Millbrae meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Millbrae Council Cancels August Meetings; Planning Commission to Decide on Crestview Drive Expansion

The Millbrae City Council cancelled both of its August meetings, and several other boards followed suit, leaving the Planning Commission as the only body with a substantive decision on the calendar this week. The council's next regular meeting is rescheduled for September 8 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 621 Magnolia Ave.

Recent meetings

City Council – The August 11 and August 25 meetings were cancelled. No items were considered.

Planning Commission (August 17) – The commission held a public hearing on a Master Sign Program Amendment for Bank of the Orient at 475 El Camino Real (APN #024-122-020). The proposal would allow three new exterior signs in the Downtown Mixed-Use district. The project is categorically exempt from CEQA under Guidelines Section 15311 (Class 11) for new on-premise signs on an existing commercial facility. The commission also approved the minutes from its August 3 meeting. No decision on the sign program was recorded in the agenda; minutes have not yet been published.

Parks and Recreation Commission (August 18) – Meeting cancelled. The next regular meeting is September 15 at 7:00 p.m. at the Millbrae Recreation Center.

Bike & Pedestrian Advisory Subcommittee (August 18) – Meeting cancelled. The next meeting is September 15 at 6:00 p.m. at the Millbrae Recreation Center, 477 Lincoln Circle.

Senior Advisory Committee (August 19) – The committee approved the July 15 minutes, received a City Council update, and discussed Millbrae Library updates. Staff announced senior events and programs. The agenda was routine, with no major decisions or public hearings.

Upcoming meetings

Planning Commission (August 24, today) – The commission will hold a public hearing to decide on a Design Review Permit, Conditional Use Permit, and Exception for a project at 1030 Crestview Drive (APN 021-210-180). The project involves a 3,149-square-foot addition and remodel of an existing 1,897-square-foot two-story residence, including modifications to a nonconforming garage that encroaches into west and north setbacks, and a request to retain substandard parking spaces in the R-1 zoning district. The commission will also approve minutes from its August 17 meeting.

Sister Cities Commission (August 24) – The regular meeting scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at the Millbrae Recreation Center, Art Center, has been cancelled.

City Council (August 25) – Cancelled. The next meeting is September 8.

Coming up

The Planning Commission meets today, August 24, to decide on the Crestview Drive home expansion. The next City Council meeting is September 8 at 7:00 p.m. at the Council Chamber. The Parks and Recreation Commission and the Bike & Pedestrian Advisory Subcommittee both meet on September 15 at the Millbrae Recreation Center.

Millbrae boards set agendas, but no decisions confirmed; council cancels August meetings

Over the past two weeks, Millbrae's City Council, Planning Commission, and advisory committees met on a range of items — from a residential addition to a sister-city letter exchange — but none of the meetings have published minutes, so no decisions are confirmed. The City Council has also cancelled its two regular meetings in August.

City Council

The council held two closed sessions, on July 28 and August 6, to confer with legal counsel about the lawsuit *Ann Schneider v. City of Millbrae, Millbrae City Council and City Clerk/Elections Official of the City of Millbrae* (Case No. 26-CIV-05490). No public action was expected at either session.

At its regular meeting on July 28, the council had a consent calendar that included receiving and filing the monthly General Fund financial report for the period ending June 30, 2026, and appointing and reappointing members to the Economic Development and Community Enhancement Advisory Committees. The council also received informational updates on the status of development projects and the Property Business Improvement District, and was scheduled to act on a semi-annual update from Self-Help for the Elderly and to designate a voting delegate for the League of California Cities conference.

Planning Commission

On August 3, the Planning Commission held a public hearing on a design review permit for 55 Vallejo Drive, a residential remodel and addition totaling 655 square feet on the first story and 858 square feet on the second story. The commission also planned to nominate and elect its chair and vice chair for fiscal year 2027. A separate project at 1030 Crestview Drive was rescheduled to August 17, 2026.

Sister Cities Commission

The Sister Cities Commission met on July 27 to discuss a letter exchange with La Serena, Chile, and the possible formation of a subcommittee. The commission also planned a vice-chair election, discussed a decorative column to elevate an ornamental stone from Mosta, Malta, at the City Hall entrance, and considered an August recess. It also discussed booth representation at the Japanese Culture Festival.

