Frequently Asked Questions

If you are removing 4 or more trees, or one heritage tree, a tree removal permit is required. Trees with less than 6 inches diameter can be removed without a permit on a developed lot. Municipal Code Section 20.67.020 defines heritage trees as tanbark oaks over 20 inches in diameter, oaks over 24 inches in diameter, madrones over 24 inches in diameter and coast redwoods over 30 inches in diameter (measured at ‘breast height’ or 4 ½ feet above ground). No tree greater than 4 inches in diameter may be cut on a vacant lot without a tree removal permit.

Dogs shall at all times be kept under the immediate control and direction of a competent, responsible person who is capable of controlling such an animal.
 

Opportunities for participation include: a website and resource center; an interactive virtual community meeting space; email notifications; a speaker series and public discussions on community and General Plan topics; special events and stakeholder meetings (e.g., in conjunction with the Memorial Day Parade or Library events; youth programs in conjunction with Mill Valley Schools and Tam High and programs with local business, neighborhood associations, etc.); publicly noticed advisory committee meetings; and public hearings. The overall intent of the participation program is to use a variety of means to attract the widest range of participation without the traditional public meeting being the centerpiece of the process.

The introductory phase (January through April, 2012) is intended to provide the community with a common foundation of information, legal requirements and resources about the General Plan and topics specific to Mill Valley. The next phase - leading to a draft General Plan - will be focused on the work of the Advisory Committee (and staff), with public input along the way, to create the policy framework that will be the basis for the new Plan. In addition to the Advisory Committee, staff from other City departments will be regularly involved in supporting the work of the Advisory Committee on topics/issues specific to those departments and helping guide the preparation of the Plan. The Miller Avenue Streetscape Plan had a similar level of involvement from all City departments that was critical to the success of the process and the resulting Plan. This will be an iterative process beginning with confirming the 7 community values from the 1989 Mill Valley General Plan as the long-term (at least 20 years, but perhaps longer, depending on the issue) goals of the Plan and then moving on to identify future conditions, opportunities and constraints. That assessment will then lead to developing new or revised policies that will enable the City to anticipate and respond to changing circumstances and achieve desired outcomes over the life of the Plan. 

Following preparation of a draft General Plan, the Planning Commission and then the City Council will hold public hearings on the draft Plan and the environmental review. In accordance with state law, the Planning Commission hearings would lead to a recommendation to the City Council. The City Council would then hold their own hearings before taking a formal action to adopt the environmental review and General Plan.

 

You can request an administrative review to contest the ticket. The administrative review form is available at the police station or online. However, you are not required to submit this form, you can write your own letter. Include the citation number, your vehicle license number, the date of the citation and your statement as to the reason you don’t feel the ticket is justified. Mail the letter or form to the Marin parking Authority (the address is on the citation). The review form or letter must be submitted no more than 21 days from the date of the ticket. Your letter or form will be reviewed within 30-45 days from receipt.

Parking meter holidays are:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day
• President’s Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veteran’s Day
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day
  

General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC)
The GPAC is a nine member committee made up of one City Council member, one Planning Commissioner; and seven community members appointed at-large.

Role: The GPAC will provide oversight and direction to Working Groups and staff on designated topic and issue areas. The GPAC will review the recommendations of the respective Working Groups, provide additional direction, where needed, and make final recommendations to staff on the policies and programs to be included in the Draft General Plan.

General Plan Working Groups
Initially, there will be three Working Groups who will focus on the following topics: Natural Environment, Community Vitality, Land Use and Mobility. More Working Groups may be formed later in the process as determined to be necessary. Each Working Group will have no more than eleven members and will consist of one City Council member (not on the GPAC), and up to ten community members appointed at-large based on interest, knowledge or experience in particular topic or issue areas.

Role: General Plan Working Groups will conduct hands-on, in-depth evaluation of issues and be responsible for developing, refining and presenting detailed policy and program recommendations for their respective topic areas to the General Plan Advisory Committee.

The deadline for applying for the advisory committee and working groups was March 14, 2012.  Thank you for your interest.

 

 RSVP stickers valid for August 1, 2011 through July 31, 2012 will be available for purchase beginning Monday, July 11.

The RSVP Stickers may be purchased online or at the Mill Valley Police Department, 1 Hamilton Drive, Monday –Thursday 8:00am - 5:00pm and Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm.

 

The RSVP (Resident Shopper Vehicle Permit) parking permit is a pilot program designed to make it convenient and inviting for Mill Valley and Southern Marin residents to shop, eat and visit downtown Mill Valley. The RSVP permit allows residents free parking up to the maximum allowable time posted (usually two hours) at any of the City’s 400 parking meters, seven days a week from 9 am-6 pm.

 

This is a pilot program targeting Mill Valley and Southern Marin residents to encourage shopping, theatre and restaurant visits – and general participation in the downtown area of Mill Valley. The City will closely monitor the results of this pilot program and potentially expand the audience next year.

Visitors can use metered parking, and/or park for visits longer than two hours at the publicly accessible paid lot across from the Depot. The City will be improving signage and website information on available parking.

Employees are encouraged to purchase the “E” parking sticker which enables free parking 9-3:30 seven days a week at all “E” parking spots. The Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce sells “E” parking stickers.

 

Mill Valley households will be able to purchase up to four stickers, one for each vehicle. 
 

Remove the sticker from your car and return it to the Police Department. The City will replace your RSVP permit and reassign it to your new car at a cost of $5.

 

Yes. All meters will be free to all residents and visitors for up to two hours between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, as has been the tradition during the holiday shopping season.

 

If you believe you received a parking ticket in error, contact the Mill Valley Police Department as soon as possible. 

Mill Valley Public Safety Building
1 Hamilton Drive
Mill Valley, CA 94941

Hours of operation are Monday - Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:45 PM and on Fridays from 8:00 AM to 3:45 PM.

Police Non-emergency Phone: 415-389-4100
Police Fax: 415-389-4148.
Police Email: info@millvalleypd.org

 

City plans have existed throughout the history of urban development as a means to organize space and insure that essential ceremonial and communal functions could be accommodated. Beginning in the early 20th Century, and in response to the detrimental effects of rapid urbanization (inadequate housing, poor sanitation, industrialization, etc.), city plans emphasized a compelling vision of a future (the "city beautiful"; the "garden city") intended to engage the public, build civic pride, and encourage long-term investments and decision-making that would ultimately realize the goals of the plan. By the 1920's states began adopting planning and zoning enabling laws that allowed local governments to regulate the use and development of individual properties under the premise of protecting the public health, safety and welfare. These laws typically made zoning ordinances the primary tool for guiding growth and development, while general (or comprehensive) plans were considered to be optional, advisory documents. That is still true in many states, even today.

In 1971, the state of California amended its Government Code to make General Plans mandatory for every city and county in the state and further, and more significantly, required all local land use approvals to be consistent with the jurisdiction's General Plan. In 1990, the California Supreme Court firmly established the General Plan as the pre-eminent statement of local planning policy governing future growth and development, calling it "the constitution for all future development." On-going changes in state law and successive interpretations by the courts continue to add to the scope and responsibilities of the General Plan. However, in its purest form, the General Plan is the link between the expressed values and vision of the community and the resulting public process and decision-making that affect the physical, social, environmental and economic character of the community.

 

State law and the collective body of court decisions over the years clearly establish the basic components of a General Plan and how these components are to be interwoven to create a "longterm", "comprehensive", "integrated, internally consistent and compatible statement" of goals and policies that reflect local conditions and circumstances. The law requires that a General Plan
address seven subject areas, known in the law and by practice, as "elements", and that each element establish goals, policies and implementation programs and time frames for the subject matter in each element. The mandatory elements are:

• land use
• circulation
• housing
• open space
• conservation
• noise
• safety

The law and the state's "General Plan Guidelines" (created and periodically updated by the Governor's Office of Planning and Research to assist localities in preparing a General Plan) includes specific requirements for each element as to the level of detail and analysis that must be addressed in the plan. The "Housing Element" has the most specific content requirements, including its own separate schedule of mandatory revision (currently every 7 years); and it is the only General Plan element that requires the separate approval (called "certification") of a state agency, the department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). However, the internal consistency requirement of General Plan law is intended to insure that all elements have equal importance and priority in their application and implementation.

