Healdsburg City Council
Meeting
September 21, 2026
1 Foss Creek Clean Up
September 19, 2026
2 Foss Creek
Cleanup
PUBLIC WORKS
Why do we do this?
• Foss Creek and the Russian River are habitats for wildlife • The Creek is a tributary to the River
• Foss Creek runs through our community literally and figuratively. • We want to maintain this highly visible resource
• The Cleanup event brings together our community, with a focus on younger volunteers
• Has been going on for at least 20 years
3 4
5 6
7 8
9 10
11 12
13 14
15 16
Questions
17 Public
comment
—
Comentarios
del público
18 City Manager’s Report
September 21, 2026
19 Public
Comment on
Non Agenda
Items
---
Comentarios
del público
sobre puntos
no incluidos en
la agenda de la
reunión
20 L&M Quarterly Update
September 21, 2026
21 Recommended
Action
HOUSING
Receive the L&M Village Quarterly Report.
22 HOUSING
Overview
• Highlights
• Program Outcomes
• Supportive Services Offered
• Financial Status
• Conclusion & Future Activities
23 Highlights
HOUSING
Program Outcomes
• Approximately 46 interim housing units are available in Northern Sonoma County
• Northern Sonoma County currently has 16 permanent supportive housing units • The regional By-Names List currently includes 38 individuals • Regional efforts are increasingly focused on achieving functional zero for chronic and unsheltered homelessness
• Partners are evaluating the next phase of interim and permanent supportive housing development in Northern Sonoma County
Staffing Updates
• Reach for Home’s Director of Mental Health Services recently left the organization
• Recruitment is underway to fill an existing case manager position 24 Program
Outcomes
HOUSING
Data Point Since Last Report L&M Village Totals Since
Program Start
Participants Served 8 132
Successful Exits to Housing 1 71
Housing Voucher Applications 0 31
Health & Wellness -
Accessed Mental Health
10 125
Health & Wellness -
Accessed Medical Services/Appointments
7 129
Income Progress -
Income Increase by Employment 11 108
Income Progress -
Income Increase by Utilizing Subsidies (Food
Stamps/SSI)
7 128
25 Occupancy By
Race/Ethnicity
HOUSING
74%
19%
5% 2%
Occupancy By Race &
Ethnicity
L&M Village
White Hispanic Native Black
73%
14%
3%
2% 8%
Race & Ethnicity of Those
Experiencing Homelessness
Healdsburg
White Hispanic Native Black Unknown
26 Supportive
Services
Offered
HOUSING
● Nearly 80% of participants engaged in at least 2
activities/week
● One-on-one counseling sessions
● Food pantry access
● Budgeting and cooking classes
● Employment search support
● Haircut services
● Interview clothing assistance
● Daily living skills training
● Housing search and application classes
● Weekly healthcare visits by Providence Healthcare
● Active participation in Fentanyl awareness events
● Collaboration with Face to Face for HIV testing
● Addiction recovery group on-site
27 L&M Village
Funding
HOUSING
Funding Sources Amount Status Use
Homekey Capital $6,168,000 Awarded Acquisition/Construction Homekey Operations $660,800 Awarded L&M Operations
County Capital Match $950,000 Awarded Acquisition/Construction Early Occupancy Bonus $220,000 Awarded Operations
County Operating $1,263,570 Awarded Operations FY 23-24 & FY 24-25
Measure O Pathways to
Sustainability $900,000 Awarded Operations FY 25-26
Proposed County Operational
Funding $514,634 Pending Operations FY 26-27
Total $10,677,004
28 Conclusion
&
Future
Activities
HOUSING
Challenges
●Limited funding for permanent supportive housing units ●Need for flexible and unrestricted funding sources
●Uncertainty regarding future HUD policies and funding
opportunities
●Increasing participant needs and service complexity
●Funding gap in newly proposed County Operational funds Opportunities
●Housing set-asides at Dry Creek Commons
● Permanent supportive housing opportunities at Heritage Park in Windsor
●Sonoma County’s proposed three-year operation funding
framework.
29 Recommended
Action
HOUSING
Receive the L&M Village Quarterly Report.
30 Public
comment
—
Comentarios
del público
31 Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District
Healdsburg Station Location and Public Outreach
Presentation to the Healdsburg City Council
September 21, 2026
32 • Project Update
• SMART Board direction
• Station Location Background
• What has changed since early 2024?
