Blog #22- Council to meet on Budget, Measure F Extension

The Town Council will hold its regular Town Council meeting on July 1, 2009 beginning at 7:30 PM at the Women’s Club on Park Road to consider adoption of the proposed 2009/2010 Town Budget and to discuss extending Measure F another five years.

This is a very important meeting and the Council encourages all residents to attend. The budget portion of the meeting will entail an overview of the current economic climate and the possible actions of the State regarding the possible theft of seven percent of the Town’s revenue through the theft of gas tax revenues. This equates to about $212,000 each year. This money will not be repaid by the State. Public comment will then be invited on the proposed budget.

The Council will also consider and adopt placing on the ballot for voter approval the extension of Measure F which expires on June 30, 2010. Measure F represents $465,000 per year to the Town’s $6.7 million general fund budget. The ballot language will be asking for an extension at the same rate of $125 per dwelling unit and business occupancy per year for another five years. This is an extension of an existing property tax. The Town is not asking for any new or additional tax.

The Council encourages the public to comment on the decision to extend Measure F.

Other items for the July 1st Agenda:

• Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Town Attorney to cooperate with the League of California Cities as well as cities and counties in litigation challenging the constitutionality of any seizure by State government of HUTA funds (Gas Tax Funds)
  
• Consider Appeal of the Planning Commission’s denial of a request for a setback variance, a height variance, encroachment permit and a second unit use permit in order to construct a second unit underneath an existing three story, single-family residence and to construct parking for the second unit at 177 Frustuck Avenue
  
• Adopt a Resolution setting new fees for services as a result of the Master Fee Study including business license fees
  
• Second Reading and adoption of Ordinance 743 repealing and replacing Town Code Chapter 8.36 regulating the removal of trees
  
• Consider endorsing a pilot low income elderly and disabled cable discount
  
• Discussion and Approval of Redemption of Tax Delinquent Properties with Open Space Fund

Blog #21 – Council to Meet on Town Budget, Extension of Measure F

The Town Council will hold a Special Town Council meeting on June 20, 2009 from 9:00 AM-12 NOON at the Women’s Club on Park Road to discuss the proposed 2009/2010 Town Budget and to discuss the renewal of Measure F. This is a very important meeting and the Council encourages all residents to attend. The budget portion of the meeting will entail an overview of the current economic climate and the possible actions of the State regarding the possible theft of eight percent of the Town’s property tax revenues. This equates to about $268,000. Then each department head from the Town staff will present their budget. Public comment will then be invited on the proposed budget.

The second part of the meeting will be a discussion on the renewal of Measure F which expires on June 30, 2010. Measure F represents $465,000 per year to the Town’s $6.7 million general fund budget. There will be a presentation regarding the Town Budget and Measure F and then a discussion on the proposed ballot language for the extension of Measure F. The ballot language will be asking for an extension at the same rate of $125 per dwelling unit and business occupancy per year for another five years. This is an extension of an existing property tax. The Town is not asking for any new or additional tax.

I encourage the public to comment on the decision to renew Measure F.

Blog #20 Town Council Discusses "Art Houses of Marin” Emergency Siren for Cascades, Update of Tree Ordinance

The Town Council took the following actions at the June 3, 2009 meeting:

1. Heard a presentation from Executive Director Diane Linn of Ritter House on the installation of “Art Houses of Marin” at various locations in Fairfax for a period of two months to raise awareness of the homeless in Marin County. The Town Council will discuss the “Art Houses of Marin” again at the Regular Council meeting on July 1, 2009 and consider approving a licensing agreement with Ritter House

2. Heard a presentation from Jason Dow, General Manager for the Central Marin Sanitary Service regarding a proposed Food to Energy project.

3. Adopted a resolution finding that a severe fiscal hardship will exist if additional property tax funds are seized and additional unfunded mandates are adopted by the State.

4. Held introduction and first reading of an ordinance to repeal and replace Town Code 8.36 regulating the removal of trees

5. Heard a presentation from Sergeant Stuart Baker regarding the placement of an emergency siren in the Cascades at the Marin Municipal Water District water tower off of Bolinas Road and then authorized the purchase and installation of the siren

6. Approved a contract for Engineering Consultant Services with Coastland Engineering for preliminary and construction engineering on Federal Aid projects

7. Renewed Agreement with the Town Attorney for contractual legal services with the Town.

There will be a Special Town Council Meeting on Saturday, June 20th from 9-12 NOON at the Women's Club to discuss the draft Town Budget for fiscal year 2009/10 and a discussion to consider ballot language to renew Measure F –a Special Municipal Services Tax which expires on June 30, 2010. There will be a detailed power point presentation on the history of Measure F including what the Town has accomplished since the passage of Measure F and what the Town has done to keep its promise to the community to control spending and seek new revenues.

Blog #19 Town Council Meeting June 3rd

There is a Regular Town Council Meeting on June 3, 2009. Some items for discussion include:

• Interview and appointment of candidate to serve as the Fairfax representative to the Marin Commission on Aging for a three-year term to June 30, 2012

• Presentation by Ritter Center regarding their “Art Houses of Marin” project

• A presentation by Jason Dow, General Manager of the Central Marin Sanitation District regarding a proposal to create a food waste to energy project at the Central Marin Sanitation facility in San Rafael. Commercial food waste would be delivered by garbage haulers to the site and converted into energy.

• A First Reading of an Ordinance to repeal and replace Town Code Chapter 8.36 regulating the removal of trees

• Discussion and consideration of approving the purchase and installation of a siren for the Cascade neighborhood. The siren will alert residents of a fire, flood or other emergency.

• Discussion and consideration of amendments to the Tobacco Ordinance

• Report of the status of the General Plan Update and Specific Plan process
  

• Discussion and consideration of adopting Mission, Vision, and Core Values for the Town
  

For a complete agenda of the June 3, 2009 Town Council Meeting please click: http://www.townoffairfax.org/TownCouncil/TownCouncilPacket/

Blog # 18 Fairfax Festival Parade Seeks Entries

The Fairfax Festival is seeking entries for its 32nd annual Fairfax Parade, scheduled for 10 a.m. June 13.

Neighborhoods, families, classes, schools and groups of friends are invited to participate.

Applications, accepted until June 5, are available at www.fairfax festival.com.

Blog #17 - Town Council Actions from May 6, 2009 Meeting

The Town Council met on May 6, 2009, and discussed a number of issues including agreeing to send a letter to the Marin-Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District urging them to preserve the “No-Spray List”. The District recently decided to not preserve the “No-Spray List”. The Council agreed to send a letter to the District urging them to preserve the list and include all Fairfax residents on the “No-Spray List”.

The Council also received an update from Planning and Building Services Director Jim Moore on the progress of updating the General Plan. There are several Elements of the General Plan that will be before the Council in the next few months. They are the Circulation Element and the Conservation Element.

Other actions taken by the Council include:

1. Re-appointed Holly Bragman to a three year term on the Fairfax Volunteer Board

2. Appointed Lana Pereyaslavska to a three-year term on the Fairfax Volunteer Board

3. Received a presentation from the League of Women Voters regarding proposed Campaign Finance Reform

4. Adopted a resolution commending the Ross Valley Fire Department for hosting the Fire Explorer Training Program

5. Adopted a resolution authorizing the Artists-in Residence to renew the mural at Central Field

6. Approved an Agreement with Camille Esposito to establish children’s recreational programming in Fairfax. Program ideas include arts and science, sports, music, dance, a New Mom’s Group, and special events.

7. Received a report from the Affordable Housing Committee on two potential sites in Town with willing property owners. There will be more information to come on this item. The town is in an exploratory mode right now.

8. Adopted a resolution authorizing participation in the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Grant Application Process for partial funding for a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle purchase through the Federal Economic Stimulus monies

Other Notes:

The Fairfax Farmer’s Market has started up again. It is every Wednesday from 4-8 PM in Bolinas Park. There is a lot of great and fresh food, live music, and informational booths. The Town installed a bike rack for use while visiting the Farmer's Market at the far end of Bolinas Park by the Fairfax Creek (near where the bounce house is during the Market).

