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, October 6, 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 – October 6, 2026
Time: Oct 6, 2026 - 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting
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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:
• Recognition of 5 Years of Service Award – Peter Stinksi • Proclamation: Proclaiming October 2026 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Recognizing the YWCA Sonoma County for providing vital resources for local residents experiencing domestic violence. • Proclamation: Proclaiming Zero Waste Week
• Proclamation: Recognizing October Breast 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 Special Meeting – Closed Session Meeting of Monday September 14, 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 City Council Meeting Minutes for Regular Meeting of Tuesday September 15, 2026 Responsible Department: City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the minutes is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
3. Annual Planning Report for City of Sebastopol. Receipt of Information on how the City is doing in implementing its General Plan and Housing Element, and in achieving its fair share of housing. Receive and file the 2025 General Plan Implementation Report which summarizes the City’s progress in implementing the General Plan, including the Housing Element, during the 2025 calendar year.
Responsible Department: Planning (City Staff Associate Planner) Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None.
4. Approval of Reducing Age Limit for Youth Representative on the Climate Action Committee from Age 17-23 to Age 15-23
Requestor: Climate Action Committee/Councilmember Carter Responsible Department: Planning (City Staff Associate Planner) Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda items which 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. This amount includes ½ hour of staff time for preparing the notice and posting it to all applicable locations. The expense is currently budgeted in the adopted FY 2026–2027 budget.
5. Approval of Resolution Authorizing staff to prepare and submit a grant application to the Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program to continue the planning work associated with the Reimagining the Core Project.
Responsible Department : Public Works Director
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda items which is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: Contract with Fehr and Peers in the amount of $5,000 to help prepare the grant application.
6. Approval of Amendment No. 1 to Task Order 5 with GHD for Construction Management Service for the Bodega Phase 2 Bike Lane Phase 2 Project.
Responsible Department : Public Works Director
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda items which is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None, this CIP budget amendment including GHD CCO of $38,750 was approved at the May 19th Council meeting. This request is to have the City Manager authorize the Change Order.
INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/PRESENTATIONS: NONE
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).
PUBLIC HEARING(s): NONE
REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS (DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION):
7. Approval of Amendment to Resolution No. 6713-2025 Establishing a Standing Enterprise Fund Oversight Committee – Addition of a Certified Public Accountant Member Responsible Department : Public Works Director/Administrative Services Director Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda items which is covered within existing budgeted salaries. Committee members serve in a volunteer, advisory capacity and are not compensated. Any incremental staff time associated with supporting one additional committee member is expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing Engineering/Public Works and Administrative Services Department budgets.
Additional Fiscal Impact: The cost to publish one (1) vacancy notice in the Press Democrat ranges from $295.00 to $343.00. This amount includes ½ hour of staff time for preparing the notice and posting it to all applicable locations. Applications if received would be scheduled for interview/appointment at a future City Council Meeting.
8. Request of 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).
This item was continued from the September 15, 2026 City Council Meeting.
Responsible Department: Police Chief
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
9. Request of Receipt of Budget at a Glance Format and Authorize Staff to Post Such Document on the City Website
This item was continued from the September 15, 2026 City Council Meeting.
Responsible Department: Administrative Services Director Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: None
10. 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.
This item was continued from the September 15, 2026 City Council Meeting.
Responsible Department: Planning (City Staff Associate Planner) 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 in staff hours, and the estimated total annual fiscal impact of adding an additional DRB meeting would be $7,152 to $11,448 in staff hours.
11. Discussion and Considerations of Options for Rezone/Text Amendment for Outdoor Commercial Barbeques
Responsible Department: City Attorney
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: Anticipated fiscal impact is approximately $5,250 in staff and consultant hours to prepare the zoning text amendment and accompanying Mitigated Negative Declaration.
12. Consideration of Authorization for approval of City Attorney Hours to Review and Provide information on City Lexipol Policies; CIRA Law Enforcement Trainings; Law Enforcement Practices Regarding Collaboration with ICE; Youth diversion/restorative justice information; and review of recommendations from Gault Center.
Requestor: Councilmember Zollman
Responsible Department: City Attorney
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda report is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: City Attorney time estimated at 10 hours
13. Creation of Ad Hoc Committee or Council Liaison Regarding Racism, Social Bullying, and Mockery and Direction Regarding Training and Other Options.
That the City Council consider the following options and provide direction:
Option 1 – Create a City Council Ad Hoc Committee
a. Establish a City Council Ad Hoc Committee to Address Racism, Social Bullying, and Mockery in Sebastopol, and appoint two (2) Councilmembers to the Committee;
b. Direct the Committee to convene regular meetings with neighbors (including Pitt Avenue residents across from Safeway), school partners (the School Board / Analy High School administration and other local schools as the Committee identifies, including Brook Haven), Safeway management, and other community members and businesses as needed;
c. Direct the Committee to review suggestions from the public received on September 1, 2026, and to provide recommendations to the City Council no later than six (6) months from the initial meeting; and d. Authorize the City Manager to assign a staff liaison and provide administrative support within existing resources.
Option 2 – Council Liaison Leads Community Meetings; Staff Prepares Graffiti Ordinance Direct the existing Council liaison to lead community meetings with neighbors, school partners, Safeway management, and other community members as needed, requesting staff support on an as-needed basis and reporting back to the City Council
Under either option:
a. Staff to include in City protocols CIRA Vector Solutions racial-bias and related courses available to the City as a CIRA member; work with ERMA to receive one complimentary ERMA training; and submit paperwork for the ERMA $2,500 training grant; and
b. Staff to utilize funds dedication by Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer and Councilmember Stephen Zollman of their remaining Fiscal Year 2026-27 City Council Conference and Training funds, for training and related costs that CIRA and ERMA do not cover.
c. Direct staff to prepare a draft graffiti ordinance for future Council consideration.
Responsible Department: City Attorney/City Manager
Fiscal Impact: Staff time required to prepare the agenda item is covered within existing budgeted salaries.
Additional Fiscal Impact: It is anticipated that at the minimum one meeting per month (if limited to one hour each) would be 6-12 hours depending on attendance of one or two staff members. This estimate is for meeting attendance only. It is feasible that there may be a need for additional staff time for research and preparation or dependent upon the outcome of the meetings
It is estimated 2-4 hours would be required for City Attorney to draft graffiti ordinance.
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:
14. 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)
15. 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)
16. Council Communications Received (Information/Meetings/Correspondence Received from the General Public to Councilmembers)
CLOSED SESSION: NONE
ADJOURNMENT OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING
October 6, 2026 City Council Regular Meeting will be adjourned to the next Regular City Council Meeting of Tuesday, October 20, 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