Position as a center for creative culture + sustainable agriculture + local craft. Maintain a balance between retail, food, services, and creative uses. Attract creative professionals (designers, producers, artists). Support businesses that offer classes, workshops, tastings, events Encourage hybrid models (retail + experience + community space). Activate Underused Spaces (Low-Cost Entry Points). Encourage pop-ups, incubators, and short-term leases Convert vacant storefronts into rotating retail or gallery space.Get rid of the drive up bank tellers and create more parking for small businesses in that area. Streamline permitting, licensing, and inspections (clear timelines, fewer handoffs) Create a “small business concierge” function inside City of Sebastopol Pre-approve common use cases (e.g., outdoor seating, pop-ups, temporary events). Promote creative and agricultural experiences tied to local identity. Create more parking for local businesses - get rid of drive through bank teller on Sebastopol Ave and make that a parking lot for local businesses. Wasted space as it currently is.
Low commercial vacancy and high business retention. A diverse mix of independent businesses (not interchangeable with other towns) Consistent local foot traffic throughout the week Entrepreneurs choose Sebastopol because it’s supportive and aligned with their values. Revenue circulates locally, strengthening the broader community. Growth happens without eroding character. Invest in walkability, lighting, seating, and landscaping.
Expand outdoor dining and pedestrian-friendly zones. Create small plazas and gathering points Short-term (0-12 months)
Help to get the proposed Hotel (not the Barlow) built. we need overnight tourists in town (not at the edge at the Fairfield). We need TOT. we need increased sales tax. We don't need more tattoo and nail parlors. Consider incentivizing the hotel folks to spur them to build. Perhaps reduced tax payments to the city for 2 years? or reduced permitting fees/process? the city would benefit in the long run from increased TOT and immediately from increased sales tax.
Local businesses would benefit from increased sales. A plan to incentive the hotel business to build the hotel. Short-term (0-12 months) I would love to see more support for small businesses, artists and health/wellness professionals Short-term (0-12 months)
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Becoming a leader socially & economically
Same as sustainable Question. I'd like to see us be innovators in small scale success. Renting event space (Rite aid), renting rooftops for solar, offering classes for fees, and creating training programs for civic engagement (for which we can charge a fee). PS: the how soon should we start on this is a tough question. Start visioning NOW, get feedback & supporters 1-3 years, set goal of implementation 3-5 years. Mid-term (1-3 years)
Stop spending. Stop unnecessary development Stop the hotel, plans to make 2 way streets-over-focus on tourism, Mid-term (1-3 years) Generally, the city seems inconsistent in its approach to local business growth. I am not aware of a detailed policy statement about the kind of businesses the city wants. I know for sure that they don't want "chain" stores, although they have allowed in several, and they don't like drive-thrus. (I don't know why).
Generally, I can't see the pattern by which exceptions get made for some and not others. Going clear back to the Barlow and CVS, it seemed that two set of standards were applied. Generally, the down town merchants seem to get much less support than the town's "shopping district," the Barlow. (I'm pleased to see the Barlow is becoming more than tasting rooms.
Sustainable businesses; retail, manufacturing, arts, services, hospitality, and health care, would all be welcomed, and encouraged, maybe even supported with incentives. Of course locally owned would be a priority. Mid-term (1-3 years) Don’t limit franchises from opening in Sebastopol. Encourage reasonable rent for empty businesses like the old Longs Drugs.
Fewer empty storefronts. A sporting goods store. A place to hang out late in the evening that does not serve alcohol. Mid-term (1-3 years) Well, it seems like some local businesses aren’t able to do well because of high space rent and again traffic issues where you can’t get to their business and if you get there there’s nowhere to park Someway to sustain local businesses financial aid, so they don’t have to be driven to another town. Also fix the traffic problems. Mid-term (1-3 years) Your running people oit of town by raising taxes lower taxed Mid-term (1-3 years) support affordable housing rent control Mid-term (1-3 years) Very curious what your goals will be here. Not chains. Keeping sebastopol local charm Mid-term (1-3 years) Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
People who are Physically Active are more likely to commune in the daytime hours and spend time in restaurants and shopping areas spending money.
People come from town to town to play Pickleball, and provides lots of opportunity to meet with friends. Mid-term (1-3 years)
Help current businesses. Sales taxes are too high in Sebastopol now, garbage rates have hiked for businesses. Be pro active. Find ways to save money for businesses.
Help for businesses rebates. Incentives to come to town to open businesses in vacant buildings. Don’t just cater to the wealthy developers and business owners. Help the little guys Mid-term (1-3 years)
Again, support Sebastopol businesses that provide local needs as much as attracting outsiders to come into town. I really don't know many locals who go to the Barlow other than the community market. As tourism Sebastopol and flows, so does economic viability. There needs to be a better balance.i can't afford to eat at many of the restaurants or shop at many of the stores in town as things have changed in the town and the economy. More encouragement of locally focused businesses, restaurants, etc. Mid-term (1-3 years) not so many tattoo places…. family friendly business Mid-term (1-3 years) How do you say this is an amazing area to visit and we get a lot of money from tourism. We look toward economic development. I would like us to remember working families in the community or struggling to make ends me and have trouble accessing affordable housing.
To me, this means supporting small businesses and having spaces and opportunities for moderate low income people to feel at home here too Mid-term (1-3 years) Build something in that empty lot across from the square A world class sculpture garden (not Patrick Amiot) Mid-term (1-3 years) reducing sales tax. continuing to keep large predatory capitalistic corporations from establishing businesses here. finding a way to reduce sales tax. Mid-term (1-3 years) Mid-term (1-3 years)
Allow businesses to be profitable
Give business incentives. Give them a couple of years of operation to get to the full tax level Mid-term (1-3 years)
In order to support local businesses, don't let grocery outlet in and dump the idea of 2 way streets. It is insane to think that people are going to sit in gridlock trying to turn left all over downtown and say, "Gee, I think I'll try and find a parking space and shop." It's tough because the barlow is newer, more welcoming, and doesn't have tatoo parlors. They spruce it up during the holidays. The downtown isn't. Mid-term (1-3 years) Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Very hard to park to go to downtown stores new parking lot maybe where Jasper OFarrels was Mid-term (1-3 years) Small business, local owners not huge business franchises should thrive in our community Viable community with local businesses thriving Mid-term (1-3 years) Walkable downtown with local businesses
Thriving downtown business district with local business owners (No chain stores) Mid-term (1-3 years)
Agree
Strong partnerships/relationships/consultation with business community.
Creation of new Business Improvement District for all downtown and 116 corridor. Support for making Sebastopol a restaurant/hotel/arts destination. Mid-term (1-3 years) the local businesses are the economic engine of our city and need to be successful
businesses feel supported by the city and they thrive, helping the city with its bottom line Mid-term (1-3 years)
Make it easier for cafes and retailers to secure a permit for business. Increase foot-traffic, Invest in marketing and tourism. Fill vacant storefronts. Encourage smaller affordable spaces for business.
We'd see a bump in small locally owned businesses, fewer vacant store fronts and an increase in local artisans, sustainable goods, and tourism destinations for food, wine and agriculture. Mid-term (1-3 years) promote businesses with a quality, practical nature interdependent, useful businesses Mid-term (1-3 years) Keep it local, help with rent controls on local commercial spaces to encourage more small local ownership of businesses and services Growth in our community. Reducing empty commercial spaces Mid-term (1-3 years) Lower housing costs, small business loans, incentives for local businesses and non commercial owned properties Stronger community that supports each other Mid-term (1-3 years) Businesses that meet a need
A Main Street with businesses that provide a service or product used by the larger community on a daily or weekly basis. Also pressure on larger retailers to improve their facilities (i.e whole food, cvs, etc) Mid-term (1-3 years) Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Sebastopol's economy is stagnating, and "preserving character" can't become code for blocking everything new. Character comes from who shows up and what they create - it's not a museum piece.
The creative economy, local food culture, maker and trades businesses reflect who actually lives here. Support should go to businesses rooted in place that build forward, not just preserve backward.
Local businesses thriving without depending on wine tourism traffic. Young entrepreneurs able to start and stay here. A town that evolves while staying genuine - not frozen in nostalgia or sold out to chains. Mid-term (1-3 years) Get CVS out! They sued the city! Not essential! The building looks like a prison. More independent stores Mid-term (1-3 years) We have many teenagers in this town that do not spend their money here because there is nothing for them to do. Instead they go to Santa Rosa or Petaluma to have fun and spend their money on food and entertainment.
I think the old CVS would be an ideal location for a bowling alley /entertainment hub it has Mary's Pizza Shack already attached and it could be a gathering place for not only teenagers but seniors as well (hello wine country senior bowling league?). Mid-term (1-3 years)
Mid-term (1-3 years)
Lower rents and vacancy tax!
Redwood shopping center filled by whatever means necessary. Come on do something about that underutilized area, Mid-term (1-3 years) Mid-term (1-3 years)
It seems rents may be too high because of business turnover. Work with the Chamber of Businesses to stabilize rent. Mid-term (1-3 years) I'm not sure what is meant by "local business growth." More business or grow the ones we have? But it sounds like a good idea. Usure Mid-term (1-3 years) Reduce business turnover downtown. Make a more walkable downtown. Find a way for high rent to be reduced. Mid-term (1-3 years) If you build a world class town the economy will develop itself Mid-term (1-3 years) Follow the above suggestions.A An even more friendly, walkable artistic community. Mid-term (1-3 years) Keep the business and improve others Bring new ways Mid-term (1-3 years) Do not remove parking down town, input community funding programs to decrease rents for businesses Insentivize small businesses Mid-term (1-3 years) Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Full support to local businesses while KEEPING NATIONAL CHAINS OUT OF THE CITY. Support food trucks in town, perhaps on an every weekend basis. Continue support for Peacetown Concerts WITH MORE FOOD TRUCKS parked along the sidewalks.
A firm NO to any chain that seeks to enter the city limits. No development at the edges of town to accommodate chain or box stores. Mid-term (1-3 years) Need to help small businesses remain here Most new small. Businesses able to be successful and remain in Sebastopol Mid-term (1-3 years) Most businesses in town earn most their annual. profit doing the Winter Holiday season. Our town does very little to promote Sebastotpol as. a Winter Holiday shopping. or sightseeing destination.
Significantly increased pedestrian traffic in Nov and Dec; Creativee events too attract tourists and ccojntty residents to visit Sebastopol from Nov-Dec; lower rate of businesses closing along Main St. Mid-term (1-3 years) It is disheartening and unfair seeing our local businesses put out of their rented spaces because they cannot keep up with rent (Cofield Cheesemaker, for example).
Services like grant writer classes would be beneficial, as well as more local grants available Mid-term (1-3 years)
Affordability. A mix of price range in shops and services offered. Mid-term (1-3 years) Businesses in town.
Mostly non-chain stores. A few chains are ok. We could use one more drive through fast food with Taco Bell being the only one. But mostly I think the current level of scrutiny of chains is good. Long-term (3-5 years) Be choosey Select only the businesses that will promote Sebastopol’s downtown charm Long-term (3-5 years) The businesses seem to be doing well. Continued diversity is businesses. Long-term (3-5 years) Front-yard businesses, higher housing density, mixed-use zoning We have front-yard businesses but we should have more and we should make it easier for more people to start them. I am tired of people who live in a CITY complain about traffic, construction, parking, noise, etc. in order to halt new construction, mixed use zoning, and increased housing density. Obviously things need to change and the NIMBYs are holding us back. Long-term (3-5 years) See my last comments. Sebastopol stands for sustainable economic development
Community supports local businesses and local businesses support the community. Long-term (3-5 years)
More housing downtown. Wallets in our shops. Long-term (3-5 years) Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
I understand that there are rules about drive-thru establishments enlarge chains, but one of the biggest most destructive chain sits right in the middle of town off of the town Square why is there a Whole Foods in our town? Whole Foods is owned by Amazon. Keep our grocery stores, family owned or non-billionaire owned Long-term (3-5 years) Make it affordable for non-tourist businesses to open in Sebastopol More shops and services that sell/offer useful things Long-term (3-5 years) Find a business to occupy the empty buildings (CVS and RiteAid.
Don’t be redundant in the businesses that are allowed. A mistake was made by allowing CVS to relocate downtown.
A thriving business in these big empty buildings. ? Theater productions? Indoor pickle ball? Indoor soccer? What is possible? Long-term (3-5 years) Our city definitely needs further economic development but not with businesses such as Grocery Outlet which will harm, not improve our local economy. Sebastopol's downtown business are vital to our economic vitality but who wants to come here to spend money when our downtown is overrun with transients, drug users and crazy people.
Success would look like what Sebastopol used to be, a small town with unique charm and a vital downtown free of chain stores and criminal bums. Long-term (3-5 years) Support businesses that support local interests and needs. Support businesses that draw locals of all kinds into town. Encourage growth of businesses that serve the Latino community. Stop catering exclusively to white people with money, and tourists.
A lot more working class and not like the segregated monolith of affluent whiteness that it is now. Long-term (3-5 years)
Fix roads and parking businesses may thrive. Build a parking structure downtown. Long-term (3-5 years) shifting the small hotel to long term homeless housing took a TOT source away and added big liabilities. If you want tourists, where should they stay?
Either get a hotel back online or pivot from a tourist economy and start supporting other industries. Long-term (3-5 years)
Lower taxes for small businesses in town Lowering taxes and spending less Long-term (3-5 years) Vacant business space Lower vacancy rates, fewer business turnovers Long-term (3-5 years) Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
The retail rents are too high in the Barlow. Greed appears to rampant. The Barlow is marketed to the public like Disneyland for the tourist-class. There is nothing in it for citizens actually from Sebastopol.
Make Sebastopol user friendly for cars with traffic flow (not planning the twoway streets--that didn't work before! So why would it work now with the traffic flow on from two highways. Make a parking friendly town, more stores that have to provide for daily living needs of citizens of Sebastopol. The greed of landlords is rife--and probably will continue to make things worse. Long-term (3-5 years) avoid franchise stores and keep monies local not looking like sacramento Long-term (3-5 years) support diverse local agriculture make it easy to grow food Long-term (3-5 years) To keep the business growth local. Enforce the ban on big box stores. Make permitting easier for small business owners. Have a committee to support new business owners with mentoring by others.
Very few vacant storefronts, majority businesses are locally owned and operated. Lower unemployment rates that other towns our size. Long-term (3-5 years) Stop bringing big businesses in. Long-term (3-5 years)
Stop punishing and insulting businesses that want to locate here.
Stop requiring so many hearings and reviews of every tiny detail involved in locating here
Success would mean a more vibrant, competitive and attractive retail environment Long-term (3-5 years)
dynamic business environment Long-term (3-5 years)
Why? Who does Economic development benefit? The underpaid employees? The tourists? Sebastopol needs to get out of the economic development game. Long-term (3-5 years) The small shops and there lack of size will never be the backbone of Sebastopol. Look sat Oreillys sitting dark with no one wanting the space. If this was a Hotel you would at least have had income.
Impossible in a small City with no labor pool. Cant even take care of a ballances budget and crumbling infrastructure. Long-term (3-5 years) Every business seems to have different needs, but I think organizing different "shopping" evenings or days with themes would help. Long-term (3-5 years) Please don't become a Healdsburg.
Our community should be considered 1st. Priority development allowances or set asides for local business people to succeed should trump outside development. Long-term (3-5 years)
Provide businesses that are not geared towards 30 something yuppie expenditures Get rid of all the Asian foot massage places on Main Street Long-term (3-5 years) Promote local business growth like yoga and health. More opportunities for personal develoment Long-term (3-5 years) Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Definitely need to support local businesses but this can be better achieved if the other issues are dealt with eg improve
infrastructure, attract more tourism, and improve the downtown aesthetic More upscale stores, build the hotels Long-term (3-5 years) A few big money interests control this town. Resist them. Keep the town small Long-term (3-5 years)
Make the arts a central feature of our economy to add to tourism draw, create jobs, develop a new generation of artists, and add beauty to our streetscape.
Create affordable living/work space for artists, fund artist-in-residence for music, visual arts, skilled crafts with workshops for locals and visitors. Long-term (3-5 years) My previous answer covers this.
