Quick Appraisal Knowledge (QAK #21)
Mill Valley is located in Marin County, located about 14 miles north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge. The population is about 14,195 residents. Mill Valley is located on the western and northern shores of Richardson Bay. Beyond the flat coastal area and marshlands, it occupies narrow wooded canyons, mostly of second-growth redwoods, on the southern slopes of Mount Tamalpais. Mill Valley also includes the adjacent unincorporated communities of Almonte, Alto, Homestead Valley, Strawberry and Tamalpais Valley. The Muir Woods National Monument is also located just outside the city limits.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Mill Valley has a total area of 4.8 square miles. Mill Valley lies between Mt. Tamalpais to the west; the City of Tiburon to the east, the City of Corte Madera to the north; and the Golden Gate National Recreational Area (GGNRA) to the south. Two streams flow from the slopes of Mt. Tamalpais through Mill Valley to the Bay, which include the Arroyo Corte Madera Del Presidio and Cascade Creek. Mill Valley is surrounded by hundreds of acres of state, federal, and county park lands. In addition, there are many municipally maintained open-space reserves, parks, and coastal habitats.
Additional improvements occurred in the first decade of the 21st century. For example, the Mill Valley Community Center opened in 2001, and three years later, the Elizabeth Terwilliger Marsh was restored and dedicated. Mill Valley continues to improve and restore important parks and facilities in an effort to serve the community and provide quality of life enhancements for its residents and visitors.
Downtown Mill Valley is focused around two retail corridors, namely Throckmorton and Miller avenues. The storefronts on these two corridors cover a full range of upscale and casual restaurant establishments, as well as small boutique and artisan stores. The retail stores within Downtown Mill Valley include antiques, fine arts, crafts, handmade gifts, hair and nail salons, bookstores, restaurants, and home furnishings. Other commercial users include financial institutions, professional office, and medical office.