1 CITY OF MILL VALLEY
SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING
ACTION MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
26 CORTE MADERA AVENUE, MILL VALLEY
August 11, 2025
5:30 P.M.
Mayor Stephen Burke – Absent
Vice Mayor Max Perrey – Present
Councilmember Caroline Joachim – Present
Councilmember Urban Carmel – Present
Councilmember Katherine Jones – Present
City Staff Present: City Manager Cusimano; Director of Planning and Building Kelly; Principal Planner Staude; Climate Action Coordinator Ledwith; and City Clerk De Ferrari.
CALL TO ORDER
Vice Mayor Perrey called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M.
ACTION OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
None.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA ORDER
Agenda_250811 Special & Closed Session
Vice Mayor Perrey called for a motion to approve the agenda order.
It was MOVED by Councilmember Carmel and SECONDED by Councilmember Jones to approve the agenda order. The Motion was carried unanimously by a 4-0-1 vote; Mayor Burke was absent.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Vice Mayor Perrey asked if any Council member or member of the public wished to remove an item from the consent calendar. Councilmember Joachim and City Manager Cusimano pulled Item #2 from the Consent Calendar for further discussion.
It was MOVED by Councilmember Carmel and SECONDED by Councilmember Joachim to adopt the Consent Calendar, Items #1 and #3; pulling Item #2 for discussion. The Motion was carried unanimously by a 4-0-1 vote; Mayor Burke was absent. 2 1. Consideration of a Resolution approving the City of Mill Valley’s Updated Sewer System Management Plan (SSMP) as required by the State Water Resources Control Board.
Recommended Action: Approve and adopt Resolution No. 25-__.
Item 1_Update to Sewer System Management Plan_20250811
2. Consideration of a Resolution Approving the Waiver of Revocable Encroachment Fees for the Steps, Lanes, and Paths (SLPs) and a Workplan to Address the Historic Encroachments.
Recommended Action: Adopt Resolution No. 25-__ and provide feedback and direction as necessary.
Item 2 AMENDED _SLP Encroachment Waiver Workplan_250811 Item 2_SLP Encroachment Waiver Workplan_250811
City Manager Cusimano highlighted the 2017 SLP settlement's identification of around 72 encroachments, requiring significant staff resources to address, with costs estimated at 1,000 hours and $166,000. He proposed a phased work plan, prioritizing the resolution of 20 encroachments first to ensure staff responsiveness and best practice development before tackling the remaining cases, aiming for significant progress by December 31, 2025, despite some preference to address all at once.
Councilmembers provided comments and suggestions.
After no other questions from the Council, Vice Mayor Perrey called for a vote.
It was MOVED by Councilmember Carmel and SECONDED by Councilmember Joachim to adopt Item #2 approving a Waiver of Revocable Encroachment Fees for the SLPS ad Workplan.
The Motion was carried unanimously by a 4-0-1 vote; Mayor Burke was absent.
3. Consideration of a Resolution Revising the List of Employees Authorized to Sign Checks.
Recommended Action: Adopt Resolution No. 25-__.
Item 3_Signature Authority Changes_250811
PUBLIC OPEN TIME
Vice Mayor Perrey opened Public Open Time.
Speakers: Former Mayor, Jessica Jackson.
Communications (via eComment): None.
Mayor Burke closed Public Open Time.
COUNCIL/STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS 3 Councilmember Joachim provided updates: Assembly member Damon Connolly is advancing 16 bills; a state special session might address budget matters; the 2026 ballots will feature a $10 billion affordable housing bond and a $950 million social housing bond. In the Live Well Mill Valley initiative, transportation emerged as a key concern for older adults at the first listening session, with the next meeting on October 14 at the Mill Valley Community Center. She reported out on the Police Governance report from Chief Navarro which highlighted current arrests, DUIs, and traffic citations, accidents, e-bike citations, and that there have been no police complaints for the first half of 2025.
Councilmember Carmel reported on the Kelly Brush Foundation's second annual West Coast Ride on October 25, featuring a youth ride planned with Traffic Mobility Advisory Committee (TMAC) to encourage safe routes to school, and his concerns regarding the Marin-Sonoma Coordinated Transit Service Plan (MASCOTS) plan, which would cut Mill Valley's direct bus service to ferries and omit it from express bus routes to San Francisco. He opposed the plan at the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) board meeting and plans to attend future meetings to propose changes, recommending the city issue a formal letter of concern.