See previous
Soften barriers to new businesses Reduced empty store fronts Be more open to new business that want to open in Sebastopol Theme Definition Theme Timeline Count
Overwhelming focus on supporting locally-owned businesses, opposing chains/big box stores (especially Grocery Outlet), and keeping revenue circulating locally
Local Business Support / Anti-Chain / Small Business Focus Short-term 42 Specific focus on filling empty commercial buildings, particularly Rite Aid, CVS, Redwood Marketplace, and reducing vacancy rates Vacant Space Reuse / Rite Aid / CVS / Building Fill Short-term leaning Mid-term 22 Concerns that traffic flow, parking availability, and street configuration (one-way vs. two-way) directly impact business viability and customer access Traffic / Parking / Infrastructure (Business Impact) Short-term 20 Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Calls to loosen regulations, streamline permitting, reduce fees, and remove bureaucratic hurdles for business owners Regulations / Permits / Fees / Red Tape Short-term 16 Focus on leveraging tourism, building hotels for TOT revenue, and balancing visitor economy with local needs Tourism / Hotels / TOT / Visitor Revenue Short-term leaning Mid-term 15 Concerns about high commercial rents, landlord greed, rent control, and affordability for small businesses to occupy spaces Rent / Landlord Issues / Commercial Affordability Mid-term 13 Calls for clear economic strategy, hiring Business Dev Manager, council accountability, and proactive leadership on economic issues Council / Strategy / Leadership / Business Dev Manager Short-term leaning Mid-term 11 Link between downtown cleanliness, safety (homelessness), and aesthetic appeal to economic success and business attraction Downtown Vitality / Safety / Cleanliness / Environment Short-term 9 Responses indicating satisfaction, confusion about the goal, referring to previous answers, or lacking substantive feedback Status Quo / Unclear / "See Previous" / Blank Mixed (Short, Mid, Long-term) 8 Specific tension or comparison between the Barlow and Downtown areas, calls for better connection, or criticism of Barlow's impact on downtown Barlow vs. Downtown Dynamics (Emergent) Mid-term 6 Specific calls for non-bar evening activities, teen spaces, bowling alleys, entertainment hubs to keep spending local Youth / Evening / Entertainment Infrastructure (Emergent) Mid-term 5 Focus on arts, culture, and creative industries as primary economic drivers and attractors for visitors/residents Arts / Creative Economy / Cultural Driver (Emergent) Mid-term leaning Long-term 5 Specific mentions of desired/undesired business types: Grocery Outlet, tattoo parlors, fast food, drive-thrus Specific Business Types (Grocery / Tattoo / Drive-Thru) Mixed (Short & Long-term) 5 Discussion of housing density, mixed-use zoning, and residential growth as linked to economic vitality and customer base Housing / Density / Mixed-Use (Economic Link) Long-term 4 Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Anything else you'd like the Council to know?
1. Actually fix potholes
2. Hide the homeless (and give them services at the same time)
3. Do fundraisers with people that technically do not live in Sebastopol- but are supported by its roads and stores - either soliciting private money or work with the county supervisor to get more money to fix the city infrastructure that supports them.
4. Change traffic flow and re-assess that keep clear on Bodega Hwy. also traffic is only gonna get worse on that road with all the new residential construction.
Maybe those contractors can re-pave the road or pay a special fee that goes to fix the road.
6. Try to get a Kaiser office In Sebastipol on the west side of town. If someone needs to go to doctor they have to deal with all the Sebastopol traffic and the santa rosa traffic. We have old retired people here that always need to go to doctors. It would also be nice to have an emergency room someone in west county. People who need immediate help need to go 30-40 min on bad roads to get help (that’s more of a county problem- and why are we still paying for palm hospitals on property tax if we don’t actually have a hospital available to us)
A lot of us that live and work here have difficulty doing business here because everything is so expensive.
Accountability of decisions would be great.
Affordable housing is probably the most important thing you could possibly focus on.
Landlords are preventing new developments and colluding with each other to set artificially high rents. Housing is the largest expense for young adults and is most likely the primary reason why Sebastopol has a steadily increasing median age of 50+. Pretty soon more than a third of the city will be above retirement age. We are allowing the development of this city to continue favoring older, wealthier residents, with no indication that it will change anytime soon.
Approve more hotels and commercial development and increase tourism and housing or you’ll never make it.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Between walking the trail every day, speaking with neighbors and friends in the city what I have found is that most people are fed up with:
- councils not listening to the citizens of Sebastopol but listening to special interest groups who don't live here and then vote in a way that is not in the best interest of the city.
- many council members coming to the meetings ready to vote before any public comments are even made - get that a lot.
- and even when lots of public comments are made concerning topics, they are disregarded.
In the last number of years I have heard:
- No point in being involved, it doesn't matter anyway. - I don't bother filling out a survey, they don't pay attention to it. - I'm embarrassed to live here now.
- These people don't know what they are doing.
And, in the meetings I attend with county officials, I'm tired of Sebastopol being the laughing stock of the county.
City canceled act responsibly and needs to focus their time on issues that directly relate to people who work and own businesses in Sebastopol. Council needs to stop wasting staff time and council meeting time on projects and ideas that are brought to them by people and organizations that do not have anything to do with Sebastopol and represent different political agendas from outside the city. People who live in Sebastopol need to have their fundamental needs men which are public safety, roads, and infrastructure.
City council in past 10 years has increased my water bills, parcel tax. They have increased the salaries of city employees for this small city. These are just a few of the items causing our city to have a deficit. I am a senior citizen in a fixed income, that has always loved our town. Council has ruined it.
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City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Council needs a reality check. Why do they spend so much time on stuff that doesn't matter. Why spend time and money on two way streets when everyone knows that's a terrible idea and will just create traffic. Can Council do something about Ives? Ives is an eyesore and it's in the middle of town. Also why does Sebastopol have so many homeless people? I was driving into town on the 12 and there was an abandoned homeless cart full of junk and then a bunch of homeless guys smoking pot in the town square. Then another homeless guy on a skateboard. Why so many? I don't see this many when I go to other towns in Sonoma County. It makes it feel like Sebastopol's low rent and sleazy.
Council needs to focus Sebastopol and Sebastopol's businesses. They need to say no to projects and ideas that do not generate revenue. Council needs to support the Police Department. Council needs to get a plan together on how they are going to fix the roads.
Council needs to fix Ives Park. Council needs to support the Rotary in their plans for Ives Park.
Council needs to revisit ADU policy so that people who build ADUs contribute money to the City and pay for the infrastructure they use.
Council needs to trim staffing and the budget. Expenses exceed revenue. Council needs to court hotel developers. Council needs to support the Police Department or contract with the Sheriff's Department. Eliminate excess bureaucracy that cost time and money.
Consider eliminating the Planning Commission, the Climate Action Committee and other non-essential commissions which use staff time and create extra work and embark on extraneous projects like Creek Naturalization and Two Way Streets. Focus on the basics - Revenue, Roads and Public Safety.
Council wastes a lot of time and money on issues that do not generate revenue and cost the City money. The focus needs to shift. The City and Council need to say no to pet and niche projects that do not generate revenue for the City. The City needs to be reimbursed by the County for expenses that the County has brought to the City like the expenses associated with Elderberry Commons. The City needs to stop subsidizing Park Village. The City needs to cut expenses so it does not go into debt. The City needs to get a higher share of the property tax money from the County.
Current path is turning us into Napa, do you want to live in Napa? Disengage yourself an un American liberal Democratic politics.
Disengage yourself an un American liberal Democratic politics.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Diversity is lacking here - likely due to this not being affordable for many.
Don’t try to change the roads back to two-way. It’s not necessary! Work with Cal-Trans to build a bypass. Sebastopol is tired of gridlock traffic! Pathways at Ives Park are so bad and need attention before someone sues the City for negligence! I reported the problem last year! Repair the broken sidewalks and Complete the sidewalks all around town!
Paint crosswalks. Install flasher at South Main and Burnett.
Don’t waste taxpayers money.
Find ways to be more sustainable, encourage the community to take care of the town, stop litter in the streets, needs to be a litter campaign in the city about people throwing there cigarette butts in the street.
Sick of seeing this all over the streets.
Get students from high school involved with city littering and beautifying the city.
Encourage groups such as Sebastopol World Friends, support the arts and promote music; host high school and middle school music groups at Ives or other venues. Bring the children forefront and promote community.
Find a solution for public parking downtown. Especially near library, senior center, Copperfields.
Get back to the basics.
Concerned about rotary wanting to beautify Ives park and being turned down because of some long term plan tnat won’t help anybody now and will hurt our music concerts Concerned about fire hazard landscaping and owners who don’t prune forcing senior citizens and others to walk in the middle of the road. I’d like to see the city do something about tnat.
Enforce the building codes to make the town cuter. Neon signs on nail salons are incredibly tacky. Get the community involved in beautifying the town.
Get your minds out of where they are now. Do things that will result in pride of being a Sebastopolian.
How much will it cost to change our streets again?! Will it be worth spending the limited city resources?
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City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
I am still unclear as to whether our financial sustainability is based on tourism or local participation - the messaging can be a bit conflicting. We should be independently sustainable first and welcome additional traffic if possible IMO I appreciate all the time council members volunteer
I appreciate you doing this. All the problems are so complex. Little towns can only do so much, given larger content of current disorder, constant chaos and dwindling support from Feds. I wish I had some brilliant ideas!
I do not believe that Sebastopol can turn this ship around. Economic headwinds and expensive fuel and inflaton will not bring tourists. Raise taxes, oh yeah at the limit on that as I still pay for Palm Drive, anonther Genius Move to give it away. As a very large share of coummuters are students in High School removing this burden will free up traffic.
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City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
I feel they should, but no guarantees, have already got the gist from my answers.
I would like to reiterate one point, as it feels to be an important point. It is not to be discourteous or insolent. It is to share my experience.
I attended one of the two way street CC meetings, the 4+ hour long one (maybe there was more than one). I watched and listened, with interest as each person, including myself, stood to share OUR opinions on a major subject that would/will directly affect our businesses. I also watched the council and all those who sit behind their protective tables. All but one person appeared to take and interest. Many, at one time or another had heads down into devices. Whether working or not, does not matter when your towns people are there to be heard, not ignored/dismissed. This sent an obvious message, to those of us who took our valuable/limited time, after, and possibly even during our work day (you are there because this is the job you chose) that our time is not appreciated or respected. It appeared decisions had already been made, and the CC was simply fulfilling the obligatory process of this particular meeting, to which I can not get those 4+ hours back. If you want to sit on the CC, at least pretend to give a damn about the business owners/residents of this town. You can b*tch, gripe and grumble behind the scenes (we all do) but when seated in front of the taxpayers, at least pretend to care. It is because of this behavior (and timing) that I do not attend these meetings often. For those of you who know, you know I do not mince words, it is a waste of time and energy, and feels somewhat spurious. I appreciate authenticity, and would hope our CC does as well. Thanks for asking ;)
I hate the project replacing the Mormon church. Please stop that horrible project.
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City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
I have lived in Sebastopol for 28 years. For most of my time here, the various City Councils have focused on politics and pet projects over making the City safe and financially sustainable. The failure to do everything possible to keep the hotel across from the Barlow from turning into a homeless shelter was inexcusable, depriving the City of a significant source of revenue.
The City Council should be doing everything possible to get the old CVS building occupied, including taking actions to designate it as a public nuisance, which would make the building owner much more likely to lower rent demands and get it rented out.
The City Council should appoint Mary Gourley as the permanent City Manager. She is far more knowledgeable and competent than past City Managers.
The City Council has chosen a very good Chief of Police. The City's Public Works Department has always provided excellent service.
Bottom line--I want a City Council whose first and foremost responsibility is doing everything possible to make the City financially sustainable and family friendly. I don't want our City turning into another Healdsburg.
I have lived in Sebastopol for all of my 80 years. I love my community, but it has become an expensive place to live. It would be wonderful to be able to shop in Sebastopol for every day necessities. We can buy groceries, gas, medication, & bank, but you have to drive to other communities to shop for clothing, shoes, housewear, hobbies, etc. In the past you could find anything you might need for a reasonable price in town.
I know it's a tough job. So many activities/organizations/programs that we would all like to support. But we simply can't. We are a small city with limited funds and tough decisions have to be made, and you volunteered for the job. Make the hard calls and the citizens will support you.
I like the public arts program. I think it is working to attract people to Sebastopol through Sebarts, the library art displays and the sculptures around town. More attention to the Sebastopol Spire, please.
I live in bodega bay,sebastopol is my tribe , my community , I spend the majority of daily living money in Sebastopol.
I love Sebastopol and am grateful for the hard work of city council and all the public workers
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City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
I recently spent a week in Billings, Montana where our kids are in college. I was so, so sad to come home to Sebastopol. The people here are not friendly, the driving is aggressive, its not clean, there are homeless everywhere and its impossible to get anything done because everyone whines about being short-staffed, blah, blah, blah. No one follows through.
Government employees have no accountability. The city gets a study that says if you make the streets two-way again, its going to increase traffic and they decide to go ahead and do that . . . what??? Its ridiculously expensive and I have no idea why. Why is diesel, for example, so much more expensive in Sebastopol than it is in Santa Rosa? Maybe the Council could actually think about what's reasonable for the majority of the people who live here . . . those of us who don't ride our bikes everywhere (we actually do have to drive) and don't shop at Whole Foods. On that note, please approve the proposed Grocery Outlet store.
I stopped paying attention when the Linda Kelly conflict came up. I thought the council must be dysfunctional in the extreme.
I think in general, Sebastopol is a nice town, but I’ve lived here for over 20 years and have slowly watched the charm and diversity erode. I loved the Asian fest in Ives Park but there also used to be a Renaissance fair. There could be a Juneteenth event, there used to be a Cajun festival. I stopped going to the film festival years ago because it too started to become really white washed. I think the people of Sebastopol are gatekeepers who really need to invite more Black people and people of color to the table and give us a voice too.
I think that the two-way design for 116 through town is a big mistake. I was driving there today and there were so many cars and bikers. As our population ages, I think it’s better to keep things simple. Also this time of year has a lot of traffic going to the river, etc. so keeping things simpler for drivers is best.
I think the structure of the Council is set up for bad decisions to be made in a public forum where information is unclear or one-sided. I know that staff is supposed give good reports on "all sides" of an issue, but I don't like to see working in ordinances changed in the middle of a meeting without the kind of thoughtful analysis that time can provide.
Not sure what to do about that, other than provide more funding to council members to hire research assistants?
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City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
I would be sitting on the Council if I had the time. You spend too much. Make silly mistakes, like the pizza permit. Allow hotels without adequate parking. ( They developer said that the employees will bike to work. They will be only ones using the bike lanes.
Actually I did see on bike in the bike lane last year. Money and inconvenience wekk spent.
I’m not in favor of changing traffic back to 2 way streets. It’s a huge disruption and cost for questionable benefits.
When the roads were changed from 2 way to one way 30+ years ago, there were far fewer people driving here, and it was still a MAJOR disruption.
I'd love to see more 2 way streets downtown
If Sebastopol can’t get hotel developers to start building it can do more to incentivize developers to build housing. More downtown residents supports Main St businesses, and encourages different type businesses to come to Sebastopol.
I'm an Unincorporated Sonoma County resident in the Sebastopol zip code with a young family, active in local community resilience work and cultural infrastructure formation. My professional background is in systems & governance design and cultural production. I'm happy to be a resource if any of this is useful to the Council's planning.
I'm glad you are asking and am hopeful that the results of this survey will be available on the Sebastopol website. I hope our input isn't a wasted effort as the two-way street initiative was. Sebastopol needs to build trust. Also, it annoys me to see wasteful spending by merely continuing to patch problems rather than investing in longer term solutions. This is wasteful in many ways.
it would have been helpful if there had been a link to the full list of priorities considered at the April 25 meeting to provide depth beyond the general one sentence included for each in this survey. Thank you for this oppty to provide inut.
Its not woke or inclusive if everything is all white, all the time.
Keep 1 way streets, losten tp the people, listen to local small businesses, fire consultants if you are not going to listen to their un influnced decisions,dont listen to the chamber of commerce, ignore the big devalopers, the hotels will never get built, understand the few downtown blocks are nice, hopmonk is great, sebastopol will never be hwaldsburg, wine is so 90s
Keep all big chains out of town.
Keep bugging whoever is in charge to re-route thru traffic ! Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Keep sending out surveys and solicit feedback. Also, highlight improvements to let residents know the good work you’re completing.
Keep supporting car alternatives. The bike lanes in town are a great start but underutilized because they don't connect to enough longer networks.
More free outdoor live music.
More strategically located parking.
At times it feels like we are getting overrun by tourists and the long-term effects of this path are usually that the city it happens to loses residents and character. Would be nice to keep it livable.
Love the Sebastopol Walks. More gatherings like this to bring people together to get to know the city and what it has to offer!
Maintain Sebto's quirkeyness
Make every effort to bypass the city possibly extend Morris Street to Occidental Road.
BALANCE THE BUDGET
The town has very little crime. Consider having the county run our police department if it saves money. Many other communities do this.
If the Community Center is a drain on finances consider selling it.
Keep Mary as the city manager and do not hire another person.
Do not plan on any hotels being built in the near future the TOT tax just will not be forthcoming so plan to balance the budget without it. No more planning extensions for the owners of the property next to the Plaza. Tell them- Get another permit and build the hotel or sell the property.
Fix Ives Park It deserves to be beautiful.
TheSebastopol Center for the Arts is a real gem keep supporting them and their artwork. maybe more murals in town
Do not waste any city council time on matters that do not affect the city directly we will never influence world affairs.
