CITY OF SEBASTOPOL CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM REPORT FOR MEETING OF: May 5, 2026
=========================================================================================== To: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
From: Jane Riley – Interim Planning Director (Consultant: 4LEAF) Responsible Department: Planning
Subject: Urban County JPA – Adopt a Resolution to remain as a member in the Urban County Joint Powers Agreement
=========================================================================================== RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution to remain as a member in the Urban County Joint Powers Agreement, enabling the eight-jurisdiction Urban County to continue to participate in the federal CDBG, HOME, and ESG programs as an entitlement jurisdiction, including the City of Sebastopol.
PROCESS OF AGENDA ITEM:
• If the item remains on the Consent Calendar, no presentation is required, and the item will be approved as part of the Consent Calendar.
• If the item is removed from the Consent Calendar, it will be heard as a regular agenda item and will proceed as follows:
a. Presentation by staff
b. Council questions and discussion
c. Public comment
d. Council deliberation and action
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
In 2017, the City of Sebastopol became a member of the Sonoma “Urban County” Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) for the purpose of receiving housing and community development federal grant funds. The Department of Housing and Community Development (HUD) requires Urban Counties to requalify every three years. The City has remained a member of the JPA throughout each of the three previous renewal periods. As the administrator of the JPA, the Sonoma County Community Development Commission is required to request documentation of each participating jurisdiction’s intent to remain a member of the JPA (Exhibit A). This agenda item requests authorization to remain a member of the Urban County JPA.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Sebastopol is currently a member of a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with the County of Sonoma, which allows the City to be a part of the Urban County for access to federal grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). These funds include the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). HUDrequires thattheUrbanCounty re-qualify every three years to continue receiving annual allocation of these grants. The Urban County is currently comprised of County of Sonoma, the Town of Windsor and the cities ofCloverdale,Cotati, Healdsburg, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol, and Sonoma.
The Sonoma County Community Development Commission (Commission) acts as the administrator of the grant programs on behalf of the Urban County. The re-qualification process typically begins the spring before the upcoming three-year qualification period, which is 2027 through 2029.
DISCUSSION:
If the City of Sebastopol would like to continue to have access to the aforementioned federal grant programs through the Urban County, it must continue to be a member of the JPA. The City has the option to terminate the agreement and Agenda Item Number: 6 Agenda Item Number: 6
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be excluded from the Urban County, however, doing so would eliminate access to these federal grant programs via the Urban County; and the City would no longer be represented in the Cities and Towns Advisory Committee at the Commission. The City would have to apply to the state’s federal programs when they publish their notice of funding availability to access these funds. The last JPA was executed in 2017 and since then, the City has opted to continue being a member.
The City must inform the Commission of its intent to remain as a member of the JPA, to be excluded from the Urban County, or to terminate the JPA by no later than July 10, 2026. If the City does not respond, or fails to respond before the due date, the City will automatically remain in the Urban County for the period of 2027 through 2029.
STAFF ANALYSIS:
Continuation of the City’s status as a part of the Urban County JPA is required for continuing receipt of federal funding, including CDBG, HOME, and ESG (Emergency Solutions Grant).
CITY COUNCIL GOALS/PRIORITIES AND GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY:
Restoring Public Trust – Openly share decisions, data, and reasoning.
Improve Public Communications – Focus on transparency, empathy, and honesty. Communicate benefits and impacts, not just procedures or policies.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
This item was noticed in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act and was available for public viewing and review at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled meeting date.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
As of the writing of this staff report, the City has not received any public comment. However, if staff receives public comment from interested parties following the publication and distribution of this staff report, such comments will be provided to the City Council as supplemental materials before or at the meeting. In addition, public comments may be offered during the public comment portion of this item.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Remaining as part of the Urban County JPA will not have an adverse fiscal impact on the City. Membership in the JPA reduces the required staff time to apply for the listed federal funding programs.
RESTATED RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached resolution to remain a member in the JPA.
OPTIONS:
1) Direct staff to return with an alternative resolution to exclude the City from the Urban County JPA.
ATTACHMENT(S):
Draft Resolution 26-XX
Exhibit A – Letter from Sonoma County Community Development Commission dated April 6, 2026 APPROVALS:
Department Head Approval: JR Approval Date: ___4/20/2026______ Agenda Item Number: 6 Agenda Item Number: 6
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CEQA Determination (Planning): JR Approval Date: ___4/20/2026______ Environmental Review:
The action of remaining in the Urban County JPA is exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3). Remaining as a member of the JPA allows the City to continue to participate in federal funding programs as a grant beneficiary through the Urban County. Any potential project that receives funding through these federal programs will be subject to environmental review when and if the City receives an application.
Administrative Services/Financial Approval: Approval Date: ___4/20/2026___________ Costs authorized in City Approved Budget: ☐ Yes ☐ No R N/A (Future budget impacts are not known at this time and are dependent on City Council direction)
Account Code (if applicable) ___________________________ City Attorney Approval: Approval Date: __N/A___________ City Manager Approval: Approval Date: __4/20/2026___________ Agenda Item Number: 6 Agenda Item Number: 6
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RESOLUTION NUMBER: -2026
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL, TO CONFIRM THE CITY’S INTENT TO
CONTINUE PARTICIPATION IN THE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY OF SONOMA, TOWN
OF WINDSOR, AND THE CITIES OF COTATI, CLOVERDALE, HEALDSBURG, ROHNERT PARK, AND SONOMA,
INCLUDING THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL, COLLECTIVELY KNOWN AS THE URBAN COUNTY, FOR PURPOSES OF
RECEIVING FEDERAL GRANTS, SPECIFICALLY COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG), HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS (HOME), AND EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS GRANT (ESG) FROM THE U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT.
WHEREAS, on August 1, 2017 the City of Sebastopol previously entered into a Joint Powers Agreement (“Agreement”) for purposes of housing and community development federal grant funds; and WHEREAS, the City of Sebastopol previously renewed the Agreement for the Urban County requalification period of 2018 through 2020, 2021 through 2023, and 2024 through 2026; and WHEREAS, the City Council has determined that it is in the City’s best interest to continue as a participant of the Agreement to access critically needed federal funding for housing and non-community development projects, including public services, that serve lower income households in the City, NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the City Council of the City of Sebastopol does hereby adopt a resolution to:
1. Renew its membership in Joint Powers Agreement with the County of Sonoma for the requalification period of 2027 through 2029 to remain as a member of the Urban County for purposes of accessing federal funding grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
2. Authorize the City Manager, or her designee, to execute the Amended Agreement and related documents, subsequent amendments and modifications as is needed.
IT IS HEREBY CERTIFIED that the foregoing resolution was duly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Sebastopol held on May 05, 2026, by the following vote:
VOTE:
Ayes:
Noes:
Abstain:
Absent:
APPROVED: ________________________________________
Jill McLewis, Mayor
ATTEST: ________________________________________
Mary Gourley, Interim City Manager/City Clerk, MMC
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ________________________________________ Alex Mog, City Attorney
Agenda Item Number: 6 Agenda Item Number: 6
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