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City Council City Manager
Mayor Jill McLewis Mary Gourley
Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer [email protected]
Councilmember Phill Carter
Councilmember Neysa Hinton
Councilmember Stephen Zollman
CITY COUNCIL MEETING AGENDA
Regular Meeting of Tuesday, September 15, 2026
6:00 pm Start Time
Meeting to be held in Person and Virtual /Remote Participation In Person Location: Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472 City Council is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: City Council Meeting - September 15, 2026
Time: Sep 15, 2026 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting
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Meeting ID: 882 9329 3051
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COUNCIL PROTOCOLS FOR MEETING:
This in person and virtual/remote meeting is compliant with the Governor’s Executive Order allowing for a deviation of teleconference rules required by the Brown Act. Traditional Brown Act and AB 2449 requirements can be utilized for all City Council meetings as long as required notice and posting is conducted per the Brown Act.
Please Note the presiding member of the legislative body conducting a meeting or their designee may remove, or cause the removal of, an individual for disrupting the meeting. “Disrupting” means engaging in behavior during a meeting of a legislative body that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting.
PUBLIC COMMENT
Due to the length of recent City Council Meetings, it is strongly encouraged that written comments be submitted to the City Council by sending them by email to: [email protected] with either General Public Comment Written in the Subject Line or the Specific Agenda Item Number or Title Written in the Subject Line. Emails are distributed to the City Council as well as posted to the City Council meeting as public comment. Public Comment questions may be directed to City staff for a response at a later time.
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
REMOTE PARTICIPATION: This time is reserved for any Council Member to announce remote participation under the "Just Cause" provision of Government Code Section 54953.8.
SALUTE TO THE FLAG
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: The City of Sebastopol acknowledges that we live and work within the unceded ancestral homelands of the Southern Pomo and the Coast Miwok people. We pay our respect to the past, present, and future generations of these peoples, including the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria.
REMEMBERING THE HISTORY OF SEBASTOPOL
PROCLAMATIONS/PRESENTATIONS/INTRODUCTIONS:
• Creek Week and Pollution Prevention Week Proclamation • Proclamation Honoring Jim Corbett (Mr. Music)
• Proclamation Proclaiming September 2026 Latino Heritage Month • Proclamation – September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month STATEMENTS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: Conflicts of interest may arise in situations where a public official deliberating towards a decision, has an actual or potential financial interest in the matter before the Council. In accordance with state law, an actual conflict of interest is one that would be to the private financial benefit of a public official, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A potential conflict of interest is one that could be to the private financial benefit of a Councilmember, a relative or a business with which the Councilmember is associated. A Councilmember must publicly announce potential and actual conflicts of interest, and, in the case of actual conflict of interest, must refrain from participating in debate on the issue or from voting on the issue and must remove themselves from the dais.
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA (FIRST COMMENT PERIOD): Up to Twenty (20) Minute Time Limit (Two Minutes for up to ten speakers). Additional public comment will be held at the end of the discussion and action items for up to an additional twenty (20) minutes. Mayor has discretion to allow for additional time beyond the 20 minutes allocated for public comment dependent upon the subject matter or number of speakers.
Process for calling on Speakers: Mayor or designee shall ask for public comment as follows: Speakers to be called on in an alternate manner (One speaker in person to be called on first; then one speaker remote to be called on second with additional speakers to be called on in the same manner) based upon the time limit.
CONSENT CALENDAR: The consent agenda consists of items that are routine in nature and do not require additional discussion by the City Council or have been reviewed by the City Council previously. These items may be approved by one motion without discussion unless a member of the City Council requests that the item be taken off the consent calendar.
The Mayor will read aloud the title of each consent item (either full agenda title or a simplified version of the agenda title), and ask if a Councilmember wishes to remove one or more items from the consent calendar; and then open public comment to the members of the public in attendance. At this time, a member of the public may speak for up to two (2) minutes on the entire consent calendar and request at that time that an item or items removed for discussion.
If an item or items are removed from the consent calendar, the item shall be placed at the end of the regular agenda items unless otherwise determined by the Mayor. Council Members may comment on Consent Calendar items or ask for minor clarifications without the need for pulling the item for separate consideration. Items requiring deliberation should be pulled for separate consideration and shall be placed at the end of the regular agenda items unless otherwise determined by the Mayor.
1. Approval of City Council Meeting Minutes for Regular Meeting of September 1, 2026 Responsible Department: City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the minutes is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
2. Approval of Award of Contract/Memorandum of Understanding Between County of Sonoma and City of Sebastopol to establish the roles and responsibilities of the parties in the County's providing staff to engage individuals experiencing homelessness within the incorporated and unincorporated areas of City. County will assign one 50% FTE Senior Client Support Specialist (SCSS) from the Solving Obstacles for Unsheltered Lives (SOUL), formerly Homeless Encampment Assistance and Resource Team (HEART), to operate within the incorporated and unincorporated areas of City. Some overlap may occur with regular Joe Rodota Trail outreach activities.
