Mill Valley council updates plaza events policy
The Mill Valley City Council voted unanimously to make the downtown plaza more available for events.
The decision following Monday night’s public hearing updated the 2015 municipal code regarding plaza events. The changes include who can approve event requests and increasing the number of events allowed. The new rules are meant to expedite the event approval process and increase opportunity to use the plaza.
“The intent was not to make downtown Mill Valley into the Greek Theater,” said Mayor Urban Carmel. “I think the vibe that we’ve got here, with lightly amplified music, it’s classical music. It’s the kind of thing that we did with our concerts in the park, on the plaza, it’s that kind of thing.”
The approved changes include removing the maximum of 12 amplified events per year; authorizing the arts and recreation director, instead of the Parks and Recreation Commission, to approve events; requiring events using amplified sound to get a permit; prohibiting non-city-sponsored groups or people from requesting more than four permits a year; and limiting events to four hours between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m., or until 9 p.m. between June and August.
The City Council added that staff have discretion to allow events earlier in the mornings, specifically for quieter events like a yoga class.
Ashley Howe, the city’s director of arts and recreation, said the department has seen an increase in plaza events requests — there were six events last year and nine requests this year. However, requiring in-person meetings and the time it takes to get events approved are barriers to residents, Howe said.
“Right now everything that’s a planned use goes through the Parks and Rec Commission,” Howe said, “and that’s been very cumbersome for local groups to plan ahead in order to attend and submit the information and request completely through staff to land on a commission agenda, as well as time it so that they have enough time to publicize the event.”
Carmel specified that amplified sound does not imply loud, amplified music. Todd Cusimano, the city manager, said amplified music is anything with a microphone, amplifier or boombox.
Howe said she expects the changes to have little to no impact on nearby neighbors. Vice Mayor Stephen Burke asked if there was a possibility of conducting a noise decibel study at the plaza.
Cusimano said decibel limits are complicated in that they can range widely in a short period of time in a single place, and ambient noise can often have higher decibels than anticipated. He suggested putting decibel readers on the outskirts of the plaza to get some data, but said a better method would be to check in with the community and monitor complaints.
Councilmember Caroline Joachim said she agreed the process needs to be streamlined and added that there should be some weekends and weekdays where the plaza remains free.
Carmel said having events downtown is important because it boosts the local economy and the city’s overall vibrancy. He said does not know if the code update will increase the number of events at the plaza, but it provides the opportunity to.
Alan Unger of Mill Valley said he supports the changes because staff have been transparent and helpful in explaining the changes. He also said he was happy to hear about the 9 p.m. cutoff time.
“I’m very encouraged by the direction this seems to be going,” said Unger. “You’re really taking a very deliberative and scientific approach.”