Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting - December 5, 2023
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting - December 5, 2023
The Santa Rosa City Council met on December 5, 2023, starting with a closed session at 3:00 PM and reconvening in open session at 4:00 PM. The meeting included proclamations, staff briefings, consent items, reports, and public hearings. The Council took unanimous votes on all agenda items, including approving a purchase order for eight Ford trucks, expanding a residential permit parking zone, adopting revised animal services fees, introducing a hazardous vegetation ordinance, and accepting the Measure O annual report with a name change for the oversight committee.
Consent Calendar
- Resolution RES-2023-193: Ratified Purchase Order 170391 for eight 2023 Ford F-350 Super Duty Cab and Chassis from 72 Hour LLC dba National Auto Fleet Group for $432,967.73, using cooperative purchasing through Sourcewell. No City General Fund money was used. The motion passed 7-0.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Item 2.3 (Closed Session): Duane Dewitt spoke about potential pollution from former underground storage tanks at the 1215 Sebastopol Rd site, urging consideration of EPA brownfield funds.
- Item 6.1 (Proclamation): Jason Nutt, city employee, expressed appreciation for Eddie Curiel's 49 years of service and mentorship.
- Item 7.1 (Staff Briefing): Duane Dewitt urged authentic community engagement, referencing the city's history of community action teams and environmental justice principles.
- Item 14.1 (BAHFA Bond):
- Duane Dewitt (Sonoma County Housing Advocacy Group) spoke in favor of the bond, emphasizing the need for affordable rental housing and serving those most in need, while cautioning against vague language in the expenditure plan.
- Thomas Els, civil and environmental engineer, supported the bond and highlighted the importance of preservation and production funding, noting bond mechanics.
- Cal Mason (Generation Housing) spoke in favor and requested the Council bring a resolution to support the bond soon.
- Item 13 (Non-Agenda):
- Thomas Els discussed the need for an additional overcrossing at Hearn Avenue to improve east-west crossings of Highway 101.
- Duane Dewitt requested portable speed limit signs on Hearn Avenue to address speeding and safety concerns.
- Item 15.1 (Parking): Andy Graham, resident of 300 block Lincoln St, spoke in favor of the permit parking expansion but objected to the $20 annual permit fee, considering it a principle issue.
- Item 14.2 (Vegetation): Duane Dewitt requested that the hazardous vegetation ordinance apply citywide, not just in the Wildland Urban Interface, and urged the city to be proactive on city-owned lands.
- Item 14.3 (Measure O): Duane Dewitt proposed a three-way equal split (33% each) of Measure O funds among police, fire, and youth/violence prevention programs, citing unspent balances and the need to serve disadvantaged communities.
Discussion Items
- Proclamation - Eddie Curiel Retirement: Council Member MacDonald read a proclamation honoring Streets Crew Supervisor Eddie Curiel for 49 years of service, from December 4, 1974, to December 4, 2023. Curiel thanked the council and staff.
- Staff Briefing - Community Empowerment Plan Update: Lon Peterson announced a police toy drive through December 31, 2023, benefiting United Women's Group, and that the city is hiring a Community Engagement Manager.
- Report 14.1 - Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA) and 2024 Regional Affordable Housing Bond: Megan Basinger and Nicole Del Fiorentino presented. The bond is proposed at $10-20 billion for the November 2024 ballot. If passed, Santa Rosa could receive $121 million (at $10B) to $242 million (at $20B) for affordable housing production, preservation, tenant protections, and flexible use. The bond requires voter approval at 55% if ACA1 passes, else two-thirds. Council Member Fleming noted her involvement in the BAHFA advisory group and emphasized regional coordination, building complete communities, and addressing equity. Council Member Rogers expressed support in concept but sought more details. Council directed staff to conduct outreach and develop an Expenditure Plan, returning for adoption. The motion passed 7-0.
- Public Hearing 15.1 - Downtown Residential Permit Parking Expansion: Chad Hedge and Tania Cordova presented. Residents of the 300 block of Lincoln Street petitioned to join the program. The area has a 2-hour time limit, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday-Friday. Residents can purchase $20 annual permits. The Council approved expansion via Resolution RES-2023-194, 7-0.
- Public Hearing 15.2 - Revised Animal Services Fees: Jason Nutt, Brian Whipple, and Michelle Renee presented. Sonoma County Animal Services proposed fee increases after a fee study. Dog license fees for unneutered/unspayed dropped from $100 to $20 due to efficiencies with DocuPet. Dangerous dog investigation fees increased due to staff time. The Council adopted the revised fees via Resolution RES-2023-195, effective December 6, 2023, 7-0.
