Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting – September 12, 2023
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Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting – September 12, 2023
The Santa Rosa City Council met on September 12, 2023, in a regular session that began with a closed session at 1:30 PM and reconvened in open session at 4:12 PM. All seven council members were present. The meeting included proclamations, staff briefings, consent calendar approvals, and a contested vote on a development agreement for a downtown parking garage.
Proclamation
- Creek Week and Pollution Prevention Week 2023: Mayor Natalie Rogers presented the proclamation. Kyle Spongberg (Environmental Specialist, Santa Rosa Water) accepted and announced Creek Week events beginning September 17, including a guided nature walk at Flat Rock Park. No public comments were made.
Staff Briefings
- City Thread Grant Update: Torina Wilson (Transportation Planner) and Rob Sprinkle (Deputy Director of Traffic Engineering) reported on a completed grant with Bikeable Santa Rosa. The project produced an “accelerated mobility playbook” to address low-stress active transportation infrastructure. By the end of 2023, the city will have constructed or upgraded 5.58 miles of bike lanes. Public commenters Chris Guenther (Bikeable Santa Rosa) and Eris Weaver (Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition) expressed appreciation and support.
- Community Empowerment Plan Update: Lon Peterson (Chief Communications and Intergovernmental Relations Officer) highlighted upcoming events: a town hall with the police chief (attended by ~100 residents), Tacos with a Cop (Sept. 19), Police y la Comunidad program (Sept. 20), Ice Cream with a Cop (Sept. 21), and the South Park Day and Night Festival (Sept. 23). No public comments.
- Spring/Summer Programs Recap: Jeff Tibbetts (Deputy Director, Recreation) reported over 180,000 program participants, over 500,000 guests at park events, and revenue exceeding $2 million (recovering >90% of pre-COVID levels). Juan Flores introduced Itzel Velarde, a recipient of the $10,000 Harmon and Sue Burns Scholarship through the Junior Giants program (serving 275 youth with 75 volunteers). Council praised the presentation.
Consent Calendar
- Items 12.1–12.9 and 12.11–12.13: Approved unanimously (7-0). Key approvals included:
- 12.1: Contract award to Ghilotti Bros., Inc. for Sonoma Ave Pavement Rehabilitation ($4,348,477 base; $5,000,748.55 total with 15% contingency; no General Fund money).
- 12.2: Contract award to Waterworks Industries for Finley Aquatic Center Spray Ground and Renovation ($4,836,801 base; $5,320,481.10 total with 10% contingency).
- 12.3: Amendment No. 2 with AECOM for Hearn Avenue Interchange design services ($692,400 increase; total not to exceed $5,271,948).
- 12.4: Resolution authorizing continued participation in Clipper START pilot and increasing the low-income fare discount to 50%.
- 12.5: Additional $100,000 contingency for HVAC maintenance contract (total $740,000).
- 12.6: Ninth amendment to janitorial contract with ADS-Myers ($192,161.32 for new inRESPONSE Team Building; total contract $6,765,346.03 plus contingency).
- 12.7: Adoption of the City of Santa Rosa Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP).
- 12.8: 5-year professional services agreement with ODP Business Solutions for Storage Area Network update ($160,500.33).
- 12.9: Appropriation of $1,500,000 from the 2022 State Budget to the Water Enterprise Fund for a Direct Install Water Use Efficiency Project.
- 12.11: Exclusive Negotiation Agreement (ENA) with Burbank Housing Development Corp. and 10 E Street LLC for the White House Site (730 3rd Street) for potential affordable housing development.
- 12.12: Lease of 72 golf carts for Bennett Valley Golf Course ($531,360 over 5 years).
- 12.13: Second reading and adoption of ordinance establishing monthly salary of $24,500 for the City Attorney (Teresa Stricker), effective November 6, 2023.
Public Comments on Consent Calendar
- On Item 12.10 (Garage 5): Speakers included business owners expressing concern about parking loss and potential harm to downtown businesses (Ame Van Dyke, ER Sawyer Jewelers; Toraj Soltani, Mac’s Deli; Natalie Balfour; Duane DeWitt). Supporters cited housing need, parking study data (74% of downtown spaces unused), and the $9.53 million state catalyst grant (Mark Hall, Abby Arnold, Victoria Yanez, Alexa Forrester, Stephanie Bowen of Generation Housing, Thomas Ells, Zach Burkowicz, Andrew Rich, Adrian Covert). Several speakers urged a full RFP process citing process concerns.
- On Item 12.11 (White House Site): Speakers supported the development, noting the site’s potential for housing and economic activity.
- On Clipper START (Item 12.4): Victoria Yanez voiced support for the increased discount and public transit improvements.