Make Sebastopol a destination city.
Improve the link between The Barlow and the old city.
Be proactive about filling the Riteaid building.
Make Sebastopol a nice place to live, not a nice place to drive through and/or park.
More technology and stay current with the rest of the bay area Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
most of my answers indicated that I feel these priorities should all happen in the short term. I realize this is not possible, but they are all vitally important to the success of our city. We need to focus on getting our city fully staffed by excellent people that can then support the business community and help grow our finances so that we can thrive My greatest pain point is people driving too fast throughout the town and county areas.
Sebastopol used to be known as a speed trap with strong police presence. When you came to the town you knew to slow down. What happened to this outlook? Missing that small town feel. Thank you for listening.
No
No..local business is key to our town.
Not really. Thanks for asking.
Nothing about environmental goals is mentioned in this survey. We want our town to be a leader in environmental policies. One very easy and inexpensive project would be to become an intentional Dark Sky City that helps migrating birds and insects, as well as plants and other animals, by promoting darkness at night and adding top covers to existing street lights municipally and for private use. This is just one example. https://darksky.org/what-we-do/international-dark-sky-places/ Oh my gosh. This is not a survey that lends itself to obtaining good feedback. I really don't know enough about what you are thinking of/referring to in order to answer the questions for each goal area. I am a program evaluator and researcher, and I design and implement a lot of surveys. If you do not get the kind of response you are hoping for, I would be happy to help you in the future.
I hope I am just an outlier in my thoughts on this survey. Best of luck with it.
Lori Mulholland, MA
Mulholland Research & Evaluation Services
Sebastopol, CA
602.696.2991
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City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
One additional thought…
I would love if there was a walkable playground for children from Main Street. I also would champion the use of the Previous Rite Aid building to be used as a “Community Hub” where orograms for elders, children, etc could be housed! Our streets and buildings look run down and in need of maintenance and improvement.
For instance, tacked up signs instead of real signs for the business. Who wants to spend time in a shabby looking place?
Our streets and buildings look run down and in need of maintenance and improvement.
For instance, tacked up signs instead of real signs for the business. Who wants to spend time in a shabby looking place?
Overall, love that the city is doing surveys for public opinion.
We want our town to keep its charm and identity, supporting small businesses and not let in little ceasers and grocery outlet, which is what makes our town unique and attractive.
I'm sure members of the public would prefer a trader joes or good earth any day over grocery outlet. Let's make Sebastopol a destination attracting more grassroots, farmers markets, delicious eateries, wineries, arts & culture.
Let's work on all the ramshackled buildings, temporary signs, broken / no sidewalks in heavy pedestrian areas, remove abandoned vehicles that are in disrepair with expired license plates. These are cluttering our streets and an embarassment - a town that doesnt care or looks the other way.
There is a building on the corner on Petaluma ave as you drive into the town that needs to be torn down and the defunct drive through bank teller on Sebastopol Ave next to Jaspers should be removed and put a parking lot in there - it's wasted space. There needs to be parking nearby for those businesses.
Permit fees to build ADUs are not clear and outrageous with no warning! Just got a final bill for final permit granting over 12 k!! Almost $5k for traffic assessment out in the country!?? Outrageous!
plan infrastructure improvements around outdoor cafes, parakeets, playgrounds Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Please don’t let Sebastopol become just another city that lets any business in, no matter what the level of moral corruption. Big box stores don’t care about our community, don’t keep money in our community, don’t invest in workers from our community. They change the whole vibe of the city they enter in a negative way. It broadcasts the message “we don’t give a crap, everyone for themselves!” That’s NOT what Sebastopolwas built on. Please don’t let it devolve to this!!
Please don’t let the Food for Less come to town. Where will all the people park ? We don’t need them. Wait for Lucky to go out of business!!
Please prioritize native plants in any landscape project. Thanks for reading my answers and for asking!
Please retain the one-way streets.
Currently, as you drive south on South Main Street, when a vehicle in front of you backs into their driveway, you simply merge into the other southbound lane without stopping.
Imagine what it would be like if there were only ONE lane going in your direction: The vehicle in front of you signals a turn and then backs up into (or backs OUT of) a driveway or parallel parks, COMPLETELY HALTING TRAFFIC in your direction.
Two lanes going the same direction are needed to allow parking for access on both streets.
Priorities:
Parks
Housing
Roads (keep the one way streets don’t waste money and time experimenting) Economic development
Public Safety
Homelessness
Provide supportive and positive feedback and empowerment to the City volunteer committees and their members periodically, not just when a member is outgoing. This includes City Council members, Climate, DRB, PC, PAC, etc.
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Public and planning advises against changing traffic patterns. Leave it alone, will create lots of chaos
Quality of life here is really good, but only for the few who can afford it.
Quit making and then revrsinf decisions when there is public outcry! Take controversial decisions slowly and then stick by the decisions. Otherwise, you are cementing your reputation as wishy washy and quick but careless. Establish governing principles for decisions along each main pillar, and refer to those constantly to check your decisionmaking.
Reduce traffic.
Refund the ADU policy recently passed to be able to sell it separately. With all the new development this will lead to more traffic congestion. Remove the bike lanes on Petaluma Ave and regain a lane of traffic.
Sad to see so much emphasis on the Barlow. Worried about downtown stores. With Rite Aid gone now at least there is usually enough parking. Hope it stays that way or another large parking lot is made available for downtown shoppers.
Safety at the Square, my son was hit on his face , and needed stitches, on his nose and and plastic surgery on his eye , for orbital fracture ,on 13 March , he was stuffed in the passenger seat of his own car and was driven
by some man to the Safeway store ,and left without any medical attention for hours,. He was unconscious. Face all bloody, tell a young man and woman saw him , dryed blood by then and called the ambulance,
. The man that hit him was homeless. He’s still in the hospital. It’s been a week. The police are involved now.
Sebastopol Gallery has been a big part of the appeal of Main St. for 18 years, Lost our lease to a non-local business that offers nothing to the community - really we need an interior decorator on Main St.? I would love if the City Council took more notice of what is happening to our downtown, by which I mean Main St., not the Barlow - how could you allow the Barlow signage at the entrance to town be a chain restaurant. You need to keep an eye on the look and feel of the town. The Barlow should have major directional signage for the center of town.
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City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Sebastopol has the community and resources to fundraise around projects for things like parks, beautification projects, and other non-emergency / non-safety net needs.
Sebastopol under invests in low and moderate income household needs compared to neighboring cities. This is creating a feeling of elitism throughout Sonoma County, though I don't imagine that's what most in Sebastopol want (or do they?) Sebastopol is an amazing town with character, good people, and nature. Low and moderate income families and adults should have some accessibility here outside of weekend visits. Invest in homelessness, invest in workforce programs, invest in moderate-income housing.
Encourage new housing projects, and make it known to your community that you're here to support everyone, not bend to NIMBYs who are afraid of the unknown.
Not suggesting building new housing projects in the heart of downtown. I get it. But, Sebastopol is known by neighboring cities as being unfriendly towards homeless investment, housing investment, and unwelcoming to those with lower incomes. Even Healdsburg invests a lot more than Sebastopol in these things, and IT'S HEALDSBURG! Sebastopol is an unique beautiful city
It would be an asset to keep Main Street and the immediate area as such.
I believe the space where the proposed Grocery Outlet is being considered could be a pivotal space for locals and tourists alike.
Sebastopol doesn’t need another grocery store.
I hope for your attention to be creative and financially viable for existing businesses and our community.
Thank you
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City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Sebastopol needs to be a leader in smart growth & smart energy use. It also needs to keep its artistic funky charm. We should be looking at innovative towns around the world & learning from them so that we grow strategically & efficiently. I used ChatGPT to plug in some of the things I've put in the feedback section: harnessing tourism, becoming innovators, focusing on food, civic engagemnt, local / community engagement, music & art, repurposing, etc.
These are the comparably sized towns to which we could look for ideas: Hardwick, Vermont (local food economy); Battleboro, Vermont (art & culture); Traverse City, Michigan (food, wine, tourism); Totnes, England ( a "transition town" model), Todmorden, England (public spaces as edible landscapes); Tomelilla, Sweeden (innovative governance- "doughnut economics" focusing on repurposing); Lewes, England (local economy experimentation).
We should also look at towns that FAILED and learn from their mistakes. Examples: Coos Bay, Oregon, Josephine County (town in Grants Pass, OR), Marfa, Texas, and maybe Taos, New Mexico.
Sebastopol will not be able to handle the ADUs infill and other projects.
Some things that came to life are: Live music, some walkable streets, a vibrant community center, lots of classes for teens to do stuff after school, affordable rent for businesses so that locals can go out without tourist pricing. Beautiful library with more diversity of use of space.
Thank you for seeking stakeholder input.
Start making it so hard to do business in this town.
Stop being so arrogant and LISTEN to what people want - do your job and actually represent the people in the community instead of pursuing your own personal goals Stop embracing idiotic, leftist, California concepts.
Stop grocery outlet. Apologize for little Caesar’s. Adhere to the general plan for the town.
Stop raising sales tax.
Stop spending money trying to change the streets. If it's going to cost the city money, don't do it!.
Find more ways to make money for the city, not more ways to spend money.
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Stop the hotel. Create an green open space with no asphalt or cement in the center of the city like Sonoma, Healdsburg, Petaluma, San Francisco, New York City, Vancover (and many, many, many other towns, villages and cities). A destination for locals and visitors to enjoy.
Thank you for all that you do for our city.
Thank you for all the work you do for our community!
Thank you for asking for public input.
Thank you for asking these questions. Your work is complex but not impossible. It requires creativity, maturity, collaboration, and thoughtfulness. Please be aware of your own limitations and those of your group, and solicit support to fill those gaps. Admitting a wrong or a mistake builds trust so much stronger than trying to cover up incompetence.
Thank you for doing this thankless job. I so appreciate the time and energy you give to our city. I live close to downtown and the walkability is very important to me. Safety for pedestrians is top concern. I have had too many close calls and have see pedestrians hit.
Very scary.
But I LOVE SEBASTOPOL.. Moved to the Hessel area in 1971 and have been a resident in town for 23 years.
thank you for the opportunity and your efforts
Thank you for working for a better Sebastopol. We are a wonderful community.
Thank you for your service.
Thank you for your time and considerations.
The biggest issue I have as someone who walks through town everyday is how unkempt and shabby parts of downtown look. Can Public Works keep the sidewalk cleaner (wash dog urine down), pick up litter, keep planters weeded and plants healthy. Can business be required to remote dead plants in planters and keep plants healthy looking? Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
The city is spending more than it receives by like more than $1,000,000 per year. Worst streets in county. Homeless crime is still high and the Commons will make it worse in yet another key commercial area the city depends on for sales tax revenue. You were proud of the 50+ goals last year but you didn’t improve the financial situation, barely a pot hole got fixed even though you committed 40% of measure U to streets two years ago. The biggest street project was “reimagining” downtown streets like they were 40 years go…something that can’t happen for “8-15 years. The most critical work is not getting done because city staff is scurrying around doing Council and Planning Commission pet projects. It is time to focus on a few initiatives that move the needle. Better streets not just pothole repairs, reduce serious crime, get the homeless off our streets and into housing.
The Council does not represent or elicit adequate input from citizens who are longer-term residents. The Council appears to cater to novel and trendy, which causes drift from the well-loved traditional qualities of Sebastopol. Sebastopol is losing the hippy vibe, the freedom and safety that does not come at commercial value, The Council invests in projects to support commercial business interests, while not investing in an original culture that Sebastopol was known for... The Council has taken up too many well-meaning but insubstantial financially risky ventures resulting in indebtedness and inability to provide for public safety and infrastructure maintenance.
The Council must prioritize issues that support a prosperous, vital, and safe city. Past decisions have been detrimental to Sebastopol’s long-term success. The Council’s focus on niche issues that benefit only a few at the expense of the majority is troubling. For instance, the excessive time and money spent on attracting low-income and zero-income residents while neglecting pressing issues like our skyrocketing crime and the fact that many of our streets are crumbling. This Council, and past ones, seem uninterested in making the tough decisions that will ensure Sebastopol’s prosperity. the east entrance into the Whole Foods parking lot should be exit only. It is an accident waiting to happen as cars come around the blind curve to confront slowed or stopped vehicles trying to get into the parking lot. This is a quick fix response to a traffic snarl on McKinley Street.
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The money spent on outside consultants, while sometimes necessary since we cannot expect the Council to be experts on all issues, is draining our finances. I feel like the Council leans on consultants, and surveys of the community, but then makes decisions contrary to these recommendations — for example the issue of returning to 2 way streets.
The streets are functional and fairly safe. Why spend money on something that is not broken because we have many broken and decaying buildings, streets, and parks The timeline options you provide are arbitrary. ALL of the categories need work on all timeline options. Pick small achievable immediate goals and concurrently work on the big picture. Be financially responsible in every situation.
My city expenses for living in Sebastopol are growing fast (water/sewer, permits, property tax, sales tax etc) but the value received is declining. This is not sustainable.
There are great examples of daylighting creeks and combining walkways and indoor/outdoor dining.
Music in Ives is compatible with the creek restoration and the trail could feed a lively music, arts and dining mix along the creek path including a redevelopment along the path all the way to the Laguna. Car overpasses and pedestrian underpasses would slow traffic and speed walking safely around town via a network of trail.
Increase our access to the laguna and beautiful views it can present, building the park on the east end of palm avenue with a trail connection (Gravenstein). Include power and a built in stage to face music east and build more benches, grassy knolls and friendly spaces for free music events with a majestic view.
Maybe a hotel at the empty lot north of the cafe du croissants. Or a park. There aren’t enough parks on the south side of town and walking on the highway is unsafe and unpleasant. The sidewalk ends often. It’s bizarre.
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City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
There have been multiple broken benches in the Laguna Preserve for years. They should be fixed.
Ives Park should be a jewel. It's hardly that. Support the original Master Plan with flexible implementation to leverage community energy and money--like the Rotary proposal. The creek advocate group did not seem to understand the adverse impacts of their proposal on community event space.
It may not generate a lot of revenue at this point, but consider a ballot measure to raise the TOT. It will pay off in the long run.
Initiate a task force seriously focused on streamlining of regulations--including public bidding requirements/process, encroachment permit/insurance requirements, the tree ordinance, sign ordinance, and other permitting requirements. Requirements could be simplified to reduce costs and time impacts on small businesses and homeowners.
As soon as fiscal conditions allow, start restoring the local non-profit funding that the City cut, to support the work of these key organizations.
They have contributed to the worst traffic conditions in the history of the City.
This community was originally an anti-corporate, pro-organic local ag, healthy, artsy, localbusiness, community. Keep it that way - there is plenty of big city around us in Santa Rosa, RP/Cotati, and further out. Many people in surrounding communities come here to shop and eat - they are DRIVING because they will be returning with groceries, and will spend the day shopping and eating. Screwing up traffic even MORE for a few recreational bike riders is ridiculous! Focus the funding on repairing the roads, improving traffic flow, and making it safer for pedestrians.
This is a great place to live. Let's keep it that way. Thanks for your service.
This is a terrible questionnaire, poorly put together, uninviting and robotic.
Geez, where is the humanity?
Better design needed.
This is NOT a user friendly survey
Confusing‼️
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City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
This survey was extremely vague. No specific plans, details or any information. How is City of Sebastopol planning to achieve these vague headline objectives? this was not a useful survey….too vague
town is built on local entrepreneurs, family-owned farms, and other local merchants. The community chose to keep the Sebastopol local small town charm vs going the route of Santa Rosa and building it out. What attracted me to this community is the local charm, small town feel. The need to maximize what we already have is important and a focus on improving facilities and creating places for the youth/young adults. traffic flow and accessibility to downtown businesses needs to be improved. also the safety of driver through Sebastopol is important implementing speed cameras to support local police should be considered.
Unsatisfied with the decisions of city Council to ignore the will of the people.
Use the tax dollars to fix important infrastructure and make the city safer. I voted for the tax increase and want to see the money used for the roads I drive on, equipment that delivers water to my home and making the downtown safer from so many crazy acting transient men. Stop making decisions that lowers the quality of life in the city. I want lower water prices. The increase was insane.
We citizens trust that the City Council recognizes the value of a small town feel. Growth for growth's sake is not a positive goal. Please do not allow Sebastopol to become another Healdsburg. Newcomers might want more glitter; let them go elsewhere. Sebastopol has the feel of a real town, not a tourists destination. Every decision the Council makes has an impact on whether Sebastopol remains Sebastopol or becomes a different town.
You live here because of what Sebastopol is. Don't make decisions that make it something else.
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We don’t need 8 grocery stores for a town of 8000 people. It’s absurd.
We need to focus on keeping independent grocery stores in business.
