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Southern Marin Scoop - March 2025 |
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Dear Southern Marin Friends and Neighbors,
I hope this message finds you well. As we move into spring, there’s a lot happening across our communities, and I’m excited to share some important updates and upcoming events with you.
I’ll be speaking at two upcoming events—an Outdoor Art Club online webinar regarding Southern Marin flood control on March 20 and at the Move Bay Area North Bay Summit on March 28—where I’ll be discussing regional transportation, sustainability, and community planning. Please plan to tune in or join in person.
I also look forward to the upcoming Marin City Stormwater Plan Community Meetingat the Marin City Arts Gallery on Tuesday, March 25 at 5:30 p.m. This is the third community meeting, which will will include recommended flood improvements for Marin City in 2025 and beyond.
Additionally, if you live in the City of Mill Valley, I encourage you to mark your calendars for April 26, when Mill Valley Police Department in conjunction with Marin County Sheriff’s Office, Office of Emergency Management and several local and regional emergency service providers will host an important evacuation drill to help the Mill Valley community stay prepared for emergencies.
In news from around the county, Strawberry Village is welcoming some exciting new tenants, including Tartine, Hot Yoga Republic, and Cholita Linda, adding to the vibrant mix of businesses in our local shopping center. We’re also addressing key issues like the Tam Valley housing development proposed for 150 Shoreline, the Shelter Crisis Declaration, Countywide Plan amendments, and our ongoing commitment to supporting immigrants in Marin.
As always, I welcome your thoughts and feedback. Thank you for staying engaged in the future of our community!
All my best,
Stephanie
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You're Invited!
Flood Control Part 2: An Ongoing Concern for Southern Marin
  Please join me and Judd Goodman, Senior Civil Engineer at the Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, at an Outdoor Art Club webinar on Thursday, March 20 at 7 p.m.We will update the community on flood control, an ongoing concern and opportunity. This presentation will cover studies, maintenance, and capital improvements aimed at reducing flood risk in Southern Marin. It will also describe ongoing strategies for climate change resiliency. I hope you will join us.
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Care about the interconnection of Climate, Health and Transportation? Help us build the regional vision at the Move Bay Area North Bay Summit – March 28, 2025
 Join me at the Move Bay Area North Bay Summit on March 28, 2025, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Napa Valley College! Reserve your free seat today!
This free event brings together public officials, community advocates, and transportation leaders to explore the connections between climate, health, and transportation and build a regional transportation vision together.
Whether you’re a policymaker, transit advocate, labor representative, or community member passionate about a sustainable future, this event is for you! Don’t miss this opportunity to network, learn, and help shape the future of transportation in the North Bay.
Invited and confirmed speakers discussing building a Bay Area vision for transportation that centers climate and health include:
- Napa Supervisor Belia Ramos, President of the Association of Bay Area Governments
- Marin County Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters
- Glenn Loveall, Napa Solano Central Labor Council
- Wendi Kallins, Sustainable Marin Executive Director
- Joanne Webster, North Bay Leadership Council
- Eddy Cumins, Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit GM (invited)
- Cathleen Sullivan, Director of Planning Marin Transit
- Kara Vernor, Executive Director of Napa County Bicycle Coalition
- Students from Napa Valley College and beyond!
Plus, Afternoon Keynote and Solano County resident Assemblymember and Transportation Chair Lori Wilson
Marin City Stormwater Plan Community Meeting and
Pump Beautification Discussion
Open House hosted by Marin City Arts & Culture
The Marin City Stormwater Plan is a drainage study aimed at reducing flood risk in Marin City. The plan seeks to address existing flooding conditions and identify potential solutions that enhance flood resilience in Marin City while accounting for community priorities. Community engagement and meetings have been a priority, and this is the third and final community meeting. This informational update will include recommended flood improvements for Marin City in 2025 and beyond.
Following the Community Meeting #3 open house on Tuesday, March 25 at 5:30 p.m. at the Marin City Arts Gallery, Marin City Arts & Culture will lead a presentation related to beautification of the proposed Marin City Flood Improvement Gateway Pump Station. The pump station improvement concept is one component of the Stormwater Plan.
The purpose of this presentation is to share the objectives and methods to be used for improving the aesthetics of the potential pump station. This artist discussion will be an opportunity to provide feedback about what images, art, murals, sculptures, or words the community would like to see that will enhance and beautify the potential pump station. We welcome your ideas and feedback.
Save the Date! Mill Valley Evacuation Drill, April 26
Community evacuation drills are a critical component of disaster preparedness, significantly enhancing a community's ability to respond effectively during emergencies.
Drill Begins: Beginning at 8:45 am, participants begin lining up their vehicles on Miller Avenue starting at the Miller Avenue/Camino Alto intersection.
Who Should Participate: All Mill Valley residents (living in City limits and the unincorporated) and visitors are welcome!
Public Safety Fair: Following the drill, join agencies and your neighbors for a Public Safety Fair featuring emergency preparedness resources, expert guidance, and hands-on activities for all ages.
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Marin Women's Hall of Fame Class of 2025 Induction Ceremony
 A truly inspiring evening celebrating the 2025 Marin Women’s Hall of Fame inductees alongside past honorees. Grateful to be part of a night that recognizes the outstanding efforts and accomplishments of so many remarkable women, including my former Board of Supervisors colleague, Judy Arnold.