The Fairfax Festival and Ecofest is June 13-14

The next Town Council Meeting will be held on June 3, 2009.

Blog #16 - Big Grant Award to Town, Solar Panels to be Installed on Pavilion

FIRE GRANT AWARDED TO TOWN

The Town has been granted $168,831 in funding from the USDA Forest Service! Our Fire Hazardous Fuel Reduction grant proposal was one of 397 grant proposals this year requesting a total of $70 million. The grant covers environmental consultation, promotion development, professional services, project management, photo monitoring, and contract administration. We can expect actual funding to be available sometime between July and November of this year, so the program will likely start next spring. Town staffer Yvonne Roberts wrote the grant application and so hats off to her for securing this important grant. Town staff look forward to working with the Ross Valley Fire Department on brush clearing projects and educational and promotional activities that will make our Town less vulnerable to a major wild fire.

SOLAR PANELS BEING INSTALLED ON PAVILION ROOF

The installation of solar panels on the Pavilion roof has begun. SPG Solar won a competitive bid to construct the panels on the Pavilion roof. Nearly all of the SPG staff live in Fairfax! Soon the Pavilion, Town Hall, the Police and Fire Stations will all be solar powered!! The Fairfax Theater is the first theater in the United States to go solar! Congratulations to Fairfax for leading the way in energy efficiency and reducing the carbon footprint.

Blog #15 - Fairfax Volunteers

The Fairfax Volunteers will sponsor a Spring Cleaning at Peri Park Playground on Saturday, May 2nd from 9:30am-12:00pm. It has been a while since the last Peri Park Clean Up. Please come lend a hand spreading a new delivery of fresh sand and give our park a spring cleaning! They will be shoveling, scrubbing, painting, and picking up garbage. Once again, the Department of Parks and Recreation will be supplying refreshments for all of the Volunteers. Hope you can join the Volunteers! Please bring shovels and rock rakes (labeled with your name) to help spread the sand. If you have questions please call 457-3945.

The park's water feature will be arriving any day now!

Also, mark your calendars for the Town Picnic, Sunday, September 20, 2009.

The Volunteer Board has an opening so if you are interested in serving the Town of Fairfax please apply. This is a dedicated group of Fairfax residents who have improved the quality of life for all residents through their many projects including the trail markings, cleaning Peri Park and the Town Picnic. Applications are available at Town Hall or on-line at http://www.town-of-fairfax.org/BoardsandCommissions/boards%20and%20commissions%20app.pdf

Blog #14 - License Your Dog

Please License Your Dog Today

In addition to its role as Marin County’s animal shelter, the Marin Humane Society provides dog-licensing services for all of Marin County’s cities and towns, as well as its unincorporated areas. Dog licenses are required by law for all dogs over the age of four months who live in Marin County.

For more information about licensing your pet, call (415) 506-6220 or visit The Marin Humane Society Animal Services web page.

Why is it important for you to get your dog licensed?

􀂾 If your dog gets lost, a license tag on your dog’s collar is the fastest way to reunite you and your dog. Even if your dog is micro chipped, a license tag is immediately visible and doesn’t require a scanning device to read;

􀂾 A current license lets people know that your dog has received the required vaccination to protect your dog from rabies;

􀂾 The fee you pay for your dog license and license renewal helps support the animal shelter;

􀂾 Your dog’s license shows that you are a responsible guardian;

􀂾 Licensing your dog IS THE LAW in Marin County.

Blog #13 - New Recycling Carts to be Delivered to Fairfax Residents and Businesses

Marin Sanitary will begin delivery of the new recycling cart in the Town on Monday, April 6th. They are currently set to deliver carts to customers according to the following schedule:

Monday, April 6th, All residents with Monday or Friday pickup,
Tuesday, April 7th, All residents with Tuesday pickup,
Wednesday, April 8th, All residents with Wednesday pickup,
Thursday, April 9th, All residents and businesses with Thursday pickup.

Delivery will commence at 7:00 AM and should take around 8 hours each day. Marin Sanitary hired a professional delivery company that does nothing but deliver carts so I am anticipating a smooth operation.

An informational flyer on how to use the recycling carts will be posted to each cart. If you have any questions or need any information please call Marin Sanitary at 415-456-2601.

Blog #12 - Council Discusses Town Center Element

Town Council Actions –April 1, 2009 Meeting

The Town Council took the following actions at the April 1, 2009 meeting:

1. Approved the 7th Annual Fairfax Car Show scheduled for September 13, 2009 and authorized the closure of the Parkade and a portion of Broadway.

2. Approved a Proclamation in recognition of the Police Dispatchers

3. Approved a Proclamation for Arlen Philpott acknowledging his contributions to the community

4. Adopted Resolution No. 09-24 (on a 3-1-1 vote) urging President Obama to chart a New Course for Columbia.

5. Received a report from the Planning Department on the status of the General Plan Update and the Specific Plan process.

6. The Council discussed and reviewed the Town Center Element of the General Plan. The Town Center Element will return to the Council for more discussion as will all the other required elements of the General Plan.

7. The Council approved the agreement with the Marin Farmers Market to hold the Farmers Market in Fairfax each Wednesday beginning on May 6th and ending on September 30th from 4-8 PM at Bolinas Park.

The next Town Council Meeting will be held on May 6, 2009.

Blog #11 Fairfax Has A Lot to Offer in April

10TH ANNUAL FAIRFAX FILM FESTIVAL - APRIL 3-5

The Fairfax Documentary Film Festival kicks off its 10th year on April 3rd beginning at 7:30 PM. The Festival will take place at the Fairfax Theatre on Broadway. You can buy tickets on-line or at Fairfax Theatre. For more information about tickets call the Fairfax Theatre at 453-5444.

SPRING FAMILY SWAP MEET - APRIL 4TH

The first ever Spring Family Swap Meet will take place on April 4th in the Fairfax Pavilion from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. This new event has been created to invite families throughout the Ross Valley to bring their children's clothing and kids gear to sell. Spaces will be rented in the Pavilion for $15 each. Fifty percent of all the net revenues will be returned to the Town's recreational budget to build more money for park and recreational programs. For more information call 323-893-7361.

EASTER EGG HUNT - APRIL 11TH

Fairfax's annual Easter Egg Hunt will take place in Bolinas Park at 10:00 AM on Saturday, April 11th. Music will be provided by James K. and will take place rain or shine. This event is sponsored by the Fairfax Park and Recreation Commission. For more information please call 456-5652.

CAKE DECORATING CONTEST - APRIL19

Calling all aspiring Cake Artists!! The Artist in Residence team of Sam and Shoshana Perry are hosting a Cake Art Competition on Sunday, April 19th from 12 Noon -4:00 PM at the Fairfax Pavilion. Admission is free and open to the public. Bring your kids and decorate cup-cakes while viewing the creations of our CAKE ARTISTS. Special prizes and you can help eat all of the cakes after!! Cake artists must complete decorating their cakes before they bring them to the Pavilion. No previous cake are experience is necessary. Donations will be accepted for the Artist in Residence Program. For more information call Sam or Shoshana at 302-2558 or 302-2559. Click on the image below for the Cake Artist Competition Guidelines.

FAIRFAX FESTIVAL - JUNE 13-14

This year's Festival is set for June 13-14, 2009.Information on participation is now included on each section's page, so if you would like to be a part of the festival this year, go to the page for what you do, i.e. Art, Parade, etc, and you can find out how to apply. Festival web link is: http://www.fairfaxfestival.com/index.html

Blog #10 - Lottery for Affordable Housing Units

2 NEWLY-BUILT STUDIOS IN SAN ANSELMO AVAILABLE FOR FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS

Ready to move into a new residence? Marin Housing is pleased to announce the upcoming sale of 2 Below-Market-Rate (BMR) studios in San Anselmo.

These 2 newly constructed units are on the ground floor with no steps.

These studios are two out of eight condos under construction on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard opposite Butterfield Road, near Fairfax/San Anselmo junction: 500 square foot studio, one bathroom, one parking space at $225,500 each.