Responsible Department: Police/City Council Liaison
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: No payment shall be made to either party. The parties agrees that at all times and for all purposes relevant to this MOU, the County shall remain the sole and exclusive employer of the SCSS.
County agrees to provide labor and employee costs associated with the SCSS. County also agrees to provide the SCSS with a vehicle, fuel, laptop, cellphone, and other work-related expenses at no expense to City.
Additional needs with associated costs may arise during the term of this MOU at the request of the City.
When feasible, the SCSS shall first attempt to utilize existing homeless programs and resources to address these needs. If no existing program or resource is available, the County and City shall jointly evaluate the request, mutually agree to address the need, and share associated costs equally (50:50).
3. Award of Contract Corporation Yard Fuel Station Upgrade (CIP 1001-25.03) Responsible Department: Public Works
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: This CIP is programmed in the CY26/27 CIP Budget $85,000.
4. Approval of Climate Action Committee Recommendation on Zero Waste Grant Stipend Funds ($6500) to City Council; funds must be used by October 15th; Recommendations for use are as follows: The Climate Action Committee’s recommendation is to spend the $6,500 Zero Waste Grant stipend on an agreement with The Rahus Institute, a 501c3 non-profit and known community partner, to provide a public food waste education event. This agreement will be at no cost to the City and authorizes the City Manager to execute agreement.
Responsible Department: Planning
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
5. Receipt of Informational Report from Chief of Police on exigent use of surveillance cameras. This report is provided pursuant to SMC 8.80.040, to advise the Sebastopol City Council about the temporary exigent use of surveillance technology, which occurred on Thursday, July 30, 2026. Ordinance SMC
8.80.040 requires a report to the City Council within 60 days of any exigent use of certain surveillance technologies, including Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs).
Responsible Department: Police
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
6. Receipt of Budget at a Glance Format and Authorize Staff to Post Such Document on the City Website Responsible Department: Administrative Services
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
7. Approval of the Sewer System Management Plan 2026 Audit and Update. Item is to Accept the 2026 Sewer System Management Plan Audit Report and authorize the Public Works Director, as the City's Legally Responsible Official, to certify and submit the Audit Report to the State Water Resources Control Board through the California Integrated Water Quality System; and Adopt the 2026 Sewer System Management Plan by resolution and authorize the Public Works Director, as the City's Legally Responsible Official, to certify and submit the approved Plan to the State Water Resources Control Board through CIWQS. The 2026 SSMP Audit was conducted as part of the City's ongoing program review. The audit evaluates implementation of the SSMP, the effectiveness of the City's sewer management practices, regulatory compliance, and areas where improvements or modifications may be appropriate.
Responsible Department: Public Works Director
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact:. There is no direct fiscal impact associated with adoption of the 2026 Sewer System Management Plan or acceptance of the 2026 SSMP Audit Report. Approval of these documents does not authorize any new expenditures or appropriations. The activities documented in the SSMP, including routine sewer operations and maintenance, condition assessment, emergency response, asset management, and capital improvement planning, are funded through the City's Wastewater Enterprise Fund and existing budget appropriations. Any future costs associated with implementing recommendations identified through the
SSMP audit and update would be addressed through the City's normal budgeting and capital improvement planning processes
8. Receipt of Upcoming Openings as follows: Receipt of Upcoming Openings / Vacancies as follows:
Terms Ending December 31, 2026
Receipt of Upcoming Openings / Vacancies as follows:
Planning Commission:
1. Joan Harper - Resident
Design Review Board:
1. Christian Macke - Category A
2. Lynn Deedler - Category B
3. Marshall Balfe (alternate) - Category D
Climate Action:
1. Lila Newton - Youth Rep
2. Emily Ocon - Local Climate Action Group Member
3. Steve Pierce - Local Climate Action Group Member, Energy Background
4. Sunny Galbraith - Zero Waste, Climate background
Responsible Department: Planning
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact:. The cost to publish one (1) vacancy notice in the Press Democrat ranges from $295.00 to $343.00 for a total of $885.00 to $1,029.00. This amount includes 1½ hours of staff time for preparing the notices and posting notices in all application locations. The expense is currently budgeted in the adopted FY 2026–2027 budget.
