REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
OF THE SONOMA CITY COUNCIL
City Council Chambers
cig Council: 177 First Street West
Sa“d’a '-°We»_MaY°’ Monday, September 18, 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 6:00 pm.
PUBLIC COMMENT PROCESS FOR ZOOM ATTENDANCE AT MEETINGS
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Mayor Lowe, Council Member Ding, Vice Mayor Gurney, Council Member Farrar-Rivas, Council Member Wellander
REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
There was no reportable action taken in Closed Session.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, seconded by Vice Mayor Gurney, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
1. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Robert Demler provided public comment.
2. MEETING DEDICATIONS
None.
3. COUNCILMEMBERS’ REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Vice Mayor Gurney had an opportunity to have a partnership meeting with Sonoma Splash. On September 13, 2023, Vice Mayor Gurney met with Supervisor Gorin to discuss community engagement around wellness surveys. He also attended a meeting of the Catalyst Fund. Additionally, Vice Mayor Gurney attended a Sonoma Tourism Improvement District meeting on September 14, 2023. Lastly, Vice Mayor Gurney attended the Valley Cemetery Clean-Up Day, which was held on Saturday, September 16, 2023.
Council Member Farrar-Rivas attended a State Route 37 Policy Committee meeting on August 23, 2023, on behalf of Mayor Lowe. Council Member Farrar-Rivas also attended a Sonoma Valley Citizens’ Oversight Commission meeting on August 23, 2023. She reminded everyone that the City still has two open seats available on this commission - a regular and an alternate position. She also shared that Vice Mayor Gurney, City Manager Guhin, and herself meet with a large group of women at the local golf course to discuss the community's current issues and the group general concerns.
Council Member Ding attended a Zero Waste Sonoma meeting on August 17, 2023. Mr. Ding also shared with the Council that the California State Water Resource Board approved $3.097M dollars for Sonoma Valley through the Sonoma Valley Groundwater Sustainability Committee.
Mayor Lowe hiked Jack London Park above the SDC ropes course to view the orchard in the area.
Mayor Lowe shared that she has received various communications from different Sister Cities thanking the City of Sonoma for continuing their support. Mayor Lowe attended the Plein Art Gala as the guest speaker, which was held from September 11-15, 2023. She also attended an event for the League of Historic Preservation in which she was asked to provide a short speech, a housing symposium in Boyes Hot Springs, and a legislative meeting with the local league of cities to review future legislative bills as well as a Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) meeting. Mayro Lowe shared that there was also a kick-off meeting to bring back the Arts Walk in October. Mayor Lowe is a member of the Sonoma County Transportation Authority, and she announced that they have selected a new Executive Director.
Mayor Lowe also proudly announced that City Manager Guhin has been chosen as an Awardee of the 2023 Grable Hedgepeth Housing Champion Award through Generation Housing for all his work as Assistant City Manager for the City of Santa Rosa during the 2017 wildfires.
4. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
City Manager Guhin provided a brief review of the history ofthe Vintage Festival posters that are currently on display in the Council Chambers. Mr. Guhin expressed his gratitude for all the volunteers who showed up on Saturday, 9/16, to assist with the first Valley Cemetery Clean-Up Day. He reminded everyone that there are two more clean-up days coming up, and the next is scheduled for October 7, 2023, at Mountain Cemetery. On September 15, 2023, the Governor's Office held a Regional Hearing for the California Truth and Healing Council at Sonoma Mission.
5. CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS
City Attorney Ruderman informed Council that the Legislature did complete their 2023 Session on September 15, 2023, and those bills now need to be signed or vetoed by the Governor by October 14, 2023. At that time, there will be a thorough review of what bills were passed. City Attorney Ruderman also shared that he has been invited to be a member of the CalCities Legal Advocacy Committee.
6. PRESENTATIONS
Item 6.1: Proclamation Proclaiming September 26, 2023, as Sonoma Valley Museum of Art Day on the Occasion of Their 25th Anniversary
7. CONSENT CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Motion by Council Member Farrar—Rivas, seconded by Council Member Wel/ander, to approve the Consent Calendar as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Public Comment: Madolyn Agrimonti, Whiteny Evans, and Tom Deegan.
Item 7.1: Waive further reading and Authorize Introduction andlor Adoption of Ordinances by Title Only. (Standard procedural action ~ no backup information provided)
Item 7.2: Receive Minutes from the Regular Meeting of August 16, 2023 (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: Minutes were received.
Item 7.3: Appoint Henri Montgomery-Yale as the Non-Voting Youth Member to the Traffic Safety Committee (TSC) and Maria Perez-Allen as the Alternate on the Parks, Recreation, & Open Space Commission (PROS) (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk) Action: Henri Montgomery-Yale was appointed as the non-voting youth member to the Traffic Safety Committee and Maria Perez-Allen was appointed as the alternate on the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Commission.
Item 7.4: Authorize the Mayor to Sign Letter of Support for Care Partners Initiative Application to Dementia Friendly America (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk) Action: Letter of Support for CarePartners Initiative Application was authorized.
8. PUBLIC HEARING
Item 8.1: Public Hearing to Adopt a Resolution Amending the City of Sonoma Master Fee Schedule for Planning, Building, Public Works, and Special Events (Jennifer Gates, AICP, Community Development Director)
Action: Adopted as Resolution #61-2023.
Open Public Hearing: 6:41 PM
Public Comment: Kayla (no last name)
Closed Public Hearing: 6:43 PM
Motion by Vice Mayor Gurney, seconded by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, to adopt a resolution amending the City of Sonoma Master Fee Schedule for Planning, Building, Public Works, and Special Events. Motion carried unanimously.
9. REGULAR CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Item 9.1: Resolution Accepting the Downtown Parking Management Plan (Jennifer Gates, AICP, Community Development Director and Kristina Tierney, Associate Planner) Action: Adopted as Resolution #62-2023.
Public Comment: Tom Conlon, Armando Zimmerman, and Calum Weeks.
Motion by Vice Mayor Gurney, seconded by Council Member Ding, to adopt the resolution accepting the Downtown Parking Management Plan. Motion carried unanimously.
Item 9.2: Creation of a General Plan Update Task Force (Jennifer Gates, AICP, Community Development Director)
Action: Adopted as Resolution #63-2023.
Motion by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, seconded by Vice Mayor Gurney, to adopt a resolution, as amended, to create a General Plan Update Task Force. Motion carried unanimously.
Motion by Council Member Farrar-Rivas, seconded by Council Member Ding, to appoint the Vice Mayor and Mayor to the General Plan Update Task Force to work with staff to ?nalize the Task Force membership. Motion carried unanimously.
10. COMMISSION AND COMMITTEE ROSTER
One position and one alternate position are still vacant on the Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission.
The regular City Council meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 6, 2023, has been canceled. The next regularly scheduled City Council meeting will be held on Monday, September ‘I8, 2023.
11. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Lowe adjourned the meeting at 7:58 pm.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and regularly adopted at a regular meeting of these?)City C uncil on the 4"’day of October 2023.
/ RebekahBarr, MMC, City Clerk