Mill Valley is now one of 100 communities across California to hold Caltrans' official "Clean California Community" designation, the city announced Wednesday, July 22.

The designation recognizes more than a decade of volunteer-driven litter removal and beautification work. Since 2014, the volunteer group Clean Mill Valley and its partners have collected an estimated 10.5 tons of litter, roughly 56,000 gallons, from streets, parks, creeks, and highway shoulders around town.

Vice Mayor Caroline Joachim, who leads the city's Beautification Brigade, called the designation "a powerful affirmation of the dedication our volunteers have shown for years." She credited partnerships with Clean Mill Valley, the Mill Valley Rotary, and the Outdoor Art Club for helping the city meet Caltrans' criteria.

To qualify, Mill Valley had to complete at least 10 of 15 benchmarks, according to the city's announcement. Those included signing the Clean California pledge, conducting litter assessments, hosting community cleanups, gathering resident input, and partnering with local organizations.

Volunteers on the ground

The Beautification Brigade launched in April 2024, inspired by Bloomathon, a volunteer movement to improve Mill Valley's public spaces. Under Joachim's leadership, brigade volunteers have turned the base of the old flagpole on Depot Plaza into a mosaic-covered seating area, cleared and replanted a neglected stretch along East Blithedale Avenue, landscaped a Bernard Lane stairway to attract monarch butterflies, and cleaned up Lytton Square's redwood-filled median.

Individual residents have pitched in on their own. Mill Valley's Chris Caproni adopted two heavily littered Caltrans highway segments and, with friend Gary Ferroni, once hauled out 40 gallons of trash in 90 minutes.

What the city gets

As part of the designation, Mill Valley will receive "Clean California Community" signage, educational resources, automatic membership with Keep California Beautiful, and recognition in statewide promotional materials, according to the city.

The Clean California Community Designation Program is part of Gov. Gavin Newsom's $1.2 billion Clean California initiative, launched in 2021. Statewide, the program and its local partners have removed more than 3.3 million cubic yards of litter and enlisted over 72,000 cleanup volunteers since July 2021.

How to get involved

Residents interested in joining upcoming cleanups or beautification projects can browse volunteer opportunities through the city's portal at cityofmillvalley.cervistech.com. The Beautification Brigade can be reached through Vice Mayor Joachim at [email protected].