City of Santa Rosa
In Person Only -
Bennett Valley Golf Course
3330 Yulupa Avenue,
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
City Council
Meeting Minutes - Final
8:30 AMThursday, March 9, 2023
CITY COUNCIL GOAL SETTING - SPECIAL MEETING
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Mayor N. Rogers called the meeting to order at 8:33 a.m.
All Council Members are present with Council Member Alvarez arriving at 8:45 a.m.
Mayor Natalie Rogers, Vice Mayor Dianna MacDonald, Council Member Eddie Alvarez, Council Member Victoria Fleming, Council Member Jeff Okrepkie, Council Member Chris Rogers, and Council Member Mark Stapp
Present: 7 -
Consultant Presentation (Uploaded 03-08-2023)Attachments:
2. WELCOME
Mayor N. Rogers welcomed everyone to the meeting and the importance of the work that goal setting provides the Council.
Nancy Hetrick, Managing Director for Baker Tilly, made opening comments and introduced Ashley Garcia, Consulting Manager, who helped facilitate the workshop and served as recorder. Nancy Hetrick reviewed the day's objectives, ground rules, and agenda.
3. PUBLIC COMMENT
Duane DeWitt spoke on the history of Santa Rosa citizens in the decision-making process and becoming more inclusive overtime and continuing this effort.
Bob Gaiser, Southeast Greenway Campaign, confirmed continued support of the city staff acquiring the Southeast Greenway property in fiscal year 23-24.
Thea Hensel, Southeast Greenway Campaign, clarified the acquisition deal must close no later than October 2024 per a City of Santa Rosa
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March 9, 2023City Council Meeting Minutes - Final
commitment with the Sonoma Land Trust, and expressed
appreciation of staff’s continued efforts.
Jim McAdler, Southeast Greenway Campaign, acknowledged all the efforts towards the acquisition of the Southeast Greenway property, and asked for continued support and leadership for this project.
Rick Abbott spoke in support of Homes not Hotels, and that no one wants to live next to short-term rentals.
Pam Granger, Tobacco Free Sonoma County, spoke in support of adopting a tobacco retail license ordinance.
Michelle Escobar-McGarry spoke in support of adopting a tobacco retail license ordinance.
Ken McNab, KMac Advising, LLC, spoke in support on the
annexation benefits for the city.
Nick Caston spoke on economic development and in support of funding studies related to the beer, wine, cannabis and tech industries.
Alexa Forrester, Bikeable Santa Rosa, spoke in support of bicycle safety and development of traffic safety plans to support multi-modal street design.
Jen Mercado, Bikeable Santa Rosa, spoke in support of bicycle safety and building safe streets for all.
Cris Eggers, Bikeable Santa Rosa, spoke in support of prioritizing active transportation development of multi-modal street design.
Chris Guenther, Bikeable Santa Rosa, spoke in support of safer streets for all to create a safer, more vibrant city, acknowledged that City of Santa Rosa
Meeting Minutes
March 9, 2023City Council Meeting Minutes - Final
incremental efforts have been made, but more specific and ambitious efforts are needed.
Karen Weeks spoke on zoning code revisions clarifying location for rehabilitation centers, requested a review of the cannabis ordinance for revisions, requested bringing back the neighborhood revitalization program, and willingness to review the origins of the Open Government Task Force and its initial recommendations and goals.
Bernadette Burrell spoke in opposition to short-term rentals that are non-hosted, and stated the existing ordinance is not being enforced.
Barbara Wilson spoke in opposition to the mobile home rental rate increase, requested fixing of the mobile home rent control ordinance on behalf of the senior mobile home community to 3.99% like the other parks.
Kristel England-Keefe spoke in support of school crosswalk safety and the need for additional safety efforts for student and pedestrian safety in front of schools.
Joshua Keefe spoke in support of increased safety efforts at crosswalks, not just in front of schools but across Santa Rosa.
Christina Panza, Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition, spoke in support of Safe Routes to School Santa Rosa, and the need of increased safety efforts related to Vision Zero goals.
Emily Shartin, Sonoma County Bike Coalition, spoke in support of additional development of safe cycling needs including low-stress routes, bike parking, and full implementation of Vision Zero Goals.
Roger McConnell, Santa Rosa Mobile Homeowner’s Association, spoke in support of an emergency ordinance related to mobile City of Santa Rosa
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March 9, 2023City Council Meeting Minutes - Final
home rental rate increases.
