Larkspur City Council
Minutes of May 3, 2023
LARKSPUR CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
Larkspur City Council Chambers
400 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur CA
May 3, 2023
For full video/audio of the meeting, go to http://www.cityoflarkspur.org (Quick Links – Watch City Council Meetings)
SPECIAL MEETING
Mayor Paulson called the special meeting to order at 5:33 P.M. and led the pledge of allegiance.
1. ROLL CALL
COUNCIL PRESENT: Scot Candell, Kevin Carroll, Catherine Way, and Mayor Gabe Paulson
COUNCIL ABSENT: Kevin Haroff
STAFF PRESENT: City Clerk Alison Foulis, City Manager Dan Schwarz, Community Development Director Elise Semonian, and City Attorney Sky Woodruff
2. PROCLAMATION
2.1 PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING CITY HALL’S 110TH ANNIVERSARY
The Council received public comment from:
• Joan Lundstrom
• Hilary Culhane
• Richard Cunningham
Mayor Paulson read aloud the proclamation recognizing City Hall’s One-Hundred-Tenth Anniversary.
3. ADJOURN TO REGULAR MEETING
At 5:45 P.M., Mayor Paulson adjourned the special meeting to a celebration honoring City Hall’s 110th Anniversary.
REGULAR MEETING
Mayor Paulson called the regular meeting to order at 6:00 P.M.
1. ROLL CALL & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
COUNCIL PRESENT: Scot Candell, Kevin Carroll, Kevin Haroff, Catherine Way, and Mayor Gabe Paulson
COUNCIL ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: City Clerk Alison Foulis, Contract Planner Sean Kennings, Administrative Services Director Cathy Orme, City Manager Dan Schwarz, Community Development Director Elise Semonian, Public Works Director Julian Skinner, and City Attorney Sky Woodruff
Mayor Paulson led the pledge of allegiance.
Larkspur City Council
Minutes of May 3, 2023
2. PUBLIC COMMENT
The Council received public comment from:
• Vicki Young
• Ariana Johar
3. PRESENTATIONS/PROCLAMATIONS
3.1 Larkspur’s 2020 Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory.
Christine O’Rourke, Marin Climate Energy Partnership (MCEP) Sustainability Coordinator, provided a presentation to the City Council and answered questions.
The Council received public comment from:
• David Moller
3.2 Marin Countywide Electric Vehicle Acceleration Strategy.
Christine O’Rourke, Marin Climate Energy Partnership (MCEP) Sustainability Coordinator, provided a presentation to the City Council.
The Council received public comment from:
• David Moller
4. APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR
Upon motion by Councilmember Carroll, and seconded by Vice Mayor Candell, the City Council approved the consent calendar in one motion. The vote was unanimously in favor. The approved consent calendar consisted of the following items:
4.1 Approve warrants.
4.2 Approve minutes of the April 19, 2023, regular meeting.
4.3 Approve minutes of the April 24, 2023, special meeting.
4.4 Adopt Ordinance 1064, a Reusable Foodware Ordinance requiring all food facility vendors to use reusable foodware for dine-in operations and compliant compostable foodware for take-out services, and authorize the City Manager to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with the County of Marin regarding enforcement of the Reusable Foodware Ordinance.
4.5 Adopt Resolution 21/23 confirming the Ross Valley Paramedic Authority (RVPA) Tax Rate for the 2023-24 Fiscal Year.
4.6 Adopt Resolution 22/23 renewing the Clean Stormwater Activity Fee.
5. CITY MANAGER’S ORAL REPORT
City Manager Schwarz gave his oral report.