Please see attachment above if you are interested in applying for the lottery drawing.

Blog #9 Neighborhood Electric Vehicles

What are NEVs?

Neighborhood electric vehicles (NEVs) are compact, one to four-passenger vehicles powered by rechargeable batteries and electric motors. NEVs are designed for drivers traveling short distances at slow speeds where traffic, parking, and air pollution may be concerns. An NEV is a cost-effective solution to these problems because it is more compact than a conventional vehicle, requiring less space to park and less space on the road. An NEV is a zero emission vehicle and produces no tailpipe or evaporative emissions, and it can recharge by simply plugging into a standard 110-volt outlet.

Is an NEV the Right Choice for You?

Much of the daily travel that occurs in the United States consists of single occupant cars driving short distances on local roads at speeds below 35mph. The cars and trucks that most Americans use to drive these short distances are designed to carry several passengers, haul significant loads, and travel at speeds of 55 mph or greater. If your daily travel consists of a short commute to work or school, or minor trips to run errands or pick up groceries, an NEV may be the right choice for you. Imagine dropping the kids of at school at White Hill, stopping at the grocery store in downtown Fairfax, and running to San Rafael to do a few errands all in an affordable, quiet, zero emissions vehicle.

Where can I drive my NEV?

NEVs are legal on all streets where the posted speed limit is 35 MPH or less in the same travel lane as cars. They are legal where posted speed limits are over 35 MPH only where a special 7 foot dedicated lane of travel is available. This means that NEVs are legal in the entire Town of Fairfax and much of the Ross Valley on all existing streets!! The law requires all NEVs to have seat belts, headlights, blinkers, and most of the devices for being street legal. An "NEV Route" sign will be installed on selected streets in Fairfax. For more information on NEVs please link to http://info.sen.ca.gov/pub/03-04/bill/asm/ab_2351-2400/ab_2353_cfa_20040625_152628_sen_comm.html

Town Council Support

The Town Council, at its February 4, 2009 Town Council Meeting directed staff to promote and encourage the use of NEVs in Fairfax. Specifically, I promised the Council I would post information on the Town Manager Blog. There will also be information sent to all media outlets.

NEV Benefits:
· Emissions: Although some pollutants may be generated in electricity production, NEVs are zero emission vehicles, meaning they produce no tailpipe or evaporative emissions that contribute to air pollution and global warming.
· Traffic: NEVs are smaller and take up less space on the road, so they help reduce traffic congestion.
· Price: At an average of 2-3 cents per kilowatt-hour, the cost of operation is considerably less then gasoline.
Facts:
· Speed: On average, the "true" Neighborhood electric cars go 20-25 mph, with a few capable of speeds up to 35 mph. The three-wheeled enclosed "city cars" go up to 45 mph.
· Street Legal: It's okay to drive it on all 35mph posted streets (everywhere within Fairfax city limits)
· Safety: All Street Legal brands of NEV’s meet the National Highway Traffic Safety Association’s safety requirements, and while crash tests show that when collisions are concerned, size does matter, the heavy batteries located on the bottom of the NEV’s tend to keep them upright during collisions, and in car to car collision tests, safety measures in place such as internal impact bars hold up well.
· Charging: They plug into a standard 110v outlet (like the one where you plug in your toaster, for example), although there are 220v options (your clothes dryer) for most of them so you can recharge them quicker. Generally it takes 6-8 hours to recharge them using 110v, and half that on 220v.
· Operating Costs: NEV’s are affordable to operate, on average, it costs 2 to 3 cents a mile
· Purchase Price: Price varies considerably depending on model and options selected, but the price range for new NEV’s is $7000 - $35,000 with most vehicles somewhere between $10,000 and $12,000. There is also a booming used market for NEV’s with significant savings to the consumer.
· Tax Credits: The federal tax credit is back! On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed a bill allocating $5 billion for electric car tax credits. All electric vehicles, including 3 and 4 wheel NEV’s are eligible for tax credit of 10% of the purchase price! More information about Tax credits available at http://www.pluginamerica.org/

Types of Neighborhood Electric Vehicles
There are many manufactures and types of NEV’s, and as demand continues to grow, more and more will become available. The following is a list of the current most popular brands, and their closets dealers.

American Custom Golf Carts:

American Custom golf carts specializes in luxury and custom NEV’s. They make everything from the latest 2009 Cadillac Escalade, customizable, and available in 3 colors to, a vintage style California Roadster, to a Hummer H3. Prices range from $9,000 to $25,000 depending on the model and options. More information available at http://www.californiaroadster.com/

Closest Dealer:
Mini Rods
2840 Broadway
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 251-9510
http://www.minirods.com/


Columbia PARCAR

Available in two models, the Columbia Eagle and Summit, and in configurations for two or four passengers, Columbia NEV’s will move you, your friends, your family, and your stuff anywhere you want to go. The Eagle’s 48-volt system is truly unique; instead of the six 8-volt batteries most of our competitors use, Columbia vehicles use eight 6-volt batteries which provides extended run time and better hill climbing ability, in recent independent testing against leading competitors, Columbia’s 48-volt system out-ran them all. Prices range from $9,500 to $12,000. More information available at www.parcar.com/

Closest Dealer:
George Stark Golf Cars
8131 Alpine Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95826
916-453-1925
http://www.starkgolfcars.com/

Dynasty Neighborhood Electric Vehicles

Dynasty NEV’s offer 5 models, all of which have an aluminum frame with chassis made of molded fiberglass. They are powered by flooded lead-acid batteries with an optional choice of Dekaw gel cell batteries, and are recharged with an on board Delta-Q battery charger, which takes about 12 hours. Dynasty NEV’s range in price from $14,000 to $25,000. More information available at http://www.itiselectric.com/

Closest Dealer:
The Electric Car Company of Long Beach
(866) 969-4545
http://www.ecarco.com/dynasty/dynasty.html

Global Electric Motorcars (GEM)

Global Electric Motorcars is part of the Chrysler group and is the market leader in NEVs. With a top speed of 25 mph, GEM cars have a range of up to 30 miles on a charge and are great for traveling around neighborhoods, city centers or job sites. GEM offers 3 car style models able to carry from 2 – 6 passengers. GEM vehicles are battery-electric, operate on a 72-volt battery system and plug into a standard 110-volt outlet. They have many other customizable, optional extras, making them a very flexible vehicle. They are very keenly priced, ranging from approximately $7500 to $13,500. More information available at http://www.gemcar.com/

Closest Dealer:
San Francisco Chrysler Jeep GEM
475 South Van Ness Ave
San Francisco CA 94103
Phone: 415-431-3892
http://www.sfcjg.com/

The Kurrent

Produced by the American Electric Vehicle Company, the Kurrent is approved to drive up to 35 miles per hour, and is powered by four 12-volt lead-gel sealed batteries forming a 48-volt system. When fully charged, the Kurrent can drive for 35 to 40 miles, depending on your personal driving habits. To recharge, simply plug the Kurrent’s conveniently stowed power cord into any standard 110-volt outlet, if the battery is completely empty it takes 8 hours to recharge. Prices start at $9,800. More information available at, http://www.getkurrent.com/home.html

Closest dealer:
Green Car Company
1129 8th St. Kirkland WA 98034.
http://www.thegreencarco.com/

Zap Car:

Technically not a NEV, but a motor scooter because of its unique 3 wheel design; ZAP has been a world leader for electric and advanced technology vehicles since 1994. Zap makes 6 models ranging from utilitarian to sporty; four of their vehicles use their unique 3-wheel design, and the Xebra Zero is fitted with a solar panel on its roof! ZAP is currently the only neighborhood electric vehicle on the market capable of sustaining speeds over 35 MPH. Prices range from $11,500 - $35,000. More information available at http://www.zapworld.com/

Closest Dealer:
ZAP of Marin
5784 Paradise Drive
Corte Madera, CA 94925
(415) 924-0327
http://www.zapmarin.com/


ZENN (Zero Emissions No Noise)

