POINT ARENA CITY COUNCIL
Mayor Barbara Burkey
Vice Mayor Dan Doyle
Councilmember Anna Dobbins
Councilmember Jim Koogle
Councilmember Jeff Hansen
MEETING MINUTES
DECEMBER 16, 2025
6:00 PM
VIA TELECONFERENCE
https://zoom.us/s/84888251095
REGULAR SESSION – 6:00 P.M.
I CALL TO ORDER & ROLL CALL
Present: Burkey, Doyle, Dobbins, Koogle
Absent: Hansen
II APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA
Motion to approve agenda by Councilmember Dobbins, Seconded by Vice Mayor Doyle. Motions passed unanimously 4-0 with Councilmember Hansen absent.
III MAYOR’S REPORTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
A) Mendocino County Sheriff Update
B) Point Arena Fire Safe Council
IV COUNCIL REPORTS
A) City-Related Meetings
B) Council Committee and Commission Reports
1) Arena Cove Advisory Committee (ACAC)
2) California League of Cities
3) Economic Development & Finance Corporation (EDFC)
4) Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG)
5) Mendocino Transit Authority (MTA)
6) Parks Committee
V CITY MANAGER/CITY ATTORNEY REPORTS
The City Manager provided a monthly update, reporting a checking account balance of approximately $176,000, with about $130,000 in pending checks, most of which is grantreimbursable, and a money market balance of approximately $374,000. She noted receipt of COPS grant funding, ensuring coverage of sheriff services for the next fiscal year, and a $10,000 FEMA reimbursement related to the January 2023 storm, with additional reimbursement anticipated for administrative costs. The City Manager also summarized her participation in a CIRA Board of Directors meeting, which focused on municipal liability and sidewalk ordinances, and provided updates on wastewater treatment plant sludge removal planning, ongoing coordination with the Water Board, and outreach to businesses regarding fats, oils, and grease management. She recognized community volunteer Dave Hall for his two years of dedicated service at the Arena Cove Recycling Center, announced the City is seeking new volunteers for that facility, and concluded by expressing appreciation for community support and gratitude for her first five months serving as City Manager.
City of Point Arena
City Council Meeting Minutes – December 16, 2025
VI PRIVILEGE OF THE FLOOR (Public Comment Period)
VII CONSENT CALENDAR
A) Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes of November 18, 2025 B) Transaction Report – November 2025
C) Wastewater Report – November 2025
D) Departmental Reports: Streets, Wastewater, Pier, Administration E) Resolution # 2025-21 - Signatory Authority
F) Proposed 2026 Meeting Calendar
Motion to approve Consent Calendar by Vice Mayor Doyle, Seconded by Councilmember Dobbins. Motion passed unanimously 4-0.
VIII PUBLIC HEARINGS – Public hearings are generally scheduled for a time certain of 6:00 p.m. or soon thereafter, unless noticed otherwise.
A) GP# 2025-01 Community Health & Safety Element Amendment: Sea Level Rise DATE FILED: October 16, 2025
APPLICANT: City of Point Arena
REQUEST: Review and consider a recommendation to the City Council of an amendment of the City of Point Arena Local Coastal Program General Plan. GP #2025-01 proposes to incorporate sea level rise into the Community Safety & Health Element.
LOCATION: Within the City of Point Arena boundaries. The entirety of the City of Point Arena is within the Coastal Zone.
PUBLIC HEARING DATE:December 16, 2025
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: Statutory Exemption pursuant to Public Resources Code §15061.b.3 the common-sense categorical exemption.
Mayor Burkey opened the public hearing for General Plan/Local Coastal Program Amendment No. 2025-01, an amendment to the Community Health and Safety Element (CHSE) addressing sea level rise. The City Clerk confirmed the hearing had been properly noticed.
Motion to approve proper notice by Councilmember Dobbins, Seconded by Vice Mayor Doyle.
Motion passed 4-0 with Councilmember Hansen absent.
Staff reported the City received a $100,000 grant through the Coastal Commission’s Local Coastal Program program to complete a sea level rise analysis and vulnerability assessment for Arena Cove, develop policy recommendations, and draft CHSE amendments. Following an RFP process, the City contracted with Environmental Science Associates (ESA), which delivered the final analysis and policy memorandum in May 2025 after delays attributed to City of Point Arena
City Council Meeting Minutes – December 16, 2025
City financial constraints and limited staff capacity. Consultant Louie White (ESA) presented the proposed CHSE update as a limited amendment adding a new sea level rise section (Section 3.6) with policies addressing use of best available science, hazard identification/mapping, preparation and periodic reassessment of a sea level rise adaptation plan, protection of critical infrastructure, and standard assumption-of-risk language.
