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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Kit Keller, it's my sister Kim there. Again, we lived down at the bottom of Walker, and for a year we've been breathing in the smoke.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If all of these big fans. 03:57:11.000 --> 03:57:22.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: of A&M, and I've heard so much good things about their food, put together a GoFundMe and get these people some filters.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And the issue is solved. 03:57:25.000 --> 03:57:31.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And it's not hard to find these filters. Go online. You can purchase them online.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thousands and thousands of barbecues use them across the United States. It doesn't require new engineering.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You can buy them online. 03:57:43.000 --> 03:57:48.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment.
Next, I'll go back out to Zoom. Rob, can you unmute yourself, please? 03:57:49.000 --> 03:57:51.000
Rob: Yeah, can you hear me?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I can. Can you see the timer? 03:57:52.000 --> 03:57:54.000
Rob: Yeah, yeah, I can.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Great. Go ahead, please. 03:57:54.000 --> 03:57:56.000
Rob: Uh, um…
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Rob: I I think that the the kind of the conversations that people are having here are indicative of.
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Rob: sort of the Sebastopol mentality of throwing money at it, hey, the money's available, you can do a GoFundMe, you can get it, it's simple, put money on it.
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Rob: But what…
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Rob: I guess what strikes me the most is that… that businesses have been running people out of Sebastopol.
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Rob: for a long time. You have the soccer going on at the different schools, and people can't be in their homes because of the noise. There's real physical, emotional damage that goes on there.
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Rob: But where, you know, where are the people who are complaining about that? It's just the people who experience it. Now you've got people with smokers, and people are breathing smoke. They think real, physical harm, but…
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Rob: other people aren't coming to their aid, um, you know, because they didn't come to somebody else's aid. Like, the problem is NIMBY, you know, it's not in… not really NIMBY, it's not in your backyard, it's not in my backyard, so I don't care about it.
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Rob: I think A&M has bent over backwards to try and help the situation.
It's probably not as fast enough for anybody's satisfaction, but it seems like they've worked pretty hard.
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Rob: That's it.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Rob. Thank you, Rob, for your public comment. Next, I'll come back into chambers, if there's anyone in cham.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead. Do you want me to jump in when you have about 30 seconds left?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I didn't start. No, I know. I said, I will jump in when you have about 30 seconds left. Thank you. You're welcome. Sorry I missed that. Good evening, everyone. I just want to point out some of the things that are happening that I'm observing in this conversation. Blame is being placed on our business for failures that are.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: bureaucratic processes that exist within the city infrastructure and lack of response time. And that is Agenda Item Number 1
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absolutely where the tension point is coming. While they can only do so much to adapt their business to maneuver the expectations of meeting. 04:00:14.000 --> 04:00:33.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: air quality, smoke, productivity, they can only operate with the clarity they receive for what they are permitted to do. And as explained by the city attorney, the size of small barbecue has not been clearly defined, nor has it been defined in this process that we've come before.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you, and multiple times as a council, and many months ago, when I came before you as a council, I explicitly said, Please don't back yourselves into a corner where now you're left with little to no options, and yet still have to provide direction to staff. That's going to take time, which is exactly where we've landed today at the end of where this all lands. You don't want the business to fail, and you also want your residents happy, and both things can be true.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: if there's some ownership and direction provided by your body to the staff to make that happen and to make that a realized goal. You were given 2, 3 options at the head of the presentation from the city attorney. You can zone the parcel as it is. 04:01:13.000 --> 04:01:35.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: and, as stated by the business owner, just because they're 95% of the way with another endeavor does not mean that they may be moving the very next day for many of you. You are business owners and leaders in this community. You know that you may get the keys and find a leaky faucet. So when you're making this decision this evening, really consider the whole piece.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I'm really deeply disturbed at the amount of times that rumors are coming up instead of facts. Speak directly to the entities instead of listening to hearsay, because that's really how you got in the cloud of plume that you're in right now. 04:01:49.000 --> 04:01:54.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment.
Next, I'll go out to Zoom. Oliver, can you unmute yourself, please? 04:01:54.000 --> 04:01:57.000
Oliver: Yep, unmuted, and I can see the timer.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Awesome. Thank you. 04:01:58.000 --> 04:02:00.000
Oliver: Yep. So…
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Oliver: I mean, I don't know how people would think if I opened a diesel truck performance center in the middle of town, in an area that's not zoned for that. A lot of people here would hate that.
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Oliver: And the point is a lot of people seem to be saying they love the food, which I'm sure is very good. But the simple fact of the matter is that this business opened in an area that was not zoned for what they are supposed to be doing in a residential area. And the residents were understandably very, very unhappy about that.
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Oliver: So this is a very, very simple zoning issue at the end of the day. Excuse me. And the solution has to be that the business needs to move to an area of the city or elsewhere, which is zoned to do this type of thing. So all of this kind of.
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Oliver: We're trying as hard as we can and we'll move our diesel performance truck analogy business when we can find somewhere else to tune trucks and make a lot of noise and smell and so on. But we're a really cool business and everybody really likes us. It doesn't hold water. You have laws in a city for a reason, which is.
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Oliver: And zoning for a reason. People bought a house in an area because they liked the area, and they didn't expect to have a barbecue business opening up next door and clouds of smoke coming into their house. So, to me, this is a very, very simple issue, and we're beating around the bush like crazy.
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Oliver: I'm normally really pro-business, but there has to be some barriers or whatever, guidelines or whatever, that businesses can't just open up wherever they want and ignore the rules. Thank you. 04:03:34.000 --> 04:03:39.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Oliver, for your public comment. Next, I'll come back into chambers.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm Linda Civitello, and I live on Petaluma Avenue.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I think we're missing the elephant in the room here. We've been doing all this talking about zoning and permits and blah blah blah, but the real issue is that smoke kills people.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Smoke causes health problems. It causes me a health problem.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I bought my house, enjoyed it, and then I wake up one night and the house is full of smoke. 04:04:19.000 --> 04:04:37.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I've invested in air filters. I'm I've done everything I can to try to live here. And now my realtor says, well, if you have to move, you have to disclose the smoke. And so that's gonna change the market value of your house.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Because you have to tell prospective buyers that there's a problem here, because there is a problem here. This is not NIMBY.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I care about everyone. I fought in the tobacco wars, and I know how people just ignored it initially. Oh, smoking's not bad for you.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But we know it is, and eventually we won. And smoking is bad, and smoke is bad.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And so I just feel like even it's a ridiculous suggestion to move to El Cornell.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: and I agree with what Doug said. you know. Okay, we're gonna have smokers blowing across the street to Apple Valley with all the.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: ill people that live there. 04:05:28.000 --> 04:05:40.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: No, this is a horrible situation, and the city should stop considering all these alternatives and just enforce the rules that are already there.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You know, I started a business. I knew what the rules were, had to buy insurance, permits, license. 04:05:49.000 --> 04:05:53.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So does A&M. Linda, that's two minutes.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you. Thank you for your public comment. Next, I will go out to Zoom.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I have some with iPhone. Can you unmute yourself, please?
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iPhone: Aye.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you. Can you see the timer? 04:06:04.000 --> 04:06:07.000
iPhone: Thank you. Timer.
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iPhone: Um, no…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, I'll jump in when you have about 30 seconds left.
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iPhone: Okay. Um, my name is Ruby. I was actually at the meeting earlier, but I had to leave. I work at A&M.
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iPhone: And…
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iPhone: I just find some of the negative comments very interesting, especially after hearing all that Finn had to say and all the questions that he answered. Um, I feel like…
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iPhone: We've been met with certain complications and.
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iPhone: I feel as though people think we're not trying, and we're just sitting around waiting for something to happen.
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iPhone: Um, but I can tell you firsthand, Finn and Chris and everyone on the team has been working their butts off trying to figure out a solution, and…
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iPhone: I am…
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iPhone: Very offended by the…
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iPhone: Uh, insinuation that we're not…
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iPhone: working hard to find a solution, and we care about making everybody happy. We don't just care about ourselves and our business, we care about the community.
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iPhone: And…
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iPhone: I…
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iPhone: Understand that public speaking is hard, but I hope… 04:07:26.000 --> 04:07:32.000
iPhone: people are focusing on the things that Finn has to say, and give him the opportunity.
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iPhone: To explain things, and…
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iPhone: appreciate the fact that he's standing up, answering our questions, because with a lot of the public comments I'm hearing, it sounds as though maybe you're not paying attention.
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iPhone: And I really hope…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Ruby, you have about 25 seconds. 04:07:48.000 --> 04:07:52.000
iPhone: I really hope that when Finn has more to say.
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iPhone: um…
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iPhone: You all really listen and try and understand because. 04:07:58.000 --> 04:08:04.000
iPhone: Based on some of the comments, it sounds like maybe you missed some things that he was saying.
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iPhone: Umm.
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iPhone: But I will just give you the benefit of the doubt that maybe you were just focused on your own speech.
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iPhone: And yeah, I hope everybody really just pays attention. Thank you.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Ruby, that's two minutes. 04:08:17.000 --> 04:08:22.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment.
Next, I will come back into chambers.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Good evening. My name is Ben Cowan, and I live on Eleanor Avenue, about two blocks away from A&M. 04:08:30.000 --> 04:08:35.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We've talked at length about the impacts of the smoke.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The health impacts, the nuisance impacts, how we've had to adapt our lives around it.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I just want to talk briefly about the timeline. The city was made aware of this issue more than one year ago.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: A&M was first served notice of violations in March.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: multiple violations until enforcement abruptly stopped.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: without any explanation to the neighborhood around the end of.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: May.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Uh, since then, we've been in this continuation period of delayed enforcement. We've never been provided any justification for that to the residents.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And in the meantime, the burden of that decision has fallen completely on the residents to continue breathing the smoke.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, I'd like to mirror the other comments from the neighborhood. We are a neighborhood of people with health issues. I have people with health issues in my home. I have Agenda Item Number 1
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neighbors with health issues. There's a number of whom cannot even be here today.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: because they cannot leave their home. And you know the difference. There's a difference between trying to come up with a solution and actually solving a problem. Our issue is the smoke. The smoke needs to stop, and we ask for action right now. Thank you.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment.
Next, I will go out to Zoom.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If there's anyone on Zoom, June, would you please unmute yourself, please?
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June: Yes, hello.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We can hear you. You can go ahead with your public comment.
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June: Okay. Yeah, I mean, I do think this has been an unfortunate situation, but the case is that there was a law on the books not to have a commercial outdoor in this area, and there's a lot of reasons, good reasons, to not have it there.
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June: Um, because of the very impacts it would cause to the neighborhoods and the residents. And so, it's unfortunate that a business opened up that wasn't permitted.
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June: That, but then when that business was found out and it was told, you know, you don't change the law to then allow impacts that the law was there to prevent. And I know people tried to work on a solution so that wouldn't be harmful for the business.
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June: Um, but ultimately it is, if you have a law that you don't want to have certain kinds of activities, and someone begins those activities, um, you don't then change the law to allow those activities. And so, you know, to allow a whole zone to now.
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June: allow the kind of impacts we've seen here. Um, and all the money, we're in a fiscal emergency, and we, you know, staff time is very valuable, and we've tried a lot to come with a creative solution here, but, uh, the solution, I think, has got to be that we.
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June: had certain protections in place to protect all the residents.
There's lots of people that have different kind of health impacts, different kind of reasons that we wouldn't want this kind of operation in these zones, and so it's very important that we protect all the residents with that.
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June: And, you know, people should give whatever assistance they can to this business, but that is different than changing the law to allow impacts on others. So, you know, assistance for moving, assistance for keeping the business in other areas, but it's not zoned for this area. 04:12:04.000 --> 04:12:05.000
June: Thank you.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Jean, for your public comment. Next, I will come back into chambers.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Uh, what I'm gathering here is, obviously, we have a lot of frustrated people on both sides. 04:12:23.000 --> 04:12:25.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: At the end of the day. 04:12:25.000 --> 04:12:29.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We need help from the city on both sides.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: On what the path forward is. You haven't been given clear answers, we haven't been given clear answers. 04:12:34.000 --> 04:12:37.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We're at the huge gray area now. 04:12:37.000 --> 04:12:50.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And the whole purpose of the CPU is to remove that gray area, to protect the city, to protect the neighbors, and to protect businesses. Right now, we don't have a system or a structure in place.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If somebody opens up another restaurant in 6 months, are they gonna go through the same situation? Are those neighbors gonna go through the same situation?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The whole reason to propose this, and my suggestion is Solution B, is to create that structure. And I want to clarify, just because we change the zoning, or the CPU, I fully understand that there's not.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Solve the problem. 04:13:15.000 --> 04:13:22.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I get that. I'm not… I don't want that to happen so we can just continue doing whatever we want. That's not… that's never been about that.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm suggesting we do that so that we can get clear instruction from the city on what we need to do. Because again, I've been asking, what are our options? What do we do? I would love to just install a filter. The problem is, I don't know which kind of filter is allowed or not allowed. So now I'm going to spend money to build something, and then the city says, oh, that one's not allowed. 04:13:42.000 --> 04:13:55.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So that's the gray area. We need to get rid of that gray area. We're willing to pay the fees, we're willing to build things, make it happen, but I just need to know specifically what my options are.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Finn, for your public comment. Next, I'll go out to Zoom. Witte, can you unmute yourself, please?
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Woody Hastings, The Climate Center: Yes, I can. I just did. Can you hear me?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I can. Can you see the timer? 04:14:06.000 --> 04:14:08.000
Woody Hastings, The Climate Center: I can.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Great. Go ahead, please. 04:14:09.000 --> 04:14:25.000
Woody Hastings, The Climate Center: Thanks. Okay, yeah. First, st I just Woody Hastings here. And I just want to try to chime in with some factual information to back up what some of the people have said about this just being a really a public health issue.
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Woody Hastings, The Climate Center: But 1st I did want to say that I really do hope that the business can find a suitable location that's zoned correctly for that type of business, so that they can do what they would like to do, and the people can enjoy the food. I worked at the South Coast Air Quality Management District in the late 19 nineties and early 2 thousands.
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Woody Hastings, The Climate Center: It's the largest air quality management district in the State that's in the in the La and Orange County area. and a lot of what I dealt with was all kinds of facilities that are not compatible with residential areas.
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Woody Hastings, The Climate Center: you know, car spray painting shops, dry cleaners, and anything that produces smoke, because smoke is harmful to our health.
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Woody Hastings, The Climate Center: as has been said earlier. Particulate matter, especially particulate matter. Pm. 2.5, which is super small particulate matter that burrows deep in the lungs and causes all kinds of health problems, even for healthy people. Never mind people who are children. Everyone's supposed to be breathing clean air. That's what we're designed to breathe.
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Woody Hastings, The Climate Center: and Pm. 2.5 produces all kinds of disorders, stroke, respiratory problems, and premature deaths. There's also this thing called pahs and paws, and those that's. 04:15:53.000 --> 04:16:10.000
Woody Hastings, The Climate Center: product of incomplete combustion of of of the wood, and also of the fat that drips into the burning coals and whatnot, and this is known to be carcinogenic. And so this is producing carcinogenic.
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Woody Hastings, The Climate Center: smoke, and it needs to stop. Thanks. 04:16:13.000 --> 04:16:20.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Woody, for your public comment. Next, I will come back into chambers, if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment on this item. 04:16:21.000 --> 04:16:28.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I will go back out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment on this item, to please raise your hand virtually.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, public comment is closed on this item.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, we're back at the… pardon me, we're back at the dais, Councilmember Zolman.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm sorry, there was a late hand that raised. Would you like me to reopen? Sure.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Katie, can you unmute yourself, please?
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Katie Heath: Hi, can you hear me?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I can. Can you see the timer? 04:16:52.000 --> 04:16:55.000
Katie Heath: Yes, I can see the timer.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, go ahead with your public comment, please.
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Katie Heath: Yeah, I am actually, I'm just trying to speak up in support of A&M Barbecue. They've been a great…
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Katie Heath: staple to this community. I do understand the frustrations that other people in the neighborhood have expressed. However, we do have body shops, dry cleaners, and other businesses that produce smoke in the area. And for some reason, um, A&M has been targeted, and I do understand.
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Katie Heath: you know, um, the comments and discomfort that people are, are saying that they have, but, um.
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Katie Heath: this is a disparate impact on a business that is actually bringing in money to this community. They have not been effectively told or counseled on how to make any changes or anything like that, and I spoke with Finn back in July to try to connect him.
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Katie Heath: Connect them with business financing. If you guys had followed up in a timely manner, they would have already installed any kind of filters or anything needed. But because of you guys, they haven't been able to do anything. And the same thing happened with Little Caesars being open. Little Caesars wasn't supposed to be open in that location, and now it's open and it's doing great, but it wasn't supposed to be open there.
04:18:20.000 --> 04:18:35.000
Katie Heath: Somehow they don't have any problems, but A&M is facing not only problems, but a lack of information completely. And I think that's Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
very unfair. I do hear the people that are complaining, you know, and they have the health issues.
04:18:35.000 --> 04:18:53.000
Katie Heath: And they were talking about the budgets and everything earlier, but this is an income-producing business that is thriving in our community, and it's something that we have not seen in a very long time.
We have vacant spaces, and this business is doing well and thriving, and we need to support that.
04:18:54.000 --> 04:18:55.000
Katie Heath: Thank you.
04:18:55.000 --> 04:19:03.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Katie, for your public comment. This will be last call for public comment. If there's anyone in the chambers that would like to make a public comment.
04:19:03.000 --> 04:19:09.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I'll go out to Zoom.
If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment, to please raise your hand virtually.
04:19:09.000 --> 04:19:17.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, public comment is closed on this item. Okay. Now it's closed. Councilmember Zolman. 04:19:17.000 --> 04:19:32.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah, no, I appreciate everyone who has weighed in, in, in the different ways. Um, for me, this is a public health issue, um, based upon the history that I asked the question, the history of this establishment, how it started, how it evolved. 04:19:32.000 --> 04:19:37.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the lacking of permitting, combined by the fact that.
04:19:37.000 --> 04:19:54.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The neighbors did purchase their property. There is such a thing as a property right to have quiet enjoyment of one's property. Having smoked to this degree, which has been verified by individual residents that live close to there on purple air, the particulate matter is too high.
04:19:54.000 --> 04:20:10.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, also given the fact that when I was asking our city attorney, um, whether we could actually condition certain things, like have them cook off premise, um, what I heard him say was, you, there's no permit to condition.
04:20:10.000 --> 04:20:28.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, based upon that, I'm going with option 3, which is to direct staff to take any rezoning action particular to this subject site, and to reinitiate enforcement action based upon Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
what our city attorney says, and our city manager says, if we go with that.
04:20:28.000 --> 04:20:35.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: My understanding is then they can make their own choices about how they cook, where they cook, et cetera.
So that's where I'm at.
04:20:36.000 --> 04:20:39.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Anyone else with comments? 04:20:44.000 --> 04:20:47.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Oh, I'm sorry. Did you have —. 04:20:52.000 --> 04:21:04.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: This is not a place that I wanted to be. And I think most of the people in this room might know that I have given it my all for this event not to happen.
04:21:04.000 --> 04:21:08.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So unfortunately, you know, I'm not sure.
04:21:09.000 --> 04:21:30.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Todd Bryan, There is. I as an entrepreneur, I totally know the expense to having to suddenly either move or get a very expensive piece of equipment, and you know it's daunting, and I get it. Todd Bryan, And then there are real zoning issues that cannot be overcome by simply just getting a scrubber. 04:21:31.000 --> 04:21:36.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, you know, I didn't want to be in this position.
04:21:36.000 --> 04:21:43.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But I have to be. And the zoning isn't right. So I've got to go with three and.
04:21:43.000 --> 04:21:48.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Just try my best to get y'all into the place that you need to be.
04:21:50.000 --> 04:21:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, Councilmember Hinton. 04:21:55.000 --> 04:21:57.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um…
04:21:57.000 --> 04:22:05.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, when you just look at the staff report, you can see that Councilmember Carter and I brought this back in July.
04:22:05.000 --> 04:22:08.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And to say that we haven't been on…
04:22:09.000 --> 04:22:21.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: try to be on everyone's side, understand the neighbors. I don't live far from the area. I've walked by in the morning. I have smelled the smoke. I've walked the neighborhoods when the smokers have been going.
04:22:21.000 --> 04:22:32.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I understand maybe our staff made a mistake about not replying, but I also don't think it's a gray area. Here, gray area. Zoning is not gray.
04:22:32.000 --> 04:22:33.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: There is a rule.
04:22:33.000 --> 04:22:39.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You guys broke it, and we have been very patiently trying to get into compliance.
04:22:39.000 --> 04:22:54.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think that some of the problems, and I can't speak for why you haven't been able to secure another location which I know you've been working on, I believe, is also because there's rules with other locations right now. You can't go everywhere.
There's.
04:22:54.000 --> 04:22:58.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Everybody has zoning rules. 04:22:59.000 --> 04:23:10.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I don't want to put a small business out of business. I follow your Instagram. I want you to succeed.
We have been here.
04:23:10.000 --> 04:23:18.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, and it's tough, so I would like to see… hate to say… a little bit of time to move, but… 04:23:20.000 --> 04:23:21.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Oh.
04:23:22.000 --> 04:23:31.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We… I don't believe in spot zoning, and spot zoning is what we would be doing, is spot zoning one location based on one.
04:23:31.000 --> 04:23:32.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Business.
04:23:32.000 --> 04:23:47.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that is currently breaking the rules. It's really easy to see the barbecue I have in my backyard, or the Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
one outside Burt Crest Market, and what you guys have outside yours.
It's… we can tomato-tomato it, but the reality is you've got big smokers, and they're…
04:23:47.000 --> 04:23:53.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They've got a lot of smoke, and it's been 7 months since March.
04:23:54.000 --> 04:24:01.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I would just can't continue to let this go. So I'm going to be.
04:24:01.000 --> 04:24:08.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: asking staff for a recommendation to give you some time, but that time will end.
04:24:09.000 --> 04:24:11.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: There has to be a deadline. 04:24:11.000 --> 04:24:14.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You can't just sit here while… 04:24:14.000 --> 04:24:18.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You ask for unlimited additional time, and I'm sorry.
04:24:18.000 --> 04:24:26.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I want to ask staff if we can give some time before enforcement, but it would be a set time. 04:24:26.000 --> 04:24:30.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And that's my feedback tonight. All right.
04:24:30.000 --> 04:24:41.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Vice Mayor? Yes, I would like to hear from the staff in terms of what you're being accused of, that you did not respond.
04:24:41.000 --> 04:24:56.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that you were negligent, and because I think if we can get a little bit better facts on the table, I mean, if it's true, let's hear about it. But maybe your hands are tied because you didn't have a council decision. I'm not sure. So I'd like to know if you're willing.
04:24:56.000 --> 04:25:02.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: to address those accusations that have been leveled against staff.
04:25:02.000 --> 04:25:06.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So the the request from the. 04:25:06.000 --> 04:25:17.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: business was for the following. A list of specific municipal… excuse me, specific municipal, zoning, building, fire, or other codes the state believes A&M BBQ is currently violating.
04:25:17.000 --> 04:25:33.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The notice of violation… I'm sorry, can you say that again, please? A list of the specific municipal, zoning, building, fire, or other codes the city believes that A&M BBQ is currently violating. Any notices, determinations, or document… 04:25:33.000 --> 04:25:53.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: documentation supporting those conclusions. A copy of the original approved use permit, business approval, site approval, or any other documentation outlining the permitted use and operational scope of the property and business. Any records or documentation reflecting the City's historical understanding of the approved use of the site.
04:25:53.000 --> 04:26:03.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Uh, so my understanding is that information was not, uh, collected and sent to them. However, the business has received notices.
04:26:03.000 --> 04:26:18.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: with information in that the March 20 notice says that said, we need you to take out your current business back to its original approved site, meaning we're moving the 2 large smokers from the site and going back to the original smaller one out front.
04:26:18.000 --> 04:26:35.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The April 8th letter says, in order to approve the business, we will at a minimum need to go back to the original smaller barbecue and remove the two larger units. The notice of violation on May 20th identifies the municipal code violation as table. 04:26:35.000 --> 04:26:51.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 17.25-1. So it sounds like a collection of these documents that was requested was not prepared and sent to them. But these core pieces of information had been provided in notices previously.
04:26:52.000 --> 04:26:58.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, thank you very much. Um, does our building person want to make a comment?
04:26:59.000 --> 04:27:03.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Probably not. Probably not, but okay.
04:27:03.000 --> 04:27:15.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But he's standing up, shifting in his chair. Okay, well, wait a second here, I just want to keep it in Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
order here, so if you have any comments… I just wanted to know if the building department would, uh, Steve would like to make a comment. 04:27:15.000 --> 04:27:17.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, I'm not sure I. 04:27:17.000 --> 04:27:19.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I…
04:27:20.000 --> 04:27:24.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'd like to ask the city manager, our attorney first.
04:27:24.000 --> 04:27:30.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Wait, give me one second here. I'm just trying to keep order here, Alex. You can ask staff questions. Yes, that's- Okay. All.
04:27:30.000 --> 04:27:32.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I just want to keep ordering. 04:27:37.000 --> 04:27:45.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I will start off by saying that Ben is absolutely right in that we delayed in sending him information. 04:27:45.000 --> 04:27:46.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: um.
04:27:46.000 --> 04:27:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We had a staff member go off, we had it prepared, and we thought it had been sent, and it was not. 04:27:53.000 --> 04:28:05.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That doesn't mean he didn't get all of that information. All of that was sent in several letters, one of them actually prepared by Alex, um, that I signed and sent out. 04:28:05.000 --> 04:28:09.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It detailed all of the violations. 04:28:09.000 --> 04:28:16.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The big problem here is that none of the people associated with A&M Barbecue right now.
04:28:16.000 --> 04:28:23.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: were there when the business was first approved in 2023.
04:28:23.000 --> 04:28:25.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um…
04:28:25.000 --> 04:28:30.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They're all gone. So all the people we talked to in the beginning are not there anymore.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
04:28:30.000 --> 04:28:38.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: This is an entirely new crew. So it did create some problems on both sides with that issue. 04:28:39.000 --> 04:28:55.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the original smoker was the size of 3 of these chairs right here. You've all seen the 2 smokers that are there now that started coming in in July of 24. They fill this. They fill this room basically with the smokers we have now. So.
04:28:55.000 --> 04:29:04.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, a big difference. And then, like I said, originally when it was approved, it was Marvin's Deli and Barbecue.
04:29:04.000 --> 04:29:09.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: and tiny little barbecue smaller than than the table you're sitting in.
04:29:09.000 --> 04:29:26.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They also had regular deli stuff besides the barbecue, and then that changed in July of 24, when the crew that's there now came in. Got it. Clarification, you, you said that you did send a detailed letter of all the violations. Do you have the date? 04:29:26.000 --> 04:29:31.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: On that? Um, Alex just read them off, but there was 3 letters sent.
04:29:31.000 --> 04:29:39.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: starting in March. There was one in March, one in April, and one in May, I believe. Those three were all sent to.
04:29:42.000 --> 04:29:49.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: to, I believe, the all-new crew. I think the original opener of the business was gone by then. 04:29:50.000 --> 04:29:54.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay. Thank you very much. Anyone else have questions for?
04:29:54.000 --> 04:29:56.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you.
04:29:57.000 --> 04:30:03.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay. Did you have any comments or anything else?
04:30:05.000 --> 04:30:22.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I guess some of my comments are that the BAAQMD, they're sensors on Morris Street, and that's pretty far Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
from Eleanor, where the smoke is affecting the neighbors. I don't know. I don't have the address on Morris, but it seems pretty far away. 04:30:22.000 --> 04:30:27.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Morris Longstreet. We're on Morris right here.
04:30:29.000 --> 04:30:30.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I…
04:30:30.000 --> 04:30:32.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: don't think…
04:30:32.000 --> 04:30:43.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: with… I don't… I'm not comfortable changing any zoning for a business, especially because they're saying that they are 95%…
04:30:43.000 --> 04:30:46.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You know, close to signing a lease somewhere else.
04:30:46.000 --> 04:30:58.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I would support the restaurant staying there. I would support a return to the original small smoker.
They probably very well know what size that small smoker was. 04:30:58.000 --> 04:31:05.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And to allow the business to continue there, but to move the smokers off the property. And, um… 04:31:05.000 --> 04:31:18.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: so I guess that means starting enforcement on the larger smokers, but it doesn't mean they… they don't… they can keep the restaurant going until they finish their lease and move. And…
04:31:18.000 --> 04:31:21.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I just think that. 04:31:21.000 --> 04:31:23.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: They're very successful. 04:31:23.000 --> 04:31:33.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Uh, the business is very well loved and has been very successful, and it's really outgrown the location. I think sometimes growing veins are hard.
04:31:33.000 --> 04:31:44.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And uh… and in this case, it certainly caused a lot of problems and a lot of suffering to the neighbors. And I'm… I'm sorry that you all were caught in that… 04:31:44.000 --> 04:31:47.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: situation.
04:31:49.000 --> 04:31:53.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, okay.
04:31:53.000 --> 04:32:08.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I want to thank Staff for the clarity about the notices, because, as Councilmember Hinton said, it has been 7 months, so they've had 7 months notice to know that this is a problem, and this has been delayed, and.
04:32:10.000 --> 04:32:20.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: My preference is to allow them to keep the business, because our attorney said they could, and move the smokers immediately.
04:32:20.000 --> 04:32:21.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah, okay.
04:32:21.000 --> 04:32:23.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I'm gonna weigh in too here. 04:32:23.000 --> 04:32:34.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: This is really unfortunate, and it's such a conundrum, because as a business owner, I know how hard it is, and kudos to the business for growing the way it has, I mean… 04:32:35.000 --> 04:32:36.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That's…
04:32:36.000 --> 04:32:42.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: it. It's it's hard to be in this position up here, sitting here listening to this, because. 04:32:42.000 --> 04:32:47.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I also know as a business owner that it takes a lot of work.
04:32:47.000 --> 04:32:53.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: to understand all the permits, processes, and I say that as a business owner, but I also say that. 04:32:53.000 --> 04:33:02.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I run an organization that works with emerging brands, everyday food brands. That's all I do in Northern California, is work with food producers.
04:33:02.000 --> 04:33:07.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And that's one of the first things we teach people, is that they have to understand the local. 04:33:07.000 --> 04:33:23.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The regional, the state, the federal laws because of there's so many different regulations with that Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
and it's complicated. It is complicated, but at the end of the day, we all have to comply with that. So it really gets hard because zoning is in place for a reason.
04:33:24.000 --> 04:33:39.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It's in place for a number of reasons, and it is very black and white. It's not a gray area, and I am not one to do spot zoning or to change zoning for just one business. So I am also in the option. 3.
04:33:39.000 --> 04:33:48.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: space, and I mean, I know the business is gonna have to do what it needs to do, but at this point, I'm just not comfortable with changing zoning either. I believe that. 04:33:48.000 --> 04:33:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that whatever enforcement needs to happen, you know.
04:33:52.000 --> 04:34:09.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm you know, the city's gonna gonna take that. So I'm option 3 as well for not changing any zoning at this point. So I don't know what kind of motion do you? Oh, go ahead! Question. Can I just? Yeah, I want to ask a question. So if we're voting on option 3, what is the timeline? That is.
04:34:09.000 --> 04:34:12.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: will impact the business. 04:34:12.000 --> 04:34:22.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If we start enforcing, we're on a Tuesday, how does this roll so that we can.
04:34:22.000 --> 04:34:26.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: really understand and have the public understand.
04:34:26.000 --> 04:34:39.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: what rules then take over for enforcement, based on our vote tonight? Yeah, staff would, um, issue a notice of violation to the business if it continues to operate, um. 04:34:39.000 --> 04:34:47.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: in the manner, uh, not permitted by our zoning code. Those generally would… would give 14 days for compliance, and then after that.
04:34:47.000 --> 04:35:02.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Depending on the situation, the city might pursue a second notice of violation, if perhaps maybe things have changed, but maybe there's still some outstanding things that are in violation.
04:35:02.000 --> 04:35:07.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If there's been no progress, the city might begin issuing fines.
04:35:07.000 --> 04:35:21.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, you know, which our codes say could be up to, uh, $500 a day. The, the, you know, the staff would decide based on the violation where up to $500 that would be, and, and, you know, how.
04:35:21.000 --> 04:35:22.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: um…
04:35:22.000 --> 04:35:31.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: how frequently they issue those fines. If the council gave direction to delay ending the pause, you know, then…
04:35:31.000 --> 04:35:38.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, obviously, Staff wouldn't take any action or send any notices until the the.
04:35:38.000 --> 04:35:40.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That delay was… 04:35:40.000 --> 04:35:42.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: elapsed.
04:35:44.000 --> 04:35:54.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: to to clarify the action of so number 3 is direct staff to not take any rezoning action, and I agree with that.
04:35:54.000 --> 04:35:57.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: and reinitiate enforcement. 04:35:57.000 --> 04:36:04.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So does enforcement mean they have to move the 2 large smokers. Is that correct?
04:36:04.000 --> 04:36:11.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And they can continue as a restaurant there. Yes, that if the two large smokers… 04:36:11.000 --> 04:36:16.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: uh, continued there in operation, that that would be in violation of the code.
04:36:16.000 --> 04:36:35.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So can we make it clear that we want the two large smokers moved, and that they can continue to be a restaurant? I think that's not the question here, right? I mean, we're just talking about zoning, not whether or not they can be a business, because they can make the decisions, we just enforce the zoning, and then it all falls into place based on enforcement.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
04:36:35.000 --> 04:36:39.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Right? Does that I understand that correct? I just wanna make sure.
04:36:41.000 --> 04:36:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yes, well, yeah, I want to make sure that they don't… they don't have to stop being a restaurant, but just having the smokers moved. Can you clarify that? Yeah, we can't control… like, we…
04:36:52.000 --> 04:36:59.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Do not stop, or will not do enforcement against any business that's not violating a code, a section of the code.
04:37:00.000 --> 04:37:11.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So if they're operating in a manner that does not violate any section of the code, there will be no enforcement. Right. Okay, go ahead. Could we direct tonight's staff. 04:37:11.000 --> 04:37:14.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: to not enforce.
04:37:14.000 --> 04:37:20.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: fines or to give a lower level of fine direction to staff.
04:37:20.000 --> 04:37:38.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If they're not complying for a period of time because I mean, I just want to consider the impact of everyone in a $500 a day fine is going to just shut down somebody pretty quickly. You can certainly delay.
04:37:38.000 --> 04:37:50.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: direct staff to I mean, there should would be a penalty. But I'm just trying to figure out. So the the City Council is the appeal body for all the fines and things. So if. 04:37:50.000 --> 04:37:53.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Council is not… 04:37:53.000 --> 04:38:01.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: happy with a fine, or something that gets appeal to it, you know, you could certainly lower it. I would say, um…
04:38:01.000 --> 04:38:09.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, those individual decisions should be left to staff. Okay. If you want to state that, you know.
04:38:09.000 --> 04:38:19.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I think I heard you mention earlier, no enforcement for X days to give them a little bit of time.
That's certainly direction the Council could provide.
