Business
Celebrating Our 125th Anniversary!!, and A Huge Shout-Out to Our Fantastic Chamber Members!
As so many of you already know, 2025 marks the 125th anniversary of Mill Valley’s incorporation, and recognition of this milestone will culminate with a full day of celebratory activities on Monday, September 1st. It’s going to be a, incredible day! It is incredibly important to celebrate all of the amazing people who have made this event happen – the list is just about endless. A Huge Shout-Out to Our Fantastic Mill Valley Chamber Members! Cheers to all the Chamber members who are helping bring Mill Valley’s 125th Celebration to life on Labor Day, September 1st. Each of these members is contributing in some way to make it a day to remember! If we’ve missed anyone, apologies–please comment below so we can celebrate you as well.
Read MoreSF Chronicle: San Francisco Went Too Far in the Wrong Direction – It’s Leading the Way Again, and It Could Benefit Marin and the Larger Bay Area
Something has been in the air in San Francisco for more than a year now — and for once, it’s not fog or hype about what’s next in tech. Instead, it’s clarity. After years of national headlines portraying the city as a symbol of dysfunction, San Francisco is quietly undergoing a course correction rooted not in ideology but in common sense. We’ve witnessed investments in law enforcement, a successful tax cut measure to support both small and large businesses, and, most recently, an end to the practice of distributing drug paraphernalia on our streets.
Read MoreClear Out, Give Back, & Dress Up – The Great Closet Cleanout Arrives at MV Community Center – Drop-Off, Sept. 8-12th, Sept. 15-19th, Sept, 8-21 at MV Aquatics & Fitness Sept. 8th-21st, Mon.-Thu., 6am-7:30pm,
Ready to refresh your wardrobe and help your community? Join us for The Great Closet Cleanout, Mill Valley’s seasonal clothing and costume donation drive! Clear out those closets and give your gently used men’s, women’s, and children’s clothing a second life. We’re also collecting Halloween costumes to help local families celebrate in style this spooky season. Then, come back for our FREE Clothing & Costume Pick-Up Event where the whole community can browse and take home items at no cost, just in time for fall and Halloween!
Read MoreMill Valley Cultural Association Hosts the Second Annual Charlie Deal Day: Sunday, Sept. 28th – Sponsorship Materials Are Available to Support this Wonderful Event
Mill Valley Cultural Association Hosts the Second Annual Charlie Deal Day: Sunday, Sept. 28th – Sponsorship Materials Are Available to Support this Wonderful Event. “He was very much one of the great characters that Mill Valley has ever known,” Bajor said. “You had Bill Graham living up on top of the hill and on the other side of things, you had Charlie Deal riding his bicycle down Miller Avenue.”
Read MoreThe First Step to Leadership: Tapping Into Local Committees and Commissions
Please join us for an engaging conversation about the vital role local committees and commissions play in shaping community leadership. Notable elected and appointed officials from Marin County will share their own journeys into public service, including how serving on commissions helped pave the way, and highlight the essential work these groups do to address local needs.
Read MoreTwo Neat, an Unabashed, Unadulterated Mill Valley Institution, Is Setting Sail at the End of August, So Get Your Laughs on Before They’re Gone!! Hours Are 12-5pm!
Two Neat, brilliant Bob Bijou’s witty, charming, always LOL card, gifts, toys and much more shop is shutting down the business at the end of of August. Like many businesses who’ve lasted through many eras, it is largely a sad day. But Bob and his witty co-horts are focused on landing this plane with all the joy and fart jokes Two Neat calls for. From bacon-scented air freshener to inarguably the best collection of greeting cards in Marin, Bijou’s Two Neat shop at 111 Throckmorton Ave. has been an institution in Mill Valley for 39 years – with a little something for everyone.
Read MoreMarin IJ: Mill Valley Aims to Loosen Business Permit Requirements
Brian Foster, a commercial real estate broker, told the officials they were “on the right path.” He urged them to be open-minded about filling vacancies. “You want to have a staff that has some agency … where they can look at a use and go, all right, you’re going from a real estate office to a lighting store. It’s pretty benign,” he said. “And if you can check some boxes we can make it work.” The commissioners instructed city staff to revise their proposed changes based on their suggestions and present them to the City Council for feedback. Once the council weighs in, the process of formally revising the city code would return to the Planning Commission and council for final approval. City officials hope to amend the city’s commercial codes and parking ordinances by this fall.
Read MoreMarin IJ: Mill Valley Speeds Green Building Code Update
The council directed Cusimano and city planners to move forward. “Mill Valley has had a history … of going above and beyond when it comes to climate action,” said Vice Mayor Max Perrey. “I was just so impressed with our climate action plan and our community members that contributed to such a significant and thoughtful report,” said Councilmember Caroline Joachim. “We have the opportunity to really take advantage of this time and make the most of it before that six-year moratorium hits.” AB 306 has some exemptions that city staff believe Mill Valley could qualify for, Cusimano said. “But we want to leave no stone unturned and we don’t want to be sitting here a year from now regretting or assuming something that’s not the case,” he said.
Read MoreCouncilmembers, Planning Commissioners, Staff and Residents Dove Deeply Into a Major Possible Reconsideration of Up Dated Parking Regulations – MV Will Eliminate Parking Requirements for New Businesses Downtown
Councilmember Joachim mentioned possible underutilized parking lots, particularly the private lot adjacent to the Depot Plaza. “Requires a willing property owner,” she noted. “We do have these private lots that are underutilized. The discussion concluded until later in the fall, but teased the possibility of dealing with formula businesses by identifying businesses above the 5,000 foot threshold, which applies to the larger buildings that are part of the downtown core area – not Miller, not Safeway. You could apply for a conditional use permit to have no parking if you are doing a non-expansion renovation or change of use to a building that was more than 5000 sq feet.
Read MoreSF Chronicle: Could This Plan Actually Save California’s High-Speed Rail project?
The Rail Authority would draw its $1 billion a year in state funds from a climate emissions program that pays for a wide range of clean energy goals, from public transit to electric vehicles. If it secures that bedrock support from the government, high speed rail officials will try to entice private financiers to cover the remaining costs, giving the bullet train a fighting chance of success.
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