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Southern Marin Scoop - November 16, 2023 |
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Dear Friends and Neighbors in Southern Marin,
As we approach the Thanksgiving season, I wanted to express my gratitude to each of you and all our District 3 Southern Marin communities for the work we have done together on many issues this year. Reflecting on the people, places, and events we’ve covered in this year’s Southern Marin Scoop, it’s so apparent that each of our Southern Marin communities are vibrant places with our residents, local businesses, schools, and local governments actively engaged and contributing to community life. It’s an honor for my Staff and me to serve you. In this spirit of gratitude, I am pleased to share news about good things happening in District 3 and some important safety updates. You’ll find stories about the items below in our newsletter.
I am happy to announce that the Marin Housing Authority, of which I am the current Chair, recently awarded a landscaping contract to Women Helping All People to maintain the grounds of Marin City’s Golden Gate Village. Under the leadership of Royce McLemore, this contract supports local entrepreneurship and job training, and will also contribute to the beautification of the landscape at Golden Gate Village.
According to recent surveys by wildlife biologists, we are turning the tide on eelgrass preservation and restoration. Recent studies show the damages to eelgrass in Richardson Bay have plateaued and restoration efforts are in the works.
Another positive development is happening in Tam Valley where PG&E will upgrade nearly 6,000 linear feet of electric utilities, which will help reduce wildfire hazard and isolate smaller customer outage areas in the event of an unforeseen power outage. Your patience throughout the road closures is appreciated.
As we enter the season of unpredictable weather patterns, it is important for all of us to be prepared. Our District is actively working on initiatives to ensure we are resilient in the face of storms and high tides. Stay informed and stay safe by reviewing the preparedness information we have provided. Your safety is our top priority, and together, we can build a more resilient community.
I am also excited to share glimpses of some of the events that have taken place in our community recently including at Tamalpais High School, at the Floating Homes and at Southern Marin Fire District Station 4 in Tam Valley.
In closing, I want to express my appreciation for your ongoing support and engagement. It is the strength of our community that propels us forward, and together, we will continue to achieve great things. As we gather with loved ones this Thanksgiving, let us reflect on the positive strides we have made and look forward to a future filled with shared successes.
All my best,
Stephanie
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 In This Edition
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Women Helping All People Awarded Golden Gate Village Landscaping Contract
The Marin Housing Authority has awarded Women Helping All People (WHAP) the landscaping contract to maintain the grounds at Golden Gate Village (GGV).
WHAP is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing low-income and underprivileged residents of Marin County with information, resources, support services, and educational opportunities that help individuals acquire job skills, develop self-esteem, reach economic self-sufficiency, and help promote and develop a sense of community. WHAP, which maintained the landscaping contract for 16 years until 2009, provided employment opportunities for Marin City residents.
“First and foremost, I thank the Lord Jesus for another opportunity to turn the landscape at Golden Gate Village into the best maintained property that it can be under the circumstances that have been created by fourteen years of neglect. There are fourteen years of “catch-up,” but we are ready for the challenge!” said Royce McLemore, member of the Women Helping All People Board of Directors. “Residents who have lived at GGV prior to fourteen years ago know that Women Helping All People, as a Resident business, was hired to do the landscape services at GGV. WHAP maintained the grounds for sixteen years to show everyone that Residents can do their job and do it better.”
WHAP began in 1990 with the vision and driving effort of Mattie Boatman and McLemore. It started off with sixteen Marin City women gathering on Royce's front lawn to express their concern for the life of the community's young women who lived in public housing. What followed was a formation of a small Women Support Group "Women Helping Women" (WHW).
“Thanks to MHA for the opportunity and with the opportunity, WHAP will make our property “SHINE” again as in the days of old,” continued McLemore.
MORE ABOUT WHAP
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Richardson Bay Eelgrass Restoration and Housing Program
According to recent surveys by wildlife biologists, the ongoing damage to eelgrass in Richardson Bay from anchor scour seems to have plateaued.
Eelgrass, an underwater plant native to Richardson Bay, supports the entire Bay Area ecosystem. Pacific herring spawn in the Bay's eelgrass beds, providing food for tens of thousands of birds that stop in Richardson Bay every year during migration. Unfortunately, damage from anchors, chains, and other ground tackle (referred to as "anchor scour") has damaged over 80 acres of eelgrass in recent decades. Over the past several years, the Richardson Bay Regional Agency (RBRA) and their partners have worked to reduce the sources of anchor scour in Richardson Bay's sensitive eelgrass beds, and their efforts appear to be working. While the existing damage is still there - and needs to be restored - the damage has stopped spreading.
This good news could not have come at a better time. Earlier this year, and with Supervisor Moulton-Peters support, RBRA and their partners (including San Francisco State University's Estuary & Ocean Science Center in Tiburon and the Richardson Bay Audubon Center) were awarded nearly $2.8 million from the US EPA to restore up to 15 acres of eelgrass in Richardson Bay over the next four years. The project kicked off this fall when RBRA selected a local consulting firm, Coastal Policy Solutions (a woman-owned small business), to lead the project, with technical support from restoration experts at Merkel & Associates. Keep an eye open for stakeholder workshops this coming winter and spring, as well as opportunities to get out on the water and see eelgrass up close.