04:38:19.000 --> 04:38:25.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: of a timeframe where, you know, before commencement of…
04:38:25.000 --> 04:38:29.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And the enforcement. And our teams.
Yeah. Something.
04:38:32.000 --> 04:38:33.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay. Okay.
04:38:34.000 --> 04:38:51.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: No, I mean, I sort of said where I was leaning, but I'll go ahead and make the motion that we pursue option 3, which is to direct staff not to take any rezoning action particular to the subject site and to reinitiate enforcement actions. 04:38:57.000 --> 04:38:59.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you.
04:38:59.000 --> 04:39:00.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Second.
04:39:05.000 --> 04:39:08.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Wait. Mary?
04:39:09.000 --> 04:39:11.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We had a first and a second. 04:39:12.000 --> 04:39:16.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: No further discussion. I just want to make sure before I call for the motion.
04:39:16.000 --> 04:39:32.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So so moved by council members out.
Zolman, and seconded by Council Member Carter, to direct staff to not take any rezoning action to this subject, set or zone, and this option will result will result in the reinitiation of the enforcement actions. 04:39:32.000 --> 04:39:37.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Councilmember Carter? Yes.
Councilmember Hinton?
04:39:43.000 --> 04:39:45.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Mmhm.
04:39:47.000 --> 04:39:53.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Uh, yes. Councilmember Zellman? Yes. Vice Mayor Maurer? Yes. Mayor McLewis?
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
04:39:53.000 --> 04:39:57.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Unfortunately, yes. Motion passes unanimously.
04:40:00.000 --> 04:40:06.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Madam Mayor, can I make a request? 04:40:06.000 --> 04:40:21.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the… the people that I were thinking were coming for the next agenda item, I… they're not able to make tonight, and we have had people that I know for sure who are associated with our last item, um, number…
04:40:21.000 --> 04:40:36.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: 13 here all night. Only because I've seen them and met with them. So since they've been here, and to make sure we have adequate time, could I make a recommendation to switch them around the last 2. Yes, and I'm just gonna say I need to take a 2 min bio break.
04:40:36.000 --> 04:40:47.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Before we continue, sorry about that, TMI, but since I'm running the meeting… So, is everyone in agreement to switch the items, first of all, before we do that? 04:40:48.000 --> 04:40:53.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: There's just that though. Is that okay? Okay. All right, so we're gonna do that and just take a two minute break. I just.
04:40:55.000 --> 04:40:57.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Bye.
04:41:18.000 --> 04:41:19.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I will…
04:41:22.000 --> 04:41:24.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I have a joke.
04:41:25.000 --> 04:41:28.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Is everything there? 04:41:33.000 --> 04:41:48.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So they switched off the box. 04:41:48.000 --> 04:41:51.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It's all that I can think of. 04:41:51.000 --> 04:41:55.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If you want to know better, you don't have to sit back.
04:41:55.000 --> 04:42:00.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, I think my name is Jessica.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
04:42:00.000 --> 04:42:02.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yes, it must be done. 04:42:02.000 --> 04:42:07.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: any panel outside the one you can come to ask me to do something.
04:42:07.000 --> 04:42:10.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I don't think so. 04:42:10.000 --> 04:42:13.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for holding. 04:42:28.000 --> 04:42:45.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That's all.
04:43:32.000 --> 04:43:56.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I don't know.
04:44:38.000 --> 04:44:54.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yes, yeah, on my side. 04:44:54.000 --> 04:44:59.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It's overlooked, overlooked. 04:44:59.000 --> 04:45:01.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Hey, let's get ready to start hearing something.
04:45:08.000 --> 04:45:13.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We need to get this going again.
Just hammer.
04:45:13.000 --> 04:45:14.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Bye.
04:45:14.000 --> 04:45:22.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: get Mary to stop talking with Steve. They could talk later. Are we ready to get going, everyone? 04:45:22.000 --> 04:45:27.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Mary, Alex. Can we get going? This can wait.
04:45:28.000 --> 04:45:32.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We are going to run out of time and there's been a lot of people here all night.
04:45:33.000 --> 04:45:36.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: All right, everyone. Let's see. Are we on?
04:45:36.000 --> 04:45:43.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Is it okay? Okay. All right, we are back at the dais here, and we are switching, um, our… 04:45:43.000 --> 04:45:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Just to recap, we're switching our agenda around moving item 12, um, down and moving 13 up, so we're gonna address…
04:45:52.000 --> 04:46:02.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Number 13, creation of ad hoc committee or council liaison regarding racism, social bullying, and mockery, and direction regarding training and other options. 04:46:02.000 --> 04:46:10.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Let's see. I'll take this, Mayor.
Good evening again.
04:46:10.000 --> 04:46:26.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So a very brief recap, as you know, the Council has twice before discussed racist graffiti and, you know, mockery and insults that have involved.
04:46:26.000 --> 04:46:29.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: or, you know, appear to involve. 04:46:29.000 --> 04:46:41.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: kids from high school, uh, behind the Safeway. Um, I… I won't go in all the background, because the… the council has, you know, discussed that and heard that before at a meeting, provided direction.
04:46:41.000 --> 04:46:53.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: for me to explore some comments, some options. At the last meeting, the city council heard a lot of public comment about different options or discussion.
04:46:53.000 --> 04:46:58.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, and different options for addressing this, and some of the…
04:46:58.000 --> 04:47:06.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: underlying issues and what was a good forum to handle this in. And so…
04:47:06.000 --> 04:47:18.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: before the Council tonight are a couple things. One, seeking direction, um, and possible action on the creation of either a ad hoc committee to.
04:47:19.000 --> 04:47:33.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: to address racism, social bullying, and mockery. That committee could be empowered as part of the motion to organize meetings with interested stakeholders, including the high school, school district.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
04:47:33.000 --> 04:47:37.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Brookhaven, Safeway, you know, neighbors, all of those.
04:47:38.000 --> 04:47:42.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And to report… review suggestions and report back.
04:47:43.000 --> 04:47:49.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, and to assign staff liaison to work with that committee. Option 2 is a more, um…
04:47:49.000 --> 04:47:58.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: limited. It's not an ad hoc committee, it's appointing a liaison, and that liaison could hold meetings with groups and things like that, but it'd really be a one person.
04:47:59.000 --> 04:48:00.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: handling that.
04:48:00.000 --> 04:48:04.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Regardless of which option the Council, uh.
04:48:04.000 --> 04:48:07.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: There's a few other options that the…
04:48:07.000 --> 04:48:16.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: staff is looking for direction for.
One, whether you'd like the state to prepare a graffiti ordinance requiring graffiti to be.
04:48:16.000 --> 04:48:20.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: cleaned and removed within a certain period of time.
04:48:21.000 --> 04:48:23.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Second, approving, uh… 04:48:24.000 --> 04:48:28.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the city's use of the Sierra who's…
04:48:28.000 --> 04:48:35.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You all are aware Sierra is the city's risk provider using some of their.
04:48:36.000 --> 04:48:50.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: race-based… excuse me, racial bias and related courses available that we have access to as part of a Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
member… as a member, and under IRMA, which are sort of our employment coverage, they offer…
04:48:50.000 --> 04:49:06.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: a complimentary training to use that, and they have a grant we can apply for that's $2,500 that could be used for the similar thing. Councilmember Maurer, but let me be clear, those are solely interior. Those trainings are only available. 04:49:06.000 --> 04:49:12.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, and to be provided for staff or city officials. Um…
04:49:12.000 --> 04:49:20.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Another option, you know, this is the and options, you know, now the or option is.
04:49:20.000 --> 04:49:28.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Councilmember Maurer and Councilmember Zolan, I think, mentioned last meeting dedication of their unused.
04:49:28.000 --> 04:49:41.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: conference and training funds to be utilized for additional trainings, including trainings, perhaps to be offered to the community that would not be covered by either CIRA or Irma trainings.
04:49:41.000 --> 04:49:45.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So with that, happy to answer any questions the Council has.
04:49:45.000 --> 04:49:47.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: about those.
04:49:48.000 --> 04:50:03.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Oh, go ahead, councilmember. Thank you, Alex. One of the questions that I received right away, which is, that's like nifty that the city is going to learn to be less racist. But what is it going to do for us?
04:50:03.000 --> 04:50:19.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: as community members who have been directly impacted by these actions. One of the emails that we received later this afternoon specifically asked for and says, I support option one only with meaningful resident membership.
04:50:19.000 --> 04:50:34.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: please amend it to include six appointed community members alongside two council members. And then he has other sort of, um, recommendations as far as scope, but then he also says if council chooses option two.
04:50:34.000 --> 04:50:51.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, please also keep the resident participation. So with the two options that staff have laid out, how would that work? Either with the ad hoc, with two council, or one liaison. Could there be members of the public? And that, if that is, can you briefly explain what that would look like?
04:50:51.000 --> 04:51:07.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Whether it be encompassed for Brown Act. Yes, it would be subject to the Brown Act. So an ad hoc committee has to be a committee whose members are solely made up of less than the majority of the city council.
04:51:07.000 --> 04:51:13.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The only members can be two city council members, no members of the public for it to be an ad hoc committee.
04:51:13.000 --> 04:51:25.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If instead, the Council wants, uh, to… and an ad hoc committee can meet with other people, right? They can invite others to come and give input to their meetings, that's completely fine.
04:51:25.000 --> 04:51:30.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: But if other individuals are going to be members of the committee.
04:51:31.000 --> 04:51:37.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: similar to the building, the Commons, for example, then that becomes a stand. That's a. 04:51:37.000 --> 04:51:45.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: not a standing committee, but it's still a committee under… that's subject to the Brown Act, and so its meetings would have to be noticed, and posted, and held. 04:51:45.000 --> 04:51:48.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: in that manner, which, you know… 04:51:48.000 --> 04:52:00.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I defer to the Council whether that is good or bad, but it does include cost to the City of having to manage the Brown Act meetings. And who would manage those meetings from the staff?
04:52:00.000 --> 04:52:04.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I would defer to our city manager to answer that.
04:52:06.000 --> 04:52:15.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If this was going to be a standing committee, I would recommend I take over this committee and then call in staff when needed.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
04:52:17.000 --> 04:52:34.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead. Okay. So if it's an ad hoc committee, can it just be like random meetings sometimes, or do whatever it feels like it needs to do. And then also, what are the legal ramifications of the city having an ad hoc committee and 2 members holding committees.
04:52:34.000 --> 04:52:49.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: committee meetings or or just findings. Are they obligated to report anything specific? Are they obligated to any specific outcome? Or is that to be decided with the creation of the ad hoc.
04:52:49.000 --> 04:52:54.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And do we create liability somehow if we inadvertently make mistakes?
04:52:55.000 --> 04:52:57.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Promises, or…
04:52:58.000 --> 04:53:00.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We we don't.
04:53:00.000 --> 04:53:08.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: create any liability. I think as part of creating the ad hoc, the Council would direct what they wanted.
Like, do you, you know…
04:53:08.000 --> 04:53:17.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: return with recommendations on steps the city could take. You know, do outreach and engage with state callers in return. Um…
04:53:17.000 --> 04:53:24.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You know, ideally, you try to, you know, no later than this date, or as soon as possible, you know, with… 04:53:24.000 --> 04:53:29.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: recommendations for addressing, you know, community concerns.
04:53:31.000 --> 04:53:35.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Just so it's clear to the ad hoc committee what their task is.
04:53:35.000 --> 04:53:44.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I have a question. You know, if we're looking at, you know, putting together an ad hoc and addressing these issues, do we actually have…
04:53:44.000 --> 04:53:48.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You know, like, I mean, Mary, you're saying you would be in charge of this.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
04:53:48.000 --> 04:54:00.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, what expertise do we have within the city to address these issues? I know the county often has a lot of different options and people who are, like, truly. 04:54:00.000 --> 04:54:16.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: dedicated to to these, you know. So there's these topics. So I'm just wondering, like from a city perspective, what what do we possess that could actually be considered an expert in that to where we aren't making mistakes, or or you know, I I just wanna understand that.
04:54:17.000 --> 04:54:27.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So the city would not be the experts. So this ad hoc committee would be reaching… if it was an ad hoc committee or a standing committee, they would be reaching out to the experts.
04:54:27.000 --> 04:54:38.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So we would be pulling those people in to help with the meeting. So whether it's an ad hoc or a standing committee, we would be reaching out to the experts. We would… And that we would be paying these experts to…
04:54:38.000 --> 04:54:40.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Just like we did with fire. 04:54:40.000 --> 04:54:45.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That would be a direction at the Council that we would need to come back to if there was going to be a cost for someone to…
04:54:45.000 --> 04:54:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: from one of the outside organizations to come in and give a talk. So it would be staff time plus possibly paying for that? Okay.
04:54:52.000 --> 04:55:07.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So if there were an ad hoc, my understanding could be that, you know, maybe these meetings convene, you find resources out there, but also just listening and holding, you know, your own particular meetings.
04:55:07.000 --> 04:55:13.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: This may not incur any high-level cost, nor staff time, unless…
04:55:13.000 --> 04:55:25.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Uh, you know, so, you know, or it could be, you know, minimized. Yeah, if there's an ad hoc committee, staff, you know, the two committee members can just decide for themselves when they're gonna meet.
04:55:25.000 --> 04:55:36.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Uh, they may… I… I would… there will still be some staff time, always, because, you know, maybe you want to advertise, hey, the ad hoc committee is meeting on this day and wants to hear from.
04:55:36.000 --> 04:55:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: whomever, rather than just inviting. You know, I'm sure sometimes you would just invite specific stakeholders, hey, we want to meet with the neighbors today, and you just reach out to the neighbors, but there may be times you need staff's help organizing, so I don't want to say there will never be any staff time, but less.
04:55:52.000 --> 04:55:55.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Then, um.
04:55:56.000 --> 04:56:03.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It's, you know, a standing committee, and for either one, you know, the Council can direct that as part of it. Like, right now.
04:56:03.000 --> 04:56:12.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: all that's occurring is X amount of staff time, and maybe part of the recommendations that come back are, and we think the study should spend.
04:56:12.000 --> 04:56:15.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, X dollars to do… 04:56:15.000 --> 04:56:21.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Whatever that the recommendation might be, you know, bring in an expert to lead so-and-so. 04:56:21.000 --> 04:56:25.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Then, you know, whatever the recommendations might be.
04:56:26.000 --> 04:56:33.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I shut it off, sorry. Go ahead, Councilmember Hinton. Two questions. So we don't have a graffiti ordinance right now. Nothing.
04:56:33.000 --> 04:56:37.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We're just counting on people to do the right thing. Okay, that's question one.
04:56:37.000 --> 04:56:43.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Question two is, I mean, the trouble.
04:56:43.000 --> 04:56:45.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That's been with. 04:56:45.000 --> 04:56:48.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Youth, right? Youth… and then… 04:56:49.000 --> 04:56:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Having lived in Sevastopol, a lot of the trouble is…
04:56:52.000 --> 04:57:00.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: is involving youth, has involved youth. So Brookhaven, Anley, like, this is where we've been hearing about it. Um…
04:57:03.000 --> 04:57:09.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I assume we could direct this liaison.
04:57:09.000 --> 04:57:11.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: or ad hoc.
04:57:11.000 --> 04:57:13.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: to work with, you know. 04:57:13.000 --> 04:57:20.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: To really focus on our schools and having an event, right, as we're talking about education. 04:57:20.000 --> 04:57:23.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah. Yes. Okay.
04:57:23.000 --> 04:57:26.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: similar to the Fentanyl. 04:57:26.000 --> 04:57:43.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead, Wisden. Council Member Wojciechi. So just to be clear, because I have been posed a question too, our options are like a standing committee like the Commons, an ad hoc that was laid out in the staff report, or continue with a council liaison. So we don't have things like advisory bodies.
04:57:43.000 --> 04:57:57.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Or advisory committees. Like, we just don't have them and can't create them. I don't know. I mean, so that's not something we've heard from the council before, but if you want to create a permanent body, like you have the planning commission. 04:57:57.000 --> 04:58:07.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that is an option, you know, direction, and we come back for that, you know, creation of that with membership and so on. That's an option if you want to create. 04:58:07.000 --> 04:58:23.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, an advisory body, that's something. So like an advisory body would only look like a planning commission where there would be people up here at the dais. There'd be a Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
lot of staff time. Well, is that what you're saying? An advisory body is subject to the Brown Act.
04:58:23.000 --> 04:58:35.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So, if any committee appointed by the City Council is subject to the Brown Act, unless it is comprised of only two Council members with a limited jurisdiction.
04:58:35.000 --> 04:58:36.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay.
04:58:37.000 --> 04:58:40.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Bless me. Oh.
04:58:40.000 --> 04:58:51.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, uh, three of us are… are up for re-election. I mean, two of us are running, and one is leaving.
One… one council member is leaving, so, um…
04:58:51.000 --> 04:58:56.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: These things take time to set up and build. So what do you suggest?
04:58:56.000 --> 04:58:58.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: for that.
04:58:58.000 --> 04:59:14.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, you know, I think it depends on what you are doing tonight. You know, if you have a liaison, you might have someone available tonight. If you want a standing, you know, a community-based group that includes council members and. 04:59:14.000 --> 04:59:18.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And residents, you know, we're gonna have to…
04:59:18.000 --> 04:59:24.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: come back with a resolution to create that. I don't know if the Council has, you know. 04:59:24.000 --> 04:59:27.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: there were the.
04:59:27.000 --> 04:59:36.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: building the commons, right, we… there was no application process. It was, we designated the groups, they designate who they want to… to serve.
04:59:36.000 --> 04:59:49.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: uh, the Council would have to decide, or do we want to, you know, create applications from the public to serve on this committee, or similar to building the Commons, sort of leave it up to individual stakeholder groups to.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
04:59:49.000 --> 04:59:51.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: to send their appointees. 04:59:51.000 --> 04:59:53.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead.
04:59:53.000 --> 05:00:05.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'd like to flip back to the graffiti ordinance, which is also part of this. Do we not have anything that kind of broadly covers it?
05:00:05.000 --> 05:00:10.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Oh, we don't. Um, all the, uh… 05:00:11.000 --> 05:00:28.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Word graffiti only appears nine times in our code. It's related to our recent NEWSRAC ordinance, and there's some stuff about the skate park and parks, but there's no general prohibition on it. You know, there may be some…
05:00:28.000 --> 05:00:48.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: general prohibition on your building being a nuisance. But that doesn't have a clear standard of remove graffiti within 72 hours. Oh, I see. Like a light, it's not like uh defacing something, the person who did the graffiti Well, graffiti, yes, graffiti is still a crime. This is about the property owner. 05:00:48.000 --> 05:00:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I got- Removing the graffiti. Yeah, okay.
05:00:54.000 --> 05:00:56.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead.
05:00:56.000 --> 05:01:08.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I mean, this is a bit off topic, but I am watching the time, and I do want to request that we hit requests for future agenda items tonight. So I just put that into this discussion. 05:01:08.000 --> 05:01:21.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Keep that in mind. 1030 is pretty close. Go ahead, Vice Mayor. So if it was one council member as a liaison, could they hold meetings.
05:01:21.000 --> 05:01:37.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: without being a brown act. Could they invite residents to come and and kind of create a scope of what the ad hoc, what they could create a scope, and then, in that time you could decide whether a liaison was sufficient, or whether you needed a. 05:01:37.000 --> 05:01:54.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: bigger body to discuss these things. But like what I would ask is, do they want? Do they want it on Zoom? Do you want to involve Safeway? Do you want to involve the police? Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
What are your needs? And what do you want out of this collaboration with us?
05:01:54.000 --> 05:02:09.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know. How can what can we do together to move move this issue forward? And so we received a good letter from someone today this afternoon had some ideas. 05:02:09.000 --> 05:02:21.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, and I think that that's… that's the conversation that I'm interested in hearing more from is the residents, what are their needs, and what, you know, kind of brainstorm around what we can do to help.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Maybe starting that process tonight.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I just wanted to. So you know, I'm the one who in the past has met with Safeway and Annalee and Safeway sent the letter with all the remedies that they, you know, all the different steps that they've taken. I want to just say. 05:02:40.000 --> 05:02:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I don't want to speak for everyone, but yet, being in those meetings, they… they are aware of this tonight, you know, and they… they said they wanted to try all of these things before they started in any kind of meetings or anything like that, so I'm just…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: putting that out there for everyone to know that you know that was something that they they wanted to work through these different solutions that they have right now. So I we're making assumptions that everyone will want to come to the table, and maybe they will, because they didn't. You know I'm not their. I'm not their spokesperson, but just sharing with you that you know. 05:03:11.000 --> 05:03:17.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: what I heard and that's why they sent that letter. So just letting you know that.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Go ahead. I'm going to do a trial motion to. Yeah. So I'm just asking, I mean, I haven't heard anything else, right? I mean, you haven't heard anything since then, Mary, as far as that, I guess I should have posed that as a question because knowing what I've heard, but that was a couple weeks ago.
05:03:35.000 --> 05:03:47.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: No, I have heard nothing further than the letter that we received from Safeway of the options that they Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
were… or the actions that they were proposed to be taking. Okay, sorry, I meant… it was a question in my head, but it wasn't coming out. 05:03:47.000 --> 05:03:49.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Any other questions? 05:03:49.000 --> 05:03:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, then let's go to public comment.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Mayor. So this is public comment. Um, this is a 2-minute time limit. If you would like to make a public comment, I do chambers first, and then go out to Zoom, if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment. 05:04:12.000 --> 05:04:15.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, I'll admit that I'm… 05:04:15.000 --> 05:04:28.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: pretty confused in terms of what the choices are going forward. I came tonight, and I had a letter for you advocating for an ad hoc committee, but in the letter I was also. 05:04:28.000 --> 05:04:34.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: asking that at least 6 community members be part of that.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And it's my understanding that that can't happen. I want to appreciate the Council for even bringing for bringing this forward. But I also want to say that this is a very deep problem.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It is not a problem of a few kids at a high school who wrote racist things on a wall.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: If you read the newspapers, what is going on in Sonoma County reflects what's going on in our country. There is deep-seated racism here, and we need to look at it, and. 05:05:12.000 --> 05:05:16.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Many of us up here are white people.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: We need to own.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: what we have, and we need to look really deep. And I do believe that education is a big key, I think, Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
involving the kids involving the schools involving the sports programs is all about. How do we re-educate.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: from a very racist point of view and change it.
05:05:41.000 --> 05:05:54.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So I appreciate it, and I hope that whatever you decide is going to involve the community in that, because I think the community has lots of very good answers or suggestions. 05:05:54.000 --> 05:06:00.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you. Thank you for your public comment. Next, I'll go out to Zoom. June, can you unmute yourself, please?
05:06:02.000 --> 05:06:18.000
June: Yes, um, yeah, I just wanted to speak in support of this discussion, and bringing this forward, and then talking about this very serious problem. And I do think an ad hoc would be good, um, because those two council members can meet with.
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June: six community members, and they can meet with other people, and they can meet with those six community members again, and they can do a lot, and I do think it's too much to put on one person to be the liaison.
I think with two people, there's a lot to be done, and a lot more would happen.
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June: And it would have a lot more validity coming back as recommendations for what maybe the city could do.
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June: And I do agree with what Cindy said about this as being a big problem. I do not support a graffiti ordinance going forward. It came before, and people looked at all the constitutional issues and… 05:06:52.000 --> 05:06:57.000
June: That's not the… that's not the core of the problem here. The problem is racism.
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June: And that's really where we need to do our focus of activities and attention, and seeing what more we can do. I do support trainings among staff, all of that is great, do that.
05:07:10.000 --> 05:07:23.000
June: please do as much of that as you can, but I do think we need an ad hoc, and we need community engagement around this, and we need attention on this, because it is a very serious problem in our community. Thank you.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
05:07:23.000 --> 05:07:27.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment.
Next, I will come back into chambers.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thanks for the opportunity to speak. I'm Gail Yamamoto Seymour. I'm the Civil Rights Social Justice Committee Chair of the Japanese American Citizens League of Sonoma County. I'm also a general member of the NAACP and a general member of the Asian American Pacific Islander Coalition of the North Bay. 05:07:56.000 --> 05:08:02.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you very much for what you said. Exactly. That's exactly what's happening.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Basically, it's very concerning that our youth is following the path of racism, and thanks very much for tackling this head on, but of course we can't just address the symptoms, we have to get to the.
05:08:16.000 --> 05:08:32.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the core of the issue and as previous speaker said, it's happening in our county It's happening in our state and our nation and everywhere, and it's really escalating. And the graffiti itself isn't the problem, but the graffiti is oppressive. 05:08:32.000 --> 05:08:38.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: It's frightening, and it makes all of us community people, all of your people.
05:08:38.000 --> 05:08:53.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: unsafe in their own communities, so it has to be dealt with. So I'm here tonight just to offer any assistance, to be a stakeholder, to be part of the ad hoc committee. My board has given me permission for that, and I also want to say that your premier expert.
05:08:53.000 --> 05:08:59.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: on this issue is Kirsten Lange, who is the president of the NAACP, who is here tonight.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you. Thank you, Gail, for your public comment. Next, I'll go out to Zoom. Sarah, can you unmute yourself, please?
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Sarah’s iphone: Hi, um, my name's Sarah, and I'm also one of the residents here on the Pitt, um, street, and, um, I do understand Safeway Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
has responded. I saw the copy of the letter of their response, and I do want to address that.
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Sarah’s iphone: First of all, saying that they're sending someone by to regularly monitor the area is absolutely false. I have not ever seen anyone from Safeway. I will say the police has upped their monitoring, but there's never been anyone from Safeway there.
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Sarah’s iphone: Um, the security camera, we've already brought that up.
I'm happy to see that that's something that they're now looking into. Um, but going forward, I mean, if they're not going to remove that area, that block.
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Sarah’s iphone: I brought this up before. I think we need to have it fenced in. If they're not going to fence it in, I'd like to understand why that is. I, myself, am a property manager, and I know, you know, if any of my tenants were complaining about something like that, I would have had it removed.
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Sarah’s iphone: immediately, you know, so the lack of response just showed, you know, not a good taste in our mouth for them. 05:10:21.000 --> 05:10:37.000
Sarah’s iphone: To date, you know, like I said, the police have been monitoring the area more, the kids have come by less, and that's more so been, luckily, a result of the community stepping up and being a presence there to make them uncomfortable.
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Sarah’s iphone: Another idea we had was installing a permanent garbage can there, how they have outside of normal grocery stores, have one in the back. These kids are littering all over the place. My 80-somethingyear-old neighbor, who's a veteran, is walking down and picking up after these little kids.
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Sarah’s iphone: And then I just want to know what's the future plan of response for all of this? Like, how quickly should we expect to hear back? I mean, as a result of this whole thing coming out, I know one of my neighbors has experienced some attack.
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Sarah’s iphone: directly towards her, towards her work, and her work has had more action towards this than our own polls have. 05:11:15.000 --> 05:11:17.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Sarah, that's two minutes. 05:11:18.000 --> 05:11:26.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for… thank you for your public comment. Next, I will come back into chambers, if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment.
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Sarah’s iphone: Thanks.
05:11:34.000 --> 05:12:03.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Please go ahead. Okay. Good evening, Kirsten Lange. I'm President of the Santa Rosa Sonoma County branch of the NAACP. I will 1st and foremost say that this is not the 1st time that these issues have come up with the youth in this community.
It's work that I've been doing in this community for 10 years, but I don't do it for free, and it is not within the scope of my role as the President of the NAACP. I have run my own business as a consultant and subject matter expert to do this. I say that to say that in the small town of Bellflower.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: California, where I lived for 2 years, when I called myself banning myself away from Sonoma County. This issue came up with a grocery store in the neighborhood I lived in Bellflowers, smaller than the city of Sebastopol, by like 3,000 people, and we came together as a community and pressured the city council, who then pressured the property owner that the grocer was in, and they left. 05:12:25.000 --> 05:12:50.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Well, they were pushed out, and they would not renew their lease because they would not stand up to address the property management and maintenance of the issues that were occurring in that area which were racial epithet, drug and gang violence, and so on and so forth. So you have the opportunity to leverage some some willpower with safeway. They're also one of the corporations that rolled back all their Dei policies and initiatives as a result of the turn of the administration. So take what.
05:12:50.000 --> 05:13:18.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: what they say in their letter with a little bit of a feather. Wait, if you will. I would also say that this is an opportunity to really explore how some of the other cities have convened. I've been consulting and contract work for the city of Santa Rosa, both Srpd. And the city proper, and they formed advisory groups that were made up of folks from both bodies and appointed members through an application process. So it sounds like you may have some opportunities to explore some additional opportunities.
05:13:18.000 --> 05:13:34.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: or avenues to create opportunity for community engagement and to adhere to the Brown Act, which I think is an important aspect. So that there aren't deals and decisions being made without an advisory body allowing you to make some insightful decisions. 05:13:34.000 --> 05:13:35.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
05:13:35.000 --> 05:13:39.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment.
Next, I will go back out to Zoom.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Dina, can you unmute yourself, please?
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Dena Bliss: I can, thank you.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you. Can you see the timer? 05:13:46.000 --> 05:13:50.000
Dena Bliss: I cannot see the timer, but I don't think I'm going to take a lot of time.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, go ahead, please. 05:13:50.000 --> 05:14:08.000
Dena Bliss: Having learned tonight that the ad hoc cannot include community members, I want to urge you to establish either a standing committee or to establish some kind of advisory body that includes the community. This is a community rich in resources and intelligence. 05:14:08.000 --> 05:14:22.000
Dena Bliss: that would like to bring that intelligence and resource to the table. So I would not like to see you come up with a decision that excludes all of that expertise and willingness and urgent feeling within the community. Thank you very much.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Dina, for your public comment. Next, I'll come back into chambers, if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Hello. Hi, my name's Todd Swindell.
I spoke at the last, uh, City Council meeting as well on this issue. Um, and I just, uh, again, I want to echo what a lot of other folks have said, that, that, um…
05:14:47.000 --> 05:15:03.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The graffiti, getting into the whole graffiti thing, I think, is distracting from the core issue here, you know, which is, again, is about this racism and antisemitism and the fact that these kids would feel so emboldened.
05:15:03.000 --> 05:15:20.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: to go out in public in the middle of the day. And, you know, so there's been a lot of frustration, Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
especially from the folks that lived across, you know, but, about not being included in the other meetings. But we're here now, and I'm seeing some things go on.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I just had a chance to kind of scroll through the pages of stuff, and the stuff that's coming out for safeway looks promising. But I don't really trust them. I mean, they're a big corporation. They've had a chance to do something up to now. So unless they put some actual teeth with that.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I don't really have very much hope with them, but I just want to echo, I guess, this thing about trying to come together as a community and really, you know, this is really scary when kids come out and feel that they can say that it was right. 05:15:51.000 --> 05:16:06.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: and spray painted on the back of Safeway. And I think that a lot of people just feel these days, you know, like, well, what can we do? Kids are this way, blah, blah, blah. You know, I think about the kids, I think about the parents, and I think the best thing we can do is bring this stuff out in the light, you know? 05:16:06.000 --> 05:16:23.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And so I guess really what I'm saying is just making sure that the community members are involved because this is a really big issue. It's not something that's going to be fixed overnight. And we've got folks sitting here waiting until the very end of the meeting just to come up and say a little bit. So obviously, there's commitment.
05:16:23.000 --> 05:16:36.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, there's interest in participation. So I just was hoping that we can move forward and making sure that the community member and the residents are involved as well.
Thank you. Thank you for your public comment. Next, I'll go back out to Zoom. Oliver, can you unmute yourself, please?
05:16:36.000 --> 05:16:56.000
Oliver: Yeah, just very quickly, thank you. Um, City of Sebastopol is much too small to be taking something like this on. The county has all kinds of, uh, bandwidth to handle this kind of thing, like the County Office of Equity, Commission on Human Rights, so on and so forth. We're tiny. I mean, racism is… and all the other issues are… 05:16:56.000 --> 05:17:14.000
Oliver: massive international problems, and the tiny little city like this isn't going to have any bandwidth to make any meaningful impact on this, except in an informal way. So, I would strongly suggest that we push this up to the county and have them.
05:17:14.000 --> 05:17:23.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Oliver: use their resources to deal with this, rather than wasting a lot of staff, um, time and council bandwidth. Thank you.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Oliver, for your public comment. Next, I will come back into chambers.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, I just wanted to respond to that last comment, because I think that it is even more important, since we are a small community, that we deal with these issues, and… 05:17:43.000 --> 05:18:00.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: push them forward to try and come together as a community and figure them out instead of saying, Oh, well, this is a bigger issue. We need to go to the next person, because that's exactly how these issues get ignored. That's exactly how people end up getting hurt.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I think that is really important as a small community to say that we don't accept racism in our community and that we're not going to stand for it. So yeah, I just wanted to say that. And I also agree that we need to like make sure. 05:18:17.000 --> 05:18:26.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: the community is involved and that we all as neighbors are being told what's happening and what's going to happen going forward.
05:18:26.000 --> 05:18:33.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment.
Next, I'll go back out to Zoom. SP, can you unmute yourself, please? 05:18:35.000 --> 05:18:36.000
Sp: Can you hear me?
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I can hear you. Can you see the timer?
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Sp: I cannot, so hopefully I'll be…
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, I will jump in when you have about 30 seconds left. Go ahead, please.
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Sp: Hi, hello, this is Sean Paul. Um…
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Sp: It's good to hear for the city attorney, there's lots of resources there for internal training, but I don't think the city council and our Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
city, um, employees are really the issue. So, it's time you, and I'm sure you do some training there.
05:18:57.000 --> 05:19:04.000
Sp: Um, police departments usually have some more training in this, and especially if they have a community service officer, that's usually a great place.
05:19:04.000 --> 05:19:15.000
Sp: I don't think the ad hoc committee is the right choice, because it seems like it's really leaving it in with just a small group of people. I think making this more of a larger community-based issue. 05:19:15.000 --> 05:19:16.000
Sp: Bring it up.
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Sp: and have the community involved, and having everyone coming together somehow, um, seems more the right choice to try to put pressure on Annalee and these young people.
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Sp: that this is not okay. That is not the right way to do things. 05:19:31.000 --> 05:19:38.000
Sp: Um, just having a small group from the city council, I don't think is gonna have the effect, but a larger group of the city.
05:19:38.000 --> 05:19:42.000
Sp: Or the community saying, hey, no, we're not going to put up with this anymore.
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Sp: that's, I think, the better way to go. So that's just my opinion. So, thank you.
05:19:47.000 --> 05:19:54.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Jean-Paul. Next, I'll come back into chambers, if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment on this item.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I have to say I'm a little confused, too, about.
05:20:04.000 --> 05:20:12.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: what your decision was, what I have seen since I have been a part of this wonderful group is. 05:20:12.000 --> 05:20:14.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Teachers.
05:20:14.000 --> 05:20:17.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: community members showing up.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
05:20:17.000 --> 05:20:22.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Because they're seeing racism in their community, and they want it to stop.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And what I really want to see is this.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: City Council work with them to provide ways forward.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: That we can all work together, because the willingness is amazing.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: The skill is incredible. 05:20:40.000 --> 05:20:43.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And the wisdom is here. 05:20:43.000 --> 05:20:45.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And it's up to you to use it. 05:20:45.000 --> 05:20:49.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: However, you're going to do that, I think you should use it.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: because what I've seen is incredible. I'm so proud to know these people and to see them show up on their own accord at Safeway at times when the kids are getting out of school.
