Larkspur Backs Two-Pump Flood Plan as Marina Residents Press for Third Pump

Larkspur's City Council spent most of its Nov. 4, 2026, meeting on one question: is the city ready for king tides forecast near January's flood levels? Council took no vote. Members signaled support for staff's plan for two lagoon pumps under $100,000, while Larkspur Marina residents pushed for a third pump, 7,000 sandbags and faster repair permits.

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• Two 10-inch lagoon pumps under $100,000 win council support ahead of Thanksgiving and December king tides.
• Marina residents organize for a third pump and 7,000 sandbags, citing sewage and emergency-access risks.
• City manager commits to emergency repair permits but advises against an ordinance requiring sandbag use.
• Community Development reports more than 1,000 permits and plans an overhaul of outdated impact fees.
• Ordinance 1099 aligns Larkspur's ADU rules with state law and passes with no public comment.

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Two Pumps, Not Three: Staff's King Tide Plan

Why it matters: Staff expects king tides around Thanksgiving and in December to approach January's flood levels. Both arrive before the council can revisit the plan.

Where things stand: Public Works Director Julian Skinner reported an 8.2-foot tide the previous week that forced street closures. Marin County supplied modular walls and sandbags for barriers on Redwood Highway and at Doherty/Riviera.

His centerpiece is two 10-inch submersible pumps in the Larkspur Marina lagoon. That is a scaled-down version of the capacity modeled in the Foth report, a flood study residents also cite. "We're getting about roughly 2/3 the capacity for about a quarter of the cost," said Skinner.

Sandbag output is about 1,000 a day. The machine is shared with Corte Madera and Mill Valley, which limits how fast Larkspur can scale up.

The other side: Councilmember Scot Candell pressed staff on adding a third pump. "I would hate to be too conservative and have that cause a bunch of problems," said Councilmember Candell.

City Manager Dan Schwarz framed the decision as citywide cost-benefit. "If I had unlimited resources, I would put as many pumps as we could find," said Schwarz.

Mayor Stephanie Andre widened the lens beyond the marina. "I am very worried about the eastern half of 101," said Mayor Andre.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: There was no formal vote. Council gave informal direction backing staff's two-pump approach and asked staff to keep the option of more capacity open.

"I'd like to support what staff has brought to us tonight," said Vice Mayor Gabe Paulson, who also urged attention to other neighborhoods.

The tradeoff is clear. Marina households get a faster, cheaper system with less modeled capacity. Neighborhoods elsewhere keep a claim on limited flood dollars.

What's next: Staff will continue work on pump deployment and sandbag deliveries before the holiday tides. The council's next regular meeting is Nov. 18.

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Marina Neighbors Bring a Detailed Ask List

Why it matters: Five residents arrived with a coordinated set of demands. Their argument is that the city's own consultant data shows two pumps fall short.

Where things stand: Each speaker thanked staff before pressing for more.

• Natasha Chalmers cited Foth modeling of 85 million gallons of inflow per tide. She said about 80% of homes in the neighborhood need sandbags.
• Ryan Chatley asked for 7,000 sandbags and a pump deployment timeline. He also sought authorization for private pumps, expedited flood-recovery permits and twice-weekly updates.
• Corey Birkin argued that county reimbursements would cover a third pump. He flagged sewage and emergency-access risks.
• Cindy Morgan called standing, sewage-contaminated floodwater a public health crisis for seniors and children.
• Kevin Hackman noted that staff's pump cost came in below the $400,000 amount discussed earlier. He said that gap leaves room for a third pump.

Residents also cited Newport Beach's same-day permits as a model and asked about high-water vehicles.

The city's response: Schwarz corrected the record on the prior meeting. "You actually did not take a budget action," he said. Council had instead transferred authority to him as director of emergency services.

He could not promise same-day permits but committed to permits that restore habitability. "We are developing a plan to issue emergency permits," said Schwarz.