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Strawberry Village Welcomes Iconic Tartine Bakery, Hot Yoga Republic and Cholita Linda Coming Soon
EDENS recently announced it has partnered with Tartine Bakery & Café to open at Strawberry Village, marking its debut in Marin County.
Cholita Linda, with locations in the East Bay and San Francisco, is also headed to Strawberry Village this year.
Earlier this month, San Rafael-based Hot Yoga Republic opened its second location, and three new public art installations recently debuted. This is the latest news in the transformation of Strawberry Village, acquired by EDENS in 2022.
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Caltrans Nightly Tree Trimming/Removal Project to Begin on Northbound, Southbound US-101 in Marin City, Sausalito Area
Caltrans is scheduled to start a tree trimming/removal project on Northbound and Southbound US-101 near the Rodeo Avenue off-ramp in the Marin City and Sausalito area from Monday, March 17 until Friday, March 21 from 8 p.m. until 8 a.m. the next mornings.
Southbound US-101 will be addressed on Monday and Tuesday while Northbound US 101 will be addressed from Wednesday to Friday. As many as three lanes will be closed at one time. At least one lane will be open for traffic.
The trimming and removal of trees is to keep our roads as safe as possible for our travelers, and work will be overseen by a certified arborist working alongside Caltrans. All work depends on weather. For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans QuickMap.
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Agreement Formalizes Affordable Housing Projects
in Southern Marin
Following several months of community feedback and negotiations, the Marin County Board of Supervisors has followed a staff recommendation and approved an agreement for division of an affordable housing development onto two sites.
With an alternative project agreement now Board-approved, The Pacific Companies (TPC) has a pathway to build 42 units of housing at 825 Drake Avenue in Marin City. Last fall, after hearing concerns from the Marin City community about the size of the new building, the Marin County Community Development Agency (CDA) negotiated a unique solution with TPC to reduce the scope from the previously approved 74 units down to 42.
Under this arrangement, approved by the Board during its February 11 meeting, the remaining 32 units would be constructed at 150 Shoreline Highway in unincorporated Mill Valley, just east of Tam Junction near the Highway 101 overpass and the Manzanita Park & Ride Lot. The parcel, which was previously approved for multifamily housing and is in an area designated for new housing development, was purchased by the developer to construct the units originally planned for Marin City.
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County Declares Shelter Crisis
to Provide Temporary Emergency Housing
The Marin County Board of Supervisors declared a “shelter crisis” at its March 11 meeting, a move that, partnered with changes to the building code, enables the addition of emergency shelter such as for removable cabins or recreational vehicles.
The crisis designation will be in place for three years and allows a wider range of solutions for temporary shelter. Projects on County property will bypass local zoning requirements and environmental review.
The designation of a shelter crisis will benefit, among others, the Point Reyes National Seashore ranch and dairy tenants being displaced by a recent settlement to end most ranching operations.
View CBS News Story
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Supervisors Approve Countywide Plan Changes
Court-ordered clarifications were finalized March 4 to the primary planning document for the Marin County’s unincorporated areas.
Updates to the Marin Countywide Plan (CWP) were approved by the Board of Supervisors in January 2023 and by the State Department of Housing and Community Development in June 2023, but a lawsuit was filed in Marin County Superior Court that requires the County to revise a handful of clauses in the 764-page document no later than March 12.
The March 4 updates, authored by the Marin County Planning Commission, comply with the court’s order. At issue was CWP language that superseded language in the community plans for some established unincorporated neighborhoods.
The court required removal of specific language in the Housing Element and other parts of the CWP, but to stay legally compliant the amendments need to include replacement language indicating how the County will promote expansion of housing options in all unincorporated communities.
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Marin Supervisors Allocate Resources to Support
Immigrant Communities
With immigrant rights at the forefront of conversations nationwide, the Marin County Board of Supervisors have unanimously passed a resolution authorizing the County Executive to invest $500,000 toward safeguarding immigrant communities.
The funding allocation from the Board’s March 4 meeting will bolster legal rights education and assistance, child and family support services, and other coordinated support services for immigrant communities across Marin. Recent federal actions, including sweeping policy changes and immigration raids, have caused widespread fear and trauma. Immigrant communities are facing critical challenges to their safety, livelihoods, and access to essential services.
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Marin Libraries Reach Major Online Milestone
In a testament to Marin County’s vibrant community of avid readers, the Marin County Free Library (MCFL) and the consortium of local public and academic libraries just reached a major milestone: 1 million digital checkouts through its shared digital resource, the app called Libby.
The library consortium, MARINet[External], was established to better connect library resources for all community members in Marin. Over its 35-year history, MARINet has expanded to provide digital resources, such as OverDrive's Libby app, online access to The New York Times, and internet connectivity for public libraries.
With over 100,000 titles, the Libby app offers a wide variety of materials, including eBooks, audiobooks, comics, manga, and magazines. The collection includes materials for all ages and an expanding selection of titles in Spanish. Hundreds of always-available magazines, such as The New Yorker, provide patrons with access to their favorite magazines without waiting.
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