FAIRFAX TOWN COUNCIL MEETING
STAFF REPORT
1 AGENDA ITEM #9
MEETING DATE March 6, 2024
PREPARED FOR Mayor and Town Council
PREPARED BY Christine Foster, Deputy Town Clerk
SUBJECT Receive report on Councilmembers’ assignments, committees, and activities in February.
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 Coler
Feb 6, 13 – met with Town Manager on Council matters.
Feb 8 – Marin Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) – The Commission approved: the Annexation of two parcels for the Valley Oaks Housing project (81 homes) in Novato to the Novato Sanitary District; the outline of the Special Study of Fire agencies in Marin County with revisions (staff to complete in 2024); the LAFCO workplan and the update of Staff salary classifications and pay schedule.
Feb 9 – Monthly update with Marin County staff (Calvert, Gaglione, Smith), Congressman Huffman staff Callaway, Councilmember Cutrano and Manager Abrams re: Fairfax/Marin County Bolinas Road project.
Discussed RAISE grant and letters of support – grant TB submitted end of February. County leg. staff and Supervisor Sackett were in Wash. DC meeting with Congressman Huffman, staff of Senator Padilla, DOT and Federal Hwy. staff on this project and others to gain support. Other grants were discussed; County is considering hiring a professional grant writing firm.
Feb 9 – met with David Smadbeck of the Chamber of Commerce.
Feb 15– Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) – The Board approved Consent Calendar items:
issuance of an RFP for Environmental Consulting Service; a Task Order to Mountain F for not to exceed $400,000 to conduct the San Rafael/San Anselmo Fuel Reduction project; and an MOA with Marin County Fire to perform vegetation management services. The Board approved: the creation of two Senior Wildfire Mitigation Specialists (to be hired by MWPA) and an MOU with 5 Fire Departments in MWPA (County, Central Marin, Kentfield, Ross Valley and Southern Marin) to provide the staffing for defensible space work for them; an amendment to the Sonoma Technology for the Evacuation Risk Assessment (no fiscal change, scope of work for last two tasks revised). Highlights of the Chipper Program were presented – there was a change in pickup schedule which permitted 5 pickups for each resident (in 2024 there will be 6 pickups); there were 4.454 pickups with an increase of 3,751 cubic yards picked-up as compared to 2022. A review of the Citizen’s Oversight Committee minutes reflected that Kingston Cole of COST is the new Chair. An Ad hoc committee will be formed to review and possibly revise the MWPA JPA agreement – if changes are made it is expected staff would meet with Marin Managers 1st then bring to Councils 2 (Coler has volunteered with this committee). The Low-Income Senior Exemption Form can now also be completed online (prior years it was a form that needed to be printed and mailed in).
Feb 15 – MCE Clean Energy – The Board presented the Charles McGlashen Award to: Chris Benz of Napa Climate Now; Tom White & Ruth Levin of EAH Housing; and Karen Madden of Marin School of Environmental Leadership (MSEL). The Board re-elected the Chair and Vice Chair to Shanelle ScalesPreston and Gabriel Quinto. Staff outlined a preview of the legislative session; income graduated fixed charge update (IGFC) – AB 205 (2022) required CPUC to implement IGFC by July 2024, however AB 1999 was introduced in Jan. 2024 to repeal IGFC; and an introduction to Generation Technologies – this was an overview of technologies, from fossil fuels to biomass to solar, wind, etc. Coler was reappointed to serve on the Ad hoc Contracts Committee in 2024.
Feb 16 – Wall Property meeting with MOST reps and property owner.
Feb 20 – Agenda setting mtg - for March 6 Council meeting with Vice Mayor Blash and Town staff.
Feb 20 – Ross Valley School District Board meeting – RE: Fairfax-San Anselmo Children's Center – presentation by RVSD attorney Tao on the potential acquisition of the Deer Park property by a non-profit organization which would lease-back to FSACC. The Trustees gave direction to staff to pursue discussions on this with the soon to be stood up new non-profit.
Feb 22– Community Media Center of Marin (CMCM) Board meeting.