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/PRESENTATIONS: Informational Items or Presentations are items that are informational only and do not require action by the City Council. Presentations shall be scheduled as necessary for the promotion of an event or service or general information items to the Council and should be limited to ten (10) minutes total in length of item (total length includes questions of Council to presenter and public comment). NONE
PUBLIC HEARING(s): NONE
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION):
9. Consideration of Request for Waiver of Fees:
a. Peacetown Special Event Fee Waiver: Peacetown is requesting $5,000 to be waived b. Many Moons Special Event Fee Waiver: Many Moons letter requests “a waiver for any City fees associated”. Fees requested for waiver $750.
Responsible Department: Public Works Director
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: Waiving the event fees will result in lost fee revenue and may result in additional park maintenance costs associated with the events.
10. Consideration for Approval the Citywide Paving Improvement Multi-Year Paving Plan Responsible Department: Public Works Director
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: Funding for the paving improvements is included in the City's approved FY 26/27 CIP Program.
11. Consideration and Approval of Library Reconstruction Work Responsible Department: Public Works Director
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: The reconstruction cost of up to $89,100 would be funded through the City's Building, Facilities and Infrastructures Reserve Fund (Fund 103)
12. Commission and Committee Work Plans. Review and Consideration of the 26/27 Work Plans for the Planning Commission, Design Review Board/Tree Board, Climate Action Committee, and Public Arts Committee (This item was scheduled for the July 21st City Council Meeting; but was not heard due to adjournment of the meeting per Council protocols). Note: In conjunction with the proposed Work Plans, the Public Arts Committee has requested a return to a monthly meeting schedule. The Committee currently meets for two hours on the fourth Thursday of every other month and has determined that monthly meetings would improve their ability to advance projects and accomplish Work Plan objectives in a timely manner. The Design Review/Tree Board has requested a return to meeting twice per month. The Board currently meets once a month for two hours on the fourth Tuesday.
Under the proposed schedule, the Board would continue its regular monthly meeting for project and permit review and hold a second monthly meeting for 90 minutes dedicated solely to Work Plan implementation and long-range planning efforts.
Responsible Department: Planning
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: If approved by Council, the estimated fiscal impact of adding an additional PAC meeting would be $5,376 to $8,064, and the estimated total annual fiscal impact of adding an additional DRB meeting would be $7,152 to $11,448.
13. Direction to Voting Delegate (Mayor McLewis) Attending the 2026 Annual Conference and Expo, Sept. 23-25, on Resolution submitted for consideration at the General Assembly Meeting to be held on Friday, Sept. 25, at 8:30 a.m. Cal Cities received one resolution: A RESOLUTION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
OF THE LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES CALLING FOR A WORKING GROUP TO CONSIDER A STATE
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT OR OTHER FORM OF INITIATIVE TO ENSURE FINAL LOCAL AUTHORITY OVER HOUSING AND LAND USE DECISION.
Responsible Department: Mayor/City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None.
14. Sebastopol Commons: Building the Commons Final Report Out & Recommendations.
Responsible Department: Public Works Director
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: Additional staff time is requested to evaluate the financial and operational needs associated with the option chosen. An estimated cost of $40,000 - $50,000 for the fiscal analysis of the O’Reily Building option.
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA: Two minutes per speaker for up to twenty (20) minutes total for public comments but can be reduced at Mayor’s discretion depending upon the number of speakers or Mayor has discretion to allow for additional time beyond the 20 minutes allocated for public comment dependent upon the subject matter or number of speakers.
COUNCILMEMBER(S) REQUESTS FOR FUTURE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEMS CITY COUNCIL/CITY STAFF REPORTS/COMMUNICATIONS/ANNOUNCEMENTS/FUTURE MEETINGS:
15. City Manager and/or City Clerk Reports: (This will be either verbal reports at the meeting, or written reports provided at or prior to the meeting)
a. August 2026 Departmental Reports
16. City Council Reports/Committee/Sub-Committee Meeting Reports: (Reports by Mayor/City Councilmembers Regarding Various Agency Meetings/Committee Meetings/Sub-Committee Meeting /Conferences Attended and Possible Direction to its Representatives (If Needed) on Pending issues before such Boards. ((This will be either verbal reports at the meeting, or written reports provided at or prior to the meeting)
17. Council Communications Received (Information/Meetings/Correspondence Received from the General Public to Councilmembers)
CLOSED SESSION: NONE
ADJOURNMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING
September 15, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting will be adjourned to the next Regular City Council Meeting of Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 6:00 pm, Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA.
American Disability Act Accommodations/Accessibility: A request can be made orally or in writing, and submitted to the ADA Coordinator by email: [email protected] or to the City Clerk’s Office so as to avoid delay in reviewing and processing the request. Requests can be made by contacting the ADA Coordinator’s Office at (707) 823-8597, via email at [email protected] or by mailing such a request to the ADA Coordinator’s Office located at 7425 Bodega Avenue, Sebastopol, CA. Note that if you contact the ADA Coordinators Office, via mail, you need to make the request early enough that a response can be timely provided.
