Stephanie Moulton-Peters is now serving her third term as Mayor of Mill Valley. As a 25-year resident of Marin, she was first elected to Mill Valley’s City Council in November of 2007 after serving as president of the West Blithedale Homeowners Association and as Chair of the City's Emergency Preparedness Commission. In addition to being Mill Valley’s mayor, Moulton-Peters is Mill Valley’s delegate to and chairperson of the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM), is a board member of Marin Transit and is involved with Safe Routes to Schools. She and her husband Roger have two sons who both graduated from Mill Valley public schools.
What do you love most about Mill Valley?
Community identity and engagement: Mill Valley has a strong sense of cohesiveness and sense of place. Located at the base of Mt. Tam, the town is cradled by the hills that surround it. Our city government fosters citizen involvement — through workshops, public meetings, volunteer events and ongoing communications, including Councilmember on the Plaza.
Speaking of engagement, how can residents can get involved?
Mill Valley is a community of "doers" with a diverse set of interests. One thing that unites us is our commitment to maintaining and improving our community, whether it's serving on one of the City's boards and commissions, being a CERT volunteer (Community Emergency Response Team), helping at our schools and our neighborhood associations, and volunteering through local non-profits including Clean Mill Valley and Friends of the Steps Lanes and Paths, which holds work days the second Saturday of every month. Find out more by signing up for our City e-newsletter MVConnect.
The Miller Avenue Streetscape Project is now completed. What is it?
We’ve created a multi-modal street that works for everyone: cars, pedestrians, bikes and transit. It's a smooth ride — safer, more attractive, with more efficient parking for local businesses. It connects our downtown to mid-town, and traffic flows very well. Mill Valley is grateful to the Transportation Authority of Marin for providing major funding for this "complete street" project through Measure A Transportation Sales Tax. It's so exciting to see many families on bikes and people of all ages walking, taking transit and driving our beautiful, new street! Come visit Miller Avenue!
What occupies your time when you’re not serving as Mayor?
I'm busy with lots of issues I care about: Safe Routes to School; the Transportation Authority of Marin; Marin Transit; and issues affecting our town including planning for Highway 37 improvements, the SMART train extension to Larkspur and the North-South Greenway multi-use path in Central Marin. I also work with Supervisor (Kate) Sears to address climate change and sea level rise; promote local businesses and emergency preparedness; address our high levels of teen and adult substance abuse through the Mill Valley Aware Community Coalition; and am initiating Age Friendly Mill Valley this year to better support our local seniors.
Currently, what is the biggest issue facing Mill Valley?
Traffic and affordable housing — they are related. Virtually the same number of people leave Mill Valley each morning to go to work as the number of those who come into Mill Valley to work. All this in-and-out-commuting is a reflection of who lives here and who doesn't. Mill Valley has a history of working to provide affordable housing and transportation options. My Council colleagues and I are committed to continuing this tradition; most recently we are taking steps to improve traffic conditions, protect existing housing and encourage small, infill housing and multi-family residences that fit within our community.