05:21:04.000 --> 05:21:21.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: and report to each other because they care about their neighbors and everyone else in this community, and they don't want their neighbors to suffer, and neither do I, and I don't think you do either. So I think that, however, you can make it happen.
Let's.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: work together.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: and stop it now before it goes any further. Nadine Burke Harris, by the way, who was at 1 point Surgeon General of California.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: has tried to fight this issue in the past and gotten nowhere. I don't want to.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I do. I want to say, let's not get involved in the bureaucratic trap.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: of well, we'll do this, and then we'll do that. Let's get together and continue to work together on ways to mitigate this problem.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment.
Next, I will go out to Zoom, and just as a reminder, it is 28, so by 10:30, you will need to make a motion.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, moving forward or stopping the meeting at 10.30. So, Lee, can you unmute yourself, please? 05:22:11.000 --> 05:22:13.000
Lee: Yes, can you hear me?
05:22:12.000 --> 05:22:15.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I can. Can you see the timer still? 05:22:14.000 --> 05:22:16.000
Lee: I can.
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Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Great. Go ahead, please. 05:22:16.000 --> 05:22:25.000
Lee: This is a really important issue, not only here, but everywhere, and a difficult issue.
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Lee: But the challenge for this group is, in a small city, to know what you can control and what you cannot.
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Lee: you can easily direct staff to create a graffiti ordinance. They know what to do. It'll come back on a schedule. That's what the city's good at asking staff to work with schools, work with the community, reach out to people in other cities. Build a a.
05:22:51.000 --> 05:23:00.000
Lee: The coalition of people that are the willing to move forward and identify issues and steps that can be done is not in anyone's job description.
05:23:00.000 --> 05:23:16.000
Lee: And I'm not being critical. The city's not strong in their history of leadership on these kinds of issues because they don't have people on Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
staff, trained, qualified, and with capacity to do that. It's not a, you know, this isn't an issue that the city's going to solve. 05:23:16.000 --> 05:23:18.000
Lee: Um, but.
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Lee: Several people, Rob earlier on a different issue and a couple people on this one have said there's lots of people here in Sebastopol that have the expertise, know what to do, want to do it.
05:23:28.000 --> 05:23:40.000
Lee: it appears they just lack leadership. Um, and perhaps somebody on the city council who's interested in this issue can take it on, um, in their… in their citizen role. Um, and…
05:23:40.000 --> 05:23:51.000
Lee: pull together some people in this city who are interested in dealing with this, and get it… get the ball rolling. And perhaps it can even get enough of a life that it'll roll by itself.
05:23:51.000 --> 05:24:12.000
Lee: There is the issue of the graffiti ordinance which probably needs to be addressed. There's also the issue. I think that there was a lot of discomfort that the mayor and the police chief and the city manager were meeting with people periodically with the school and the safe way on issues, and the city council didn't know about it. Maybe that needs to be addressed.
05:24:12.000 --> 05:24:21.000
Lee: Um, but I think, you know, the solution here is somebody take up the banner and start the community moving forward. Thank you. 05:24:23.000 --> 05:24:26.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Sorry. Thank you, Lee, for your public comment.
05:24:26.000 --> 05:24:44.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Before we go next, Speaker Merrick, if we could get that. I was going to stop. Yeah, I was just going to say, so we need to — so that people understand at 10:30 that meeting ends unless everyone unanimously agrees to stay. So we all have to weigh in on where we're at with that.
05:24:44.000 --> 05:24:48.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'll stay. I'm in. 05:24:48.000 --> 05:24:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'll stay, but I would also like a call for, um…
05:24:52.000 --> 05:25:06.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: for the request for future council items after this item is stopped to be included. I've got 10 min, because I I literally, I need to be to work. So I just.
05:25:07.000 --> 05:25:22.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So so if we can finish that, I'm willing to stay and put a position out really quickly about this. And what are we done with public comment? We still have. She needs to finish.
Yeah. So if we can do it, let's do it.
05:25:22.000 --> 05:25:24.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay.
05:25:24.000 --> 05:25:25.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah, okay.
05:25:26.000 --> 05:25:33.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Sorry. Thank you. So we'll continue with public comment. Anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment?
05:25:41.000 --> 05:25:51.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, I want to thank everyone who's put energy into this. I think it's really great, the idea of getting some training, so you guys don't have to become experts, but can at least, um. 05:25:51.000 --> 05:26:07.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: learn how to talk about subjects that are difficult to talk about for a lot of people, and be able to talk to the people in your community. I hope that that goes through. I hope that it's not just one year with the 2,500 grant. I hope it happens every year. I hope the police and.
05:26:07.000 --> 05:26:12.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: everyone here can get it. I hope it could be opened up to the community. I think it's very important. 05:26:12.000 --> 05:26:31.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um, I really would like to separate this ordinance for graffiti. This is not anything that anyone has talked about. We're talking about hate graffiti, we're talking about crimes. Um, so if you want to do a graffiti thing, you know, separate it from this whole situation, because that's not what anyone's asking for. 05:26:31.000 --> 05:26:32.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um…
05:26:32.000 --> 05:26:44.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: we're asking for hate graffiti to be taken seriously, to be dealt with fastly, and for outreach to the people that were affected by it. Um, and…
05:26:45.000 --> 05:26:49.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm sorry, I didn't think I was going to talk.
05:26:49.000 --> 05:26:56.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Yeah, I just really, I don't think a graffiti audience would help at all, and I also think that. 05:26:56.000 --> 05:27:06.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: trainings would be great, and I think that's a good start, but it's not actually just this incident. It's gonna be, like, not if it happens again, it's gonna be when it happens again, how is it gonna be dealt with?
05:27:06.000 --> 05:27:21.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: instead of community happened to come to you guys, maybe something could come from you guys the second that something like the next time this happens because it's going to happen, and it could be worse next time. So I just think, thinking about. 05:27:21.000 --> 05:27:38.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: how to proceed in future incidences, as well as making sure the community that was affected get anything. Because right now, the people living across from that haven't really gotten anything, and they don't feel safe. And so, work with the people across the street from where the incident happened. 05:27:38.000 --> 05:27:43.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: and then decide what's gonna happen. Moving forward is what I I would like.
05:27:43.000 --> 05:27:49.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you for your public comment.
I will go out to Zoom. Katie, can you unmute yourself, please? 05:27:50.000 --> 05:27:52.000
Katie Heath: Hi! Um…
05:27:52.000 --> 05:28:08.000
Katie Heath: Hey, so I've heard like a lot of comments about how, you know, it's not our problem and we can have Sonoma County kind of take over. And I just wanted to offer a personal perspective on this. Okay. 05:28:08.000 --> 05:28:26.000
Katie Heath: So I like I moved out here in 2019 because my brother got brain cancer. And one of the first things I was told about Sebastopol was that I needed to worry because of my skin color that I was going to have issues. That was one of the very first things I was told. 05:28:26.000 --> 05:28:41.000
Katie Heath: When my son started going to Parkside, he was teased because of his skin color. He learned the word nigger at Parkside because of the other students there as a child, as a baby.
05:28:41.000 --> 05:28:57.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Katie Heath: My daughter went to Annaliese. She just graduated. She too has been persistently bullied throughout her entire career as a straight A student, never been in trouble, never done anything. This child is amazing.
05:28:57.000 --> 05:29:12.000
Katie Heath: And she too had to endure that stress. This is not just something that's like not happening in the community. It is happening and it is affecting our children and it is traumatic and it is, it's very. 05:29:12.000 --> 05:29:28.000
Katie Heath: Disheartening when we walk down the street and we experience microaggressions, when we have to see the racist graffiti, when we see, you know, I mean, when we have to hear these things, it's very disheartening. And I understand it doesn't happen to all of you. 05:29:28.000 --> 05:29:43.000
Katie Heath: you know, most… none… most of the people in the room right now are not people of color, so this doesn't really affect you. But it does affect me, and it does affect the other people in this community, the 1% of the community.
05:29:43.000 --> 05:29:56.000
Katie Heath: that is of color. Um, and it's very disheartening, and I would like to see a committee or something done, um, to make it stop.
It's a public health issue.
05:29:56.000 --> 05:30:03.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Katie, for your public comment. Next, I will come back into chambers, if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment.
05:30:03.000 --> 05:30:07.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I'll go back out to Zoom. Wendy, can you unmute yourself, please.
05:30:10.000 --> 05:30:12.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you. Can you hear us? 05:30:16.000 --> 05:30:18.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Wendy, can you hear us? 05:30:26.000 --> 05:30:30.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Wendy, we are not hearing you. Can you? Can you hear the.
05:30:30.000 --> 05:30:31.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Hear us okay?
05:30:36.000 --> 05:30:39.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Wendy, can you — there you go.
Can you hear us?
05:30:39.000 --> 05:30:41.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Wendy M: Yes.
05:30:40.000 --> 05:30:43.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: There you go. Can you see? 05:30:41.000 --> 05:30:43.000
Wendy M: And you can hear me.
05:30:43.000 --> 05:30:44.000
Wendy M: Very good.
05:30:43.000 --> 05:30:46.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Can you see, can you see the two minute timer?
05:30:45.000 --> 05:30:48.000
Wendy M: No, I can't, but I'm sure I won't go that long. 05:30:48.000 --> 05:30:51.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, go ahead with your public comment, please.
05:30:50.000 --> 05:30:57.000
Wendy M: Thank you. I just wanted to thank the Council first for all you guys have done. This does not seem like a fun job at all. 05:30:57.000 --> 05:31:12.000
Wendy M: Um, but I want to go back to the issue at hand. I agree with Dina. I think you should go with option 2. I think the community is full of people that want to see things change. I disagree with Oliver. I think we need to act locally and do everything we can.
05:31:12.000 --> 05:31:16.000
Wendy M: to protect all our neighbors. That's it. Thank you. 05:31:16.000 --> 05:31:18.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Thank you, Wendy, for your comment. 05:31:16.000 --> 05:31:18.000
Wendy M: Thank you, Andy, for your comment.
05:31:20.000 --> 05:31:26.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: comment. Um, I will come back into chambers, if there's anyone in chambers that would like to make a public comment.
05:31:26.000 --> 05:31:33.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, I will go back out to Zoom. If there's anyone on Zoom that would like to make a public comment, please raise your hand virtually.
05:31:33.000 --> 05:31:36.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Seeing none, public comment is closed on this item.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
05:31:36.000 --> 05:31:51.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: all right. We're back at the dais here. So if we created an advisory board, would that be brown, a brown act board, or could that an advisory board? Any anybody appointed by the City Council is a subject to the Brown Act.
05:31:51.000 --> 05:31:57.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So could we create — could we appoint a liaison to then —.
05:31:57.000 --> 05:32:06.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: meet with people and have a meeting without having Brown Act issues? Yes. Okay, that's what I'm going to propose. Um, to start.
05:32:06.000 --> 05:32:19.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, so I know I hate to cut things, but we're on a timeline, and I have colleagues, um, that have deadlines, so a liaison I would be in favor of. Does anybody want to volunteer?
05:32:19.000 --> 05:32:30.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: because I can't. I personally have a new job, and I can't take it on. So this is the 1st question. I wasn't sure if there is already a liaison.
05:32:30.000 --> 05:32:40.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: For this, okay. I was a little bit more in favor of the ad hoc, because it would be a partnership, but it's kind of the same thing, and it doesn't take up, like, too much staff time.
05:32:40.000 --> 05:32:41.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Oh.
05:32:41.000 --> 05:32:58.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'll support the liaison. I can't support an ad hoc, especially with an election in our… Yeah, I don't support an ad hoc either. Perhaps a liaison, but… I want to comment that I just want to be careful about because this came up when I had my meetings.
05:32:58.000 --> 05:33:01.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I just want to make sure that, you know, it doesn't turn into.
05:33:01.000 --> 05:33:13.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know the staff time where it goes wild and crazy. So so can can we make a motion that councilmember Carter be the liaison to an advisory group that it's not a brown act group.
05:33:13.000 --> 05:33:29.000
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: that then you meet. You'll meet with them and gather information and gather ideas and details and then report back. I'm not. I'm just not sure how we're going to do this in this tiny amount of time.
05:33:29.000 --> 05:33:52.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I would fully agree to that, and then I will come up with some things to bring back. But I I think the community is going to be involved, and it's probably a more powerful community if it's outside the city, anyway. But you know, as long as we have formal meetings, and then there are, you know, things to bring back that are specific. We'll have to work that out later.
05:33:52.000 --> 05:34:08.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Council Member Hinton. Yeah, I'm ready to make the motion to appoint Council Member Carter as the council liaison to lead community meetings and report back as an indicated in option two to the City Council and include staff.
05:34:08.000 --> 05:34:27.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: protocols for staff training and to apply for the grant for $2,500 to agree, which it sounds like has already been offered for Vice Mayor Maurer and Councilmember Zolman to use their remaining training funds.
05:34:27.000 --> 05:34:28.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Um…
05:34:28.000 --> 05:34:48.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: as recommended by our staff or our council liaison, and I do would like to direct staff to prepare a graffiti ordinance that includes hate graffiti and bring it back to. Can I add one thing to that and ask you? I would like to add in there some type of report back at like.
05:34:48.000 --> 05:34:49.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: in…
05:34:49.000 --> 05:35:00.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: you know, was that on there? Well, it just said, as needed. I just wanted it more like, maybe in 3 months, report back, because I just feel like after the Commons, with all the. 05:35:00.000 --> 05:35:17.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: how everything kind of in my mind went a little awry. I would just like to have some sort of report about with quarterly reporting as long as the Council liaison. Yeah, I think that seems reasonable. That sounds good. But my only concern now is like I would like a blight.
05:35:17.000 --> 05:35:31.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: ordinance, and would the graffiti be a part of that, or can we look at that separately? My motion is a graffiti ordinance. We've already talked about a blight ordinance, I Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
believe, and it's been rejected by this council. Oh, okay, all right.
Question, um…
05:35:31.000 --> 05:35:46.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So Steven and my position is at risk. So I'm not sure you should include the $2,500, because somebody could be replacing us, and then they would be shorted out, and that wouldn't be fair. So.
05:35:46.000 --> 05:35:56.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I mean, I haven't used the money from July to now, but it may not be available, so I think you should… I'm asking if you will omit that from the motion.
05:35:56.000 --> 05:36:12.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: You could definitely include mine.
I'm not going to use it. But somebody's going to come in and replace you.
But it's like in your role, like you're leaving mid-year. That's a good point. I'll amend the motion to just include at this point to submit paperwork for the.
05:36:12.000 --> 05:36:17.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Irma 2500 training grant for staff. 05:36:18.000 --> 05:36:25.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Or not. And take out option B. 05:36:25.000 --> 05:36:36.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay. We're not out of order, this is… right? I mean, this is… she made the motion so she can make the amendment. I'm making the amendment.
05:36:36.000 --> 05:36:42.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And I'll second that. Well, then, can we have a reiteration of what it all is, Mary, so that we're all on the same page?
05:36:43.000 --> 05:37:04.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: So Councilmember Hinton amended her motion, and Vice Mayor Maurer seconded it to appoint a council liaison and appointed Councilmember Carter. The council liaison will lead the community meetings. They're directing the council liaison to lead community meetings with neighbors, school partners, Safeway management, and other community members as needed, requesting staff report on an asneeded basis. 05:37:04.000 --> 05:37:24.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: And reporting back to the City Council with quarterly reporting, to include the city protocols for the, um, racial bias truck, uh, related courses from SARA, um, and then to work with IRMA on the one complimentary training, and to submit the paperwork for the IRMA grant, and directing staff to prepare a graffiti ordinance for a future.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
05:37:24.000 --> 05:37:29.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: council consideration to include hate graffiti in the ordinance.
05:37:29.000 --> 05:37:31.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, correct.
05:37:31.000 --> 05:37:39.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Do we have a motion? Councilmember, we have a motion. We need a second, right? We did. Oh, I'm sorry. That's right, I forgot you did.
05:37:39.000 --> 05:37:57.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Councilmember Carter. Yes, Councilmember Hinton. Aye, Councilmember Zolman. Yes, Vice Mayor Maurer.
Yes, Mayor Mcluis. Yes, motion passes unanimously. All right. I'm rolling just because I know this has been a point of contention. We're going to move the public comment. Can we move up the request for future city council agenda items, since we've all.
05:37:57.000 --> 05:38:00.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Are you all agreeable to that? 05:38:00.000 --> 05:38:03.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Will take me one quick minute. 05:38:03.000 --> 05:38:19.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I would like to, um, in requesting future agenda items, I would like to request that we cancel, uh, our council meeting on November 3rd, which is election day, um, and… 05:38:19.000 --> 05:38:24.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: bring that to Council for a full vote at our next meeting.
05:38:25.000 --> 05:38:31.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'll second. It's your election day. Okay. All right. So we have that for tomorrow.
05:38:32.000 --> 05:38:35.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Okay, then meeting's adjourned, right?
05:38:36.000 --> 05:38:37.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: I'm sorry?
05:38:38.000 --> 05:38:47.000
Sebastopol Community Cultural Center: Do we need to vote on it? No, you just needed a second, like, it's my understanding. You just need two people. Cool. All right, thank you. Meeting adjourned.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
City Council Meeting - October 6, 2026
Agenda Item Number 1
ARE YOU READY? EVERYONE READY? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELCOME, EVERYONE TO COUNCIL MEETING TONIGHT. WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND DO A CALL TO ORDER AND A ROLL CALL.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
HERE.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
PRESENT.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
HERE.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
HERE.
PLEASE NOTE ALL COUNCIL MEMBERS ARE IN ATTENDANCE.
ALL RIGHT, IF EVERYONE COULD JOIN ME IN DOING A ABSOLUTE TO THE FLAG. [ INAUDIBLE ]
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. LET'S SEE. WE DO A LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT AT THE
BEGINNING OF EVERY MEETING, SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ THAT RIGHT NOW. THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL ACKNOWLEDGES WE LIVE AND WORK WITHIN THE
UNCEDED ANCESTRAL HOMELANDS OF THE SOUTHERN POMO AND COAST MIWOK PEOPLE. WE PAY OUR RESPECT TO THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF
THESE PEOPLES, INCLUDING THE FED RATED FEDDER RATED INDIANS OF GRATON RANCHERIA. I WASN'T ABLE TO OBTAIN THAT THIS WEEK. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE STRAIGHT TO THE PROCLAMATIONS. THE FIRST PROCLAMATION WE HAVE IS RECOGNITION OF FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE AWARDS FOR PETER STINKSI. I'VE SPOKEN TO
OUR DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS, AND ARIANA IS GOING TO COME UP FOR A MOMENT AND ACCEPT THIS AND GIVE US A FEW WORDS.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS. THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEND A MOMENT TO TALK ABOUT PETE. HE'S AN EXCELLENT MEMBER OF OUR TEAM. HE CAME TO THE CITY IN 2021 AS A LABORER, NOW OUR MAINTENANCE ASSISTANT, AND PROMOTED WITHIN A YEAR TO BE A MAINTENANCE WORKER. HIS PRIMARY DUTY IS WORKING ON
OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT HE'S THE ONE WHO TROUBLESHOOTS YOUR WATER METERS, AND THE ONE WHO TAKES THE ISSUE CALLS. HE DOES A LOT OF THE TIME WITH. HE'S A WILLING LEARNER AND EAGER TO HELP ALL THE TIME. ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY LOVE ABOUT HIM IS KIND OF HIS INVESTMENT IN OUR PARK SYSTEM. LIKE HE'S THE ONE
WHO HAD PROMPTED US TO REPAIR THE SPLIT RAIL FENCE OVER HERE BY THE ENTRANCE TO THE LAGUNA, AND HE'S HOPING TO DO THE SAME THING OVER HERE THIS SPRING. SO
HE IS AN EXCELLENT MEMBER OF OUR TEAM, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY HE'S A MEMBER OF MY STAFF. FOR PUBLIC WORKS AND THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL, CONGRATULATE PETE, AND THANK YOU FOR HIS FIVE YEARS OF SERVICE FOR THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'LL HAND THIS TO YOU.
ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL PROCLAMATIONS. THE NEXT ONE IS PROCLAIMING OCTOBER 2026 AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH AND RECOGNIZING THE YWCA. I BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER CARTER, YOU'RE GOING TO READ THAT? YES. WHEREAS THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL HEREBY RECOGNIZES THAT DOMESTIC
VIOLENCE AFFECTS ONE IN FOUR FAMILIES, AND THAT NEARLY ALL OF US KNOW SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN A VICTIM OF ABUSE. THE CRIME OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VIOLATES AN INDIVIDUAL'S PRIVACY, DIG. IT HAS BEEN THE SINGULAR VIOLENT
RESOURCE FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS EXPERIENCING VIOLENCE FOR THE PLACE WE SHOULD ALL FEEL THE SAFEST, INSIDE OUR OWN HOMES. WE RECOGNIZE AND PAY TRIBUTE TO YWCA'S FOUNDER STAFF, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, AND VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR 50th ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR. YWCA OPERATES IN SONOMA COUNTY'S ONLY CONFIDENTIAL SAFE HOUSE SHELTER IN SONOMA COUNTY'S ONLY 24/7 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CRISIS HOTLINE. YWCA'S COUNSELING SUPPORT OFFERS TRAUMA IMPORTANT INDIVIDUAL AND Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
SUPPORT GROUP THERAPY FOR VICTIMS OF TRAUMA AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.
WHEREAS ONLY AN INFORMED COMMUNITY CAN END THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE. WE ARE
ENCOURAGED TO LEARN AT THE YWCA'S PROGRAM AND SUPPORT THEIR VISION FOR EVERY FAMILY IN SONOMA COUNTY TO LIVE A HEALTHY PRODUCTIVE LIFE. NOW
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT I, JILL MCLEWIS, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL, HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 26 IN SEBASTOPOL AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH.
Agenda Item Number 1
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. I BELIEVE WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE TO RECEIVE THAT? YEAH, GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY.
I RECEIVED A SCRIPT THAT THEY TOLD ME THERE WEREN'T ANY COMMENTARY.
TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO IS DURING THE PUBLIC COMMENT, YOU CAN COME UP AND
READ ALL OF THAT IF YOU WOULD LIKE, BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAND THE CERTIFICATE TO YOU.
ALL RIGHT, WE HAVE OUR NEXT PROCLAMATION, WHICH IS PROCLAIMING ZERO WASTE WEEK. OUR VICE MAYOR IS GOING TO READ THAT.
NORTH BAY ZERO WASTE WEEK OCTOBER 10 THROUGH THE 17, 2026, WHEREAS THE CITY
OF SEBASTOPOL HAS ASSUMED THE LEADERSHIP ROLE BY SETTING ZERO WASTE AS A
GOAL AND ADOPTING A ZERO WASTE RESOLUTION AND SETS A GOAL OF ZERO WASTE BY 2030. WHEREAS EACH YEAR, ZERO WASTE SONOMA AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS HOST A
ONE-DAY ZERO WASTE SYMPOSIUM AS A LOCAL OPPORTUNITY FOR INDUSTRY AND THE PUBLIC TO GAIN INSIGHT ON ZERO WASTE TOPICS, TRENDS, SHARE IDEAS AND NETWORK.
AND WHEREAS SINCE 2022, ZERO WASTE SONOMA HAS COORDINATED AND PROMOTED A
WEEK OF EVENTS, AIMED AT EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING VARIOUS SECTORS OF THE PUBLIC TO ACT TOWARDS ZERO WASTE. AND WHEREAS SINCE 2022, ZERO WASTE SONOMA
HAS COLLABORATED WITH NORTH BAY GROUPS IN SONOMA, NAPA, AND MA MARIN
COUNTY, OFFERING CLOTHING, PRODUCE SWAPS, RECYCLING, COMPOST, AND WATER
TREATMENT FACILITY TOWARDS REPAIRS AND REUSE FARES, LITTER CLEANUPS, FOOD WASTE REDUCTION CLASSES, ENVIRONMENTAL FILM SCREENINGS, AND MORE. AND
WHEREAS THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL ALONG WITH PUBLIC, PRIVATE, AND NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS WILL BE HOSTING ZERO WASTE EVENTS THROUGH THE WEEK OF OCTOBER 10 THROUGH 17. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED OUR MAYOR ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL, HEREBY PROCLAIMS OCTOBER 10 THROUGH 17 ZERO WASTE WEEK.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. AND -- ARIANA, ARE YOU THE ONE ACCEPTING THAT? SORRY.
MAKING YOU GET UP A FEW TIMES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. AND NOW WE HAVE
ANOTHER PROCLAMATION THAT I'M GOING TO READ, AND IT IS RECOGNIZING OCTOBER BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. AND I'M GOING TO START READING THIS, AND HOPEFULLY I WON'T CRY. I'M ALREADY GOING TO CRY. I'M JUST GOING TO SHARE WITH
YOU EXACTLY A YEAR AGO TODAY, I SAT HERE WITH A BALD HEAD BECAUSE I HAD BREAST CANCER. AND SO IT'S VERY PERSONAL FOR ME. I JUST, YEAH. IT'S BEEN 14 MONTHS OF TREATMENT. SO ANYWAY, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME. RECOGNIZING OCTOBER 2026 AS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, WHEREAS BREAST CANCER IS THE MOST
COMMONLY DIAGNOSED CANCER AMONG WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES, APART FROM SKIN CANCERS, AND THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER DEATHS AMONG WOMEN.
WHEREAS IN 2026, AN ESTIMATED 321,910 WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES WILL BE DIAGNOSED WITH INVASIVE BREAST CANCER, AND AN ESTIMATED 42,140 WOMEN WILL DIE FROM THE DISEASE. AND WHEREAS BREAST CANCER ALSO AFFECTS MEN WITH AN ESTIMATED 2,670 NEW DIAGNOSIS. AND WHEREAS THE DISEASE TOUCHES NEARLY
EVERY FAMILY IT IN SOME WAY, INCLUDING OUR OWN RESIDENTS, NEIGHBORS, COWORKERS, AND FRIENDS HERE IN SEBASTOPOL AND THROUGHOUT SONOMA COUNTY.
AND EVERY STORY IS UNIQUE AND EVERY JOURNEY MATTERS, AND EACH PERSON
DIAGNOSEDDED WITH BREAST CANCER, ALONG WITH THEIR FAMILY AND LOVED ONES DESERVE COMPASSIONATE, PERSONALIZED CARE, AND SUPPORT AT EVERY STEP.
WHEREAS ABOUT TWO-THIRDS OF BREAST CANCERS ARE FOUND IN A LOCALIZED STAGE
WHEN THE TREATMENT WORKS BEST, WHICH SHOWS HOW MUCH REGULAR SCREENING AND EARLY DETECTION SAVES LIVES. AND SIGNIFICANT DISPARITIES PERSIST WITH
BLACK WOMEN EXPERIENCING THE HIGHEST BREAST CANCER DEATH RATE OF ANY
GROUP, UNDERSCORING THE NEED FOR EQUITABLE ACCESS TO SCREENING DIAGNOSIS Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
AND CARE. AND LOCAL HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, SURVIVORS, AND CAREGIVERS,
ADVOCATES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS WORK EVERY DAY TO EDUCATE, SUPPORT PATIENTS, AND FAMILIES IN ADVANCE RESEARCH TOWARDS A CURE. NOW
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT I, JILL MCLEWIS, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL AND BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM OCTOBER 2026 AS
BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH IN THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL, AND ENCOURAGE
ALL RESIDENTS TO LEARN THE RISK FACTORS AND WARNING SIGNS, TALK WITH THEIR
HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ABOUT SCREENING, AND SUPPORT THOSE LIVING WITH BREAST CANCER. SURVIVORS AMONG US AND THE FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST LOVED ONES.AND I
JUST WANT TO SAY JUST FROM MY OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCE IN GOING THROUGH THIS AND WITHIN THE COMMUNITY. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT I HAVE LEARNED WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS. MOST OF YOU WOULD BE SHOCKED. I WAS SURPRISED. PEOPLE I'VE KNOWN FOR OVER A DECADE, AND THEY HAVE COME TO ME
AND SHARED WITH ME THEIR PRIVATE STORIES, AND I'VE BEEN VERY PUBLIC ABOUT
MINE, AND I'VE HAD SO MANY PEOPLE COME TO ME AND TELL ME THEY'VE GOTTEN
SCREENINGS OVER THE YEAR, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE STORY THAT I CONTINUE TO TELL. SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EVERYONE, MEN AND WOMEN TO GET THEIR
SCREENING, ESPECIALLY GET YOUR MAMMOGRAMS AND DON'T BE LATE BECAUSE IT SAVED MY LIFE. IT LITERALLY SAVED MY LIFE. YEAH. I WAS THREE MONTHS EARLY FOR IT, OTHERWISE I WOULD NOT BE HERE IN A COUPLE OF YEARS, THEY SAID. AT ANY RATE, THANK YOU ALL FOR INDULGING ME. THIS IS REALLY PERSONAL FOR ME. SO WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND LIVE ON. OH, AND I SEE MY HUSBAND BACK THERE IN TEARS.
THE FAMILY, IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT FOR US TO RECOGNIZE OUR FAMILIES IN ALL OF THIS. SO IT'S A LONG ROAD WHEN YOU HAVE BREAST CANCER. AND OUR POLICE CHIEF.
ALL RIGHT. I AM GOING TO MOVE ON TO ANY STATEMENTS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST.
ANYONE? JUST STATEMENTS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST IN GENERAL, AS A WHOLE.
Agenda Item Number 1
I HAVE MET WITH THE NEIGHBORS. I THINK OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TOO, BUT IF THAT IS A CONFLICT, NOT A CONFLICT?
I DON'T THINK SO. I MET THEM AS WELL, SO I THINK A LOT OF US HAVE. ANY OTHER CONFLICTS? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THEN WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. MARY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE OVER?
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THIS IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. IT IS A 20-MINUTE TIME LIMIT. IT IS A TWOMINUTE TIME LIMIT PER PERSON PER SPEAKER. WE DO CHAMBERS FIRST, AND THEN GO OUT TO ZOOM. SO AGAIN, THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. IS THERE ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AN ITEM NOT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA? SURE, GO AHEAD.
FOR EXAMPLE, A STANDARD LOT SIZE MINIMUM IS 5,000 SQUARE FEET. ADD IN ADU FOR SALE ON THIS SIZABLE LOT COULD MAKE SENSE. UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE RECENTLY
SEEN DEVELOPERS GET ZONING WAIVERS, ALLOWING MINIMUM LOT SIZE OF HALF THE STANDARD SIZE. 2,501 SQUARE FEET, THEN ADDING LARGE ADUs TO THE LOT, ADDING HOMES NOW TO LOTS THAT ARE ONE-FOURTH THE ORIGINAL MINIMUM LOT SIZE. THIS CREATES UNSAFE AND UNFAVORABLE ADDITIONS TO OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE
ON ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR AN ITEM NOT -- LEE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
I CAN. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
I CAN HEAR YOU. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
LATER TONIGHT, I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT SPECIFICALLY, BUT THE COUNCIL IS
GOING TO BE ASKED TO GIVE DIRECTION TO THE CITY ATTORNEY TO EXPLORE SOME LEGAL ISSUES AROUND SOMETHING AND POLICIES IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. I'M NOT GOING TO TALK ABOUT THAT. BUT I'VE GOT OTHER IDEAS AND THINGS IF THE COUNCIL
WANTS TO INSTRUCT THE CITY ATTORNEY TO SPEND TIME AND MONEY ON MIGHT BE MORE PRODUCTIVE FOR THE PEOPLE OF SEBASTOPOL, ANYWAY. NUMBER ONE IS THE ILLEGAL COST ALLEGATION SCHEME CONTINUES. THE RATE PAYERS ARE PAYING FOR Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
ALMOST HALF OF TONIGHT'S MEETING, AND YET I DON'T THINK THERE IS ANYTHING ON THE AGENDA, AND CERTAINLY NOT HALF OF THE AGENDA. CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND
CITY STAFF, THE CITY CLERK AND THE CITY MANAGER HAVE SIMILAR ALLOCATIONS,
AND CITY STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ADMITTED PUBLICLY THEY DON'T SPEND THAT MUCH TIME ON WATER AND SEWER, YET IT CONTINUES ON. IS THAT A LEGAL LIABILITY? MAYBE THE CITY ATTORNEY SHOULD WEIGH IN ON THAT. I THINK WE'RE MOVING FORWARD NOW ON THE REFUND FOR THE CITY ATTORNEY FEES, $350,000 THAT
WAS BILLED TO THE RATE PAYERS, BUT NEVER FOR ANYTHING RELATED TO WATER AND SEWER. BUT THE GENERAL MANAGER POSITION, I THINK IT'S $208,000 THAT RATE PAYERS PAID LAST YEAR, AND IT WAS VACANT THE ENTIRE YEAR. I THINK THAT IT WAS SUPPOSE TO COME BACK, BUT IT STILL HASN'T. IS THAT A LIABILITY FOR THE CITY IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO SUE? OH, THIS IS A GOOD ONE. THE GRAND JURY REPORT SAID THEY MISALLOCATED $5.5 MILLION. YESTERDAY, THEY WERE TOLD THE CITY DOESN'T HAVE MONEY TO DO INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS. THE SAME INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT IN THE GRAND JURY REPORT, AND THAT THE RATE PAYERS HAVE TO BORROW $5 MILLION. THAT SEEMS LIKE A STRAIGHT LINE TO LOOK AT AND SAY THERE IS LEGAL LIABILITY HERE. I'M
OUT OF TIME, I'VE GOT OTHERS, BUT MAYBE THERE'S BETTER THINGS WE CAN DO IN TERMS OF ANALYZING OUR PROBLEM. THANK YOU.
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU, LEE. NEXT I'LL COME BACK TO THE CHAMBERS IF THERE IS ANYONE IN
CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO OUT -- I'M SORRY, GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HERE, SO I'M GETTING USED TO THE PROCEDURE. WHEN I WAS ORIGINALLY ASSIGNED TO COME HERE TODAY, I WAS
ADVISED I WOULDN'T BE SPEAKING, BUT I FEEL LIKE IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE THIS STATEMENT TODAY. WE ARE DOING THESE PROCLAMATIONS THROUGHOUT SONOMA COUNTY, AND THEY'RE ALL GETTING TO SPEAK. I WANT TO MAKE SURE
EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS HOW IMPORTANT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH IS. SO HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL, MY NAME IS KARI BROWN, I'M CURRENTLY THE SECRETARY OF THE YWCA SONOMA COUNTY. I'M ALSO AN
ATTORNEY HERE IN TOWN, AND I REPRESENT EMPLOYERS, AND HAVE TWO KIDS WHO ARE GOING TO SCHOOL AT HILLCREST, SO I'M A COMMUNITY MEMBER HERE. ON BEHALF
OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, STAFF, VOLUNTEERS, AND ESPECIALLY THE FAMILIES BY
YWCA SONOMA COUNTY, THANK YOU FOR HONORING OCTOBER AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH, AND NOTING THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY WITH YOUR PROCLAMATION. AS SHARED IN THE READING OF THE PROCLAMATION ESTABLISHED IN 1976, YWCA'S 24/7 CRISIS HOTLINE IS STILL THE MOST DIRECT PATH TO SUPPORT FOR LOCAL FAMILIES IN NEED. OUR CONFIDENTIAL SAFE
HOUSE SHELTER IS ALSO THE ONLY ONE IN SONOMA COUNTY FOR FAMILIES SEEKING REFUGE FROM HARM. SAFETY PLANNING AND STRATEGIES TO ENSURE RELIEF ARE AT THE FOREFRONT OF EVERY ONE OF THE 3,000 CALLS WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR. OUR CLIENT POPULATION IS 80% FEMALE. OVER 50% IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC, LATINX.