• Station Location Considerations
• Staff Recommendation
• Next Steps
Overview
33 • Progressive Design-Build Contract
award: September 2025
• October – December 2025: Project
definition
• Environmental Studies for permit
applications
• Securing Environmental Permits
Project Update
34 • Collected field data:
- topographical survey
- locating underground utilities
- geotechnical information
• Prepared 50% Design documents
Project Update
35 • Bridge Evaluations
• Grade Crossing Evaluations
• Municipalities Coordination
Project Update
36 • Cost Estimating/Evaluation
• First Construction Package:
Phase 2A: Windsor Station to Front Street
• Phase 2A Construction Package Award:
October 2026
• Phase 2A Construction Start: Spring 2027
• Phase 2B Construction Package:
Front St. To North St. (includes a station)
Project Update
37 SMART Board Direction
• On September 16, 2026, the
SMART Board directed staff to
initiate public engagement
around the SMART station
location in Healdsburg,
including engaging
Healdsburg’s City Council and
the public through a survey
and community meeting
Location 2- Depot/Hudson
Location 1- Downtown
38 Station Location Options
• SMART owns enough right-of-way (ROW) to
construct the Healdsburg Station at either
one of these two locations:
• Location #1—Downtown/W. Plaza
• Location #2—Depot/Hudson St.
• Locations are .45 mile apart
• SMART has adopted the naming conventions
for these stations consistent with how
SMART and the City have historically referred
to them
39 Station Location Background
• In February 2024, Healdsburg City Council
directed city staff to proceed with the
station location at Hudson Street site absent
any new information
• Significant changes have occurred since
February 2024 that justify conducting
additional public outreach before making
final location decision
1. Downtown/W. Plaza
2. Depot/Hudson St.
40 What has changed since early 2024?
41 SMART has secured its future
• SMART secured funding through 2059
• 3 out of 4 voters saying “yes”
Source: Press Democrat/Darryl Bush
42 Extension north is within reach
• Healdsburg Extension funded
• Project was less than ½ funded in February 2024
• Pending and in-development grant applications to
complete system to Cloverdale
• SMART Board adopted a Geyserville Station
• Enables segmentation and phasing of the northern
extension
• The region and state have included the Cloverdale
Extension in financially constrained plans:
• MTC’s Plan Bay Area 2050+ Regional Transportation Plan • SCTCA’s Countywide Transportation Plan
• California State Rail Plan
43 SMART is a different system today
• Continued record ridership growth
• August 2026 ridership 123% higher than FY24 average
monthly ridership
• Average weekday ridership today is over 5,600, more than double what it was in FY24 (2,772 average weekday
ridership )
• 25% Youth ridership, many traveling to and from schools along the corridor
• SMART constructed and opened the Windsor and
Petaluma North Stations and 10 new miles of
pathway/Great Redwood Trail in 2025
• SMART has become the spine for regional transit
service between Sonoma and Marin counties
44 We know more today and believe more can
be learned
• SMART has more detailed information today
including:
• Renderings
• Parking impact
• Updated jobs data
• Trip generation data
• SMART now anticipates that providing a crossing
between the Ward St. neighborhood and the
Depot area is not dependent upon a station at the
Depot/Hudson St. site
• We also believe that through the additional
outreach proposed, we will be more informed
about the public’s travel needs and what location
will best support them
66%
34%
SMART’s current parking utilization
Occupied Vacant
45 • Since 2024, SMART has heard repeated
public interest in considering a location
in Downtown
• Significant changes since 2024 warrant
consideration and vetting of the two
possible locations by the public, the City
of Healdsburg, and the Board
• Depot/Hudson may have been the
“historic” site, but is it the right location
for today?
• Station location critical to achieving
maximum regional benefit for this major
regional investment
Why station location consideration is
necessary?
$30
$197
$42
Project funding ($s in millions)
Federal
State (SCCP, LPP-C, and TIRCP)
Regional (RM3 and Measure M)
The project is a significant state and
regional investment towards mobility
for Marin and Sonoma
46 • Utilizing Progressive Design Build delivery
method
• The following phase of work will be
between Front St. to North St., where a
station will be located
• Recent Geyserville Station outreach
showed the public is engaged in weighing in
on the SMART system more than in
2023/2024 and the opportunity now exists
to gather robust public feedback
• SMART was already planning to do
outreach around travel and schedule
needs to Healdsburg, thus providing an
opportunity to ask the station location
question
Why now?
