1 CITY OF MILL VALLEY
REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING
ACTION MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL
26 CORTE MADERA AVENUE, MILL VALLEY
November 3, 2025
5:30 P.M.
Mayor Stephen Burke – Present
Vice Mayor Max Perrey – Present
Councilmember Caroline Joachim – Absent
Councilmember Urban Carmel – Present
Councilmember Katherine Jones – Present
City Staff Present: City Manager Cusimano; Chief Navarro; Deputy Director of Human Resources Allingham; Captain Haynes; Management Analyst Politzer; Senior Management Analyst Rogers; City Clerk Intern Craft; and City Clerk De Ferrari.
CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Burke called the meeting to order at 5:30 P.M, Councilmember Joachim was absent.
ACTION OUT OF CLOSED SESSION
None.
APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA ORDER
Agenda_251103-
It was MOVED by Vice Mayor Perrey and SECONDED by Councilmember Carmel to approve the agenda order. The Motion was carried by a 4-0-1 vote, Councilmember Joachim was absent.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Mayor Burke requested that Item #2 be pulled from the Consent Calendar to add the appointment of Anand Ramachandran to the Traffic and Mobility Advisory Committee (TMAC) to fill an unscheduled vacancy.
It was MOVED by Vice Mayor Perrey and SECONDED by Councilmember Carmel to adopt the Consent Calendar, Items #1 - 5. The Motion was carried by a 4-0-1 vote, Councilmember Joachim was absent.
2 1. Consideration of March 4, 2024, and October 20, 2025, Regular City Council Meeting Action Minutes.
Recommended Action: Approve the Action Minutes.
Item 1. Approval of the March 4, 2024, and October 20, 2025 Regular City Council Meeting Action Minutes_20251103
2. Consideration of a Resolution Confirming an Appointment to the Traffic and Mobility Advisory Committee to Fill an Unscheduled Vacancy.
Recommended Action: Adopt Resolution No. 25-___.
Item 2. Vacancy Appointment of TMAC member_251103
3. Consideration of a Resolution Approving Free Holiday Parking at Meter Zones.
Recommended Action: Adopt Resolution No. 25-___.
Item 3. Approving Free Holiday Parking at Meter Zones_20251103
4. Consideration of a Resolution Accepting Measure AA Innovation Program Grant Funds from the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) in the Amount of $85,000 and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Funding Agreement.
Recommended Action: Adopt the Resolution 25-__ and Approve the Budget Adjustment in the Amount of $85,000.
Item 4. Acceptance of Measure AA Innovation with TAM_20251103
5. Consideration of a Resolution Accepting as Complete the 501 Cascade Retaining Wall Repair Project.
Recommended Action: Adopt the Resolution 25-___.
Item 5. Consideration of a Resolution Accepting as Complete the 501 Cascade Wall Repair Project_20251103
PUBLIC OPEN TIME
Mayor Burke opened Public Open Time.
Speakers: None.
Communications (via eComment): None.
Mayor Burke closed Public Open Time.
COUNCIL/STAFF ANNOUNCEMENTS AND COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS Councilmember Jones participated in Mill Valley’s first ‘Ciclovia’ on October 25th which was a bike ride from Mill Valley Middle School to the Depot as part of the Kelly Brush Foundation Ride.
She attended a fall event at the Redwoods on October 23rd. Councilmember Jones participated in 3 a Greater Mill Valley Fuel Break fieldtrip to Camino Alto Open Space Preserve on October 29th.
The trip was led by Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority. Marin County Parks staff and community members were in attendance. Councilmember Jones commented on the communities’ Halloween festivities, particularly in Sycamore Park where the City of Mill Valley provided street closures.
Councilmember Carmel reported that the Kelly Brush Foundation Ride event had 220 registrants, with 35 riders participating on the day and raised $135,000. Councilmember Carmel, along with Councilmember Joachim, conducted a police governance oversight report and reported current enforcement statistics at the meeting and noted that they found that there were no significant issues with policing in the city. Councilmember Carmel reported on a recent trip with the City Manager and other County of Marin delegates to San Luis Obispo, California to study their economic development approach. Councilmember Carmel noted the upcoming Boards, Commissions, and Committee retreats including the Library Board of Trustees on November 4th, Traffic and Mobility Advisory Committee on November 18th, Emergency Preparedness Commission (EPC) on November 19th and Planning Commission on November 20th.
Vice Mayor Perrey reported on Marin Clean Energy (MCE) recent financial updates and recommended committee changes going before the board. Vice Mayor Perrey also provided information regarding emergency assistance for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and CalFresh beneficiaries and noted the action and support of city staff, the Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce and the local business community offering support to the over 700 Mill Valley families that rely on CalFresh. Additionally, he encouraged donations to the San Francisco Food Bank.
Mayor Burke Nonprofit events in October and November, including the successful Redwoods event that raised almost half a million dollars and the Milly Awards. Mayor Burke announced his upcoming trip to Sacramento state historical office will recognize Mill Valley City Hall as an historic building, which will then be referred to the National Historic Register. He reported that the Sewerage Agency of Southern Marin (SASM) submitted a grant request for $330,000 to fund further study in the region related to sea level rise concerns.
