City Council — Special Meeting · special and regular meetings, Wednesday, Jan. 7
Record king tide, not rain, floods Larkspur; Council proclaims a local emergency
The Council opened Wednesday night with a special meeting and voted unanimously to adopt Resolution 07-26 proclaiming a local emergency in Larkspur after tidal flooding closed Highway 101 and Sir Francis Drake in both directions. The proclamation opens the door to grant funding and relief for affected residents and businesses.
“As your pragmatic city manager, I would strongly encourage you not to mention climate change in this resolution... I would not mention things the federal government don't like to hear about right now.”— City Manager Dan Schwarz, on drafting the emergency proclamation
Public Works Director Julian Skinner's preliminary briefing put the blame on water, not weather overhead: a record king tide of 8.7 feet — roughly 1.5 feet above forecast — combined with storm surge and wind, sending Corte Madera Creek over its banks into the Larkspur Marina lagoon near Riviera Circle, Larkspur Plaza Drive, and the Redwood Highway/Industrial Way area. "This was not a Ross Valley rain event... the rain was not the cause of it," Skinner told the Council. "It was more what was going on offshore and the pressures and the weather system pushing the water higher." City Manager Dan Schwarz put it more bluntly: "We programmed for the blue line and we got the red line."
The drafting drew comment. Resident David Mer asked the Council to add language tying the flooding to climate change and questioned describing the impacts as occurring "throughout" the city, since the damage was localized. Schwarz pushed back on the first point on practical grounds, and Council Member Way argued for keeping "throughout" so the city stays eligible for reimbursement in areas not initially flagged as flood-affected. Resident Ross Aelstine used the moment to argue that flood fee revenue, current and historical, should go to levees under a 1965 contract.
Mayor Andre said the National Weather Service told a press conference with Rep. Jared Huffman that wind strength had been underforecast, pushing water into the bay and keeping it from receding. Council Member Kandell asked whether the city would have acted differently with an accurate red-line forecast. Staff said a fuller discussion of causes and possible mitigation will come back as an agendized item at a future meeting.
City Council · regular meeting, Wednesday, Jan. 7
Chamber wins $20,000 — and a warning that the next check depends on restructuring
The Larkspur Chamber of Commerce asked for the remaining $20,000 in unallocated Transient Occupancy Tax (business enhancement) funds for the first half of 2026, on top of $30,000 already allocated this fiscal year. The Council approved it 4-1 with one abstention via Resolution 06-26, but several members made clear the money came with strings.
“Downtown Larkspur knows that smaller events are best for it... the bigger events hurt their business. This last wine stroll... there were two fights, arrests made, drunken people, and damage was done in stores.”— Jay Holland, resident and business advocate
The friction was about who the Chamber speaks for. Council Member Kandell framed it as a choice: either the Chamber represents the entire business community and the city's $50,000 goes to the Chamber, or the different business districts represent themselves — and said this would not happen again unless the problem is resolved. Council Member Margles said she was uncomfortable funding the Chamber given conflicting accounts from downtown merchants about whether big events help or hurt.
Resident and business advocate Jay Holland was the sharpest voice from the podium, telling the Council that downtown's merchants want smaller events and describing the last wine stroll in unflattering detail. Chamber Executive Director Marty Murphy said the organization has launched a member and community survey to gather data on business needs and Chamber performance, and pointed to recent events including a joint mixer with Corte Madera and a downtown holiday open house.
Mayor Andre noted that about a third of the Chamber's budget comes from the city and defended its outreach across Larkspur's business districts. Council members tied future allocations to Chamber restructuring that better represents all of them.
City Council · regular meeting, Wednesday, Jan. 7
Mini-park at the base of the Arch Street steps joins the unfunded projects list
At the base of the Arch Street steps near Magnolia Avenue, the Larkspur Community Foundation asked the city to make room in its Capital Improvement Program for a roughly 1,000-square-foot mini park and plaza on a city-owned parcel of about 3,000 square feet. The concept includes a raised plaza, a retaining wall, seating, preservation of the existing Buckeye tree, and a possible bus shelter upgrade. Estimated cost is about $250,000; the Foundation says it has already raised $65,000 in seed and donor funding.
“Our objective is to encourage the city council to direct staff to add this mini park or plaza to Larkspur's capital improvement program as an unfunded project.”— Laura Anderson, president, Larkspur Community Foundation
Staff called it a viable public-private partnership consistent with a prior council resolution favoring community-funded projects. LCF President Laura Anderson kept the ask narrow: "Our objective is to encourage the city council to direct staff to add this mini park or plaza to Larkspur's capital improvement program as an unfunded project." A petition of support and a string of residents — including Lerner, Swisher, Klitsner, Andelin, Baxter, Love and Gilardi — weighed in.
The reservation came from Council Member Kandell, who said he had ambivalence about locking up a parcel the city may need to liquidate if budget needs arise, noting it has long sat on the list of potential revenue sources. Mayor Andre countered that a park in that spot would add value to the parcel should the city ever choose to sell. Resident James Holmes, recalling the site's history as part of the Probert used car lot, urged keeping both the old well and the bus shelter.
The Council gave consensus direction to add the project to the unfunded projects list in this year's CIP — a placeholder, not a funding commitment.