Find ways to keep Sebastopol unique. Incentivize Gravenstein Apple products. I think seeing more Sebastopol t-shirts and the like has been nice. Keep things laid back. Focus on the history, arts, music, fresh culinary experiences, agriculture, farmers. More functional outdoor seating and tables. Tables for chess games, getting people outside.
Way more improvement to landscaping public areas, walking routes. Make it quaint, not modern. Take ideas from cute neighboring towns. What works for them? Have conversations so there is less assumption on what works and what doesn’t.
We need a fire department that should be a priority in a changing world that is more and more dangerous. Changing traffic flow is a waste of tax payer dollers, will make using the downtown impossible especially for those with limited mobility as there will be less access and parking. It will make traffic even worse than it already is and ultimately I plan to completely bypass the downtown by using back roads and side streets. Without parking I will go to a different town that is more accessible to make my purchases and spend my dollers.
We need community work days to bring us all together.
? Bowling alley?
Martial arts?
We need to attract more diversity to Sebastopol, we already know that diversity creates a vibrant pool of access to more ideas and a community that is built on trust and care for each other.
We’ve lived in Sebastopol since 1982. We love our town and try to be supportive in any way we can. I’m sorry to express a negative tone in some of my responses. I know we all want the best for our town. The council works hard as do all the city employees. My only suggestion (stated above in one of my responses) would be to listen to the residents and be willing to change your mind when new information is presented.
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We’ve lived in Sebastopol since 1982. We love our town and try to be supportive in any way we can. I’m sorry to express a negative tone in some of my responses. I know we all want the best for our town. The council works hard as do all the city employees. My only suggestion (stated above in one of my responses) would be to listen to the residents and be willing to change your mind when new information is presented.
We’ve spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on studies that were a waste. Ie the study of putting in low cost housing on parking lot when we need more parking not less to support local businesses
While improvements to walking in the core are important, with better sidewalks, etc., the needs of those who cannot walk long distances or need a vehicle to carry things have to also be addressed. I appreciate the refocus on bike lanes, which are rarely used, and trying to facilitate the through traffic on 12 and 116, you will need to address the traffic patterns and perhaps add more stop lights on the North/South patterns if you implemented two way streets to allow local traffic to function. Adding to this, a need to address the increasing issues of parking before drawing in more outside cars (tourists). Currently the amount of cars exceeds the parking lots and spills out into the neighborhoods even when there is no special event.
Why are you so in debt?
What are you doing about water crisis? I see ZERO attention to this in Sebastopol-why? We have tons of tourists-they aren’t informed
Work together. No one wants to hear individual Councilmembers moan about their pet peeves. Work for the City on all levels, healthy living, good economy and realistic goals. No pie in the sky unaffordable dreams.
Y’all are embarrassing and way to proud of your ignorance Yes - focus on ideas to improve our community to bring more young families to live in our town!
You are about to approve 150 housing units or so on two parcels on Valentine ave. Please consider the impacts to our neighborhood. Maybe adjust the density of the Mormon church property.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
You have a tough job. You need a good and experienced City Manager to help with the hard decisions. You must keep up with inflation and increase fees as needed while keeping costs in line. I was in your shoes over 25 years ago. We had tough decisions after fees had been neglected for decades. I helped hire two city managers. It is unfortunate that, as well meaning as the city attorney was, he was not a good city manager and you are unfortunately paying for that now. The great recession and COVID were completely outside the city's control. What is in the city's control however, it to improve your PR to the business and development community to increase the local economy, increase housing opportunities for middle income workers and help the city thrive. Sebastopol has a terrible reputation in the development community and a flaky one in the business community outside of Sebastopol. Recognize that and do what you can to counter it. Many citizens want to see the city preserved in amber. It cannot. The community is aging and it is not welcoming for young families and younger workers. You need to turn this around, stat. Do not let those that hate change hold the city back. The most environmental thing to do is grow within city limits and leave the county to nature. I wish you well. I know you want to do what is best, and I support you in this. While I no longer live in town, I own my office on South Main and continue to work in Sonoma County. I had to leave in 2014 because I could no longer afford to live in Sebastopol after 23 years. I had to flee to Oregon but I come back often.
Your fees are crazy expensive and it feels like we are trying to be the "city" of saying no to everything. The arborist recently denagrated the former arborist which I found insulting.
And then it cost me $3,000. and a solar fight to get a huge and dangerous tree removed.
Citizens need to have more say over what happens on their property.
Review the tree ordinance and make it make sense.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Local Residents are being priced out of home, shopping and extracirricular activities here in Sebastopol as well as all of Sonoma county. our transportaion systems are highly inefficent and our housing is so bad, people are being squeezed. We are loosing our personality by allowing rent prices to go for market value. Housing should not be a commodity to get rich off of. This just makes for an unstable population that has to get moved around at the whims of property owners. These are our homes. This kills creativity and thoughtful, productive movement forward. Protect the poeple who live here. Value what is already here over attracting big money. The reason tourists love it is because we are here making it great. When we are priced out, this place slowly becomes like any other.
A thriving creative community comes from residents who do not have to soley focus on basic needs.
Theme Definition Theme Timeline Count
Overwhelming focus on council needing to listen to residents, respect public input, rebuild trust, and reflect community will in decisions Council Listening / Responsiveness / Public Trust Short-term 22 Concerns about budget deficits, wasteful spending (consultants, studies, pet projects), fiscal responsibility, and tax/fee management Fiscal Concerns / Budget / Spending / Waste Short-term 18 Concerns about traffic flow, parking availability, one-way vs two-way streets, bike lanes, pedestrian safety, and bypass routes Traffic / Parking / Street Configuration Short-term 16 Concerns about unhoused individuals in public spaces, drug use, encampment removal, downtown cleanliness, and linking homelessness to public safety/economic vitality Homelessness / Downtown Safety / Cleanliness Short-term 14 Support for locally-owned businesses, opposition to chains/big box stores (especially Grocery Outlet), preserving Sebastopol's unique identity Local Business Support / Anti-Chain / Small-Town Character Short-term 13 Concerns about rising housing costs, ADUs, density, attracting young families, rent control, and demographic shifts Housing Affordability / Development Density / Young Families Mid-term leaning Long-term 11 Focus on road repair, potholes, sidewalk maintenance, pedestrian safety, and deferred infrastructure maintenance Infrastructure / Roads / Potholes / Sidewalks Short-term 10 Specific feedback about Ives Park: fence, pool, landscaping, events, creek daylighting, and general park maintenance Ives Park / Public Spaces / Parks / Trails Short-term leaning Mid-term 9 Specific comments about council infighting, egos, meeting demeanor ("miserable"), and organizational culture/drama Council Behavior / Culture / Drama / Egos Short-term leaning Long-term 8 Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Responses indicating satisfaction, gratitude for council work, love for Sebastopol, or "keep doing what we're doing" Status Quo / Satisfaction / Gratitude / "Love Sebastopol" Mixed (Short & Long-term) 8 Responses indicating confusion about survey goals, "not sure what this means," or criticism of survey design/clarity Unclear / Confused / Survey Design Criticism Mixed (Short, Mid, Long-term) 7 Specific focus on building hotels (Rite Aid/CVS sites), generating TOT revenue, and leveraging tourism for fiscal sustainability Hotel Development / Lodging / TOT Revenue Short-term leaning Mid-term 6 Mentions of Dark Sky certification, native plants, creek daylighting, heat island reduction, and climate adaptation as infrastructure priorities
**Environmental / Climate Resilience / Dark Sky / Native Plants** *(Emergent)* Mid-term leaning Long-term 5
Focus on arts, culture, music venues, and creative industries as economic drivers and community identity markers **Arts / Culture / Music / Creative Economy** *(Emergent)* Short-term leaning Mid-term 5 teen spaces, after-school programs, youth engagement, and family-friendly activities to reta **Youth / Teen / After-School Programming** *(Emergent)* Mid-term 4 Specific tension or comparison between the Barlow and Downtown areas, calls for better connection, or criticism of Barlow's impact on downtown **Barlow vs. Downtown Dynamics** *(Emergent)* Mid-term 4 Calls for adequate police staffing, fire department restoration, public safety funding, and enforcement approach Police / Public Safety / Fire Department Short-term 4 Concerns about permitting complexity, ADU fees, regulatory burden, and calls for streamlining for small businesses/homeowners Regulations / Permits / Fees / ADU Policy Short-term 4 Concerns about water/sewer rates, infrastructure aging, fund transparency, and utility management Water / Sewer / Utilities / Rates Short-term leaning Mid-term 3 Concerns about welcoming people of color, diverse demographics, inclusive decisionmaking, and addressing gatekeeping Diversity / Inclusion / Racial Equity Mid-term leaning Long-term 3 Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Responses Topic(s)
Goal 1:
Community
Vitality
Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer • Downtown History Walk
• I ����Sebastopol Event
Phill Carter • WESCO Urban Multi-Sport Facility — Youth Sports Infrastructure Downtown
Responses Topic(s) Goal 2: Public
Phill Carter Safety • Joe Rodota Trail Corridor Safety — Vegetation Management and Sight Line Improvements
Responses Topic(s)
Goal 3:
Infrastructure
Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer
• Desktop feasibility study forthe AppleBlossom Trail
• Prioritize care of the Laguna Wetlands Preserve
• Traffic Ad hoc Committee
PhillCarter
• Apple Blossom Trail — Active Transportation
Corridor Development
• Gravenstein Trail — Active TransportationCorridor
Development
Stephen Zollman • Review cost allocation plan and make necessary adjustments
Responses Topic(s)
PhillCarter • Establish a WestCounty Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) Goal 4:
Stephen Zollman
• Strengthen collaborative working relationships between the City and recognized labor unions through proactive
communication, transparent processes, and early
High
Performance
Organization
engagement on operational, budgetary and workforce issues Responses Topic(s) Goal 5:
Long Term
Financial
Sustainability
PhillCarter • Clean Energy Rate Competitiveness,
GeoZone Investment, and Pavement Asset
Management
Stephen Zollman • Review pension/other benefits funding levels.
Councilmember Information Date Submitted Priority or Goal Title Explanation of Goal or Priority (brief description of the problem, opportunity, or area of focus)
Desired Outcome (what you hopewill
be achieved if this priority is
implemented)
Timeframe Anticipated Budget/Resource Impact Notes/Additional Information Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer 4/1/2026 Community Vitality: Downtown History Walk Downtown History Walk to memorialize Sebastopol events
(bar fight/standoff, two china towns, train, agriculture, Laguna Pomo/Miwok History, Charles Schulz was here,
quirky reputation, Occupy bench…) The Public Arts
Committee could coordinate with the West County Museum
to identify key historical facts and locations.
Support Sebastopol cultural education
in downtown core with a dozen or more
bronze plaques, or painted historic
markers commemorating different
historical events
Mid-term (1–3 years) Could be $20K over 3 years for bronze plaques or much less if painted as a historic marker.
Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer 4/1/2026 Community Vitality: I ❤ Sebastopol Event A celebration of the best of Sebastopol: arts, music, food, history, local businesses and people. Rohnert Park has an I ❤ Rohnert Park with a week of activities. Many people
LOVE Sebastopol and this would be an opportunity to
celebrate the
best of our city.
A week long party to celebrate our
wonderful city Short term- within this year Under $10k
PhillCarter 3/20/2026 WESCO Urban Multi-Sport Facility — Youth Sports Infrastructure Downtown • WESCO United Soccer Club serves 1,200+ youth
across a 450-square-mile service area with zero dedicated fields and an 86% capacity deficit, relying entirely on shared school fields that are increasingly unavailable. • Unused space behind the Youth Annex in downtown
Sebastopol presents a rare opportunity to create an urban multi-sport facility (soccer, pickleball, basketball) without land acquisition costs.
• A vendor quote from Urban Soccer Park has been
obtained (~$80K for a basic model, 5-month delivery
timeline), and grant applications are in progress — this project is shovel-ready pending city authorization.
• Youth sports infrastructure is a direct community vitality investment: it keeps families in Sebastopol, activates
underutilized downtown space, and addresses a
documented equity gap in recreational access for lowerincome youth who cannot afford club travel.
• City authorizes use of Youth
Annex adjacent space for multisport facility installation. • Grant funding secured (applications
in progress); project proceeds within
current fiscal year.
• Facility operational within 6 months of
authorization, serving WESCO's 1,200+
youth and available for broader
community recreation use.
• Downtown activation — new reason
for families to come to the core,
supporting adjacent businesses.
Short-term (0–12 months)
Estimated $80K for basic Urban Soccer Park
installation. Grant funding in application; city may
need to bridge or co-fund. Ongoing maintenance
costs minimal. No land acquisition required.
• WESCO April 7th agenda item — if
funded prior to goal-setting, this becomes
a deliveredcommunity vitality win rather
than a new ask.
• Urban Soccer Park vendor
contact: Lyndsay. Quote on file.
• Facility design can
accommodate soccer, pickleball,
and basketball — broadening
community benefit beyond youth
soccer.
Councilmember Information DateSubmitted Priority or Goal Title Explanation of Goal or Priority (brief description of
the problem, opportunity, or area of focus)
Desired Outcome (what you hope will
be achieved ifthis priority is
implemented)
Timeframe Anticipated Budget/Resource Impact Notes/Additional Information Phill Carter 3/20/2026 Joe Rodota Trail Corridor Safety — Vegetation Management and Sight Line Improvements • Overgrown blackberry and dense vegetation along the
Joe Rodota Trail creates concealed spaces that reduce
natural surveillance, compromise sight lines for trail users, and create safety concerns for walkers, cyclists, and
neighboring residents.
• Systematic vegetation clearing —particularly
blackberry removal—along key segments of the trail
within city limits would restore sight lines, improve
lighting effectiveness, and make the corridor safer for all users.
• This is a focused, maintenance-oriented intervention
consistent withCrime Prevention Through Environmental
Design (CPTED) principles: improving the physical
environment to reduce opportunity for harmful activity. • Note on continuity: Sebastopol has made significant
public safety progress — the department is fully staffed and has expanded video capability for crime prevention.
Trail corridor safety is the logical next layer of
investment.
• Targeted vegetationmanagement
plan developed forJoeRodota Trail
segments withincity jurisdiction,
prioritizing highest-concern areas.
• Blackberry and dense brush
cleared along identified segments,
restoring sight lines and improving
lighting effectiveness.
• Trail safetyperceptibly improved
for daily users — walkers, cyclists,
school children, seniors.
• Coordination with Sonoma County
(which manages portions ofthe trail) on
a unified approachto corridor
maintenance.
Short-term (0–12 months)
Vegetation management and trail
clearing costs to be scoped; can be
effective at $10K depending on
extent and partnerships. Potential
coordination with existing Ives and
CUSP grant-supported work.
Ongoingannualmaintenancebudget
item.
• Coordinate with Sonoma County
Regional Parks, which manages portions
of the Rodota Trail outside city limits.
• Ives program and CUSP grant
connections may provide
supplemental resources orlabor.
• Separate from encampment
management policy —this is
physical infrastructure
maintenance with independent
safety justification.
• Police department's expanded
video capability complements
physical corridor improvements.
Councilmember Information Date Submitted Priority or Goal Title Explanationof GoalorPriority (briefdescriptionofthe
problem, opportunity, or area of focus)
DesiredOutcome(what youhopewill
be achieved if this priority is
implemented)
Timeframe AnticipatedBudget/ResourceImpact Notes/Additional Information Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer 4/1/2026 Infrastructure: Desktop feasibility study for the Apple Blossom Trail Begin preparation for the Apple Blossom bike/walk trail in Sebastopol with a desktop feasibility study.
Abikewalk trailthatconnects theCity
east west off the main roads. Short-term (0–12 months) $35K Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer 4/1/2026 Infrastructure: Prioritize care of the Laguna Wetlands Preserve Work with City Staff to prioritize care of the Laguna Wetlands Preserve,including working with the Little Leagueon the possibilityof upgrading the existingballfieldbathroom.
Better overall care of the Laguna Wetlands
Preserve and if possible day time
access to a public bathroom in the
Preserve.
Short-term (0–12 months) Could be within budgetbyworking withstaff and volunteersormoreif anupgradedbathroomis
possible.
Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer 4/1/2026 Infrastructure: Traffic Adhoc Committee Create anadhoc committee to address traffic inSebastopol A committee composed of two
Councilmembers, one Public Works
staff, one Planning staff and the City
Manager to discuss and explore
options to reduce trafficin
Sebastopol.
Mid-term to long term (1–5
years) Would require staff time.
Phill Carter 3/20/2026 Apple Blossom Trail — Active Transportation Corridor Development • The Apple Blossom Trailrepresents a critical link in
Sebastopol's active transportation network, connecting
residentialneighborhoods to downtown, schools, and
regional trail infrastructure.
• Continuedinvestmentinthis corridor supports the
city's climate action goals (VMT reduction),provides
safe non-motorizedaccess forresidentswho cannotor
choosenotto drive, and increases the utility of the
broadertrail network.