Tom LaPenna, Santa Rosa Manufactured Homeowner’s Association President, spoke in opposition to the mobile home rental rate increase and asked for immediate attention on the matter.
Sandra Valencia, 4C’s, spoke in support of early education and additional efforts on the infrastructure for childcare.
John Haveman, Econ Forensics and Analytics, spoke in support of the annexation considerations being discussed and the impacts on the economy in Santa Rosa.
Ananda Sweet, Santa Rosa Metro Chamber, spoke in support of economic and business support, housing opportunities, pro-housing policy, homeless considerations, minimizing fires, support of downtown businesses, enhanced infrastructure, return on the square, and early education and childcare support.
3.1 ADVANCED PUBLIC COMMENT RECEIVED.
Advanced Public Comment (Uploaded 03-08-2023)
Late Correspondence (Uploaded 03-13-2023)
Attachments:
4. CITY MANAGER'S OPENING REMARKS
City Manager Maraskeshia Smith thanked everyone for attending, expressed appreciation for the work that staff has done this past year, and outlined expectations for this 2-day goal setting session.
5. FISCAL UPDATE
Scott Wagner, Deputy Director - Finance, and Veronica Conner, Budget and Financial Analysis Manager, presented a fiscal update including a financial outlook, budget overview, review of citywide expenditures, revenues and overall guiding principles, and a long-range financial forecast and answered questions from Council.
Assistant City Manager Daryel Dunston presented an update on ARPA funding, and Assistant City Manager Jason Nutt presented City of Santa Rosa
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March 9, 2023City Council Meeting Minutes - Final
an update on PG&E funding, CIP, infrastructure, and citywide assets. Clare Hartman, Director of Planning and Economic Development presented on an annexation opportunity.
6. DEPARTMENT PRESENTATIONS ON STRATEGIC GOALS
Department directors presented updates based on the 2022-23 strategic goals.
7. CELEBRATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Department directors and staff highlighted accomplishments from the past year.
8. DISCUSS WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE RESULTS
Nancy Hetrick, Baker Tilly, led a discussion on good governance, effective decision making, and effective use of Ad-Hoc and Subcommittees. The discussion highlighted: unity of purpose; clear roles and responsibilities; positive governance environment; and norms, protocols, and policies.
9. PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES DISCUSSION
Nancy Hetrick, Baker Tilly, initiated discussion on priorities and strategies, outlining themes heard from City Council member interviews, moving to review and discussion of previously established goals.
Additional discussion continued on strategies for each goal area adopted last year, and potentially amending goals to continue for the next year.
10. WRAP UP
Nancy Hetrick, Baker Tilly, summarized accomplishments of the day and framed the tasks for the remainder of the goal setting set to reconvene the following day.
11. COUNCIL WILL RECESS TO 9:00 A.M. ON FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2023, AT
WHICH TIME THE MEETING WILL RECONVENE
Mayor N. Rogers recessed the meeting at 4:55 p.m. and will reconvene on Friday, March 10, 2023 at 9:00 a.m.
City of Santa Rosa
Meeting Minutes
March 9, 2023City Council Meeting Minutes - Final
FRIDAY, MARCH 10, 2023
12. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Mayor N. Rogers reconvened the meeting at 9:05 a.m. All Council Members were present with the exception of Council Member Fleming, who joined the meeting at 9:42 a.m.
Mayor Natalie Rogers, Vice Mayor Dianna MacDonald, Council Member Eddie Alvarez, Council Member Victoria Fleming, Council Member Jeff Okrepkie, Council Member Chris Rogers, and Council Member Mark Stapp
Present: 7 -
13. RE-CAP OF PRIORITIES AND STRATEGIES
Nancy Hetrick, Baker Tilly, re-capped the first day goal-setting accomplishments on goals and facilitated additional amendments of existing goal language.
14. WRAP UP AND NEXT STEPS
Council Member Stapp left the meeting at 11:30 a.m.
Nancy Hetrick, Baker Tilly, facilitated a discussion emphasizing the need for goals to be multi-year to see progress and that strategy prioritization will occur when staff brings her report to Council later in the year for adoption of the strategic goals.
15. ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING
Mayor N. Rogers adjourned the meeting at 11:53 a.m.
Approved on: May 9, 2023
/s/ Dina Manis, Interim City Clerk