City Council
SF Chronicle: Here are 15 New Laws that Californians Must Start Following in 2026 – Gov. Gavin Newsom Approved more than 900 New Laws This Year, Lowering Drug Costs, Ban Police and ICE Masks & More
“For the past six years, through boom, bust and pandemic, California’s Legislature has ended each session with a blitz of new laws that aim to make housing more plentiful and affordable. SF Chronicle: Here are 15 New Laws that Californians Must Start Following in 2026 – Gov. Gavin Newsom Approved more than 900 New Laws This Year, Lowering Drug Costs & Much More
Read MoreCity of Mill Valley Launches “Lease to Locals” Pilot Program to Incentivize Workforce Housing and Long-Term Rentals
“Mill Valley is deeply committed to affirmatively furthering fair housing and to enabling our workforce the opportunity to live here,’ said Mill Valley Mayor Stephen Burke. “This includes our ongoing work with Front Porch and its Home Match program, as well as Bayview Terrace, our proposed 45 unit affordable housing project, and now this pilot effort with Placemate. We are also grateful for the partnership and support provided by the Community Housing Foundation of Mill Valley.” The Lease to Locals program is intended to unlock existing housing by providing homeowners a financial incentive to house the local workforce through a long-term rental. The program is launching as a pilot and will be evaluated after six months for longer-term funding opportunities. Placemate Inc., an organization with a proven track record in addressing workforce housing shortages in destination communities, will administer the “Lease to Locals” program.
Read MoreMill Valley, County of Marin Leaders, Marin Residents & People Throughout the Bay Area Are Rallying Around Our Neighbors Facing the Loss of SNAP Benefits, Including Our 94941 Food-Serving Community!
“If you are food insecure, I can help,” said Tony Adams, who owns the Mill Valley Pasta Company in downtown Mill Valley. Early on, Adams posted that he’s offering to help anyone needing food at his stores or pop-ups, no questions asked. We launched something called the Uncle Tony Program. People can come in, mention they’re there to pick up an order for Uncle Tony. It’s coded language for us, that they may be food insecure and need help. Sometimes the biggest barrier to getting help is having to ask for help,” Adams said. Madrona Bakery, Le Marais Bakery, Equator Coffees, Shoreline Coffee Shop, Watershed,
Read MoreMill Valley’s Efforts to Replace the former Whole Foods Market on Miller Ave. Have Stalled Due to Amazon Layoffs – Whole Foods’ Lease Lasts Several More Years. The Mill Valley Market was selected by Amazon’s team – the Layoffs Stalled Those Efforts
Many residents find it hard to believe that Amazon—one of the richest companies in the world—couldn’t afford the necessary building updates. Mill Valley Mayor Stephen Burke sought to squash the idea that the City obstructed seismic retrofits that were necessary, and made it clear in a statement: “The City regrets the potential closure of the Whole Foods, which is an important community resource. The decision to close, if true, is based on business considerations that the City is not privy to. Further, other than issuing a permit for roof repairs, the City has imposed no further requirements or restrictions upon the property. In fact, this year City Council, the Planning Commission, and City Staff have dedicated themselves to updating and modifying parking, commercial codes, and other regulations with the goal of making the opening and operation of vibrant businesses easier.”
Read MoreMill Valley Winterfest Is Coming Soon on Sunday, Dec. 7th, With Lots of Performances, the Amazing Electric Train Around Lytton Square, Incredible Ginger Bread Houses And Much More to Come!
Winterfest, the 94941’s annual holiday celebration produced by the Mill Valley Chamber and supported by the City of Mill Valley, returns to the Downtown Plaza on December 7th, drawing another massive outpouring of residents, participants and friends to celebrate the holidays! We’ll be unveiling all of the amazing local holiday performances in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, there’s plenty of excitement to chew on, including the return of the beautiful Electric Train that kept kiddos and their families busy and happy throughout the day last year.
Read MoreOn the Heels of a Successful Measure L to Address Infrastructure Needs, City Pivots to Implement an Extension of the Municipal Service Tax for Another Decade to Continue Repairing Roads & Clearing Flammable Brush
Now the City Council and staff are pivoting to an extension of its Municipal Service Tax for another decade to continue repairing roads and clearing flammable brush. That assessment came after City Manager Todd Cusimano reported on the tax, known as the MST, at the City Council meeting on Oct. 20 as part of a strategic discussion that looked at future street repairs and local revenue streams. “We will have to continue with the MST,” he said. “If we do this right over the next 10 years, we’ll be talking about potentially not having to have one of these taxes.” “This is not a forever tax,” added Councilmember Urban Carmel. “This is really the end game, I think, for the next round.”
Read MoreUnited Against Hate Week Starts this Sunday! Submit Your Vision of Mill Valley Stands United Against Hate!
When a victim is attacked because of their real or perceived race/ethnicity, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation, the message is, “People like you are not welcome here and are not safe here. ”Even acts of vandalism or verbal threats can send powerful shock waves of fear to all who recognize they could have been a target. Fear and isolation caused by hate incidents degrade the quality of life for people in the targeted group and drive decisions about where to live and work, and how much to participate in the community.
Read MoreFor Several Years, City Hall Pushed for Inclusionary Housing. Now They’re Pivoting, With Requirements That Seek 15% or 20% of Medium-to-Larger Projects
About 14,700 people live in 6,600 homes in city limits, said city planner Danielle Staude. New housing is a challenge and costly in Mill Valley because the city doesn’t have many available parcels, and most of what is available is on irregular lots and hillsides, which add costs to developers. Apart from church- or city-owned properties, only two lots are suitable for an apartment of 20 or more residences.
Read MorePG&E Recommends Using Its ‘Report It App’ For Better Service and Safety
PG&E say it’s a great way to report non-emergency issues of concern; submit photos to our safety team; find submissions made by others; get notified when your submission is in review; and see PG&E’s findings. Please view this helpful 5-minute video. https://lnkd.in/gXiVxu6D. PG&E Report It app is NOT for emergencies. If you suspect an emergency that may threaten property and physical safety, such as the smell of natural gas, leave the area and call 9-1-1. If you see downed powerlines, stay away. Don’t exit your car or home. Call 9-1-1. Then call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
Read MoreMarin IJ: Mill Valley Moves to Modernize Parking Payment System
“During the kiosk trial period, staff collected and responded to approximately 25 complaints,” a staff report said. “Complaints ranged from not understanding how to use the kiosk, not liking the kiosk, lack of ease of use, expressing that the kiosk was positioned too far away from their vehicle, frustration there was a line to use the kiosk, and that it was less convenient than individual meters.” The Police Department said it acknowledged and understood these concerns, but also noted the advantages of kiosks over the meters. They required less maintenance, had more payment options and were more environmentally friendly.
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