Feb 26 – Marin County Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) Legislative Committee meeting – New staff for the committee is Azalea Renfield who participated in the meeting. Kyra Ross our lobbyist reported that the LAO now states there is a $73B deficit (much larger than the Governor’s estimate of $38B). It is very early in the legislative session; in about 3-4 weeks (by the next MCCMC Legis. meeting) it will be time to take positions on bills (there were 2,124 bills introduced plus the ~800 that were 2 year bills from last year). Key themes of bills are builder’s remedy; local agency fees; ADUs, e – bikes; retail theft; AI; clean fleets (some talk of pushing off deadlines 10 years due to high costs and technology/infrastructure not being ready); plastic bags; Labor; utility costs esp. PGE.
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.
Feb 26 – Fairfax Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting - with Mayor and Town Manager and reps from the Chamber - Reps attending were Minna Kim, Gerry Kelly and Stacy Messerschidt.
Feb 28 – Vivalon’s 2024 March of Wheels – participated as Mayor delivering Meals on Wheels to residents in Fairfax. This is the 3rd time I have participated in this event as Mayor.
Feb 28 – MCCMC monthly meeting by Zoom – Rhea Suh, CEO of the Marin Community Foundation is the presenter.
Feb 29 – Drexel University Conservation Biology Course, Philadelphia, PA –I taught the class (by ZOOM) re: Pathways - Using Science to Achieve Environmental Benefits @ National, State, Regional & Local Government Levels. This is the 3rd time I have taught this class highlighting ways we can use our scientist backgrounds to achieve environmental “good” at all levels of government. It is designed to encourage undergraduates to become scientists and work as public servants. 3 Feb 29 – Special Meeting of the Town Council.
Vice Mayor Blash
02/06 – Met with representatives from MidPen Housing on progress on filling vacancies, rent amounts, and allowable rent increases at Sherwood Oaks Apartments. At the time of our conversation, there were 13 vacancies, and five tenants were in the application or move-in process. There was no rent increase for existing tenants and future rent increases for existing tenants are capped at no more than
2.5% annually. The goal is to keep existing tenants stable and provide affordable housing for incoming tenants who are in the 35-80% of AMI income range. They noted that this strategy will keep rents stable even as market forces push up rents in surrounding rentals over the years. This is not a project-based Section 8 property, and while they welcome Section 8 voucher holders, there is no priority for Section 8 voucher holders. This is a first-come, first served waiting list targeted to the general population, including people who currently live and/or work in Fairfax. They will be starting some renovations soon, but do not anticipate any displacement. Find out more about eligibility criteria and rents:
https://www.midpen-housing.org/property/sherwood-oaks/ MidPen’s Mission is: “To provide safe, affordable housing of high quality to those in need; establish stability and opportunity in the lives of residents; and foster diverse communities that allow people from all ethnic, social and economic backgrounds to live in dignity, harmony and mutual respect.” 02/06 – Met with Town Manager Abrams, General Questions. 02/07 – Town Council Meeting. (Main items: grant for purchase of FSACC building, updating document retention schedule, banners for the Chamber of Commerce marketing campaign.) 02/08 – Met with Council Member Cutrano re: Town of Fairfax AdHoc Homeless Subcommittee startup 02/08 – MCCMC Homeless Committee. Presentation by Meredith Parnell of St. Vincent de Paul Society and Luke Barnsmoore of Covia/HomeMatch on shallow rent subsidies for senior and disabled lowincome renters. The growth in the senior adult population is accelerating. For many older adults, the loss of a spouse or medical bills is enough to push an individual into homelessness without additional help, particularly lower income renters. The number of first-time homeless over 50 is exploding.
Shallow rent subsidies over a period of a few years can prevent homelessness and tide a person over until they can get into subsidized housing. There was discussion of further exploration of how such a fund could be facilitated to provide subsidies across jurisdictions to allow older adults to stay in their homes.
02/11– Talked with Commission on Aging rep about Victory Village. In separate conversations, spoke with Mayor Coler and Town Manager about the same.
02/13 – Met with Council Member Chance Cutrano and representatives from Urban Vision Alliance, a group that builds a collaborative approach to street homelessness with local business communities.