NOTICE: All Resolutions and Ordinances introduced and/or adopted under this agenda are waived of all reading of entire resolution(s) and ordinance(s). The City of Sebastopol is a general law city formed under the laws of the State of California. With respect to adoption of ordinances and resolutions, the City adheres to the requirements set forth in the Government Code. Unless otherwise required, the full reading of the text of standard ordinances and resolutions is waived.
SB 751 Legislative bodies of local agencies must publicly report: (1) any action taken and (2) the vote or abstention on each action taken by each member present for the action at a meeting.
If you have any questions regarding this meeting, please contact the City at Email: [email protected] or [email protected] or please call: 707-823-1153. The public is advised that pursuant to Government Code section 54957.5 all writings submitted to the City Council are public records and will be made available for review at City Hall during normal business hours. The Sebastopol City Council welcomes you in person or remotely to its meetings that are generally scheduled for the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month. Your interest and participation are encouraged and appreciated.
Government Code Section 54953.
(a) All meetings of the legislative body of a local agency shall be open and public, and all persons shall be permitted to attend any meeting of the legislative body of a local agency, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. (b)
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the legislative body of a local agency may use teleconferencing for the benefit of the public and the legislative body of a local agency in connection with any meeting or proceeding authorized by law. The teleconferenced meeting or proceeding shall comply with all requirements of this chapter and all otherwise applicable provisions of law relating to a specific type of meeting or proceeding. (2) Teleconferencing, as authorized by this section, may be used for all purposes in connection with any meeting within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body. All votes taken during a teleconferenced meeting shall be by rollcall.
There are times that the City Council open meetings may not be live streamed due to technical issues; if that is the case, the meeting will be video-taped and uploaded as soon as possible to the City Web Site. In the event of a disruption that prevents the legislative body from broadcasting the meeting to members of the public using the call-in option or internet-based service option, or in the event of a disruption within the local agency’s control that prevents members of the public from offering public comments using the call-in option or internet-based service option, the legislative body shall take no further action on items appearing on the meeting agenda until public access to the meeting via the call-in option or internet-based service option is restored. Actions taken on agenda items during a disruption that prevents the legislative body from broadcasting the meeting may be challenged pursuant to Section 54960.1.
COUNCIL PROTOCOLS FOR MEETING RESTATED:
This in person and virtual/remote meeting is compliant with the Governor’s Executive Order allowing for a deviation of teleconference rules required by the Brown Act. Traditional Brown Act and AB 2449 requirements can be utilized for all City Council meetings as long as required notice and posting is conducted per the Brown Act.
Please Note the presiding member of the legislative body conducting a meeting or their designee may remove, or cause the removal of, an individual for disrupting the meeting.
Prior to removing an individual, the presiding member or their designee shall warn the individual that their behavior is disrupting the meeting and that their failure to cease their behavior may result in their removal. The presiding member or their designee may then remove the individual if they do not promptly cease their disruptive behavior. This paragraph does not apply to any behavior described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b). (b) As used in this section:
(1) “Disrupting” means engaging in behavior during a meeting of a legislative body that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting and includes, but is not limited to, one of the following:
(A) A failure to comply with reasonable and lawful regulations adopted by a legislative body pursuant to Section 54954.3 or any other law.
(B) Engaging in behavior that constitutes use of force or a true threat of force. (2) “True threat of force” means a threat that has sufficient indicia of intent and seriousness, that a reasonable observer would perceive it to be an actual threat to use force by the person making the threat.
How can I provide Public Comment on Zoom?
The Mayor will request public comment during the Public Comment period on the agenda and during each Public Hearing and Regular Calendar Item. Once the Mayor has announced the public comment period, please do one of the following.
USING A COMPUTER OR SMART PHONE:
• Click on the “Raise Hand” feature in the webinar controls. This will notify City staff that you have raised your hand and you would like to speak.
• City staff will unmute your microphone when it is your turn to provide public comment. • A prompt will appear to confirm you would like to be unmuted. Once you accept the prompt, you will have two minutes to provide public comment.
• Once your public comment has ended, you will be muted again.
USING A REGULAR PHONE:
• Dial *9 (star 9), this will notify City staff that you have “raised your hand” for public comment. • City staff will unmute your microphone when it is your turn to provide public comment. *6 (star 6) is used to mute/unmute.
• You will hear “you are unmuted” and then you will have two minutes to provide public comment. • Once your public comment has ended, you will be muted again