During public comment and discussion, Doug Buirkey asked which Arena Cove assets are most vulnerable; the consultant referenced the vulnerability assessment mapping and asset rankings developed in the technical report. City Planner Marie Jones raised concerns about potential unintended consequences of the draft policies, including references to a map not incorporated into the ordinance, potential cost burdens from requiring specialized hazard reports, and ambiguity regarding how policies would apply to existing or necessary infrastructure (e.g., the green shed and sewer lift station). The Council discussed adding “as feasible” language and incorporating the referenced flood extent map, weighed grant and process constraints and coordination with the Coastal Commission, and ultimately moved toward continuing the item to the next meeting to allow staff to propose clarifying edits for Council review; a motion was made and seconded to continue the hearing, followed by a request for a roll call vote.
Motion to continue hearing to January 20, 2026 by Vice Mayor Doyle, Seconded by Councilmember Koogle. Motion passed unanimously 4-0 with Councilmember Hansen absent.
B) CDP# 2025-03/BLA #2025-01: 395/405 Main Street
DATE FILED: July 25, 2025
OWNER: Klaus Kernbach, Phillip Starshak
APPLICANTS: Klaus Kernbach, Phillip Starshak
AGENTS: Meghan Durbin, Wynn Coastal Planning & Biology
ZONING: Urban Residential (UR)
REQUEST: A Lot Line Adjustment to change 4 lots as follows:
• Lot 1 (027-092-03) from 0.16 acre to 0.25 acre
• Lot 2 (027-092-04) from 0.11 acre to 0.40 acre
• Lot 3 (027-092-22) from 0.45 acre to 0.33 acre
• Lot 4 (027-092-24) from 0.83 acre to 0.57 acre
On each of Lots 2, 3 and 4, construct one 361 sq ft single family residence and one 361 sq ft accessory dwelling unit ADU) and two 320 sq ft detached garages (one for each dwelling unit) for a total of three single family homes and three ADUs.
Construct a private street, driveways and parking; and connection of all three undeveloped lots to City utilities.
APN: 027-092-03, 027-092-04, 027-092-22 & 027-092-24
LOCATION: 405 & 395 N Main Street, Point Arena, CA
City of Point Arena
City Council Meeting Minutes – December 16, 2025
Council opened the public hearing for Coastal Development Permit (CDP) 2025-03 for 395 and 405 N. Main Street and confirmed the item was properly noticed. Council Member Koogle recused himself and left the room; with Councilmember Hansen absent, the remaining three members proceeded.
Motion to approve proper notice by Vice Mayor Doyle, Seconded by Councilmember Dobbins.
Motion passed 3-0 with Councilmember Hansen absent and Councilmember Koogle recused.
Staff presented the report for the applicant (Klaus Kernbach and Phil Starshak) requesting a CDP and lot line adjustment to create four parcels: three vacant parcels to be developed with one single-family residence, one one-bedroom unit/ADU, and garages, while retaining the existing home and garage on the existing parcel. The project includes a private street, driveways/parking, and connection of lots to utilities; the site is in the coastal zone but not appealable to the Coastal Commission. Staff summarized key conditions and issues, including: sidewalk requirements (staff recommended a single sidewalk given the site context), a maintenance agreement confirming the private roadway would not become a City maintenance obligation, adjustments to address setback/front-yard interpretation and ADU placement, a landscaping plan using native drought-tolerant species (including tree replacement at a 2:1 ratio where removals occur), utility undergrounding, protection of neighboring Monterey cypress (either shift the road north or provide an arborist report), backflow protection for well irrigation use, and a soils report at building permit stage. Staff also summarized biological and cultural resource measures (including updated bat survey timing language and unanticipated discovery procedures). Council asked questions regarding well use (confirmed for landscaping only), terminology regarding water utilities, fire access/turnaround, and traffic/school-area circulation; Council was reminded to reserve opinions until after public testimony.
Public comment was opened and included testimony from the applicant team and community members. The applicant’s agent requested consideration of separate CDPs per parcel (later clarified as not feasible for this hearing) and proposed modifications/clarifications to several conditions, including correcting bat survey dates, refining language on ADU relocation, shifting the road alignment five feet north, and requesting removal of certain conditions (including fencing language and the soils report requirement). Applicants emphasized goals of small-unit/affordable housing and potential benefits for teacher recruitment and reduced Main Street parking impacts. Additional comments addressed access constraints, topography/slope placement, road/utility responsibilities, school traffic, fire safety/defensible space, sprinklers/water pressure, and landscaping/tree replacement concerns. After closing public comment, staff and counsel advised that multiple CDP numbers could not be approved under the noticed item and reiterated the high threshold for denial; staff noted the soils report was a compromise short of a geotechnical study. Council directed inclusion of three additional conditions: (1) “No Parking” signage at the hammerhead turnaround, (2) cleanup of fencing/pallet debris prior to CDP issuance, and (3) installation of a water tank and pressure pump if required for fire suppression due to water pressure limitations.
