Santa Rosa City Council Meeting – March 18, 2025
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Santa Rosa City Council Regular Meeting – March 18, 2025
The Santa Rosa City Council met on March 18, 2025, at 2:00 PM for a closed session, reconvening at 4:00 PM for the regular session. The meeting included proclamations, a Downtown Action Organization update, a briefing on the Active Transportation Plan, approval of consent items, a public hearing on fire hazard severity zones, and direction on Sonoma Water's proposed water rate increase. Two council members (Vice Mayor Alvarez and Council Member Fleming) were absent; all votes were 5-0.
Consent Calendar
- Contract Award – Dutch Flohr Neighborhood Park: Council consented to the withdrawal of RRR Pirooz Engineering's bid and awarded the $2,480,000 contract to Pat Nelson Construction, Inc., with a 15% contingency for a total of $2,852,000. Funded by Capital Improvement Fund, no General Fund money. (Motion approved.)
- Hearn Avenue at Highway 101 – Phase 3 Maintenance Agreement: Approved a Project Specific Maintenance Agreement with Caltrans and delegated signature authority to the City Manager. (Resolution RES-2025-038 adopted.)
- Southern Tire Mart – Second Amendment: Approved a $20,000 increase in blanket purchase order for retread tires, total not to exceed $120,000. (Resolution RES-2025-039 adopted.)
- National Print + Promo – Second Amendment: Extended term by one year and increased compensation by $50,000, total not to exceed $150,000. (Resolution RES-2025-040 adopted.)
- Bequest from Estate of Rosemary Maki-Ramatici: Accepted $153,987.86 for Homeless Shelter Operations Fund. (Resolution RES-2025-041 adopted.)
- Massage Regulation Ordinance (Second Reading): Adopted ordinance repealing Chapter 6-32 and adding Chapter 20-49, with related zoning amendments. (Ordinance ORD-2025-004 adopted.)
- Adult Entertainment Business Ordinance (Second Reading): Adopted ordinance amending Zoning Code sections for adult entertainment businesses. (Ordinance ORD-2025-005 adopted.)
Public Comments & Testimony
- Active Transportation Plan: Eris Weaver, Executive Director of Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, expressed strong support for the plan, praising its clarity and prioritization.
- Non-Agenda Public Comments (Doyle Park Dog Leash Enforcement):
- Dr. Richard Buswell, Rich Caro, Emily Winfield, Carol Cranston, Brenda Fowler-Hart, and Janice Karmann all criticized animal control officers for aggressive enforcement of leash laws at Doyle Park, citing excessive fines ($350–$800), lack of warning signs, and officers hiding/spying. They requested extended off-leash hours, better signage, and a more balanced approach.
- Stephan Dalporto (Santa Rosa Firefighters) updated on Measure H implementation, noting the first funds are in the bank and expressing optimism for new resources (Engine 9, Engine 12, Rescue One, station upgrades, additional battalion chief, and vegetation management inspectors).
- Fire Hazard Severity Zones: No public comments.
- Sonoma Water Proposed Rate Increase: No public comments.
Discussion Items
- Santa Rosa Active Transportation Plan Update: Torina Wilson, Transportation Planner, presented the Public Review Draft (released March 3, 2025; comments accepted through March 31). The plan replaces the 2018 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan with an "Active Transportation Plan" to be more inclusive. Prioritization focuses on high-injury networks, disadvantaged communities, transit/school access, gap closure, and coordination with pavement maintenance. Council members asked about specific segments (e.g., Montgomery Drive) and public feedback to date. No action taken; plan expected back for adoption in June 2025.
- Sonoma Water Proposed FY 2025/26 Water Transmission Budget and Rate Increase:
- Background: The City purchases ~93% of potable water from Sonoma Water. The proposed budget includes an 8.68% increase in the wholesale rate (from $1,289.02 to $1,400.86 per acre foot). Staff and Board of Public Utilities recommended Council direct its Water Advisory Committee (WAC) representative to vote in favor.
- Presenters (Jake Spaulding, Lynn Rosselli, Nick Harvey) described the aging infrastructure (aqueducts built 1959–1963), asset management needs, hazard mitigation projects, and a planned $33 million bond. They noted that through collaborative cuts and deferrals, the originally forecast ~40% increase was reduced to 8.68% for Santa Rosa Aqueduct customers. Long-range financial plan projects ~8.7% annual increases over five years.
- Santa Rosa Water's budget can absorb the $1.94 million increase without impacting fund balance. The rate pass-through to customers would begin in FY 2026-27.
- Council members asked about rate comparisons with other contractors and long-term modeling. The Council expressed appreciation for improved transparency.
Key Outcomes
- Active Transportation Plan: Received and filed; no action. Public comment period open through March 31, 2025; plan adoption anticipated June 2025.
- Consent Items (13.1–13.7): All approved unanimously (5-0).