- Report 14.2 - Hazardous Vegetation and Fuels Management Ordinance: Chief Paul Lowenthal and Adam Abel presented. The ordinance adds Chapter 9-30 to the City Code, requiring defensible space throughout the Wildland Urban Interface (approx. 9,000 properties), removal of dead trees along rights-of-way within 30 feet (effective 365 days after adoption), removal of invasive species (Scotch/French broom) along evacuation routes and property lines, and removal of fibrous mulch (gorilla hair) within 30 feet of structures. The ordinance was introduced (first reading) via motion, 7-0.
- Report 14.3 - Measure O Annual Report and Name Change: Veronica Conner, along with police, fire, recreation, and violence prevention staff, presented the FY 2022-23 annual report. The Measure O Citizen Oversight Committee recommended changing its name to the Public Safety and Prevention Tax Citizen's Oversight Committee (PSAP COC) and amending the Implementation Plan to an annual format. Police reported a 13% reduction in shootings and a 20% reduction in homicides (from 12 to 9 year-over-year). Fire Department noted Measure O funds 9 firefighters and a training captain, effectively an entire engine. Neighborhood Services served over 1,600 youth with nearly 200,000 service hours. Violence Prevention Partnership activated crisis response three times and saw a 43% increase in referrals. The Council accepted the report, approved the name change, and adopted the annual implementation plan via two motions, both 7-0.
Key Outcomes
- Ratified Purchase Order: Approved 8 Ford F-350 trucks for $432,967.73 (7-0).
- BAHFA Bond Direction: Directed staff to conduct outreach and develop an Expenditure Plan for the 2024 Regional Affordable Housing Bond (7-0).
- Parking Zone Expansion: Approved expansion of the Downtown Residential Permit Parking Zone to include the 300 block of Lincoln Street (7-0).
- Animal Services Fee Increase: Adopted revised fees effective December 6, 2023 (7-0).
- Hazardous Vegetation Ordinance: Introduced Chapter 9-30 (first reading) with a 7-0 vote; a second reading will be required for adoption.
- Measure O Actions:
- Accepted the FY 2022-23 Annual Report.
- Changed the oversight committee name to Public Safety and Prevention Tax Citizen's Oversight Committee.
- Amended the Implementation Plan to an annual format. Both motions passed 7-0.
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. Please make your way to the podium. Okay, welcome everyone to our December 5th Santa Rosa City Council meeting. It is now four PM, and we will be starting our meeting. If you're in the chamber, would you like to comment? But if please make your way to the podium, you will have three minutes and a countdown timer will alert at the end of that period. At as you approach the podium, please state your name for the record if you choose to do so. Please go ahead when you're ready. All right, my name is Duane. I'm Rosalind 2.3. Ski Coast is located at former Stan Brown gas station. I think you folks need to understand that below that ground, leading underground storage thanks from the old days, all that pollution and all that type of situation dealt with in the future. It might not be talked about right now. But there's federal money available to help with that site. Should you go forward and try and purchase this site at a brown field? And that's where the EPA comes in. So ski goes is that site. Nobody may have said that to you yet, but look back at the records. Stan Brown's Mohawk gas station. Lots of kids I know were there when we were young. So I know there's a pollution there. I know that's all secret right now, but hopefully in the future you can talk with the community that goes by their ball the time. And thank you for all your efforts to make Roseland a better place. Thank you. We have no additional speakers on this item. Thank you. Moving on to our proclamation for this afternoon, which will be read by Councilmember McDonald. Thank you, Mayor. It's my honor that I get to actually do this proclamation tonight, so I appreciate that. So this proclamation is for Eddie Currell. Am I saying it wrong? Curry. Thanks. Whereas Streets Cruise Supervisor Eddie Kirriel has well and faithfully served the city of Santa Rosa for 49 years, exemplifying the commitment to make Santa Rosa a safe place to live, work, and play. And whereas on December 4th, 1974, Eddie was hired as a temporary maintenance worker in the public words street section of the city. And whereas in 1984, Eddie was promoted to the streets cruise supervisor, a position he still holds today. In Eddie's storied career, he has seen the city grow from a population of 83,000 to over 175,000. And whereas he's been through numerous floods and fires that have impacted the city greatly, all the while tirelessly serving this community the best he can. And whereas on December 4th, 2023, Eddie worked his last day for the same public works street cruise section, he was originally hired to. And whereas over the years, Eddie has been an upstanding employee and major contributor to the streets team by giving exceptional customer service and offering his wealth of knowledge, mentorship, and sense of humor to one and all. Eddie Curie will definitely be missed. Now, therefore, be it resolved that our mayor Natalie Rogers of the City of Santa Rosa on behalf of the entire city council do by hear thank you, Eddie Currier, for his four 49 years of dedication and service to this city. Congratulations on your retirement. Can you go to the podium so everyone can hear you? Well, Eddie says thank you. Um, if no one could hear that, and those at home. So Madam City Clerk. Would you please facilitate public comment?
openpublica.com