NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
March 26, 2024 – 6:00 PM
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
The City Council meeting was called to order at 6:01 p.m., with Mayor Milberg leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Mark Milberg, Mayor Pro Tempore Tim O’Connor Councilmember Pat Eklund, Councilmember Rachel Farac, and Councilmember Susan Wernick
STAFF PRESENT: Interim City Manager Amy Cunningham, Community Development Director Clare Hartman, Deputy Director of Community Development Steve Marshall, City Attorney Gary Bell and City Clerk Laura McDowall
COSULTANT PARTICIPATING REMOTELY: Jacquelyn McCray, Baker Tilly B. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
There was no closed session.
C. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
C.1. Proclamation: Marin Humane
Nancy McKenney, Marin Humane CEO and Brian Cooley, Chair of Marin Humane’s Advocacy Committee accepted the proclamation.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Final Agenda.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER
Interim City Manager Amy Cunningham reported on various City matters and the City Council gave reports on meetings and events they had attended.
F. PUBLIC COMMENT
1. Ed Shulze
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
Councilmember Eklund announced that she would be pulling item G.4 from the Consent Calendar for discussion.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Wernick and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem O’Connor, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar, with item G.4 pulled for discussion.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
G.1. Waive reading and authorize introductions and/or adoption of ordinances by title only this was a standard procedural action so that the City Council did not have to read ordinances aloud in their entirety
G.2. Approve the City Council Meeting Minutes of March 12, 2024 The City Council approved the meeting minutes of March 12, 2024.
G.3. Receive the 2023 Annual Progress Report of the Novato Housing Element and adopt a resolution directing staff to file the Report with the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR)
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-021.
G.4. Extend the City Council Marin Valley Mobile Country Club Ad Hoc Committee for up to an additional six (6) months
This item was pulled from the Consent Calendar for discussion.
G.5. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to negotiate and execute a utility easement grant deed and agreement with Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) for the purpose of installing, operating, and maintaining underground utility infrastructure on three city-owned parcels located at the Homeward Bound of Marin - Workforce and Veteran Housing Project, 826 State Access Road (APN 157-970-05, 157-970-06 and 157-970-07) The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-022.
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There were no items listed for this section.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
I.1. Hold a public hearing to consider and possibly introduce an ordinance amending Novato Municipal Code Chapter XIX (Zoning) to allow check cashing services as an accessory use to travel agencies and grocery stores and clarifying the treatment of prohibited land uses and accessory land uses; and (2) finding the amendments exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3)
Community Development Deputy Director Steve Marshall presented the item.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Niran Somasundaram
It was suggested that the ordinance be modified so that check cashing services as an accessory use to travel agencies and grocery stores could not be allowed in the Downtown Core Retail. City Attorney Bell clarified that to make that change, the ordinance would have to go back to the Planning Commission before Council could act on it. It was generally felt that the ordinance should be introduced as-is.
COUNCIL ACTION: Motion made by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Milberg to introduce the ordinance amending Novato Municipal Code Chapter XIX (Zoning) to allow check cashing services as an accessory use to travel agencies and grocery stores and clarifying the treatment of prohibited land uses and accessory land uses; and (2) finding the amendments exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3).
SUBSTITUTE MOTION: Substitute motion made by Councilmember Wernick and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem O’Connor that the ordinance go back to the Planning Commission for further discussion in terms of the Downtown Retail Core Zoning District.
AYES: WERNICK, O’CONNOR
NOES: EKLUND, FARAC, MILBERG
Motion failed.
COUNCIL ACTION ON MAIN MOTION: Upon motion made by
Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Milberg, the City Council voted 3-2 to introduce the ordinance amending Novato Municipal Code Chapter XIX (Zoning) to allow check cashing services as an accessory use to travel agencies and grocery stores and clarifying the treatment of prohibited land uses and accessory land uses; and (2) finding the amendments exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), with Councilmember Wernick and Mayor Pro Tem O’Connor voting No.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, MILBERG
NOES: WERNICK, O’CONNOR
Motion carried. The City Council introduced Ordinance 1715.
The City Council took a brief recess at 7:07pm and returned at 7:14pm.
J. GENERAL BUSINESS
J.1. Receive the Building Division Organization Assessment report prepared by Baker Tilly US, LLC and direct staff to implement the report’s recommended action items to address service improvements in the areas of customer service, communication, plan review processes, organization and staffing, and the use of technology; and
Consider adopting a resolution amending the City of Novato Authorized Position Allocation Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/24 by adding a 1.0 FTE Senior Building Inspector (aka Plan Check Coordinator) and 1.0 FTE Management Analyst I/II, which will be funded from vacancy savings in FY23/24, and direct the Interim City Manager to take actions necessary to enact approved personnel modifications
Development Director Clare Hartman opened the item and introduced Jacquelyn McCray from Baker Tilly, who was joining the meeting virtually. Director Hartman and Ms. McCray presented the item and responded to Council questions.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor Pro Tem O’Connor and seconded by Councilmember Eklund, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the resolution amending the City of Novato Authorized Position Allocation Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/24 by adding a 1.0 FTE Senior Building Inspector (aka Plan Check Coordinator) and 1.0 FTE Management Analyst I/II, which will be funded from vacancy savings in FY23/24, and directed the Interim City Manager to take actions necessary to enact approved personnel modifications.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2024-023.
The City Council took a recess at 8:34pm and returned at 8:41pm.
PULLED FROM CONSENT CALENDAR
G.4. Extend the City Council Marin Valley Mobile Country Club Ad Hoc Committee for up to an additional six (6) months
Councilmember Eklund explained that she pulled this item from the Consent Calendar to suggest that the Council receive more frequent updates on the Ad Hoc Committee’s progress.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Carol-Joy Harris
2. John Hanson
3. Jay Shelfer
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Councilmember Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to extend the Ad Hoc Committee with the understanding that the Council would be brought up to speed and kept up to speed, and that they would receive updates as appropriate but no less than monthly.
AYES: EKLUND, FARAC, WERNICK, O’CONNOR, MILBERG
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
K. COMMISSIONS, COMMITTEES AND BOARDS (CCB’S) APPOINTMENTS There were no items for this section.
L. WORK STUDY SESSION
There were no items for this section.
M. ADJOURNMENT
At 9:17pm, the City Council adjourned the meeting in memory of Sharon Rushton and Joe Bodovitz.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of April 9, 2024.
/Laura McDowall/
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Laura McDowall, City Clerk