• This projectis intricately connected to the downtown
two-way street conversion planning —trail infrastructure and street reconfigurationmustbe coordinated to avoid
conflicting investments and maximize network
cohesion.
• Maintainingmomentumon trail development—even in
a fiscally constrained year —preserves grant
eligibility, consultant relationships, and community
engagement that would be costly to rebuild.
• Defined next phase of Apple
Blossom Traildevelopment scoped,
funded, andin construction or design
within the fiscal year.
• Active transportation network
connectivity improved for westside neighborhoodsaccessing downtown.
• Grant funding identified and applied
for to minimize general fund impact.
• Trail segment coordinated
with downtowntransportation
planningto ensurenetwork
coherence
Mid-term (1–3 years)
Scope-dependent; est. $500KformeaningfulJoe
Rodota connection to Ive’s Park segment
completion. Grant funding through Caltrans Active
Transportation Program, OBAG, and County Parks
and Openspace similar sources to be pursued.
Staff time for grant administrationrequired.
• Traildevelopmentanddowntown
two-way conversion are
interdependent— coordinate
planning timelines.
• Even modest progress this cycle
(design,permitting,desktopstudies,
grant applications)maintainsproject
viability for future capital investment.
• AppleBlossomandGravenstein
trails form a network — progress on
one strengthens the case for the
other.
Phill Carter 3/20/2026 Gravenstein Trail — Active Transportation Corridor Development • The Gravenstein Trail corridor connects Sebastopol
to regionaldestinations along Highway 116, providing
non-motorizedaccess alongoneofthe city'sprimary
commercial and residential corridors.
• Development ofthis trail segment supports equitable
access to employment, services, and recreation for
residents who rely on active transportation —particularly youth, seniors, and lower-income households.
• Like theAppleBlossomTrail,theGravenstein corridor
is interconnected with the downtown transportation
planning effort and must be advanced in coordination to avoid stranded investments.
• Maintaining forward momentum — even at a planning or
grant-applicationlevel—isessentialto preserving the
project's position in regional funding queues.
• Defined next phase of Gravenstein
Trail development scoped, funded,
and in design or construction within
the fiscal year.
• Regional trail connectivity
improved, linking Sebastopol's
internal network to broader West
County active transportation
infrastructure.
• Grantapplications submitted
for available funding cycles.
• Planning coordinated with
Apple Blossom Trail and
downtown street conversion
work.
Mid-term (1–3 years)
Scope-dependent;est. $500K–$2Mfor
meaningful segment.Grantfunding through
CaltransATP,OBAG, and TDA Article 3 to be
pursued. Stafftime for coordination and grant
administration.
• Gravenstein andAppleBlossom
trails are complementary —submitting
both as separate priorities ensures
each has an independentfunding
case.
• Proximity to Highway 116 and The
Canopy development (80 new housing
units) strengthens the active
transportation demand case.
• Road repair and pavement
management along the corridor should
be coordinated withtrail development
to avoid double-mobilization costs.
Councilmember Information Date Submitted Priority or Goal Title Explanationof GoalorPriority (briefdescriptionof
the problem, opportunity, or area of
focus)
DesiredOutcome(what youhopewill
be achieved if this priority is
implemented)
Timeframe AnticipatedBudget/ResourceImpact Notes/Additional Information Phill Carter 3/20/2026 Establish a WestCounty Enhanced Infrastructure FinancingDistrict(EIFD) • Sebastopol faces significant capital needs — library
expansionandsenior center co-location, active
transportation infrastructure, downtown corridor
improvements, and ongoing assetmanagement—with
limited tools to finance them without direct budget
impact or voter-approved bonds.
• An Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District
captures property tax incrementfrom rising assessed
values and dedicates it to infrastructure investment,
requiring only City Counciland participating agency
approval—not avoter supermajority.
• SonomaCounty and Sebastopol have already begun
preliminarydiscussions aboutaWestCountyEIFD;
formalizing this as a city priority creates institutional momentum to move from conversation to formation.
• WhileEIFDformationrequiresmeaningful staff and
legal time upfront, a functioning district significantly reduces the long-termburdenoffinancingcapital
projectsonebyone— making itaninvestmentin
organizationalcapacity, notjusta capitaltool
• City Council formally authorizes
exploration and formation of a West
County EIFDinpartnershipwith
Sonoma County.
• City retains legalandfinancial
advisory support to complete
formation documents, identify
project area boundaries, and
designate eligible capital projects.
• EIFD becomes an active
financing vehiclewithin18–24
months, capableof supporting
library/senior center consolidation,
trail infrastructure, and downtown
capital improvements.
• Staff gains a durable, repeatable
financing toolthatreduces adhoc
capital scrambling for future
projects.
Mid-term (1–3 years)
Aninitial$20Kallocationforlegalandfinancial
advisory scoping is requestedtodetermine
formationfeasibility, projectareaboundaries, and
County partnershipterms. Full formation costs are
estimated at $50K–$100K, eligible for
reimbursementfrom district proceeds once formed.
To understand the return on that $20K, consider the
capital needs this single tool could help finance:
• Library expansion+ seniorcenter co-location:
$13M–$29M
• Apple Blossom Trail completion: est. $1M–$3M
• Gravenstein Trail development: est. $1M–$3M
• Downtown corridor improvements: est. $2M–$5M
• Total identified capital need: $17M–$40M
A functioning EIFD could generate an estimated
$5M–$10Min capitalfinancing capacity over 20–30
years — reducing the size, cost, and voter-approval
risk of any future bond measure. The alternative—
a standalone General ObligationBond—requires
a 2/3 voter supermajority, costs $50K–$200K in
campaign expenditureswinorlose, andgenerates
capacity forone project only. EIFD formation costs
less, carries no campaign risk, imposes no new
taxes, and creates a durable 45-yearfinancing tool
the city candeploy across multiple projects. The
$20Kscopingphase answers the threshold
question: is formation feasible, and can we
secureCounty partnership?
• EIFDisdistinctfromaMello-Roosor
GO bond — no new taxes, no voter
supermajority required.
• SonomaCountyparticipationis
critical; early engagement with the
Board of Supervisors should be a
near-term staff action.
• Projectareashouldbedrawnbroadly
to capture increment from downtown,
Highway 116 corridor, and north
Sebastopoltomaximize financing
capacity.
• Library feasibility study (Phase 1,
~$100K–$150K) and EIFD formation can
proceedonparalleltracksandinform
each other.
Stephen Zollman 4/9/2026
Strengthen collaborative working relationships between theCity and recognized labor unions through proactive communication, transparent processes, and early engagement on operational, budgetary and workforce issues
CouncilmemberInformation Date Submitted Priority or Goal Title Explanation of Goal or Priority (brief description of the problem, opportunity, or area of focus)
DesiredOutcome(what you hope will
be achieved if this priority is
implemented)
Timeframe Anticipated Budget/Resource Impact Notes/Additional Information Phill Carter 3/20/2026 Clean Energy Rate Competitiveness, GeoZone Investment, and Pavement Asset Management
• Sonoma Clean Power Authority (SCPA) serves as
Sebastopol's community choice energy provider. As SCPA
develops its 2026 Integrated Resource Plan, decisions
made now about geothermal development (GeoZone)
and rate structure will directly affect resident and business energy costs for a decade or more.
• Rate competitiveness with PG&E is a fiscalresilience
issue: if SCPA rates drift above PG&E, residents opt out, SCPA loses ratepayers, and the financial model weakens
for remaining customers— a negative spiral the Board
must actively manage.
• On the infrastructure side, Sebastopol's road
pavement management represents its largest unfunded
long-term liability.Deferred maintenance is not free — it compounds exponentially.A dollar of preventive
maintenance today avoids
$4–$8 of reconstruction cost later.
• Connecting clean energy investment and pavement
asset management under a single financial
sustainability goal reflects a unified principle: investing in the right things now prevents far larger costs later. • SCPA Board (with Sebastopol's
active participation) adopts a 2026
IRP that maintains rate
competitiveness withPG&E while
advancing GeoZone geothermal
development as a long-term baseload
resource.
• Sebastopol's ratepayers retain
access to competitive, locallycontrolled clean energy that reduces household energy burden.
• City adopts or updates a
Pavement Management Program
with a multi-year funding
commitment, prioritizing
preventivemaintenance over
reactive repair.
• Roadsbudgetreflects true
lifecycle cost of pavement assets,
reducing long-term general fund
exposure.
Mid-term (1–3 years)
SCPA IRP participation is staff time (Board
meetings, technical review); GeoZone capital is
SCPA's balance sheet, not the city's. Pavement
management program update: est. $30K–$50K for
professional assessment; ongoing capital
commitmentto be determined by PMP findings.
EnterpriseCommittee oversight recommended for
both.
• SCPAIRP filing deadline:June 1,
2026. Board engagement on rate
alternatives must happen in Q1–Q2.
• GeoZone geothermalrepresents a
long-term hedge against volatile natural
gas prices — the fiscal case is strong
independent of climate goals.
• Enterprise Committee (formed to
oversee infrastructure)is the
appropriate ongoing oversight body
for pavement management.
• Road repair framing: this is cost
avoidance,not newspending. A
well-maintained road network is a
financial asset.
Councilmember Information Date Submitted Priority or Goal Title Explanationof GoalorPriority (briefdescriptionofthe
problem, opportunity, or area of focus)
DesiredOutcome(what youhopewill
be achieved if this priority is
implemented)
Timeframe AnticipatedBudget/ResourceImpact Notes/Additional Information Phill Carter 3/20/2026 EconomicGardening—BudgetRenewalandNextPhase:Downtown Business Listening Series
• EconomicGardening—growing thebusinesses
Sebastopol already has rather than recruiting from
outside — is the most cost-effective economic
development strategy available toa city of Sebastopol's size and character.
• The program established in the prior goal cycle has
demonstratedtheapproach;this cycle's goal is torenew
the budget commitment and advance to the next
phase: direct engagement with downtown business
owners through a structured listening series.
• Downtown owner-operators — many of whom have
built their businesses over decades — represent
irreplaceable community assets and economic
anchors. They deserve a formalchanneltoengagewith
city leadership, surfacebarriers they face, and codevelop solutions. • A complementary 'Downtown Roots' recognition
initiative would celebrate long-tenured local business
owners publicly, reinforcing thecity's commitmentto the businesses thatdefine Sebastopol's character andgiving
thema reason to stay and reinvest.
• Economic Gardening program
budget renewed for the coming
fiscal year.
• Downtown Business Listening
Series launched: structured
conversationswith owner-operators
to surface regulatory, parking,
access, and support needs.
• DowntownRoots recognitionevent
or initiative piloted, celebrating longtenured locally-ownedbusinesses. • Action items from listening series
identifiedandassignedto staff or
council forfollow-up — closing the
loop with businessowners.
Short-term (0–12 months)
Budgetrenewal for existing Economic Gardening
program (amountfrom prior year allocation).
Listening series: stafftimeplus modestevent costs
(~$5K–$10K). Downtown Roots recognition event:
~$5K–$10K. Total incremental askmodestrelative to
economic impactof retaining anchorbusinesses.
• EconomicGardening
philosophy: growing existing
businesses is more efficient than
business recruitment.
Sebastopol's scalemakes retention
the rightfocus.
• Listening series format: small group
conversations, nottownhalls—more
likely tosurface honestfeedback from
business owners.
• DowntownRoots concept:
recognize businesses and makes
use of public marketingmedia.
Reinforces community identity.
• Coordinatewith downtown
transportation planning — business
owners' input on parking and access is
directly relevant to the two-way
conversion.
Councilmember Information Date Submitted Aything else
ViceMayor SandraMaurer 4/1/2026
Support Carry Over Goals from 2025:
• Road repairs
• Sewer and water repairs
• Avoid builders remedy
• Emergency preparedness
• Restoring public trust
• Balanced Budget
• Diversify revenue base
• Grant opportunities
• Quarterly Financialreporting
• Budget at a Glance
• Pursue no additional costs and or low cost solutions to homelessness • Support community events with city sponsorship and reduction of fees • Holiday decorations (electrical support)
• Pomo and public art and updating city web site
• Local business support (Economic Gardening)
• Continue Ives Park improvements (CUSP, Rotary, ADA pathways, fencing)
ViceMayor SandraMaurer 4/1/2026
I’d like to see: Volunteer Program with a Volunteer Coordinator (once the city has planning staffing in place), increase police foot patrols downtown whenever possible, and a Charles Schulz Peanuts/ Snoopy public art
sculpture (Public Arts project?).
Strategy/Project ACTION PLAN Department
Responsible Constraints Potential Costs to City Budget Level of Effort Additional Notes Status of Item FY25-26 Funding $ spent as of 12/15/25 Carryover 1 Restore or repair labyrinth teen
memorial ($5000) (since the goals
meeting, discussions with PW indicates
a figure of $6000/not $5000 as
previously stated)
The work will consist of volunteers reestablishing the labyrinth and public works staff relocating benches and the
sign, and public works ordering and
paying for the large rocks/boulders.
Public Works/
Engineering Funding/Staff Time
Estimate $6,000 for
boulders, plus 25
hours of PW staff
labor.
Medium Public Works staff will assist in moving benches and the sign. Volunteers will set the labyrinth. Completed $6,000.00 $5,726.19 N/A 2 Support community events with city
sponsorship and reduction of fees
Staff to continue to review and process
requests for waivers of fees; staff time;
materials as the requests come in.
Public Works/
Engineering
Staff time to review
permit/fee waiver
request/prepare
agenda item
None other than loss
of revenues Minimal Waivers are reviewed by Council on a case by case basis at a City Council Meeting.
On Going. OngoingRequest for Waivers
received to date:
N/A $950.00 Ongoing
3 Pomo and public art and updating city
web site/land acknowledgement
Collaboration with Pomo
representatives.City staff to meet with
Graton Rancheria tribal secretary Melissa
Elgin (707) 566-2288, ext 115 and
Marianne Rebullida, Executive Assistant
for FIGR. 707-566-2288, ext. 111,
[email protected] ; and
Greg Sarris, Tribal Council Chairman:
[email protected] and
Angela Hardin, Tribal Council Executive
Assistant: [email protected]
City
Administration/
City Attorney/
CDD to Monitor
Future projects
Research of Land
Acknowledments
from other cities
$3000 for art mural
and City staff time Medium
Once completed, recommend that Public Arts Committee
be involved in any art work/projected related . Email sent to Tribe with language ; once comments received agenda
item will return to Council. Once languge is adopted; CDD to Monitor as projects come to the City consistent with state law.
Website Completed;
Interim City Manager
put the Public Arts
Committee in touch
with the tribe to
discuss Art
Work.Language
approved; language is
now included on Cit y
agendas as well as City
website
No funding is in the
current budget;
reviewed by BC on
11/17/25 and
allocate $3,000 for
the POMO Art Mural
and update costs
for the Storm Drain
Lid Painting Project,
funded by the Art in
Lieu Fund.
Yes (mural)
4 Clean up of Graffiti Clean up of Downtown Public Works/ Engineering
Funding of
Staff/materials for
removal
None
Redistribute staff
time./Other costs
would be staff time
for setting/attending
downtown walk with
businesses.
moderate
Downtown maintenance is a routine task for Public Work.
Providing additional services, as needed, will be
scheduled. The Community Development Director and the
Public Work Director will work with downtown businesses and the Chamber to discuss what is needed to beautify the downtown. Graffiti removal on private property is done by owner. For public spaces, Public Works currently spends 200 hours annually and $550 for materials.
On Going BiWeeklyStaff will
submit informational
item to Council on
work conducted such
as sidewalk
cleaning/plaza/and
future work planned (in
agenda report)
N/A Ongoing
5 Festive Activities/Holiday Events
CDD and PW to work with downtown
businesses/Chamber of Commerce to
review/discuss plans for potential holiday
events.
Public Works
Staffing; potential
funding depending on
scope
TBD moderate to high
Public Works for set up/permitting as needed. Community Development involved as supportive of Economic
Development (where a Econ. Dev. Strategy allows for
participation). CDD and PW will work with the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Association, and schools to
see how they can participate. Options for decorations will be reviewed.
Met with Myriah and
discussed holiday
decorations , tree
lighting and window
painting for the
busniess.
$5,000.00 $5,393.00 Yes
6 Grant Writer
City staff to work with Sonoma State to
ascertain if one or more students would
be able to help research/write grants;
otherwise staff would prepare Request for
Proposals to determine costs for grant
writer
City
Administration
Costs for
RFP/Contract or
costs for hiring of
grant writer
Last grant writer was
$60,000
Staff continues to apply for grants and to identify
opportunities for new grants such as the ProHousing
Incentive Program (PIP) Grant.
