Fairfax Update
News From Around Town...
September 7,2021
Highlights of the September 1st Town Council Meeting

  • The Council appointed Rick Hamer to the Affordable Housing Committee and reappointed Chris Borjian to the Open Space Committee.
  • MMWD gave an insightful presentation about the state of the drought and water conservation. Click here to see the presentation.
  • A Proclamation was made to designate September 2021 as Prostate Cancer Awareness Month.
  • The Council received the Climate Action Plan Implementation Scorecard and the Age Friendly Strategic Plan Implementation Scorecard.
  • Adopted a Resolution Promoting Voluntary Water Conservation Efforts.
  • Adopted an Ordinance adding Chapter 15.05 entitled “All-Electric Construction in Newly Constructed Buildings” 
  • Adopted an Urgency Ordinance to establish paid sick leave requirements for all employers in the Town with 25 or fewer employees for COVID-19 related reasons. With and end date of September 30th, to bridge a gap until the Federal program is implemented.
  • Heather Renschler gave an update on the Town Manager recruitment and shared the Town Manager recruitment brochure.The Council approved the brochure with some small edits and it was shared on September 2nd on all our networks to begin the recruitment process. You can find more information here about how you can offer your input on what is important in the search for our next Town Manager.
  • Results of the Outdoor Dining Survey were presented and showed that the community supports exploring options to make them permanent. The Council directed to staff come back at the November meeting with suggestions and guidelines for making outdoor dining spaces permanent.
  • Jonathon Goldman, our Interim Public Works Manager, gave a report regarding our capital improvement projects and Michael Vivrette, our Finance Director, share the process for funding future programs eligible for American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. For details of the proposed projects click here.

To review the agenda and read the staff reports from this meeting, please click here.
Work Continues on the Fairfax Housing Element Update

The Affordable Housing Committee will meet this Wednesday, September 8th, from 3:30-5:30pm.

Topics such as the “Missing Middle” housing approach and ensuring compliance with AB 686 (Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing) will be discussed. The Committee will also look at preliminary site analysis materials including a map showing potential areas that could allow for additional housing dependent upon zoning changes. An update on outreach and engagement efforts will be provided.

The agenda and meeting materials can be found on the Town's Public Meetings webpage

On September 22nd, there will also be a joint Town Council/ Planning Commission meeting with continued discussion on the progress of the Housing Element Update. We encourage all to attend. 
 
If you cannot attend the meetings, want to learn more about the Housing Element Update, and/or want to provide more feedback, we encourage all those who live and work in Fairfax to visit the website fairfaxspeaks.com . To fully interact on the Fairfax Speaks website, registration is recommended. The purpose of the Fairfax Speaks website is to act as a streamlined source of key details, documents, and public engagement tools regarding the Housing Element Update. It also provides links to important public meeting agendas and materials that are on the Town of Fairfax website.
Skate Park Survey

The Parks and Recreation Committee (PARC) is looking at ways to create a permanent skate park. We are asking for your feedback so that PARC can share what the community would like to see happen in regard to making the current location permanent, at the October Town Council meeting.

The survey has been extended to September 10th - spread the word so we can include the community in this process!

The results will be shared at the September 13th PARC meeting - join the Zoom meeting to hear the results and share your thoughts with the Committee.
The Town is Offering Vegetation Management Grants

The Town of Fairfax is offering grants to help local residents who might otherwise not be able to afford to do this important work. In an effort to support as much participation as possible, we have revised the grant process slightly:

  • $1,000 grants for senior or low-income applicants. (Please visit www.marinhousing.org to review the low income guidelines for Marin County. )
  • Town can reimburse the applicant directly
  • Or submit an invoice and the Town will pay the invoice directly within 5 business days.

  • $500 grants for any Fairfax residents, regardless of age or income.
  • Town can reimburse the applicant directly
  • Or submit an invoice and the Town will pay the invoice directly within 5 business days.

The Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (MWPA) is servicing each home in Fairfax twice between May 17-September 27th. You need to pre-register for the pick-up service on one of the two days available to your neighborhood.

For instructions on how to prepare your materials for pick up visit:
Marin County Covid Update
Dr. Matt Willis provides an update on what you should know about boosters, when they might become available, and for whom they’ll be available when boosters arrive in Marin County. 
Upcoming Vaccination Opportunities 

Sept 8 2021 | 10am - 3pm 
Grocery Outlet - 75 Bellam Blvd, San Rafael

Sept 9 2021 | 10:30am - 2:30pm
San Geronimo Food Pantry
5800 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Geronimo

Sept 9 2021 | 4:30 - 8pm 
Dining Under the Lights - A Street & 4th Street, San Rafael

Sept 11 2021 | 10 - 4pm 
Canal Alliance - 91 Larkspur Street, San Rafael


Upcoming Meetings & Events
Affordable Housing Committee Meeting
September 8 - 3:30pm

Parks & Recreation Committee Meeting
September 13 - 7pm

Planning Commission Meeting
September 16 - 7pm

Climate Action Committee Meeting
September 21 - 7pm

Town Council Special Meeting
September 22 - 6:30pm

To view the agendas visit our Public Meetings page.
Please note: we are proceeding with all events as planned but they may
need to be cancelled due to County or State Health orders.