Councilmember Jones shared one additional point about MASCOTS and changes in bus routes that would impact Mill Valley. She also shared that a survey is available on their website. She reported that she was inducted into the Mill Valley Rotary Club the previous week and encouraged others to learn more about the organization's work locally and internationally.
Vice Mayor Perrey had no reports and confirmed Marin Clean Energy (MCE) did not meet in July.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Cusimano gave a report/update on the following topics:
City Manager Cusimano reminded the Council of two presentations scheduled for the next day at the Mill Valley Library at 9:00 AM focused on approaches to urban vitality and the future of mobility and implementation implications for Mill Valley.
PUBLIC HEARING
4. Introduction and First Reading of an Ordinance Amending Title 14 (Buildings and Construction Code) of the Mill Valley Municipal Code to Require Higher Energy Performance for Certain Single-Family Projects Through Various Options and Clarify Energy Requirements for Single Family Residential Project and Find the Proposed Ordinance Exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15061(b)(3), 15307 and 15308.
Recommended Action: Receive report; introduce the ordinance by title only and waive the first reading.
Item 4_Ord Update Title 14 Building and Construction Code_250811 4 Planning and Building Director Patrick Kelly introduced the item, acknowledging the work of Danielle Saudi, Grace Ledwith, and Emile Delaney in preparing the ordinance in response to AB 130 legislation within a tight timeframe.
Sustainability/ Climate Action Coordinator Grace Ledwith outlined the proposed reach code update, designed in response to AB 130, which limits local amendments to building codes. The ordinance mandates energy efficiency improvements for additions, remodels, and alterations over 500 square feet, using a flexible point-based system requiring a score of 6 points.
Exceptions include newer homes, ADUs, low-income households, and hardship cases. She said that with 87% of Mill Valley's homes built before 1978 and lacking energy efficiency, this ordinance is important for achieving the city's 2030 climate goals.
Councilmembers asked questions.
Building Official Emil Dilanian explained that panel upgrades are identified during plan checks and inspections, noting that certain hazardous panels must be upgraded regardless.
Coordinator Grace Ledwith explained that while this approach is common in Marin County, it's less common elsewhere in the Bay Area.
Vice Mayor Perrey opened public comment.
Speakers: Cliff Waldeck, Michael Heacock.
Communications (via eComment): Sustainable Mill Valley; Susan Hopp; Karen Jaber emailed letters which were added to the public record in advance of the meeting.
Vice Mayor Perrey closed public comment.
Councilmembers expressed support for the ordinance while acknowledging the balance between sustainability and housing affordability concerns. They appreciated the flexibility of the menu approach and the alignment with county standards.
Councilmember Carmel made a motion to introduce and hold a first reading, by title only, of an ordinance amending Title 14 of the Mill Valley Municipal Code to require higher energy performance for certain single family projects through various options and clarify energy requirements for single family residential projects and find the ordinance exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines. Vice Mayor Perrey seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.
It was MOVED by Councilmember Carmel and SECONDED by Vice Mayor Perrey to introduce and hold a first reading, by title only, of an ordinance amending Title 14 of the Mill Valley Municipal Code to require higher energy performance for certain single family projects through various options and clarify energy requirements for single family residential projects and find the ordinance exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines. The Motion was carried unanimously by a 4-0-1 vote; Mayor Burke was absent.
COUNCIL REQUESTS AND IDEAS FOR DISCUSSION
5 None.
Vice Mayor Perrey announced that the Council would convene to a closed session discussion, with any public announcement regarding the closed session to be made after the session and prior to adjourning the regular meeting.
CLOSED SESSION – The Council will convene to a Closed Session discussion. Any public announcement regarding the Closed Session will be made after the Closed Session and prior to adjourning the regular meeting.
A. CLOSED SESSION BUSINESS – Following Public Comment, the City Council will adjourn to Closed Session to consider the following:
1A. Conference with Legal Counsel – Existing Litigation pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9(b). Friends of Hauke Park v. City of Mill Valley I and II (Marin County Superior Court Case Nos. CV0000005 and CV0002212) B. ACTION OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
ADJOURNMENT – The Council ADJOURNED at 7:38 p.m. to the next Regular City Council meeting which will be held on Monday, August 18, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the Mill Valley City Council Chambers.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE MILL VALLEY
CITY COUNCIL ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2025
___________________________
Stephen Burke, Mayor
ATTEST:
____________________________
Risa De Ferrari, City Clerk