NOVATO CITY COUNCIL
MEETING MINUTES
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
901 SHERMAN AVENUE
NOVATO, CA 94945
March 10, 2026 – 6:00 PM
A. CONVENE, PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, AND ROLL CALL
The City Council meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m., with Mayor Farac leading the Pledge of Allegiance.
COUNCIL PRESENT: Mayor Rachel Farac, Mayor Pro Tempore Kevin Jacobs, Councilmember Pat Eklund and Councilmember Sandeep Karkal COUNCIL ABSENT: Councilmember O’Connor
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager Amy Cunningham, Assistant City Manager Bill Rose, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Katie Gauntlett, Deputy Community Development Director Steve Marshall, Principal Management Analyst Katie Hawn, City Attorney Gary Bell and City Clerk Laura McDowall B. CLOSED SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT
There was no closed session.
C. CEREMONIAL MATTERS/PRESENTATIONS
C.1. Presentation from Youth Advocacy Committee: Tobacco Use Prevention Raven Twilling and members of the Youth Advocacy Committee gave the presentation along with Anita Renzetti, Senior Program Coordinator for the Marin County Health and Human Services Tobacco Prevention Program.
C.2. Presentation from Director of County Library Services: Upcoming short- and long-term facility improvements at the Novato Blvd. and “C" Street South Novato libraries
Lana Adlawan, Director of County Library Services, Dr. Juliet Schiller, Assistant Director- Support Services and Erin Riley, Capital Planning and Senior Project Manager from the County of Marin gave the presentation.
C.3. Proclamation: Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month Lauren Vreeland Long, Age and Disability Friendly Novato Chair and Colleen Arnold, CEO of Marin Aging and Disability Institute / Age and Disability Friendly Novato Steering Committee member accepted the proclamation.
D. APPROVAL OF THE FINAL AGENDA
Councilmember Eklund announced she would like to pull item G.4 from the Consent Calendar and place it at the end of General Business.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Jacobs, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call to approve the Final Agenda with item G.4 removed from the Consent Calendar and placed at the end of General Business, with Councilmember O’Connor being absent.
AYES: EKLUND, KARKAL, JACOBS, FARAC
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: O’CONNOR
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
1. Jo Farrens
2. Concerned Citizen
3. Jeremiah Mock
4. Pam Granger
G. CONSENT CALENDAR
Item G.4 was removed from the Consent Calendar and placed under General Business.
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Mayor Pro Tem Jacobs and seconded by Councilmember Eklund, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call to approve the Consent Calendar, with item G.4 removed and Councilmember O’Connor being absent.
AYES: EKLUND, KARKAL, JACOBS, FARAC
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: O’CONNOR
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 meeting minute of February 24, 2026 The City Council approved the closed and open session meeting minutes of February 24, 2026.
G.3. Receive and file the City of Novato’s AB1600 Annual Reports for Development Impact Fees for Fiscal Years 2018/19 through 2024/25 including the required Five-Year Report in Fiscal Year 2022/23 The City Council received and filed the reports.
G.4. Receive and file the 2025 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 Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) This item was removed from the Consent Calendar and placed under General Business.
G.5. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager or their designee to sign the professional services agreement with Harris & Associates for Assessment Engineering Services and Special Tax Administration for the cities Landscape Assessment Districts (LADs) and Community Facilities Districts (CFDs) for a total not to exceed $205,532 for the period between March 16, 2026, and March 15, 2031
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-017.
G.6. Adopt a resolution to summarily vacate the excess portion of an existing roadway and public utility easement recorded April 09, 1957, in BOOK 1106 PAGE 87 of Official Records at the County of Marin Recorders Office; the portion of the existing easement to be vacated is located at 1017 Simmons Lane (Assessor Parcel Number 141-071-67)
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-018.
G.7. Receive and file Fiscal Year 2024/25 Measure F Report The City Council received and filed the report.
G.8. Receive and file the Quarter 2 Fiscal Year 2025/26 Budget Performance Report
The City Council received and filed the report.
G.9. Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager or their designee to execute an amendment to the contract with DebtBook in the amount of $41,100, bringing the total contract amount to $129,234.25
The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-019.
H. UNFINISHED AND OTHER BUSINESS
There were no items listed for this section.
I. PUBLIC HEARINGS
There were no items listed for this section.
J. GENERAL BUSINESS
J.1. Consider adopting a resolution approving a Lease Rider and other necessary documents amending the current ground lease between Homeward Bound of Marin (Homeward Bound) and the City of Novato for the HUD parcel in Hamilton (APN 157-970-07) which updates terms between the City of Novato, California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), and Homeward Bound and enables Homeward Bound to obtain a $3 million loan from HCD for construction financing of supportive housing for veterans, families, and others overcoming homelessness; because said documents have not been fully negotiated but time is of the essence, it is recommended that the Council’s approval of these documents be made subject to the approval of the City Manager and City Attorney
Assistant City Manager Bill Rose opened the item and introduced Principal Management Analyst Katie Hawn who presented the item.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Jacobs, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call to adopt the resolution, with Councilmember O’Connor being absent.
AYES: EKLUND, KARKAL, JACOBS, FARAC
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: O’CONNOR
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-020.
J.2. Receive a presentation from the Age + Disability Friendly Novato (ADFN) Steering Committee highlighting progress of the 2025-2028 Age + Disability Friendly Novato Action Plan and future initiatives
Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Katie Gauntlett presented the item, along with Age + Disability Friendly Novato Steering Committee members Colleen Arnold and Lauren Vreeland-Long.
PUBLIC COMMENT: None
ITEMS PULLED FROM THE CONSENT CALENDAR
G.4. Receive and file the 2025 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 Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) Councilmember Eklund explained that she pulled this item from the Consent Calendar because she had clarifying questions about the report, to which Deputy Community Development Director Steve Marshall responded.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
1. Lucie Hollingsworth
COUNCIL ACTION: Upon motion by Councilmember Eklund and seconded by Mayor Pro Tem Jacobs, the City Council voted 4-0-1 via roll call to adopt the resolution directing staff to file the Report with the State Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI).
AYES: EKLUND, KARKAL, JACOBS, FARAC
NOES: NONE
ABSENT: O’CONNOR
Motion carried. The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2026-016.
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 7:59 p.m. the City Council adjourned the meeting in memory of Nancy Marsh Sangster-De Haan.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and adopted at the Novato City Council regular meeting of March 24, 2026.
/Laura McDowall/
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Laura McDowall, City Clerk