Votes at a glance: Ross council adopts zoning cleanup reintroduction, fire-hazard map, planning approvals and safety-element edits

The Ross Town Council took a series of formal actions on May 8, approving code and planning items, authorizing a cybersecurity contract and adopting a town goal on communication. Below is a concise summary of motions and vote outcomes recorded during the meeting.

Votes at a glance

- Consent calendar (items a, b, c, f, g, h): Approved by roll call, 5–0. (No public comment on these items after several items were pulled for separate discussion.)

- Ordinance No. 728 (municipal code cleanup; reintroduced without proposed edits to Chapter 12.24 about "zone 0"): Council reintroduced and waived first reading; motion carried 5–0. Staff said the ordinance will return for final adoption on June 12 after removing proposed changes to the fire-hazard “zone 0” language so the town can await state rulemaking.

- Ordinance No. 729 (designating fire hazard severity zones in the Ross local responsibility area): Adopted by roll call vote, 5–0. Ross Valley Fire Department staff clarified that adoption of the map does not, by itself, mandate specific landscaping or building restrictions; those subject-specific regulations would be considered separately.

- Committee and liaison appointments (agenda item 10.i): Council ratified mayoral appointments by a 3–2 vote (Mayor McMillan, Council Member Dowling and Council Member Kircher — yes; Council Member Salter and Mayor Pro Tem Robbins — no). The council later approved an immediate effective date after a procedural motion to reconsider timing carried.

- Town goal number 8 (provide…