City of Point Arena
City Council Meeting Minutes – December 16, 2025
Motion to approve CDP 2025-03 with added conditions by Councilmember Dobbins, Seconded Vice Mayor Doyle. Motion approved 3-0 with Councilmember Hansen absent and Councilmember Koogle recused.
IX REPORTS/ACTION ITEMS – All items under this section are for discussion and possible action.
A) Annual Financial Report & Audit for Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Council received the staff report for the FY 2023–2024 Annual Financial Report and Audit. Staff explained that the City annually engages an independent public accounting firm to conduct an audit in accordance with applicable accounting standards and governmental requirements, noting that FY 2023–2024 was an exceptionally challenging year for the City of Point Arena. The City has worked with Chavan & Associates, LLP since 2012, and Sheldon Chavan, CPA, Managing Partner, was introduced to present the audit findings for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024.
Chavan summarized the audit standards and process, explaining that the audit was conducted under generally accepted auditing standards and governmental auditing standards, with the objective of issuing an opinion on whether the City’s financial statements are free of material misstatement. He reviewed the concepts of materiality, reasonable assurance, sampling, auditor independence, and quality control review. He reported that the audit resulted in an unmodified (clean) opinion on the City’s financial statements; however, the opinion included a disclosure related to going concern, reflecting the City’s recent financial struggles and recurring losses, as required by auditing standards. Chavan emphasized that the going concern disclosure did not qualify the financial statements themselves.
Chavan then outlined several material weakness findings, including new findings related to accounts payable cutoff errors, untimely maintenance of capital asset records, bank reconciliation issues carried over from the prior year, and weaknesses in the financial reporting and closing process that required material audit adjustments. He noted that some findings were repeats from the prior fiscal year and acknowledged staff’s cooperation during the audit process.
Council expressed appreciation for the thorough presentation and acknowledged concern over the number of findings, while noting that corrective actions are underway and that the City’s new municipal accounting software is expected to address many of the identified issues. No further questions were raised by Council.
B) Resolution 2024-23 Approving Redwood Waste Solutions Residential, Commercial, Multifamily and Rolloff Rate Increases
Council considered Resolution No. 2025-23 approving residential, commercial, multifamily, and roll-off rate increases for Redwood Waste Solutions, noting a correction from the agenda’s typographical error. Staff reported that the franchise agreement approved in 2024 allows for annual pass-through rate adjustments, and that the proposed 0.83% increase effective January City of Point Arena
City Council Meeting Minutes – December 16, 2025
1, 2026 reflects permitted cost-of-living, fuel, and commodity price adjustments, with detailed rates provided in the resolution attachments. Michelle Goodman of Redwood Waste Solutions addressed the Council via Zoom, confirming the adjustment is contractually mandated and offering to answer questions. A Council member expressed strong satisfaction with the quality of service and characterized the increase as modest and reasonable.
Motion to approve Resolution 2025-23 by Vice Mayor Doyle, Seconded by Councilmember Dobbins. Motion passed 4-0 with Councilmember Hansen absent.
C) Memorandum of Understanding Between the City of Point Arena and Arena Cove Stewards
Council considered the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City of Point Arena and Arena Coast Stewards. Mayor Burkey recused herself due to a conflict of interest and Vice Mayor Doyle assumed the chair. Staff presented the MOU, explaining it formalizes roles, coordination, accountability, and communication regarding Arena Cove and Pier projects, grants, volunteer activities, and Fish Fest, and noting the Stewards’ significant grant contributions benefiting the City. The MOU outlines requirements for City approval of projects and grants, reporting and meeting protocols through the Arena Cove Advisory Committee, volunteer documentation, financial reporting, and standard terms for amendment and termination. Council asked clarifying questions regarding recusal, meeting coordination, grant oversight, and Fish Fest planning. Public comment was provided by Arena Coast Stewards, who expressed support for the MOU and emphasized its role in transparency, collaboration, and respect for City ownership and authority over Arena Cove assets.
Motion to approve Memorandum of Understanding by Councilmember Dobbin, Seconded by Councilmember Koogle. Motion passed 3-0 with Mayor Burkey recused.
X ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, the Council adjourned at 8:57 p.m.
Approved at the January 20, 2026 City Council meeting.
__________________________________ __________________________________ Barbara Burkey, Mayor Paul Andersen, City Clerk