps fellow has returned to continue working with MWPA again this year. The Greater Ross Valley Shaded Fuel Break (inc. Fairfax) has completed ~19-20 miles of the 38 miles in the project; the Central Marin Evacuation Route project (inc. Fairfax) has completed ~10 miles of the 100 miles total.
Oct 18 – Attended MCE Clean Energy Board meeting – Now Online - ribbon cutting Oct 18 at the Daggett facility in San Bernardino (110 MW Solar & 62 MW Storage) – largest solar/battery storage in CA. The Board approved: an Amended Records Retention Policy; a Resolution authorizing the execution/delivery of a Clean Energy Purchase Contract and Revenue Bonds Issuance thru the CCCFA – will save customers $4.5 - $6M per year; Energy Storage Agreements with Corby in Solano Co. (100MW/4 hour storage duration) and Key in Fresno Co. (35MW/8 hour storage duration) each for 15 years – both are for Resource Adequacy & Mid Term Reliability compliance; a Resolution accepting a DOE $1M grant (+$276K MCE match) so that MCE may develop and implement best practices for EV infrastructure in disadvantaged communities. The Board received: the FY22/23 Audit and an update on BAAQMD’s Nitrogen Oxides Appliance Ban. The Board presented Assemblymember Connolly with the MCE 2023 Climate Leadership Award.
Oct 23 – Attended Marin County Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) Legislative Committee meeting.
Bills – there were 26,036 bills introduced in the Legislature, 1,046 made it to the Governor’s desk, he signed 890 and vetoed 156. Governor is moving to a more centrist position – more moderate on progressive bills and appears to sign almost all bills on housing. Budget - at this time the estimate of Budget deficit is $10B, won’t know more until December due to the delayed schedules for income taxes.
Legislature is in interim recess and will return January 3rd (will take up two year bills at that time).
Updates on bills the Committee had support positions on and approved by the Governor: AB 557 – Open mtgs, teleconferences (extends indefinitely these provisions); SB 329 – City Councilmember compensation. Committee opposed but Governor approved: AB 821 – planning & zoning, development project applications: AB 894- shared parking requirements; AB 1484 – temporary public employees 3 placed in bargaining units; AB 1485 – Housing Element enforcement by AG; AB 1637 – Local governments must change URLs and email addresses to “.gov” by 2029; SB 423 (Weiner) – streamlined housing approvals for multifamily developments – extends SB 35 sunset to 2036 and expands use to the coastal zone. Committee had on “Watch” and Governor approved: AB 434 – NOVs on housing elements violations by HCD; AB 965 – local govn’t and broadband permit apps; SB 272 – sea level rise planning.
Prior meeting our CalCities lobbyist reported that there are 10 ballot items that are qualified for the November 2024 ballot thus far (it will be a long ballot) and 2 related to mental health for the March 2024 ballot. MCCMC LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE SCOPE OF ADVOCACY: Fiscal Protection: protect city revenues from state Local Control: support legislation that enhances local control of resources to provide services while supporting regional co-operation. Oppose unfunded mandates and preemption of local authority and control of land use Transportation Investment: promote stable transportation finance structure for state and local government. Multimodal, enhancing livable communities Housing/Land use:
protect local government land use authority. Oppose punitive housing legislation, and legislation that restricts or reduces local discretion on land use decisions. Other legislation can be recommended to MCCMC at a regular meeting.
Oct 24 – Attended Housing Element Subcommittee meeting – with Mayor Cutrano, Staff & Dyett & Bhatia – discussed workforce housing overlay draft documents.
Oct 25 – Attended Marin County Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) meeting – Held in Novato; Assemblymember Damon Connolly provided an update. A regular business meeting was held.
Oct 26 – Attended Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) Board meeting & Annual Member meetingReport submitted prior to the mtg being held.
Oct 27 – Attended Fairfax Age Friendly meeting – Prep for the 90+Celebration on Nov. 4. There will be 21 people 90+ participating – Age Friendly reps will deliver gift bags to each at their home.
Councilmember Ackerman
10/3 Recruitment subcommittee meeting for Marin/Sonoma Mosqito & Vector Control District (MSMVCD)
10/4 Town Council regular meeting
10/5 MSMVCD Board special meeting
10/16 MSMVCD Recruitment subcommittee meeting
10/17 Fairfax Climate Action Committee regular meeting
10/18 MarinCAN (formerly Drawdown Marin) status meeting (Fairfax Pavilion/Microgrid is one of the seven solutions endorsed by MarinCAN)
10/18 Town Council special meeting on the Housing Element 10/21 MIT AI Conference (not at Town expense but very informative; ask me if you want to discuss) Meetings as needed with Town Staff and with residents
Councilmember Blash
Constituent and other meetings: Met with one resident re: rent stabilization/just cause, one resident re:
inclusionary zoning, one resident re: homelessness, two subject matter experts on homelessness. 4 September 29—Attended Spirit of Marin Awards. Each year, Bank of Marin presents the Spirit of Marin awards to celebrate the volunteer efforts of local businesses and individuals, as chosen by the Marin County Chambers of Commerce. Holly and Larry Bragman of the Fairfax Food Pantry received an award.
September 29—Attended Fairfax ArtWalk
October 4—Attended the Fairfax Walk and Roll to School Day event. Walk & Roll to School Day is an annual event that involves communities from across the country walking and rolling to school on the same day.
It began in 1997 as a one-day event. Today, thousands of schools across America—from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico—participate every October. Over time, this celebration has become part of a movement for year-round safe routes to school. Safe Routes to School was initiated by local activists. I also serve on the Safe Routes to School Task Force.
October 10—Met with Luke Barnsmoore of Front Porch (Covia) to talk about home share programs, shallow rent subsidies, and other age-in-place strategies.
October 18—Special Town Council Meeting on the Housing Element October 25—Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers (MCCMC) Meeting October 26—TAM Board Meeting (observe as alternate)
October 31—Fairfax Halloween Celebration
Councilmember Hellman
10/4 Regular Fairfax Town Council meeting
10/5 RVFD board meeting planning
10/11 Town Hall for Israel in San Anselmo
10/11 Ross Valley Fire Dept. board meeting
10/11 Ross Valley School District board meeting, viewed later due to calendar conflict 10/18 Fairfax Special town council meeting: Housing Element update 10/19 Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority board meeting presentation of Evacuation study 10/25 Regular monthly MCCMC meeting hosted by City of Novato at Hopmonk 10/27 Town of Fairfax staff bbq