YOU HAVE ABOUT 20 SECONDS.
THE MAJORITY FOR POVERTY LEVEL FAMILIES. NATIONALLY AND LOCALLY, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LOCALLY HOMICIDE AND SUICIDE RATES ARE ON THE RISE. FOR YWCA
SONOMA COUNTY, WE REMAIN STEADFAST AND COMMITTED TO OUR VITAL AND SINGULAR ROLE. IN CLOSING, PLEASE NOTE YWCA HAS BEEN SUPPORTING LOCAL FAMILIES FOR 50 YEARS, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE HERE GOING FORWARD. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
I CAN.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN.
GREAT.
SO I WANT TO PING BACK A LITTLE BIT ON LEE'S COMMENT, AND THAT WHAT'S REALLY
INTERESTING ABOUT THE APPROACH THE CITY COUNCIL HAS SEEMED TO TAKE
REGARDING THE WATER AND WASTEWATER AND THE RESPONSE TO THE GRAND JURY
HAPPENS TO BE RELATED TO THIS ACCEPTING OF THIS NEW INFORMATION, AND THEN Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
MAKING DECISIONS TO TRY TO RIGHT THE PAST. BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT IT,
NONE OF THESE ACTUAL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN
RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING FORWARD THE CORRECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN RECOMMENDED BY THE EFOC. IN FACT, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE MADE THE VOTING DECISIONS TO MAKE SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE EFOC. WHAT THEY'VE
ALSO DONE IS DEBATED AND TESTED THE WATERS ON WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS KIND OF AN APPETITE TO NOT PURSUE SOME OF THE DECISIONS BY THE EFOC. SO IT IS NOT SURPRISING TO ME TO LEARN THAT WHEN WE COME CLOSE TO THIS $5 MILLION
MARK OF NEED FOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT THERE IS NOW A SUGGESTION
THAT THE CITY IS GOING TO CHARGE ANOTHER LOAN TO THE RATE PAYERS FOR A
DOLLAR AMOUNT THAT'S SO SIMILAR TO WHAT THE GRAND JURY HAS SUGGESTED WAS MISALLOCATED OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS. SO WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND THE PUBLIC TO DO IS WATCH COUNCIL TONIGHT. WATCH THE WAY THEY ENGAGE WITH PUBLIC COMMENT, SUCH AS LEE'S OR SUCH AS THAT OF THE EFOC. LISTEN TO THE WAY
THEY CONSIDER THE INTEREST OF THE RESIDENTS AND THEIR PUBLIC COMMENTARY ON DECISIONS THAT THEY MAKE TONIGHT. I THINK IT WILL BE VERY TELLING TO SEE HOW
THE INTEREST OF THE CITY, MEANING THE BUSINESS ENTITY OF THE CITY ARE MUCH STRONGER. FOR THOSE CANDIDATES OUT THERE, I THINK IT'S PRETTY TELLING TO HAVE YOUR STORY BE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THAT IS.
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU, KYLE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM.
IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ONTO OUR CONSENT CALENDAR. I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND READ THOSE, AND THEN WE'LL PROCEED FROM THERE.
NUMBER ONE, APPROVAL OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR SPECIAL MEETING, CLOSED SESSION MEETING OF MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2026. NUMBER TWO, APPROVAL
OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES FOR REGULAR MEETING OF TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2026. NUMBER THREE, ANNUAL PLANNING REPORT FOR CITY OF SEBASTOPOL. RECEIPT
OF INFORMATION ON HOW THE CITY IS DOING IN IMPLEMENTING ITS GENERAL PLAN OF HOUSING ELEMENT, AND IN ACHIEVING ITS FAIR SHARE OF HOUSING. NUMBER FOUR,
APPROVAL OF REDUCING AGE LIMIT FOR THE YOUTH REPRESENTATIVE ON CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE FROM AGE 17 TO 23 TO AGE 15 TO 23. NUMBER FIVE, 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. NUMBER SIX, APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT NUMBER ONE TO TASK ORDER FIVE
WITH GHD FOR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICE FOR THE BODEGA PHASE TWO BIKE LANE PHASE TWO PROJECT. SO DO ANY COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO PULL ANYTHING? I JUST HAD A QUICK QUESTION, JUST BECAUSE WE RECEIVED COMMENTS ON IT, AND THEN WE RECEIVED AN EXCELLENT EXPLANATION. IS IT OKAY FOR ME TO ASK, ARIANA, AS FAR AS THE EXPLANATION FOR THAT ONE ITEM?
WE HAVE A BRIEF QUESTION.
VERY BRIEF. YOU PROVIDED AN EXPLANATION FOR THAT ONE ITEM. I JUST WONDERED IF YOU HAVE A COUPLE SENTENCES -- YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT? YEAH, FOR THE STG GRANT?
YES.
THE REQUEST TONIGHT IS JUST TO ALLOW US TO SUBMIT A GRANT. WE'RE NOT
COMMITTING TO ANY PARTICULAR SCOPE OF WORK OR STUDIES, AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY SPECIFICS YET ABOUT WHAT THOSE WOULD LOOK LIKE. AND THAT PIECE IS THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE GRANT. THE MAIN FOCUS IS TO ENGAGE WITH CALTRANS TO FURTHER THAT WE DID DO IN REIMAGINING THE COURT. BUT ANYTHING WE WOULD
COMMIT TO INCLUDING MATCH FUNDS WILL COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO GET FURTHER DEFINED BEFORE IT'S OFFICIALLY APPROVED.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
OKAY. THANK YOU, I JUST THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR SOME. SO THEN THE
NEXT THING WE'LL DO IS GO OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT, UNLESS ANYONE HAS ANYTHING?
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONLY. AGAIN, IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, IT'S A TWO-MINUTE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE CONSENT CALENDAR. IS THERE ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS? LISA, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE? OH, I'M SORRY. I'LL BE RIGHT THERE.
GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY. LISA, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE? OKAY, WE'RE HAVING A HARD TIME. I'LL GO AHEAD IN CHAMBERS FIRST. GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
YEAH, MY NAME IS DOUG, I LIVE ON PETALUMA AVENUE IN SEBASTOPOL. FOR OVER A
YEAR NOW, A&M --
SIR, THIS IS JUST FOR ANYTHING THAT'S ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
OH, I'M SORRY.
NO, THAT'S OKAY.
GO AHEAD.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU HEAR US, LISA?
YES, I CAN. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
I CAN. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
NO, BUT THAT'S OKAY.
OKAY, GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC. I'LL CHIME IN WHEN YOU HAVE ABOUT 30 SECONDS LEFT.
OKAY, THANKS, MARY. LISA PIERCE OF SEBASTOPOL. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
UNDERSTAND THAT ITEM FIVE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR IS A REQUEST FOR FUNDING
A GRANT APPLICATION TO STUDY A PROBLEM THAT WE WOULD BE CREATING IF WE WERE TO GO BACK TO A TWO-WAY STREET SYSTEM DOWNTOWN. THE MAIN STREET AND
PET LUNA AVENUE COME TOGETHER BY THE ART STORE WORKS FINE NOW, BUT IT CLEARLY WOULD NOT WORK IF THESE STREETS WERE TWO WAY. IT IS CLEAR FROM THE
SURVEY DONE BY THE CONSULTANTS AND THE MANY COMMENTS ON THE SEBASTOPOL
TIMES NEXT DOOR THAT MOST PEOPLE IN SEBASTOPOL DON'T WANT US TO GO BACK TO A TWO-WAY SYSTEM DOWNTOWN. ONCE PEOPLE TAKE A DEEP DIVE ON IT THIS ISSUE, THEY
REALIZE THERE ARE MANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AND PROBLEMS, MAINLY CONGESTION THAT WOULD DEVELOP IF WE WERE TO GO BACK. THERE ARE BETTER
OPTIONS FOR CREATING WIDER SIDEWALKS, SLOWING TRAFFIC ON MAIN STREET AND
CREATING A SAFER AND MORE INVITING DOWNTOWN THAN CHANGING TO A TWO-WAY SYSTEM. IN LESS THAN ONE MONTH, OUR CITY COUNCIL WILL BE DIFFERENT. I THINK THE
RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO BEFORE VOTING TO SPEND MORE CITY DOLLARS GOING
DOWN THIS ROAD WOULD BE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEW COUNCIL IS SEATED BECAUSE IT MAY WELL BE GOING BACK TO A TWO-WAY STREET SYSTEM WILL NOT BE SUPPORTED.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, LISA FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I'LL COME INTO CHAMBERS.
HI. I WOULD JUST LIKE TO NOTE THERE ARE NO AGENDAS WITH ANYTHING AVAILABLE FOR ME OR THE PUBLIC. SO I THINK IT'S AN OVERSIGHT THAT NEEDS TO BE HANDLED.
THANKS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT WE'LL GO BACK OUT, KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
I CAN.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN'T, BUT THAT'S OKAY. I'LL BE QUICK.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
SO I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND ASK COUNCIL TO PULL ITEMS THREE, FIVE, SIX FOR CLARIFICATION. FIRST ON ITEM THREE, THE GENERAL PLAN REPORT SAYS 79% OF THE 458 ACTION ITEMS ARE ONGOING AND PROGRESS ARE COMPLETE. THAT HEADLINE IS FAIRLY MISLEADING. BECAUSE WHAT IT DOES, IT COMBINES 318 ONGOING ACTIONS WITH ONLY 23 IN PROGRESS, AND JUST 23 COMPLETED. THAT'S ONLY 5% THAT HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
COMPLETED, WHILE 94 ACTIONS HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN STARTED. WE'RE NOT HALF WAY THROUGH A 20-YEAR PLAN. SO WHY IS COMPLETED IMPLEMENTATIONS STILL SO LOW? DIRECT STAFF TO RETURN WITH ALL 94 UNSTARTED ACTIONS, RANKED BY PRIORITY,
EACH WITH A RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENT, TARGET DEADLINE, AND ESTIMATED STAFFING OR FUNDING NEED. THE PUBLIC NEEDS AN IMPLEMENTATION. NOT JUST A BLENDED PERCENTAGE. ON ITEM 5, THE CALTRANS GRANT MIGHT BE WORTHWHILE, BUT THE PROCESS APPEARS RUSHED. THE CALL WAS ISSUED ON AUGUST 18, YET COUNCIL IS SEEING THE AUTHORIZATION ONLY THREE DAYS BEFORE THE OCTOBER 9 DEADLINE. IS IT SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETED? DID STAFF ATTEND CALTRANS WORKSHOPS? OBTAIN DISTRICT FOUR FEEDBACK? AND SECURE MEANINGFUL STCA PARTICIPATION OR A LETTER OF SUPPORT? GOING FORWARD, PLEASE REQUIRE AN ANNUAL GRANT CALENDAR.
OPPORTUNITIES REACH COUNCIL EARLY ENOUGH. WE MIGHT ALL WANT TO ASK COUNCIL
MEMBER NEYSA HINTON WHETHER OR NOT SHE WAS IN ATTENDANCE OF THE STCA MEETINGS THAT WERE RELATED TO THIS GRANT OPPORTUNITY. THERE WAS A NUMBER OF ABSENCES IN THE RECENT RECORD. ITEM SIX, THE REQUEST FROM THE GHD AMENDMENT LACKS BASIC FINANCIAL CONTEXT. WHAT WAS THE ORIGINAL TASK ORDER AMOUNT? WHAT ARE THE AMENDMENTS? ACTUAL EXPENDITURES, COMMITMENTS TO DATE, THE CONTINGENCY REMAINING AFTER THIS APPROVAL. PLEASE ALSO RECONCILE THE ATTACHMENT. IF THE TABLE TOTALS, BUT REQUEST $64,564. PLEASE PULL THESE ITEMS BEFORE APPROVAL.
Agenda Item Number 1
KYLE, THAT'S TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT.
STEVE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES, THANK YOU.
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YEAH. THANKS. I'LL GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
I'M SPEAKING ABOUT ITEM FIVE, THE CALTRANS GRANT. WHAT WOULD THE CITY DO
WITH A PARKING STUDY, WHICH IS INCLUDED WITH THE GRANT APPLICATION TO CALTRANS? I THINK THAT PARKING REALLY DOESN'T NEED TO BE STUDIED BECAUSE I
DON'T THINK WE NEED TO CREATE MORE PARKING DOWNTOWN, NOR DO WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO DO THAT. I DON'T THINK WE REALLY WANT TO LOSE PARKING EITHER.
PEOPLE COMPLAIN ABOUT PARKING, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD JUSTIFY BUILDING MORE PARKING. UNLESS THE CITY IS OPEN TO INCREASING OR DECREASING PARKING, WHY SPEND OUR TIME AND MONEY STUDYING IT? MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WHEN
YOU APPLY FOR A GRANT AND A PARKING STUDY IS PART OF THE GRANT, THEN THE PARKING STUDY NEEDS TO BE DONE TO FULFILL THE GRANT. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE GRANT APPLICATION SHOULD NOT INCLUDE A PARKING STUDY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, STEVE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. LEE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YEAH.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU STILL SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN.
GREAT. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
TWO COMMENTS. KIND OF PIGGYBACKING ON WHAT KYLE SAID. THE GRANT TO LOOK AT PLEASANT HILL AVENUE IS VAGUELY WORDED, HAS NO REAL MEAT TO IT. THE EXPLANATION WAS DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. ONCE WE GET THE GRANT, WE'LL FIGURE OUT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. I THINK THAT'S THE SAME WAY REIMAGINING DOWNTOWN STARTED OUT.SORT OF A NICE EASY TO DIGEST NAME. IT MORPHED INTO A TWO-WAY STREET PROPOSAL. WITH SOME POWER IN THE CITY. I SEE THIS AS ANOTHER PATH, ANOTHER STEP ALONG THAT PATH, WHICH DOESN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE TO ME.
OKAY, IT'S A GRANT. THE GRANT IS A FREE MONEY. COUNCILMEMBER HINTON SAYS IT ALL THE TIME. IT'S NOT REALLY FREE MONEY, BUT IT'S THE TAX MONEY. THE TAX MONEY THAT GOES TO THE COUNTY THAT'S COMING BACK AND BEING SPENT IN THE CITY.
MAYBE IT COULD BE SPENT SOMEWHERE MORE PRODUCTIVELY. THE HOUSING ELEMENT, Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
OR THE GENERAL PLAN REPORT. GENERAL PLAN KEEPS GETTING REFERENCED AS THE REASON WE DO A LOT OF THINGS. AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT GOES BACK TO 2016. MAYBE
SOMETHING AS IMPORTANT AS THIS DOESN'T GET TALKED ABOUT VERY MUCH SHOULD HAVE THEIR OWN AGENDA ITEM, AND THERE SHOULD BE A PRESENTATION. WHAT IS THE PLAN? WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES? ALL THAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED, SO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THE GENERAL PLAN IS. MAYBE THE END RESULT OF THAT DISCUSSION IS, YOU
KNOW WHAT, THIS PLAN IS OUT OF DATE, OUR PRIORITIES ARE CHANGING, AND OUR NEEDS ARE CHANGING. MAYBE IT'S TIME TO SPEND SOME GRANT MONEY ON FIXING THAT AND ADDRESSING THAT INSTEAD. THANK YOU.
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU, LEE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS.
IF ANYONE IN THE CHAMBERS WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT ON ZOOM. IS THERE ANYONE ON ZOOM? PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, CONSENT CALENDAR IS CLOSED.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. WE'RE BACK HERE AT THE DAIS. I WOULD SAY FOR ME, I DON'T
WANT TO PULL ANYTHING, BUT I DO WANT TO PULL FIVE AND JUST VOTE SEPARATELY ON THAT. GIVEN MY STANCE FROM THE BEGINNING AND HOW I VOTED WITH THAT. BUT OTHER THAN THAT, DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING? OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO I GUESS
WHAT WE'LL NEED IS A MOTION FOR ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, AND SIX, AND THEN A SEPARATE MOTION FOR FIVE.
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON THREE?
OH, SURE.
SO NUMBER THREE IS THE PLANNING REPORT FOR THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL. I'M SORRY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ON CONSENT AS WELL. I DON'T WANT TO PULL IT BECAUSE I KNOW WE HAVE A BUSY AGENDA, AND IT WOULD GO LAST. IT MAY NEED TO BE SUBMITTED. BUT IT HAD SOME REALLY GOOD INFORMATION IN IT. AND THE ANYONE WHO IS INTERESTED
IN HOUSING AND WHAT THE RHNA, THE RHNA NUMBERS BECAUSE THOSE ARE STATE MANDATED NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE TO BUILD. AND THE INTERESTING THING IS THE CITY NEEDS MORE MODERATE AND ABOVE MODERATE INCOME HOUSING. THAT'S WHAT THAT REPORT SAID, PLUS OTHER THINGS. I'M NOT PULLING IT. I JUST WANT TO CALL IT
OUT FOR THE POINT OF INTEREST FOR THE COMMUNITY IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN
LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW THE STATE, WHAT THE STATE REQUIRES IN TERMS OF HOUSING AND WHAT SEBASTOPOL HAS ALREADY DONE. OR IS IN THE PROCESS OF DOING.
IS THAT OKAY TO SAY? OKAY.
ANYONE ELSE?
I MOVE ALL THE CONSENT ITEMS EXCEPT FOR NUMBER FIVE ARE APPROVED.
I'LL SECOND.
THANK YOU. SO MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER CARTER AND SECONDED BY MAYOR MCLEWIS TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEMS ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, AND SIX.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
YES.
SORRY, MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
ALL RIGHT. THEN WE NEED A MOTION FOR NUMBER FIVE.
I'LL MOVE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM NUMBER FIVE.
I'LL SECOND.
THANK YOU, SO MOVED BICORNS HINTON, SECONDED BICORNS ZOLLMAN TO APPROVE CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM NUMBER FIVE. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER? YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
Agenda Item Number 1
YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
NO.
PASSES 4-1 WITH MAYOR MCLEWIS IN OPPOSITION.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. SO WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ON. WE HAVE NO INFORMATIONAL ITEM/PRESENTATIONS, OR PUBLIC HEARINGS. WE'RE GOING TO GO STRAIGHT INTO OUR REGULAR CALENDAR AGENDA ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION. NUMBER SEVEN, APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO -- APOLOGIES. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT AS THE ROOM FILLS, EVENTUALLY WE'LL GET TO A POINT WHERE WE HAVE TOO MANY. ONE OTHER
THING I WANT TO POINT OUT IS WHEN IT GETS FULL LIKE THAT, WE HAVE TO HAVE AN AISLE DOWN THE CENTER PER THE FIRE MARSHAL. SO I WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE AS THINGS PROGRESS, AND I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO INTERRUPT IN THE MIDDLE. IF WE GET MORE AND MORE, WE'LL HAVE TO DIVIDE THE ROOM LIKE THAT. SO NUMBER SEVEN, APPROVAL OF AMENDMENT TO RESOLUTION NUMBER 6713-2025 ESTABLISHING A
STANDARD ENTERPRISE FUND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE, ADDITION OF A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT MEMBER. IS IT ARIANA OR BOTH?
I GUESS IT'S ME, MAYOR.
OKAY.
SO THIS ITEM CAME FROM A RECOMMENDATION FROM THE GRANT JURY REPORT THAT
CAME IN MAY TO CONSIDER ADDING A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT TO THE ENTERPRISE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. THIS WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL MEMBER. IT WOULD NOT REPLACE ANY OF THE EXISTING MEMBERS. THEY WOULD JUST HELP US COORDINATE THE FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT WITH THE DIFFERENT SET OF SKILLS. SO WE'RE
LOOKING FOR THE PROPOSED RESOLUTION WOULD ADD A DEDICATED SEAT FOR A
LICENSED CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT TO TEMPORARILY INCREASE THE
COMMITTEE'S MAXIMUM MEMBERSHIP FROM FIVE TO SIX TO ONE YEAR, SO THE NEW SEAT DOES NOT DISPLACE ANY OF THE COMMITTEE'S EXISTING MEMBERS. I'LL TAKE QUESTIONS OR WHATEVER.
QUESTIONS, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
HOW BIG OF A BURDEN DO YOU THINK IT IS TO FIND A CBA CONSIDERING WE TRIED TO FIND ONE TO SIT ON THE BOARD AND HAD A DIFFICULT TIME SEATING ONE ANYWAY? WE WILL GO OUT, DO RECRUITMENT AS WE DO WITH SOCIAL MEDIA OUTREACH. I'M
ASSUMING COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN, AS WELL AS THE MEMBERS WILL REACH OUT TO CPAs TO GET INTERESTED PARTIES TO APPLY.
AND WHAT IF WE DON'T FIND ONE?
THEN WE WOULD NOT APPOINT IT. IF WE HAVE ANYBODY TO APPOINT, THE COUNCIL CAN DETERMINE TO NOT FILL THAT SEAT.
BUT IT WOULD BE OKAY? THE COMMITTEE WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE? WE WOULD STILL NEED TO HAVE A QUORUM.
AND IT WOULD BE MISSING THAT ONE SPACE?
YOU WOULD STILL -- IF YOU HAVE SIX SEATS, BUT ONE IS STILL VACANT, IT WOULD STILL BE A COUNCIL IF THEY ARE ABSENT, YOU WOULD STILL NEED QUORUM. SO IF IT'S A SIXSEAT COMMITTEE, THEN YOU WOULD STILL NEED TO HAVE A QUORUM OF FOUR.
OKAY. THAT'LL MAKE IT SUPER DIFFICULT. OKAY.
VICE MAYOR?
YEAH. I'M WONDERING ABOUT THAT COMPOSITION BECAUSE THAT WOULD CREATE A SIX-MEMBER BOARD, AND THEN YOU COULD HAVE SPLIT DECISIONS. SO MAYBE, I DON'T KNOW. I'M WONDERING ABOUT THAT. MAYBE THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBER WOULD THE NOT GET A VOTE POSSIBLY?
WE COULD CERTAINLY MODIFY THIS TO DO THAT. I WILL SAY THE COMMITTEE IS
MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS, SO THE RECOMMENDATION COULD REFLECT IT'S A TIED VOTE. THEY'RE NOT MAKING ANY FINAL DECISIONS.
OKAY.
WE DO EXPECT THIS IS SORT OF A TEMPORARY THING UNTIL NEXT YEAR WHEN THE EXISTING TERM EXPIRES. I THINK AT THAT POINT, WE WOULD BRING IT BACK TO FIVE Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
AND THE COUNCIL CAN REEVALUATE WHEN THEY WANT THE MEMBERSHIP TO BE. BUT
THE INTEND HERE IS NOT TO TAKE ANYONE, JUST TO ADD IT THIS POSITION AND THEN LINE EVERYONE UP AT THE SAME TIME NEXT YEAR. SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE MIGHT GET
REAPPOINTED, YOU MIGHT CHANGE WITH WHO YOU'RE LOOKING TO SERVE OR NOT AT THAT TIME.
Agenda Item Number 1
SO THERE'S ONE PERSON HERE WHO HAS EXPERTISE IN THE ACCOUNTING, AUDITING, OR THE ANOTHER FINANCIAL FIELD? SO WOULD THE CPA REPLACE THAT PERSON IF A CPA PERSON CAME ON BOARD IN THE SPRING?
THAT'S A CURRENT GOAL. BUT AS COUNCIL MAY REMEMBER, NO ONE APPLIED TO FIT INTO THAT. SO YOU MIGHT DECIDE IN THE FALL WHEN IT COMES BACK THAT, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A CPA AND ELIMINATING THAT SORT OF MORE GENERAL ROLE THAT'S LESS SPECIFIC.
THANK YOU.
AND I HAVE A QUESTION. CAN YOU REMIND ME, I WAS TRYING TO LOOK IN HERE AGAIN. I
DON'T RECALL READING HOW LONG THIS WILL BE OUT THERE JUST TO MANAGE EXPECTATIONS FOR THE PUBLIC. WHEN IS THIS LIKELY TO BE PUT OUT THERE, OPEN, AND ADVERTISED, AND CLOSED?
IF THE COUNCIL APPROVES IT TONIGHT, WE'LL START THE RECRUITMENT TOMORROW. IT GOES FOUR TO SIX WEEKS, WE LEAVE IT OPEN. AND THEN WE'LL SCHEDULE IT BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL FOR AN INTERVIEW.
OKAY. JUST FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.
MORE LIKE A RESPONSE TO ALEX. WE DO SIT WITH SUBCOMMITTEES WITH TWO PEOPLE, AND IT REPORTS OUT IF THERE IS A DRAW OR WHAT EACH PERSON'S FEEDBACK WAS. SO I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THE SIX.
GO AHEAD.
HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK IT MIGHT COST STAFF TIME AND EVERYTHING TO TRY TO GET THIS POSITION FILLED?
IT'S MINIMAL. THE DISPLAY ADS TO SEND OUT THE RECRUITMENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA
WISE, AND THEN RECEIVE THE APPLICATIONS, DO THE STAFF REPORT, AND BRING IT BACK. SO IT'S MINIMAL STAFF TIME.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OTHERWISE WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSIDERATION OF ADDING A CPA SEAT TO THE ENTERPRISE FUND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, I'LL COME TO CHAMBERS FIRST. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
ALL RIGHT. SO I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT BRINGING INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL EXPERTISE AND DO AN OVERSIGHT OF THE ENTERPRISE FUND. BUT COUNCIL SHOULD BE PRECISE ON WHAT THE GRAND JURY RECOMMENDED AND WHAT REMAINS UNDONE. THE GRAND JURY MADE THREE RECOMMENDATIONS. ALL WITH AN OCTOBER 1 DEADLINE. FIRST, THE CITY
SHOULD COMMIT BY CONDUCTING THE COST ALLOCATE THE COST STUDY AND FEES ACCORDINGLY. SECOND, THE CITY SHOULD REACH AGREEMENT ON THE VALUE OF THE
INDIRECT COST THAT WERE IMPROPERLY ALLOCATED TO THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND COMMIT TO A REPAYMENT SCHEDULE. THIRD, THE CITY SHOULD CONSIDER ADDING A CPA TO THE ENTERPRISE FUND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. TONIGHT'S AGENDA ITEM
ADDRESSES ONLY THE THIRD RECOMMENDATION, AND EVEN THEN THE GRAND JURY DID NOT REQUIRE AN UNCOMPENSATED SIX COMMITTEE SEAT. THE CITY IS MAKING THAT CHOICE. THE EXISTING COMMITTEE STRUCTURE ALREADY REQUIRED A MEMBER WITH
ACCOUNTING, AUDITING, OR FINANCIAL EXPERTISE, YET NO QUALIFIED PERSON APPLIED, DESPITE AN EXTENDED RECRUITMENT. WHY SHOULD COUNCIL EXPECT THAT
NARROWING THE REQUIREMENT TO A LICENSED CPA WILL OFFER NO COMPENSATION WILL PRODUCE A DIFFERENT RESULT? DID THE CITY EVALUATE RETAINING AN
INDEPENDENT CPA WITH DEFINED DUTIES, DELIVERABLES, ACCESS TO RECORDS, AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASSISTING BOTH THE COMMITTEE AND COUNCIL? MORE IMPORTANTLY, HAS THE CITY COMPLIED WITH RECOMMEND TWO? HAS IT DETERMINED
THE AMOUNT OWED TO THE ENTERPRISE FUNDS AND ADOPTED THE REPAYMENT SCHEDULE OR REQUESTED BY THE GRAND JURY? LOAN FORGIVENESS MAY BE RELEVANT,
BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME AS REACHING AGREEMENT ON THE MISALLOCATED AMOUNT AND COMMITTING TO REPAYMENT. PLEASE ADDRESS ALL THREE Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
RECOMMENDATIONS, THEIR DEADLINES, RESPONSIBLE DEPARTMENTS, AND REMAINING ACTIONS. THE AGENDA ITEM SHOULD NOT BE PRESENTED AS COMPLETING THE GRAND
JURY RESPONSE WHEN THE CENTRAL FINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY RECOMMENDATION MAY REMAIN UNRESOLVED.
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU, KYLE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. SEEING NONE. I'LL GO BACK OUT. MARY, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YEP.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER? GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
I HAVE A SUGGESTION WHEN WE WERE DEALING WITH SEBASTOPOL COMMONS. THERE WAS A CPA THAT MADE A BIG LONG COMMENT. I THINK HIS NAME IS GLEN -- YOU MIGHT REACH OUT TO HIM. MAYBE HE WOULD BE INTERESTED. THANKS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS, IF
THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED ON THIS ITEM.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, WE'RE BACK HERE AT THE DAIS FOR COMMENTS? JUST TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW, I BELIEVE GLEN HAS BEEN INVITED TO LOOK AT THIS. IS THAT CORRECT?
THAT IS CORRECT. I HAVE REACHED OUT TO HIM.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS? OTHERWISE WE JUST NEED A MOTION.
I'LL GO AHEAD AND MOVE STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION.
I'LL SECOND IT.
WHAT IS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION AGAIN?
IT'S TO ADD THE CPA SEAT TO THE ENTERPRISE FUND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE.
OKAY. I'M JUST GOING TO SAY SOMETHING AS THE FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE INITIALS ARE. I HELP BRING IT, AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IT AT ALL. ENTERPRISE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE NEEDS TO ACT. AND WE SOMETIMES DON'T HAVE CLOSE TO A QUORUM.
ADDING THE ADDITION OF ANOTHER PERSON COULD MAKE OUR NOW SCANTILY
ATTENDED MEETINGS EVEN MORE DIFFICULT BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH FEW PEOPLE, LIKE SOMETIMES THAT'S HARD. WHILE I'M CERTAINLY NOT OPPOSED TO HAVING A CPA, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ONE ON THERE. WE'VE TRIED TO HAVE ONE ON THERE. BUT I DO
WANT TO MAKE SURE WE FINISH OUT THE YEAR AND ARE ABLE TO MEET WITHOUT THIS
PERSON, IF ONE DOESN'T EXIST BECAUSE IT WAS SO EXTREMELY HARD TO HAVE ONE IN THE FIRST PLACE. IN THE SPRING, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADD THAT PERSON, AND
WE CAN MAKE IT A STRONGER REQUIREMENT INSTEAD OF AN ACCOUNTING BASED PERSON, A CPA.
OKAY. MAY I JUST MAKE A COMMENT? I JUST EXPECT WHEN PEOPLE COMMIT, THEY SHOULD ACTUALLY SHOW UP. LIKE WE'RE ALL HERE. JUST SAYING. THAT'S MY THOUGHT.
BUT ANYWAY, IF WE WANT TO GO ON.
THANK YOU. SO MOVED BY COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN AND SECONDED BY MAYOR
MCLEWIS TO APPROVE THE AMENDMENT TO THE RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING A CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT MEMBER ON THE ENTERPRISE COUNCIL COMMITTEE.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
AYE.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
YES.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ONTO NUMBER EIGHT. REQUEST OF RECEIPT OF
INFORMATIONAL REPORT FROM THE CHIEF OF POLICE ON EXIGENT USE OF Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS. THIS REPORT IS PROVIDED TO PURSUANT OF SMC 8.80.040, TO
ADVISE THE SEBASTOPOL CITY COUNCIL ABOUT THE TEMPORARY EXIGENT OF SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH OCCURRED ON THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026. ARE YOU BACK THERE?
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU. SO YEAH, AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS STAFF REPORT RELATES TO AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON THE 30th OF JULY, ABOUT 3:00 P.M. -- IT WAS ON CONSENT, AND I PULLED IT. SO I DON'T REALLY THINK FROM MY PERSPECTIVE WE NEED A REPORT. IT IS MORE OF A CONCERN, SO THE PERSON WHO PULLED THE ITEM.
IS THAT NOT CORRECT?
IT BECOMES A DISCUSSION ITEM. YOU KNOW, IF THE COUNCIL, THE REST OF THE COUNCIL DOESN'T WANT TO HEAR THE REPORT, THEN THAT'S FINE. BUT WHEN IT GETS PULLED, IT BECOMES AN ACTION ITEM.
OKAY.
SO AS I WAS SAYING, THERE WAS AN INCIDENT ON THE 30th OF JULY ABOUT 3:00 P.M. AT
THE TACO BELL ON THE NORTH END OF TOWN WITH A CALL RECEIVED FROM THE TACO
BELL THAT SOMEONE HAD GONE THROUGH THE DRIVE THROUGH IN A VEHICLE, AND
THERE WAS A FEMALE OCCUPANT IN THE VEHICLE THAT BEEN IN DISTRESS, WAS
ATTEMPTING TO PASS A NAPKIN TO ONE OF THE WORKERS IN THE DRIVE THROUGH WINDOW. THERE WAS SOME BACK AND FORTH ABOUT THAT AT THE TIME BECAUSE
THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING WITH THE NATURE OF THE NAPKIN WITH THE DRIVE THROUGH ATTENDANT THINKING IT WAS TRASH. BUT ONCE SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THAT NAPKIN ACROSS, IT SAID HELP ME. AND THEN THEY LEFT THE SCENE. SO THAT LEFT US IN A SITUATION OF TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WE WERE DEALING WITH. AS IT TURNED
OUT, WE RESPONDED VERY QUICKLY, AND HAD AN OFFICER REVIEW THE INTERNAL CAMERA FOOTAGE AT TACO BELL. WE WERE ABLE TO FORTUNATELY PULL A REGISTRATION PLATE FROM THAT FOOTAGE. SUBSEQUENT PATROLS WERE UNABLE TO
LOCATE THE VEHICLE IN THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL, SO WE REACHED OUT TO THE
SONOMA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE BECAUSE WE BELIEVED EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES
EXISTED FOR THIS WOMAN'S SAFETY, WHICH OBVIOUSLY ARTICULATED SHE NEEDED HELP, AND THEN LEFT THE SCENE. WE WEREN'T SURE IF THERE WAS A HUMAN
TRAFFICKING SITUATION OR KIDNAPPED OR SOME SORT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
SITUATION WAS OCCURRING HERE BECAUSE THERE WAS A MALE IN THE VEHICLE WITH HER. WE WERE ABLE TO GET SOME INFORMATION FROM THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THAT THE VEHICLE HAD OPINION DETECTED ON SANTA ROSA. THAT WAS HEADING TOWARDS THE PARK. SO NOTIFIED THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA, AND THEY DETECTED. WHILE THIS WAS
OCCURRING, WE WERE ACTIVELY RESEARCHING THE OTHER MEANS TO TRY TO REACH OUT TO THE -- WHO WE BELIEVE THE FEMALE TO BE IN THE VEHICLE. THROUGH GREAT
INVESTIGATIVE WORK BETWEEN OUR DISPATCHERS AND OFFICERS, WE WERE ABLE TO
REACH OUT TO A CONTACT OF THAT PERSON, AND EVENTUALLY WORK THROUGH TO
SPEAKING WITH HER, AND SHE SAID I'VE RESOLVED THE SITUATION, BUT IT WAS INDEED A SITUATION. SO OUR OFFICERS INSTINCTS WERE CORRECT. IT WAS AN EXIGENT SITUATION THAT WE BELIEVE WARRANTED THE USE OF THAT TECHNOLOGY. BUT UNDER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE SEBASTOPOL MUNICIPAL CODE 8.80, THE SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY, WE WERE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT A REPORT TO COUNCIL, SO HERE WE ARE.
