Building in Mill Valley
Hillside lots, tight access, and creek setbacks. We have built and permitted on Cascade Drive.
Greenport is a design-build general contractor and millwork shop in San Rafael, founded in 2012 by brothers Eli and Jacob Froneberger, both raised in Marin. We hold California General Building license #1073941, and we mill our own casework at 47 Louise St, a short drive from Mill Valley.
Permitting
The City of Mill Valley Planning and Building Division reviews applications, with the Planning Commission taking design review on larger projects. Tree protection and creek setbacks are reviewed separately from the building permit.
Housing stock
Early-century cottages and redwood-clad hillside houses, many with additions layered over decades, plus post-war houses in the flats near Sycamore and Camino Alto.
What decides the schedule
Access. Many Mill Valley houses are reached by a single-lane road or a stair, which changes material delivery, crane needs, and the daily cost of labor. We price that at estimate, not at framing.
Common project types
- Whole-house renovation of hillside houses
- Additions and structural upgrades under existing rooflines
- Kitchens, baths, and built-ins for constrained plans
- Decks, stairs, and exterior rebuilds in creek and tree zones
Built in Mill Valley
- Cascade DriveRemodel and addition
- Mill Valley saunaCedar sauna build
- Region
- Marin County
- Shop
- 47 Louise St, San Rafael, CA 94901
- License
- #1073941, active through 3/31/2027
- Hours
- Monday to Sunday, 8am to 6pm
- Reviews
- 5.0 from 17 Google reviews
Mill Valley questions
- Who issues building permits in Mill Valley?
- The City of Mill Valley Planning and Building Division reviews applications, with the Planning Commission taking design review on larger projects. Tree protection and creek setbacks are reviewed separately from the building permit.
- What kind of work does Greenport do in Mill Valley?
- Whole-house renovation of hillside houses; Additions and structural upgrades under existing rooflines; Kitchens, baths, and built-ins for constrained plans; Decks, stairs, and exterior rebuilds in creek and tree zones. We are a design-build general contractor and millwork shop, so drawings, permits, construction, and cabinetry come from one firm.
- How do creek setbacks affect a Mill Valley remodel?
- Work near a mapped watercourse triggers additional review and can restrict where new footprint or foundation work is allowed. We test this in the feasibility study before drawings begin, so a plan is not drawn against a setback it cannot clear.