The Zenn is a very normal looking 4-wheeler, hatchback, which carries two passengers. It has a comfortable interior and high performance engine with regenerative braking. It is basically a high-spec Neighborhood Electric Vehicle that looks and feels like a normal car. Its maximum speed is 25 miles per hour, has a range of 30-34 miles and works off lead-acid batteries. They can be 80% recharged in only three hours. Price ranges from $11,000 to $13,000. More information available at http://www.zenncars.com/

Closest Dealer:
EcoMotors, LLC
1270 Petaluma Blvd. North
Petaluma, California
94952
Tel: 707-778-2055
http://www.ecomotors.biz/

Blog #8 Council Actions from the March 4, 2009 Town Council Meeting

· Heard a progress report from Larry Kennings, Acting Planning and Building Services Director regarding the General Plan Update process and the site specific planning process

· Adopted Resolution No. 09-18 granting a driveway variance for a project located at 15 Acacia Road and adopted the required findings for this variance.
· Proclaimed March as Fair Housing Month

· Adopted Resolution No. 09-19 approving changes to the current parking bail schedule to recover increased State fees under SB 1407

· Adopted Resolution No. 09-21 supporting the Federal Economic Stimulus project of repaving Sir Francis Drake from June Court to the western Town Limits

· Council was presented the mid-year budget review. All in all, considering the state of the state and national economies, the Town is holding its own. Revenues are what were projected back in July and in some cases higher than projected (1.5% higher than projected property tax revenues) and there have been very few foreclosures in Fairfax and very few delinquent payments on property taxes. Planning and building permit fees are down 20% due to the slowdown in remodeling and home improvements. Projections for next year show a much slower rate of growth for property tax and sales tax revenues which will require the Town slow down its spending compared to previous years. The Council accepted the mid-year budget report.

· Adopted Resolution No. 09-08 adopting guidelines for the placement of surface mounted utility facilities in the public right-of-way (AT&T Boxes)

· Adopted Resolution No. 09-20 vesting the authority to appoint, remove or demote department heads in the Town Manager with the exception of the Police Chief which will still require Town Council ratification.

The next scheduled Town Council Meeting will be April 1, 2009.

Blog #7 Help for Creekside Property Owners in Fairfax

The letter below was sent to all creekside property owners in the Flood Control and Water Conservation District in the Ross Valley. I encourage all creekside property owners to get involved with this program as its goal is to secure all creekside properties with a streamside management plan for the long term future.

February, 2009

Dear Creekside Landowner,

The Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District is launching a new
streamside management program to assist landowners with severe erosion
problems on their creekside property. The “Streamside Management Plan for
Landowners (SMPL)” is part of the comprehensive effort launched by Supervisor
Hal Brown, the Flood Control District, and the Department of Public Works to build a
long-term, flood damage reduction program in the Ross Valley.

The District has contracted with the Urban Creeks Council (UCC), a nonprofit
headquartered in Berkeley, www.urbancreeks.org, for the SMPL. They will
provide free consultations with private property owners who need assistance in
determining erosion control measures for their creekside properties. This contract
will fund consultations for at least 50 properties. UCC will assist in identifying the
causes of the problem and recommend appropriate solutions. In some cases, UCC
may also be able to assist with design and permitting of repair work as well.

In order to take part in this program, you can fill out an application online at
the website for the Ross Valley Watershed program, www.rossvalleywatershed.org.
Follow the link on the opening page of the website. To make this application form
easier, we have built in a list of creekside property owners in the Ross Valley that
will automatically fill in your property information once you enter your address or
parcel number (APN). If you find that your property does not show up after that, you
can call the program manager at 415-499-3051 who will provide a printed
application by fax or email. If you do not use the internet, you can pick up an
application at the Civic Center, Room 304 or at one of the town halls in the Ross
Valley.

Once applications are received, they will be reviewed and prioritized and site
visits will be scheduled. UCC expects to begin site visits in April/May 2009.
We encourage you to take advantage of this program and participate in the
Ross Valley flood damage reduction effort.

If you have any questions, please call the program manager at 415-499-
3051.

Sincerely,
Farhad Mansourian
Director

Blog #6 - Emergency Preparedness Class Available

Earthshaking class. Would you know what to do for; yourself, your family and your neighbors?

Central Marin CERT is offering an emergency preparedness course involving light search and rescue, hands on fire control, disaster first aid and much more.. including how to be organized before, during and after a disaster.

The 3-day course starts Thursday evening February 19th, 6:30 to 9:30 @ The Corte Madera Council Chambers. The next two classes will be held on Saturday Feb 21, and 28, 9am. to 4pm. They will be held at College of Marin, Room TB-1. For more information please call 927-5077 or go to http://www.rossvalleyfire.org/.

Blog #5 Community Pulls Together to Save 19 Broadway

We are reminded that a fire could strike anywhere and anytime. 19 Broadway, which has been open every single day since October 17, 1979 will be closed today to clean up after the fire. Fortunately they have something to clean up. Thanks to the quick thinking employees of 19 Broadway, The Fairfax Inn, Sleeping Lady and firefighters from all over the bay area the building structure was saved. There will be extensive repairs and renovations, but 19 Broadway will re-open tomorrow (Tuesday, February 10th).

My sincere thanks to all the firefighters who saved 19 Broadway, an important landmark in Fairfax.

Blog #4 Council Action-February 4, 2009 Town Council Meeting

· Mayor David Weinsoff announced vacancies on various Town Committees and Commissions.

· The Council interviewed and appointed Peter Lacques and Peter Ramsay to the Planning Commission for a four year term. The Council also interviewed and appointed Brad Widelock to the Measure F Committee.

· Adopted Resolution 09-02 establishing the “Gadfly Bench” in honor of Stan Schriebman. The bench is located by the Women’s Club front entrance and has a plaque affixed to it that says “Gadfly Bench in Honor of Stan Schriebman”.

· Adopted Resolution 09-13 authorizing temporary closure to certain streets for the Little League Opening Day Parade on March 21, 2009.

· Awarded a construction contract to SPG Solar in an amount not to exceed $228,578 to install solar panels on the Pavilion.

· Council heard an oral report from Larry Kennings, Acting Planning Director regarding the concept of a sit specific plan and possible boundaries for a site specific plan. After some discussion the Council gave direction to staff to pursue funding for the preparation of a site specific plan and related CEQA work through possible foundation and other private grants.

· Council reviewed and approved a conceptual plan for Bolinas Road sidewalk and landscaping improvements from Broadway to Elsie. The Plan will be reviewed by the Design Review Board on February 11th at 7:30 PM in the Women’s Club. It will return to the Town Council for final approval on March 4th.

· Discussed and considered an agreement with the Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and Vector Control District to limit spraying in the Town of Fairfax.

· Adopted Ordinance 737 reenacting the Second Unit Amnesty Program for a one year period. The Ordinance has been simplified which hopefully will result in more property owners coming forward to apply for the amnesty.

· Adopted Ordinance 741 between the Town and PERS to change the contract agreement with PERS which will allow for a two tiered retirement system for police officers. New hires will receive 3% at 55 while current officers receive 3% at 50. The change will save the Town about $20,000 per year per employee.

· Heard a report from the Town Manager regarding the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Program and gave direction to the Manager to promote the use of NEVs in Fairfax and provide the public information on where to purchase NEVs and the rules and regulations related to NEVs. A future Town Manager Blog will cover this issue in detail.

· Council agreed to explore holding a spring brush clearing brigade. Fairfax Volunteers will work cooperatively with the Ross Valley Fire Department and the Public Works Department to organize a brush clearing day by the spring.

Blog #3 - Rain is Welcomed

It is great to see the rain coming down. It is much needed and is not coming down too hard to cause any problems.

The forecast is predicting more rain through the middle of next week. Please be sure to remove leaves from your roof gutters and drains. Our public works staff has cleaned the storm drains throughout the Town. If you see any public storm drains that are plugged up please call Public Works at 453-2587.

Blog #2 - Council Action from January 14, 2009 Town Council Meeting

· Mayor David Weinsoff announced vacancies on various Town Committees and Commissions.

