REGULAR MEETING MINUTES
OF THE SONOMA CITY COUNCIL
CALIFORNIT City Council Chambers
City Council: 177 First Street West
Patricia Farrar-Rivas, Mayor Wednesday, December 18, 2024 Ron Wellander, Vice Mayor
Sandra Lowe
John Gurney 6:00 PM Regular Meeting
Jack Ding
6:00 P.M. - REGULAR MEETING
CONVENE, CALL TO ORDER, & PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Mayor Gurney called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m.
ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Council Member Wellander, Council Member Lowe, Vice Mayor Farrar-Rivas, Mayor Gurney, and Council Member Ding
REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION
There was no Closed Session held.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Motion by Council Member Lowe, seconded by Vice Mayor Farrar-Rivas, to approve the agenda as presented. Approved by consensus of the Council.
1. PRESENTATIONS
Item 1.1: "Celebrate Sonoma" - Presentation of Certificate of Recognition in Honor of the Sonoma Valley High School Dragons Football Team
Item 1.2: Proclamation of Congratulations to the Sonoma Sister Cities Chambolle-Musigny Committee On the Occasion of Their Sixty-Fifth Anniversary
2. CERTIFICATION OF ELECTION & REORGANIZATION
Item 2.1: Adopt a Resolution Reciting the Facts of the General Municipal Election held on November 5, 2024, Declaring the Result and Such Other Matters as Required by Law (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: Adopted as Resolution 99-2024.
Motion by Vice Mayor Farrar-Rivas, seconded by Council Member Lowe, to Adopt a Resolution Reciting the Facts of the General Municipal Election held on November 5, 2024, Declaring the Result and Such Other Matters as Required by Law. Motion carried unanimously.
Item 2.2: Oath of Office of Newly Re-Elected Council Members Jack Ding and Sandra Lowe (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: Newly Re-elected Council Members took their Oath of Office.
Item 2.3: City Council Reorganization
1. Recognition of Outgoing Mayor
2. Selection of Mayor and Vice Mayor for 2025
Action: Council Member Patricia Farrar-Rivas was selected as Mayor and Ron Wellander was selected as Vice Mayor.
Public Comment: Robert Demler
Council Member Lowe nominated Vice Mayor Farrar-Rivas for Mayor.
Motion carried unanimously.
Council Member Ding nominated Council Member Wellander for Vice Mayor.
Motion carried unanimously.
3. SCHEDULED 15 MINUTE RECESS
4. COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
Madolyn Agrimonti provided public comment.
5. MEETING DEDICATIONS
None.
6. COUNCIL MEMBERS' REPORTS AND COMMENTS
Regular Meeting Minutes, December 18, 2024
Council Member Ding attended a Zero Waste Sonoma meeting on November 21, 2024. He also, on behalf of the City of Sonoma, participated in the Ukraine Counsel General Visit.
Council Member Lowe attended a Sonoma County Transportation Authority/Regional Protection Agency meeting on December 9, 2024.
Mayor Farrar-Rivas attended a Sonoma Clean Power Board meeting on December 5, 2024, as well as a Sonoma Valley Community Advisory Commission (SVCAC) meeting on December 17, 2024.
Council Member Gurney attended a County Supervisor's meeting where he was able to present a key and provide recognition to outgoing Supervisor Susan Gorin.
7. CITY MANAGER COMMENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Community Development Director Gates provided an update to the Council regarding the new installation of the City Council Chambers Rotating Art Program, which features photos of 2024 Treasure Artist Victor Ferrer Grupo Folklorico Quetzalen in Sonoma Valley performers. She continued to remind the public that City Hall Offices will be closed for the holiday break from December 24, 2024, to January 2, 2025. Ms. Gates notified Council that the City partnered with the County of Sonoma to activate the Emergency Warming Center at the City's Emergency Homeless Shelter on December 8*h and 9th, which provided a warm, safe space for five individuals during the fridged temperatures. She went on to announce that the City has partnered with HDL Companies to launch the HDL Business Support Center to streamline business license applications and renewals. More information is available on the City's website. Ms. Gates also invited the community to participate in the upcoming Council Goal Settings workshop being held on January 30, 2025, from 9 am to 5 pm in the Blue Oak Room at The Lodge in Sonoma. The public comment period will take place at 10:20 a.m. Additionally, there will also be a General Plan Community Meeting at 6 pm on January 30, 2025, at the Vintage House. Ms. Gates reminded everyone that as more rain is on the way, the City's self- serve sandbag filling station in the Depot Park parking lot will be open. Lastly, Community Development Director Gates shared that the Alcalde nomination period for the 2025 Alcalde closes at 5 pm on January 3, 2025; more information is available on the website.
