REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
OF THE SONOMA CITY COUNCIL
City Council Chambers
Cig Council: 177 First Street West
, 90h“Gurney:Mayor Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Pamela Farrar—Rivas, Vice Mayor
Jack Ding _ Ron Wellander 6:00 PM Regular Meeting
Sandra Lowe
6:00 P.M. — REGULAR MEETING
CONVENE, CALL TO ORDER, & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Gurney called the meeting to order at 6:00 pm.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Council Member Wellander, Council Member Lowe, Vice Mayor Farrar—Rivas, and Mayor Gurney
ABSENT Council Member Ding
REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
There was no reportable action taken in Closed Session.
APPROVAL OF AGENA
Motion by Vice Mayor Farrar—Rivas, seconded by Council Member Lowe, to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried 4-0—1with Council Member Lowe, Vice Mayor Farrar—Rivas, Council Member Wellander, and Mayor Gurney voting YES, and Council Member Ding absent.
1. PRESENTATIONS
Item 1.1: "Celebrate Sonoma" — Presentation of Certificate of Recognition in Honor of Fred Allebach
2. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Robert Demler, Joceyln Mondragon, Madolyn Agrimonti, Kaitlyn Cornwall, Dave Ransom, and Karina Garcia provided public comments.
3. MEETING DEDICATIONS
None.
4. COUNCILMEMBERS’ REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Council Member Lowe attended a Sonoma County Transportation Authority/Regional Climate Protection Agency Board of Directors meeting on November 18, 2024.
Vice Mayor Farrar—Rivas attended a Sonoma Clean Power meeting on November 7, 2024, and a Sonoma Valley Community Advisory Commission meeting on November 14, 2024.
Council Member Wellander attended a Sonoma County Homeless Coalition meeting on October 23, 2024.
Mayor Gurney attended a Sonoma Tourism Improvement District meeting last week on November 14, 2024.
5. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
City Manager Guhin provided a brief weather update to the Council and the public regarding heavy rain over the next few days. He announced that there would be a sandbag filling station located at Depot Park. Mr. Guhin also reported that the City has been working with the Department of Emergency Management on the possibility of County—wide warming shelters and other resources. New columbarium’s have been ordered for the City’s cemeteries and are scheduled to be installed next year at the Mountain and Veterans Cemetery. He also shared that there had been some unfortunate graffiti at Mountain Cemetery; however, thanks to the quick response of the Public Works Team, the graffiti has been removed. Mr. Guhinreiterated from the last meeting that the City’s Express Permitting is available to the public in addition to now being able to schedule inspections online as well. City Manager Guhin announced that the annual “Lighting ofthe Plaza” event willbe held this weekend on Saturday, November 23rdstarting at 5PM —weather permitting. Looking into the new year, the annual City Council Goal Setting Workshop is scheduled for January 30, 2025, at the Sonoma Lodge from 9AM to 4PM. Mr. Guhin shared that the December 4, 2024, regular City Council has been canceled; all items that were scheduled for that meeting will be moved to the December 18, 2024, regular meeting. Lastly, he shared that this evening’s stream of the meeting is not working on the City’s YouTube channel, however; the stream can be accessed via Sonoma TV’s website.
6. CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS
None.
Regular Meeting Minutes, November 20, 2024
7. CONSENT CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Motion by Council Member Lowe, seconded by Vice Mayor Farrar—Rivas, to approve the Consent Calendar as presented. Motion carried 4-0-1 with Council Member Lowe, Vice Mayor Farrar—Rivas, Council Member Wellander, and Mayor Gurney voting YES, and Council Member Ding 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: Receive the Minutes from the Regular Meeting of November 6, 2024 (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: The minutes were accepted.
Item 7.3: Accept the Expenditure Report for the Month of October 2024 (Prapti Aryal, Finance Director)
Action: The expenditure report was accepted.
Item 7.4: Adopt Resolutions Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract with American Conservation Experience (ACE) in the Amount of 140,528.63 to Provide Restoration Services on the City of Sonoma Overlook Trail, Authorize the City to Accept a Donation in the Amount of $41,634 from the Sonoma Overlook Trail Stewards, and Reappropriating $20,000 in Park-in—LieuFees to CIP P—14(Mike Berger, Public Works Director) Action: Adopted as Resolution 95-2024 and 96-2024.
Item 7.5: Adopt a Resolution Approving Addendum 1 to the Joint Powers Agreement with the County of Sonoma Addressing Payment for Video Streaming of Sonoma Valley Community Advisory Commission (SVCAC) Meetings with Costs Shared between the City and the County of Sonoma and Authorizing the Mayor to Execute the Addendum (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: Adopted as Resolution 97-2024.
8. PUBLIC HEARING
Item 8.1: Discussion, Consideration, and Possible Introduction of an Ordinance of the City Council Amending Sonoma Municipal Code Sections 19.54.040 through 19.54.070 and Sections
19.54.090 through 19.54.100 (Planning Permit Approval or Disapproval), and Finding the Ordinance Exempt from the California Environmental Act (CEQA) Pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) - General Rule - of the CEQA Guidelines (Diane Levine, Associate Planner) Action: Ordinance was introduced.
Open Public Hearing: 6:58 pm.
Public Comment: None.
Closed Public Hearing: 6:58 pm.
Motion by Council Member Lowe, seconded by Vice Mayor Farrar-Rivas, to introduce an Ordinance of the City Council Amending Sonoma Municipal Code Sections 19.54.040 through 19.54.070 and Sections
19.54. 090 through 19.54.100 (Planning Permit Approval or Disapproval), and Finding the Ordinance Exempt from the California Environmental Act (CEQA) Pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) — General Rule — of the CEQA Guidelines. Motion carried 4-0-1 with Council Member Lowe, Vice Mayor Farrar-Rivas, Council Member Wellander, and Mayor Gurney voting YES, and Council Member Ding absent.
9. REGULAR CALENDAR — CITY COUNCIL
Item 9.1: Update on 2024 Council Goals (David Guhin, City Manager) Action: The update was received, and feedback was provided to the City Manager.
Public Comment: Sedra Nathan, Michael Ross, and Bob Sanders.
10. SECOND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
None.
10. ADJOURNMENT
Mayor Gurney adjourned the meeting at 7:43 pm.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and regularly received at a regular meeting of the ity Council on the 18’”of December 2024.
e ekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk
Regular Meeting Minutes, November 20, 2024