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Record of Proceedings

Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting - March 14, 2023

City Council — Tuesday, March 14, 2023
BodySanta Rosa, California
SessionCity Council
DateTuesday, March 14, 2023
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 2:42:10

Original source
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0:23

Okay, she's gonna work with you.

0:30

Okay, okay, here we go.

0:31

So you need someone cancel your time to DC?

0:35

Yes.

1:02

Okay.

1:02

Thanks, Chris.

1:05

Thank you.

2:40

Good afternoon.

2:41

I'd like to ask the current interpreter currently on the Spanish channel to commence translation of the meeting.

2:48

For those just joining the meeting, lines live translation in Spanish is available, and members of the public or staff wishing to listen in Spanish and join the Spanish channel by clicking on the interpretation icon in the Zoom toolbar.

3:04

It looks like a globe.

3:05

Once you join the Spanish channel, we recommend you shut off the main audio so you only hear the Spanish translation.

3:12

Interpreter, will you please restate this in Spanish?

3:55

Um it is now two oh one and we will be starting our meeting.

3:59

Welcome, Madam City Attorney and fellow council members, seeing a quorum.

4:03

Madam City Clerk, may you please call the roll.

4:12

Councilmember Stapp.

4:14

Councilmember Rogers.

4:16

Councilmember O'Krepke.

4:17

Here.

4:18

Councilmember Fleming.

4:19

Councilmember Alvarez.

4:22

Vice Mayor McDonald.

4:23

Here.

4:24

Mayor Natalie Rogers.

4:26

Present.

4:26

Let the record show all council members are present.

4:30

We will begin our meeting today with three closed session items.

4:33

Item two point one public employee valuation of performance.

4:39

Uh title City Manager Item two point two conference with labor negotiators.

4:44

Item two point three conference with legal counsel with for existing litigation.

4:51

Madam City Clerk, may you please conduct public comment?

4:55

Thank you, Mayor.

4:56

We are now taking public comments on item two.

5:00

If you are in the chamber wishing to make a comment and have not provided your name to the administrator at the top of the well, please make your way to the podium.

5:06

If you are participating via Zoom, please raise your hand.

5:09

If you are dialing in via telephone, please dial star nine to raise your hand.

5:13

You will have three minutes for your comment, and a countdown timer will alert at the conclusion of that period.

5:30

Do we have any public comments on Zoom?

5:39

Thank you.

47:14

All right, welcome to our regular city council meeting for today.

47:21

Uh March fourteenth.

47:25

Making sure that's the right date.

47:27

Seeing seeing a quorum.

47:34

Thank you, Mayor.

47:36

Councilmember Stapp.

47:38

Here.

47:39

Councilmember Rogers?

47:40

Here.

47:41

Councilmember O'Krepke?

47:42

Here.

47:43

Councilmember Fleming.

47:46

Councilmember Alvarez?

47:47

President.

47:48

Vice Mayor McDonald?

47:50

Here.

47:51

Mayor Rogers.

47:52

President.

47:53

Let the record show that all council members let the record show that Councilmember Fleming is present and all members of the Council are present.

48:04

We will now move to item five, report on study and closed session items.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Procedural█████████████████████████████29%
Public Comment████████████████████████24%
Water And Wastewater Management█████████████13%
Affordable Housing█████████9%
Public Engagement█████5%
Tree Preservation███3%
Public Safety███3%
Homelessness██2%
Community Engagement██2%
Summary of Proceedings

Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting - March 14, 2023

The Santa Rosa City Council met on March 14, 2023, starting with a Closed Session at 2:00 PM (items 2.1-2.3 on City Manager evaluation, labor negotiations, and litigation). The Regular Session convened at 4:40 PM. The Council adopted unanimously seven consent items, rescinded the June 2021 drought emergency declaration and Stage 3 of the Water Shortage Contingency Plan, and adopted an urgency ordinance to align Accessory Dwelling Unit regulations with new state laws.

Consent Calendar

  • Item 12.1: Approved a Second Amendment with Teri Black & Company, LLC for executive recruitment, increasing the contract to $250,000 (Resolution RES-2023-044).
  • Item 12.2: Approved a Design Funding Agreement with SMART for $153,854.80 to design the West Third Street signal at the SMART Multiuse Path Crossing (RES-2023-045).
  • Item 12.3: Authorized a request for $507,036 in Low Carbon Transit Operations Program funds to purchase a battery electric bus (RES-2023-046).
  • Item 12.4: Authorized filing applications for $9,899,120 in Federal Transit Administration grants for electric buses and charging infrastructure (RES-2023-047).
  • Item 12.5: Approved a Second Amendment with Renne Public Law Group LLP for labor/employment law services, increasing the contract to $500,000 (RES-2023-048).
  • Item 12.6: Terminated the local COVID-19 emergency proclamation first declared March 2, 2020 (RES-2023-049).
  • Item 12.7: Extended the local homeless emergency proclamation (RES-2023-050).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Duane DeWitt (two separate comments) expressed full support for increased budgeting and staffing for tree care, invited Council to a veteran barbecue, and advocated for preserving natural riparian corridors for groundwater recharge, specifically Roseland Creek.
  • Peter Tschernoff (multiple comments) spoke in support of Arbor Week, gardening for therapy and the homeless, criticized banking systems and media, referenced Operation Mockingbird, and urged focusing on purposefulness for the homeless.
  • Juan Venegas, Field Representative with NorCal Carpenter's Union Local 751, expressed strong support for labor standards (apprenticeships, health care, local hire) on future city projects.
  • Ana Diaz, Roseland School District trustee, requested a crosswalk on Burbank Avenue across from Roseland Creek Elementary.
  • Eric Fraser, Truth in Tourism, criticized the city's handling of short-term rental regulations, stating the city has "spent millions" and not delivered justice, and urged factual decision-making.