Economic Development Advisory Committee

On August 5, the Economic Development Advisory Committee reviewed its fiscal year 2025–2027 workplan, which was approved by the City Council on April 8, 2025. The workplan includes a small-business workshop planned for August or September 2026 covering permitting, business license, and health department topics; an introduction to government contracting RFPs and grants for minority- and women-owned businesses; and a fall mixer with the Millbrae Chamber of Commerce scheduled for November 2026. The committee also received an update on the Business Improvement District re-examination from city staff.

Coming up

The City Council has cancelled its regularly scheduled meetings for August 11 and August 25, 2026. The next council meeting is rescheduled for September 8, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at the Council Chamber, 621 Magnolia Ave. No other upcoming meetings were listed in the provided materials.

Millbrae boards weighed Broadway design review, lawsuit closed sessions, and downtown updates

Millbrae's advisory bodies and City Council held a busy stretch of meetings in late July, but because minutes have not yet been published for any of them, only the agendas are available — not the outcomes. The most consequential items on the agendas involved a proposed mixed-use building at 230 Broadway, repeated closed-session discussions of a lawsuit against the city, and a City Council update on development projects and the downtown business district.

Planning Commission: 230 Broadway design review

On July 20, 2026, the Planning Commission was scheduled to hold a public hearing and take action on Design Review Permit (2025-154) for a new 4,711-square-foot, two-story mixed-use building at 230 Broadway. The lot is 2,500 square feet and sits in the Downtown Mixed Use (DMU) Zoning District. The agenda also included approval of minutes from the commission's May 18, 2026 meeting and a staff update on MTC signage. Public comment was limited to 30 minutes. No minutes have been published, so the outcome of the permit is not yet in the record.

City Council: closed sessions on Ann Schneider lawsuit

The City Council held three special closed-session meetings — July 21, July 23, and July 28, 2026 — all focused on the same litigation: *Ann Schneider v. City of Millbrae and City Clerk/Elections Official*, Superior Court of California, County San Mateo, Case No. 26-CIV-05490. The agendas listed conferences with legal counsel regarding existing litigation. No public action was expected during these closed sessions, and no minutes are available.

City Council: financial report, appointments, and downtown updates

A separate July 28, 2026 council agenda included consent-calendar items: receiving and filing the monthly General Fund financial report for the period ending June 30, 2026, and appointing and reappointing members to the Economic Development and Community Enhancement Advisory Committees. Informational updates were scheduled on the status of development projects and the Property Business Improvement District. The council was also set to act on a semi-annual update from Self-Help for the Elderly and to designate a voting delegate for the League of California Cities conference. Outcomes are not yet published.

Parks and Recreation Commission: bench policy and leadership

On July 21, 2026, the Parks and Recreation Commission was scheduled to approve June 16, 2026 minutes, elect a chair and vice chair, and discuss — and possibly adopt — a new Bench Dedication Policy. The agenda also included a Bike & Pedestrian Advisory Subcommittee report and a Bench Dedication Policy subcommittee report.

Bike & Pedestrian Advisory Subcommittee

Also on July 21, 2026, this subcommittee was set to discuss the Regional Measure 3 (RM3) Safe Routes to Transit and Bay Trail (SR2TBT) Grant Program, plus status updates on intersection improvements at Magnolia Avenue and Millbrae Avenue and the Broadway ADA and Pedestrian Improvements Project.

Sister Cities Commission

On July 27, 2026, the Sister Cities Commission agenda included a vice-chair election, a possible letter exchange with La Serena, Chile (with possible subcommittee formation), discussion of a decorative column for an ornamental stone from Mosta, Malta at the Millbrae City Hall entrance, a decision on an August recess, and consideration of booth representation at the Japanese Culture Festival.

