Mill Valley ‘beautification brigade’ racks up results

Old flagpoles. Weed-covered road medians. Neglected gardens and corners of public squares.

A half-dozen of Mill Valley’s more visible eyesores have been transformed by the city’s “beautification brigade,” Councilmember Caroline Joachim, a brigade leader, reported at Monday’s council meeting.

“It’s more than just creating beauty,” Joachim said. “It really is a commitment to not only making Mill Valley more visually appealing, but also strengthening community bonds through collaborative beautification efforts and giving a chance for neighbors to meet fellow neighbors.”

The brigades’ first project started in May 2024 with the redwood-filled median at the north end of the Depot Plaza. The formal name of the site, originally the town center, is Lytton Square in honor of Lytton Barber, the city’s first World War I casualty.

“We enlisted Gail Mason, who is a local resident and master gardener, to lead our effort,” Joachim said. “After a couple of weekends, we planted, I’d say, 40 drought-resistant native species and did comprehensive upgrades to the irrigation system, thanks to DPW.”

Benches soon followed, she said. “It’s currently maintained by one of our volunteers and I’m happy to report that this space continues to be an informal gathering spot in the mornings and afternoons.”

Similar efforts were undertaken at what is locally called “the pork chop,” the triangle of land along East Blithedale Avenue, which received more than 130 new plants. A neglected patch in front of a community garden was filled with pollinator plants. Underbrush was cleared from tree groves on Miller Avenue and a split rail fence was put in to create a quiet space. A stairway on Bernard Lane was turned into a grove for monarch butterflies. Attention was paid to a roundabout in front of the library.

Another ambitious project was transforming the base of an old flagpole at the southern end of the Depot Plaza into a mosaic-covered seating area where the sides were covered with settings from Mill Valley and a black slash crosses the top to denote the starting line for the Dipsea race.

“We picked out eight iconic Mill Valley scenes,” Joachim said. “It’s hard to pick out a favorite, but Old Mill stands out incredibly well. The golf course does as well.”

She thanked City Manager Todd Cusimano and the Department of Public Works for their support, as well as the brigade’s volunteers and local groups.

“Any questions?” she concluded.

“I’m exhausted,” said Mayor Steven Burke. “Amazing amount of progress. I really appreciate, and I think we all do, the appetite to do more.”

“This is an extensive list,” said Vice Mayor Max Perrey. “And I especially want to point out that it’s in different parts of town, which I think is really important as we go forward.”

“So many of the projects were ones that you could just notice or see needed to be done for years,” said Councilmember Katherine Jones. “You’ve just systematically gone through each and every one of them, and the mosaic and flower baskets, they spark so much joy.”