Discussion Items
- Item 12.10 – Exclusive Negotiation Agreement with Rogal Projects for Garage 5 (625 and 637 3rd Street): Councilmember Okrepkie pulled this from consent. Jill Scott (Real Property Manager) explained the state Surplus Lands Act process: a 60-day notice to 1,500+ affordable housing developers, 90-day negotiation period, and selection based on most affordable units. The city was awarded a $9.53 million state catalyst grant for downtown lots, contingent on a tight timeline. Council discussion centered on process (whether the withdrawal of an affordable housing partner required a new RFP), parking impacts, and the feasibility of meeting grant deadlines. Councilmembers Okrepkie and Vice Mayor MacDonald expressed concerns about process and business impacts; Councilmember Rogers stressed the need to act boldly and not delay. A motion to approve the ENA passed 5-2 (Mayor Rogers, Councilmembers Alvarez, Fleming, C. Rogers, Stapp in favor; Vice Mayor MacDonald and Okrepkie opposed).
Public Comments on Non-Agenda Matters
- Duane DeWitt raised the issue of 110 homeless veterans and urged repurposing pallet homes from the county’s Los Guilicos site to the Veterans Memorial Building. He also called for more collaborative outreach.
- Victoria Yanez (Homeless Action!) criticized police harassment and towing of unregistered vehicles, stating it criminalizes homelessness.
- Thomas Ells supported saving the pallet homes and noted the benefits of stable shelter for unhoused individuals.
Key Outcomes
- Consent items 12.1–12.9 and 12.11–12.13 were approved unanimously (7-0).
- Item 12.10 (Garage 5 ENA) was approved on a 5-2 vote.
- Closed session items (cybersecurity consultation and property negotiations) were received and filed with direction to staff.
- The meeting adjourned at 6:30 PM with a recognition of staff member Jandon Briscoe, wishing him a full recovery.
Meeting Transcript
I'd like to ask the interpreter currently in the Spanish channel to commence translation of the meeting. For those just joining the meeting, live translation in Spanish is available, and members of the public or staff wishing to listen in Spanish, can join the Spanish channel by clicking on the interpretation icon in the Zoom toolbar. It looks like a globe. All right, welcome. Sorry for the delay. Um this is our September 12th, 2023 meeting. It is now four twelve, and we will be starting our meeting. Madam City Clerk, may you please call the roll. Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Stapp. Here, Councilmember Rogers, Councilmember O'Krepke, Councilmember Fleming, here, Councilmember Alvarez, President. Vice Mayor McDonald, here, Mayor Rogers. President. Let the record show all council members are present. We have no study sessions today, so we'll go right into our proclamation that we have, and I will be uh presenting this proclamation. Whereas throughout the United States, the week starting on the third Monday of September is recognized as National Pollution Prevention Week. And whereas throughout much of California, cities, counties, and other stewardships organizations are recognized the third week of September as Creek Week. And whereas 238 creeks and approximately 350,000 residents of the Russian River watershed are connected and mutually support each other, making the Russian River along with its tributaries and associated features, important resources to the people of Sonoma and Mendocino counties. On Sunday, September 17th, our stormwater and creek staff will lead a guided nature walk along Santa Rosa Creek, beginning of Flat Rock Park and traveling upstream to one of our restoration sites.org slash Creek Week to register. For anyone that cannot attend one of these in-person events, we do have virtual online activities listed on our website as well. Thank you for your time, and we look forward to seeing you all at the uh Creek Week events this year. Thank you. We are now taking public comments on item six point one. If you're in chamber and would like to comment, but have not provided a speaker card or your name, please make your way to the podium. If you are participating via Zoom, please raise your hand or dial star nine. You will have three minutes and a countdown timer will alert at the end of that period. Seeing no one in Council Chamber wishing to provide public comment, I'm going to turn it over to our Zoom host where I see one participant with their hand raised. Thank you, Tina. Caller, I have enabled your permissions. Go ahead whenever you're ready. We can hear you. Go right ahead. Hi, I am calling in about uh the garage on the third street, Courthouse Square Garage, with an opinion that I think this should remain open. Hi. This is the wrong item. We're now taking public comment for item six point one, which is our proclamation. I hate to say it, but it's really hard to follow all this because we're seeing different things online than what we're hearing on the phone. Okay. I apologize about that. So if you what when will we be up or when will I be up to be able to say something about when the mayor calls item 12 on the consent calendar, you'll be able to provide public comment on all items on uh the Kinson calendar today. Okay, so when do you think she'll be on item 12? As soon as we get through the agenda, we'll be on item 12. Right now we're on 6.1. Okay, will you just open the phone for me then? I will open the phone for you so you can give your comment. All right, thank you so much. Or can I just record it? Uh I believe it's too late to record it, and I'm sorry, but we can't take any more time in the meeting, so we'll be there briefly. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor.
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