Santa Rosa Planning Commission Meeting: July 14, 2026
Santa Rosa Planning Commission Meeting: July 14, 2026
The Santa Rosa Planning Commission met on July 14, 2026, to conduct two public hearings: an appeal of a zoning administrator's approval for a 15-bed community care facility (FAM Assisted Living) at 631 Benjamin's Road, and a request for a major conditional use permit for alcohol sales and extended hours at MD Market (1995 Sebastopol Road). The meeting also included approval of prior minutes, public comments on non-agenda matters, and commissioner reports.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of minutes from May 28, 2026. A public commenter (Janice Carmen) noted she was omitted from those minutes; the commission approved the minutes as submitted without changes.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Non-Agenda Public Comments: Janice Carmen raised concerns about representation in District 3, stating that City Council member Diana (a lame duck) had been stripped of meetings and commissions, and that Commissioner Terry Saunders (appointed from District 4) does not represent District 3. She also cited multiple building projects east of Melita Road and a lack of public hearing opportunities.
- Public Hearing on Item 11.1 (FAM Assisted Living): Multiple speakers supported and opposed the project. Supporters (e.g., Marty McCormick, Mel Fagoni, Chaplain Chin Wynn, Annan Fam) emphasized the applicants' integrity, the growing need for senior care, and minimal neighborhood impacts. Opponents (e.g., Lindsay Lawson, Fred Seidel, Sherman Wong, Mike Faria, Rich Gardner) raised concerns about parking adequacy, traffic generation, deception regarding project scale (initial six beds vs. 15 beds), and the legality of the SB9 lot split due to non-occupancy by the owner. The appellant, Jay Giles, argued that the parcel was created through fraud (perjury on owner-occupancy affidavit) and thus the minor use permit should be denied.
- Public Hearing on Item 11.2 (MD Market): No public comments were made.
Discussion Items
- Item 11.1 – FAM Assisted Living Appeal: Staff presented the project history, noting that the appeal raised five grounds, none of which involved SB9. Staff argued that the minor use permit met all zoning, parking, traffic, fire, and operational standards. The applicants (Kim and Hal Fam) described their personal commitment to senior care and their family's background. The appellant's focus on SB9 fraud was not addressed in the staff report as it was not a ground for appeal. The commission discussed parking (five on-site spaces per code), traffic (low trip generation per ITE manual), fire safety (sprinklers, evacuation plan), and the legality of requiring visitors to call ahead. The city attorney stated that the appointment condition was appropriate but could be removed. The commission voted to deny the appeal (5-0, with Commissioners Carter and Barter absent; Commissioner Sanders recused from this item).
- Item 11.2 – MD Market Conditional Use Permit: Staff explained that the applicant requested a major conditional use permit to sell alcohol for off-site consumption and operate from 6 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily (no change from current hours except Friday/Saturday currently 2 a.m.). The new location is across the street from the existing market. Staff noted no net increase in alcohol licenses, 37 alcohol-related calls for service in the surrounding area over two years, and no police objections. The applicant (Herman Dillon) confirmed that the old site would be redeveloped for mixed-use housing. The commission approved the permit (4-0-1, with Commissioner Sanders abstaining; Commissioners Carter and Barter absent).
Key Outcomes
- Appeal Denied (5-0): The planning commission denied the appeal and upheld the zoning administrator's approval of a minor conditional use permit for a 15-bed community care facility at 631 Benjamin's Road. The facility will be conditioned to meet all applicable standards.
- Conditional Use Permit Approved (4-0-1): The commission approved a major conditional use permit for MD Market to sell alcohol for off-site consumption and operate extended hours (6 a.m. to 12 a.m. daily) at 1995 Sebastopol Road. The approval allows relocation of the existing business and paves the way for future mixed-use redevelopment of the old site.
- Next Steps: Both projects will proceed subject to standard conditions; the FAM Assisted Living facility must also comply with state licensing and fire safety requirements.
Meeting Transcript
Absent Commissioner Sisko here. Commissioner Horton. Here. Commissioner Barter is also absent. Commissioner Sanders? Present. Vice Chair Duggan. Here. Chair Weeks. Here. Let the record reflect that all commissioners are present with exception of Commissioner Carter and Commissioner Pardon. Thank you. Second item is remote participation, which we have none. Third item, approval of minutes. We have one set of minutes from May 28th. Are there any changes to that to those minutes? Can you please wait a moment? Thank you. Are there any changes to the minutes corrections? Okay, then with that, if you are in the chambers and wish to make public comment on the minutes, please make your way to the podium, state your name for the record, and you'll have three minutes for your comment. Good afternoon to the board. I happen to look over the uh minutes and I wasn't on them. And uh I remember uh you know what I spoke about uh at the minutes, and I don't really want to give it all away today because there was something that I said there that was related to uh what was what was uh on the minutes, but uh but it I I was ignored. I just don't seem to have gotten on the minutes. Um I'm quite sure I was there because I spoke about the topic, so just that usually it says something, you know, and if they don't say what you talked about, because often they do, it depends on which board or which meeting you're at, then they will say something like you oppose the project or you objected to the project or something like that. But I wasn't on it, so that's what I object to. Thank you. Any other comments? Okay, so with that, um, the minutes will stand approved as submitted. Um, and now we move on to public comments. Um we're now taking public comments. This is on non-agenda matters, and this is time when any people, any person in the audience may address the commission on matters within the purview of the commission, but are not on the agenda. And if you're in the chambers, please make your way to one of the podiums and you'll have three minutes and you'll see the countdown timer. Go ahead, Miss Carmen. Thank you. Janice Carmen here, and we'll start over. Uh I um I wanted to say that um I was uh present at a meeting, and that the meeting turned into mayhem uh before the meeting uh ended, and a person at the meeting, this is a city of uh Santa Rosa meeting, was uh attempting to make an allowance for a lack of parking by having the people agree that they would have any visitors calling ahead of time, and I tried to keep my feet on the ground and before. Ms. Carmen, I believe the c the item you're speaking on is on the agenda tonight. So unless you have to do that. But this isn't on the agenda because it had been adjourned. The meeting had been adjourned, and this was happening after the meeting, and I'm reporting on it. Okay, excuse me, please, but the item you'll I believe you are speaking on is on the agenda tonight. So if you could please hold your comment until then. Okay, well that's interesting. Okay, so I'm going to go to another topic, and that is that when Diana uh uh had uh Terry Saunders who sits before you now, uh appointed to your planning commission from District 4. He lives on McDonald Avenue, and uh we live in district three. Diana was in charge, and now she's more of a lame duck since she can't go to meetings, she can't, she's been stripped of all of her meetings, she's been stripped of her commissions, and uh Terry is still on the planning uh commission, and I just want to bring the public's attention to this that Rincan Valley has a lot of problems. Your problem is just one of them at the moment. There are a lot of building projects that have been approved or are in various status east of Melita Road, and it's very serious right now, and people are very concerned about many issues, and we don't get heard.
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