Staff has not yet
reached out to Sonoma
State to see if this is
feasble. Staff will
continue to apply for
grants and will reach
out to Sonoma State by
mid year
N/A Yes
ONE YEAR GOALS THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026
Goal 1: Community Vitality
Enhance Sebastopol as a great place to live that values community health and well-being. Preserve Sebastopol’s unique character.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Strategy/Project ACTION PLAN Department
Responsible Constraints Potential Costs to City Budget Level of Effort Additional Notes Status of Item FY25-26 Funding $ spent as of
12/15/25 Carryover
1 Explore Ways to Address
Homelessness
Pursue New County-wide Lead
Agency for Homelessness
City Manager/
Council Liaison
Unknown at this time if
any costs Low
The Board of the Homelessness Coalition has the authority to replace the County as the Lead Agency for homelessness; the City has a seat on that Board. The Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Board will be considering funding for homeless as a priority regionally wide. Homeless Board also to consider agenda from Council representative for review of HUD Funding and distribution to cities; to include review of Homeless Coalition role. An agenda item has been requested to at contracting out HMIS and doing an RFP for a new lead agency.
This is a discusison at the homeless coalition board meetings. N/A Council Coasideration 2 Pursue no additional
costs and or low cost
solutions to
homelessness
Homelessness: Ordinance to restrict
sleeping or sitting that blocks public
access to buildings and on sidewalks
City Manager/
Council Liaison
Unknown at this time if
any costs Low
The Board of the Homelessness Coalition has the authority to replace the County as the Lead Agency for homelessness; the City has a seat on that Board. The Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Board will be considering funding for homeless as a priority regionally wide. Homeless Board also to consider agenda from Council representative for review of HUD Funding and distribution to cities; to include review of Homeless Coalition role. An agenda item has been requested to at contracting out HMIS and doing an RFP for a new lead agency.
This is a discusison at the homeless coalition board meetings. N/A Council Coasideration County-wide allocation of
Homelessness Resources
City Manager/
Council
Liaison/Police
Interagency
collaboration delays
$40000 allocated in
general fund for WCCS
contract
Low
Council rep to Homelessness Coalition could pursue information on allocation of resources/ County-wideHomeless Board also to consider agenda from Council representative for review of HUD Funding and distribution to cities; to include review of Homeless Coalition role. An agenda item has been requested to at contracting out HMIS and doing an RFP for a new lead agency/Police to work with WCCS Outreach Coordinator to work with County on grant funding WCCS $40k outreach funding approved by city council August 5th. In process of bringing HEART Personnel on-board with police department. NOFA funding application in progress.Julian Sanchez from SoCo DHS HEART commenced with the police department Jan 20th, 2026 and is progressing very well, working collaboratively with the police dept staff to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
$ 40,000 $10,000.00 Yes
3 Revisit Infrastructure for
back up of City
emergency systems
The feasibility study will explore both
short-term and long-term solutions,
ensuring that the EOC remains
operational during power outages or
emergencies. The final report will
include analysis, recommendations,
and cost estimates.
Public Works/
Police
$20,000 is for feasibility
for full building
assessment
Moderate
The feasibility study will include a site assessment, evaluation of short-term and long-term power solution, regulatory review, cost analysis, and a feasibility study report. The short term solution would look at running the dispatch operations and setting up the EOC in one room and determining additional portable generator that might be needed to supplement the existing 40kW generator. The long term solution would consider cost of replacing the existing 40 KW generator with the needed amount that would support the EOC operations.
Complete Included in CIP
(#1002-25.04) $15,000.00 No
Add CIP project when Feasibility
Study is complete for long term
power. This will require a new
generator at the Police Station to
support the EOC.
Public Works/
Police
Funding of long-term
solution
$400000/$150,000
currently funded in Fund
103.
High
The existing generator at the Police Station is a 40kW size generator that can only supply power to the dispatch center. A vendor quote of $400k was obtained for a new 400kW generator that can support the entire building. This does not include electrical upgrades needed to support the larger generator. A feasibility study will identify the optimum size of the generator needed. Staff is also looking at immediate temporary generator of $105,000 - more details to come Feasibility Study Complete. Design underway and construction in FY27 CIP (#1002-25.04) $ 420,000 $0.00 Yes 4 Improve Emergncy
Preparedness; Update
Emergency Operations
Plan
Improve Emergncy Preparedness;
Update Emergency Operations Plan Police
Staff time -
insufficient staff and
time to dedicate to
the detailed review of
the plan that is
required
$40,000 budgeted in FY
25 26 for EOC
Assessment/equipment;
Police submitted
Emergency Operations
Plan Update to county
oes for review.
High
The timeline is dependent on the availability of time. Former Chief believed that the dept would need consultant assistance to make significant progress and this has merit, as the current chief does not have an administrative assistant, records supervisor and only recently filled the Lt position full time, along with daily operational duties and filling patrol shifts as necessary. The current chief has been working on EOC and EOP around these considerations.
• Sept 2025 – Emergency Operations Center assessment in progress; Chief has been attending various table top exercises with county and nearby city stakeholders to ascertain further information for design of EOC and EOP July through October 2025. • October 2025 – Equipment purchased for EOC ordered.
• November 2025 – Equipment ordered for EOC installed/delivered. 1st draft Emergency Operations Plan over at County DEM for review.
• December 2025 – Review of 1st draft plan completed. Draft documents will be made publicly available after council review when community feedback will be solicited. • January 2026 – EOP submitted to City Attorney for review before being offered for community feedback and again placed on council agenda. Plan draft has been adjusted/updated after initial council review in December 2025 and submitted to city attorney for a review Jan 22nd, 2026.
Upon receipt of approval by city attorney, plan will be made available for public opinion and then back to council for their consideration in March, 2026. Proposed to be completed by end of 2026 FY
$ 40,000 $8,113.11
No -work completed to
EOC, Carryover for
emergency operations
plan
Training will be Ongoing
Update Hazard Mitigation Plan Building/ Public
Works N/A Budget has $10k toward Conty MJHMP High State Mandate; Deadline for next update is: December 2026 City is Participaing in the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) led by County of Sonoma. Draft due June 2026 $ 10,000 $0.00 No SAFE Program Council liaison/
Police N/A Seek to be county
funded Low To monitor County activity
Chief has been liaising with SAFE in Petaluma and they have advised of a recent scandal which has necessitated that they not expand or modify their services whatsoever for at least 1-2 years.
As such, it is not possible for Sebastopol to procure their services at this time. There is still no anticipated date for this program being available for the city to consider as of 1/2026 $ - $0.00 Council Coasideration
5 Community Emergency
Response Team – County
free offerings
Communciate with Chief Helfin and
Dr. Nancy Brown on Free Trainings
Offered for CERT
City Manager/
Council
Liaison/Police
Staff time to dedicate Staff time Low
Dr Nancy Brown is leading our county's emergency response department. Her department received a grant and started running CERT trainings, the first being in Petaluma last Fall. Her thoughts are that all cities could encourage folks to become CERTS so that they could be deployed throughout the county when needs arise. This way no one city has to spend time on trainings, managing certifications and incurring perceived liabilities.Sebastopol Neighborhood Communications Unit (SNCU)/For training purposes and emergency response: Purchasing and installing two 50-watt GMRS base stations inside the Sebastopol police station, one for use of the police department and the other to allow SNCU net control volunteers to communicate with radios throughout the City.Budget:
Two 50-watt GMRS base stations $210 x 2 $420
Two AC/DC regulated power supplies $140 x 2 $280
Two external mast-mounted antennas,
plus cable and fittings, estimated $2,000
Total $2,700
We will also ask for a working space within the Police Department, perhaps some counter space in the room now used for forensics.
CERT are included in the 1st draft EOP as a volunteer group that can be called on by the Director of Emergency Services for the city in the event of an emergency where their assistance is deemed necessary. The PD are supportive of having them on standby and can assist in promoting their free trainings on receipt of any information that they wish to push out to the community, such as sharing any social media or website information that they may wish to promote to our residents. The PD staff do not have the bandwidth to be facilitating or running any trainings on behalf of volunteer groups at this time due to staffing levels and would submit that CERT, not being a city organization, would be responsible for organizing trainings. The PD are happy to support their effort and if at all possible, provide the police department training room for any potential suitability for that training.
N/A Council Coasideration
ONE YEAR GOALS THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026
Goal 2: Public Safety
Strengthen the public’s safety and improve the quality of life. Includes supporting our first responders (police, fire, public works), responding to emergencies, protecting people, property, and businesses, and engaging in emergency preparedness community outreach, public education and Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
6 Coalition of
Housing/Keep County or
review non-profit/change
lead agencies
This action plan is similar to goal
above/consider combining this goal
with goal above. Pursue New Countywide Lead Agency for Homelessness City Manager/
Council
Liaison/Police
Ability to dedicate
staff time Staff time Low The Board of the Homelessness Coalition has the authority to replace the County as the Lead Agency for homelessness; the City has a seat on that Board.
WCCS have remained a service provider to the city under the police budget and the SoCo DHS have in partnership with the city, offered a HEART member be positioned at the PD to offer assistance to the unhoused community. Julian Sanchez from SoCo DHS HEART commenced with the police department Jan 20th, 2026 and is progressing very well, working collaboratively with the police dept staff to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
N/A Yes
7 Keeping drugs out of
town / drug enforcement/
needle exchange
Increased foot presence of police
officers downtown/ TheCity also
reviewed a request for a harm
reduction vending machine (also
known as wellness supply vending
machine) that woudld be dispensing
naloxone (used to rescue people
overdosing from opioids), fentanyl
test strips, pregnancy & COVID tests,
condoms, feminine hygiene products,
dental hygiene kits, personal hygiene
kits (soap, shampoo, tissues, etc.),
and socks. Council has not reviewed
this item as a whole.
Police Staffing levels &
vacancies Only staff time Low
Direction issued to PD staff to perform foot patrols where possible and this has been occurring. 789 foot patrols by patrol officers from 3/1/2025 through to 12/8/2025. Police chief is also making regular foot patrols of downtown, the Barlow district, local businesses and stopping to engage with children and community members. In addition, Public Works Director met with West County Health for possible placement of harm reduction vending machine targeting youth.
There is some consideration being given to the installation of free NARCAN being made available at locations yet to be determined and agreed to. Further discussion necessary, though the police chief suggests that if a location is supported in the city, that the Library may be most appropriate location. This NARCAN dispensing location was before city council January 20th, 2026 and the location provided on the corner of McKinley and N Main was rejected (not a location ever supported by the police chief) and sent back for further consideration for other locations potentially more suitable.
Part of current duties as time permits during daily operations and calls for service Narcan has been completed N/A Narcan completed, Carryover for patrols Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Strategy/Project ACTION PLAN Department
Responsible Constraints Potential Costs to City Budget Level of Effort Additional Notes Status of Item FY25-26 Funding $ spent as of
12/15/25 Carryover
1 Caltrans grant –
Sustainable
transportation
Staff to create with consultant a
proposed project and funding list. Planning Staffing
Main Street STG Planning
Grant Local Match for staff
time of $27,622 to be paid
from Traffic Impact Fee Fund.
FY24-25, local match
estimated expenses of
$3,178 which leaves $24,444
in FY25-26
Medium No additional costs; part of STG grant; In Kind staff support costs = $24,444
Completed and signed resolution 6695-2025. PC and
CC have selected a preferred alternative; Dragt Plan
to return in April (PC) and May (CC)
N/A No
2 Potholes/Street
Resurfacing
Continue annual pavement repairs
and repaving program where needed,
as identified in the City's approved
Pavement Management Program
Budget Report. Resurfacing projects
are limited by budget. The first year of
the program will focus on digouts and
repairs of severely impacted streets.
Staff to create a list of areas for
limited area digout and resurface
(spot repairs).
Public Works
Budget limits any
significant resurfacing
projects.
$500,000 High Digout Repair List approved. Street rebuild project will be presented to Council 4/21.
Staff prepared a grant application for the City's 5-year paving program and submitted 0n 8/2/25. Public
Works is developed a list of locations. Palm Ave and
Strout are going back to Council 04/21
$ 500,000 $5,401.84 Yes
3 Wastewater
Pipes/Infrastructure/Sew
er master plan
Flood Resiliency Master Plan Public Works $155,000 High Contract awarded 10/7/25 Wood Rodgers is developing GIS database converted from CAD for Santa Rosa review. $ 169,000 $38,048.75 Yes Sewer Master Plan Public Works $157,000 High Contract Award will be presented to Council at the 4/21 mtg Underway $ 157,000 $132,634.00 Yes 4 Storm Drain Plan –
Removal of silt from
Calder Creek Pipeline
This project will be addressed in the
Flood Resiliency Plan that is currently
underway. The work is for removal of
silt in the Calder Creek pipeline and
the first order of work is to prepare
plans, specification, estimate, and
permitting. The cost of the silt
dredging is very high and staff will
need to pursue grants, if any.
Public Works
High cost of what should
be an on going
maintenance item; $200k
for assessment;, $2M for
dredging work. Update:
PW has received an
alternative proposal and
plans to advance this
project this summer
$250,000 High Alternative methodology suggested by Flood Resiliency Master Plan consulant has lead to significant cost reduction
Flood Resiliency Master Plan will have cost for silt
removal.
Flood
Mitigation
Funds (FY27) -
$256,026
$0.00 Yes
5 CUSP Grant Application
for Phase I of
Naturalization of Calder
Creek and Ives Park
Staff to work cooperatively with CUSP
pending granting agencies' responses
to Council approved grant
applications. Staff to create a list of
projects that can be done that follows
the master plan and not nterfere with
the grant.
Planning and Public
Works
Staffing and Subject to
Grant awards None Moderate to
High
Two reciprocal matching grant application resolutions approved by Council on 4.15.25. Next steps depend on status of grant award.
CUSP is preparing to submit grant applications that
would allow design work to proceed. N/A Yes
6 Implementation of Rotary
Centennial Plan (with
revisioning of ives park)
Council review first
Staff to work with Rotary on Plan
Review/Item to be returned to Council
for consideration
Planning and Public
Works Staffing None Low
Construction work is by Rotary. Public Work will request plans and review them. Update: Public Works to meet with Rotary and CUSP to align project and path forward 4/3/26
Since staff, Rotary, and CUSP had met the Rotary has
taken this item off any future Planning Commission
agendas as they work throuhg some redesigns. PD
Parks Subcommittee formed 3/25 and tasked with
resolving conflicts in plans.
N/A Yes
7 Well 4 (updates/funding)
Issue RFP for engineering services to
develop standard plans &
specifications.
Public
Works/Engineering Construction costs 0-$400,000 for design High Contract to complete test well and design was approved by Council 3/17/26. Moving forward with design in 2026 RFP Complete. Design work in 2026. N/A $0.00 Yes 8 SCTCA Funding Plan
Cycle/Bodega Ave Bike
Lanes. SCTCA Funding
Plan Cycle 2
Continue to engage with SCTA
TAC and represent the City's
interests in pursuit of Go
Sonoma grant funding. Staff
has provided a list of
transportation projects as part
of the "Move Sonoma 2050"
plan. Next Call for Projects is
estimated to occur in June
2025.
Public
Works/Engineering
Larger grant projects for
Go Sonoma projects are
listed in the Move Sonoma
2050 plan and based on
federal grant funding
available to SCTA.
Local match (min. 15%)
required for Go Sonoma
grants
Moderate
This is an ongoing task as part of the SCTA TAC that public works staff attends. Staff can provide as needed updates as part of the monthly department reports.
Completed.
Submitted grant for SCTCA in Dec 2025. Waitng to
hear back on potential funding in FY26-27
N/A Yes
ONE YEAR GOALS THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026
Goal 3: Infrastructure
Maintaining High Quality Infrastructure, Facilities and Services includes repairing/replacing outdated city facilities, improving streets, stormwater and wastewater infrastructure.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
9 EIFD
Item on hold until June 2025; when
we hope to know more about the
likelihood of our obtaining the full ½
cent from Measure U.
City Manager Staffing Future costs unknown at this
time.
The EIFD Ad Hoc and staff met with the County and Kosmont in early April. Kosmont has completed initial work on the impact of an EIFD on the General Fund. With our projections showing years of deficits unless other significant revenues materialize, we agreed to put this on hold until June, when we hope to know more about the likelihood of our obtaining the full ½ cent from Measure U. We are now on pause until that all shakes out. In the meanwhile, Kosmont is coordinating with Supervisor Hopkin's office on some additional analysis in unincorporated area and a potential briefing to the full board on this work this summer.
Council approved Resolution of Intention Dec 2nd.
Once committee assignmetns were approved, staff
holds committee meeting. Council working with
Supervisor on funding for next step
N/A Council
Consideration
10 ADA walk way in Ives Park
Finalize plans for Ives Park Segment 2
ADA path from restroom to parking lot
and prepare specifications and
updated costs. This project is in the
CIP.
Public Works Funding $180,000 plus staff time to
perform inspection in house
Moderate to
High
The plans are 80% complete and would need to be finalized, specs prepared and then bid. Cost is estimated at $180,000 for final design and construction. Funded with Measure M Parks.
