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Hanson Bridgett LLP
425 Market Street, 26th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105
ELLIS F. RASKIN
PARTNER
DIRECT DIAL (415) 995-5835
E-MAIL [email protected]
October 15, 2025
VIA E-MAIL
Town Council
Town of Fairfax
142 Bolinas Road
Fairfax, CA 94930
Re: General Public Comment for October 15, 2025 Town Council Meeting Regarding Sorgen v. Town of Fairfax, et al. (Marin County Superior Court, No. CV0003301) Dear Hon. Mayor Blash and Hon. Members of the Town Council:
As you know, our office represents Fairfax residents Verle and Marene Sorgen in the above matter. After decades of service to their local community (Verle as a football referee, and Marene as a teacher), the Sorgens sought what they thought would be a peaceful retirement.
To ensure they would not encounter any issues when preparing their estate plan, the Sorgens contacted the Town to confirm whether they had all necessary building permits for a TV room and shop that were added to the house after it was constructed in 1972 and 1973. Neither of those rooms added any new height to their house.
Unfortunately, the Town has broken trust with the Sorgens, subjecting them to a lengthy inquisition and ever-changing, onerous demands regarding the height of their house. For years, the Sorgens have endured the Town’s irrational and costly attempts to force them to obtain a height variance for their home, even though it is undisputed that the height of their home has not changed since it was legally built over 50 years ago.
It appears that the Council has not received an update on this matter since it met in closed session on July 16, 2025. We suggest you look into how much money you are paying to defend the Town’s completely unnecessary and factually unsupported position. We estimate this litigation is costing the Town hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money, which is desperately needed for other essential municipal services.
The Town has engaged in wasteful and unnecessary tactics in this litigation, which maximize delay and cost. The Sorgens have been wrangling with the Town for over a year just to get the records the Town was legally obligated to produce, while the Town has raised pointless procedural challenges and sought delay after delay. For what benefit? To defend a position that had no legal basis in the first place, for a house that was legally built and has never grown any taller?
Town electors and taxpayers deserve leaders who carefully safeguard the Town’s limited financial resources. The Town’s defense of this lawsuit is a waste of money with no benefit to the community. Residents deserve better. The Town Council can end this injustice by simply Town Council
October 15, 2025
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agreeing that the Sorgens do not need a height variance. It is in your power to stop this waste of time and money.
Very truly yours,
Ellis F. Raskin
Partner