COUNCIL POLICY
Subject:
CITIZEN PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Policy Number Effective Date Number of
Pages
000-20 8/18/1987 1 of 2
Adopted by Resolution No.18517 Dated: August 18, 1987
Amended by Resolution No. RES-2026-XXX Dated: May 12, 2026 BACKGROUND:
The City of Santa Rosa is committed to providing an open and visible transparent decision-making process to which Santa Rosa community members residents have equal access. The City believes that an active program of citizencommunity involvement produces more informed decision-making and municipal service levels reflective of citizencommunity need. In January 1987, the City Council adopted a goal confirming its commitment to citizencommunity involvement and input on municipal issues. Effective July 1, 2026, the Ralph M Brown Act added similar provisions.
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this policy is to provide general guidance to City staff as to expected methods of citizencommunity involvement, including notification. Because of the variety of programs undertaken by City departments, no one approach to citizencommunity involvement will be effective in all cases.
The nature and objectives of each program will determine the appropriate methods of citizencommunity involvement.
POLICY:
It is the policy of the City Council to actively solicit the involvement of citizencommunity members in the public decision-making process. This is to becan be accomplished through public notification, media exposure, social media, the City website, neighborhood and community meetings and publicmeetings, public hearingsmeetings, public hearings, and, when possible, media coverage.
IMPLEMENTATION:
A. When a City-initiated or City-permitted project, program, or issue may have identifiable impacts on a neighborhood or citizen community group, a Public Involvement Plan shall be submitted to the City Manager's Office or designee at the beginning of the program. The Plan shall be designed (a) to ensure responsiveness to the level of interest and concern expressed by the public, (b) to ensure visibility transparency and understanding by the agencies, groups, and individuals who may participate, and (c) to ensure that citizencommunity involvement is carefully and systematically included as a part of the decision-making process. The Public Involvement Plan shall be prepared by the department responsible for the project, program, or issue, and the Community Engagement Manager shall be consulted to ensure best practices are incorporated.
Attachment 5
COUNCIL POLICY
Subject:
CITIZEN PUBLIC PARTICIPATION
Policy Number Effective Date Number of
Pages
000-20 8/18/1987 2 of 2
Adopted by Resolution No.18517 Dated: August 18, 1987
Amended by Resolution No. RES-2026-XXX Dated: May 12, 2026 B. When a project may affect a neighborhood, historically underrepresented group, and/or spopulations with limited English proficiency, special community neighborhood meetings will be scheduled early in the project planning process to the extent feasible. Notices will be sent to organized neighborhood groups, other identified groups, and any individual who has requested notification. This may include, but not be limited to:, government, civil rights, civic engagement, neighborhood, and other community organizations, and media serving the affected population in their preferred language.
C. To the extent possible, Aall public hearing notices shall be written in clear, concise, and understandable language and incorporate maps or other graphics when it aids the messagepossible. The notices will be clearly identified as a City of Santa Rosa notice. In addition to required legal notices, additional hearing notices on major community issues may be issued through social media, the City website, direct mail, doorhangers, or be placed in the non-legal sections of the newspaper and laid out other media outlets to attract the attention of interested citizencommunity members.
D. Except as set forth in the City’s Internet and Telephonic Service Dispruption Policy, tThe City will continue to televise broadcast and live stream all open portions of City Council meetings held in Council Chamber. and special The City will also continue to broadcast and live stream meetings of Advisory Boards/Commissions when an item has broad community interest. In addition, Council and Commission meetings will be advertised on the Community Bulletin Board run on the public access television channel.
E. All operating departments will develop a specific plan to inform the public on City-initiated projects. This may or may not be the same as, or part of, the Public Involvement Plan in Paragraph A. The plan will be reviewed and approved by the City Manager's Offices prior to implementation.
F.E. When a public involvement plan/specific public information plan has been developed, staff will include the plan as part of the Council staff reportWhere appropriate sStaff shall include in staff reports a summary of the public outreach conducted and results of that outreach, including feedback received from residentscommunity members.
G. Each department will designate a staff person to coordinate the citizen involvement/information plans with the City Manager's Office.
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