- Fire Hazard Severity Zones Ordinance (16.1) : Introduced and adopted on first reading by a 5-0 vote, designating moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones per CalFire maps (released Feb 24, 2025). Effective May 2025, triggering state building code requirements and hazard disclosure inspections.
- Sonoma Water Rate Increase (15.1) : Approved motion (5-0) to approve Sonoma Water's FY 2025/26 water transmission budget and 8.68% rate increase, and direct WAC representative (Council Member Rogers) to vote accordingly at the April 7, 2025 WAC meeting.
- Future Agenda Items: Council Member Rogers withdrew requests for agenda items on downtown cannabis dispensary operations and solar panel certification understanding process, citing focus on council goals.
- Minutes: February 19, 2025 special meeting minutes approved as submitted. February 25, 2025 regular meeting minutes continued to April 1, 2025.
- Other: Council Member Bañuelos appointed Douglas Mondell to the Community Advisory Board. Council and Mayor reported on various subcommittee meetings, lobbying trip to D.C., and discussions with the county on homelessness funding.
Meeting Transcript
Good afternoon. I'd like to ask the interpreter currently on the Spanish channel to com commence em interpretation of the meeting. For those just joining the meeting, live interpretation 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. Thanks for your patience, everyone. We're back. Time is four o'clock, and we can resume the meeting. Madam City Clerk, would you please call the roll? Thank you, Mayor. Councilmember Rogers, present. Council Member O'Krepke. Here. Councilmember McDonald. Councilmember Fleming is absent. Council Member Ben Whalos. Mayor Stapp. So we invite you to come back. And we'll move on to item uh six, a report on closed session. Madam City Attorney. There's no reportable action from closed session this evening. We'll move on then to item seven point one, our proclamation for National Surveyors Week. Mr. Okropke. Whereas surveying has been an essential element in the development of the human environment since the beginning of recorded history, and it is a requirement in the planning and execution of nearly every form of construction with its most familiar modern uses in the fields of transport, building and construction, communications, mapping, and the definition of legal boundaries for land ownership, and whereas to accomplish their objectives, surveyors use elements of engineering, physics, mathematics, astronomy, law, and history, and whereas, since the colonial days of the United States, surveyors have been leaders in the communities, statespeople, influential citizens, and shapers of cultural standards. Former notable surveyors include George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Lewis and Clark, Daniel Boone, and Henry David Thoreau, among others. And whereas many services are now provided using sophisticated surveying equipment and techniques, including satellite-borne remote sensing devices and automated positioning measuring, recording and plotting equipment, and whereas the establishment of the week of March 16th through 22nd, 2025 as National Surveyors Week is a fitting tribute to all surveyors. Now, therefore, may it be resolved that Mayor Mark Stapp of the City of Santa Rosa, on behalf of this entire city council in recognition of our community do hereby proclaim the week of March 16th through March 2022, 2025, National Surveyors Week. Thank you. And do we have Bruce Johnson with us to accept to accept this proclamation? Oh, wonderful. The microphone's all yours. Hello, my name is Monica Wingett, and I am the Secretary for the California Land Surveyor Association Sonoma chapter. I would like to thank the City Council for the proclamation of National Surveyors Week. Our organization is comprised of a wide variety of surveyors from both the private and public sectors, including local land development companies and employees at the county who review survey maps and help maintain our county's history and records. We also have our treasurer who just retired from 25 years of working with the city of Santa Rosa. I myself have been in the industry for three years and have never thought I would find a career full of people who love it as much as surveyors do. The average age of a surveyor is 55, mostly because they just refuse to retire, because it is such a fun industry to work in. Monica, thank you. You're you're a great recruiter for the profession. We're going to do a photo down in front in just a moment, but before then, are there any other members of the public that would like to make make a public comment? Seeing none, Monica, why don't you come on down and we'll take a photo? Our proclamation for women's history month. Ms. Ben Wellos. Yes, thank you, Mayor. Uh it's my honor. Uh, whereas women have always played a critical role in shaping the economic, cultural, and social fabric of our society through their participation in the labor force, working both inside and outside of the home, in leadership positions and through creative inspirations, and whereas women's history month provides an opportunity for schools and communities to expand and enhance what our children and our community know about the women's roles in history and their contributions to the development of this nation. And whereas the story of American women is the story of women of all ages, races, and cultural backgrounds who led campaigns for equality and civil rights, advanced professional and educational opportunities, founded entirely new enterprises, and contributed significantly to the arts, sciences, and humanistic causes. And whereas women from every background have long realized that an uneven playing field will never bring equality or justice, and we all need to eliminate bias and discrimination entirely for our lives and institutions. And whereas the 2025 theme of the women's history month is moving forward together. Women educating and inspiring generations, which celebrates the collective strength and influence of women who have dedicated their lives to education, mentorship, and leadership.
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