NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
July 8, 2025 – 6:00 PM
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
The City Council meeting was called to order at 6:04 p.m., with Mayor O’Connor leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Tim O’Connor, Mayor Pro Tempore Rachel Farac, Councilmember Pat Eklund, Councilmember Kevin Jacobs, and Councilmember Mark Milberg
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Amy Cunningham, Police Chief Jim Naugle, Deputy Director of Community Development Steve Marshall, Public Works Administrative Manager Cindy Chong, Senior Planner Vivek Damodaran, City Attorney Gary Bell and City Clerk Laura McDowall
B. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
The City Council met in Closed Session prior to the open session and reconvened back into closed session upon adjournment.
C. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
C.1. Proclamation: Parks and Recreation Month
Recreation, Cultural and Community Services Advisory Commission members Emily Larsen, Michelle Whiteside and Erin Lacey accepted the proclamation.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Jacobs and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Final Agenda.
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried.
E. REPORTS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL & CITY MANAGER
City Manager Cunningham reported on various City matters and the City Council gave reports on meetings and events they had attended.
F. PUBLIC COMMENT
None.
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Milberg and seconded by Councilmember Jacobs, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar.
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
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 closed and open session City Council meeting minutes of June 10, 2025
The City Council approved the closed and open session City Council meeting minutes of June 10, 2025.
G.3. Approve the City Council Closed Session Special Meeting Minutes of June 23, 2025
The City Council approved the Closed Session Special Meeting Minutes of June 23, 2025.
G.4. Receive and file the City of Novato’s fourth quarter payment register report for the months of April, May, and June 2025
The City Council received and filed the report.
G.5. Appoint Tim Curtin and Ali Iqbal as regular members of the Design Review Commission
The City Council appointed Tim Curtin and Ali Iqbal as regular members of the Design Review Commission.
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There were no items listed for this section.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
I.1. Receive a presentation on youth e-bike safety and Assembly Bill 1778; and consider introducing an ordinance to add Section 18-18 to Chapter XVIII of the Novato Municipal Code to prohibit those under 16 years of age from operating a Class 2 e-bike, as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 312.5, and require any person operating a Class 2 e-bike to wear a helmet Police Chief Jim Naugle opened the item and introduced Talia Smith, Marin County Director of Legislative & Intergovernmental Affairs who gave the presentation.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor Pro Tem Farac and seconded by Councilmember Eklund, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to introduce the ordinance to add Section 18-18 to Chapter XVIII of the Novato Municipal Code to prohibit those under 16 years of age from operating a Class 2 e-bike, as defined in California Vehicle Code Section 312.5, and require any person operating a Class 2 e-bike to wear a helmet
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council introduced Ordinance 1724.
I.2. Hold a public hearing and consider adopting a resolution confirming the diagram and assessment roll for the Hillside Park Unit 4 Landscape Assessment District as set forth in the annual report of the Engineer of Work and thereby levy the assessment as set forth therein for Fiscal Year 2025/26 CEQA: Exempt pursuant to Guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities I.3. Hold a public hearing and consider adopting a resolution confirming the diagram and assessment roll for the Wildwood Glen Landscaping District C91as set forth in the annual report of the Engineer of Work and thereby levy the assessment as set forth therein for Fiscal Year 2025/26 CEQA: Exempt pursuant to Guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities I.4. Hold a public hearing and consider adopting a resolution confirming the diagram and assessment roll as set forth in the annual report of the Engineer of Work for the San Pablo Subdivision Landscape District A-03 and thereby levy the assessment as set forth therein for Fiscal Year 2025/26 CEQA: Exempt pursuant to Guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities Public Works Administrative Manager Cindy Chong presenting the Landscape Assessment Districts for Hillside Park Unit 4, Wildwood Glen, and San Pablo together.