47 What to consider about a station's location
48 The role of a
station
• Residents’ access
point to the broader
region
• A city’s gateway for
workers, customers,
students, visitors
and recreators
49 A station provides Healdsburg residents with
an access point to the broader region
• Jobs
• Education
• Healthcare
• More
2025 on-board survey responses from SMART riders
50 A station serves as the gateway for workers,
customers, students, and visitors
• 84% (5,500) of Healdsburg’s workforce
lives outside of city limits
• Largest business sector in Healdsburg is
manufacturing ($409m/year)
• 42% (2,800) live in places currently
served/to be served by SMART
• 49% of SMART riders are commuting to work
• Many future customers will look to
SMART to reach Healdsburg’s dining,
retail and recreational attractions
• Today, 29% of riders are traveling for
recreation and leisure and 7% are traveling
specifically for shopping
51 Station location considerations
• The Healdsburg station is anticipated to be
a destination station given the high
proportion of Healdsburg’s workforce that
SMART is well situated to serve, and the
City’s strong draw for visitors and tourists
• In order for the station to meet its full
potential it should:
• Be in close proximity to the highest
concentration of jobs, people and trip making
• Be well connected through the roadway and
bike/pedestrian transportation network
• Be able to connect to local and regional transit
services
52 Station access
• The industry standard for walking distance to
transit is ¼ -mile to ½ -mile according to the
Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual1
• The distance between an origin and the transit
stop, and a transit stop and the destination is
referred to as the 1st/last mile
• The last-mile is more important than the 1st-mile to transit • Why?: The passenger is dependent on accessing their
final destination by foot, bike, or connecting transit, where they may complete their first-mile by car
1Published by the Transportation Research Board and National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine
53 ¼ mile walkshed is a more inclusive
travelshed compared to ½ mile
• A ¼ mile walkshed is a better measure
• it accounts for human perception and behavior
• It is a more realistic station area walkshed for all ages and abilities
• An MIT Report found that perceived half-mile
walkshed to and from transit differs greatly from
the actual network half-mile walkshed distance,
and the Euclidean/circular walkshed (aka “as the
crow flies”
• Perceived walkshed is 50% of the network area
walkshed
• Perceived walkshed is 1/5th of the area of the circular station area
54 • The ¼ mile walkshed is based on
the street network and the area
reachable within a ¼ mile
walk (green area with yellow
streets)
• The ½ mile station areas are the ½
mile around the station “as the
crow flies” (shown in blue)
• The Downtown/W. Plaza location
has a stronger street network grid,
and as such the square mile area
of the walkshed is larger
¼ mile and
½ mile around the
station locations
55 Trip activity and travel demand
• Healdsburg has one of the highest vehicle miles
traveled (VMT) rates per capita in the region
• Since 2017, the share of local trips in Healdsburg has declined while the share of intercity trips have increased
• VMT per capita declined between 2017 and 2022, but not in proportion to the rate change in total trips because more intercity trips are occurring and these trips are longer • To have the most impact on reducing GHG emissions
and parking demand will depend on SMART’s ability to
serve where travel demand is highest
• Travel demand is made up from shorter, local trips and longer distance intercity or regional trips
• Intercity trips are the types of trips regional rail is designed to serve
By taking SMART,
riders produce…
56 Trip activity in the station areas
• Downtown/W. Plaza has a higher concentration
of travel activity than the Depot/Hudson St. today
• 45% more “non-shared” trips within ½ mile
• 12% more intercity trips within ½ mile
• Where the station areas overlap, shared trips are
occurring, and these are trips that either station
could serve
• Downtown/W. Plaza provides greater 1st/ last
mile connectivity due to the density of pedestrian
infrastructure and bus transit access
57 Combined employment and population
density
• Today, the Downtown/ W. Plaza
station area has a higher
concentration of combined
population and employment than
the Depot/Hudson St. station area
• 12% more combined population and
jobs in ¼ mile walkshed
• 84% more jobs within ¼ mile walkshed
58 Why the location matters
• The Healdsburg extension project is a significant federal, state, and regional investment. For the project to reach its full potential and deliver the maximum regional benefit, the station location should be considered 59 • This evening’s presentation to the Healdsburg City Council • A webpage
• A public survey to run through November 30
• A community meeting for October
• The advertisement and distribution of the survey and community meeting information via SMART’s website and social media, the City, and other community stakeholders
• On-going updates to the Board monthly
• Return to the Healdsburg City Council in December with detailed analysis of the feedback
• Detailed analysis of the feedback targeted for SMART’s December Board meeting
Proposed Engagement
60 Questions?
61 62
Police K9 Program
and Vehicle Procurement
September 21, 2026
63 Recommended
Action
POLICE
1. Receive report regarding the defined scope of the Healdsburg Police Department Canine Program
2. By a four-fifths vote, adopt a Resolution approving the purchase of a 2025 Silverado 1500 4WD Crew Cab Work
Truck from California Police Cars, authorizing the City Manager to execute the purchase order and related change orders up to a 10% contingency on behalf of the City, and waive the competitive bid process and authorize staff to negotiate the purchase.