Project is programmed in FY 27 CIP utilizing Measure
M Funding $ 180,000 $0.00 Yes
11 Items below added from
September 2024
Approved Goals list:
Water / Sewer Master
Plan. City buildings
Water Master Plan Public Works $115,000 High
This project was approved in FY 2024-25 and is already underway .
Council can be provided project updates in the monthly Department updates.
Engineering work is ongoing.List of preliminary CIP
projects was presented to council 12/2. $ 115,000 $75,459.00 Yes Pursue Trench Cut ordinance
so contractors working on City
streets pay for repairs
Public Works Minimal Medium Develop ordiance using existing neighboring cities as an example.
Prepare City Council agenda item.
Not yet started due to other ordinance and policy
priorities. N/A Yes
Develop schedule for replacing
major components of
buildings, and determine
amount of funding needed and
to be set aside each year.
Public Works
Extensive assessment of
city facilities needs to be
done first.
Unknown High This is a best practice in financial management, typically prepared by consultant w/input from City staff. Not yet started. N/A Yes Fleet: Develop Replacement
Plan & Electrification of City
Fleet and State Air Board
compliance
Public Works
PG&E sponsored grant to
make electrical
improvements needed to
accommodate electrical
chargers.
Initial project costs for
enginering support is
estimated to be $40 to $50k
High
There will be two applications for both city sites, which include the Police Department and the Corporation Yard. We can likely lease instead of purchase some vehicles which may be more cost-effective.
State electrification mandate likely infeasible. Implementation costs are about $150,000 to $200,000 for each site. Staff will reach out to Sonoma Clean Power to see if they can participate through a grant.
Need to coordiate with PG&E and Sonoma Clean
Power about Grants. N/A Yes
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Strategy/Project ACTION PLAN Department
Responsible Constraints Potential Costs to City Budget Level of Effort Additional Notes Status of Item FY25-26 Funding $ spent as of
12/15/25 Carryover
1 Achieving staffing/
Program targets that
match best standards
and
efficiency/operational
staffing
efficiencies/baseline
budgets/performance
management
Review staffing assessment study and work to
match staffing levels with service demand and
seasonal trends.
Human Resources/
Administrative
Services/City
Manager
Funding for
Staffing Dependent Upon position High
The classification study job specifications will be presented to the Council by July 1, 2025, for those without fiscal impacts.
Meanwhile, work will continue with the HR Advisor and City Manager to address additional classification changes and equity adjustments during the FY25-26 budget process. The HR Advisor and City staff are also working on implementing staffing recommendations from the recently amended staffing assessment study, aligning them with business needs. The City will return to the Council as opportunities arise.
Public Works Director
onboarded; Recruiting
Planning Director
N/A
No ((Ongoing)It'll be a
routine item for continue
recruitments )
2 City Council Protocols
and Procedures
City Management/
Ad Hoc Committee High City Council review policies on an ongoing basis during City Council Meetings. ONGOING N/A Yes 3 RFP for HR Management
Administrative
Services/ City
Manager
Medium RFPs for various consultants
has been issued N/A No
4 Avoid builder remedy
A.Staff is actively processing Housing element
updates (completed) and implementation to
remain in compliance (underway)
Planning Staff time None Moderate to
High
First round (critical items)
completed January 2026. PC
Subcommittee working on
further implementation during
2026
N/A Yes
5 Housing Element
Implementation/Associat
ion of Bay Area
Government (ABAG)
Priority Development
Grant
PDA Grant will assist in implementing the
cetified Housing Element Planning Staff time
None/ABAG Grant of
$190,000 ; $40,000 for City
Administrative Staff Time;
$150,000 ABAG to retain for
consultant costs
Moderate to
High
This potential issue is much less of an issue for Sebastopol than other County jurisdictions but we are being proactive about remaining in compliance with our Housing Element
program. City Attorney Mog has provided a memo for
information on the Builder's Remedy /Partially Implements Housing Element Program; ABAG hiring consultant to start in September.
Consultant selected and PDA
Grant kicked off early 2026;
contract to CC this spring
N/A Yes
6 Evaluate Replacement of
SMART Gov permitting
system
Staff has reviewed several different vendors and
has received one proposal. Current system is
paid for through June of next year and we would
be looking at starting any replacement a few
months before that. We have been working with
current vendor getting some upgrades make
current program better.
Planning/ Building/
Admin Services/
Public Works
Newer programs
are much more
expensive
$30,000 up front and an
addition $10,000-$20,000
per year.
Moderate Our current system is difficult to work with, contributes to inefficient processes, slows the review of projects.
Under Review. We are
continuing to interview
alternative vendors as a
possible replacement to our
current vendor.
N/A Yes
7 Replace CIP Software Public Works/ Admin
Services High
CIP budget uses two software packages (Breeze and
Springbrook) that do not communicate with each other.
Identify a single CIP budget preparation and project budget tracking software so that the communication process is
mechanized and not performed manually.
Will revisit in FY 2026-27 due
to costs. N/A Yes
8 Restoring public trust
Acknowledge and Address Past
Issues/openly share decisions, data,
and reasoning/Use plain language in
communication/Set measurable goals
and report progress/create
independent oversight/respond to
feedback visibly and
respectfully/include goals in agenda
items and demonstrate them in
decisions.
All Departments High Ongoing
ONGOING - STAFF CONTINUES
TO REVIEW WAYS TO
INCREASE PUBLIC TRUST
N/A Ongoing
ONE YEAR GOALS THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026
Goal 4: High Performance Organization
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
9 IT Audit (approved during
earlier Council Meeting)
Conducting an IT audit to assess the city's IT
needs before going out to a Request for Proposal
(RFP) for IT support services. The audit would
focus on various aspects such as system
hardware, software, security, internal and
external IT standards, and the efficiency and
effectiveness of the IT system.The goal is to
ensure that the IT infrastructure is robust,
secure, and aligned with the city's objectives.
Administrative
Services/ City
Manager
None at this time
Costs of Audit will be known
once RFPs are returmed to
the city.
High
Working on a cost/proposal for City wide IT audit first (then RFP for IT Services). Should include determining replacement schedule and funding for IT equipment, and assessment of current software and systems. This could include CIP,
Permitting, Records Management System, and/or Finance
software listed elsewhere.
RFP was issued in Jan 2026.
Received 6 responses and
currently under review. Will be
completed June 2026
N/A No
10 Improve Public
Communications
Staff to work on creating a communications plan
to help develop a bond of trust between the City
and our community/Align messages with
organizational values and public interests/Set
goals for awareness, understanding, trust, and
participation/use plain language—avoid jargon,
acronyms, and bureaucratic tone/focus on
transparency, empathy, and honesty.
All Departments High Ongoing
This is ongoing; contine to
explore ways to increase
communications/providing
information to the public
/increasing transparency.
N/A Ongoing
11 Shared Services Communicate benefits and impacts,
not just procedures or policies. All Departments Would utilize savings from vacant position to fund.
Staff has reached out to other
cities and as of the writing of
this report, there were no
known opportunities for shared
services.
N/A Yes
12 Cross Training of
Administrative
Staff/Actions from
Class and Comp
Study and Staffing
Assessment
First step is on-going in the we
anticipate Building moving to City hall
in the next thirty days. That will allow
another admin staff (1 FTE) to move to
City Hall and cross train into other
areas/Retitling of Positions;
Reclassification/recruitment for
positions
Building/ ACM None
$10,000 - this will be used for
scanning and storage of
documents for space saving
(This is within the FY 24 25
budget
High This is the first step of streamlining City government and create cross training for city employees
Building Departmetn now
located in city hall; Two Admin
Techs onboarded
N/A Ongoing
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Strategy/Project ACTION PLAN Department
Responsible Constraints Potential Costs to City Budget Level of Effort Additional Notes Status of Item FY25-26 Funding $ spent as of
12/15/25 Carryover
1 Balanced Budget
To achieve a balanced budget, review the current financial status and set clear goals. Explore new revenue sources and reduce non-essential spending. Regularly monitor and adjust the budget, plan long-term, and update financial policies. This ensures financial stability and sustainability.
Lead: City
Administration/
Administrative
Services
Contributing: ALL
DEPARTMENT
Achieving a balanced budget can be difficult due to
revenue shortfalls, increased expenditures, and
economic downturns. Policy changes and unforeseen
events like natural disasters can also disrupt budget
plans. Deferred maintenance leads to higher future
costs. Inadequate financial planning further contributes to budget imbalances.
Achieving a balanced budget
demands substantial effort
and collaboration from all
departments. It involves
continuous monitoring and
adjustments to ensure we live
within our means, while
implementing cost-saving
measures when necessary.
Treating public funds with the same care and
responsibility as one would theirs own personal
money. This means not spending more than what
is incoming and making thoughtful, prudent
decisions to ensure financial stability. By regularly
monitoring expenditures and making necessary
adjustments.This approach ensures that public
resources are used efficiently and effectively,
benefiting the entire community.
The adopted FY25–26 budget continues to
reflect a surplus position, demonstrating
the City’s ongoing commitment to fiscal
responsibility. To ensure proactive
oversight and timely adjustments, the
Budget Committee has committed to
meeting on a monthly basis to review and
address any budget-related matters that
may arise throughout the fiscal cycle.
N/A Yes
2 Quarterly Financial
report/annual long
term budget
reductions
General Fund: A quarterly update is an essential tool for monitoring and managing the financial health of an
organization. It provides a snapshot of the financial
performance over the past three months, allowing City
Council to assess progress, identify trends, and make
informed decisions.
Lead: Administrative
Services
Contributing: ALL
DEPARTMENT
None Staff Time Moderate Routine reports
Provide ongoing quarterly updates to the
Budget Committee for review and
feedback, followed by an update to the
City Council for acknowledgment and
acceptance
N/A Ongoing
Enterprise Fund: A quarterly update is an essential tool for monitoring and managing the financial health of an
organization. It provides a snapshot of the financial
performance over the past three months comparing with
the water rate study model, allowing City Council to
assess progress, identify trends, and make informed
decisions.
Lead: Administrative
Services
Contributing: Public
Works/Engineering
None Staff Time Moderate Routine reports
Provide ongoing quarterly updates to the
Budget Committee for review and
feedback, followed by an update to the
City Council for acknowledgment and
acceptance
N/A Ongoing
TRUST FUND - 115 Administrative
Services None Staff Time Moderate Yearly Update on Pension trust Last updated on pension was in June 2025 N/A Ongoing 3 Measure U Priority
Resolution
reviewed during
Budget Process
This process is already incorporated in the FY25-26 budget discussion
Lead: Adminsitrative
Services None Staff Time High
Resolution utiized for review of use of Measure U
funds/City staff keeping track of expenditures
from Measure U fund; will provide information as
part of quarterly reports
Provide ongoing quarterly updates to the
Budget Committee for review and
feedback, followed by an update to the
City Council for acknowledgment and
acceptance
N/A Ongoing
4 Publish Reports on
Budget Illustrating
Budget (Budget at a
Glance)
A "Budget at a Glance" provides a concise overview of the financial plan. It highlights key financial metrics and summaries, making it easier for the public to understand the budget's main components without delving into
detailed documents.
Adminstrative
Services
Current staff is lack of specialized skills in financial design and presentation. Crafting a clear, concise, and visually appealing budget summary requires expertise in graphic design, which is not be readily available with
current staff
$5,000 for a 12-Pager
$7,000 for a 24-Pager High
Creating a professional and polished "Budget at a
Glance" is challenging due to the lack of resources
and specialized skills required for producing
graphic visual summaries. Our team does not
have the expertise needed to design and
implement these visual elements effectively. Staff
could review current practices to create clear
graphs (such as pie charts) for easier read and
transparency
4 pages of Budget at a Glance was
developed by staff and posted on city
website.
N/A Ongoing
5 Diversify City
Revenue base
Support small business growth and entrepreneurship
through grants, and regulatory streamlining.
Promote tourism, cultural districts, and local events to increase visitor spending/Collaborate with private
investors for infrastructure, development projects, or
service delivery.
Planning/City
Manager/Finance
Lack of brick and mortor shops with the advent of
Amazon Etc
None- To be completed
within departmental
budget OUTSIDE
CONSULTANT SUPPORT
WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED
Medium Staff to reconsider reinstituting the façade
improvement program
With direction from the Budget
Committee we could revive the façade
improvement program to focus on
beautifical of the downtown businesses.
This item if directed by the Budget
Committee it would come back to a mid
year budget review in 2026.
N/A
Yes (Façade
improvement
grants)
6 Update Financial
Policies/Ensure
meets CIRA
Staff would need to consult with CIRA Team and provide
them with the City current financial policy and request a review
Administrative
Services
Staff would need to devote time to ensure the approach
updating the financial policy not only meets CIRA
standard also need to meet governmental accounting
standard board (GASB) as well for local government
Staff Time to Coordinate
with CIRA High
Staff capacity remains limited at this time. To
ensure the updated financial policy aligns with
both CIRA standards and Governmental
Accounting Standards Board (GASB)
requirements for local governments, dedicated
time and resources will be necessary.
Progress is contingent on the availability
of staff to support this dual compliance
effort.
N/A Yes
7 Increasing Revenue
Base
To increase the city's revenue base, consider
implementing fee increases for services, introducing new fees or taxes, and applying for grants. Encouraging new construction and development projects can boost
property tax revenues. Engaging in public-private
partnerships and optimizing operational efficiency are
also effective strategies.
Planning/Admin
Services
Economic downturns can impact the effectiveness of
revenue-generating strategies. For example, during a
recession, new construction projects may slow down,
and residents may be less willing to accept fee
increases
None- To be completed
within departmental
budget MAY NEED
OUTSIDE FUNDING
High
We have adopted Resolution 6592-2024 which
raised permit fees for construction by about 18-20
percent. We also passed through Council in
November 2024, a resolution to raise building
valuations, which in-directly raises permit fees.
Draft RFP prepared for Impact Fee Study
and Use Fee Study. Currently working with
several debvelopers on new projects
including the Barlow Hotel. We are
expecting to permit summer 2026.
N/A Yes
8 Update of Impact
Fees and More
Information
The staff will undertake a comprehensive review of the
2021 impact fee study to determine whether the fee
requires an update or if a complete new study should be conducted.
Building / Planning Staffing $80,000 Medium
Fee study is overdue. Changes in state law have
increased the cost of a new study (no longer just
an update). RFP underway; cost may exceed the
budgeted $70k USER FEE STUDY IS ALSO DUE IN
2026; RFP will include as as optional task so we
can get rough costs and potential economy of
scale
There are new statutory requirements for
impact fees and providing more user
friendly access to information about the
fees. Draft RFP for Impact Fees has been
prepared and anticipated to be released
by end of April 2026
$ 70,000 $0.00 Yes
ONE YEAR GOALS THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026
Goal 5: Long Term Financial Sustainability
Achieving Greater Fiscal Resilience and Long Term Fiscal Sustainability Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
9 Grants from
Regional Bodies
Identify Relevant Regional Funding Sources/Partner with neighboring municipalities, nonprofits, on joint
proposals/Engage external grant consultants if resources are limited.
All Departments Staff time/lack of grant writer experience VARIES - matching funds
typically required; grant
administrative costs can
also be high
Medium
City staff represenatives and alterates to regional
bodies will provide monthly updates to council of
upcoming grant opportunities from regional
boards.
City has submnitted for the following
grants: Cultural Arts District; SCTCA
Grants; NOFA Measure O grants; Sonoma
County TIF Funds and will submit for T
Mobile Grant
N/A Yes
10 Review of Zoning
Codes for
streamlining of
permitting
In process; Planning Commission has appointed a
subcommittee to evaluate Housing related Zoning Code
updates
Planning Staffing; Funding
Zoning Code changes are
expensive: community
outreach, publication
costs for multiple
hearings, heavy PD and CA
time costs; codification
expenses. Budget $10k for
2026
High None. Similar to Goal 4-4 N/A Yes
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
Strategy/Project ACTION PLAN Department
Responsible Constraints Potential Costs to City Budget
Level of
Effort Additional Notes Status of Item FY25-26 Funding
$ spent as of
12/15/25 Carryover
1 Growing Businesses Together /"Requested to be
Retitled to: Economic Gardening Program"
City staff to work withto create a town hall or
business event.Launch an Economic
Gardening program that grows home-grown
businesses—especially artisan food, farm-totable, and boutique manufacturers—by boosting retention, expansion, and high-value
job creation while using minimal City staff
time and cost.
Planning/ CM Staffing; Funding $3000/20 hours
staff time High
This includes an event and on-going support to promote
local businesses using an approach tried in other
communities. Business 2 Business Support program
could be a potential initiative if/when an Economic
Development Strategy project is developed.• Higher
local sales, more visitors stopping, stronger brand as a “foodie/artisan hub.”