Skinner said residents can pump from the creek back into the creek without a permit. Pumping water into public streets is not allowed.

The city attorney said the state Emergency Services Act already lets the city order residents to participate in flood measures, but enforcement questions remain. Schwarz recommended a strongly worded letter rather than an ordinance requiring sandbag use. He also described a parking and car-relocation plan aimed at vulnerable neighborhoods.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Residents won commitments on emergency permitting and on private pumping. They did not get a third pump or a firm guarantee of 7,000 sandbags.

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Permits Top 1,000 as Fee Overhaul Looms

Why it matters: Several of Larkspur's development fees are decades old. Updating them would change what builders pay and how traffic impacts are measured.

Where things stand: Community Development Director Andrew Mogensen reported more than 1,000 permits and 3,000 inspections last year. Inspections are available the next day.

His report also covered:

• 90 heat pump permits issued over two years.
• 140 to 160 code enforcement cases a year.
• A park development impact fee that dates to 1998.
• A traffic impact fee that needs a new VMT method. VMT, or vehicle miles traveled, is a measure of how much driving a project generates.
• A planned comprehensive nexus study. A nexus study is the legal analysis that ties a fee to the impacts it pays for.
• Floor area ratio and parking ordinance updates funded by a Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) grant.
• A joint sea level rise grant application of about $3.2M.

The other side: Councilmembers asked about turnaround times, complaint-driven code enforcement and bottlenecks at other agencies. They also asked about permit cost data for heat pumps, customer surveys, remote inspections and traffic analysis thresholds.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The item was informational, and no action was taken. Schwarz said fee policy is ultimately the council's choice. Developers, homeowners pursuing remodels and park users all have a stake in the coming fee decisions.

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ADU Rules Updated to Match State Law

Where things stand: Ordinance 1099 amends Chapter 18 of the city code to address issues raised in the state housing department's (HCD) annual review letter. The changes cover:

• Criteria for junior accessory dwelling units (JADUs).
• Permit timelines and unit allowances.
• Objective design standards.
• Rental terms and historic designations.
• Owner-occupancy rules for JADUs.

ADU Marin helped prepare the update. "There are no local customizations to these changes that we've identified," said Mogensen.

The Planning Commission recommended adoption 3-0 on Oct. 13, with two commissioners absent. One public comment submitted in advance prompted a staff memo aligning two code sections on owner-occupancy deed restrictions. No one spoke at the hearing.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Councilmember Sarah Margulies moved to pass the ordinance with the memo's wording change, and Councilmember Candell seconded. The ordinance passed on a voice vote; no tally was announced. Homeowners building ADUs get rules that track state law, and the city stays aligned with HCD's annual review.

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Minor Items

• Library cleaning fee scrapped: Resolution 7126 eliminates the $25 per-use cleaning fee for library community rooms for all users. About 90% of room use comes from community groups. Rental fees remain for non-exempt users. At Mayor Andre's request, staff kept authority to require refundable deposits for events serving food or drinks. A janitorial contract is out to bid. The resolution passed on a voice vote; no tally was announced.
• Dog pilot settling in: Pulled from the consent calendar, the dog pilot program check-in drew a positive report from Schwarz. Complaints fell to almost none after an early surge, and a volunteer dog-owner ambassador group was given a small billboard. Approved on a voice vote.
• Consent calendar: Items 4.1 and 4.2 passed on a voice vote.
• Magnolia Avenue speeding: Linda Chauncey, a public commenter, asked how to follow up on a letter about speeding north of Dougherty Drive. Staff said they would handle it.
• Joint powers warning: James Holmes, a public commenter, cautioned that joint powers authorities can let larger members outvote smaller ones. He cited the Ross Valley sanitary JPA dispute.

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Looking Ahead

Council met in closed session on the city manager's evaluation before the public meeting. The next regular meeting is Nov. 18. Holiday king tides may arrive close to that date.