64 Background
POLICE
• FY 25/26 City Council adopted goal of Police Recruitment & Retention Initiative
• Budget Development Process
• K-9 program presented at $75,000, plus funding for vehicle • June 1st final biennial budget adopted that included funding for the program
• Staff began program development process
• September 8th agenda included vehicle procurement
• Item continued pending additional program detail
65 Program
Scope
POLICE
What this K9 is – and Is Not
• Selected for temperament, drive, physical capability, and mission fit • Trained to follow human scent over distance and varied terrain • Capable of operating in low light, adverse weather, neighborhoods, parks, and open space
• Used to locate:
• Missing, endangered, or vulnerable persons
• Wanted or fleeing subjects
• Scent-associated articles, such as discarded clothing or weapons • Helps establish direction of travel, narrow search areas, and focus resources • Provides a passive indication to the handler rather than physically apprehending a person
• It is not:
• a bite/apprehension K9
• trained to pursue, bite, hold, or force compliance
66 Safeguards &
Accountability
POLICE
Program Controls
• Initial canine training: 6–8 weeks; handler/team training:
approximately 4 weeks
• Required policy review, certification/proficiency, veterinary care, dispatch procedures, and vehicle safety systems
• Animal welfare, bite/injury reporting, supervisor review, and annual updates to City Council
• No new sworn FTE; supplements patrol rather than replacing existing functions
67 Vehicle
Procurement
POLICE
Vehicle Need and Fiscal Impact
• Operational and Safety requirement for the program
• Staff has identified dealer that will be able to provide a nearly complete expedited build to the City
• 2025 Silverado 1500 4WD Crew Cab Truck
• California Police Cars quote: $92,801.13 plus 10% contingency, total not-to-exceed: $102,081.13
• Staff recommends Council adopt the resolution by four-fifths vote and authorize the purchase and bid waiver
68 Questions
69 Public
comment
—
Comentarios
del público
70 Recommended
Action
POLICE
1. Receive report regarding the defined scope of the
Healdsburg Police Department Canine Program
2. By a four-fifths vote, adopt a Resolution approving the purchase of a 2025 Silverado 1500 4WD Crew Cab Work
Truck from California Police Cars, authorizing the City Manager to execute the purchase order and related
change orders up to a 10% contingency on behalf of the
City, and waive the competitive bid process and authorize staff to negotiate the purchase.
71 Healdsburg Avenue
Bridge Lighting
Request
9/25/26 Dolly Parton
Recognition
COMMUNITY SERVICES
72 Recommended
Action
COMMUNITY SERVICES
Discuss a City Council request to illuminate the Healdsburg Avenue Bridge on 9/25/26 in recognition of Dolly Parton and provide direction to staff.
73 Background
COMMUNITY SERVICES
• May 15, 2023: City Council adopted a policy that governs the temporary illumination of the Healdsburg Avenue Bridge.
• Annual Illuminations: Pride Month, Fourth of July, National Veterans Awareness Week, December Holiday Season, Hanukkah
• Special Illumination Requests: The policy recognizes that certain local, regional, national, or world events may create opportunities to illuminate the bridge in recognition of or in honor of these events. Requests to illuminate the Bridge in recognition of an event not included in the Annual Illuminations list may be made by City Councilmembers via a request for a future City Council meeting agenda item. • September 8, 2026: City Council added an agenda item to consider the installation of the temporary lighting system on the Healdsburg Avenue Bridge in pink in recognition of Dolly Parton on September 25, 2026. 74 Discussion
COMMUNITY SERVICES
• Illumination Process:
• Temporary installation
consists of LED
floodlights and
extension cords
attached to the bridge
• Approximately 16
hours of staff time to
install and remove (32
hours total)
75 Discussion
COMMUNITY SERVICES
First Illumination: Valentines Day 2022 (Pink)
76 Recommended
Action
COMMUNITY SERVICES
Discuss a City Council request to illuminate the Healdsburg Avenue Bridge on 9/25/26 in recognition of Dolly Parton and provide direction to staff.
77 Public
comment
—
Comentarios
del público
78