• Job and wage growth with low public cost (far cheaper than recruitment incentives).
• Durable public-private communication channel,
reducing friction on permits and policy.
Listening session accomplished
9/30/25 with all departments in
attendance. First event held
3/26/26 (Councilmember Carter).
N/A Council
Consideration
2 Presentation from new CDD on economic
development/plans/strategy/ responsibility of
who (what department) is keeping track of
businesses?/ How we are working as part of
economic development /working with brokers
who are working with people who are seeking
spaces/how develop relationships
Develop Economic Development Strategy Planning/ CM/
Admin Services Staffing; Funding
None- To be
completed within
departmental
budget
High
Scope for PDA project is being
adjusted to add economic vitality
data that will be needed for a
future vibrancy/economic
development plan.
N/A Yes
3 Finalize Completion of Permitting for Barlow
Hotel
Staff curently working with developer to
finalize construction plans. Expected
completion late fall. Expect permit to be ready
to issue in February 2026 if developer
continues to follow through.
Planning/ City
Manager/
Building/ Public
Works
Financial constraints
for developer is the
main constraint.
Lower intrest rates
would help
High Development Agreement approved July 2025
Land Use Entitlement Completed.
Expecting plan submittal for
construction by September 2026
N/A Yes
ONE YEAR GOALS THROUGH JUNE 30, 2026
Goal 6: Economic Development
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
GOAL 1 Community Vitality
Strategies/Priorities ACTION /TASK
Carter Hinton Maurer McLewis Zollman
Councilmember Priorities
1 Downtown History Walk (bronze plaques or markers); “I ���� Sebastopol” week-long event.
2 WESCO Urban Multi-Sport Facility (youth
soccer/pickleball/basketball) at Youth Annex – shovel-ready 3 Volunteer Program with Coordinator
4 Charles Schulz Peanuts/Snoopy public art sculpture
Public Input
5 Preserve local character / support small businesses / avoid chain stores (42 responses)
6 Traffic, parking, and street configuration concerns (26) 7 Infrastructure repairs including roads and sidewalks (20) 8 Downtown cleanliness, safety, and homelessness (16) Review of continued removal of old/and installation of new garbage cans; work with Chamber of Commerce to
provide/maintain flower baskets; conduct police patrols; utilize WCCS and HEART personnel for homeless
9 Public spaces, parks, arts, and community events (13) (Can merge with Staff Priority of 125th Centennial Celebration)
City Council ad hoc committee created for Centennial; work with organizations such as Chamber or BID for events to be held downtown
City Staff New/Revised/Carryover Priorities
10 Pomo and public art Mural funded for $3000; Public Arts to continue work on this project
11 Festive Activities / Holiday Events Review of installing electricity in the downtown light poles rather than using solar lights for trees; work with Chamber on window decorations
12 Public Arts Committee Requested Return to Monthly Meetings Return to Monthly versus bi monthly meetings (staff to review work plan)
VALUES/GOALS FOR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS/ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE ITEMS INCORPORATED INTO DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS:
1 Support community events with city sponsorship and reduction of fees
2 Clean up of Graffiti
3 Land acknowledgement on all city agendas
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
GOAL 2 Public Safety
Strategies/Priorities ACTION /TASK
Carter Hinton Maurer McLewis Zollman
Councilmember Priorities
1 Joe Rodota Trail Corridor Safety – vegetation management, sight-line improvements, blackberry removal
2 Increase police foot patrols downtown (Merged with former approved Council goal: Keeping drugs out of town / drug enforcement/ needle exchange)
Increased downtown foot patrols by Police Personnel
Public Input
3 Homelessness enforcement / public space management / drug activity concerns (24) (This can be merged with item 2 above) Increased downtown foot patrols by Police Personnel; Increase patrols in City Parks and trails
4 Traffic enforcement and speed control (22); (Can be merged with Staff priority: Traffic enforcement; community policing; walking downtown; walking the plaza and parks routinely)
Increase Community Policing and Visibility and traffic
enforcement
5 Increased police visibility and community policing (18) Increase Community Policing and Visibility 6 General satisfaction with current services (17)
City Staff New/Revised/Carryover Priorities
7 Prioritize public safety through programs and initiatives that assist the Council, City departments and the community prepare for a major disaster and continue disaster preparedness with a regional approach
Finalize Emergency Operations Plan; Conduct Trainings for City Council and City Staff (especially City staff appointed to EOC during emergencies) (See Item 12 below)
8 Prioritize volunteer programs to enhance public safety, support the Police Department in non-enforcement duties and improve community relations by engaging in a variety of community service roles.
Continue to work on volunteer programs such as the
community service volunteer program; mounted horse unit 9 Evaluate industry’s best practices in public safety delivery models and identify potential opportunities to adapt and expand capacities, including a focus on staffing strategies and limiting reliance on overtime
10 Explore Ways to Address Homelessness/ Pursue no additional costs and or low cost solutions to homelessness
a. Homelessness: Ordinance to restrict sleeping or sitting that blocks public access to buildings and on sidewalks b. County-wide allocation of Homelessness Resources
c. SAFE Program
11 Update/Finalize Emergency Operations Plan o Finalize Emergency Operations Plan Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
o Conduct Trainings for City Council and City Staff
(especially City staff appointed to EOC during
emergencies)
12 Community Emergency Response Team – County free offerings Continue to work with County to distribute through all media channels all available trainings
13 Infrastructure for back up of City emergency systems (Emergency Operations Center Generator)
Add CIP project when Feasibility Study is complete for long term power. This will require a new generator at the Police Station to support the EOC.
14 Coalition of Housing/Keep County or review non-profit/change lead agencies
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
GOAL 3 Infrastructure
Strategies/Priorities ACTION /TASK
Carter Hinton Maurer McLewis Zollman
Councilmember Priorities
1 Desktop feasibility study for Apple Blossom Trail ($35K); and Gravenstein Trail development (coordinated with downtown street reconfiguration)
2 Prioritize Laguna Wetlands Preserve care (including possible bathroom upgrade)
3 Traffic Ad Hoc Committee. Form and convene a Traffic Committee to address traffic, parking, and street configuration concerns
Public Input
4 Roads, potholes, and repaving (58 responses) (Can merge City Staff Priority: Potholes/Street Resurfacing)
5 Parks and public spaces including Ives Park (18) (Can merge City Staff priority of Street Paving)
o Utilize the Pavement Management Program (PMP) as a
foundational tool to guide roadway investments.
o Combined PMP recommendations with the CIP Program,
available funding, and community priorities
6 Bike infrastructure and trails (14)
7 Sidewalks and pedestrian safety (12)
8 Water and sewer infrastructure (11) (Can Merge with City Staff Priority: Wastewater Pipes/Infrastructure/Sewer master plan; Well 4 (updates/funding))
o Flood Resiliency Master Plan
o Sewer Master Plan
o Water Master Plan
City Staff New/Revised/Carryover Priorities
9 Advance Project Readiness for Grant and Funding Opportunities o Develop a portfolio of projects to at least 50% design across infrastructure sectors.
o Position the City to compete effectively for state and federal funding by maintaining “shovel-ready” projects. o Leverage both internal expertise and specialized
consultant support, as appropriate, to efficiently advance design.
10 Advance Implementation of the City’s Asset Management System o Continue building out and refining asset inventories, including stormwater and roadway systems, and
validating legacy data.
o Integrate work order tracking, maintenance activities, and inspection programs into a unified system.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
11 Deliver the FY 2026/27 Capital Improvement Program o Successfully implement the full suite of programmed CIP projects.
o Maintain focus on schedule, budget, and quality delivery. o Utilize a balanced approach of internal staff and
consultant resources to optimize project outcomes.
12 Storm Drain Plan – Removal of silt from Calder Creek Pipeline 13 CUSP Grant Application for Phase I of Naturalization of Calder Creek and Ives Park
City staff working with CUSP to submit grant applications. 14 Implementation of Rotary Centennial Plan (with revisioning of Ives Park)
Parks Ad Hoc Committee working with Rotary and CUSP for collaboration of projects.
15 SCTCA Funding Plan Cycle/Bodega Ave Bike Lanes. SCTCA Funding Plan Cycle 2
16 ADA walk way in Ives Park
17 Other:
a. Pursue Trench Cut ordinance so contractors working on City streets pay for repairs
b. Develop schedule for replacing major components of
buildings, and determine amount of funding needed and
to be set aside each year.
c. Fleet: Develop Replacement Plan & Electrification of City Fleet and State Air Board compliance
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
GOAL 4 High Performance Organization
Strategies/Priorities ACTION /TASK
Carter Hinton Maurer McLewis Zollman
Councilmember Priorities
1 Establish West County Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) – initial $20K scoping for legal/financial analysis to fund major capital needs (library/senior center, trails, etc.).
Subcommittee working to schedule meeting to discuss next steps needed to move forward.
2 Strengthen collaborative working relationships between the City and recognized labor unions through proactive communication, transparent processes, and early engagement on operational, budgetary and workforce issues
Public Input
3 Council responsiveness and listening to community input (23) 4 Fiscal management and reducing waste (20)
5 Staffing levels and filling City vacancies (11) (Can merge City Staff Goal: Support an environment of transparency, clear public communication, collaboration and teamwork. Enable the City to recruit, train and compete for talent and high-performing employees and ensure institutional knowledge is retained.)
City staff continues to recruit for vacant positions. As of the writing of this report, police staffing is close to full staffing; City has conducted two recruitments for Planning Director with no success and has initiated a second recruitment for Associate Planner. City staff is working to fill positions with permanent employees; but will also be reviewing a Request for Proposal for Planning Services dependent upon the outcome of the
recruitment.
6 Transparency, accountability, and public trust (10) City staff is committed to increase transparency, accountability and regaining public trust.
City Staff New/Revised/Carryover Priorities
7 Proactively manage the loss of institutional knowledge by documenting procedures, practices and processes and succession planning efforts including the ability to provide for overlap in critical positions.
City staff is creating Continuity of Operation Plans for City personnel.
8 Municipal Code Updates – City Wide
Update ordinances and policies to reflect current regulatory requirements, sustainability goals, and operational needs.
Items Include but not limited to:
o Water loss and construction water use
o Sidewalk maintenance and responsibility
o Non-functional turf and water efficiency
9 Strengthen Development Review Integration with all Departments o Reestablish leadership in the development review process to ensure infrastructure consistency and longterm maintainability.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
o Develop clear workflows and coordination protocols
across departments.
o Expand staff capacity and training to increase in-house capability, while continuing to partner with consultants where specialized expertise is needed.
10 City Council Protocols and Procedures Continue to work to create/update a City Council Protocol Handbook
11 Avoid builder remedy Develop and implement strategies to avoid triggering the builder’s remedy, including proactive housing element compliance and streamlined permitting processes
12 Housing Element Implementation/Association of Bay Area Government (ABAG) Priority Development Grant
13 Evaluate Replacement of SMART Gov permitting system/CIP Software or Other Software for Efficiency/Ease of Use
City staff to review / create RFP to review new vendors 14 Shared Services City Management and Human Resources continue to see solutions; currently working with City of Cloverdale
VALUES/GOALS FOR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS/ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE ITEMS INCORPORATED INTO DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS:
1 Achieving staffing/ Program targets that match best standards and efficiency/operational staffing efficiencies/baseline budgets/performance management
2 Restoring public trust
3 Improve Public Communications
4 Cross Training of Administrative Staff/Actions from Class and Comp Study and Staffing Assessment
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
GOAL 5 Long Term Financial Sustainability
Strategies/Priorities ACTION /TASK
Carter Hinton Maurer McLewis Zollman
Councilmember Priorities
1 Clean Energy Rate Competitiveness (SCPA 2026 IRP – GeoZone geothermal), GeoZone investment
2 Pavement Asset Management (preventive maintenance to avoid higher future costs).
3 Review cost allocation plan and make necessary adjustments City to continue to review cost allocation methodology. 4 Review pension/other benefits funding levels. Review uses of funds; increase/decrease funding amounts.
Public Input
5 Balanced budget concerns (32) (Can merge with City Staff Goal:
Ensure a fund's fiscal year-end balance estimate is positive; Balanced Budget)
6 New revenue generation such as tourism taxes (TOT) (28) (Can merge with City Staff Goal: Increasing Revenue Base; Diversify City Revenue base)
City staff meeting with Sonoma County Tourism to discuss ways to increase visitors to Sebastopol
7 Spending reductions and limiting consultant costs (24) Staff is working to implement protocols for limiting consultant costs and reviewing all City departments budgets for non-essential expenditures.
8 Interest in hotel development to increase TOT revenue (18) (Can merge with City Staff Goal: Barlow Hotel); and Facilitate the development of entitled and proposed hotels to increase local amenities and options for future visitors.)
o Staff currently working with developer to finalize
construction plans. Expected completion late fall. Expect permit to be ready to issue in February 2026 if developer continues to follow through.
o Continue to work with Hotel Sebastopol
City Staff New/Revised/Carryover Priorities
9 Review and evaluate reserve policies, including reserve levels and criteria governing the use of reserves. Evaluate the long-term structural balance of revenues and expenditures to maintain a sustainable General Fund
10 Invest in technologies that minimize low value-add processes, increase transparency in communications and most efficiently utilize our staff. Commit to continuous improvement in the communication of City financial information through a variety of media acknowledging that the City’s professional staff and consultants are obligated to conform to accounting and reporting standards in order to provide balanced financial information that informs policymakers.
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
11 Strive to achieve cost recovery goals for fee-based services 12 Reduce City utility costs by assessing and identifying strategies to increase efficiency and sustainability.
13 Conduct a comprehensive community engagement effort to build understanding of City services, finances, and budgetary limitations. 14 Continue to evaluate the most cost-effective method to provide services at a specified level that provides the City with flexibility in all economic conditions, including the use of contracted services, shared services, and regular and limited-term employees. 15 Implement efforts for improved business license compliance; strengthen code enforcement
16 Update Financial Policies/Ensure meets CIRA City staff to work with CIRA on updating financial policies 17 Update of Impact Fees and More Information City Staff conducting a Request for Proposal to review City Impact Fees/Update of User Fees
18 Grants from Regional Bodies Continue to research available grants/Could consider Request for Proposals for Grant Writer
VALUES/GOALS FOR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS/ARE CONSIDERED ROUTINE ITEMS INCORPORATED INTO DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS:
1 Quarterly Financial report/annual long term budget
reductions/Provides Quarterly Reports
a. General Fund: A quarterly update is an essential tool for monitoring and managing the financial health of an
organization. It provides a snapshot of the financial
performance over the past three months, allowing City
Council to assess progress, identify trends, and make
informed decisions.
b. Enterprise Fund: A quarterly update is an essential tool for monitoring and managing the financial health of an
organization. It provides a snapshot of the financial
performance over the past three months comparing with
the water rate study model, allowing City Council to
assess progress, identify trends, and make informed
decisions.
c. TRUST FUND - 115
2 Measure U Priority Resolution reviewed during Budget Process Incorporated into the budget process. 3 Publish Reports on Budget Illustrating Budget (Budget at a Glance)
Update Yearly Budget at a Glance
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026
GOAL 6 Economic Development
Strategies/Priorities ACTION /TASK
Carter Hinton Maurer McLewis Zollman
Councilmember Priorities
1 Renew Economic Gardening program budget; launch Downtown Business Listening Series + “Downtown Roots” recognition for longtenured businesses. (Can Merge with Staff Goal: City staff to work with to create a town hall or business event. Launch an Economic Gardening program that grows home-grown businesses—especially artisan food, farm-to-table, and boutique manufacturers—by boosting retention, expansion, and high-value job creation while using minimal City staff time and cost.)
Public Input
2 Strong support for local businesses and limiting chains (42) 3 Reuse of vacant commercial spaces (Rite Aid, CVS, etc.) (22) 4 Traffic and parking impacts on downtown businesses (20) 5 Reduce regulations and streamline permitting (16) (Can be merged with City staff goal: Review of Zoning Codes for streamlining of permitting/Continue streamlining development processes/policies) 6 Tourism promotion and hotel development (15) This can be merged with Goal 5; Item 6.
City Staff New/Revised/Carryover Priorities
7 Explore additional community event offerings and continue sponsoring non-profit events.
City continues to sponsor Events with Waiver of Fees and Co Sponsorship. This could be considered a part of day to day operations or merged with Goal 1; Item 9.
8 Identify and evaluate strategies to support local businesses, including bike racks, use of sidewalks for table service; parklets on selective streets; and selective street closures for events. 9 Develop Economic Development Strategy City staff would recommend that when a new planning director is hired; they work with the Chamber of Sonoma County Tourism and Economic Development Board to generate visitors to the City.
Could be combined with Goal 5; Item 6.
TOTAL: 68 Strategies/Priorities
Agenda Item Number: 1 Workshop Agenda Item Number: 1
City Council Goals Workshop Meeting Packet of: April 14, 2026