Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting Summary – July 23, 2024
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Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting – July 23, 2024
The Santa Rosa City Council met on July 23, 2024, beginning with a 12:35 p.m. closed session, followed by a study session and regular meeting. The Council heard a transit integration study, approved a seven-item consent calendar, adopted a retail tobacco sales licensing ordinance, and confirmed the annual weed abatement report. The meeting adjourned at 8:20 p.m.
Closed Session and Labor Negotiations
- The Council recessed to closed session at 1:08 p.m. and reconvened at 4:52 p.m. Items 3.1 through 3.5 were received and filed; the City Attorney reported no reportable action.
- Firefighters and union representatives spoke in support of fair compensation, saying Santa Rosa firefighters rank 10th of 10 among comparable cities, face recruitment and retention challenges, and respond to about 30,000 calls annually versus about 19,000 for the closest competitor. Speakers highlighted vacancies and asked the Council to act in good-faith bargaining.
Study Session: Sonoma County Integrated Transit Service Plan
- Staff presented the SCTA-led Integrated Transit Service Plan, developed with Santa Rosa CityBus, Sonoma County Transit, and Petaluma Transit. Key findings: about 90% of Sonoma County trips stay in the county; a 2023 survey drew 774 responses; 51% of riders were satisfied, for a net satisfaction score of about 31%; 45% of riders lack vehicle access; and 70% said better schedule coordination would help.
- The plan includes 27 recommendations covering data collection, fare coordination, paratransit, overlapping Highway 101 service, and potential microtransit. Council members discussed workforce development, including a possible SRJC bus operator pre-apprenticeship, and service to SSU.
- Public comment: Thomas Ells supported origin-destination data and a SMART stop at Hearn Avenue; Duane De Witt asked for prioritized paratransit and veterans services; Adina Flores questioned SMART's future if the tiny tax is not renewed.
City Attorney, City Manager, and Council Reports
- The City Attorney reported no settlements over $50,000 in June. The written minutes cite a pending caseload of approximately 30 matters, while the transcript records roughly 38 litigation matters.
- The City Manager addressed Cultural Heritage Board concerns and announced upcoming community events including Ice Cream with a Cop, Coffee with a Cop, and National Night Out.
- Councilmember MacDonald made a motion, seconded by Mayor Rogers, to bring back for reconsideration fee increases for historic landmark alteration permits and historic district fees; no separate vote is recorded in the minutes/transcript.
- Councilmembers reported on subcommittee and liaison meetings, including the Public Safety Subcommittee, MTC's $20 billion Bay Area Housing Finance bond, and appointments.
Public Comments on Non-Agenda Matters
- Multiple speakers urged the Council to adopt a ceasefire resolution regarding Palestine/Israel, reading a “People's Resolution” and criticizing Council silence.
- Auto dealer representatives Jerry Reid and Dianna Freeman opposed the proposed General Business Tax increases, saying high-sales/low-profit dealerships would be disproportionately harmed. Freeman Auto and Smothers European both cited potential tax increases from annual business license costs to $145,000 or adding roughly $300,000.
- Duane DeWitt spoke about Roseland library and neighborhood center promises; Thomas Ells spoke about embodied carbon and demolition.
Consent Calendar
- The Council approved Items 13.1 through 13.7 by a 6-0 vote, with Councilmember Alvarez absent. Approvals included:
- Contract award to Ghilotti Brothers for Roseland Pavement Maintenance 2024, $1,999,838.90, with 10% contingency, total $2,199,822.79.
- Go Sonoma (Measure DD) cooperative agreements with SCTA.
- First amendment with Renne Public Policy Group for state legislative advocacy, adding $155,000 for a total not to exceed $529,580.
- ESRI GIS software agreement renewal, $1,099,800 for six years, total $2,044,800.
- Accela software support extension, $166,899.26 for one year, cumulative $1,941,641.
- Universal Site Services sweeping services amendment, $65,134.32, total $262,537.28.
- Extension of the local homeless emergency proclamation (Resolution RES-2024-125).
Continued Report Items
- The General Business Tax ballot measure and the Transient Occupancy Tax ballot measure were continued to the August 6, 2024 regular meeting.
