OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Santa Rosa Planning Commission Regular Meeting: March 28, 2024

Planning Commission — Thursday, March 28, 2024
BodySanta Rosa, California
SessionPlanning Commission
DateThursday, March 28, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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3:24

No, that'll be good.

4:39

Are we ready to go?

4:40

Okay.

4:48

Okay, everyone.

4:49

Um I would like to call the meeting of March twenty eighth, twenty twenty four.

4:54

Uh Planning Commission to order.

4:56

And if we could please call the role.

5:00

Thank you, Chair Weeks.

5:01

Uh Commissioner Carter.

5:03

Here.

5:04

Commissioner Sisko.

5:05

Here.

5:06

Commissioner Sanders.

5:08

Here.

5:09

Commissioner Peterson.

5:10

Here.

5:11

Commissioner Holton.

5:12

Here.

5:13

Vice Chair Dugan.

5:15

Here.

5:15

Chair Weeks?

5:16

Here.

5:17

Let the record reflect that all of our commissioners are present.

5:21

Great.

5:22

Thank you.

5:23

And before we start, I did want to mention that we will be reordering the agenda and moving item 9.2 before 9.1.

5:36

And we will be taking uh action on that at that time, but it is due to the fact that that item is being continued until the April 11th, 2024 meeting.

5:50

So with that, we have the minutes from February 22nd.

5:55

Any changes, uh corrections.

6:00

Okay.

6:01

So with that, they will be approved.

6:04

Do we have any public comments on the on the minutes?

6:08

See no one going towards the agenda.

6:16

I mean seeing no one going towards the podium.

6:19

We don't have any public comments.

6:22

So they will uh stand as approved.

6:27

Uh with that we'll be going to the public comment on non-agenda matters.

6:32

Um this is a time when you can address the commission on matters not on the agenda today.

6:41

If you choose to do so, please go to one of the podiums and state your name for the record if you so choose.

6:52

Okay.

6:52

Seeing no one going towards the podium.

6:55

Uh I'll go ahead and close the public comment period and going into commission business.

7:02

Um our statement of purpose.

7:04

The planning commission is charged with carrying out the California planning and zoning laws in the city of Santa Rosa.

7:10

Duties include implementing of plans, ordinances, and policies relating to land use matters, assisting in writing and implementing the general plan and area plan, holding public hearings and acting on proposed changes to the zoning code, zoning map, general plan, tentative subdivision maps, and undertaking special planning studies as needed.

7:30

And with that, we'll move on to item 4.2 commissioner reports.

7:35

A few of us uh were fortunate enough to go down to Long Beach uh a couple weeks ago to the League of California Cities Planning Commission conference.

7:44

Um just to note next year that conference will be here in Santa Rosa, so hopefully a lot more of us can attend.

7:51

So with that, um any comments?

7:54

Um Commissioner Sanders.

7:56

Yeah, I did uh attend the League of Cities Planning Commissioner Conference, and it was a it was really good.

8:02

Being a new commissioner, I always look forward to it because I'm always learning something new uh with one of the sessions being um how an idea, how a project goes from an idea through the planning process to a shovel in the ground, really enlightening, you know.

8:17

Um I think everybody should uh do that if you're a nerd like me and and you know like that kind of thing.

8:24

Um I attended this morning a waterways advisory uh committee uh meeting where we talked about um a couple of items that actually are gonna be coming back to us on uh April 11th.

8:39

Um but the uh Santa Rosa Transportation and Public Works Department, they're conducting a an update of the 2018 bicycle and pedestrian master plan.

8:49

Um it's gonna be re renamed uh the active transportation plan, and that move is to, you know, because you know we don't all active transportation is not just walking and and bicycling.

9:00

I mean there are people in wheelchairs and I would assume you know many other ways of actively getting themselves from point A to point B.

9:08

So we talked a little bit about that today, and then also um FEMA is updating the water uh flood maps for the Santa Rosa Creek watershed, and you know those changes will be uh on the website, the city website.

9:23

I think it's city uh srcity.org forward slash flood maps.com, and you can get to that information and see if you're actually in the Santa Rosa Creek area because it may have an impact on insurance rates and all that kind of stuff.

9:39

So it's something to keep uh track of.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Planning And Zoning████████████████████████████████32%
Procedural███████████████████████23%
Public Engagement██████████████████18%
Telecommunications Infrastructure███████████11%
Environmental Protection█████████9%
Parks and Recreation███████7%
Summary of Proceedings

Santa Rosa Planning Commission Regular Meeting – March 28, 2024

The Santa Rosa Planning Commission met on March 28, 2024, from 4:30 PM to 5:14 PM in the Council Chamber. All seven commissioners were present. The meeting included approval of minutes, a vice chair election, a continuance of a public hearing for a telecommunication tower, and a public hearing on an Oakmont Village planned development text amendment. All votes were unanimous (7-0).