UVA would like a letter of endorsement to enter into an MOU with the County of Marin to work on issues around street homelessness.
02/14 – Met with representatives from West Marin Little League to discuss facilitating the upcoming Little League season and the impact of the encampment on the edge of the ballfield. We agreed to meet with Town staff and get back to the WMLL representatives with any strategies that might help ameliorate their concerns within the boundaries of state and federal law. 02/20 – Agenda setting meeting with Mayor Coler, Town Manager Abrams, Town Attorney Colson, and Town Clerk Foster.
02/20 – Discussed homelessness policy and strategies with former council member. 02/20 – Met with Town Manager Abrams; general questions. 02/20 – Meeting with Town Manager Abrams, Police Chief Tabaranza, Town Attorney Colson, Council Member Cutrano, and Gary Naja-Riese, Director, Homelessness & Whole Person Care · County of Marin, on strategies to address homelessness, balancing concerns of community, homeless residents, and state and federal law.
02/22 – TAM Board of Commissioners meeting. Observed as alternate. 4 02/26– Fairfax Homelessness Subcommittee. Met with Council Member Cutrano on issues related to homelessness in Fairfax.
02/27– Visited the encampment with Council Member Cutrano. 02/27– Met with Town Manager Abrams; general questions. 02/28– Attended (via Zoom) Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers 02/29 – Special Town Council Meeting. Main topics: Public Hearing on Wood Lane; partial implementation of Rental Stabilization ordinance.
Councilmember Ackerman
2/1 Meeting with Supervisor Katie Rice
2/7 Regular Town Council meeting
2/8 Berkeley Energy Resources Collaborative annual conference, which I always attend to keep abreast of the rapidly changing energy landscape
2/9 Call with Flood Zone 9 staff preparing Advisory Board agenda 2/12 Flood Zone 9 Advisory Board meeting (chaired) (cut short due to loss of a quorum) 2/14 Marin/Sonoma Mosquito & Vector Control District board meeting 2/15 Call with Flood Zone 9 staff preparing Advisory Board agenda 2/26 Flood Zone 9 Advisory Board meeting (chaired)
2/28 Marin County Council of Mayors & Councilmembers (MCCMC) meeting (zoom) 2/29 Town Council special meeting
Councilmember Hellman
Feb 7: Fairfax Town Council meeting
Feb 6: Meeting with Town manager, Councilmember Cutrano with bhyv concerning longer term implementation program opportunities.
Feb 13: Tenant protections policy “implementation” discussion with Town Manager, Council member Cutrano. Primary scope of meeting to addressing a lack of process currently -how might we support Landlords (now in the short term) in who have costs that substantiate a rent increase that exceeds the allowable cap.
Feb 15: Attended Fairfax Climate Action Committee hosted "Climate Action & Advocacy: from local students to the halls of Congress" Fairfax Library event: Jane Adams & other students from Archie Williams High School; Sean Youra, Fairfax Climate Action Coordinator; Jenny Callaway, District Director of the office of Congressman Jared Huffman.
Feb 16: Met with PG&E and Town Staff related to creating communication improvements for the month long Manor Hill gas line project which has caused unsafe circumstances on narrow streets.
Feb 16: Conversation with Jack Judkins of Fairfax Open Space Committee regarding MTC/ABAG process for Priority Conservation Areas.
Feb 20: Discussion w Councilmember Cutrano, Town Manager, Legal Aid of Marin on tenant protection short term implementation for consideration on upcoming council agendas 2/29 and 3/6.
Feb 26: Discussion with WMLL Alan Andreini regarding concerns and ideas related to Peri Park homeless encampment.
Feb 28: Ross Valley School Board of Trustees meeting
Feb 28: Monthly MCCMC meeting. Rhea Suh, President and CEO of the Marin Community Foundation, presented update on the organization's strategic vision.
Feb 29: Site visit with town staff to 80 Crest Road concerning Appeal of a Planning Commission denial of a Height Variance for an unpermitted Ground Floor Level that would result in the height of the residential structure being approximately 50 feet; Assessor’s Parcel No. 002-152-32 Councilmember Cutrano
Not received in time for publication.