· The Council interviewed and appointed Mallory Geitheim to the Design Review Board for a full three year term ending January 31, 2012.

· The Mayor presented a resolution to Police Chief Ken Hughes for 30 years of exemplary service to the Town as a sworn officer and Police Chief. Police Chief Ken Hughes has been with the Town for more than 37 years.

· Acting Planning and Building Services Director Larry Kennings gave a presentation to the Council on what a Site Specific Plan is and where its application may be beneficial to the Town. The Council directed staff to bring the issue back to the February 4th Council meeting for further discussion of where a site specific plan may work in Fairfax.

· Council adopted Resolution 09-03 to approve an agreement with W-Trans for the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program Parkade Circulation Study.

· Council adopted Resolution 09-05 expressing gratitude and support for the Marin Stables and Trails

· Council joined over 400 communities nationwide in endorsing the “Empowering Local Government Climate Action: Blueprint for President Obama and the 111th Congress”. The endorsement includes encouraging the federal government to enact a national climate policy, an economic recovery policy that creates green jobs and implement clean energy policies that reduce energy use by 30 percent by 2025 and provide for 25 percent of the nation’s power come from renewable energy by 2025.

· The Council conducted a first reading and public hearing of Ordinance 737 Reenacting the Second Unit Amnesty Program for a One-Year period. The Council will conduct a second reading and consider adopting the Ordinance at the February 4th Council Meeting.

· The Council adopted Resolution 09-07 approving a garbage and recycling service rate increase beginning April 1, 2009. The rate will go from $18.20/month to $21.84/month in the flat areas. Residents can opt to have a smaller 20-gallon container and reduce their bill by the same amount of the rate increase. The increase covers the cost of new dual sort carts that will be rolled out to customers in April or May. There has only been one small rate increase in Fairfax in the last eight years and that increase was to add a fee to the bill for a road impact fee.

· The Council voted to approve a request from Council Member Maggiore to be excused from Town Council Meetings through March 25, 2009 due to a health condition.

· The Council heard from the Shared Services Committee (Members Brandborg and Tremaine) and from the Police Chief regarding the possible consolidation of police dispatch services for the Towns of Fairfax and San Anselmo. The Council directed staff on a 3-1 vote to do nothing further on the consolidation of police dispatch services. Mayor Weinsoff dissented. The 24 hour dispatch operation at Town Hall will remain as is.

· The Council appointed Vice Mayor Tremaine as the Town representative on the Marin Energy Authority Board of Director’s. They also appointed Council Member Bragman as the alternate.

· The Council adopted Resolution 09-12 approving construction of a pedestrian and bicycle parking bulb-out on Broadway near Scoops Ice Cream Shop.

Blog #1 - Update on FEMA Projects

Happy New Year to all! I will re-number my blogs each new year. My goal is to write about 50 blogs per year. I fell a little short of that in 2008. It was quite a busy year. Many of you may be wondering what is going on with the FEMA projects the Town requested more than two and a half years ago. Well, here are some answers:

As you may recall, the Town identified a number of projects to be funded by FEMA after the December 31, 2005 floods. Town staff have been working with FEMA and state officials since the beginning of 2006 to have critical repairs funded. Here is an update of the status of the final outstanding projects:

Creek Road Bridge –The project is complete. The bridge reopened December 1, 2008. The bridge was stabilized with the installation of five 6" pipe piles 55'deep. The cost of this project was $409,000.

Glen Dr Culvert –This project was finally approved by FEMA for $112,000. This project involves replacing part of the pipe and improving the culvert that runs under Sir Francis Drake to Glen Drive. Construction will start after July 15, 2009.

Peri Park Pedestrian Bridge – This project was finally approved for $126,000. We are moving forward on acquiring all necessary environmental permitting. This project involves replacing the bridge that collapsed during the December 31, 2005 flood event. Construction will start after July 15, 2009.

Tennis Courts – This project was finally approved for $427,000. This project involves stabilizing the bank in an environmentally sensitive way so that the Tennis Courts do not slough into the creek. Construction will start after July 15, 2009.

Cascade Dr Culvert – This project is funded for $6,241 to cover only the placement of rip rap. The Town requested $100,000 to cover the culvert replacement, road repaving, environmental permits, and biologic assessment. The Town has appealed the decision to only fund the rip rap.

Pastori Outfall Pipe – This project was finally funded for $55,000. This project involves replacing the existing outfall pipe and installing a new larger pipe to accommodate the new 48 inch storm drain pipe that is being installed on Pastori Ave. Construction on the outfall pipe may begin after July 15, 2009.

The total dollar amount of these 6 projects is: $1,135,241. The five remaining projects will be under construction this summer.

Nearly all of the credit goes to Town staffer Yvonne Roberts, Management Analyst, who has worked tirelessly to get FEMA to fund these projects at the appropriate level. Had she not been very persistent and read the FEMA letters carefully we could have ended up with considerably less money or no project to construct. Thank You Yvonne!

Blog #41 - Foreclosure Resources

As the reality of home foreclosures hits Marin County with increasing frequency I thought it would be a good public service to list some resources:

FORECLOSURE RESOURCES
- A list of housing counseling agencies can be found on the Department of Housing and Urban Development Web site at www.hud.gov. Click on the "Avoid Foreclosure" link.

- Home ownership Preservation Foundation at 1-888-995-HOPE (4673) or www.995hope.com

- Operation Hope at 1-877-592-HOPE or www.operationhope.org

- Consumer Credit Counseling Services of San Francisco at 1-800-777-7526 or www.housingeducation.org

- Housing Rights Inc. at 800-261-2298 or www.housingrights.org

- Marin Family Action at 444-0915 or www.marinfamilyaction.org

- Fair Housing of Marin at 457-5025 or www.fairhousingmarin.com

This information came from an Independent Journal Article published on Sunday, December 28th. For the full article go to the following: http://www.marinij.com/marinnews/ci_11323224

Blog #40 Special Events in Fairfax

2008 New Year's Eve Enchanted Ball

The 2008 New Year's Eve Enchanted Ball will be held at the Pavilion on December 31st from 7 PM-Midnight. This is fun for the entire family! Includes a Live Theatre Performance and dancing, cabaret, games, prizes and more. There will be great music, great surprises, and great food. Dress up as your favorite character! Adults are $10 and Kids $7.50 Kids Under Five are FREE!!!


2nd Annual Ice Skating Event

The Second Annual Ice Skating Event will take place on January 3-4 at the Pavilion from 12-5 PM each day. Tickets go on sale at 11:30 AM both days so come early to reserve your half an hour on the ice. Brought to you by the Fairfax Parks and Recreation Commission. Adults are $3 and Kids are $2 each. Hot chocolate and games will be available.

Blog #39-Use of Roundup on Center Blvd. Landscape Areas

On December 4, 2008, residents passing by the Post Office on Center Boulevard noticed employees of Cohen Landscaping applying round-up in the landscaped planters. Kathy Wilkie, Public Works Director, was notified of the transgression of the Town’s Pesticide Free ordinance and immediately directed the contractor to cease and desist from any further pesticide use.

Ms. Wilkie was informed by the contractor that an unlicensed pesticide applicator of Cohen Landscaping did apply Roundup as approved under the construction contract for the Center Boulevard project. Cohen Landscaping is a subcontractor of Ghilotti Brothers, Inc, and is responsible for maintaining the newly planted landscaping for the duration of the one-year warranty period. The Town will issue, by tomorrow, a letter declaring their actions a public nuisance (the first offense penalty per Chapter 8.52.110 of the Town Code relating to Pesticides). The State of California is investigating the matter and has the authority to issue penalties, including fines to Cohen Landscaping for being unlicensed and violating safety procedures during the spraying.

How did this happen in a Town so committed to environmental sustainability? The public deserves an explanation of the circumstances and what actions will be taken to prevent this from occurring in the future.

What happened? When the plans and specifications were prepared in 2007 they included standard language for weed abatement that allows the use of herbicides. However, Fairfax has more rigid restrictions that were not included in the documents. The Town staff and Council approved the plans, and specifications believing that the documents included the Fairfax restrictions.

