HR CITY
I OF SON
REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
OF THE SONOMA CITY COUNCIL
SOUNDED TR
•CALIFORNIA
City Council Chambers
City Council: 177 First Street West
Sandra Lowe, Mayor Wednesday, February 15, 2023
John Gurney, Vice Mayor
Jack Ding
Patricia Farrar-Rivas 6:00 PM Regular Meeting
Ron Wellander
6:00 P.M. - REGULAR MEETING
CONVENE, CALL TO ORDER, & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Lowe called the meeting to order at 6:02 pm.
PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS FOR ZOOM ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS
Public Comment Process for ZOOM Attendance at Meetings
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Mayor Lowe, Council Member Ding, Council Member Farrar-Rivas, Council Member Wellander.
ABSENT: Vice Mayor Gurney
REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
There were no reportable actions taken in Closed Session.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Council Member Ding, seconded by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 4-0-1 with Mayor Lowe, Council Member Wellander, Council Member Ding, and Council Member Farrar-Rivas voting YES and Vice Mayor Gurney absent.
1. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Matt Metzler and Robert Demler provided public comments.
2. MEETING DEDICATIONS
Council Member Ding dedicated the meeting to Ralph Keechler.
3. COUNCILMEMBERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Council Member Farrar-Rivas reported that she attended her first Sonoma Clean Power meeting on February 2, 2023, where they elected a new chair and vice chair. The emphasis of the meeting was to review their annual budget and report.
Council Member Wellander attended his first North Bay Watershed Association meeting on February 3, 2023, where hopeful news was shared about the current status of Sonoma County's drought.
Mayor Lowe showcased that Pat Meier-Johnson's artwork is now hanging up for the public's viewing in the Council Chambers. Mayor Lowe also reported that the "Meet the Mayor" event, hosted by Sonoma Valley's Visitor Bureau, was a beautiful and successful event. In addition to sitting on the Sonoma County Transportation Authority Committee, Mayor Lowe was also recently elected to the Executive Board of the same committee. A current project the Sonoma County Transportation Authority is working on is the installation of a roundabout where Highways 116 and 121 intersect. In addition to the Executive Board of Sonoma County Transportation Authority, Mayor Lowe will also sit as a representative to the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). Mayor Lowe was asked by Sister Cities Association to record a short video, which she shared with Council, greeting our Sister City in Kaniv, Ukraine, in preparation for an upcoming meeting being held.
4. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Interim City Manager Linder thanked staff for all the behind-the-scenes work it took to install the artwork in the Council Chambers in such a short turnaround time.
5. CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS
City Attorney Ruderman pointed out to Council that the Business Roundtable Statewide Initiative did receive a sufficient number of signatures, so it will be placed on the November 2024 ballot. This is also referred to as the Taxpayers Protection Act, which would make local government revenues extremely difficult.
6. PRESENTATIONS
None.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR - CITY COUNCIL
Motion by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, Seconded by Council Member Ding, to approve the Consent Calendar as presented with items 7.3 and 7.4 being pulled for separate consideration.
Motion carried 4-0-1 with Mayor Lowe, Council Member Wellander, Council Member Ding, and Council Member Farrar-Rivas voting YES and Vice Mayor Gurney absent.
Item 7.1: Waive further reading and Authorize Introduction and/or Adoption of Ordinances by Title Only. (Standard procedural action - no backup information provided)
Item 7.2: Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Director of Public Works to Install a Short-Term Parking Drop Off Zone (Green Curb Markings) at the Sonoma Dog Camp Located at 1061 Broadway (Mike Berger, Public Works Director/City Engineer) Action: Adopted as Resolution #13-2023.
Item 7.3: Accept the Expenditure Report for the Month of January 2023 (Liz Garcia, Deputy Finance Director)
Action: The Expenditure Report was accepted.
Motion by Council Member Wellander, Seconded by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, to Accept the Expenditure Report for the Month of January 2023. Motion carried 4-0-1 with Mayor Lowe, Council Member Wellander, Council Member Ding, and Council Member Farrar-Rivas voting YES and Vice Mayor Gurney absent.
Item 7.4: Approve the Notice of Completion (NOC) for the Fryer Creek Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge Project No. 1802; Federal Project No. CML - 5114(020) Constructed by F.
Loduca, Co., Authorize the Interim City Manager to Sign the NOC, and Direct the City Clerk to File the NOC at the County of Sonoma Recorder's Office (Oriana Hart, PW Administrative & Project Manager)
Action: The Notice of Completion for the Fryer Creek Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge Project No. 1802 was approved.