8. CITY ATTORNEY COMMENTS
None.
9. CONSENT CALENDAR - CITY COUNCIL
Motion by Council Member Lowe, seconded by Council Member Ding, to approve the Consent Calendar as presented. Motion carried unanimously.
Item 9.1: Waive further reading and Authorize Introduction and/or Adoption of Ordinances by Title Only. (Standard procedural action - no backup information provided)
Item 9.2: Accept the Minutes from the Regular Meeting of November 20, 2024, and the Special Meeting of December 4, 2024 (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk) Action: Minutes were accepted.
Item 9.3: Receive the 2025 Annual City Meeting Calendar (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk) Action: Adopted as Resolution 103-2024.
Item 9.4: Adopt an Ordinance 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: Adopted as Ordinance 09-2024.
Item 9.5: Accept the Expenditure Report for the Month of November 2024 (Prapti Aryal, Finance Director)
Action: The Expenditure Report was accepted.
Item 9.6: 1. A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute Agreements with the California Department of Tax & Fee Administration for Implementation of a Local Transactions and Use Tax; and
2. A Resolution Authorizing Examination of Sales or Transactions and Use Tax Records; and
3. A Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute an Amendment to the Existing Contract with Hinderliter De Llamas and Associates (HdL Companies) to Include Management Services for Tax Measure T
Action: Adopted as Resolution 100-2024, Resolution 101-2024, and Resolution 102-2024.
11. REGULAR CALENDAR - CITY COUNCIL
Item 11.3: Consideration of the Updated Public Art Policy, Including the Expansion of Temporary Installations and Introduction an Ordinance Amending Chapter 19.51 of the Sonoma Regular Meeting Minutes, December 18, 2024
Municipal Code to Align with the Revised Policy (Sarah Tracy, Senior Management Analyst/PIO)
Action: Adopted as Resolution 104-2024, and the Ordinance was introduced.
Motion by Vice Mayor Wellander, seconded by Council Member Ding, to Approve the updated Public Art Policy and Introduce an Ordinance Amending Chapter 19.51 of the Sonoma Municipal Code to Align with the Revised Policy. Motion carried unanimously.
10. PUBLIC HEARING
Item 10.1: Public Hearing to Introduce an Ordinance amending Sonoma Municipal Code Chapters
19.41 - Two-Unit Residential Development and Chapter 19.72 - Parcel Maps For Urban Lot Splits and finding this action is not a Project under Division 13 (Commencing With Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code (Jennifer Gates, AICP, Community Development Director)
Action: Ordinance was introduced.
Open Public Hearing: 7:56 p.m.
Public Comments: None.
Closed Public Hearing: 7:56 p.m.
Motion by Council Member Ding, seconded by Council Member Lowe, to Introduce an Ordinance Amending Sonoma Municipal Code Chapters 19.41 - Two-Unit Residential Development and Chapter
19.72 - Parcel Maps For Urban Lot Splits and finding this action is not a Project under Division 13 (Commencing With Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code. Motion carried unanimously.
Item 10.2: IF NEEDED - Presentation and Public Hearing Regarding City of Sonoma's Transition to By-District Elections (David Guhin, City Manager and Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk) Action: The item was not needed.
11. REGULAR CALENDAR - CITY COUNCIL
Item 11.1: A Resolution Approving the Conditions for Operations of Sonoma's Tuesday Night Market 2025 Season and Vendor Stall Fee Pricing
Action: Adopted as Resolution 105-2024.
Motion by Council Member Ding, seconded by Council Member Lowe, to Adopt a Resolution Approving the Conditions for Operations of Sonoma's Tuesday Night Market 2025 Season and Vendor Stall Fee Pricing. Motion carried unanimously.
Item 11.2: Appointment of a Youth Member to the Planning Commission (Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk)
Action: Isabel Pedersen was appointed as a Youth Member to the Planning Commission.
Motion by Council Member Gurney, seconded by Council Member Ding, to appoint Isabel Pedersen as a Youth Member to the Planning Commission. Motion carried unanimously.
12. SECOND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC
None.
13. ADJOURN
Mayor Farrar-Rivas adjourned the meeting at 8:24 p.m.
I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and regularly received at a regular meeting of the Sonoma City Council on the 15th of January 2025.
Rebekah Barr, MMC, City Clerk
Regular Meeting Minutes, December 18, 2024