Larkspur City Council
Minutes of January 15, 2025
LARKSPUR CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
Larkspur City Council Chambers
400 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur CA
January 15, 2025
For full video/audio of the meeting, go to http://www.cityoflarkspur.org (Quick Links – Watch City Council Meetings)
SPECIAL MEETING
1. ROLL CALL
Mayor Way called the special meeting to order at 5:30 p.m.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Stephanie Andre, Scot Candell (via Zoom), Sarah Margulies, Gabe Paulson and Mayor Catherine Way
COUNCIL ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: City Clerk Alison Foulis and City Manager Dan Schwarz
Mayor Way announced that Councilmember Candell asked to participate in the meeting remotely under the Emergency Circumstances provisions of the Brown Act due to illness. The City Council authorized remote participation for Councilmember Candell pursuant to California Government Code Section 59453(f)(2)(A)(ii). The vote was unanimously in favor.
Councilmember Margulies joined the meeting at 5:35 p.m.
2. BUSINESS ITEM
2.1 INTERVIEWS FOR LARKSPUR REPRESENTATIVE TO THE MARIN COUNTY COMMISSION ON AGING (1 VACANCY).
The Council interviewed Barry Phegan, Grace Hughes, Lindsay Alexovich, and Ann Morrison for the vacancy for Larkspur’s representative to the Marin County Commission on Aging.
3. ADJOURN TO REGULAR MEETING
Mayor Way adjourned to the regular meeting at 6:25 p.m.
REGULAR MEETING
1. ROLL CALL & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Way called the regular meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Stephanie Andre, Scot Candell (via Zoom), Sarah Margulies, Gabe Paulson and Mayor Catherine Way
COUNCIL ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: City Clerk Alison Foulis, Administrative Services Director Emilia Gabriele, Assistant City Manager Shannon O’Hare, City Manager Dan Schwarz, and City Attorney Sky Woodruff
Mayor Way announced that Councilmember Candell asked to participate in the meeting remotely under the Emergency Circumstances provisions of the Brown Act due to illness. The City Council authorized remote participation for Councilmember Candell pursuant to California Government Code Section 59453(f)(2)(A)(ii). The vote was unanimously in favor.
Mayor Way led the pledge of allegiance.
Larkspur City Council
Minutes of January 15, 2025
2. PUBLIC COMMENT
No one from the public wished to speak.
3. PRESENTATIONS
None
4. APPROVAL OF THE CONSENT CALENDAR
Upon motion by Councilmember Paulson, and seconded by Vice Mayor Andre, 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 December 18, 2024, regular meeting.
4.3 Adopt Resolution 01/25 authorizing the City Manager to amend a Consulting Services Agreement with Urban37 for on-call Community Development Department services.
5. CITY MANAGER’S ORAL REPORT
City Manager Schwarz provided a report to the Council.
6. COUNCILMEMBERS’ ORAL REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Councilmember Paulson reported on the following items:
1. 1/15/2025 SMART Board of Directors Meeting
2. MCE Marin Clean Energy
Councilmember Candell reported on the following items:
1. Ad Hoc Committee to Review the City’s Membership in the California Community Housing Authority and Its Activities in Larkspur
2. 1251 S. Eliseo Drive Project Homekey
Mayor Way reported on the following items:
1. Los Angeles Wildfires and Disaster Preparedness
2. 1/11/2025 City Council Strategic Planning Retreat
7. PUBLIC HEARINGS
None
8. BUSINESS ITEMS
8.1 CITY CLIMATE AND SUSTAINABILITY DISCUSSION
A. OVERVIEW OF CITY CLIMATE PROGRAMS AND SUSTAINABILITY
INTIATIVES AND CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE
Item will include a presentation from staff regarding the City’s Climate Action Plan and Sustainability Initiatives and presentations from Marin Climate & Energy Partnership (MCEP) sustainability coordinator Christine O’Rourke and Marin Clean Energy (MCE) Senior Community Development Manager Sebastian Conn.
Marin Clean Energy (MCE) Senior Community Development Manager Sebastian Conn and Marin Climate & Energy Partnership Sustainability Coordinator Christine O’Rourke provided presentations to the Council and answered questions.
Public comment was received from:
• Ted Horton
• David Moller
• James Holmes
Larkspur City Council
Minutes of January 15, 2025
B. CONTINUED DISCUSSION REGARDING THE FORMATION OF AN
ADVISORY BODY OR ALTERNATIVE ENGAGEMENT MODELS FOR
ISSUES RELATED TO CLIMATE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
Continued discussion of Item from the October 16, 2024, regular meeting.
Assistant City Manager O’Hare provided a presentation and answered questions from the Council.
Public comment was received from:
• James Holmes
• David Moller
• Tom Flynn
The Council stated their preference for a staff liaison model for issues related to climate and environment. Additional information on the staff liaison model will be brought back to the next meeting of the City Council.
The Council adjourned for a five minute break and reconvened at 9:30 p.m.
8.2 MID-YEAR BUDGET REVIEW
Council to consider adopting Resolution 02/25 amending the Fiscal Year 2024- 2025 Budget.
Administrative Services Director Gabriele and City Manager Schwarz presented the staff report and answered questions from the Council.
No one from the public wished to speak.
Upon motion by Councilmember Paulson, and seconded by Vice Mayor Andre, the Council adopted Resolution 02/25 amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget. The vote was unanimously in favor.
8.3 CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS
Council to ratify Mayor’s updated appointments for 2025.
Upon motion by Councilmember Margulies, and seconded by Councilmember Paulson, the Council ratified the Mayor’s list of City Council appointments for 2025. The vote was unanimously in favor.
9. ADJOURN
The Council adjourned the meeting at 9:52 p.m. in memory and honor of President Carter the victims of the LA wildfires.
Attested
__________________________
Alison Foulis, City Clerk