ANY QUESTIONS?
I PULLED THIS TO ASK ALEX SOME QUESTIONS. SO IT SEEMS LIKE WITH THE POLICE CHIEF AND HIS OFFICERS DID WAS ALL UNDER THE USE OF EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES. SO PLEASE EXPLAIN WHAT THE LEGAL DEFINITION OF EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES?
THE CODE DEFINES THAT AS AN EMERGENCY INVOLVING IMMINENT DANGER, DEATH, OR
SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY TO ANY PERSON THAT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE USE OF SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY OR INFORMATION IT PROVIDES.
OKAY. AND FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE AND REVIEWING STATUTES, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S A BROAD DEFINITION. WOULD YOU DISAGREE WITH THAT? WOULD I AGREE WITH THAT? YES.
SO IT'S BROAD. GIVEN THIS AND HOW BROAD THE EXCEPTION OUR OFFICERS USED TO USE MUTUAL AID. ONE WOULD ASSUME WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING MANY MORE OF THESE REPORTS. BECAUSE EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES IS BROADLY DEFINED, THEN IT'S Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
LIKELY POLICE WILL USE THE SAME METHOD THAT THEY USED HERE. IS THAT A FAIR ASSUMPTION?
Agenda Item Number 1
I CAN'T PREDICT HOW MANY THERE MIGHT BE IN THE FUTURE. ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED IN 2022. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE HAVE BEEN PREVIOUS INCIDENTS. I'VE BEEN THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR TWO YEARS. WE'VE NEVER HAD A REPORT BEFORE, USE OF IT BEFORE. I DON'T KNOW IF TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THAT IF THERE HAD BEEN. SO I
WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, BE ABLE TO MAKE A PREDICTION ABOUT HOW OFTEN IT MIGHT BE USED IN THE FUTURE.
OKAY. I'LL ASK OUR POLICE CHIEF ABOUT PRIOR INCIDENTS IN A MOMENT. BUT AS FAR
AS HOW THIS PLAYED OUT, IT WAS ESSENTIALLY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, A
WORKAROUND OUR ORDINANCE USING MUTUAL AID, AND THE FACT THEY HAD MEANS
TO NOT USE MUTUAL AID, BUT THEY DECIDED TO OPT FOR MUTUAL AID, WHICH THEN
BASICALLY CIRCUMVENTED OUR SURVEILLANCE BY USING THE CAMERA READS IN ORDER TO LOCATE THE INDIVIDUAL. IS THAT A FAIR ASSESSMENT OR NO? I WOULD NOT SAY IT'S A WORKAROUND. I THINK THE ORDINANCE AUTHORIZES ITS USE IN EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES. THEY COULD NOT ASK FOR THE MUTUAL AID WITHOUT THE EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES TO BEGIN WITH.
OKAY.
AS FAR AS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE DATA. BECAUSE WHAT WE'VE BEEN
PRESENTED WITH HERE IS THAT IT WAS JUST ONE PICTURE OF A TRUCK, SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT DATA RETENTION. IS THAT YOUR READING OF THIS AS WELL?
THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SIMPLY GOT THAT
INFORMATION AND HAS NO OTHER OR NEVER GOT ANY OTHER DATA ABOUT OTHER
VEHICLES OR --
RIGHT. BUT EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED FROM THE TIME THEY DEPLOYED FOR
MUTUAL AID, THERE WAS EITHER E-MAILS, DISPATCHING, ALL THAT DATA IS STILL SOMEWHERE, RIGHT? I MEAN, THEY DIDN'T USE CARRIER PIGEONS. I MEAN, -- YES, CORRECT.
RIGHT. SO THE DATA IS SOMEWHERE.
RIGHT. BUT THAT DATA IS NOT SURVEILLANCE DATA. AN E-MAIL ISN'T SURVEILLANCE OR DISPATCH.
RIGHT. BUT IT WOULD STILL HAVE POTENTIAL CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION THAT IT IS STILL LOCKED SOMEWHERE.
YES, JUST LIKE ALL THE POLICE DEPARTMENT'S RECORDS ARE.
AS WE HAVE ANOTHER ITEM COMING UP, OTHER AGENCIES HAVE ACCESS TO WHAT'S IN OUR DATA BASE, CORRECT? OUR POLICE DATA BASE?
IT DEPENDS ON THE DATA BASE AND WHAT THE REQUEST IS, YOU KNOW, STATE LAW PROVIDES LIMITS ON THAT AS WELL.
TO THE POLICE CHIEF, HOW MANY TIMES WITHIN THE MOST COUPLE OF RECENT YEARS HAVE YOUR OFFICERS OR HAVE YOU DISCOVERED USING EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCES? THIS IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE I CAN REFER TO.
DURING YOUR TIME?
DURING MY TIME HERE? 18 MONTHS.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. THANKS. I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER.
OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OTHERWISE WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC -- OH, I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD.
SO JUST HEARD IT WAS 18 MONTHS, BUT I'VE NEVER SEEN A REPORT LIKE THIS THAT I CAN RECALL COMING BEFORE CITY COUNCIL. SO COULD THE CLERK ANSWER THAT
QUESTION TO HER BEST RECOLLECTION AS WELL IF WE HAVE EVER IN AT LEAST THE LAST TEN YEARS HAD THIS INSTANCE HAPPENED IN SEBASTOPOL? I'M NOT AWARE OF THAT.
THANK YOU.
ALL RIGHT, LET'S GO OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO THIS IS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE RECEIPT OF THE
INFORMATION REPORT FROM THE POLICE CHIEF RELATING TO THE EXIGENT OF CERTAIN SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGIES, INCLUDING ALPRs. IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS, BOYLE TO CHAMBERS, CHAMBER.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
THE SPECIFICS OF THIS ARE FUZZY TO ME. JUST GENERALLY, I WANTED TO BRING
FORWARD THAT CAMERAS IN THE LIBRARIES, CAMERAS IN THE STREETS, AND CAMERAS IN GENERAL ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT AMERICANS WANT. THERE'S A HUGE UPRISING ABOUT THE FLOCK ONES SPECIFICALLY, AND JUST GENERALLY. IT'S NOT -- IT DOESN'T
AGREE WITH THE FEELING OF FREEDOM, THE ACTUALITY OF FREEDOM, AND CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. SO I SUGGEST THAT OUR LITTLE TOWN OF SEBASTOPOL KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN THINKING ABOUT ANY CAMERAS.
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
I CAN.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER STILL?
YEP.
THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
SO FIRST I WANT TO SAY THE FACTS IN THE REPORT APPEAR TO PRESENT EXACTLY THE KIND OF EMERGENCY FOR WHICH PROVISION EXISTS. A WOMAN PASSES A NOTE, I NEED HELP, FEELS DISTRESSED. OFFICERS CAN'T LOCATE HER, AND SHE'S IN IMMINENT DANGER. I UNDERSTAND WHY OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT ACTED. BUT THIS REPORT
RAISES A LARGER QUESTION FOR ME AND ABOUT WHETHER SEBASTOPOL SHOULD BE ACCESSING FLOCK DATA AT ALL, EVEN THROUGH MUTUAL AID. THERE'S AN IMPORTANT PARALLEL HERE TO THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION IN CARPENTER VERSES THE U.S.
CELL PHONE LOCATION DATA CONSIDERS A LOAN MAY SEEM RELATIVELY INNOCUOUS.
WHEN THOSE OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED, STORED, MADE SEARCHABLE OVER TIME, THEY CAN ALLOW THE GOVERNMENT TO RECONSTRUCT A PERSON'S MOVEMENTS. THE
SUPREME COURT ULTIMATELY DETERMINED THAT OBTAINING THAT KIND OF HISTORICAL LOCATION INFORMATION IMPLICATES THE FOURTH AMENDMENT.
AUTOMATED LICENSE PLATE NETWORKS RAISES SIMILAR, ALTHOUGH NOT YET LEGALLY SETTLED QUESTION. COURTS ARE CURRENTLY CONSIDERING WHERE THE
CONSTITUTIONAL LINE LIES AS THESE NETWORKS BECOME LARGER AND INCREASINGLY INTERCONNECTED. AND THAT MAKES ME WONDER WHETHER SEBASTOPOL SHOULD WAIT FOR COURTS TO EVENTUALLY TELL US WHERE THAT LINE IS. OUR SURVEILLANCE
ORDINANCE REFLECTS A DELIBERATE CHOICE BY THIS COMMUNITY, TO PLACE LIMITS ON GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE. YET EVEN THOUGH SEBASTOPOL DOESN'T OPERATE
FLOCK CAMERAS, THIS REPORT DEMONSTRATES THAT WE CAN ACCESS THE
SURROUNDING SURVEILLANCE NETWORK, SIMPLY BY REQUESTING INFORMATION FROM ANOTHER AGENCY. PERHAPS THE MOST PROTECTIVE INTERPRETATION OF THE VALUES IS THEREFORE A BRIGHT LINE. SEBASTOPOL SIMPLY DOESN'T USE FLOCK DATA, INCLUDING THROUGH MUTUAL AID. THAT MIGHT MEAN OCCASIONALLY GIVING UP A USEFUL INVESTIGATIVE TOOL. EVEN A COMPELLING CIRCUMSTANCE LIKE IT THIS ONE. THE
CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTIONS ARE OFTEN MORE MEANINGFUL WHEN WE ESTABLISH THEM BEFORE AN EASY CASE GRADUALLY BECOMES ROUTINE PRACTICE.
THANK YOU, KYLE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS, IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. LEE. OH, I'M SORRY, JOHN. GO AHEAD.
HI, I'M JUST LEARNING ABOUT THIS TONIGHT. I AGREE WITH THE COMMENTS ABOUT PRIVACY. I DON'T LIKE CAMERAS. I DON'T LIKE HOW THEY'RE BEING USED. IN THIS
SITUATION, KNOWING, WORKING AS A FIREFIGHTER OR EMS, HOW HARD IT IS TO GET FROM DISPATCH TO GET THING GOING AND GET OFFICERS MOVING. I REALLY FEEL WHAT
I'VE HEARD TONIGHT IS THE SEBASTOPOL POLICE DEPARTMENT DID A GREAT JOB OUT OF SAYING SOMEONE NEEDS HELP. HOW DO I GET THE INFORMATION? HOW DO I LOOK FOR THE PERSON NOW IN THE MOMENT? THAT'S WHAT THEY DID. THEY USED A VERY HARD
SITUATION, REACHED OUT TO THEIR NEIGHBORS WHO HAD THE INFORMATION, TO MAKE SURE THIS WOMAN IS SAFE. WE CAN TALK ABOUT ALL THE OTHER STUFF AND NOT LIKE CAMERAS LIKE THAT, BUT IN THE MOMENT, THEY MADE SURE THE WOMAN WAS SAFE.
ISN'T THAT WHAT WE'RE ABOUT IS KEEPING PEOPLE SAFE? SO I COMMEND THE
DEPARTMENT FOR WHAT THEY DID, AND I THINK THAT WAS A GREAT USE OF A ONE-TIME SITUATION IN SEVERAL YEARS. IF IT BECAME A HABIT, I WOULDN'T SUPPORT IT. BUT THINGS LIKE THIS, I DO SUPPORT, SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. LEE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
Agenda Item Number 1
YES. THANK YOU, CAN YOU STILL SEE THE TIMER?
SURE.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
I CAN'T BELIEVE COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN PREFER OUR POLICE TO IGNORE A WOMAN
BECAUSE THERE IS A CHANCE FLOCK CAMERAS MIGHT BE MISUSED BY SOMEONE SOMEWHERE FOR SOMETHING ELSE. FOR MANY YEARS, THE ORDINANCE WE'RE
REFERRING TO ACTUALLY PRECLUDED OUR POLICE FROM USING DOORBELL CAMERA TO
IDENTIFY AND PROSECUTE SOMEONE THAT BROKE INTO OUR HOMES AND HARMED OUR FAMILIES. THE CITY HAS TAKEN THIS TOO FAR, AND PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE A BREATH. I
ASSUME EVERYONE IN THE ROOM, EVERYONE HERE THAT'S PROTESTING HAS A CELL PHONE. THAT'S TRACKING AND REPORTING YOUR LOCATION, USING YOUR PHONE WIDELY. YOU DON'T KNOW WHO IS GETTING THAT INFORMATION. YOU CAN BLOCK SOME OF IT, NOT ALL OF IT. EVERYONE USING ZOOM UNDERSTANDS THEIR WEB BROWSER IS SHARING INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING RIGHT NOW. THE PROBLEM IS
MUCH WIDER THAN A FLOCK CAMERA, BUT A FLOCK CAMERA USED FOR THIS PURPOSE IS EXACTLY THE USE WE SHOULD ALL BE ENCOURAGING. AT SOME POINT IN TIME, SOMEBODY IN SEBASTOPOL IS GOING TO GET HARMED. WE'RE NOT GOING TO CATCH SOMEBODY BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A FLOCK CAMERA. AND THEN WE'LL HAVE ANOTHER DISCUSSION, I SUPPOSE. BUT THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS. IF ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT? YEAH, I THINK -- DOUG, I LIVE ON PETALUMA AVENUE. I COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN'S
POINT ABOUT THE RESIDUAL INFORMATION EXISTING EVEN THOUGH THE CAMERA INFORMATION HASN'T BEEN PURGED OR ISN'T AVAILABLE IS RELEVANT. I THINK THAT IS
SOMETHING WE NEED TO CONSIDER, AND I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING WHOEVER HAS JURISDICTION OVER THIS INFORMATION NEEDS TO CONSIDER. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. JUNE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YES.
GREAT. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
YEAH, THANK YOU. YEAH, I WANTED TO MAKE THE POINT ABOUT THAT AS WELL. IT'S NOT JUST THE USE OF THIS. IT'S A MATTER OF WHERE THE DATA IS AFTERWARDS, AND I
DO WANT TO MAKE THE POINT IN THIS CASE, THE USE OF THE FLOCK SYSTEM OUTSIDE OF SEBASTOPOL WAS NOT ACTUALLY WHAT LED TO CONTACT WITH THE PERSON. IT WAS OTHER FORMS OF INVESTIGATION THAT ACTUALLY RESOLVED THE ISSUE. BUT WHAT WE DID LEARN THAT WHOLE FLOCK SYSTEM WAS UTILIZED. IT'S BECAUSE THE STARTER FOR THE REQUEST TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WAS A USE OF A CAMERA. BUT WE DON'T KNOW, AND I REALLY WANT TO GET A REPORT ON. WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES THE
POLICE CHIEF ACTUALLY CONTACTS THE SHERIFF TO USE THE FLOCK SYSTEM JUST
BECAUSE MAYBE THEY SAW A LICENSE PLATE OR THEY HAVE AN IDEA THEY WANT TO PUT FORWARD. THEY CLEARLY HAVE A WAY TO CONTACT THE SHERIFF AND SEND A MESSAGE. AND SO I WOULD LIKE THE CHIEF TO REPORT ANY TIME HE USES THE FLOCK SYSTEM OR ASK THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE FOR SUPPORT IN A CASE. AND I WOULD HOPE WE
HAVE A RECORD OF THAT BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CASES WHERE YOU'RE GETTING PEOPLE INTO THAT SYSTEM, WHERE IT DIDN'T START OUT WITH A CAMERA. SO I
WOULD LIKE TO HAVE MORE INFORMATION ON THAT, AND HAVE SOME REGULATION ON THAT. AND SO WE KNOW HOW THAT DATA IS BEING USED, WHAT KIND OF REQUEST ARE BEING MADE AND WHEN TO ANY ENTITY OUTSIDE OF THE SEBASTOPOL POLICE.
THANK YOU, JUNE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS?
CYNTHIA BRADLEY. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FLOCK CAMERAS, FLOCK IS A
PRIVATE COOPERATION, AND THEY CAN SHARE AND GIVE YOUR INFORMATION TO ANY AGENCY OR ANYONE THEY WANT TO. THANK YOU.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM IF THERE IS ANYONE THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT. PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. MARY, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
Agenda Item Number 1
YEAH.
THANK YOU. CAN YOU GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT?
YEAH. SO I'M WONDERING WHAT EVERYBODY THAT IS SO AGAINST THIS WOULD HAVE ME DO THE NEXT TIME I'M TALKING TO GIRLS THAT ARE IN JUVENILE HALL? SHOULD I
TELL THEM THAT IF THEY'RE SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTY, IT'S FINE FOR THEM TO HOLD UP A CARD OR SOMETHING, IF THEY NEED HELP, BUT NOT IN SEBASTOPOL? MY OTHER POINT IS -- LET'S SEE. OH. SANDRA BROUGHT UP AT THE FORUM THAT A LOT OF YOU HAVE -- YOU'RE HOOKED UP TO THE WATER AND SEWER, WHATEVER THAT THING IS.
I'M NOT HOOKED UP TO IT. BUT THAT'S COLLECTING INFORMATION ABOUT YOU ALL DAY LONG EVERY DAY. THAT'S MY COMMENT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, MARY FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO
CHAMBERS IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAYBE A COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. ROB, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES. I GUESS I WANTED TO JUST SAY I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING IS A LOT OF PEOPLE CONFLATING DIFFERENT ISSUES. THE PRIVACY ISSUE THAT PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE
BASICALLY UNDRESSED BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT CAN BE OBTAINED WITHIN A SECOND. YOU WANT TO BE SAFE AND FOUND IF THEY'RE LOST OR TAKEN. I DON'T THINK THOSE THINGS ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. I THINK IF FLOCK CAMERAS ARE SOMETHING
LIKE HIPAA, WHERE THERE'S LEGISLATION THAT CONTROLS WHO CAN SEE IT, WHEN THEY
CAN SEE IT, AND DETAILED RECORDS ABOUT IT, IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION. SO I THINK IF PEOPLE WERE TO MOVE A LITTLE BIT MORE TOWARDS THE
MIDDLE FROM WHERE THEY ARE, THEY WOULD SEE THEY'RE REALLY WANTING SOME OF THE SAME THINGS, SAFETY AND ALSO TRANSPARENCY, AND FUTURE SAFETY LATER.
THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN ZOOM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED ON THIS ITEM.
ALL RIGHT, WE'RE BACK AT THE DAIS HERE FOR ANY COMMENTS. LOOKING TO THE RIGHT AND TO THE LEFT. GO AHEAD.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE PREVIOUS COUNCIL FOR PUTTING THIS ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE IN MOTION BECAUSE I THINK IT STRIKES A GOOD BALANCE. WE DON'T HAVE FLOCK CAMERAS IN SEBASTOPOL. BUT WHEN NEEDED, OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT IS ABLE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THEM AND TO HELP PEOPLE. AND SO I THINK THAT STRIKES A GOOD BALANCE. AND MARY CONE WAS MENTIONING SOMETHING I SAID ON A CANDIDATE FORUM. WHAT THAT WAS ABOUT IS THE UTILITY METERS ON YOUR HOME. THOSE ARE COLLECTING DATA 24/7 ABOUT HOW YOU USE YOUR HOME AND ALL THAT DATA IS
AVAILABLE -- CAN BE GIVEN FROM THE UTILITIES TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND ETC., THEY DO. THEY GIVE THAT AND THAT IS A FACT. SO THANK YOU, CHIEF FOR
REPORTING OUT BECAUSE I THINK THE ORDINANCE, THE CAMERA ORDINANCE THAT WE HAVE PROVIDES THAT TRANCE PANSY. TO ME THAT'S GREAT, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR WORK ON THIS, SO THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD.
YEAH, I THINK WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES, AND I'D LIKE TO
SEPARATE THEM BECAUSE WE HAVE TAKEN A CLEAR POSITION IN SEBASTOPOL ABOUT FLOCK CAMERAS. AND THIS IS A SEPARATE ISSUE. THIS IS A WOMAN IN HELP WHO NEEDED HELP, PASSED A NOTE. I THINK ABOUT IT IF IT WAS MYSELF OR MY DAUGHTER WHO WROTE THAT AND PASSED IT TO SOMEBODY. YOU'RE HOPING SOMEBODY DOES SOMETHING. AND IN SEBASTOPOL, I LIKE TO THINK WE'D ALL DO SOMETHING. WITHIN OUR CONTROL. AND SO I'M SURE THAT WENT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE CHIEF, AND HE MADE THE DECISION. I MEAN, THAT WOULD BE A PART OF WHO IS MAKING THAT DECISION, AND SOMEBODY IN AUTHORITY WOULD MAKE THAT POLICY DECISION. AND THEN WHAT IS OUR POLICY? EVEN IF WE DON'T ALLOW CAMERAS HERE. I MEAN, WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF RULES IN PLACE. MAYBE IT WAS A FORUM I WAS LISTENING TO IF A CHILD Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
IS LOST, RIGHT? GOES UP AND WE'RE ALL LOOKING AND THAT SIGN GOES OUT. SO I
APPRECIATE THE QUICK REPORT AND THE REPORT OUT AND FULL TRANSPARENCY, WHICH IS WHAT WE ASKED FOR. I FEEL LIKE WE DID THE RIGHT THING IN THIS INSTANCE,
AND IT'S A SEPARATE ISSUE ABOUT WHAT OUR POLICY IS, WHICH I THINK WE'LL CONTINUE TO DISCUSS WITH FLOCK CAMERAS. BUT THIS WAS A PERSON THAT NEEDED HELP, AND WE ACTED. I DON'T KNOW, I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT ACTUALLY. AND I HAVE TO SEPARATE THAT FROM THE CAMERA ISSUE. AND JUST ANOTHER THING. I MEAN, IF YOU USE CHATGPT, SERIES, ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE ON OUR PHONES ARE SO MUCH.
EVEN I HEARD CERTAIN TV COMPANIES ARE COLLECTING DATA ABOUT WHAT WE USE AND WHAT WE WATCH, AND WHAT WE LOOK AT. AND SO IT IS THE LIFE WE'RE LIVING TODAY, I BELIEVE. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
Agenda Item Number 1
I HAD A COMMENT AS WELL. WHAT DO WE DO WITH DATA? THIS IS AN AGE OLD THING. I GOT MY MASTERS IN INFORMATION SYSTEM 13 YEARS AGO, AND THAT IS A DISCUSSION BACK THEN AS WELL. WHAT DO YOU DO? EUROPE HAS BEEN AHEAD OF US, THE RIGHT TO
BE FORGOTTEN LAW HAS BEEN IN EFFECT FOREVER IN EUROPE, AND WE STILL DON'T HAVE THAT HERE. SO I MEAN, IN MY MIND, THIS IS A TIME WHEN WE USE DATA APPROPRIATELY, AND WE DID THE RIGHT THING. AND I JUST THINK THERE'S BALANCE.
THERE'S NOTHING THAT IS BLACK AND WHITE, AND I WILL TELL YOU I'VE BEEN IN SOME
DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER NORTH BAY CITIES WHO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT FLOCK, AND
THEY'RE ACTUALLY EXPLORING OTHER COMPANY IN OTHER WAYS, MORE REPUTABLE COMPANIES. SO THERE WILL BE A LOT MORE INFORMATION, I THINK, DISCUSSED AND SHARED AMONGST EVERYONE AS OTHER CITIES GRAPPLE WITH THIS. I MEAN, WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OUR ORDINANCE IN PLACE. WE DON'T HAVE FLOCK CAMERAS. BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE WILL BE OTHER SOLUTIONS FORTHCOMING AS OTHER CITIES EXPLORE THIS WHO DO HAVE FLOCK CAMERAS. YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY PERTINENT ISSUE FOR THEM RIGHT NOW. IN MY MIND, I THINK WE DID
THE RIGHT THING THIS TIME, AND I'M GLAD WE COULD DO SOMETHING TO HELP SOMEONE AND USE IT THE RIGHT WAY.
I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK TO THE CAMERA ISSUE, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR GOING THE EXTRA TO MAKE SURE THIS PERSON WAS SAFE. THANK YOU.
OKAY. SO I GUESS WE NEED A MOTION, MARY. IS THAT RIGHT WITH THIS? YOU CAN MAKE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THIS REPORT.
OKAY. I MAKE A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE REPORT.
SECOND.
THANK YOU. SO MOVED BY MAYOR MCLEWIS AND SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR MAURER TO FILE THE REPORT REGARDING THE EXIGENT USE OF TECHNOLOGY ON JULY 30.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
JUST NEED SOME CLARIFICATION. SO THE MOTION IS JUST TO RECEIVE AND FILE? IT'S
NOT IF I VOTE IN AGREEMENT, IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT I THINK THE REPORT WAS FULLY
COMPLETED, ESPECIALLY IN REFERENCE TO DATA COLLECTION AND THE RETENTION OF IT. IS THAT CORRECT?
THAT IS CORRECT. IT IS JUST TO RECEIVE THE REPORT.
JUST TO RECEIVE AND FILE IT?
THAT IS CORRECT.
THEN, YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
YES.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. SO WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER NINE. REQUEST OF
RECEIPT OF BUDGET AT A GLANCE FORMAT AND AUTHORIZE STAFF TO POST SUCH DOCUMENT ON THE CITY WEBSITE. THIS WOULD BE BY OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR, ANNA.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
YES, THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU IS A CONTINUATION FROM SEPTEMBER 15 REGARDING THE 26/27 BUDGET AT A GLANCE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS IS TO PROVIDE A PUBLIC-FRIENDLY SUMMARY OF THE ADOPTED BUDGET. THE BUDGET COMMITTEE HAS REVIEWED THE ORIGINAL ON SEPTEMBER 9, AND THEN THEY ALSO REVIEWED THE REVISION ON SEPTEMBER 28. FOLLOWING THE PUBLIC COMMENTS, STAFF MAKES SEVERAL REVISIONS TO THE ENTERPRISE SECTION. THE BUDGET AT A GLANCE IS INTENDED TO SERVE AT A HIGH LEVEL. THERE'S NO OTHER CHANGES MADE TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET. SO WITH THAT, STAFF IS RECOMMENDING THE COUNCIL RECEIVE AND APPROVE THIS DOCUMENT FOR POSTING ON THE WEBSITE.
Agenda Item Number 1
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
ANY QUESTIONS HERE? NO QUESTIONS ON MY LEFT HERE. ALL RIGHT. THEN WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE RECEIPT OF THE BUDGET AT A GLANCE FORMAT AND AUTHORIZING THE POSTING TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, I'LL COME INTO CHAMBERS FIRST. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE? YES, I CAN.
THANK YOU. GO AHEAD WITH YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE.
YOU KNOW WHAT'S REALLY FUNNY ABOUT THIS AGENDA ITEM AND GETTING PULLED
AND IT BEING RETURNED, AND IT BEING REVISED, AND THE LANGUAGE BEING USED IS
THAT THE CITY CONTINUES TO MASK THE ISSUES AROUND WATER, WASTEWATER, ENTERPRISE FUNDS, AND COST ALLOCATION. THE REASON THIS GOT PULLED -- [ INAUDIBLE ] REFLECTS THE NEED TO CLEARLY DISTINGUISH ENTERPRISE FUNDS FROM GENERAL FUND EXPENDITURES. THE CITY DIDN'T DO FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND CONTINUES TO NOT DO. SO THE VERY LANGUAGE THAT'S BEING USED IN THE AGENDA BEING SO GENERIC JUST TO SAY -- [ INAUDIBLE ]
KYLE, CAN YOU STILL HEAR US? KYLE? KYLE, IF YOU CAN HEAR US, WE'VE LOST YOU THERE FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS.
OKAY. I THINK THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR. THE CITY LACKS TRANSPARENCY WHEN IT
COMES TO BEING CLEAR ABOUT THINGS LIKE MISALLOCATION OF FUNDS THROUGH OUR
ENTERPRISE, AND CANNOT INCLUDE SPECIFICALLY ENTERPRISE FUNDS AS THE JUSTIFICATION FOR PULLING THIS ITEM AND REVISING THE BUDGET AT A GLANCE.
CONTINUES THAT NARRATIVE.
THANK YOU, KYLE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS. IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. LEE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YEAH.
THANK YOU.
SOME OF THE THINGS KYLE TALKED ABOUT. BEING ONE OF THE MAJOR THINGS, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEEN ADJUSTED OR ADDRESSED TO A CERTAIN EXTENT. I THINK WE'RE STILL
SHOWING TOTAL REVENUE, TOTAL EXPENSE, BEGINNING BALANCE, ENDING BALANCE, AS
COMBINED WATER, SEWER, AND CITY, WHICH I DON'T THINK YOU SHOULD BE DOING THAT. BUT YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT ANY WAY. A COUPLE OF ISSUES THOUGH OR QUESTIONS, AND I DON'T KNOW IF THESE ARE RIGHT OR WRONG. ANNA CAN CHECK IT.
GENERAL FUND RESERVES IN THE FIRST SECTION. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THAT REFERS TO, BUT IT IS ONLY SHOWING $170,000? THAT DOESN'T LOOK RIGHT. AND THEN THE -- JUST A
HEADING WHEN YOU GO DOWN TO WATER, WASTEWATER SECTION, ENTERPRISE SECTION. SHOOT, WHERE IS IT? YEAH, ENTERPRISE FUNDS. ON THE LEFT IS THE WATER FUND, I THINK, AND IT PROBABLY SHOULD SAY WATER FUND THERE. ON THE RIGHT SIDE, IT SAYS WASTEWATER FUND. SO I THINK YOU'RE MISSING A HEADING THERE. THAT'S ALL I SEE RIGHT NOW. THANKS.
THANK YOU, LEE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS.
IF ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE. I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM THAT
WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND VIRTUALLY. SEEING NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED ON THIS ITEM.
ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO ASK FOR CLARITY SINCE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC REFER TO THE FACT THERE WERE CHANGES SINCE THE LAST TIME WE SAW THIS. BECAUSE MY RECOLLECTION WAS THIS TOO WAS ON CONSENT. I THINK OUR MAYOR PULLED IT BECAUSE THERE WAS A PUBLIC COMMENTER THAT EXPRESSED SOME CONCERNS. SO DID STAFF CHANGE IT FROM THE LAST TIME THIS WAS ON? AND IF SO, HOW ARE WE TO KNOW THAT?
Agenda Item Number 1
I DID PUT THE PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE PUBLIC COMMENT SECTION, AND ALSO ADDRESSED IT. WHAT CHANGE WAS FROM THE PIE TO THE BAR CHART. THE ORIGINAL WAS COMBINING REVENUE AND EXPENDITURE IN ONE SINGLE PIE CHART. THAT WAS, ACCORDING TO THE PUBLIC COMMENT, IT WAS NOT VERY CLEAR. THE PUBLIC SAID IT SHOULD BE SEPARATED OUT. REVENUE SHOULD BE ITS OWN. EXPENSE SHOULD BE ITS OWN WITH CATEGORIES, AND THAT'S WHAT WAS CHANGED.
OKAY. JUST AS A COMMENT MOVING FORWARD.IF IT'S GOING TO BE CHANGES, IT WOULD
BE GREAT IF WE REFLECT ON THE CHANGES, AND WHATEVER GOT CHANGED IS THE PART
THAT'S NOW CIRCULATING OUT IN THE PUBLIC DOESN'T HAVE A REVISED DATE AT THE
TOP OF IT TO LET THE PUBLIC KNOW THAT AT ONE POINT THEY LOOKED AT SOMETHING WHERE THERE WERE QUESTIONS RAISED ABOUT THIS CHART, THE PIE CHART. AND NOW CHANGES HAVE BEEN HAD. HOW WOULD THEY KNOW THAT UNLESS IT'S CLEARLY INDICATED AT THE TOP, REVISED ON SUCH, SUCH DATE?
THEY WOULD NOT. WE HAD THE AGENDA ITEM ON THE LAST MEETING THAT THAT. THIS DID GO TO BUDGET COMMITTEE. THERE WAS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY. AND THIS IS THE NEW REVISED. SO WE WILL MAKE IT CLEAR FROM NOW ON FOR CLARITY TO MAKE SURE WE CAN SHOW WHAT CHANGES, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE GOING FORWARD.
MY REQUEST FOR TODAY IS THAT WHEN YOU DO THE MINUTES OF THE MEETING IS THAT
YOU SAY, I'M ASSUMING WE'LL PASS THIS THAT IT WAS PASSED, REVISED AS SUCH AND SUCH DATE. BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THE LAST TIME WE HAD THIS BEFORE US. I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY IT WAS REVISED, AND WE PASSED THE REVISED VERSION IS MY POINT. THANKS.
THANK YOU FOR THAT COMMENT. I AGREE. ANYONE ELSE? SO WE JUST NEED A MOTION, MAYOR. >
THAT IS CORRECT. IT IS TO RECEIVE, AND WE WILL CLARIFY THE REVISED REPORT AS OF
TONIGHT'S MEETING TO RECEIVE THE BUDGET AT A GLANCE FORMAT AND AUTHORIZE STAFF TO POST IT.
SO MOVED.
SECOND.
THANK YOU. SO MOVED BY MAYOR MCLEWIS AND SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER
ZOLLMAN TO RECEIVE THE REVISED BUDGET AT A GLANCE REPORT AS OF TODAY'S DATE, AND AUTHORIZE THE STAFF TO POST A DOCUMENT TO THE CITY'S WEBSITE.
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
YES.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
OKAY. MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 10. COMMISSION AND COMMITTEE WORK PLANS.
REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION OF 26/27 WORK PLANS FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION,
DESIGN AND REVIEW BOARD/TREE BOARD, CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE, AND PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE. THIS ITEM WAS SCHEDULED FOR JULY 21'S COUNCIL MEETING, BUT NOT HEARD DUE TO ADJOURNMENT OF THE MEETING PER COUNCIL PROTOCOLS. I'M
GOING TO NOT READ ALL OF THIS, BUT HAND IT OVER, TO I GUESS WHO IS HANDLING THIS? OH, FROM PLANNING.
I'M SORRY.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
I WAS JUST GOING TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW ASSOCIATE PLANNING FROM OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT, ELI. ELI WILL BE PROVIDING THE WORK PLAN, AND I BELIEVE WE ALSO
HAVE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE COMMITTEE AND COMMISSION, IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM AS WELL.