6. COUNCILMEMBERS’ ORAL REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Councilmember Carroll reported on the following items:
1. Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) Highway 101-580 Interchange
2. California Preservation Foundation Meeting on Small City Historic Preservation
3. Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) Meeting
4. Marin Transit Agency (MTA) Meeting
Councilmember Way reported on the following items:
1. 5/16/2023 Project Homekey at 1251 S Eliseo Drive Community Meeting
2. 5/1/2023 MCCMC Legislative Committee Meeting
Councilmember Haroff reported on the following items:
1. 5/3/2023 Marin Clean Energy (MCE) Executive Committee Meeting
Vice Mayor Candell reported on the following items:
1. Safe Routes to School and Crossing Guards
2. Larkspur Library and The Commons Foundation
Mayor Paulson reported on the following items:
1. 5/3/2023 SMART Board of Directors Meeting
Larkspur City Council
Minutes of May 3, 2023
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS
7.1 APPEAL OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION DECISION TO APPROVE APPLICATION #21-55; A REQUEST FOR CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT,
CIRCULATION ASSESSMENT PERMIT, SLOPE USE PERMIT, VESTING
TENTATIVE MAP, STATE DENSITY BONUS LAW WAIVERS, INCENTIVES AND
CONCESSIONS, DESIGN REVIEW AND CEQA EXEMPTIONS TO MODIFY AN EXISTING 5,230 SQ FT COMMERCIAL BUILDING, PROVIDE OUTDOOR SEATING, AND PERMIT A 20-UNIT CONDOMINIUM AND MIXED-USE RETAIL
PROJECT, INCLUDING FOUR AFFORDABLE UNITS ON TWO
RECONFIGURED PARCELS AT 1133-1169 MAGNOLIA AVENUE; APN NO. 020-034-14; C-2 (COMMERCIAL) ZONING DISTRICT; EDGE
DEVELOPMENT/SHOPS AT MAGNOLIA, LLC, APPLICANT/OWNER;
ELIZABETH BREKHUS, ESQ., FERN LEASING, INC., COLLEGE COURT, GEOFFREY HAMM, BARBARA MUSSER, CHRISTIE D. BLOOMBERG AND KATHRYN FRESCHI, APPELLANTS.
Continued from the April 19, 2023, regular meeting. Council will resume deliberations. Public comments will be heard after Council deliberations but prior to final action on the appeal.
City Attorney Woodruff provided a report to the Council and answered questions. The Council received additional comments from Public Works Director Skinner.
The Council received public comment from:
• Pat Hagan
• Sandra Becker
• Ed Sarti
• Coti Ozurpari
• Eric Adam
• Chad Solter
• Perry Giacoto
• Kirk Bergstrom
• Sam Andre
• Stephanie Andre
• Arman Bengal
• Julia Violich
• Christopher Gaylord
• Kim Gaylord
• Michael Rex
• Bob Pendoley
• Carmela Davis
• Alex Torres
• Jeff Leh
• Tamsen McCracken
• Hilary Newsom
• Unknown Speaker
• Tony Craig
• Perry Giacoto
• Unknown Speaker
• Philip Harris
• Michelle Sarti
Upon motion by Councilmember Carroll, and seconded by Councilmember Way, the City Council adopted Resolution 20/23 denying the appeals and approving Application No. 21-55 for the Magnolia Village Project at 1133-1169 Magnolia Avenue proposing to modify an existing 5,230 sq ft commercial building a permit a mixed-use 20-unit condominium and retail project, including four affordable residential units on two reconfigured parcels with an included condition regarding structures prohibited on the roof deck. The vote was 4-1 in favor (Haroff opposed).
Mayor Paulson adjourned the meeting to a brief recess at 9:10 P.M.
8. BUSINESS ITEMS
Mayor Paulson reconvened the meeting at 9:18 P.M.
Larkspur City Council
Minutes of May 3, 2023
8.1 AMENDING THE FEE SCHEDULE OF THE CITY OF LARKSPUR
Council to review proposed amendments to the City’s fee schedule and set a public hearing for May 17, 2023, for adoption of the proposed amendments.
Administrative Services Director Orme and City Manager Schwarz introduced Terry Madsen, Principal Consultant from ClearSource Financial Consultants, who provided a presentation to the Council and answered questions.
No one from the public wished to comment.
Adoption of the amended fee schedule will be scheduled for a public hearing on May 17, 2023.
8.2 FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 BUDGET: TRENDS AND CHALLENGES Presentation from staff about the trends and challenges informing preparation of the FY23-24 budget.
City Manager Schwarz provided a presentation and answered questions from the Council.
No one from the public wished to comment.
8.3 APPOINT LARKSPUR CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
Council to appoint a Citizen of the Year.
Upon motion by Councilmember Way, and seconded by Councilmember Haroff, the Council appointed Joan Lundstrom as Larkspur’s 2023 Citizen of the Year. The vote was unanimously in favor.
9. ADJOURN
The Council adjourned the meeting at 10:04 p.m.
Attested
__________________________
Alison Foulis, City Clerk