PUBLIC COMMENT: Tim O’Connell
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopting the resolution confirming the diagram and assessment roll for the Hillside Park Unit 4 Landscape Assessment District as set forth in the annual report of the Engineer of Work and thereby levy the assessment as set forth therein for Fiscal Year 2025/26 and adopt the resolution confirming the diagram and assessment roll for the Wildwood Glen Landscaping District C-91as set forth in the annual report of the Engineer of Work and thereby levy the assessment as set forth therein for Fiscal Year 2025/26 AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-056 and 2025- 057.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the resolution confirming the diagram and assessment roll as set forth in the annual report of the Engineer of Work for the San Pablo Subdivision Landscape District A-03 and thereby levy the assessment as set forth therein for Fiscal Year 2025/26
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-058.
I.5. Hold a public hearing and consider adopting a resolution confirming the diagram and assessment roll as set forth in the annual Engineer’s Report for the San Marin Landscaping Assessment District A-81 and thereby levy the assessment as set forth therein for Fiscal Year 2025/26 CEQA: Exempt pursuant to Guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities Councilmember Kevin Jacobs announced that he was recusing himself from the item due to real property that he owned and left the dais at 6:57 p.m. Public Works Administrative Manager Chong presented the item.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Milberg and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Farac, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to adopt the resolution confirming the diagram and assessment roll as set forth in the annual Engineer’s Report for the San Marin Landscaping Assessment District A-81 and thereby levy the assessment as set forth therein for Fiscal Year 2025/26
AYES: EKLUND, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
RECUSED: JACOBS
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2025-059.
Councilmember Jacobs returned to the dais at 7:00 p.m.
I.6. Hold a public hearing and consider introducing an ordinance amending Novato Municipal Code (“NMC”) Chapter XIX (Zoning) Division 19.34 (Standards for Specific Land Uses) to establish Section 19.34.029 specifying standards for Senate Bill 9 dwelling units (“SB 9 Dwelling Units”) and amend NMC Chapter IX (Land Subdivision) to establish Section 9-8 specifying standards for Urban Lot Splits, including associated modifications to Municipal Code Sections 19.10.040 (Residential Zoning District General Development Standards), 19.30.040 (Number of Parking Spaces Required),
19.58.020 (Notice of Public Hearing or Discretionary Action), 19.60.020 (Definitions of Specialized Terms and Phrases), and 9-5.023 (Definitions - Words or Terms Beginning with “U”) to comply with California Government Code Sections 65852.21 and 66411.7, finding the amendments to be exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality (“CEQA”) pursuant to Government Code Section 65852.21(k) and 66411.7(n) and Public Resources Code Section 21080.17, and repealing City Council Urgency Ordinance No. 1678
Senior Planner Vivek Damodaran presented the item and responded to Council questions along with Deputy Community Development Director Steve Marshall.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Jacobs and seconded by Councilmember Milberg, the City Council voted 5-0 via roll call to introduce the ordinance amending Novato Municipal Code Chapter XIX (Zoning) Division 19.34 (Standards for Specific Land Uses) to establish Section 19.34.029 specifying standards for Senate Bill 9 dwelling units and amend NMC Chapter IX (Land Subdivision) to establish Section 9-8 specifying standards for Urban Lot Splits, including associated modifications to Municipal Code Sections 19.10.040 (Residential Zoning District General Development Standards), 19.30.040 (Number of Parking Spaces Required), 19.58.020 (Notice of Public Hearing or Discretionary Action), 19.60.020 (Definitions of Specialized Terms and Phrases), and 9-
5.023 (Definitions - Words or Terms Beginning with “U”) to comply with California Government Code Sections 65852.21 and 66411.7, finding the amendments to be exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality pursuant to Government Code Section 65852.21(k) and 66411.7(n) and Public Resources Code Section 21080.17, and repealing City Council Urgency Ordinance No. 1678
AYES: EKLUND, JACOBS, MILBERG, FARAC, O’CONNOR
NOES: NONE
Motion carried. The City Council introduced Ordinance 1725.
J. GENERAL BUSINESS
There were no items for this section.
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
The City Council adjourned into Closed Session at 7:15 p.m.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of July 22, 2025.
/Laura McDowall/
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Laura McDowall, City Clerk