Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Town Council actions

Council Action: The Town Council held its regular meeting on Wednesday, September 5th and took the following actions:

  • Youth Commission: Council interviewed and appointed Jacob Mooney to serve on the Fairfax Youth Commission.
  • Appeal: Council heard an appeal on 75 Rocca Drive, and upheld the decision of the Planning Commission to require the applicant to comply with the conditions to require two off-street parking spaces before an occupancy permit is granted, and to require review of the project by the Design Review Board.
  • Bus Passes: At the request of Council Member Tremaine, Council adopted a resolution requesting that Marin County Transit District begin a monthly bus pass fare system as expeditiously as possible.
  • Creek Road Bridge: Council heard a status report on the repair of Creek Road Bridge. The repair has been delayed while the Town receives the necessary environmental permitting documentation and approval from the State. Once the State signs off on the project, the bridge will be repaired to its pre-flood condition and will be open to all vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian use. The Council heard from many people who would like the bridge to remain closed to vehicles on a permanent basis in order to lessen traffic in the area, as well as from those who would like the bridge re-opened as soon as possible. The Town, in order to qualify for the repair funding of $500,000+, must repair and re-open the bridge to its pre-flood use. The issue of traffic calming in the area of Creek Road will be taken up separately by a subcommittee of Council Members Susan Brandborg and Lew Tremaine.
  • Countywide Plan: At the request of Mayor Bragman, the Council adopted a resolution supporting the strongest proposed environmental protections for stream conservation areas and the Baylands Corridor under the Marin Countywide Plan.
  • 300 Olema Flood project: Council heard an update on the 300 Olema flood mitigation project which is currently at a standstill while the Town further negotiates with the property owner on the project’s impacts.
  • Impervious Surface Runoff: At the request of Mayor Bragman, Council directed staff to formulate amendments to the Urban Runoff Pollution Prevention Program ordinance and the Zoning Code to encourage the use of permeable surfaces to decrease runoff into creeks and storm water drainage channels, in order to decrease the contribution to flooding.
  • Residential car washing: At the request of Council Member Brandborg, Council directed staff to draft an ordinance which would not allow residential car washing in the street or in driveways if the runoff would flow into storm drainage channels leading to the creek.

Due to the lateness of the hour, the following three items were carried over to our second meeting of the month on September 19th:

  • Adoption of Resolution No. 2499, a resolution of the Town Council outlining the policy for the selection of the Mayor and Vice Mayor by the Town Council, Weinsoff
  • Introduction and first reading of Ordinance No. 723 amending Ordinance No. 721 to permit the use of tandem parking in the residential second unit amnesty program, Brandborg
  • Update on Ross Valley Fire Board discussions with neighboring agencies, Maggiore