CITY MANAGER’S REPORT
City Manager Cusimano gave a report/update on the following topics:
- Commissions, Boards and Committees’ (CBC) annual retreats taking place this month, which will explain the governance model of the city and the roles and responsibilities of commissions.
- On Whole Foods, he reported the building is structurally sound and that recent Amazon layoffs have caused confusion on Amazon’s side. He reported that the lease negotiation with Whole Foods and Mill Valley Market has been put on hold, but the city is actively working to facilitate a resolution. He also noted that Mill Valley Market’s intention was to operate two locations, not close their existing store. 4 PUBLIC HEARING
6. Introduction and First Reading of an Ordinance to Amend Title 20 (“Zoning”) of the Mill Valley Municipal Code to Update Parking Regulations. The Proposed Code Amendment Has Been Determined to Be Exempt from Further Environmental Review Under Section 15061(B)(3) Of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
Recommended Action: Receive report, introduce the draft ordinance by title only, and waive first reading.
Item 6. Update Parking Regulation - Public Hearing_20251103 Planning and Building Director Patrick Kelly presented the draft parking ordinance to the City Council. He thanked Walker Consultants (Chrissy Mancini Nichols and Tanya Schleck) and City Staff (including Steven Ross and Kai Cooper) for their work on the project. Director Kelly acknowledged the coordination with the Department of Public Works and the Police Department.
Director Kelly explained that the city's parking standards, developed in the 1980s, had never been comprehensively updated. The proposed update would modernize and simplify the city's parking regulations and align parking requirements with actual demand and General Plan Policy Goals. The Ordinance details specific changes such as the reduction from 4 parking spaces per 1,000 square feet to 3 spaces for non-residential (commercial) uses, no parking requirements for uses less than 5,000 square feet in area, and the exemption from parking requirements for expansions of less than 1,000 square feet. The changes outlined in the ordinance would reduce parking requirements for converting or expanding local businesses.
Director Kelly noted extensive outreach had occurred, including stakeholder interviews, news items in Mill Valley Connect, and notices to stakeholders. If approved, the ordinance would be scheduled for second reading on November 17 and take effect 30 days later.
Councilmembers asked questions in response to the presentation.
Councilmembers expressed strong support for the Ordinance.
Mayor Burke opened for public comment
Speakers: None.
Communications (via eComment): None.
Mayor Burke closed public comment.
5 It was MOVED by Councilmember Carmel and SECONDED by Vice Mayor Perrey to introduce the draft ordinance by title only and waive first reading of an Ordinance to Amend Title 20 (“Zoning”) of the Mill Valley Municipal Code to Update Parking Regulations. The Proposed Code Amendment Has Been Determined to Be Exempt from Further Environmental Review Under Section 15061(B)(3) Of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. The Motion was carried by a 4-0-1 vote, Councilmember Joachim absent.
NEW BUSINESS
7. Receive a Report Regarding the Municipal Services Tax (MST), Confirm its Renewal and Direct the City Manager to Appoint a Municipal Services Tax Study Committee to Research Renewal.
Recommended Action: Receive report and provide direction to staff.
Item 7. Municipal Service Tax - Renewal and Committee Appointment_251103 Senior Management Analyst/Assistant to the City Manager Kelsey Rodgers presented the Municipal Services Tax (MST) report noting that the Municipal Services Tax (MST) was almost 37 years old and provided a comprehensive history of the tax. She noted it was specifically designed for improved fire safety activities, street maintenance, and road repair.
Analyst Rodgers noted that the city's Pavement Condition Index (PCI) has increased from the previous passage of the MST and that Mill Valley has been rated in the top 6 Bay Area agencies for PCI improvement, with 74% of the city's 60 miles of roadway now in good condition.
City Manager Cusimano added context about the renewal process, noting that the MST would be a renewal of an existing tax, that it will be a restricted fund utilized for specific purposes approved by the voters, and that staff plan to bring a pavement analysis report to the next meeting detailing the needs for the approximately 11 miles of roadway currently in fair, poor, or failing condition. He also reviewed next steps associated with forming a study committee for the Council’s consideration.
Councilmembers asked staff questions and discussed the formation of a study committee.
City Manager Cusimano clarified that the committee would be subject to the Brown Act, with are open meetings and transparent processes. He indicated that former mayors John McCauley and Andy Berman had offered to participate, along with Jim Paranello providing staff support.
He recommended against spending $30,000 for polling given the MST's long history and strong voter support.
Mayor Burke opened for public comment
6 Speakers: None.
Communications (via eComment): None.
Mayor Burke closed public comment.
Councilmembers provided direction to proceed with forming a study committee to be appointed by the City Manager in collaboration with Council liaisons Carmel and Perrey, with an emphasis on including diverse representation, expanding committee size for greater representation within the community, and maintaining transparent processes.
Mayor Burke closed the discussion.
COUNCIL REQUESTS AND IDEAS FOR DISCUSSION
None.
ADJOURNMENT — The Council ADJOURNED at 7:27 p.m. The next Regular City Council meeting will be held on Monday, November 17, 2025, at 5:30p.m. in the Mill Valley City Council Chambers.
APPROVED AND ADOPTED BY THE MILL
VALLEY CITY COUNCIL ON NOVEMBER 17, 2025
___________________________
Stephen Burke, Mayor
ATTEST:
____________________________
Risa De Ferrari, City Clerk