Agenda Item Number 1
WELCOME, AND NICE TO MEET YOU.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. ONCE AGAIN, I'M ELI, STAFF ASSOCIATE PLANNER. VILLE BE PROPOSING THE 26/27 WORK PLAN FOR THE DESIGN
REVIEW BOARD/TREE BOARD, CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE, AND PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE. THE STANDING COMMITTEES DEVELOP WORK PLANS TO LAY OUT THEIR PRIORITIES, PROJECTS, AND OBJECTIVES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR. THESE PLANS CAPTURE ANTICIPATED PROJECTS. THEY DO NOT INCLUDE ROUTINE ONGOING WORK, SUCH AS PERMIT PROCESSING AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW. IT WOULD TAKE UP SIGNIFICANT STAFF TIME AND COMMITTEE TIME THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE ROUTINE WORKLOAD CAN AFFECT HOW QUICKLY WORK PLAN ITEMS MOVE FORWARD. STAFF WORKS WITH
EACH COMMITTEE TO REVIEW AND PRIORITIZE THEIR PROPOSED ITEMS, TAKING INTO
ACCOUNT THE REGULATORY DEADLINES, GRANT REQUIREMENTS, COUNCIL PRIORITIES,
GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION PRIORITIES, STAFF CAPACITY, AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES, AND ONGOING PROJECTS. 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 MONTH, IN THE CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM, AND
DETERMINE THE MONTHLY MEETINGS WOULD IMPROVE THEIR ABILITY TO ADVANCE PROJECTS AND ACCOMPLISH WORK PLAN OBJECTIVES IN A TIMELY MANNER. THE DESIGN
REVIEW BOARD HAS REQUESTED AN INCREASE IN THEIR MEETING FREQUENCY TO RETURN TO MEETING TWICE PER MONTH. THE BOARD CURRENTLY MEETS ONCE A MONTH
FOR TWO HOURS ON THE FOURTH TUESDAY, AND THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE WOULD
CONTINUE THE REGULAR MONTHLY MEETINGS FOR PROJECT AND PERMIT REVIEW, AND HOLD A SECOND MEETING MONTHLY FOR 90 MINUTES DEDICATED SOLELY TO WORK PLAN OBJECTIVES. THIS ADDITIONAL MEETING WOULD BE HELD IN THE CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM. STAFF SUPPORTS THIS APPROACH, USE OF THE CONFERENCE ROOM,
AND STAFF MANAGED RECORDING THE ZOOM SERVICES WOULD REDUCE THE MEETING
COSTS BY ELIMINATING THE NEEDS FOR OUTSIDE VIDEO PRODUCTION SERVICES, WHILE MAINTAINING PUBLIC ACCESSIBILITY AND TRANSPARENCY. HOWEVER, STAFF
RECOMMENDS THE INCREASED MEETING SCHEDULE BE DELAYED FOR NOW DUE TO CURRENT STAFFING AND WORKLOAD CONSTRAINTS. THE BUDGET COMMITTEE REVIEWED
THE PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE AND THE DRB REQUESTS FOR INCREASING MEETING FREQUENCIES. THEY WERE GENERALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE INCREASED MEETING
FREQUENCY, AND DIRECTED STAFF TO BRING BACK THE REQUEST IN JANUARY OR FEBRUARY OF 2027 TO REASSESS STAFF CAPACITY. IN THE MEANTIME, THE COMMITTEE
ENCOURAGED PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE AND DESIGN REVIEW BOARD MEMBERS TO USE PROPERLY FORM AD HOC SUBCOMMITTEES FOR ADVANCED WORK PLAN ITEMS. STAFF
RECOMMENDS THE CITY COUNCIL REVIEW THE FOUR WORK PLANS PROVIDE AN INPUT AND IMPROVE THE WORK PLANS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY
QUESTIONS, AND AS MARY STATED, WE ALSO HAVE REPRESENTATION FROM EACH COMMITTEE TONIGHT IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR THE GROUP.
OKAY, QUESTIONS? I DON'T KNOW WHICH OF YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP FIRST.
THANK YOU. I'D LIKE TO MAKE AN ADDITION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE DRB WORK PLAN. AND THAT IS I NOTED THE PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE AND THE CRY ACTION COMMITTEE, THEY ARE BOTH UPDATING THEIR WEBSITES. SO I WANT TO ASK IF
WE COULD ADD THAT FOR BOTH THE PLANNING TO UPDATE THEIR WEBSITE, YOU KNOW, TO GO OVER IT AND MAKE SURE THOSE WEBSITES ARE UPDATED.
COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES, THANK YOU, ELI FOR THE REPORT, AND WELCOME. I HAVE A GENERAL QUESTION, AND YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO ANSWER THIS. MIGHT TURN IT OVER TO THE GENERAL MANAGER OR ASK THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE VARIOUS BODIES. I'M CURIOUS ABOUT JUST THE OVERALL PROCESS. SO WE'RE DISCUSSING, AND THESE COMMITTEES
HAVE ASKED US TO APPROVE THEIR WORK PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES STAFF TIME, OVERHEAD, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS. I'M STILL VERY UNCLEAR ABOUT HOW THEY GOT Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
TO THE WORK PLAN STAGE. ARE THEY ACTUALLY REACHING OUT TO THE
STAKEHOLDERS IN OUR COMMUNITY TO ASK THEM WHAT THOUGHTS THEY HAVE ABOUT HOW THIS BODY COULD HELP THEM? LET'S TAKE PUBLIC ARTS. ARE WE AWARE OF WHEN IS THE LAST TIME THEY REACHED OUT TO THE CENTER FOR THE ARTS? OR ANY ART INSTITUTION IN THIS COUNTY? CHARLES SCHWARTZ JUST PICKED ANY ONE OF THEM, RIGHT? HOW DO WE KNOW THAT THESE FOLKS THAT WE APPOINT ARE ACTUALLY DOING
WHAT I WOULD ASSUME THEY WOULD BE DOING, WHICH IS REACHING OUT TO OTHER
COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO HELP US MOVE AHEAD AND HELP THEM MOVE AHEAD THEIR AGENDA? HOW -- MAYBE IT'S TOO EARLY IN YOUR TERM TO SPEAK TO IT. IF IT IS, I'M SURE MARY COULD JUMP IN. SHE ALSO ATTENDS THESE OR ANYBODY FROM THE BODIES COULD ANSWER THE QUESTION.
Agenda Item Number 1
SO I WOULD SAY, YES, IF THEY DO. THE PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE, I KNOW THEY DEFINITELY DO WHEN THEY DO THE CALL FOR ARTS. THEY'VE BEEN WORKING FOR THE CENTER OF ARTS FOR THAT. CENTER FOR THE ARTS HAS BEEN HELPING THEM CREATE THE PORTAL WHEN PEOPLE VOTE ON PROJECT ARTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. I ALSO
KNOW THEY HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO OUTSIDE AGENCIES RELATED TO THE POMO ART. I BELIEVE THEY REACHED OUT TO THE GREATER GRATON RANCHERIA, SO THEY ARE REACHING OUT. I'M SURE WE HAVE SOMEONE ON THE WEBSITE -- I'M SORRY, ON THE CALL THAT COULD ALSO ADDRESS IT FURTHER. BUT I WOULD SAY, YES, THEY ARE.
OKAY.
BUT THROUGH THE OTHER BODIES THAT WERE BEING ASKED TO APPROVE THEIR WORK PLANS. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE, THE OUTREACH THAT'S GOING
ON WITH THE STAKEHOLDERS BECAUSE I WILL SAY I HAVE HEARD FROM PEOPLE WHERE IT'S LIKE THEY SERVE AND THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF THE OUTREACH. AND AS BEING THE LIAISON TO NON-PROFITS, THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE BEING OUTREACHED EITHER.
SO I'M WANTING TO KNOW IF WE INCREASE THE FREQUENCY OF THE MEETINGS, THEREFORE INCURRING AND SPENDING MORE TAX MONEY. WHAT ARE WE GETTING?
WHATTING BAN OF THE BUCK WHAT BANG OF THE BUCK ARE WE GETTING FROM THE OVERALL QUESTION?
SO ELI, CAN YOU CHECK TO SEE IF THE CHAIRS ARE ON THE COMMITTEE? I'M NOT SEEING OTHER ISSUES. MELISSA, I DO HAVE MELISSA HANLEY ON. CAN YOU HEAR US OKAY? I CAN, YEAH. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN HEAR ME ALL RIGHT. I'M HAPPY TO TURN ON MY CAMERA TOO. CURRENTLY OUT OF TOWN. AND I CAN SPEAK TO HOW WE CAME UP WITH OUR WORK PLANS. SO WE STARTED OUT WITH 2,000 ITEMS THAT WERE SOLICITED BOTH
FROM THE PUBLIC, FROM OUR OWN EXPERIENCE, THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, WORKING ON THE BODY, THINGS THAT HAVE ROUTINELY COME UP AS PROBLEMATIC. ALSO FEEDBACK FROM YOU AS THE COUNCIL. I HEARD FROM OUR MAYOR ABOUT THE ISSUES
AROUND OUR SIGN ORDINANCE, AND CONCERNS AROUND ENFORCEMENT AROUND THE
SIGNED ORDINANCE, AND THE LACK OF CLARITY AROUND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL. THAT REALLY HELPS US TO SHARE OR NARROW IN ON OUR SUBCOMMITTEES AND WHAT WE'RE DOING. SO TODAY, WE'VE BEEN TACKLING THE TREE
ORDINANCE, WHICH IS THE TWO MAIN THINGS THAT WILL COME BEFORE US WITH GREAT FREQUENCY. I'LL SAY THE SECOND MEETING IS SOMETHING THAT OUR BOARD IS REALLY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT. BECAUSE WORKING THROUGH THESE, THEY'RE INCREDIBLY COMPLICATED ORDINANCE. GETTING A QUORUM TO BOTH WORK THROUGH LINE BY LINE BY LINE AND AGREE EVERYTHING TAKES TIME. BOTH THE SIGNED ORDINANCE AND THE
TREE ORDINANCE HAVE BEEN ON THE DOCKET, AND BEING WORKED THROUGH FOR BETTER PART OF EIGHT MONTHS. THE REASON WE CAN'T GET THIS BACK ON THE LINE IS
BECAUSE WE HAVE OTHER BUSINESS THAT WILL COME BEFORE OUR BOARD, AND WE
DON'T ALWAYS -- WE AREN'T ALWAYS ABLE TO AGENDAIZE THIS AND GET IT REALLY SORTED THROUGH. SO GETTING THE SECOND MEETING TO WORK TOGETHER AND REALLY
WORK THROUGH THE DETAILS IS JUST REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET THESE IMPORTANT PROJECTS DONE.
THANK YOU, MELISSA. WE DO HAVE EVERETT ON FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
YES, CAN YOU RESPOND TO THE COMMENT MADE BY COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN? Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
WE DO SOMETHING SIMILAR, WHERE WE LOOK AT A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ITEMS. WE
LOOK AT THE REALISTIC WOULD-BE SOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO DO THOSE ITEMS AND WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH. PRIORITY GOES TO, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A COUPLE
OF ITEMS THAT ARE DEPENDENT ON FUNDING AND THAT HAVE TO -- WE HAVE TO TAKE SOME ACTION BEFORE, FOR EXAMPLE. SO WE MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS THOSE ITEMS.
ONES FOR HOUSING. YOU KNOW -- [ INAUDIBLE ] -- SO WE LOOK AT THAT AREA. AND THEN
WE NEED TO LOOK AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE STILL AVAILABLE, AND WHAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH. WE ALSO TAKE DIRECTION OF COUNCIL, AND ONE OF THE ITEMS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE VACATION RENTAL ORDINANCE. WE'RE ASKING, YOU KNOW, IS THAT SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE PRIORITIZED OR NOT? AND GET SOME INPUT FROM THAT. ONE
OF THE ITEMS IS ZONING CLEAN UP, AND BASICALLY IT'S GOING THROUGH AND REVIEWING A LOT OF THE ZONING, AND SOME OF IT IS INCONSISTENT OR IT IS OUTDATED.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS ALL KIND OF CLEANED UP AND COORDINATED. AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE SERVE AS THE PARKS COMMISSION. SO I'VE ASKED THAT WE AT LEAST VISIT A PARK YEAR TO KIND OF EVALUATE THEM AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING. ANY LOW HANGING FRUIT TYPE OF THING THAT WE COULD DO TO ADDRESS IT. OF COURSE, IF WE DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WE WOULD TAKE THE PUBLIC INPUT AS WELL WITH STAFF.
Agenda Item Number 1
AND COUNCILMEMBER CARTER, I BELIEVE WILL BE ADDRESSING THE PUBLIC ACTION COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE BEEN QUITE BUSY, DEFINITELY REACHING OUT TO THE CITY MORE TO MAKE
SURE WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM, SO WE COULD DO THINGS FOR THE CITY TO SAVE IT. AND THEN ALSO REACH OUT TO OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH FARMERS MARKET MEETINGS. PRESENTATIONS THROUGH HOSTING PRESENTATIONS FROM -- [ INAUDIBLE ] I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SONOMA COUNTY TRANSIT ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP.
ANYWAY, ONE OF THEM, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME WITH A LOT OF LETTERS TODAY. BUT
ANYWAY, YES, THAT CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE IS DEDICATED TO MAKING ITS WORK
PLAN MORE USEFUL, AND NOT MEETING FOR THE SAKE OF MEETING, BUT TO ACTUALLY PRODUCE THE RESULTS.
THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER? GO AHEAD.
SO IN READING THIS, IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE STAFF TIME. BUT SINCE WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT FISCAL IMPACT, I JUST DON'T SEE ANY PATH ON HERE, WHICH IS FRUSTRATING
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET ITEM AND TO HAVE STAFF HOURS INDICATED, BUT NOT
HOW MUCH THAT REALLY EQUATES WHEN WE ARE STILL IN A FISCAL FINANCIAL EMERGENCY. SO I WOULD LIKE SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT FROM OUR -- FROM ANNA. I DON'T KNOW IF SHE IS HERE. BUT THAT IS A LITTLE FRUSTRATING, AND MAYBE YOU COULD PUT SOME MONEY AGAINST THIS AS THEY REVIEWED IT. AND I HAD A QUESTION
FOR OUR PLANNING COMMISSION WHO SAID THEY ARE LOOKING AT PRIORITIES, AND THEY USE THE EXAMPLE, VACATION RENTALS. AND MY QUESTION, I GUESS WOULD BE OUR VACATION RENTALS A CURRENT ISSUE BECAUSE I HAVEN'T HEARD THAT'S AN ISSUE.
WE'VE DEALT WITH THAT. TO SPEND TIME TO LOOK AT SOMETHING THAT MAYBE ISN'T AN
ISSUE FOR US, I WOULD RATHER HAVE TIME ALLOCATED TO THINGS THAT WE HEAR FROM OUR STAKEHOLDERS THAT WE SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON. SO IS THAT AN ISSUE? MAYBE THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION COULD ADDRESS THAT. THAT'S OUR QUESTION. OR HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE?
SO WE HAVE THE QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW, MARY, IF YOU ARE WORKING ON THE FINANCE SIDE OF IT AND THEN YOU HAVE THE QUESTION FOR -- WHO IS IT? COULD WE? JUST A SECOND. LET ME SEE IF I COULD GET HIM.
OKAY, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
YES.
THE REASON THAT ORDINANCE IS ON THERE IS IN THE PAST. THERE WERE SOME
CONCERNS ABOUT NOT REALLY HAVING ANY COORDINATED EFFORTS, YOU KNOW, AS FAR AS RULES. WE'VE HAD SOME VACATION RENTAL REQUESTS COME TO US. AND WE'RE KIND OF JUST LIKE MAKING STUFF, YOU KNOW, UP AS WE GO ALONG. OKAY, HOW MANY SHOULD WE ALLOW IN A CERTAIN AREA? OR DO WE NEED TO HAVE A LIMIT OR, YOU
KNOW, IT IS NOT NECESSARILY THAT WE'VE HAD PROBLEMS, BUT IT IS JUST IN THE PAST WHEN WE HAVE DEALT WITH THEM. WE HAVE COME TO A REALIZATION THAT WE NEED SOME MORE GUIDELINES AND RULES FOR THAT. BUT AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE'RE ASKING Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
COUNCIL IF IT IS NOT SOMETHING OF A TOP PRIORITY, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO Agenda Item Number 1
NECESSARILY ADDRESS IT AT THIS POINT.
THANK YOU.
DO YOU NEED A MINUTE, MARY? HAD
I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU THE EXACT. SO IF YOU WANTED TO ADD FOR AN
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC ARTS MEETING FOR FOUR TO SIX HOURS, IT WOULD BE STAFF TIME FOR OUR PLANNING TECH AND OUR ASSOCIATE PLANNER. SO YOU'RE PROBABLY LOOKING FOR THAT ABOUT $600 TO $700 A MONTH. I'M SORRY, PER MEETING, WHICH WOULD BE THE ADDITIONAL ONE PER MONTH. AND THEN JUST A LITTLE BIT LESS TO HAVE THE SECOND DESIGN REVIEW BOARD. THESE WOULD NOT BE MEETINGS -- THEY
WOULD BE ZOOM MEETINGS, BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE LIKE THEY ARE NOW, THE SET UP WE HAVE. WE'RE ASKING THOSE AT CITY HALL, SO WE COULD BE SIMILAR TO THEM,
WE'LL ZOOM THEM, THERE WILL BE PUBLIC INPUT THAT WAY, AND THEN WE'LL POST A PUBLIC AT THAT WAY.
SO CAN I CLARIFY? $600 TO $700 A MONTH, AND CURRENTLY THE ART COMMITTEE MEETS QUARTERLY. SO THAT WOULD BE TWO ADDITIONAL MEETINGS PER QUARTER FOR THEM? I THOUGHT IT WAS EVERY OTHER MONTH?
I BELIEVE PUBLIC ARTS IS EVERY OTHER MONTH.
OKAY.
SO TIMES SIX. AND THEN FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, IT WOULD BE TIMES -- DESIGN REVIEW.
OR DESIGN REVIEW, IT WOULD BE ONE PER MONTH? IT WOULD BE 12? OKAY, THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER CARTER. YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP?
I WAS GOING TO SPEAK TO THAT. IF THE MEETINGS ARE HELD INSIDE CITY HALL, THE
ADDITIONAL COST FOR OUTSIDE STAFF ISN'T THERE, SO THIS IS MOSTLY AN OPPORTUNITY COST WITH CURRENT STAFF. SO IT'S NOT LIKE A DIRECT BILL, $600. IT'S MORE LIKE WHAT ELSE COULD THEY BE DOING DURING THAT HOUR? AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO. SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE IN THIS HALL TO RENT OUT SERVICES, WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME DIRECT COST THAT MIGHT SAY THIS MEETING IS HAVING.
BUT MARY'S ESTIMATE IS CORRECT.
YEAH.
THANK YOU.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT, $4,000 TO $5,000? AM I DOING -- I'M SORRY. $3,600 FOR PUBLIC ARTS TO ADD THE ONE. AND THEN I WOULD SAY PROBABLY ABOUT $500 FOR DESIGN REVIEW. SO FIVE TIMES 12 WOULD BE $6,000.
OKAY. AND THE CLIMATE ACTION ALSO?
NO. CLIMATE ACTION WASN'T ADDING. I THINK IT WAS JUST SAYING -- GIVING AN EXAMPLE OF HOW WE DO THOSE AT CITY HALL AND IT IS LESS. BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE I.T. AND ALL THAT.
GOT IT. THANK YOU.
SO QUESTION I HAVE IS, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WENT BACK AND WE DID THIS REDUCTION ON THE SCHEDULE IS BECAUSE WE HAD A FISCAL EMERGENCY. THE QUESTION -- GLAD TO HAVE THOSE NUMBERS. THE QUESTION I HAVE IS I HAVE SPOKEN WITH SOME OF THE
MEMBERS OF THIS, AND I UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF IT AND, YOU KNOW, I FEEL I HAVE MY HEAD WRAPPED AROUND IT MORE. BUT FOR THE PURPOSES OF JUSTIFYING -- ADDING EXPENSES BACK IN THAT WE CUT OUT BECAUSE OF OUR SITUATION. HOW CAN WE QUANTIFY, YOU KNOW, IF WE DID MAKE IT THIS CHANGE. HOW CAN WE QUANTIFY IN SIX MONTHS IF IT HAS MADE A DIFFERENCE OR NOT? IS THERE ANY SUGGESTION FROM OUR COMMITTEES? I'M ASKING BECAUSE WE DID THIS BECAUSE THERE WAS A REASON, BECAUSE WE REALLY NEEDED TO TIGHTEN THE BELT. SO HAS ANYONE GIVEN ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW WE CAN SEE THE DIFFERENCE HERE?
I BELIEVE MELISSA STATED, THEY COULD PROBABLY GET THE ORDINANCES THROUGH FASTER. I JUST WANT TO SAY AS I STATED THE BUDGET COMMITTEE. I CAN -- ADD THIS TIME, WE HAVE BRAND NEW PLANNING STAFF ON BOARD. I DON'T THINK IT'S THE RIGHT TIME TO DO THIS. I THINK WE SHOULD LOOK AT THIS A FEW MONTHS DOWN THE ROAD.
ELI IS BRAND NEW, AND WE WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO GET HIM UP TO SPEED
WITH, YOU KNOW, LONG-TERM PLANNING AND SHORT-TERM PLANNING, AS WELL AS WITH THE DESIGN REVIEW APPLICATIONS. WE HAVE SOME MAJOR PROJECTS THAT ARE Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
COMING ON AS WELL. THAT WOULD BE COMING THROUGH, THAT IS GOING TO TAKE HIS ATTENTION. AND SO I PERSONALLY RECOMMEND AS THE CITY MANAGER THAT THIS BE
POSTPONED FOR A FEW MONTHS, AND WE WOULD LOOK AT IT POTENTIALLY IN JANUARY, GIVING PLANNING STAFF AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET UP TO SPEED.
Agenda Item Number 1
I SEE. OKAY. WELL, THAT'S GOOD TO HEAR. GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN.
YEAH, BASED UPON WHAT OUR CITY MANAGER HAS SAID. I WOULD MOVE THAT WE POSTPONE THIS. WHEN DID YOU SUGGEST IT BE BROUGHT BACK, MARY?
I WOULD SAY AT LEAST JANUARY TIME FRAME, WE COULD --
WE NEED TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT FIRST.
I BELIEVE HE'S ASKING --
IF WE COULD POSTPONE?
YES. SO YOU COULD POSTPONE THE ADDITIONAL MEETINGS AT THIS TIME AFTER YOU DO PUBLIC COMMENT AND ALL THAT. TO POSTPONE IT. I'M NOT SAYING NO TO THE MEETINGS. I'M JUST SAYING RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE TIME TO DO IT WHEN WE HAVE
BRAND NEW STAFF, AND WE ARE ALSO NOW SHORT STAFFED FOR CITY HALL DUE TO ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, A MEDICAL SITUATION, WHERE SOMEONE IS OUT ON LEAVE. SO I'M GETTING SHORT STAFFED AGAIN.
I SEE. SO THE QUESTION THAT I HAVE JUST TO FURTHER THAT IS AFTER WE DO PUBLIC COMMENT, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO JUST TAKE NO ACTION AND POSTPONE? OR WHAT IS THE BEST STEP FORWARD, YOU KNOW? I'M JUST ASKING, WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS? I'M SORRY, FOR TONIGHT?
YEAH.
SO GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT, THEN WE COULD COME BACK. AND WORK PLANS I WOULD
RECOMMEND MOVING FORWARD ON THE WORK PLANS, I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THE ADDITIONAL MEETINGS AT THIS TIME.
I SEE. ALL RIGHT. I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THE OPTIONS AS I HEAR COMMENTS.
IF THERE IS NO OTHER QUESTIONS, THEN WE CAN GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. THIS IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE WORK PLANS PROPOSED FOR THE BOARD'S COMMISSION AND COMMITTEE. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ITEM, I'LL GO TO CHAMBERS FIRST, THEN GO OUT TO ZOOM. IS THERE ANYONE IN CHAMBERS?
GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT OF THE CENTERS OF SONOMA COUNTY BRANCH OF THE NAACP. JUST FEEDBACK FOR THE PLANNING PROCESS AND THE COMMISSIONERS THAT ARE LISTENING ONLINE. WHILE THERE IS A LOT OF TALK OF OUTREACH, I'LL SAY THIS
JURISDICTION IS ONE THAT HAS NOT REACHED OUT TO OUR BRANCH AT ALL FOR ANY
PARTICIPATION, MEETINGS, COMMUNITY GATHERINGS, AND WE HAVE A NUMBER OF
ARTISTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, AND CONTRIBUTORS WHO ARE CONSTANTLY ASKING OUR
LEADERSHIP WHERE OUR OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED AND ENGAGED IN SEBASTOPOL, AND THAT HAS YET TO HAPPEN. SO PERHAPS IN THIS RE-REVIEW OF WORK
PLANS AND HOW WE REACH OUT TO COMMUNITY AS A CITY THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON EQUITABLE ENGAGEMENT. WE REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE ACROSS
THE BOARD AND ACROSS ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE WANTING TO BE ENGAGED AND
REPRESENTED IN THE GOVERNING BODIES, ESPECIALLY THROUGH YOUR COMMISSIONS AND BOARDS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM, IF THERE IS ANYONE ON ZOOM. MELISSA, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE? YES. SO JUST A FOLLOW-UP TO MY COMMENT. I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, THERE'S TWO THINGS TO CONSIDER HERE. FIRST OF ALL, THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT. YES, WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT AN HOUR OF STAFF TIME AND THEN WHATEVER IT TAKES TO PUBLIC THAT ZOOM THAT IS BEING RECORDED ON A LAPTOP. AND FOR THAT, YOU'RE GETTING
ANYWHERE FROM FIVE TO SIX BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE GIVING THEIR TIME WILLINGLY TO PUSH SIGNIFICANT ENDEAVORS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE FOR THE CITY.
SO I WOULD ASK THAT YOU ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER TO VOTE FOR THIS AND MAKE IT
ENACTED IN JANUARY, ADMITTEDLY NOT MUCH IS GOING TO HAPPEN AS THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING UP SOON. IT'S THE END OF THE YEAR. BUT THIS SHOULD BE GREEN LIT TO START IN JANUARY. WHEN WE CREATED OUR WORK PLAN, WE AGREED WE WERE ONLY
GOING TO PUT THINGS ON THE WORK PLAN THAT WE THOUGHT WE COULD DO IN ONE YEAR. SO WE ARE TASKED TO CREATE A NEW WORK PLAN FOR EVERY SINGLE YEAR, AND Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
WE DON'T WANT TO PUT ANYTHING ON IT THAT WILL BE IN THE PARKING LOT FOR YEARS ON END AND NEVER REALLY GET ACHIEVED. BUT THE ONLY WAY WE COULD ACHIEVE
THIS AND ACHIEVE THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN TASKED WITH CORRECTING IN THE CITY IS TO HAVE A JOINT COMMITMENT. SO YOU GET ONE HOUR OF STAFF TIME, FIVE TO SIX
HOURS OF VOLUNTEER TIME, PLUS ALL THE TIME THAT WE NEED OUTSIDE OF THAT WHEN WE CAN ONLY MEET ONE ON ONE. OTHERWISE WE HAVE A QUORUM. I WANT YOU TO
THINK ABOUT YOUR RETURN ON INVESTMENT IS AND WHAT YOU'RE ASKING PEOPLE TO GIVE UP AND TO TRY TO PUSH FORWARD. AGAIN, YOU KNOW, I WAS ASKED POINT-BLANK BY THIS COMMITTEE WHEN I WAS REAPPOINTED TO THIS BOARD. WHAT ARE YOU DOING ABOUT SIGNAGE? WELL, THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO. SO MEET ME PART WAY.
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU, MELISSA FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS. IF ANYONE IN CHAMBERS THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE WORK PLANS? SEEING NONE. I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. ROB, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
HI, THANK YOU. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS A COMMENT OR MUCH OF A QUESTION. BUT
JUST A PERSON WHO LIVED IN SEBASTOPOL, I AM HAVING TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING
HOW THE COMMISSIONS AND THE CITY COUNCIL EXPECT TO GET EVERYTHING DONE THAT THEY SEEM TO WANT TO GET DONE. IT FEELS LIKE THINGS GO TO YOU, AND THEN THEY GO TO COMMITTEE, AND THEN THEY GO TO PURCHASING OR AN ORGANIZATION. I'M WONDERING WHEN YOU MOBILIZE THE PEOPLE, JUST THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
MAYBE IT'S OUTREACH, AND THAT IS JUST SOMETHING I HAVEN'T SEEN. BUT I KEEP THINKING ABOUT HOW, YOU KNOW, 150 YEARS AGO IF YOU WANTED TO RAISE A BAR, EVERYBODY GOT TOGETHER AND RAISED THE BAR. IT SEEMS LIKE NOW IT'S YOU WANT TO RAISE THE BAR? YOU GO TO COMMITTEE, YOU GET THE MONEY. THEY HIRE SOMEBODY, AND THE BAR IS RAISED. THE PEOPLE NEVER HAVE TO BE ENGAGED. THEY NEVER HAVE TO DO ANYTHING. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS POINT FINGERS AT YOU GUYS FOR NOT GETTING ANYTHING DONE. THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, ROB FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK TO CHAMBERS IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. JUNE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES.
THANK YOU, CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
YES, I CAN.
GREAT. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
YEAH, I JUST WANTED TO SPEAK TO THE QUESTION ABOUT IN THE WORK PLAN AROUND VACATION RENTALS. AND YES, THAT IS A BIG ISSUE, AND IT DOES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, AND I'M GLAD THAT WAS RESPONDED TO. I THINK THERE IS A THOUGHT
FROM IN THE PAST WHEN A LOT OF WORK WAS DONE ON TRYING TO GET AN ORDINANCE
IN PLACE THAT PEOPLE THINK THAT IT ACTUALLY WAS IMPLEMENTED, BUT IT ACTUALLY
DID NOT -- ACTUALLY A LOT OF IT WAS LEFT UNDONE, AND COVID HAPPENED, THINGS HAPPENED. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HEARING THEY DON'T HAVE DIRECTION IN PLANNING
BECAUSE WE DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE IN PLACE A LOT OF THE WORK, AND DRAFTS THAT WERE DRAFTED UP. AND THEN STALLED OUT, AND THEN MORATORIUM TIME RAN OUT, AND OTHER PRIORITIES CAME UP. SO IF YOU GO BACK, I OFTEN HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO THINK THERE IS SOMETHING, AND THEY
GO BACK AND REALIZE THERE AREN'T THE DIRECTIONS THEY THOUGHT WERE IN PLACE AROUND VACATION RENTALS. SO IT IS A BIG ISSUE IN THE AREA OF UNCERTAINTY AND CLARITY, AND IT REALLY DOES NEED FURTHER ATTENTION. SO I DO WANT TO HAVE A
VOTE FOR KEEPING THAT ON TRACK, AND LET US FINALLY ACTUALLY GET SOME CLARITY ON THAT TOPIC, AND GET AN ORDINANCE IN PLACE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, JUNE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK IN TO CHAMBERS, IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS. SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. LEE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE?
YES. THERE YOU GO. CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER IN
YES. THANK YOU.
GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
YEAH, I THINK SEVERAL ISSUES HERE THAT ARE JUST KIND OF OPERATIONAL ISSUES THAT THIS COUNCIL IS GOING TO CHANGE HOPEFULLY, IT WILL CHANGE A LITTLE BIT.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
BUT THE NEXT COUNCIL COULD CONSIDER WHEN THEY START TALKING ABOUT PRIORITIES. AND I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT CAME AUTOOF THIS OUT OF THIS DISCUSSION IS WHO SETS THE PRIORITIES? DIFFERENT COMMITTEES THAT AREN'T COUNCIL PRIORITIES, AND WONDERING HOW THAT HAPPENED. I THINK IT HAPPENED
BECAUSE THE COUNCIL HASN'T REALLY APPEARED -- DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE CONNECTED
TO THE COMMITTEE IN TERMS OF WORKING BACK AND FORTH ABOUT WHO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES? WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS? I PUT SOME OF
THAT ON THE COMMITTEES BECAUSE I DON'T USUALLY SEE THE COMMITTEE CHAIR PEOPLE. I DON'T KNOW ALL THE MEMBERS, BUT I RECOGNIZE MOST OF THE CHAIR PEOPLE. ON THE ZOOM MEETINGS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR IN THE MEETING ITSELF. I DON'T HEAR THEM MAKING PUBLIC COMMENTS. THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STAND UP
AND USE TWO MINUTES TO SAY THE PLANNING COMMISSION NEEDS SOME HELP FROM YOU FOR THIS. AND THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO HAPPEN. IN FACT, SOMETIMES IT'S THE
PLANNING COMMISSION THAT SEEMS TO BE OUT OF TOUCH WITH WHAT THE COUNCIL IS EVEN TALKING ABOUT AT THE MOST RECENT MEETING IN TERMS OF ISSUES. SO THAT NEEDS TO BE TIGHTENED UP SOMEHOW. AND I GUESS THAT'S IT. THANK YOU.
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU, LEE FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS, IF THERE IS ANYONE IN CHAMBERS? SEEING NONE, I'LL GO BACK OUT TO ZOOM. IF
ANYONE ON ZOOM WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND. SEEING N PUBLIC COMMENT NONE, PUBLIC COMMENT IS CLOSED ON THIS ITEM.
GO AHEAD. I HAVE A QUESTION IF YOU WERE GOING TO MAKE A MOTION.
GO AHEAD, AND THEN I'LL ASK.
WELL, A, I ALWAYS WANT TO THANK ALL THE VOLUNTEERS FOR THEIR WORK. SO THESE ARE ALL VOLUNTEERS ON THESE COMMISSIONS, AND WE APPOINT THEM. I APPRECIATE ALL THEIR WORK IN TACKLING THESE. WITH THAT SAID, I HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT TO
SAY I WANT TO WAIT BEFORE SPENDING MONEY INTO MID-YEAR BUDGET REVIEW, AND
THIS IS SPENDING MONEY IN ADDITION TO AS POINTED OUT BY STAFF THAT WE HAVE A BRAND NEW PERSON IN OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT WHO IS NOT UP TO SPEED YET. SO THAT IS PRIORITY BEFORE, ESPECIALLY BEFORE WE SPEND MORE MONEY. I HEARD THE
WORK PLANS ARE MEANT FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE NUMBER OF MEETINGS, BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT THEY ARE PRIORITIZED. SO I WOULD THINK WE COULD PRIORITIZE AND FOLLOW IN ORDER OF PRIORITY THAT EACH WORK PLAN STARTS. AND
THAT DOES HAPPEN TO MEET A LOT OF COUNCIL'S GOALS, CENTENNIAL PROJECT WAS ON OUR GOALS. TRANSPORTATION GRANTS ARE ON OUR GOALS IN HOUSING. SO WHEN I GO DOWN THERE, I FEEL LIKE THEY COULD GET STARTED. WE COULD WAIT UNTIL MID-YEAR BUDGET. WE CAN MAKE A DECISION AT THAT POINT IF WE HAVE THE MONEY TO ADD
THESE NEW FREQUENCIES IT IN, AND IT WILL GIVES A CHANCE TO GET STAFF UP TO DATE. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
WILL AND I HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION. I WAS RE-READING ALL OF THIS AGAIN JUST TO MAKE SURE I WASN'T MISSING. SO JUST TO CLARIFY WHAT THE COMMITTEE IS ASKING,
THEY WANT TO START IMMEDIATELY WITH HAVING THE INCREASE IN MEETINGS AND THE BUDGET COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED JANUARY, FEBRUARY. IS THAT CORRECT? AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT?