Public Comment: Matt Metzler
Motion by Council Member Ding, Seconded by Council Member Wellander, to Approve the Notice of Completion (NOC) for the Fryer Creek Pedestrian and Bicycle Bridge Project No. 1802; Federal Project No. CML - 5114(020) Constructed by F. Loduca, Co., Authorize the Interim City Manager to Sign the NOC, and Direct the City Clerk to File the NOC at the County of Sonoma Recorder's Office Motion carried 4-0-1 with Mayor Lowe, Council Member Wellander, Council Member Ding, and Council Member Farrar-Rivas voting YES and Vice Mayor Gurney absent.
Item 7.5: Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute Certificates of Acceptance of Easement Grant Deeds for the Public Sidewalk Over and Across the Property at 800 Broadway (Oriana Hart, PW Administrative & Project Manager) Action: Adopted as Resolution #11-2023.
Item 7.6: Adopt a Resolution Terminating the State of a Local Emergency Regarding COVID- 19 Effective February 28, 2023, Per California Government Code Section 8630 (Mark Linder, Interim City Manager and Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk) Action: Adopted as Resolution #12-2023.
Item 7.7:
Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: Minutes were received.
Item 7.8: Approve a Letter of Support for Sonoma Clean Power's Grant Application to the Department of Energy and Direct Staff to Facilitate Distribution (Mark Linder, Interim City Manager and Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: The Letter of Support for Sonoma Clean Power's Grant Application was approved.
Discussion, Consideration, and Possible Action to Introduce an Ordinance Amending the Sonoma Municipal Code Amending Title 19, Section 19.10.020 (B)(3) (Residential Component) and Section 19.010.020 (C)(2) (Residential Component) to the City of Sonoma Municipal Code and Finding this Action is Exempt from Further Environmental Review Under the General Rule in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) That CEQA Only Applies to Projects that have the Potential for Causing a Significant Effect on the Environment (Kristina Tierney, Associate Planner)
Action: Ordinance was introduced.
Public Comment: Michael Woods, Chad Parson and Calum Weeks.
Motion by Council Member Ding, Seconded by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, to Introduce an Ordinance Amending the Sonoma Municipal Code Amending Title 19, Section 19.10.020 (B)(3) (Residential Component) and Section 19.010.020 (C)(2) (Residential Component) to the City of Sonoma Municipal Code. Motion carried 3-1-1 with Mayor Lowe, Council Member Farrar-Rivas, and Council Member Ding voting YES, Council Member Wellander voting NO, and Vice Mayor Gurney Item 8.2: Discuss, Consider, and Take Possible Action to Introduce an Ordinance Amending the Sonoma Municipal Code Amending Title 19, Chapter 19.12 (Streetscape) to add new Sections 19.12.030 (Fire Apparatus Access Road Standards), 19.12.010 (Private Road and Driveway Standards); Removing Section 19.48.100 (Driveways); and Amending Chapter 19.92 (Definitions) to Align Roadway Standards with the California Fire Code as Amended and Adopted by the City Council, and Clarify Various Definitions Related to Development Projects and Finding the Proposed Amendments are Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to Section 15061(B)(3) - General Rule - of the CEQA Guidelines (Kristina Tierney, Associate Planner)
Action: Ordinance was introduced.
Motion by Council Member Wellander, Seconded by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, to Introduce an Ordinance Amending the Sonoma Municipal Code Amending Title 19, Chapter 19.12 (Streetscape) to add new Sections 19.12.030 (Fire Apparatus Access Road Standards), 19.12.010 (Private Road and Driveway Standards); Removing Section 19.48.100 (Driveways); and Amending Chapter 19.92 (Definitions) to Align Roadway Standards with the California Fire Code as Amended and Adopter y the City Council, and Clarify Various Definitions Related to Development Projects. Motion carriec 4-0-1 with Mayor Lowe, Council Member Wellander, Council Member Ding, and Council Member Farrar-Rivas voting YES and Vice Mayor Gurney absent.
9. REGULAR CALENDAR - CITY COUNCIL
None.
10. COMMISSION AND COMMITTEE ROSTER
Informational only; no action will be taken.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Lowe adjourned the meeting at 7:35 pm.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and regularly adopted at a regular meeting of the Sonoma City Council on the 15th day of March 2023.
Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk