REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
OF THE SONOMA CITY COUNCIL
City Council Chambers
City Council: 177 First Street West
Salldra L°We:MaY°’ Wednesday, April 19, 2023
John Gurney, Vice Mayor
Jack Ding _ Patricia Farrar—Rivas 5100 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 6:00 pm.
PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS FOR ZOOM ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Mayor Lowe, Council Member Ding, Vice Mayor Gurney, Council Member Wellander, Council Member Farrar—Rivas
Council Member Farrar—Rivas participated in the council meeting via Zoom using the “just cause” allowance of Assembly Bill2449.
REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
There was no Closed Session held.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Vice Mayor Gurney, seconded by Council Member Ding, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
1. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Josette Brose-Eichar, David Eichar and Gil Latimer provided public comments.
2. MEETING DEDICATIONS
Mayor Lowe dedicated the meeting to Nancy Parmelee.
Public Comment: Janine Maddock, Council Member Ding and Laurie Gallian
3. COUNCILMEMBERS’ REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Vice Mayor Gurney attended the Sonoma Tourism Improvement District Board meeting on April 13, 2023, where they confirmed they will be moving fon/vard with printing 50,000 copies of the updated Visitor’s Guide. He also attended the Sonoma Valley Library Advisory Committee meeting, where itwas discussed how to increase attendance, specifically from the City’s Hispanic and disadvantaged communities. Additionally, the committee is also looking into the possibility of implementing media translation phone line services.
Council Member Wellander attended a School Safety Community Forum on April 17, 2023. There was interest in those attending to reinstitute the School Resource Officer with possible modified responsibilities and duties. This is a continuing discussion. Council Member Wellander also attended the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commission meeting on April 18, 2023. The committee is functioning well and encourages the public to attend these meetings to be a part of the discussions pertaining to parks, recreation and open space in the City.
Council Member Ding attended the Sonoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Agency meeting. At this time, the Board asked the City of Sonoma for a monetary contribution of $25,000. Council Member Ding willfollow up with the City Manager regarding this request.
Council Member Farrar—Rivas attended the Sonoma Clean Power committee meeting on April 3, 2023, as well as a Climate Action Committee meeting on April 12, 2023. The Climate Action Committee currently has five ad-hoc subcommittees and plans to hold a special meeting on May 31, 2023, to go in more depth into what their responsibilities and priorities are. The City of Sonoma currently has a resolution to be net zero by 2030. Council Member Farrar—Rivas noted that she would like the minutes of the regular meeting held on April 3, 2023, to indicate that in addition to appointing an alternate and youth member position, she also needs to make a direct appointment to the Traffic Safety Committee.
Mayor Lowe attended a LAFCO meeting where the group voted to consolidate many fire districts under the Gold Ridge Fire District. She also attended a Sonoma County Transportation Authority meeting where the group discussed researching possibilities of funding measures to fight climate change.
4. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Interim City Manager Linder announced that the City of Sonoma received notification from Housing Development Center (HDC) that the 2023-2031 Housing Element is now fully certified.
5. CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS
None.
6. PRESENTATIONS
None.
7. CONSENT CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Motion by Council Member Ding, seconded by Vice Mayor Gurney, to approve the Consent Calendar with Item 7.4 being pulled for separate consideration. Motion carried unanimously.
Item 7.1:
Item 7.2:
Item 7.3:
Item 7.4:
Waive further reading and Authorize Introduction andlor Adoption of Ordinances by Title Only. (Standard procedural action - no backup information provided)
Receive Minutes from the Regular Meeting of April 3, 2023 (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: Minutes were received with the addition that Council Member FarrarRivas’s direct appointment for the Traffic Safety Committee has not been appointed yet.
Adopt a Resolution Approving the 2024 Citywide Surface Treatment as the Project for Fiscal Year 2023-24 Funded by Senate Bill1: The Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017 and Authorize the Public Works Department to Submit this Project to the California Transportation Commission (Oriana Hart, Public Works Administration & Project Manager)
Action: Adopted as Resolution #20-2023.
Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with Ghirardelli Associates, Inc. for Construction Management, Inspection and Materials Testing Services for the Chase Street Bridge Replacement Project, Federal Project No. CML-5114(016) (Project), for an amount not to exceed $500,692.16 (Michael Berger, Public Works Director/City Engineer)
Action: Adopted as Resolution #21-2023.
Motion by Vice Mayor Gurney, seconded by Council Member Ding, to Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with Ghirarde/li Associates, Inc. for Construction Management, Inspection and Materials Testing Services for the Chase Street Bridge Replacement Project, Federal Project No. CML-5114(016) (Project), for an amount not to exceed $500,692.16. Motion carried unanimously.
