General Plan 101: Residents to Get a Rundown at Annual Community Meeting

If you haven’t been paying much attention to the Mill Valley General Plan update — or even if you have — Tuesday evening is a good time to stop by the Community Center for an overview on what the city has in store for the next 30 years.

“It’s one of the most important things the Council does,” said Mill Valley Mayor Andy Berman, who's also chairman of the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC).

The city’s annual Community Meeting usually draws upwards of 150 people, and provides an opportunity for the City Council to update residents on various projects in a laid back setting where people are can ask questions and provide feedback, Berman said.

This year the Planning Commission, which is in the process of scheduling public hearings for the General Plan, will join the City Council for an informal introduction to the public on what that plan entails.

“It’s General Plan 101,” Berman said. “What are the important things? What are we proud of?” 

View the MV2040 General Plan and 2009-2014 Housing Element

Although the meeting usually addresses a wide range of issues, Berman said the General Plan itself is all encompassing.

“There isn’t anything we’ve touched in the past that doesn’t weave its way in,” he said.

During the 18-month process that’s set to wrap up this summer, GPAC has established goals, polies and programs for everything from transportation and bike lanes, to how the city will adopt to climate change, to whether or not micro apartments would be suitable for Mill Valley.

Berman said the plan is about “creating a strong sense of community around basic values, and identifying newer issues that are on the horizon.” 

The committee is made up of three 11-member working groups on Land Use and Mobility, Natural Environment and Community Vitality - which also includes a nine-member Arts and Culture Subcommittee.

The General Plan update also includes the hotly debated Housing Element, which deals with planning and zoning as it relates to residential growth and affordable housing, and is subject to strict state regulations. It identifies sites that could accommodate enough new housing for the 2014-2022 period. The city recently launched an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Housing Element, and the public has until 5 p.m. on May 31 to weigh in on the scope of the report.

IF YOU GO:

• What: Annual Mill Valley Community Meeting
• Where: Mill Valley Community Center
• When: 6 – 8 p.m. Doors open at 5:45. Refreshments will be served.

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