YES. AFTER DISCUSSION, THE BUDGET COMMITTEE AGREED THAT RIGHT NOW WOULD
NOT BE THE OPPORTUNE TIME TO DO IT BECAUSE OF THE STAFFING SITUATION THAT WE HAVE GOING ON. BUT THEY DID NOT SAY TO -- THEY WANTED TO LOOK AT IT IN A JANUARY TIME FRAME.
GOT IT. THAT'S ONLY A COUPLE OF MONTHS. THEN THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE. I KNOW WE BROUGHT BOTH COMMITTEES, SO IN MY MIND, I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. IS THERE A PARTIAL YES ANYWHERE OR NOT? WITH BOTH OF THESE COMMITTEES, I MEAN,
DO EITHER OF THEM HAVE REALLY PRESSING WORK THAT REQUIRES INCREASED TIME RIGHT NOW BASED ON YOUR ASSESSMENT? BECAUSE YOU'RE THE EXPERT WITH THIS.
WELL, I THINK FOR DESIGN REVIEW, THEY'RE WORKING ON THE ORDINANCES RIGHT NOW. SO I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT THEIR SECOND MEETING IS FOR IS THEY WANTED TO WORK SPECIFICALLY ON THOSE ORDINANCES.
LIKE THE STRATEGY MOVING FORWARD?
RIGHT. BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE PUBLICSTANDING BROWN ACT, STAFF DOES NEED TO BE THERE.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
I BELIEVE IT'S WHEN THE ART COMMITTEE MEETS, AND I THOUGHT -- I THINK THE SUGGESTION WAS TO ADD ANOTHER 90 MINUTES. BUT WE COULD ADD ANOTHER HOUR.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY MEET, I BELIEVE 1:00 TO 3:00 RIGHT NOW. THEY COULD MEET 1:00 TO Agenda Item Number 1
4:00. I JUST KIND OF LOOK AT HOW LONG OUR MEETINGS GO, AND WE CAN GET A LOT
DONE IN THREE HOURS VERSES TWO, AND IT WOULD BE LIKE THEY WOULD HAVE ONE MEETING INSTEAD OF TWO SEPARATE. IT WOULD SEEM LIKE THAT MIGHT BE A
SUGGESTION FOR THEM TO LOOK AT INSTEAD OF AN ENTIRE ADDITIONAL MEETING PER SE.
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. IS THAT SOMETHING --
I THINK THAT WAS DISCUSSED AT PUBLIC ARTS, AND THEIR RECOMMENDATION IS
BECAUSE OF THE TIMING IN BETWEEN, THEY WOULD LIKE TO NOT HAVE A MONTH IN BETWEEN TO GET ANOTHER PROJECT DONE OR IF THEY HAD A CALL FOR ARTS. THEY
WANTED TO SEE AN ADDITIONAL MEETING MONTHLY TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR WORK RATHER THAN ADDING AN HOUR.
OKAY. GOING TO LOOK OVER HERE. VICE MAYOR?
SO, LET'S SEE, DARK SKY WAS A RESIDENT LED PROJECT, AND I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. I KNOW RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN CALLING FOR THAT. FOR THE PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THEM TO ADD THE CHARLES SCHWARTZ. THAT WAS A COUNCIL'S GOAL. I HAD DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THAT. THERE WAS SOME FEEDBACK
FROM THE COUNCIL THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT SCULPTURES LIKE ALL THE OTHER CITIES HAVE. BUT I FOUND THIS CHARACTER CALLED 95472, WHICH IS OUR ZIP CODE, AND I THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE FUN TO HAVE A MURAL. SO I KIND OF WANTED TO HAVE THAT ON THERE. I DIDN'T SEE THAT ON THEIR WORK PLAN. AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, SO I'M
PROPOSING THAT WE ADD THAT, IF YOU'RE ALL WILLING TO ADD THAT TO THEIR WORK PLAN. AND THE OTHER THING IS ON THE CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE WORK PLAN, THEY ARE WANTING THE CITY TO PROMOTE EVs, BIKES, AND E-BIKES. I WANT TO BE SURE THAT THERE'S SAFETY INVOLVED IN THAT. EDUCATION SAFETY IS INVOLVED WITH E-BIKES AND E-BIKE PROMOTION. BECAUSE I DON'T FEEL I CAN, IN GOOD CONSCIOUS PROMOTE EBIKES OR EV BIKES WITHOUT HAVING SAFETY INCLUDED IN THAT.
OKAY. COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
AND REGARDING -- ONE LAST THING. REGARDING THE FREQUENCY OF THE MEETINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THEIR REQUEST. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE US NOT HAVE TO BRING IT BACK AND DISCUSS IT AGAIN. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD JUST SAY,
OKAY, EITHER THE SECOND MEETING IN JANUARY OR THE FIRST MEETING IN FEBRUARY,
YOU CAN RETURN TO THESE MORE FREQUENT MEETINGS, RATHER THAN HAVING TO BRING IT BACK AND DISCUSS IT AGAIN. NOT SURE HOW YOU ALL FEEL ABOUT THAT, BUT THAT WOULD BE MY PROPOSAL.
WELL, I JUST HAVE A COMMENT. I HEAR YOU ON THESE PROJECTS. FOR ME, IT JUST FEELS
LIKE IF THIS DOESN'T GET APPROVED TONIGHT, BUT YET WE'RE ADDING TO THE WORKLOAD. IT SEEMS VERY DISJOINTED, LIKE ADD TO THE WORKLOAD, BUT WE'RE NOT GIVING YOU THE TIME TO DO IT.I JUST WONDERED, I TOO HAVE BEEN PUSHING, YOU KNOW, PUSHING FOR THINGS MID YEAR. I WONDER IF THERE IS A COMPROMISE, AND I WANT TO KNOW FROM YOU, MARY. ADDING AN HOUR NOW, AND THEN BRINGING IT MIDYEAR. I KNOW IT'S NOT THE EXACT SOLUTION THAT EVERYONE IS SEEKING, BUT TRYING
TO FIND SOME KIND OF COMPROMISE IN BETWEEN BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THE WORK
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, AND I ALSO UNDERSTAND HAVING NEW STAFF BECAUSE I'M IN THE SAME SITUATION RIGHT NOW. WITH MY DAY JOB.
IS THAT A COMPROMISE?
I'M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ANSWER THAT BECAUSE I NEED TO GO BACK TO STAFF TO
SEE WHAT OTHER MEETINGS THEY MIGHT HAVE AFTER THIS MEETING THAT MAY TRIGGER THAT. SO THEY'RE SET MEETINGS, SO THEY MAY HAVE SCHEDULED OTHER MEETINGS AFTER THAT, SO I CAN'T ADDRESS THAT RIGHT NOW.
I SEE.
GO AHEAD COUNCILMEMBER CARTER.
I REALLY HAVE TWO THINGS. THE FIRST IS JUST TO DEFEND THE COMMITTEE'S WORK PLAN. I THINK STICKING TO THE GENERAL CONCEPTS ARE THE BEST FOR THE COUNCIL.
BECAUSE THEY ARE, YOU KNOW, THE ONE OR TWO HOURS OF STAFF TIME DOES UNLOCK FIVE OR SIX PEOPLE WHO DO HOMEWORK AND WORK OUTSIDE OF THE MEETING ITSELF.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
SO IT IS REALLY EXPONENTIAL WHAT THESE GROUPS GET DONE. BUT I WANT TO ECHO
VICE MAYOR MAURER'S COMMENT ABOUT CAN WE JUST GO AHEAD AND TONIGHT SAY ON THE FIRST, YOU CAN DO THE SCHEDULE YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO? Agenda Item Number 1
THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE WILL OF THE COUNCIL. IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO -- IF YOU HAVE THREE OR MORE VOTES TO BRING IT.
YOUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS BRINGING ON BOARDING?
I HAVE NEW STAFF RIGHT NOW, AND IT'S A PART OF MY COMMITTEE REPORT. WE WILL
ALSO BE TRANSITIONING IN A NEW PLANNING DIRECTOR TO BE FOLLOWING, YOU KNOW, TO TAKE OUT THE NEW CURRENT CONTRACT RIGHT NOW FOR THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
WE'RE GOING TO BE TURNING TO THE CURRENT ONE FOR A NEW ONE. SO I HAVE NEW STAFF COMING ON RIGHT NOW. SO THAT IS WHY I'M ACTUALLY ADVOCATING FOR NOT TRYING TO DO THIS RIGHT NOW.
LIKE JANUARY OR FEBRUARY. WHICH ONE? IF WE TOOK -- OUR VICE MAYOR'S SUGGESTION FOR THAT? I'M JUST CURIOUS.
WITH THE COUPLE PROJECTS GOING ON, I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE FOR FEBRUARY.
OKAY.
BUT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, JUST AS A REMINDER, WITH THESE NEW PROJECTS OR NOT NEW
PROJECTS, BUT WE DO HAVE SOME MAJOR PROJECTS COMING FORWARD FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND DESIGN REVIEW. SO I WOULD SAY FEBRUARY.
GOT IT.
I UNDERSTAND WANTING TO MOVE IT FORWARD, BUT NOW WE'VE HAD SUGGESTIONS OF CHANGING THE WORK PLAN. STAFF HAS CLEARLY GOT NO ONE THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE TO TAKE THIS WORK NOW. WE ARE TALKING FEBRUARY, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, DECEMBER? I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS AGENDA ITEM COME BACK, BE CORRECTED. IT DOES FEEL A LITTLE DISJOINTED THAT WE HAVE DISCUSSED IT TWICE, AND IT IS NOT ON THE WORK PLAN. I WOULD LIKE THEM TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT IT AND BRING US BACK, THE WORK PLAN THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT COUNCIL GOALS. IT DOESN'T TAKE THAT LONG TO COME BACK TO A MEETING, AND RECONSIDER IT.
I AGREE. AND THEN ALSO THE OPTIONS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT EXTENDING THE ONE, YOU KNOW, AND I UNDERSTAND, I'VE SPOKEN WITH THEM. AND I UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS FOR ALL OF THIS. SO I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO MOVE FORWARD FOR THE CITY AND FOR THE COMPROMISE.
I'M NOT SURE I'M READY TO COMPROMISE UP UNTIL JANUARY, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THIS BACK AT OUR SECOND JANUARY MEETING. NOT TO DO, BUT TO DISCUSS AS THE BUDGET COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED.
I DON'T KNOW. I'M SORRY. GO AHEAD.
QUESTION. IF THE COUNCIL AGREES, CAN ITEMS BE ADDED LIKE AS SUGGESTED THE WEBSITE UPDATES AND THE MURAL? CAN THOSE BE ADDED FROM US OR IS THERE A DIFFERENT PROCESS?
THE COUNCIL IS THE OVERALL POLICY SETTER FOR THE BOARD'S COMMISSION AND COMMITTEES.
OKAY.
SO IF THE COUNCIL VOTES MAJORITY TO ADD SOMETHING TO THE WORK PLAN, THAT WOULD BE UP TO THE COUNCIL'S DECISION TONIGHT.
CAN I ASK FOR A STRAW POLL THEN? I CAN DO THAT? I'M GOING TO ASK FOR A STRAW
POLL FOR THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION TO DO WEBSITE UPDATES.
SURE. T
THANK YOU. AND THEN I WANT TO KNOW IF YOU WOULD SUPPORT ADDING THE HONORING CHARLES SCHWARTZ MURAL, 95472 TO THE PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE.
I SAY THAT, BUT ONLY IF WE ARE ACTUALLY GIVING THEM THE HOURS TO WORK BECAUSE YOU ADD WORK FLOW, BUT IT FEELS DISINGENUOUS TO ADD MORE WORK.
OKAY.
THE OTHER ONE IS TO ADD SAFETY TO THE EDUCATION ON EV AND E-BIKE PROMOTION.
SAFETY EDUCATION AS WELL.
WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS THAT? I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
IT'S FINE.
WAIT. THAT'S YOU. EVERYONE ELSE?
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
ANYBODY ELSE WANT TO WEIGH IN ON THIS?
Agenda Item Number 1
AS A CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE --
I FEEL FOR ME, THAT'S JUST A LITTLE TOO MUCH. I NEED TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT
WHAT THE INTENT IS AND IT FEELS LIKE A MUCH MORE -- IT FEELS LIKE A WHOLE TOPIC FOR US TO DISCUSS AS A COUNCIL.
THE EV AND E-BIKES CAN BE QUITE DANGEROUS. I THINK IF THE CITY IS HAVING THIS ON A WORK PLAN, THE CITY IS PROMOTING THEM, THEY NEED TO PROMOTE SAFETY. FOR ME, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. SO I --
I WOULD -- YEAH.
BUT IF YOU DON'T AGREE, I'M JUST DOING THAT STRAW POLL TO FIND OUT WHERE YOU STAND ON THIS.
GOT IT.
I THINK I WOULD WAIT FOR THEIR RECOMMENDATION. IT'S ON THEIR WORK PLAN TO
STUDY, AND WE ARE THE ULTIMATE DECISION MAKERS, SO I WOULDN'T ADD THAT TONIGHT.
I PERSONALLY WOULDN'T EITHER TONIGHT.
AND THE LAST ONE WOULD BE TO GRANT THEIR REQUEST FOR MORE FREQUENT MEETINGS STARTING IN THE FIRST MEETING OF FEBRUARY. STILL LOOKING FOR A STRAW POLL.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE MAKING A MOTION AND WE'RE NOT.
OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO I WILL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE WORK PLANS, INCLUDING
WEBSITE UPDATES FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD, AND TO ADD THE PUBLIC ARTS COMMITTEE, THE MURAL 95472 TO HONOR CHARLES
SCHWARTZ, AND TO BRING BACK THE ISSUE OF MORE FREQUENT MEETINGS AT MID-YEAR OR SAY IN FEBRUARY. THAT'S MY MOTION.
DID YOU SAY MID-YEAR OR FEBRUARY? BECAUSE I HEARD JANUARY, I'VE HEARD -- FEBRUARY.
FEBRUARY.
SO FEBRUARY?
I WOULD PREFER TO BRING IT BACK IN JANUARY, SO WE CAN ENACT IT AND MAKE THE MEETING START IN FEBRUARY.
OKAY, I'LL AMEND THAT TO MAKE IT JANUARY. BRING IT BACK IN JANUARY.
THEN I'LL SECOND THAT.
SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR, WE'RE BRINGING THAT BACK FOR MID-YEAR BUDGET? TO DISCUSS?
WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT BACK IN JANUARY TO DISCUSS THE MORE FREQUENT MEETINGS REQUESTED.
I JUST WANT TO SAY FOR ME, I AM SUPPORTIVE OF BRINGING IT BACK AND CONSIDERING THAT, YOU KNOW, HAVING MORE FREQUENT MEETINGS. I WOULD LIKE TO SAY IF IT IS COMING BACK, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MORE DETAIL IN THIS REPORT AS FAR AS WE SAID. I
KNOW YOU GAVE US THE COST TONIGHT, BUT COSTING IT OUT AND GIVING US ALL THE INFORMATION. PAUSE WHEN WE CUT IT, WE BASE IT ON THE NUMBERS, SO WE SHOULD LOOK AT ALL OF THAT FOR PUBLIC TRANSPARENCY. AND I UNDERSTAND THE WORK, AND
I WANT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING TO KNOW I DO ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF WHAT WE CAN DO IF WE
COMMIT TO SOMETHING, AND THEN WE CAN'T FULFILL IT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE STAFFING, AND WE SET OURSELVES UP FOR FAILURE. SO IT'S A CONUNDRUM. ANYONE ELSE? COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
CAN I JUST ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION? WHEN DO WE EXPECT THE MID-YEAR REVIEW RECOMMENDATIONS TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL?
TYPICALLY WE DON'T DO THOSE UNTIL FEBRUARY.
FEBRUARY. I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS COME BACK WITH THOSE. I JUST NEED TO SAY THAT.
BECAUSE THIS IS A REQUEST FOR MONEY. SO I'M ASKING THE MOTION AND THE
SECONDER IF THEY WOULD CONSIDER MOVING IT TO THE DATE TO COME BACK WITH
MID-YEAR BUDGET, ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS, SO WE CAN DECIDE ABOUT ALL OF OUR DEMANDS.
OKAY. I'LL MOVE IT TO MID-YEAR BUDGET. SO AMENDED.
SURE.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
CAN I JUST GET A CLARIFICATION? WE'RE APPROVING THE WORK PLANS, BUT BRINGING
BACK THE ITEMS REQUESTED FOR THE MID-YEAR, OTHER THAN UPDATING THE WEBSITE , THE 95473 MURAL. YOU WANT TO SEE CONSIDERATION OF THE OPTION FOR EXTENDING IT
FOR ONE HOUR, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS DISCUSSED, BUT I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT'S A PART OF THE MOTION?
Agenda Item Number 1
NO.
AND THEN BRINGING BACK THE ITEMS AT MID-YEAR REVIEW?
JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE REQUEST WAS FOR THE WEBSITE UPDATES FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION, DRB TO BE ADDED NOW TO THE WORK PLAN. AND ADDING THE HONORING CHARLES SCHWARTZ MURAL TO BE ADDED TO THE WORK PLAN NOW. AND RETURNING
WITH THEIR REQUEST FOR MORE MEETINGS IN MID-YEAR AFTER BUDGET REVIEW OR DURING BUDGET REVIEW. IS THAT CORRECT? OKAY.
OKAY, SO MOVED BY VICE MAYOR MAURER, SECONDED BY COUNCILMEMBER CARTER TO APPROVE THE 26/27 WORK PLAN AS AMENDED, UPDATING THE WEBSITES FOR PC AND DRB TO BE DONE NOW. ADDING THE 95473 CHARLES SCHWARTZ MURAL, AND THEN
RETURNING TO MID-YEAR BUDGET REVIEW, THE REQUEST FOR THE ADDITIONAL MEETINGS?
95472.
OH, SORRY. 95472.
WHAT DID YOU SAY? THREE.
THE POST OFFICE. [ LAUGHTER ]
COUNCILMEMBER CARTER?
YES.
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON?
AYE.
WILL COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YES.
VICE MAYOR MAURER?
YES.
MAYOR MCLEWIS?
YES.
MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.
OKAY. NOW WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BIO BREAK BECAUSE WE HAVE THE NEXT ITEM, AND IT'S GOING TO BE LONG, AND IT WOULD NOT BE GOOD TO BREAK IN THE MIDDLE. SO, LET'S SEE. WHAT TIME IS IT? SO WE'LL BE BACK AROUND, YEAH, WE HAVE LIKE EIGHT MINUTES, SO 8:15. [ MEETING WILL RESUME AT 8:15 P.M. ]
ALL RIGHT, ARE WE READY? I'M SORRY, DID YOU SAY IT'S OKAY? PERFECT. MARY, ARE YOU GOOD? ALL RIGHT, WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE. WE ARE MOVING ON ON THE AGENDA. WE'RE ON NUMBER 11, DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATIONS OF OPTIONS FOR
REZONE/TEXT AMENDMENT FOR OUTDOOR COMMERCIAL BARBECUES, AND OUR CITY ATTORNEY IS GOING TO DO A PRESENTATION.
GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU, MAYOR. AS THE COUNCIL IS AWARE, THIS ITEM
ORIGINATES FROM CONCERNS REGARDING BARBECUE AND COMPLAINTS THE CITY RECEIVED. THE CITY HAS A COMPLAINT BASED CODE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS AND RECEIVED COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE OPERATION OF PAR BECUE LOCATED AT 495 SOUTH MAIN STREET.AND WITHIN THAT ZONING DISTRICT, OUTDOOR COMMERCIAL BARBECUES ARE PROHIBITED. THEY ARE ALLOWED WITH THE USE PERMIT, AND SOME OF THE OTHER COMMERCIAL ZONING DISTRICTS. THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE THE COUNCIL ON THAT. A COUPLE OCCASIONS REGARDING THIS. ON JULY 7, COUNCILMEMBER HINTON AND CARTER BROUGHT FORTH AN ITEM REQUESTING
THAT THE COUNCIL PROVIDE DIRECTION FOR STAFF TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR
POTENTIAL ZONING OPTIONS TO FACILITATE THE CONTINUED OPERATION OF THIS BUSINESS AT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION. AND AT THAT TIME, IT WAS APPROVED BY
THE COUNCIL, AND YOU KNOW, WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT NO ENFORCEMENT
WOULD OCCUR DURING THAT INTERIM PERIOD UNTIL STAFF CAME BACK, AS LONG AS
COMMUNICATION CONTINUED WITH THE BUSINESS IN THE CITY, AND THEY STAYED IN CONTACT. AND MARY CAN PROVIDE YOU MORE INFORMATION ON THAT. BUT THAT DID OCCUR. SO BEFORE YOU TONIGHT ARE, YOU KNOW, TWO ZONING OPTIONS TO CONSIDER Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
IF THE COUNCIL WANTS TO COMMENCE A REZONING. SO THE FIRST OPTION IS TO REZONE
THE SINGLE PARCEL THE BUSINESS IS LOCATED ON OR ANY OTHER, YOU KNOW, SPECIFIC PARCELS THE COUNCIL DIRECTS IN THE ZONING DISTRICT. TO CITE SPECIFIC ZONING
CHANGES TO ALLOW COMMERCIAL OUTDOOR PAR BECUES WITH THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. THE OTHER OPTION WOULD BE TO CHANGE THE ZONING FOR THE ENTIRE CO
ZONING DISTRICT TO ALLOW DISTRICT WIDE OUTDOOR COMMERCIAL PAR BECUES WITH THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT. NORMALLY A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT GOES TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL. AND THEY ARE THE DECISION MAKER WITHIN THE POSSIBLE TO THE CITY COUNCIL. HERE, IF AN APPLICATION WAS PROCESSED
CONCURRENTLY, WHERE THE ZONING TEXT CHANGE IS PROCESSED CONCURRENTLY WITH THE USE PERMIT APPLICATION. THOSE WILL BOTH COME TO CITY COUNCIL FOR A DECISION. THEY WOULD GO FIRST FOR A RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN TO THE CITY
COUNCIL FOR DECISION BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE DECISION MAKER ON ZONING TEXT AMENDMENTS. UNDER OUR CODE, WHEN THERE ARE MULTIPLE ENTITLEMENTS
WITH ONE INVOLVES THE CITY COUNCIL, THEN THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE DECISION MAKER FOR ALL OF THE APPROVALS. BOTH OF THEM REQUIRE APPROXIMATELY THE SAME PROCESS, APPROXIMATELY THE SAME COST. GENERALLY, YOU KNOW, UNLESS IT'S
IN THE CITY SPONSORED OR INITIATE THE CHANGE, WE REQUIRE A DEPOSIT, AND THEN STAFF BILLS THE DEPOSIT FOR THAT. WE ESTIMATE EITHER PROCESS TO TAKE ABOUT 120 TO 150 DAYS. YOU KNOW, THE BULK OF THAT IS THE PUBLIC PROCESS, RIGHT? WE HAVE
TO SUBMIT PLANNING COMMISSION, NOTES FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAVE TO BE PUBLISHED 20 DAYS BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING. AND THERE NEEDS
TO BE TEN DAYS AT LEAST BETWEEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION HEARING AND THE FIRST CITY COUNCIL MEETING. BECAUSE THE ORDINANCE INVOLVED, THERE NEEDS TO BE A SECOND PLANNING MEETING. THEN ORDINANCES UNDER STATE LAW DON'T GO INTO EFFECT FOR 30 DAYS. SO IT IS REALLY ACTUALLY ONLY ABOUT 45 DAYS OF THE STAFF WORK. MOST OF IT IS JUST NOTICING AND PROCESSING WHAT'S INVOLVED. AND IN EACH ONE OF THOSE WOULD INVOLVE THE GENT REVIEW. WE ANTICIPATE, YOU KNOW, WE
WOULD BE ABLE TO DO PROBABLY A DECLARATION, BUT OF COURSE, WE WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS TO CONFIRM. AND AS PART OF THE PROPOSALS, THE CITY
CURRENTLY DOES HAVE, YOU KNOW, SOME PERFORMANCE STANDARDS IN THE ZONING CODE FOR OUTDOOR COMMERCIAL BARBECUES. FOR EITHER OPTION, THE COUNCIL
COULD DIRECT THAT STAFF REVIEW THOSE AND ADD ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE, EVALUATE, YOU KNOW, METRICS FOR LOWS. AND IF THE PERSON, YOU KNOW, ADOPTED THOSE, THOSE WOULD APPLY TO ANY NEW COMMERCIAL BARBECUES. ANY LEGALLY
OPERATING COMMERCIAL BARBECUE MIGHT BE IN THE CITY AND MIGHT BE GRANDFATHERED IN, BUT ONLY IF THEY ARE LEGALLY OPERATING BUSINESS. SO WITH THAT, I WOULD PAUSE TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. ONE THING I WOULD NOTE IS THERE'S
OBVIOUSLY A THIRD OPTION, WHICH IS FOR THE COUNCIL TO DIRECT STAFF NOT TO PROCEED WITH EITHER OPTION. STAFF HAS CEASED ENFORCEMENT FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS BASED ON COUNCIL'S DIRECTION, AND WHILE THIS PROCESS WAS ONGOING. IF
THE COUNCIL DECIDES NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY ZONING CHANGE, ENFORCEMENT WOULD RESUME. AND OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, THE COUNCIL CAN PROVIDE COUNCIL SEPARATELY. SO WITH THAT, I'LL STOP. HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS FROM THE COUNCIL MAY HAVE.
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
THANKS, ALEX FOR THE REPORT, AND THANK YOU STAFF FOR DOING THE QUESTION AND ANSWER. JUST REMEMBER FOR THE PUBLIC, THERE WERE A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT WE
ALL HAD INDEPENDENTLY, AND MARY DID, I'M SURE ALL THE WORK IN TRYING TO GET THE ANSWERS TO OUR QUESTIONS, AND THEN SENT IT ALL BACK OUT TO US. WHAT I WANT TO FOCUS IN ON IS THE DATA. SO QUESTION NUMBER 26 IS DOES THE CITY HAVE AIR QUALITY DATA? THIS SEEMS TO BE A BIG DISPUTE THAT SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING
AMONGST THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESS, AS FAR AS THE AMOUNT OF HARM THAT'S HAPPENING BY WAY OF BAD AIR. AND QUESTION NUMBER SIX ABOUT THE BAY AREA QUALITY DISTRICT AND HOW THEY MEASURE THINGS. THEN WE HAVE GOLD, WHICH IS MEASURING SOMETHING. THEN WE HAVE A RESIDENT WHO USE THEIR PURPLE AIR
SENSOR, AND ACTUALLY FOUND THERE WAS MUCH MORE PARTICULAR MATTER THAN THE OTHER SOURCES OF DATA. SO WHICH ONE ARE WE SUPPOSE TO USE? IN ORDER TO Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
RESOLVE IT THIS IF WE ARE RESOLVING FOR THE PUBLIC HEALTH TYPE OF PERSPECTIVE? WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE? AND WHAT I WOULD SAY IS YOU'RE MAKING THE
DETERMINATION ON WHETHER TO MOVE FORWARD TONIGHT, AND YOU COULD
CONSIDER WHATEVER INFORMATION YOU THINK IS RELEVANT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT TO DO THAT. IF THE COUNCIL DECIDES TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE AMENDMENT, ONE
THING YOU COULD SPECIFY WITH CHANGES TO THE EXISTING PERFORMANCE
STANDARDS ARE THE EXACT METRICS YOU NEED TO MEET UNDER, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S THE AIR QUALITY METRIC STANDARDS OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER STANDARD. IT
COULD BE THE CITY OF SEBASTOPOL, AND YOU COULD ESTABLISH THOSE AND PUT
THOSE INTO PERFORMANCE STANDARDS IF THESE ARE WHAT YOU NEED TO MEET AS ANY PART OF WHAT'S ISSUED, REGARDLESS OF WHAT ANY OTHER AGENCY MIGHT SAY.
Agenda Item Number 1
OKAY. THANKS.
CAN I ASK, HOW WOULD WE EVEN KNOW WHAT METRICS TO SET?
SO YOU COULD LOOK AT WHAT OTHER AGENCIES DO. YOU COULD ALSO TAKE, YOU KNOW, INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC. YOU DON'T NEED TO MAKE THAT DECISION TONIGHT IF
YOU MOVE FORWARD, IT COULD BE DIRECTION TO STAFF TO COME UP WITH THAT
STANDARD AS PART OF THE ORDINANCE, AND STAFF COULD WORK TO TRY TO COME UP
WITH SOMETHING, AND THEN WHEN THAT COMES BACK AS PART OF THE ORDINANCE TO
THE COUNCIL, YOU CAN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT YOU FIND THAT STANDARD TO BE ACCEPTABLE OR NOT.
OKAY. GO AHEAD, VICE MAYOR?
YEAH, SO THEY SAID THAT BETWEEN FIVE AND SEVEN, IT REACHED MODERATE LEVELS AT THE CLOSEST MONITOR. WHERE IS THE LOCATION FOR THAT MONITOR? DO YOU KNOW?
IT'S ON MORRIS STREET, ISN'T IT?
ON MORRIS STREET?
THAT IS MY UNDERSTANDING BASED ON WHAT THEY SAID.
AND THAT'S A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET AWAY? ON MORRIS STREET? MORE TAN THAT.
IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S A LOT MORE THAN THAT.
CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, AND WE INQUIRE IF THERE IS THE ABILITY TO PUT A DIFFERENT SENSOR IN THE CITY, AND THE ANSWER WAS NO, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT. THAT IS WHAT BAY AREA QUALITY SAID THEY WOULD NOT INSTALL A MONITOR THERE.
OKAY. BECAUSE I HAVE THAT QUESTION.
GO AHEAD.
WE'RE GOING TO PING-PONG AROUND A LOT BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS. SO COUNCILMEMBER ZOLLMAN?
YEAH, JUST SO PEOPLE ARE FOLLOWING ALONG. QUESTION NUMBER FOUR. BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE MANY OF US HAVE MET WITH NEIGHBORS. FOR ME, THE QUESTION IS REASONABLE ENJOYMENT OF THEIR PROPERTY AT THE TIME THEY BOUGHT IT. QUESTION NUMBER FOUR IS HOW IS THIS BUSINESS ORIGINALLY APPROVED? AND IT STATES, IT SEEMS IT WAS ORIGINALLY NOT WHAT IT IS NOW. ALEX, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG. BUT
IT'S BASICALLY A SMALL DELI THAT A VERY SMALL SINGLE SMALL COOKER, AND THEN SOMEHOW IT HAS EVOLVED. BUT THEN MY INTERPRETATION OF THIS IS THAT IT SORT OF EVOLVED, BUT NO ONE WAS REALLY MONITORING IT. AS YOU STATED, WE ARE A REPORTING AGENCY. WE DON'T HAVE CODE ENFORCEMENT RUNNING AROUND CHECKING UNDER TABLES. WE WAIT FOR COMPLAINTS TO ARISE. IS THAT A FAIR ASSESSMENT OF WHAT'S TYPED IN NUMBER FOUR ABOUT HOW THIS ALL STARTEDDED? YES, YOU'RE CORRECT.
FOR THIS PARTICULAR -- THIS ITERATION OF THE BUSINESS.
THIS ITERATION, BLUE WAS ONE WHEN IT WAS REALLY SMALL, AND IT WAS KIND OF A QUASI DELI?
AND THAT ITERATION OF THE BUSINESS DOESN'T REQUIRE A USE PERMIT OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT BECAUSE IT DIDN'T QUALIFY AS A COMMERCIAL OUTDOOR BUSINESS.
OKAY. THANKS.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
SO JUST TO CLARIFY. HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN FUNCTIONING THE WAY, YOU KNOW, FROM THE TIME WHAT IT WAS APPROVED FOR VERSES HOW THAT'S FUNCTIONING NOW? I'M TRYING TO READ THROUGH THESE AGAIN HERE. THE DATES.
Agenda Item Number 1
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THE PRIOR BUSINESS CLOSE AROUND FEBRUARY OF 2025.
I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. GO AHEAD.
YES, SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THERE WERE NO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SMOKE UNTIL THE TWO LARGE INDUSTRIAL SMOKERS WERE INSTALLED. SO THE SMALLER SMOKER DIDN'T REALLY TRACK COMPLAINTS. IS THAT CORRECT?
THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING. YES.
OKAY.
ANOTHER QUESTION I HAVE IS IN THE RECOMMENDATIONS, IT SAID IT WOULD TAKE 120 TO 150 DAYS TO PROCESS. YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION CAME ABOUT AS WE'VE SEEN COMMENTS ABOUT. COULD -- SHOULD THAT DECISION BE MADE, IT'S UP TO THE COUNCIL WHETHER OR NOT THE SMOKERS COULD CONTINUE TO BE IN USE DURING THAT 120, 150 DAYS. THAT'S A POLICY DECISION?
YOU COULD CERTAINLY DIRECT STAFF TO RECOMMENCE ENFORCEMENT DECISIONS
THAT ARE MADE AT THE STAFF LEVEL, YOU KNOW, BASED ON AVAILABILITY OF RESOURCES TO DO INSPECTIONS AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. BUT YES, YOU COULD DIRECT COMMENCEMENT TO BEGIN AGAIN.
GO AHEAD. I HAVE QUESTIONS TOO. GO AHEAD.
IS ONE OPTION TO ALLOW THE RESTAURANT TO CONTINUE IN THAT LOCATION WITH ONE
SMALL SMOKER, AS LONG AS THEY MOVE THE OTHER INDUSTRIAL SIZE SMOKERS OFF THE PROPERTY?
CERTAINLY. I MEAN, IF THEY GO BACK TO THE ONE SMALL SMOKER, THEN THEY DON'T NEED A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
SO NO ZONING CHANGE WOULD BE NEEDED?
CORRECT. NO ZONING.
OKAY. CAN YOU REITERATE AGAIN, IF IT REMAINS THE WAY IT WAS, THEN YOU JUST
SAID THERE WERE NO CHANGES THAT WOULD BE NEEDED, BUT JUST SIMPLY BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH OF THE BUSINESS?
YES.
AND THE INCREASE?
IN THEIR OTHER BUSINESS, YES. THE ADDITION, YOU KNOW, GOING FROM THE ONE
SMALL SMOKER THAT WAS PART OF AN OPERATION OF SORT OF A LARGER DELI TO A
BARBECUE RESTAURANT, THAT SERVES BARBECUE AND THE TWO LARGE SMOKER CHANGED HOW IT'S CLASSIFIED UNDER THE CODE.
THANK YOU. GO AHEAD.