Beyond the mandatory elements of the General Plan, there is a great deal of flexibility to address local conditions and circumstances through additional elements. Many General Plans contain elements that address the local economy, urban design, bicycle and pedestrian needs, parks and recreation, social services, public health, sustainability and so forth. There is also a great deal of flexibility in creating the format of the General Plan so that certain topics can be better integrated. For example, the Circulation element, which has traditionally focused on roadway networks and accommodating motor vehicle movements, has evolved into a much more comprehensive analysis of "mobility" that analyzes all means of personal and public transportation, as well as the movement of goods and services.

Although the scope of the General Plan focuses on local conditions and circumstances, it also offers an opportunity to do that in a broader context. Many local issues are influenced by factors that do not necessarily recognize the city limits: traffic, air quality, housing, natural disasters and water supply, to name several. The process of preparing a General Plan allows the local community to look beyond its borders and not only collaborate with other communities and agencies on solutions to common problems, but also build relationships that can result in more effective policy and program implementation into the future. Within the organization, the General Plan process can be a tool for building better working relationships among departments by clarifying regulatory and program implementation roles and responsibilities and future budget and capital project priorities.

 

There are several reasons why it is important to have a current General Plan: 

• Community Vision - The General Plan preparation and adoption process offers the opportunity to bring the community together to express (or confirm) its collective values and shape a common vision for the future and dealing with future conditions. A strong and clear vision built on broad-based participation and consensus will guide long-term decision-making and build community. 
  
  
• Public Policy Coordination - The General Plan is not just a land use document that governs future growth and development. It is where all of a community's major policy initiatives are identified, assessed and expressed in a comprehensive and consistent form. As such, the General Plan process allows for a community discussion about policy goals and objectives, which can then lead to the identification of implementation programs, timing and priorities. The internal consistency requirement of the General Plan helps insure that there is coordination among the various elements of the plan. 
  
  
• Budget and Capital Investment Coordination - An up-to-date General Plan can be used to strategically identify budget and capital investment priorities based on realizing the vision of the plan and its implementation priorities. It is a management tool used by all City departments and decision-makers.
  
  
• Legal Basis for Implementation - State statutes and established case law require that local government decisions affecting a community's growth and development must be consistent with the General Plan. Although this requirement is most commonly expressed through the City's review of and action in matters regarding land use, the same legal standard of consistency with the General Plan can also apply to adopting new regulations and fees or undertaking new program or service initiatives that affect the entire community.

 

The current proposal calls for the completion of the General Plan update in 18 months. A background and informational stage which includes an online community survey and a series of informational public workshops would commence following City Council direction and conclude by the end of April of 2012.

The 18-month timeline is based having approximately one year (January - December of2012) to prepare a draft plan (including the Housing Element); and then the first half of 2013 for public hearings by the Planning Commission and City Council leading to adoption of a new General Plan.

 

General Plan revisions and updates are "projects" as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and, as such, typically require the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR). A General Plan EIR is often the costliest and most time consuming facet of a General Plan process. Communities have been able to adopt a General Plan with a "Mitigated Negative Declaration", but that is dependent on the scope of change that is proposed by the Plan over time and whether those changes could create  a "significant impact" on the environment. The environmental determination is not made until the General Plan is at the draft stage, where there can be an appropriate level of assessment of impacts and potential mitigations. Preparation of an Environmental Impact Report will require consultant assistance in various technical areas (e.g., transportation, air quality, water quality, biological, historic resources, etc.). The proposed General Plan budget anticipates the use of consultants for environmental work, but the greater impact may be on the overall timeline and may delay adoption. Unfortunately, scope and timing implications are unknown until the content of the draft General Plan (such as policies and  programs) are identified.

 

Staff has identified an overall cost of $450,000 for the preparation of the General Plan, including an appropriate CEQA determination and process. The first installment of funds was included in the 2011-2012 budget in Planning and Building (Specialized Services/Advanced Planning). Subsequent installments of funds will be addressed in the next budget cycle and may be modified based on what is known of the process and scope of work at that time.