What will prevent this from occurring in the future? New language has been incorporated in the contract specifications to strictly prohibit the use of pesticides. The Town ordinance restricting the use of herbicides and pesticides will be attached to all contract documents and these documents will become the standard specifications for all future capital improvement projects in Fairfax.

The Town sincerely apologizes for this illegal action and will ensure this does not occur in the future.

Blog #38 Council Action from December 3, 2008 Meeting

The Town Council took the following actions at the December 3rd Meeting:

• Mayor Maggiore announced the Town Council agreed to join the Amicus Brief in opposition to the passage of Proposition 8 on the November 4, 2008 ballot.
• Brownie Scouts addressed the Council and called to action to fight the Climate Change in response to ICLEI request. Several brownies in uniform were present with two mothers as part of a “Cool the Earth” project and requested the support of the Council and the audience to participate by agreeing to update lights to “twisty bulbs,” to use cold water to wash clothes, to “Power Down” by turning off home electronics that use electricity even when they are turned off; to reduce junk mail; and to use reusable bottles.
• Resident Jory Prum reported that daily, weekly and monthly bus passes would be available early in 2009; extended congratulations to the Council for getting Creek Road Bridge open; asked when the footbridge behind Town Hall would be open; and expressed concern about the danger to pedestrians of motorists not stopping at crosswalks, especially on Sir Francis Drake; and suggested that the police department conduct a pedestrian sting operation as had been done in San Rafael, to help make pedestrians safer. Public Works Director Wilkie responded that the pedestrian bridge was on the list of FEMA projects and that it was currently planned to be completed by July of 2009. Chief Hughes responded to the suggestion of a pedestrian sting operation and stated that the Fairfax department was considering such an operation.
• Pam Meigs, Planning Commission Chair, and Mimi Newton, Open Space Committee Chair, presented Mayor Maggiore with a redwood sapling for her hard work and commitment to the Town.
• The Town Council voted unanimously to appoint Vice Mayor Weinsoff as Mayor.
• Newly appointed Mayor Weinsoff presented a gavel plaque with a quote from J. F. Kennedy to outgoing Mayor Maggiore.
• The Council appointed Michael Ardito to the Open Space Committee to complete an unexpired term to June 30, 2012.
• Council approved the purchase of electric bicycles. Police Chief Hughes presented the staff report, the company spokesman Rob Fruechtenicht answered questions from the Council regarding the electric bicycles and Officer Rodriquez demonstrated the vehicle.

The next regular Town Council Meeting has been changed to January 14, 2009.

Blog #37 - Lots to be Thankful for in Fairfax

Dear Fairfax:

We have heard the stories of foreclosures and layoffs. We also have seen the bankruptcy of a major California city and heard the struggles of many cities and counties across California and the nation regarding the dramatic decrease in property and sales tax revenues.

Despite all the doom and gloom news we are very fortunate in Fairfax. Sales tax revenues are unchanged from last year thus far and the Town is confident the sales tax projections in the FY 2008/09 budget will be met. The Town will receive the first installment of property taxes on December 10th and will also have a mid-year budget review for the Town Council in February of 2009 so we may review the revenues and expenditures to date and make sure that we are on target to balance the budget.

Town finance officials were very conservative in their revenue estimates and so far that is paying off. There have been only a few foreclosures in Fairfax over the last 12 months and so again we are very fortunate compared to what many cities are facing. Part of our fortune is that we do not rely heavily on sales taxes as some cities do. Sales tax revenues only represent about seven percent of our revenue stream. In times of economic downturn sales tax revenues are the first to decrease. Property tax revenues are fairly constant as long as there are not foreclosures, so again we are very fortunate.

Please be reminded there is a Town Council Meeting on December 3rd and the Council will be selecting a new Mayor and Vice Mayor and there will be a State of the Town adress by outgoing Mayor Maggiore. To view the full agenda please go to the Town's Home Page www.townoffairfax.org and then click of Council Packet.

I hope the Holiday Season in filled with peace and happiness for all of you.

Michael Rock
Town Manager

Blog #36 November 4, 2008 Election now Official

The County of Marin certified the November 4, 2008 Election today. The results are now official.

Measure C (Plastic Bag Initiative) passed overwhelmingly by the following vote:

Yes 3705 (78.51%)
No 1014 (21.49%)

Measure D (Appointment of Town Clerk failed by a very thin margin:

No 2064 (50.93%)
Yes 1989 (49.07%)

A total of 4719 Fairfaxians voted on election day!!

A reminder to all residents that Town Offices will be closed November 27 and 28 and December 24 and 25 and January 1, 2009 for the holidays.

Blog #35 Town Council Action - November 19, 2008 Meeting

The Town Council took the following actions at the November 19th Town Council Meeting:

1. Interviewed and then appointed Tom Childers to the General Plan Advisory Committee.

2. Heard a presentation from the Police Department about a new traffic and speed measuring device. The device would be used solely for the purpose of collecting data on counting the number of cars and measuring the speed of a specific street where the device would be mounted.

3. Hear a presentation from AT&T regarding Project Lightspeed. This project entails installing 8 electronic cabinets throughout the Town for the purpose of upgrading AT&T television and internet technologies. This item will return to the Council for more discussion at the December 3rd Council Meeting.

4. Voted to uphold the appeal for 51 Meernaa and thus overturn the Planning Commission decision to deny the project.

5. Voted to uphold the appeal for 177 Frustuck and thus overturn the Planning Commission decision to deny the project.

6. Approved a Proclamation establishing Days of Remembrance to recall the aerial pesticide sprayings for the Light Brown Apple Moth.

7. Conducted a second reading and then adopted an ordinance approving the revised Marin Energy Authority Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) and authorized the Implementation of a Community Choice Aggregation Program. This action makes Fairfax one of the founding members of the new JPA, along with the County and the Town of Tiburon.

8. Adopted an Ordinance to amend the Town Code (Section 8.36.050 and 8.36.110) regarding Town initiated tree removals.

Blog #34 MCSTOPP Annual Report, New Work Order System for Residents

MCSTOPP Annual Report

The MCSTOPP (Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program) annual report for 2007/08 is available at the following link: http://www.mcstoppp.org/07-08AnnReport/MCSTOPPP_2007-2008_Annual_Report.pdf Every year the County produces a report on behalf of all the cities and towns in the County. See also the following link regarding a project in Fairfax: http://www.mcstoppp.org/07-08AnnReport/Fairfax-07-08ARdetails.pdf



New "Work Order" System now in Place for Residents and Businesses

The Town Public Works Department has a new and easy way to report a maintenance need to the Town. Please click on the link: http://www.iworq.com/iworq/Web/Request.asp?cityid=486 and submit a "work order" to Public Works.

Please save this link in your favorites to send routine work requests to Public Works staff. An e-mail is sent directly to the Director of Public Works and the Senior Maintenance Worker. The request is then converted to a Work Order that tracks time and materials for each request. This system will be extremely helpful in evaluating Department efficiency and for budget preparation. Keep in mind emergency requests should be called in through Police Dispatch or through the main Public Works line.

Blog #33 - Affordable Housing Information

At the November 5, 2008 Town Council Meeting Henry Gardner, Executive Director of ABAG - the Association of Bay Area Governments made a presentation to the Council about all the services ABAG provides the cities and counties in the 9 Bay Area Counties. He focused a great deal on affordable housing issues, including the total number of affordable housing units each jurisdiction is required to plan for. At the Council meeting many residents asked that the web links explaining affordable housing numbers and other housing information be provided.

Below are the links that ABAG provided to me and the Town promised to provide to residents.

Projections 2009:
http://www.abag.ca.gov/planning/currentfcst/

Projections 2007:
http://www.abag.ca.gov/planning/currentfcst/proj07.html

Housing Needs:
http://www.abag.ca.gov/planning/pdfs/SFHousingNeedsPlan.pdf

Housing Reports:
http://www.abag.ca.gov/planning/housingneeds/aplace.html

Blog #32 Town Council Actions - November 5, 2008 Meeting

The Town Council took the following actions at their regular meeting on November 5, 2008:

1. Recognized Key Women in Commerce in the Community. The Mayor independently gave out certificates to a number of successful business owners in appreciation for their contributions to the Town of Fairfax. The Economic Sustainability Plan recommended the Town recognize successful businesses, which was the basis for the awards.