Equally important, efforts to improve conditions on Richardson Bay include providing safe housing for those living on the water in vessels that are generally not seaworthy. In collaboration with RBRA, Marin Housing Authority, Marin County Health and Human Services and Episcopal Community Services are assisting individuals with moving off the water into stable, on-shore housing. Marin Housing Authority (MHA) will oversee a three-year program designed to provide housing for people who are living on vessels on Richardson Bay. The RBRA housing voucher program began in earnest in Spring 2023 and has provided homes for four individuals from the anchorage, with seven others participating in the program and on their way to safe homes on land with supportive services. Additionally, RBRA has bought back four vessels from individuals in this program.
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 Photo credits: Eelgrass (top) photo by Melissa Ward and Ricardson Bay birds photo (above) by Kellie Brown, courtesy of Audubon CA.
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PG&E Road Closures, Nov. 27 - Dec. 15
 Pacific Gas and Electric Company crews will be in the Tam Valley area to upgrade portions of their electric system beginning Monday November 27th and continuing through Friday December 15th. The safety work, which will help to reduce wildfire hazard in the area, will take place Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PG&E is planning to underground or replace nearly 6,000 linear feet of overhead electric wire and upgrade existing facilities. Weather and other factors that affect safe working conditions may change the schedule.
It will be necessary to close Tennessee Valley Road in Tam Valley to complete this work. The closure will take place between Villa Garden Drive and Marin Avenue. Crews will work to minimize disruptions and restore access to this roadway as soon as possible. Fernwood Cemetery property owners and their visiting guests, including all driveways and/or access roads within the roadway closure, will have full-time access and be safely guided in and out by the assigned traffic control flaggers.
If you have questions about this electric system work, please contact your Local Outreach Specialist, Gerald Hunt at 510-507-0207. Thank you for your patience while PG&E completes this important safety project.
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Marin City, Low-Lying Areas Warned to be Aware of Rain Events
The low-lying areas of Marin County are being monitored by the County's Department of Public Works, in coordination with other County departments, to ensure the public is aware of potential flooding. Residents and business owners in Marin City and other areas that are prone to flooding are asked to stay aware of storms predicted to arrive this week and which may continue through the next days and weeks.
“Our number one priority is to keep people safe,” said Rosemarie Gaglione, director of the County’s Department of Public Works. “We have crews monitoring storm drain systems, creeks, levees, tide gates, pump stations, culverts and roads,” she added. Sandbags will be made available as the storm intensity becomes clear, she said.
Widespread rainfall is expected to stay through the week in what could be numerous systems arriving along the west coast in the coming weeks. The current forecast predicts periods of moderate to localized heavy rain along with gusty winds, according to the Marin County Office of Emergency Management. The County is encouraging residents to monitor trusted sources to keep up with the latest National Weather Service forecast[External].
MORE INFO
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High Tides Expected Over Next Few Months
Seasonal tide levels could impact areas with history of localized flooding
Seasonal high tides can cause flooding along shoreline communities and low-lying roads in Marin County. Tide-related flooding can happen whether it is raining or not, but the flooding can increase significantly if the elevated tides occur during a storm, potentially impacting commute times and travel plans.
Based on tide predictions[External] published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration[External] (NOAA), tide levels that could be high enough to cause roadway flooding in coastal and bayside areas of Marin are expected November 24-28, December 11-15 and 23-27, and January 9-13. If a storm happens during those times, it can cause tidal surges and push water levels significantly higher than predicted.
The following list shows predicted high tides at or above 6.4 feet (rounded up to the nearest tenth) from October 2023 through January 2024 at the NOAA San Francisco tide gauge.
MORE INFO
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 As rains, floods, and high winds roll through California this week, it’s important to remember the basics. Do not walk through moving water. As little as six inches of water can make you fall. Never touch or drive over a fallen power line. Pay attention to road closures and never drive through flooded roadways. Only 12 inches of water will float most vehicles. It is hard to determine how deep water on the road is. Bookmark or save the Emergency Portal today, to stay updated during an incident: Emergency.MarinCounty.org.
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  Tam High students were eager to learn more about government departments, especially around wildfire and disaster preparedness and were recently given a tour of the County's Office of Emergency Management, graciously led by Steven Torrence, Marin's Director of Emergency Management (top) and also met with (from left) Leah Curtis and Elaine Wilkinson with the Southern Marin Fire District (bottom photo).
 I was fortunate to meet several Tam High students on Monday when I spoke to two of Mr. Pribble's Goverment classes. They enganged in thoughtful coversation, and I know we have a bright future in these young thinkers.
 It was a pleasure to meet with friend and neighbors in Tam Valley at the Southern Marin Fire District Open House at Station 4 in late October.
 A beautiful day was spent at the Floating Homes Association "Day in the Park" meeting with community members and Assemblymember Damon Connolly.
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 One of the greatest dangers to pedestrians and bicyclists is cars turning and not looking; this is especially true when cars are turning right. The most serious crashes between cars and bicyclists and pedestrians occur when a car turns quickly without watching for other road users. Over 200 people are injured from unsafe turns in Marin each year.
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