Coming up

• **Planning Commission — Aug. 3, 2026:** Public hearing on a Design Review Permit for 55 Vallejo Drive, covering a 655-square-foot first-story and 858-square-foot second-story addition. The commission will also nominate and elect its chair and vice chair for FY 2027. The 1030 Crestview Drive project is rescheduled for August 17, 2026.
• **Economic Development Advisory Committee — Aug. 5, 2026:** Review of the 2025-2027 EDAC workplan, including a small-business workshop planned for August/September 2026, an introduction to government contracting RFPs and grants for minority- and women-owned businesses, a fall mixer with the Millbrae Chamber of Commerce in November 2026, and a Business Improvement District re-examination update from city staff.
• **City Council — Aug. 11 and 25, 2026:** Both regularly scheduled meetings are cancelled. The next meeting is rescheduled for September 8, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chamber, 621 Magnolia Ave.

Millbrae Council Weighs Paid Parking, Utility Fees, and Term Limits in Busy July Stretch

Millbrae's City Council and advisory bodies held a packed schedule of meetings in early July, with agendas covering parking policy, utility fees, bridge repairs, and term-limit interpretation. Minutes have not yet been published for any of the recent meetings, so outcomes listed below reflect what was scheduled for action, not confirmed results.

City Council — July 7 Special Meeting

The Council scheduled three action items for its July 7 special meeting. The first was a resolution adopting a second amendment to a cooperation agreement with the San Mateo County Urban County Program, which would give Millbrae access to Community Development Block Grant funding for fiscal years 2027–2029. The second was a resolution amending the FY 2025–2027 Capital Improvement Program and authorizing award of the Aviador Bridge Interim Shoring Project. The third was a resolution establishing the city's interpretation of term-limit provisions regarding successive Council terms and reelection eligibility, with public comment scheduled on that item.

City Council — July 14 Parking, Fees, and Contracts

The Council's July 14 agenda included public hearings on three utility charges for FY 2026-2027: fire suppression assessments, sewer service charges, and stormwater fees. Also scheduled were two ordinances — one to establish a paid parking program for city-owned or controlled facilities, and another to create a dedicated parking enterprise fund.

The agenda listed a contract with Nielsen Merksamer Parrinello Gross & Leoni LLP for legislative advocacy at up to $72,000, and an agreement with Millbrae Community Television (MCTV) not to exceed $125,000.

A separate closed-session Council meeting on July 14 was set to confer with legal counsel on existing litigation: *Valerie Barnes v. City of Millbrae*, Superior Court of California, County San Mateo, Case No. 26-CIV-105123.

Community Enhancement Advisory Committee — July 8

The CEAC scheduled a special meeting to consider formal action supporting a merger with the MCAAC. The committee also planned updates on the Spur Trail Master Plan, the Adopt-a-Spot program, and tree dedication plaques, plus approval of its April 7, 2026 regular meeting minutes.

Senior Advisory Committee — July 15

The Senior Advisory Committee was set to approve minutes from its June 17, 2026 meeting, receive updates from the City Council and the Millbrae Library, and elect a Chair and Vice Chair for the 2026–2027 term. A public comment period of up to 30 minutes was listed for items not on the agenda.

Coming Up

• **July 20 — Planning Commission:** Public hearing and action on Design Review Permit (2025-154) for a 4,711-sq-ft, two-story mixed-use building at 230 Broadway on a 2,500-sq-ft lot in the Downtown Mixed Use zone. Staff update on MTC signage is also scheduled.
• **July 21 — Bike & Pedestrian Advisory Subcommittee:** Discussion of Regional Measure 3 (RM3) Safe Routes to Transit and Bay Trail grant program, plus status updates on intersection improvements at Magnolia Avenue and Millbrae Avenue and the Broadway ADA and Pedestrian Improvements Project.
• **July 21 — Parks and Recreation Commission:** Election of Chair and Vice Chair, plus discussion and possible adoption of a Bench Dedication Policy.
• **July 21 — City Council (closed session):** Discussion of *Ann Schneider v. City of Millbrae and City Clerk/Elections Official*, Case No. 26-CIV-105490. The Council may take action related to the lawsuit.

Note: All recent meetings listed above are reflected by agenda only; minutes have not been published. Residents seeking confirmed outcomes should consult the official minutes posted by the City of Millbrae.