Valerie Teijero Yeah Baby

Huda Al-Jamal Revolution 9

Patty Bruszewski Sherman’s General Store

Polly Knox Fairfax Variety

Stephanie Mohan Portraits

Karen Rossi Village Green Florists

Toni Jones Avatar Business Services

Shannon Staple Fat Angel Bakery

Lorie Kulberg Culture Shock

Alisha Peterson & Susan Delurgio Beach House Style

Congratulations to all these successful women owned businesses in Fairfax!

2. Acknowledged the long time service of outgoing Youth Commissioner Ginny Aballo.

3. Heard a presentation from Henry Gardner, Executive Director of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) regarding the services ABAG provides to its members and issues related to affordable housing.

4. Heard a presentation from Larry Kennings, a Planning Consultant for the Town, regarding the history and status of the proposed Mixed Use Overlay Ordinance and issues relating to affordable housing.

5. Approved a number of consent items including a resolution expressing appreciation for thirty years of public service to the Town of Fairfax by Michael O'Reilly, a Public Works department employee. The Council also awarded a contract to Alta Planning and Design for the San Rafael-Fairfax Bicycle Feasibility Study.

6. Hear a first reading of Ordinance 739 regarding the Marin Energy Authority Joint Powers Agreement and authorizing the implementation of a Community Choice Aggregation Program.

7. Requested the Ross Valley Sanitary District pave Cascade Drive (in certain sections) curb to curb based on the sewer line project damaging the street. The Sanitary District will provide the Town with the cost estimates to pave Cascade Dr. and other streets curb to curb.

Blog #31 - Holiday Activities in Fairfax, Rainy Season Upon Us

There are three great events today in Fairfax to kick-off the holiday season. In Bolinas Park there will be pumpkin carving beginning at 4 PM. Also in Bolinas Park is the Haunted Grove. The Haunted Grove is worth seeing. I have already taken a sneak peek at it and kids and grown-ups alike will enjoy this.

The Fairfax Halloween Parade starts at 5 PM today!! Don't miss this most entertaining parade in Marin.

The forecast is predicting more rain through the middle of next week. Please be sure to remove leaves from your roof gutters and drains. Our public works staff have cleaned the storm drains throughout the Town. If you see any public storm drains that are plugged up please call Public Works at 453-2587.

Have a safe and festive weekend!

Blog #30 Innovative Small Town Mayors and Town Councils Conference

On October 25, 2008, the Fairfax Town Council hosted the first ever Innovative Small Town Mayors and Town Council Members Conference. Mayors and Council Members from Windsor, Benicia, Moraga, Sonoma, Mill Valley, Corte Madera, San Anselmo and Larkspur met with us at the refurbished Women's Club. We asked them to give us their ideas on some pressing issues:

Raising Revenue-- Parcel tax, sales tax, foundation support: how does your Town or City make it work?

Building a Stronger Small Business Core--How can we help local businesses do well and stay? What businesses do we want to attract?

Greening the Town--Global Warming is everyone's concern. What methods work toward being more sustainable?

Creating Affordable Housing--How successful have you been in this area of innovation? What works? What doesn't?

Sustaining Culture: Music, Art, Film, Writing--We think Culture is key to our Town. What do you do to bring and keep people together in this vital way?

Gaining a Stronger Voice on County, State & National Levels--Often times smaller entities cannot gain a strong voice on issues that affect us. What do you do? Can we do some more things together?

They had lots to tell us. Sonoma City Manager Linda Kelly stated Sonoma has a strong tourist economy and it is committed to water conservation. “We offer Cash for Water. We are turning all our lawns to xeroscape yards conserve water. We have new affordable housing that is a model for green building and water conservation" said Kelly.
Benicia boosted its tourism with a historical waterfront emphasis, prompted by town artists.

Windsor has an active Economic Development group. It boosts jobs through its recreation department, too. Mill Valley hired a Sustainability Consultant. “It's probably the best thing we've done in a long time" said Mayor Shawn Marshall.

"We just completed a 79 unit affordable housing complex with EAH in Corte Madera and we are concentrating more and more on Town landscaping and beautification" said Council Member Alexandra Cock.

The meeting was so successful the, the Mayors and Council Members decdided to meet twice a year. One meeting will be in a regional setting with League of California Cities support and the other will be in Fairfax.

This meeting was a sponsored jointly by the Town and the Chamber of Commerce. A special thank you to the merchants, artists and staff that made the Women's Club shine and made the event so successful.

Blog #29 Letter from the Mayor on Mixed Use Overlay Meeting of September 27, 2008

Letter from Mayor Mary Ann Maggiore to the Planning Commission and to the Citizens of Fairfax Following the September 27 Public Workshop on the PC's
Proposed Mixed Use Overlay Zone Ordinance

Friends and Neighbors:

I was unable to reach the IJ reporter before the paper went to print. So I was unable to offer my thoughts to Mr. Rogers, the IJ reporter, who was not at the meeting he reported upon. However, since so many of you have written and called consistently these last days and for the weeks preceding the Saturday workshop, I feel I need to offer a few words. I still believe that the intention of the Planning Commission to frame a document that might help us plan the Town's central corridor and provide for affordable housing, is given a more than adequate framework in this document. But tempers have run high.

Let us pause a minute and consider. Let us calm down and salute both our fears and our needs. Let us also salute the people who worked hard to create a document that we can use. Let us ponder in ourselves what we want from this document. We can adapt it. We can make it one that specifically states there will be no more than X number of affordable dwellings. We can protect view corridors. We can shape meeting areas. We can plan our future instead of having it planned for us. I was, and I am, still excited by the prospect that we could design and see to fruition a model entity that would serve us well and encourage others to treasure Small Town essence in places all over the country, all over the world.

That is what I had hoped for in the meeting. That we would state want we didn't want -- yes. But that we would move gracefully toward what we do want. That is why I created the Roundtable set-up, so everyone could be heard and that is why I offered a chance for talk back and a break for discussion and coffee. And then more discussion.

I think the time we take to look at our thoughts and our feelings and how they may injure others and ourselves, is very important right now. Let us take the heat out of the conversation and go forward with a look to what works, what protects us, what we value. What we are willing to work peaceably and effectively for. And let us from those reasoning’s and considerations, help to make a plan for the Town that will satisfy both our dreams and our realities.

Mary Ann Maggiore
Mayor of Fairfax
415-460-1106
maggiore@townoffairfax.com

Blog # 28 Notes from Special Council Meeting on the Mixed Use Overlay Ordinance

PUBLIC COMMENTS, QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS FROM THE ROUND TABLE DISCUSSIONS AT THE
SPECIAL TOWN COUNCIL MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 27, 2008

Round Table 1
MIXED USE OVERLAY: Zone Overview
Facilitator: Mayor Mary Ann Maggiore

Public Comments, Questions and Concerns:

· Implement affordable housing
· Create housing and commercial corridor that will improve aesthetic with more reclined cooridors
· Encourage innovative building around transportation hubs and encourage more pedestrian and less automobile interaction in the town
· Density of 20 dwelling units per acre – Albertson’s – “no less than 25”
· 50% commercial in any structure built
· At least 20% of all building must be affordable
· 1 person household = $24-$79K
· 4 person household = $33-$114K
· Green building, bike friendly, preserve Town character
· If we don’t build are we still eligible for grants and tax benefits?
· How will we have pedestrian pathways and not disrupt traffic and not disturb flow? (safe guard character of town and use of paths without encouraging?)
· How will pedestrians be safe with so much new movement/construction/traffic? Traffic is already is brutal. It is both unsafe and unpractical – more people means more traffic, more construction can mean more limitations on pedestrians, bike and car movement
· What is a unit? 500 to 1200 sq. ft, 1.5 spaces for parking for anything above 1 bedroom.
· Is there enough water and sewage? (infrastructure impact)
(MMWDS@2 – we have less than 380 sq. ft. available)
· Comment – If we do nothing we leave ourselves open to trouble. Well design, small dwellings, edible landscaping, parks, stages, plenty of funk, links to Broadway and enhances, let us not do nothing, it’s dangerous
· Competition that is too stiff or maybe will prove unnecessary to new biz will fail
· Look at San Anselmo – new plan will mean new competition
· Mortgages – failures?
· Let us not turn downtown into San Rafael
· What about state mandate to build affordable housing?
· EIR – Town has said mitigation negative declaration, that impact will be minimal. How do we avoid 300 units? What about rental vs. ownership?
· What is the residential mix?
· About 14 per acre?
· Kellie – We are a canyon – likely not familiars out of hillsides.
· What about looking at MTCC? – solve some of the problem? Burke Jones, ballot measure?
· This must be written.
· We can now build 65 units in Town without mixed use overlay – why don’t we do it?
· There is potential of upwards 264 units – why not specify that we are not doing this?
· Make housing money even more affordable
· ABAG breakouts of “affordable” definition – needs to be reexamined
· Traffic mitigated by streets – one way
· Why not legalize second units – Mill Valley model
· Engage designers/architects to stipulate height and parameters
· Strong elements for green elements
· Parking is 1.5.
· What does .5 mean?
· Look at Gainesville, 2 stories and parking garage, non-starter Durke Jones
· This is the gateway to our Town, visual corridors, Ryan O’Neill
· Requirements for parking, landscaping and setbacks brings down Town acreage of how many dwellings can be built
· Town needs to do feasibility study to analyze
· But people taking public transport during the day usually have cars at night.
· Pedestrian and bus – protect spaces
· More commercial means less parking, less traffic at night
· What happens if we don’t do any affordable housing? Julie Aronson
· Do we need to change the zoning to build affordable housing with the ordinances we have?
· Who builds most affordable housing? Study this.
· Ordinance permits more possibility but the ratio should be 50 to 100% affordable – instead of 40% (Peter Jacques), unless we do a high % will not be worth it – grants available, to get funding we should use non-profit proportions
· The MXO is a requirement of general plan (state requirement?)
· The work shows state does not approve what doing with affordable under 50%
· What are the consequences of not doing the state requirements?
· What we are missing here is an understanding of private developer, 40% is too much without a third story and we need to cultivate a non-profit.
· Roger Smith – developers cannot afford within 35 feet to 40% affordable housing, ABAG increasing power will have more influence
· There have been no consequences but Corte Madera – sued because they had no affordable housing.
· We need a housing inventory, income abilities of who is here.
· Set up a task force first.
· Instead of working toward others’ requirements let us determine what we want.
· What about people with lower incomes being able to live here?
· Start with: redefine these discussions, involve green building ordinance
· Why change ordinance?
· Affordable definition doesn’t give value to property.
· Other properties for AFH – affordable housing


Round Table 2
MIXED USE OVERLAY: Zone Overview
Facilitator: Ann Welsh, Planning and Building Services Director

Public Comments, Questions and Concerns:

· Parking concerns – Will they park on street?
· Need low cost housing, i.e. Rite Aid employee
· Green building – reduce greenhouse gas
· Ballot initiative – to change zoning
· Grant eligibility – Prop 1C, can’t apply now
· Design – How to maintain character with density increase – Design Guidelines
· 2 stories – height limit- view corridors must be preserved
· Social gathering space needed
· Scenic vistas – retain view shed
· Grants – eligibility?
· Scenic units – grants to encourage
· Reduce fees for 2nd unit
· Mixed use – reduces greenhouse gas
· Finance – have you done the math?
· Are we being held to a higher standard?
· How many other Town’s have complied?
· Why allow more commercial if there are vacant commercial properties?

Round Table 3
MIXED USE OVERLAY: Traffic Mitigation
Facilitator: Council Member Lew Tremaine

Public Comments, Questions and Concerns:

· How many homes? State – 65 afford
· What can state do? (not much) (state wants more)
· Is Albertsons only place for housing? (no)
· More density from transit? (light rail)
· Open to 360?? – no
· Why need to change zoning? Leave as is.
· Ambiguous wording – open to additional
· Additional renters – voters will change
· Present zoning would spread housing
· More affordable housing – less traffic
· Possible trolley lines – less traffic
· Try to get affordable housing through commercial development
· Better housing along transit route (spread)
· Not enough parking in town (now)
· Change zoning – more density
· Density needed for transit (in Fairfax 75% shoppers solo driver)
· Impact of overnight parking
· “Low income” households own cars
· Number units: acreage – setback reduces density
· O.S. Committee – bad traffic in Town Center now conflict with O.S. Committee at Fair Anselm
· Lew sentiment to reject 3 stories
· Possibly build parking garage?
· Good public transportation does not exist.
· Keep parking out of negotiations
· Commercial will generate traffic
· Money coming to reduce greenhouse gas
· Find money to build affordable housing
· Get good data on traffic modeling
· Look at Alexandria, VA’s limitations
· Enforce current parking laws
· Do an EIR report
· Why commercial? Just do affordable housing
· Local shuttle every 15 minutes to San Rafael
· Get rid of free parking?
· Move Java Hut
· Aging population needs to drive
· Limitations on cars
· Friedman property is used now for event parking
· Pedestrian improvements across Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
· Low income families need cars
· Underground the Parkade?


Round Table 4
MIXED USE OVERLAY: Design and Local Character
Facilitator: Council Member Larry Bragman

Public Comments, Questions and Concerns:

· Cost of report
· Scope
· Traffic Impact
· Decision to adopt
· Quality of life
· Freedom to control
· Fairfax’s development (Jane Jacobs)
· Changes to character in Fairfax
· Low income housing
· Parking
· Local business loss
· Environmental impact
· EIR
· Greenhouse gas
· Traffic
· Diversity/aging
· Housing prices, 2000: 250-300; 2008: ?
· Affordable low income (range of income)
· State density bonus – on top of ordinance?
· Albertson’s/Fair Anselm height – “Spot Zoning”?
· Empty stores
· Vision
· Parking
· Scale

Blog #27 Town Council Actions from October 1, 2008 Meeting

The Town Council met on October 1st and took the following actions:

· Announced vacancies on the Measure F Oversight Committee and Open Space Committee

· Announced that Richard Pedemonte, Parks and Recreation Commissioner and Chair of the Fairfax Festival Committee was honored as the Fairfax Volunteer of the Year at the Spirit of Marin Awards Luncheon on September 26th.

· Proclaimed October 18, 2008 as Biketoberfest Day in Fairfax.

· Introduced and had a first reading of Ordinance No. 737, an ordinance re-enacting the second unit amnesty program for a one year period.

· Heard an update on the possible abatement of a vacant commercial property (formerly the New Albion Bookstore) from Chief Building Official Mark Lockaby.

· Adopted Resolution No. 2581 increasing the change order authority on the Pastori Overlay Project.

· Adopted Resolution No. 2582 authorizing issuance of a Request for Proposals for the installation of solar panels on the Pavilion.

· Heard a report on the services provided by ABAG (Association of Bay Area Governments). Directed staff to write a memo on the effects of not being a member of ABAG.

· Discussed possible changes to the tree ordinance. Discussed waiting until the tree survey is complete before contemplating any changes to the tree ordinance.

· Discussed and considered proposed changes to the CCA (Community Choice Aggregation) Ordinance previously approved by the Town Council. The proposed changes would broaden the scope of the JPA to include working on green house reduction and sustainable energy programs. The JPA Agreement and CCA Ordinance are still being crafted. Another version is due to be reviewed late next week by all cities, towns and the County of Marin. The Town Council expressed their desire to keep the JPA focused only on the creation of the CCA so that the primary intent of creating the mechanism to supply renewable energy in Fairfax can begin.

· Adopted Resolution No. 2583 opposing California Proposition 8 which would eliminate the right of same sex couples to marry.