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Non-agenda items: No public comments were made.
  • Item 9.2 (Telecommunication tower at 2715 Giffen Avenue): Three speakers expressed opposition.
    • Jennifer Laporta, an environmental health scientist, objected to the tower, stating it conflicts with the zoning ordinance requiring two miles between macro towers (the nearest is 1.1 miles away). She cited health concerns including a cancer cluster at a school (RIPON California) and SB649's protections for firefighters. She also noted 40 small cells and 25 macro towers already in Santa Rosa.
    • Sydney Cox shared personal health concerns and provided copies of a postcard regarding a previous tower notification, noting the font was too small. She referenced studies on radiofrequency health effects.
    • Kim Kelly, a nearby resident, expressed concerns about health effects and property value impacts, stating she lives very close to the proposed tower.

Discussion Items

  • Approval of Minutes: The February 22, 2024 draft minutes were approved as submitted without changes.
  • Vice Chair Election: Commissioner Cisco nominated Vice Chair Duggan to continue as Vice Chair, seconded by Commissioner Sanders. The nomination was approved unanimously.
  • Department Reports: Staff Liaison Jones reported that the City Council upheld the Planning Commission's decision on the Colgan Avenue cell tower appeal and approved the wayfinding sign ordinance. She also announced Commissioner Holton's resignation and the opening for a new commissioner.
  • Item 9.2 – Continuance of Telecommunication Tower Hearing: Staff requested a continuance to April 11, 2024, to provide additional documentation. After public comment, a motion by Commissioner Sanders, seconded by Commissioner Holton, to continue the item to April 11, 2024, passed unanimously.
  • Item 9.1 – Oakmont Village Association Planned Development Text Amendment (REZ23-002):
    • Planner Sheila Wolski presented the proposal to amend the PD 63-001 policy statement. The amendments would: 1) update maps, 2) default to the City's zoning code for land use permitting requirements consistent with the General Plan land use designation, and 3) establish compatible uses for parcels with a Parks and Recreation General Plan designation.
    • Approximately 100 Oakmont residents attended a community meeting; the vast majority supported the amendments, with no opposition.
    • Public speakers Margaret Newman, Larry Burns, Richard Hirsch, and Iris Harrell (Oakmont Village Association Board) all spoke in support, noting the need to update outdated documents from 1963.
    • Commissioners Holton, Cisco, Peterson, Carter, Sanders, and Chair Weeks expressed support, praising the efficiency and clarity of the presentation. All commissioners stated they could make the required findings.

Key Outcomes

  • Approved the February 22, 2024 minutes.
  • Re-elected Vicki Duggan as Vice Chair.
  • Continued item 9.2 (Conditional Use Permit for a telecommunication tower at 2715 Giffen Avenue) to the April 11, 2024 meeting.
  • Adopted Resolution No. PC-2024-004 recommending the City Council adopt a text amendment to the Oakmont Planned Development (PD63-001) policy statement, including modifications to updated maps, default to the City's zoning code for land use permitting, and establishment of compatible uses with the Parks and Recreation land use designation. The vote was 7-0.
  • All decisions are final unless appealed within 10 calendar days.

Meeting Transcript

No, that'll be good. Are we ready to go? Okay. Okay, everyone. Um I would like to call the meeting of March twenty eighth, twenty twenty four. Uh Planning Commission to order. And if we could please call the role. Thank you, Chair Weeks. Uh Commissioner Carter. Here. Commissioner Sisko. Here. Commissioner Sanders. Here. Commissioner Peterson. Here. Commissioner Holton. Here. Vice Chair Dugan. Here. Chair Weeks? Here. Let the record reflect that all of our commissioners are present. Great. Thank you. And before we start, I did want to mention that we will be reordering the agenda and moving item 9.2 before 9.1. And we will be taking uh action on that at that time, but it is due to the fact that that item is being continued until the April 11th, 2024 meeting. So with that, we have the minutes from February 22nd. Any changes, uh corrections. Okay. So with that, they will be approved. Do we have any public comments on the on the minutes? See no one going towards the agenda. I mean seeing no one going towards the podium. We don't have any public comments. So they will uh stand as approved. Uh with that we'll be going to the public comment on non-agenda matters. Um this is a time when you can address the commission on matters not on the agenda today. If you choose to do so, please go to one of the podiums and state your name for the record if you so choose. Okay. Seeing no one going towards the podium. Uh I'll go ahead and close the public comment period and going into commission business. Um our statement of purpose. The planning commission is charged with carrying out the California planning and zoning laws in the city of Santa Rosa. Duties include implementing of plans, ordinances, and policies relating to land use matters, assisting in writing and implementing the general plan and area plan, holding public hearings and acting on proposed changes to the zoning code, zoning map, general plan, tentative subdivision maps, and undertaking special planning studies as needed. And with that, we'll move on to item 4.2 commissioner reports. A few of us uh were fortunate enough to go down to Long Beach uh a couple weeks ago to the League of California Cities Planning Commission conference. Um just to note next year that conference will be here in Santa Rosa, so hopefully a lot more of us can attend. So with that, um any comments? Um Commissioner Sanders.

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