Discussion Items

  • Proclamations: The Council presented proclamations for Americorps Week (March 12-18), Arbor Week in Santa Rosa (March 5-11), and National Surveyors Week (March 19-25). Staff reported 45 trees planted in the past year via volunteer efforts.
  • Community Empowerment Plan Update (Item 7.1): Danielle Garduno reported that the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging mini-grant program launches April 1 (up to $5,000/project), the citywide internship program has filled 6 of 10 positions, and the Mary Lou Lowrider Patrol Car exhibit is planned at Finley Community Center.
  • City Manager/City Attorney Reports: City Manager Smith announced Transit Driver Appreciation Day (March 18), the Clean Santa Rosa volunteer program partnering with Caltrans, and Women in Public Safety Day (March 18). City Attorney Gallagher reported no settlements over $50,000 in February 2023 and summarized 30 pending cases (15 personal injury, 8 general litigation, 3 police, 3 writs, 1 receivership).
  • Item 14.1 – Drought Emergency Rescission: Santa Rosa Water staff (Jennifer Burke and Peter Martin) presented that Lake Sonoma is at 118% capacity (289,600 acre-feet), providing more than four years of water supply. Community-wide water use was reduced by 18% from June 2021 to February 2023, saving 1.8 billion gallons. The Council rescinded the June 29, 2021 drought emergency, Stage 3 restrictions, and directed staff to implement demand reduction measures consistent with State Water Board emergency regulations.
  • Item 15.1 – Accessory Dwelling Unit Urgency Ordinance: Staff reported that new state laws (AB 2221 and SB 897, effective January 1, 2023) voided the city's prior local ADU ordinance. The urgency ordinance reinstates local protections (e.g., hillside setback/height limits, compatibility in historic districts) while complying with state law. Statistics: ADU permits issued rose from ~10 per year (2015-2017) to 113 in 2022.

Key Outcomes

  • All seven consent items were adopted unanimously (7-0).
  • The resolution to rescind the drought emergency (RES-2023-051) was adopted unanimously (7-0).
  • The ADU urgency ordinance (ORD-2023-003) was adopted unanimously (7-0) requiring five affirmative votes per City Charter.
  • The Council received and filed the written communication supporting AB 30 on atmospheric rivers.
  • The meeting adjourned at 6:35 PM in remembrance of Reverend Curtis Byrd, former Planning Commissioner and Gray Foundation president.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, she's gonna work with you. Okay, okay, here we go. So you need someone cancel your time to DC? Yes. Okay. Thanks, Chris. Thank you. Good afternoon. I'd like to ask the current interpreter currently on the Spanish channel to commence translation of the meeting. For those just joining the meeting, lines live translation in Spanish is available, and members of the public or staff wishing to listen in Spanish and join the Spanish channel by clicking on the interpretation icon in the Zoom toolbar. It looks like a globe. Once you join the Spanish channel, we recommend you shut off the main audio so you only hear the Spanish translation. Interpreter, will you please restate this in Spanish? Um it is now two oh one and we will be starting our meeting. Welcome, Madam City Attorney and fellow council members, seeing a quorum. Madam City Clerk, may you please call the roll. Councilmember Stapp. Councilmember Rogers. Councilmember O'Krepke. Here. Councilmember Fleming. Councilmember Alvarez. Vice Mayor McDonald. Here. Mayor Natalie Rogers. Present. Let the record show all council members are present. We will begin our meeting today with three closed session items. Item two point one public employee valuation of performance. Uh title City Manager Item two point two conference with labor negotiators. Item two point three conference with legal counsel with for existing litigation. Madam City Clerk, may you please conduct public comment? Thank you, Mayor. We are now taking public comments on item two. If you are in the chamber wishing to make a comment and have not provided your name to the administrator at the top of the well, please make your way to the podium. If you are participating via Zoom, please raise your hand. If you are dialing in via telephone, please dial star nine to raise your hand. You will have three minutes for your comment, and a countdown timer will alert at the conclusion of that period. Do we have any public comments on Zoom? Thank you. All right, welcome to our regular city council meeting for today. Uh March fourteenth. Making sure that's the right date. Seeing seeing a quorum. Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Stapp. Here. Councilmember Rogers? Here. Councilmember O'Krepke?

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