Public Hearing: Retail Tobacco Sales Ordinance
- The Council held a public hearing on adding Chapter 6-20 (“Regulation of Retail Tobacco Sales”) to the Santa Rosa City Code. The ordinance requires a retail tobacco license, creates a 600-foot buffer from schools and parks, bans flavored tobacco and electronic smoking devices, and establishes minimum package sizes/pricing.
- Youth advocates, health groups (Aliados Health, American Heart Association, Tobacco Free Sonoma County, Blue Zones Project), and community members spoke in support, emphasizing enforcement and flavored product bans.
- Jaime Rojas (National Association of Tobacco Outlets) and William Mines spoke in opposition, arguing the flavor ban is already state law, that more enforcement not new restrictions is needed, and that adult choice is being restricted.
- The Council adopted an amended ordinance on a 6-0 vote (Alvarez recused). The amendments: retain the density cap of one retailer per 2,500 residents (reducing the cap to about 71 over time), adopt higher fine amounts with a $10,000 cap per instance, and move the renewal-start date to July 1, 2025 rather than 2026. The Council also authorized the City Manager to negotiate an agreement with Sonoma County for license administration and compliance monitoring.
Public Hearing: Weed Abatement Program
- The Fire Department presented the annual weed abatement report covering roughly 11,000 inspected properties. No public testimony was offered. The Council unanimously confirmed the itemized report and authorized liens via Resolution RES-2024-126 on a 6-0 vote, with Councilmember Alvarez absent.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the integrated transit study session as information and staff direction.
- Approved the consent calendar (6-0).
- Introduced and passed the Retail Tobacco Sales ordinance on first reading (6-0, Alvarez recused).
- Confirmed the weed abatement report and liens (6-0, Alvarez absent).
- Continued the General Business Tax and Transient Occupancy Tax ballot measures to August 6, 2024.
- Adjourned at 8:20 p.m. in honor of Fire Engineer Franco De Monte’s 36 years of service.
Meeting Transcript
Locate the three dots, tap them lightly, and put a check mark on your preferred language. Click done to activate them and begin the interpretation. Once you join the Spanish channel, we recommend you shut off main audio so you only hear the Spanish interpretation. Interpreter, will you please restate this in Spanish? Yes, thank you. So I've said two uh tablets vanotar three punto in la parte superior, a mano derecha or la parte inferior de su pantalla. A backlash puntitos, ustedes van a notar uh. Ya que ustedes terminan uh terminar ordenera ustedes pueden disfrutar de esta junta de una manera simultanea. Uhuda, estamos asesorines. Muchas gracias. Thank you very much. Back to you. Hello, and welcome everyone to our July twenty-third, twenty twenty-four, Santa Rosa City Council meeting. It is now twelve thirty-five, and we will be starting our meeting. Certainly. Councilmember Rogers. Councilmember O'Krepki. Here. Councilmember McDonald. Here. Councilmember Fleming. Councilmember Alvarez. Present. Vice Mayor Stepp. Here. Mayor Rogers. President. Let the record show all council members are present with the exception of Councilmember Fleming. We'll be moving on to item three. But prior to doing that, I would like to give a special shout out to our special guest that we have here at the chambers. Um our most vocal special guests, we have uh little Shay here, um, who you might hear throughout the beginning of the meeting. So welcome to our special little guest. Um we'll now proceed to items 3.1 through 3.5, which are closed session items. Uh conference with 3.1 conference with legal counsel about existing legitic litigation, 3.2, conference with real property negotiators, 3.3, conference with real property negotiators, 3.4, conference with real property negotiators and 3.5, conference with labor negotiators. Madam City Clerk, can you please facilitate public comment on these items? Thank you, Mayor. We are now taking public comment on closed session items 3.1 through 3.5. If you are in the chamber and would like to make a comment but have not yet provided a speaker card, please make your way to the podium. You will have three minutes and a countdown timer will alert at the end of that period. As you approach the podium, please state your name for the record if you choose to do so. The first speaker will be Sam, followed by Ken, then Eli. Sam, go ahead. Uh every crisis that the city has faced, from tubbs to the global pandemic, they've answered the call. They've always been there for you and for the city. Uh now we need you to be here for us. In my time here, I've watched our department fall to the very bottom of our comparable cities. Your firefighters are the worst paid. 10th out of 10 in our survey. Dead last. Being dead last is not just bad for the employees.
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