SO IN READING THE QUESTION AND ANSWER, AND THE QUESTION I HAD SENT IN IS WE
COULD GO AHEAD AND CONDITION ITS CONTINUED BUSINESS TO JUST ALLOW THE SMALL SMOKER. AND IF THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO DO THE BUSINESS THAT WOULD REQUIRE
THE BIG SMOKING THING, WE COULD REQUIRE THAT TO BE DONE OFF SITE AND HAVE THEM CATER THE FOOD BACK INTO THE PREMISE. THAT IS ONE THING IN THAT CONDITION. AND IF WE MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION?
SO THE -- YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF PERMITS BEFORE YOU TODAY. SO WHAT I
WOULD SUGGEST IS IF THE COUNCIL IS INTERESTED IN THAT DIRECTION, YOU DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A PERMIT CHANGE. YOU COULD SAY WE WANT -- LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH OPTION A. BUT UNTIL OPTION A IS FINALIZED AND PERMITS ARE ISSUED, YOU KNOW, COMMENCE ENFORCEMENT.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND. BECAUSE IF THEY'RE KEEPING WHAT WAS, YOU JUST SAID THERE WOULDN'T NEED TO BE?
THERE ISN'T. BUT THERE IS NO PERMIT BEFORE YOU, THE CONDITION, DO THIS, DO THAT.
RIGHT. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT MY OPTIONS ARE. IS THAT MY UNDERSTANDING?
YES, THAT DOES INCORPORATE IT, WHERE WE DON'T WANT TO SHUT DOWN THE BUSINESS. BUT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE UNDER THEIR CURRENT BUSINESS LICENSE. IF THEY WANTED TO SMOKE TO THE EXTENT THEY'VE BEEN SMOKING, THEN WE COULD CONDITION IT TO BE OFF PREMISE. THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO.
SO THERE IS NOTHING BEFORE YOU TONIGHT TO CONDITION?
RIGHT.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
AND SO THE DIRECTION WOULD BE, DO OPTION A, OPTION B, AND COMMENCE ENFORCEMENT. THAT'LL DETERMINE IF THE VIOLATION OR OPERATIONS CHANGE, SO THAT THERE IS NO VIOLATION. THEN NO ENFORCEMENT WOULD OCCUR.
Agenda Item Number 1
SO YOU'RE SAYING IF THAT IS THE CASE. I MEAN, WE CAN'T TELL THEM THEY NEED TO
TAKE THEIR SMOKER TO DO IT SOMEWHERE ELSE, BUT IT HAS TO REMAIN THE WAY IT IS, AND HOWEVER THEY DECIDE TO PROCEED?
YES. THE DIRECTION IS JUST TO STAFF TO COMMENCE, YOU KNOW, ENFORCEMENT OF
THE CODE, THEN STAFF WILL DETERMINE IF THERE ARE VIOLATIONS BASED ON HOW THE BUSINESS CONTINUES TO OPERATE.
GOT IT. OKAY.
JUST TO CLARIFY, IS IT LEGAL FOR THEM TO HAVE THE SMALL SMOKER THERE? YES. THAT'S OUR DETERMINATION THAT IT DOES NOT QUALIFY AS THE OUTDOOR COMMERCIAL BUSINESS.
OKAY, THANK YOU.
WHEN THERE IS A SMALL SMOKER THERE. AND WILL AND YOU HAVE THE DIMENSIONS AND ALL OF THAT ALREADY AND KNOW?
I DO NOT HAVE THE DIMENSIONS.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAR ON THAT IF WE ACTUALLY -- YEAH. SO IT -- YOU KNOW, WE DEFINE THE DEFINITION IS FOR THE FACILITY THAT COOKS. SO OUR DETERMINATION IS SORT OF LOOKING AT THE WHOLE OF THE BUSINESS.
IN THE PAST, AS YOU MAY KNOW, THERE ARE OTHER BUSINESSES IN SEBASTOPOL THAT HAVE SMALL SMOKERS AS PART OF THE LARGER OPERATION. OUR DETERMINATION HAS BEEN THOSE ARE NOT FACILITIES. I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT EVERY SITUATION YOU
WOULD LOOK AT THE SMALL SMOKER AND HOW IT OPERATES AS PART OF THE BUSINESS IT'S IN AND MAKE THAT SAME DETERMINATION. AND WHICH IS THE WORD USED IN THE CODE. BUT YES, IN GENERAL, THAT WOULD BE MY ASSUMPTION THAT THE SMALL SMOKER WOULD BE PERMISSIBLE.
I SEE, OKAY. OTHER QUESTIONS? I HAD A QUESTION. I'VE HEARD RUMORS ABOUT ALL
DIFFERENT THINGS ABOUT WHAT THE ACTUAL OWNERS ARE DOING WITH THE BUSINESS AND ALL THAT. I JUST WONDERED IF THEY WANTED TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR US, AS FAR AS I'VE HEARD A VARIETY OF THINGS. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY ARE HERE OR NOT.
BUT YEAH. YOU NEED TO COME UP TO THE MIC, IF YOU DON'T MIND. HI, THANK YOU.
HELLO, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
I WAS JUST WONDERING, YOU HEAR A LOT OF THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THAT YOU ALL HAD ANOTHER SITE, ANOTHER PLACE. I JUST WONDER IF THERE IS ANYTHING, SINCE YOU'RE HERE, I'D RATHER HEAR IT FROM THE SOURCE VERSES RUMORS. SO I WONDER IF YOU HAD ANY INFORMATION.
I ALSO HAVE SOME FOLLOW-UP QUESTION WITH SOME OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP TOO. BUT WHAT I CAN SHARE IS WE LOOKED AT SO MANY PROPERTIES IN THE LAST
THREE, FOUR MONTHS, INCLUDING IT IN SEBASTOPOL, INCLUDING ALL OF WESTERN SONOMA COUNTY. THESE THINGS TAKE TIME. IT IS HARD TO FIND A PLACE WHERE WE CAN JUST MOVE IN A MONTH, RIGHT? THAT WOULD BE IDEAL. WE REALLY TRIED. WE REALLY TRIED TO FIND A PLACE, LET'S JUST GO THERE. WE ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT 95% DONE WITH NEGOTIATING WITH A PROPERTY.CAN'T SHARE WHERE, WHO, OR THE LANDLORD BECAUSE THAT IS CONFIDENTIAL. BUT WE'VE BASICALLY AGREED ON THE ROI, ON THE LEASE TERMS. IT'S JUST THE FINAL PIECE OF JUST SIGNING THAT LEASE, RIGHT? WE'VE ALSO SPOKEN WITH ARMANDO. HE RUNS THE MEXICAN RESTAURANT ABOUT FIVE BLOCKS DOWN. HE HAD A ONE-ACRE PROPERTY THAT HIS RESTAURANT HAS,
WHERE HE KEEPS HIS FOOT TRUCKS, AND THERE'S A SECTION WHERE WE THINK MAYBE WE COULD FIT A SMOKER THERE. NOW, THAT IS ALSO A CO ZONE. BUT MUCH FURTHER AWAY FROM RESIDENTIAL. SO THAT IS SOMETHING WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH HIM. IF HE IS INTERESTED IN HELPING US, HE IS MORE THAN HAPPY TO HELP US. BASICALLY BRING OUR BIG SMOKER OVER THERE. MY QUESTION IS WHAT DEFINES SMALL SMOKER, WHAT DEFINES BIG SMOKER? IT'S ALL A GRAY AREA. TO BE HONEST, I'VE BEEN ASKING FROM THE CITY BUILDING DEPARTMENT, THE FIRST E-MAIL WAS MAY 21. WHAT AM I IN VIOLATION OF? WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO TO CORRECT IT? I GOT THAT INFORMATION YESTERDAY. I E-MAILED FIVE, SIX, SEVEN TIMES. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT DECISIONS WE Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
NEED TO MAKE OR HOW TO MOVE FORWARD IF I DON'T KNOW FROM THE CITY WHAT TO Agenda Item Number 1
DO.
OKAY.
SO WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS YOU ARE NEARLY TO A POINT WHERE YOU HAVE A LEASE, AND YOU MIGHT BE MOVING, BUT YET YOU'RE EXPLORING OTHER OPTIONS. I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I'VE HEARD SO MUCH, LIKE I SAID. BECAUSE WE'RE IN PUBLIC COMMENT.
BUT TO MOVE INTO THIS NEW LOCATION GENERALLY. THAT WAS THE GOAL. THINGS COME UP AS THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE INVOLVED, YOU HAVE NEGOTIATIONS. THAT'S GETTING PUSHED BACK A LITTLE BIT. SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS WHILE WE'RE NEGOTIATING A NEW PERMANENT HOME, WHAT CAN WE DO TEMPORARILY? OKAY. WE'VE ALREADY REMOVED ONE OF THE LARGE SMOKERS THAT WE HAD. WE JUST PURCHASED A NEW SMALLER SMOKER. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ALL SEEN IT, BUT IT IS SMALLER, BUT THAT'S MY QUESTION TO WHAT DEFINES SMALL AND BIG?
WELL, I THINK WE PROBABLY HAVE, I MEAN, WE UNDERSTAND YOU DEFINE IT BY -- LET'S ASK OUR CITY ATTORNEY, ALEX?
SO WE DON'T HAVE A DEFINITION OF SMALL VERSES BIG. WE HAVE A -- IT SAYS AN OUTDOOR -- LET ME PULL UP THE DEFINITION. YEP, THAT'S NOT WHAT I --
AND TO ADD TO THAT TOO, WHAT DEFINES COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL WHEN IT COMES TO BARBECUES.
OKAY. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? OTHERWISE WE CAN GO AHEAD --
I WOULD LIKE TO ASK SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE NEW SMOKER, THE OLD SMOKER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. DID YOU SAY THE BIGGER ONE IS THE COLD SMOKER AND IT
DOES LIKE --
SO YEAH. TWO SMOKERS HAVE TWO DIFFERENT PURPOSES, RIGHT? THE SMALLER
SMOKER, THAT'S THE ONE WE USE FOR OUR SERVICE COOK, WHICH IS ONE DAY, SUNDAY, TYPICALLY USED FROM 3:30 IN THE MORNING UNTIL 11:00 IN THE MORNING. THAT IS GOING TO RUN AT A HIGHER TEMPERATURE. WE GET THAT REALLY CLEAN BLUE SMOKE, WHICH IS ALMOST INVISIBLE, AND IT IS CONSIDERED CLEAN SMOKE. THE BIG SMOKER,
WHICH OBVIOUSLY UNDERSTANDABLY OUR NEIGHBORS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IS WHEN WE COOK ALL OF OUR BRISKETS ON OR BEEF PRODUCTS. THAT'S MONDAYS AND TUESDAYS. THOSE REQUIRE MUCH LONGER COOK. IT'S A COLD SMOKING PROCESS. SO YOU ARE GOING TO SEE SMOKE THAT IS THICKER ON THE COOK DAYS. OUR IDEA IS TO TAKE THAT SMOKER OFF SITE, SO THAT HAPPENS ELSEWHERE. WE WOULD KEEP THE NEW
SMOKER WE GOT ON SITE, WHICH HAS THE CLEAN COOKING PROCESS, WAY LESS SMOKE, CLEAN SMOKE.
OKAY. GO AHEAD.
WHEN YOU CAME BEFORE US AT A PREVIOUS MEETING, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU HAD
YOUR LARGE SMOKER OFF SITE AND YOU HAD EMPLOYEES DRIVING TO RETRIEVE THE BEEF, AND THAT WAS A HARDSHIP ON THE BUSINESS. BUT YET YOU WERE DOING IT. AND I'M CURIOUS, A, HOW MANY MILES AWAY IT WAS. AND I HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION THAT I CAN'T THINK OF AT THE MOMENT. BUT IF YOU ANSWER THAT, I'LL PROBABLY REMEMBER THE OTHER ONE.
AS FAR AS DISTANCE, WOULD YOU KNOW, THREE MILES, THREE MILES. AND HONESTLY, OUR TEAM WAS WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TOOK TO MAKE IT WORK. BUT THE ISSUE IS
THE SONOMA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOUND OUT, AND WELL, YOU CAN'T TRANSPORT MEAT BACK AND FORTH, RIGHT? THAT IS WHY WE STOPPED BECAUSE NOW WE DON'T WANT TO GET IN TROUBLE WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT. AND IT IS IN THAT MOMENT, IN THAT SCENARIO, WE HAD TO PIVOT REALLY QUICKLY. AND IN THIS
SCENARIO, IF WE GO TO DO A CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, WE'LL MAKE SONOMA COUNTY AWARE OF THE PROCESS. IT IS WAY CLOSER, IT'S FIVE BLOCKS AWAY, AND THEY ALSO
HAVE A KITCHEN DOWNSTAIRS, WHERE WE CAN STORE THE MEAT, SO WE ARE NOT TRANSPORTING MEAT AT THE WRONG TEMPERATURE. NOW WE CAN COOK THE MEAT, COOL IT DOWN THERE. ONCE IT'S COOLED DOWN, BRING IT TO THE RESTAURANT, AND THEN WE MEET THE FOOD SAFETY REQUIREMENTS TO DO THAT.
OKAY. SO MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION IS THE START, YOU SAID YOU'RE 95%, I BELIEVE, IN AN AGREEMENT WITH SOMEONE THAT YOU COULDN'T MENTION. BUT THEN YOU'VE GONE ON AND TALKED ABOUT EL CORNELL. SO ARE YOU 95% IN AGREEMENT WITH SOMEBODY Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
COMPLETELY SEPARATE?PAUSE WE HAVE ALL HEARD A LOT OF RUMORS. I HAVE HEARD YOU'RE MOVING OUT OF TOWN, I'VE HEARD A LOT OF STUFF. AND THEN NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT EL CORNELL.
Agenda Item Number 1
THAT WILL BE A TEMPORARY SOLUTION, WHILE WE FIGURE OUT OUR PERMANENT SOLUTION.
SO YOU'RE MOVING OUT OF SEBASTOPOL PROBABLY NO MATTER WHAT, BUT YOU'RE -- THAT'S NOT A NO MATTER WHAT.
BUT YOU'RE PROPOSING A TEMPORARY SOLUTION POSSIBLY OF EL CORNELL? YES.
OKAY, THANK YOU.
I WANTED TO ASK, WHAT IF EL CORNELL DOESN'T REALLY WORK OUT? AND THAT WILL STILL TAKE LIKE A PERMITTING PROCESS AND EVERYTHING. SO IT'S NOT ZONED RIGHT.
SO THAT IN ITSELF IS STILL AN ISSUE, RIGHT?
SURE. WELL, IF EL CORNELL DOESN'T WORK OUT, THEN I GUESS MY QUESTION THEN WOULD BE WHAT WOULD CAUSE IT NOT TO WORK OUT?
WELL, I'M JUST SAYING LIKE THE TIME TO MAKE -- 9/11, EVEN IF WE REZONE YOURS, IT WOULD TAKE THREE MONTHS, RIGHT? SO IT WOULD TAKE THREE MONTHS. AND THEN
WE'RE GETTING CLOSE TO THE TIME WHERE YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO FIND A DIFFERENT PLACE. AND THEN IT COSTS ABOUT, I DON'T KNOW, ABOUT $3,000 FOR THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT.
$5,000.
SO IF THAT'S ACCEPTABLE TO YOU, AND EL CORNELL -- BUT WE HAVE NO GUARANTEES OF THAT SPECIFICALLY. IF IT DOESN'T WORK OUT, THEN WHAT? THEN WE'LL HAVE TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER SOLUTION, RIGHT? WHERE WE DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION. BUT THOSE ARE OUR TWO OPTIONS RIGHT NOW.
SO YOU'RE 95% SOMEWHERE, BUT YET MAYBE -- OKAY. I HAVE A QUESTION JUST ABOUT - - SO I LIVED IN TEXAS FOR A DECADE.SO VERY FAMILIAR WITH BARBECUE. A LOT OF THEM THE WORDS -- THE FILTERS ON IT. YOU GO TO AUSTIN, YOU SEE IT IN THEIR PLACE.
THEY'RE ALL FILTERED. I TALKED TO OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS EVEN LOCALLY IN THE
NORTH BAY WHO KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE -- WHAT HAPPENED, I HEARD THEY HAVE DONE THAT. AGAIN, RUMORS, ALL DIFFERENT THINGS. SO WHAT HAPPENED WITH THAT? IS THERE A REASON WHY YOU CAN'T HAVE THEM? WHAT ARE THE LOGISTICS? SO WE'VE MET WITH OVER 50 DIFFERENT PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S ENGINEERS, WHETHER IT'S CONTRACTORS, WHETHER IT IS OTHER BARBECUE RESTAURANTS. WE'VE SPOKEN TO OTHER BARBECUE RESTAURANTS ABOUT THEIR SOLUTION. THE PROBLEM IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE REGULATION AND STANDARD IS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO SPEND $50,000
TO BUILD A FILTRATION SYSTEM, AND POTENTIALLY LEARN THAT IS NOT THE CORRECT ONE, RIGHT? AND THAT IS WHY I BRING UP THE FACT I'VE BEEN ASKING SINCE MAY 21, WHAT AM I VIOLATING? WHAT DO I FEED TO DO TO MAKE THIS RIGHT? AND I GOT THAT INFORMATION YESTERDAY. WHY DID THAT TAKE SIX MONTHS? IF I HAD THAT INFORMATION, THEN I CAN STRATEGIZE. LOOK, HERE IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO. BUT
I'M NOT WILLING TO COMMIT MONEY INTO SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T GUARANTEE US BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE BUSINESS.
OKAY, ALL RIGHT. DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? GO AHEAD.
WELL, YEAH, NOW IT SEEMS LIKE THE BURDENSHIP SHOULD BE BACK ON STAFF AND THE FACT THEY WERE NEGLIGENT AND NOT PROVIDING A PROPER RESPONSE BACK. SO WHAT'S THAT?
JUST TO GO BACK TO THE DEFINITION. THE DEFINITION OF THE OUTDOOR BARBECUE
COMMERCIAL MEETS ANY OUTDOOR FACILITY FOR COOKING FOOD DIRECTLY OVER HOT COALS, GAS, OR OTHER MEATS. SMOKING FOODS OR OTHER SIMILAR METHODS, WHERE THE FOOD IS INTENDED TO BE SOLD OR DISTRIBUTED FOR COMMERCIAL PURPOSES. SO
FIRST, THAT DEFINITION DOES NOT CHANGE AT ALL WHETHER THERE IS A FILTRATION SYSTEM OR NOT. THAT MIGHT BE A PART OF A USE PERMIT TO REQUIRE THAT. BUT
WHETHER OR NOT SOMETHING IS AN OUTDOOR BARBECUE, COMMERCIAL BARBECUE
DOESN'T CHANGE UNDER THAT DEFINITION, WHETHER YOU HAVE A FILTRATION SYSTEM OR NOT. SO THAT'S WHY THERE IS NO ANSWER YOU CAN BECOME LEGAL IF YOU HAVE A FILTRATION SYSTEM. THERE MIGHT BE BUILDING CODES ON HOW THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE INSTALLED, BUT NOT UNDER THE ZONING CODE. IN THERE, THE DEFINITION IS ANY Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
OUTDOOR FACILITY FOR COOKING. HOW THE CITY HAS HISTORICALLY INTERPRETED
THAT IS IF YOU ARE -- IF YOU HAVE A SMALL -- ESSENTIALLY YOU'RE AN OUTDOOR FACILITY FOR COOKING IF THAT IS YOUR SOUL WAY OF PREPARING FOOD. IF YOU HAVE A
SMALL BARBECUE WHERE YOU ARE PREPARING FOOD IN OTHER WAYS ON SITE, LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER RESTAURANTS IN SEBASTOPOL THAT HAVE BARBECUES. THERE IS NO -- WE DON'T CONSIDER YOU AN OUTDOOR FACILITY FOR COOKING FOOD. YOU HAPPEN
TO HAVE THAT AS AN ACCESSORY USE TO YOUR BUSINESS, BUT YOU'RE NOT AN OUTDOOR FACILITY FOR COOKING FOOD. SO THAT IS WHY, YOU KNOW, WE SPOKE
EARLIER ABOUT, YES, WELL, IT NEEDS TO BE SMALL, BUT IT HAS LOOKED HOLISTICALLY AT THE WHOLE BUSINESS. THAT IS HOW WE'VE DONE IT HISTORICALLY IN THE CITY.
CERTAINLY THE COUNCIL, PROVIDING DIRECTION ON ZONING CHANGE COULD PROVIDE DIRECTION, YOU KNOW, TO INCLUDE INTO THIS BARBECUE, THE DEFINITION. A SMALL
BARBECUE DOESN'T QUALIFY AS AN OUTDOOR BARBECUE COMMERCIAL, AND SMALL MEANS X, Y, AND Z. AND EITHER DIRECT STAFF WITH SOMETHING SPECIFIC OR DIRECT STAFF TO COME UP WITH THAT DEFINITION IN THE ORDINANCE.
Agenda Item Number 1
CAN I ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THAT?
OKAY. SO GIVE ME ONE SECOND. VICE MAYOR, YOU HAD A QUESTION BEFORE. DO YOU STILL?
I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE VIABILITY OF MOVING TO EL CORNELL IF IT IS GOING
TO TAKE FOUR TO FIVE MONTHS TO GET THE CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT, AND YOU'RE NEARLY READY TO SIGN A LEASE. YOU'RE 95%, YOU KNOW, READY TO SIGN A LEASE. I'M A LITTLE CONFUSED TO THAT POINT.
TO ANSWER THAT, IT'S BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT'S GOING TO TAKE UNTIL WE CAN ACTUALLY START OPERATING THERE. JUST BECAUSE I SIGN A LEASE NEXT MONTH DOESN'T MEAN WE'RE MOVING IN NEXT MONTH. THE BUILD UP PROCESS, THE PERMITTING PROCESS, RIGHT? IF PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED, THEY DETERMINE, OKAY, WE'LL BE READY TO GO IN MAY. DO WE SHUT DOWN FOR FIVE MONTHS? RIGHT? SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TAKE TIME TO FIND A PERMANENT SOLUTION. WHAT CAN WE DO IN THE MEANTIME WHILE THAT'S SORTED OUT? AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WANT TO DO THAT MORE THAN ANYTHING FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SERIOUSLY. LIKE THAT'S MOVING THE
SMOKER OFF THE PREMISE IS WHAT HAS TO HAPPEN, BUT I CAN'T DO THAT UNLESS
THERE'S A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE REGULATION AROUND THAT IS AND WHAT THE EXPECTATIONS ARE. AND I'VE BEEN TRYING FOR SIX MONTHS TO GET THAT INFORMATION.
I SEE. OKAY. OTHER QUESTIONS? NO? OKAY. ALL RIGHT.
I'M SUDDENLY CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THE INFORMATION IS THAT YOU RECEIVED THE OTHER DAY? LIKE SPECIFICALLY?
SO ON MAY 21, I E-MAILED THE CITY BUILDING DEPARTMENT BECAUSE WE MET WITH THEM, RIGHT? WE GOT A CEASE AND DESIST LETTER, PRIOR TO THE CEASE AND DESIST LETTER, I HAD JUST JOINED THE COMPANY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT INFORMATION WAS SHARED BEFORE THEN. BUT I REACHED OUT TO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT CALL.
THANK YOU FOR THE LETTER, APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE LETTING US KNOW. CAN I
PLEASE GET ALL THE DOCUMENTS THAT SHOW WHAT WE'RE IN VIOLATION OF, SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THE CEASE AND DESIST LETTER IS FOR? THAT WAS IN MAY.
WHETHER IT'S ZONING, WHETHER IT IS THE SMOKER ITSELF, IS IT THE SMOKE? WE DON'T KNOW BECAUSE THERE WAS NO INFORMATION. WE WEREN'T TOLD WHAT WE WERE VIOLATING.
GO AHEAD.
I KNOW WE'RE NOT TO COMMENT YET, BUT WE HAVE HEARD THIS. YOU MIGHT BE NEW AT THE COMPANY. BUT THERE'S OTHER PEOPLE IN THE ROOM THAT WORK FOR YOUR COMPANY THAT WERE HERE AT A PREVIOUS HEARING. I GUESS IT'S A LITTLE CHICKEN
AND EGG BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE ARE THE FINAL DECISION MAKERS TO GIVE THE ZONING, MAKE THE ZONING CHANGE. HOWEVER, I THINK YOU ALSO, AS A COMPANY, HAVE RESPONSIBILITY.
OF COURSE.
NOT JUST WAITING FOR A LETTER FROM THE CITY BECAUSE WE CLEARLY STATED WHAT THE RULES WERE IN OUR LAST HEARING WHEN THIS WAS BEFORE THIS BODY. AND MAYBE YOU WEREN'T HERE PERSONALLY, BUT IT'S ALL RECORDED FOR THE PUBLIC. SO I Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
JUST -- I THINK NOW IS THE TIME TO SAY THAT BECAUSE MAYBE EVERYBODY IS MISSING THAT POINT. FOR THE SECOND OR THIRD TIME, OVER A NUMBER OF MONTHS, WHERE I HEARD YOU HELP COME UP WITH A SOLUTION WE COULD ALL LIVE WITH. I JUST WANT TO
SAY THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE STANDING IN THE PUBLIC, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE STILL IN QUESTIONS. I JUST WANT TO BE FULLY TRANSPARENT ABOUT YOU'RE SAYING ONE SIDE, BUT I VIEW IT A BIT -- I'VE BEEN HERE FOR ALL THESE MEETINGS. I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT.
Agenda Item Number 1
YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT. I WANT TO KEEP THIS IN QUESTIONS, AND WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT, WHERE YOU CAN ANSWER. GO AHEAD FOR QUESTIONS.
I'M JUST WONDERING ABOUT ENFORCEMENT AND IF THERE IS A PROGRESSIVE LEVEL OF ENFORCEMENT. THE LARGER TRAILER MOVES ASAP OR WHATEVER. AND THEN THE
SECOND ONE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT SMALLER, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW,
TAKE SOME KIND OF REASONABLE PROGRESS LIKE TWO WEEKS OR SOMETHING BEFORE ENFORCEMENT ACTION STARTS? IS THERE SOMEWAY WE CAN NOT CAUSE MEET TRAUMA?
SO CITY HASN'T DONE ENFORCEMENT. INDIVIDUAL ENFORCEMENT IS LEFT TO THE DISCRETION OF STAFF WHO ARE THE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. THE NORMAL PROCESS INVOLVES, YOU KNOW, A LETTER STATING TO CHIEF COMPLIANCE WITHIN, YOU KNOW, 14 DAYS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THERE MIGHT BE A NOTICE OF VIOLATION AFTER THAT.
AND THERE ARE THEN PENALTIES, POSSIBILITIES FOR CITY TO IMPOSE FINES. THOSE FINES ARE GENERALLY UP TO AN AMOUNT. AND SO THE ENFORCEMENT OFFICER LOOKS AT THE SITUATION, AND DETERMINES, YOU KNOW, BASED ON THE CIRCUMSTANCE. WHAT'S THE APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF FINES TO IMPOSE IN THAT SITUATION.
I HAVE A QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND SIT DOWN. I'M SORRY.
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE YOU KEEP STANDING THERE. OKAY, FOR CITY STAFF, I'M READING ALL THESE FAQs HERE. IT SAYS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, NUMBER 43, HAS STAFF MET? AND I SEE STAFF MET WITH THE OWNER IN MARCH, THE CITY MANAGER SPOKE WITH MR. AUSTIN ON MAY 28 AND ON JUNE 8, MET WITH MR. AUSTIN IN THE SANTA ROSA
SONOMA COUNTY NAACP PRESIDENT, AND PLANNING AND BUILDING STAFF TO DISCUSS COMPLIANCE ISSUES AS NOTED ABOVE. WE'RE HEARING CONTRADICTORY INFORMATION, SO I WANT TO CLARIFY WHAT THIS QUESTION HERE FOR THE PUBLIC? SO I GUESS I'M UNCLEAR WHAT THE INFORMATION IS.
WELL, I JUST HEARD THAT THEY HADN'T HEARD ANYTHING SINCE THE LETTER IN MAY.
BUT HERE IT SAYS YOU MET WITH THEM IN JUNE?
I WANT TO CLARIFY, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK. BUT I WANT TO SAY PER OUR
CONVERSATION, WHAT FINN WAS ASKING ABOUT IS AN INFORMATION FROM THE BUILDING OFFICIAL RELATED TO WHAT THE NOTICE OF VIOLATIONS WAS. THEY HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH STAFF. IT IS CONFIDENTIAL WHAT THEY HAVE PROVIDED TO US. I DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY WHAT THEIR BUSINESS PLAN IS.
I'M NOT ASKING THAT.
THEY HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT, BUT WITH CERTAIN --
I BELIEVE THERE WERE TWO CERTAIN THINGS. THEY HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT PROVIDING US INFORMATION. AND THEY REQUESTED WHAT THE CURRENT VIOLATION WAS. AND I
BELIEVE THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD RESPONDED, AND IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THEY HAD NOT. SO I FOLLOWED IT UP AT THAT POINT.
I SEE. I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND. FOR EVERYBODY.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENT ISSUES. THEY HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH US CONTINUALLY WITH THAT CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION.
GOT IT. OKAY. LET ME SEE HERE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? I NEED TO LOOK AT ALL MINE HERE. LET'S SEE. I'M TRYING TO LOOK AT IT QUICKLY IF THERE IS ANYONE ELSE. NO ONE ELSE? OKAY, YOU'RE GOOD? OKAY. THERE'S SOMETHING. I SEE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WELL, IF WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER -- OKAY. ALWAYS COUNT ON YOU FOR THE COMEDY RELIEF. BREAK IN THE MOMENT. OKAY, SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS GO OUT TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. SO IT IS PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE DISCUSSION OF THE REZONE AND USE PERMIT FOR A&M BARBECUE. IF YOU'D LIKE TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT, IT'S A TWO-MINUTE LIMIT. I'LL DO CHAMBERS FIRST, THEN GO OUT TO ZOOM.
Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026
MY NAME IS DOUG, I LIVE ON PETALUMA AVENUE. FIRST OF ALL, SINCE LISTENING TO THE QUESTIONS. EL CORNELL WON'T WORK. YOU'RE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM APPLE VALLEY. ARE YOU GOING TO PUMP THE SMOKE AT THOSE PEOPLE? JUST BECAUSE THEY CAN'T COMPLAIN, DOESN'T MEAN THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH IT. I
APPRECIATE THE FACT THE COUNCIL IS TRYING, AND THEY ARE TRYING NOT TO HAMSTRING THE BUSINESS. WE STILL NEED ENFORCEMENT RIGHT AWAY. IT IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN JUST POSTPONE AND POSTPONE AND POSTPONE. THE HARM'S BEEN DONE. IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR SINCE A&M HAS BEEN BUILDING SMOKE, BLOWING SMOKE, IF YOU WILL AT US. AND IT IS JUST NOT ACCEPTABLE. THANK YOU.
Agenda Item Number 1
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL GO OUT TO ZOOM. KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE? KYLE, CAN YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, PLEASE? THERE WE GO.
THANK YOU.
CAN YOU SEE THE TIMER?
I CAN.
RIGHT. GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
SO THANKS AGAIN FOR THE POLITICAL THEATER. IN THE UNPRECEDENTED MOVE OF
CALLING THE BUSINESS OWNER UP TO HAVE CONVERSATION, WHICH IS I THINK KIND OF UNORTHODOXED APPROACH HERE. WE LEARN THAT THE CITY'S OWN BUILDING
DEPARTMENT FAILED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE BUSINESS OWNER DESPITE MULTIPLE E-MAILED REQUESTS. AND ONCE THAT WAS COMMUNICATED, THEN SUDDENLY THE
MAYOR CHOSE TO CUT THAT CONVERSATION SHORT, NOT FOLLOW UP ON THAT
PARTICULAR INFORMATION, AND THEN TO PROCEED WITH OTHER LINES OF QUESTIONING. AND THEN FOR QUITE SOME TIME, OTHER DISCUSSION, BUT NOT REALLY ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE. AND PRAISE TO MARY HERE FOR TAKING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THAT INFORMATION, RIGHT? WE'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR MONTHS. AND THE FACT
COMMUNICATION IS SO POOR BETWEEN CITY OFFICIALS AND BUSINESS OWNERS ON THIS CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE, AND THAT COUNCIL IS IN THE DARK. CONGRATULATESTO
COUNCILMEMBER HINTON TO TRY TO SUGGEST THAT WHAT HAPPENS IN A PUBLIC CITY
COUNCIL MEETING CONSTITUTES COMMUNICATION IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY OUTSIDE
OF THE SCOPE OF THE BUSINESS OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT OR THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT'S OFFICIAL COMMUNICATION. THAT'S INTERESTING TOO. BUT I DON'T EXPECT YOU'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, RIGHT? MARY OWNED UP TO IT. THAT'S GREAT. ARE WE GOING TO FOLLOW UP AND SEE HOW WE DO AS A CITY IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATING WITH BUSINESSES? HOW WE DO IN TERMS OF ACCOUNTABILITY OF OUR CITY MANAGEMENT? TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE THESE KIND OF OVERSIGHTS IN THE FUTURE? IT'S NOT CLEAR BECAUSE I'VE SEEN CITY MANAGEMENT MAKE MISTAKES, LOTS, AND I DON'T SEE A LOT OF OVERSIGHT.
KYLE, THAT'S TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT. NEXT, I'LL COME BACK INTO CHAMBERS.
YEAH, GOOD EVENING. I'M KIM KELLER. I LIVE ON ELEANOR AVENUE. SO I LIVE -- WHERE I LIVE, WALKER AVENUE KIND OF FUNNELS THE SMOKE RIGHT UP OUR STREET. ON CERTAIN DAYS, IT'S JUST REALLY UNBEARABLE. AND SO FOR A LOT OF US IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS IS NOT A COMPLICATED ISSUE, IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
SIMPLE, RIGHT? IT'S A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE -- WHO LIVE THERE. AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF OPTIONS. ALL I CARE ABOUT IS STOPPING THE SMOKE, RIGHT? AND PERIOD. AND SO, YOU KNOW, AFTER A YEAR OF DEALING WITH
THE SMOKE, I HAVE ALL THE CLASSIC SYMPTOMS OF WOOD SMOKE INHALATION, ALMOST DAILY. I'VE HAD TO ADJUST MY SCHEDULE IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS OF WHEN I'M OUTSIDE, WHEN I'M NOT OUTSIDE, WHEN I HAVE MY WINDOW OPENED. I HAD TO EXPEND $21,000 IN ORDER TO PURCHASE AN AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM, SO I DON'T, YOU KNOW, BURN UP BECAUSE I CAN'T OPEN MY WINDOWS. YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD REAL HARM HERE.
AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO HAPPEN. WE CANNOT CONTINUE LIKE THIS. IT IS NOT FAIR.
IT'S JUST NOT. AND JUST TO SAY, YOU KNOW, LASTLY, THE NEW SMOKER THERE MAY BE A LITTLE SMALLER, BUT IT'S BIG. IT'S A BIG INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL SMOKER, THE NEW ONE. AND I'M SORRY, I'VE DONE A TON OF RESEARCH ON THIS. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS ANY CLEAN SMOKE WITHOUT A GOOD FILTRATION SYSTEM ON IT. I KNOW FOR A FACT Agenda Item Number 1
City Council Meeting Packet for October 20, 2026