Planning staff presented the department’s proposed work plan for 2026 at the Nov. 19 Planning Commission meeting, summarizing accomplishments for the current year and laying out priorities for next year.

Staff said recent accomplishments included adoption of a new permit fee schedule (with incentives for electrification and accessibility), building code amendments to expand reach code thresholds, and the development of enhanced noticing standards now before the commission. New items for 2026 include housing‑element implementation work (tenant protections, exploring an ADU condominium/alienation option), commercial code modernization (flexible parking standards and temporary uses), continued code enforcement and expired permit cleanup, and an economic strategic plan consultant procurement.

Staff also described coordination with regional partners on a vehicle‑miles‑traveled (VMT) toolkit and noted capacity constraints: a surge of large multifamily and subdivision applications has strained staff time and required selective use of consultants for processing. Commissioners welcomed the summary and repeatedly urged development of corridor and urban‑design guidance (for Tamalpais/Madera corridors and town gateway sites such as the former cinema) that would give staff and applicants clearer visual and planning expectations early in the entitlement process.

Chair and commissioners recommended advancing targeted items rather than broad new initiatives given staffing limits, and several commissioners volunteered to help on topics such as construction timing standards and East Corte Madera outreach. Staff said they will return with more detail on priorities and suggested metrics for tracking progress.

Next steps: staff will refine the proposed work plan, incorporate commissioner feedback on corridor design guidance and construction timing parameters, and bring a final work plan and recommended metrics to a future meeting.