Fairfax Farmers Market in Bolinas Park
Wednesdays 4-8pm

Shop local every week!

Fairfax Community Rosh Hashanah Celebration
Friday, September 10th
5:30-7pm
Redwood Stage, Peri Park
Everyone is invited to join the Fairfax community celebration of Rosh Hashanah, the ‘Jewish New Year’! Rosh Hashanah offers a time for reflection and celebrates the sweetness of life.

Merwin Community Mural Painting Party
September 12th
10am
Merwin Ave. Near Ace Hardware

Please come on down, and bring your friends. We will start at 10am each day. Great thanks to all the cleaning and painting volunteers who have donated over 75 hours of on this project so far.
Fairfax Theatre Company proudly presents:
"Where There's A Will There's A Story"
September 11, 12 & 18 at 4PM 
Green Stage in Peri Park
FREE

A concert of Monologues, Sonnets and Soliloquies from Shakespeare's
Macbeth - Romeo & Juliet - Hamlet - Julius Ceasar - Antony & Cleopatra - Othello - A Merchant of Venice - Henry IV - Henry V - A Midsummer Night's Dream (And More!)

Town-wide Community Picnic
September 19th
12-5pm
 
The Fairfax Volunteers will be bringing back the Town-wide picnic to the Contratti Ball Field! Music line up will be teen band Banana Soup, the Nick Brown & Friends and Last Chance Summer Dance, which will feature 80’s Motown Dance Music assembled by Jason Minkler. 
Fairfax Recreation
Our fall catalog is on the presses and will be in mailboxes soon! Until then, take a look at it online:
Other Town and County News
Recruitment for Priority Committee Setting Member

The County of Marin invites Marin community residents to apply to serve on the Countywide Priority Setting Committee (PSC), which oversees the distribution of $2.4 million in federal funds through the Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME). The Committee helps determine the funding priorities used to distribute funds for affordable housing projects and services benefiting low-income residents. The appointed member should represent the interests of racial and ethnic minorities and/or people with disabilities. 
 
Applicants will be asked to participate in a Zoom interview with the committee on September 30, 2021 at 6:00 P.M. The term will go through Fall 2023. The application is available at www.MarinCounty.org/FederalGrants

Applications are due September 15, 2021 at 4pm.
Want to Get Involved? Join a Board or Commission!

Do you want to make a real difference in 2021? Consider joining a board or commission for the Town of Fairfax. There are openings on the Climate Action Committee, Marin County Commission on Aging, Parks and Recreation Commission, Racial Equity and Social Justice Committee and Volunteer Board.

You can pick up your FREE Evacuation Tags at the Fairfax Police Department

The Fairfax Police Department in partnership with the Ross Valley Fire Department is giving away evacuation tags to residents living in the Town of Fairfax, Marin County, California. Evacuation tags are a new tool to help us more quickly ensure that neighborhoods are evacuated during a disaster. Residents affix the tag in a location that is highly visible when they evacuate (mailbox, front door, garage, end of your driveway).

Read more about how Evacuation Tags work here.
Resources
Drought Water Restrictions are in Effect for All of Marin County

MMWD provided a very helpful update to the Town Council at the September 1st meeting. Watch the video of the meeting to hear the presentation.


COVID-19 Assistance Programs

If you are experiencing financial difficulties due to COVID-19, please contact the programs below.

Marin County Emergency Rental Assistance Program 
For the application and information about the program and how to apply visit the County of Marin's website.

Fairfax Rental Assistance Program
The Town Council has established a Residential Rental Assistance Program to assist extremely low-income Fairfax renters whose household incomes were adversely affected by COVID-19. The program is administered by St.Vincent de Paul and Ritter Center. If you are in need of assistance or have questions, please call 415-454-3303 X11 to leave a message. Calls will be returned in the order they are received.
PG&E Programs to Help Those Impacted by the Pandemic
 
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Town of Fairfax sitio web se puede traducir al español

El sitio web se puede traducir al español usando el ícono del globo que se encuentra en la barra verde de cada página.

Our website can now be translated into Spanish (and other languages) using the globe icon found on the green bar at the top of each page.