City Hall, Council Chamber
100 Santa Rosa Avenue
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
City of Santa Rosa
Economic Development Subcommittee
Regular Meeting Minutes - Final
9:00 AMMonday, June 9, 2025
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL
Chair Okrepkie called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m.
2. REMOTE PARTICIPATION UNDER AB 2449 (IF NEEDED)
None.
3. MODIFICATIONS TO AGENDA
None.
4. ANNOUNCEMENTS
None.
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
5.1 Draft Minutes - April 14, 2025.
Approved as submitted.
6. PUBLIC COMMENTS
Chair Okrepkie opened public comment.
Janice Karrman provided comments.
Chair Okrepkie closed public comment.
7. MATTERS HELD IN COMMITTEE
None.
8. PARTNER REPORTS
None.
9. DEPARTMENT REPORTS/UPDATES
9.1 Economic Development Strategy Implementation Plan Update City of Santa Rosa
Regular Meeting Minutes
June 9, 2025Economic Development
Subcommittee
Regular Meeting Minutes - Final
• Update on plan implementation. - Scott Adair
Chief Economic Development Officer Scott Adair reported.
Staff responded to Committee Member inquiries.
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.
9.2 Business Attraction, Retention and Expansion Update • Report out on ICSC activities. - Scott Adair
• Film tourism and attraction. - Scott Adair
• Permit Ready Program. - Gabe Osburn
Staff Adair and Director of Planning and Economic Development Gabe Osburn presented.
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.
Staff responded to Committee Member inquiries.
Chair Okrepkie opened public comment.
Janice Karrman provided comments.
AJ Trombetta provided comments.
Chair Okrepkie closed public comment.
9.3 Entrepreneurship and Small Business Update
• NorthBay Biz - Best of the North Bay - Celebrating Santa Rosa as "Best Business-Friendly City. - Scott Adair
• Results of downtown activation (pedestrianization) community survey City of Santa Rosa
Regular Meeting Minutes
June 9, 2025Economic Development
Subcommittee
Regular Meeting Minutes - Final
and business meetings. - Rachel Beer
Staff Adair and Program Analyst Rachel Beer presented.
Staff responded to Committee Member inquiries.
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.
Chair Okrepkie opened public comment.
Abby Arnold provided comments.
AJ Trombetta provided comments.
Janice Karrman provided comments.
A member of a local YIMBY organization provided comments.
Another member of a local YIMBY organization provided comments.
Cadance Allinson provided comments.
Chair Okrepkie closed public comment.
9.4 Economic Vibrancy and Resiliency Update (Events)
• Downtown Activation Strategy update. - Rachel Beer
o Pop up program (shipping container). - Rachel Beer
o Theater Alley project (Comstock Mall). - Rachel Beer
• Report out on our first Downtown Farmers Market and “Second Sunday”. - Rachel Beer
• Chamber Transition Update. - Meredith Knudsen
• New Event Specialist Recruitment Update - Meredith Knudsen • City-sponsored events: (How many and which events will the city sponsor). - Meredith Knudsen
o Definition for “signature events”. - Meredith Knudsen o Eligibility. - Meredith Knudsen
o Budget. - Meredith Knudsen
City of Santa Rosa
Regular Meeting Minutes
June 9, 2025Economic Development
Subcommittee
Regular Meeting Minutes - Final
Staff Adair and Beer presented.
Chair Okrepkie opened public comment.
Cadance Allinson provided comments.
A member of a local YIMBY group provided comments.
Chair Okrepkie closed public comment.
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.
9.5 Community Investment Update (Art & Culture)
• Asawa Fountain Update. - Meredith Knudsen
Arts and Culture Coordinator Meredith Knudsen and Staff Adair presented.
Staff responded to Committee Member inquiries.
Chair Okrepkie opened public comment.
A member of a local YIMBY group provided comments.
Janice Karrman provided comments.
Chair Okrepkie closed public comment.
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.
Assistant City Manager Daryel Dunston reported.
9.6 Metrics and Indicators
• One Stop Shop Update. -Rachel Beer
Staff Adair and Beer presented.
City of Santa Rosa
Regular Meeting Minutes
June 9, 2025Economic Development
Subcommittee
Regular Meeting Minutes - Final
Staff responded to Committee Member inquiries.
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.
9.7 Other Updates or Announcements
• Entertainment Zones. - Gabe Osburn
• CUP and VBL Update. - Gabe Osburn
• Tourism strategic planning. - Scott Adair
• SRTBIA update. - Scott Adair
• USL Update. - Scott Adair
Director Osburn presented.
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.
Staff Adair presented.
Staff responded to Board Member inquiries.
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.
10. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Staff Adair spoke on reports staff will bring to the August Economic Development Subcommittee meeting.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Chair Okrepkie adjourned the meeting at 11:22 a.m.
Approved on: August 11, 2025
/s Jack Reynolds, Recording Secretary