Item 7.5:
Item 7.6:
Item 7.7:
Adopt a Resolution Adopting the Specifications for the Depot Park Museum HVAC Project No. 2301 (Project); Accepting the Bids and Awarding a Contract to Peterson Mechanical of Sonoma, CA; Authorizing a Mid-Year Budget Adjustment to Fund 304- 50000—703-70703 in the Amount of $57,000.00; and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Construction Contract in the Amount of $217,000.00 (Oriana Hart, Public Works Administration & Project Manager)
Action: Adopted as Resolution #22-2023.
Accept the Expenditure Report for the Month of March 2023 (Liz Garcia, Deputy Finance Director)
Action: Expenditure report was accepted.
Adopt a Resolution Approving Compensation Adjustments for Certain NonRepresented Confidential Personnel and Executive/At-Will, Management and Administrative Personnel, and Implementing the Adjusted Salaries and Wages of the Non—represented Confidential Personnel and Executive/At-Will, Management and Administrative Personnel (Mark Linder, Interim City Manager) Action: Adopted as Resolution #23-2023.
8. PUBLIC HEARING
Item 8.1: Discussion, Consideration, and Possible Action to Introduce an Ordinance amending the Sonoma Municipal Code Title 19 ofthe Sonoma Municipal Code, to Move Section
19.50.090 (Accessory dwelling units) from Chapter 19.50 (Special Use Standards) to New Chapter 19.45 (Accessory Dwelling Units) and Amending the Section to Allow Second Story ADUs Without a Use Permit and to Comply with New State Laws and Finding the Proposed Amendments are Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.17 and Section 15061(B)(3) — General Rule — of the CEQA Guidelines (Kristina Tierney, Associate Planner)
Action: Ordinance was introduced.
Open Public Hearing: 6:65 pm
Public Comments: Fred A//ebach, David Eichar, Claire So/ot, Ca/um Weeks, and Veronica Napoles
Closed Public Hearing: 7:06 pm
*_*_J
Motion by Council Member We//ander, Seconded by Council Member Ding, to Introduce an Ordinance, as amended, amending the Sonoma Municipal Code Title 19 of the Sonoma Municipal Code, to Move Section 19.50. 090 (Accessory dwelling units) from Chapter 19.50 (Special Use Standards) to New Chapter 19.45 (Accessory Dwelling Units) and Amending the Section to Allow Second Story ADUs Without a Use Permit and to Comply with New State Laws and Finding the Proposed Amendments are Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21080.17 and Section 15061 (B)(3) — General Rule — of the CEOA Guidelines. Motion carried unanimously.
9. REGULAR CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Item 9.1: Update on FY 2022-23 Budget to Actuals and Discussion, Consideration and Possible Action to Adopt a Resolution Regarding Mid-Year Budget Amendments to the City of Sonoma’s Operating and Capital Budgets for FY 2022-23 (Elizabeth Garcia, Deputy Finance Director)
Action: Adopted as Resolution #24-2023.
Motion by Council Member Ding, seconded by Council Member Farrar—Rivas, to Adopt a Resolution Regarding Mid-Year Budget Amendments to the City of Sonoma’s Operating and Capital Budgets for FY 2022-23. Motion carried unanimously.
Mayor Lowe called for recess at 7:32 pm; Council reconvened at 7:38 pm.
Item 9.2: Discussion, Consideration, and Possible Action Regarding: 1) Whether to Allow the Opportunity for a Second Retail Storefront Commercial Cannabis Dispensary to Operate Within the City; and, ifso, 2) Direct Staff to issue a Request For Proposals (RFP) for a Second Retail Storefront Commercial Cannabis Business in the City (Laura Simpson, Interim Planning & Community Services Director) Action: Council provided direction; no action was taken.
Public Comments: Erich Pearson, Sim Crites, Andrew Dobbs-Kramer, Josette Brose-Eichar, Tess Kofoid, Jessica Flagg, Joshua Reish, Jesus Calvio, Robbie R, Justin Morgan, Nick Gurgich, No name provided, David Eichar, Perry Ellis, Gil Latimer, Richard Silver, Nick Caston, Eli Melrod, Item 9.3: Discussion, Consideration, and Possible Action to Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Execute an Employment Agreement with the City Manager (David Ruderman, City Attorney & Mark Linder, Interim City Manager) Action: Adopted as Resolution #25-2023.
Public Comment: Fred Allebach and Tom Conlon
Motion by Council Member We//ander, seconded by Council Member Ding, to Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the Mayor to Execute an Employment Agreement with the City Manager. Motion carried unanimously.
10. COMMISSION AND COMMITTEE ROSTER
Informational only; no action willbe taken.
During the meeting, Council Member Farrar—Rivas noted that she would like the minutes of the regular meeting held on April 3, 2023, to indicate that in addition to appointing an alternate and youth member position, she also needs to make a direct appointment to the Traffic Safety Committee.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Lowe adjourned the meeting at 9:14 pm.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and regularly adopted at a regular meet" g oft onoma City Council on the 3"’day of May 2023.
Rebek h Barr, MMC, City Clerk