City of St. Helena
City Council Regular Meeting
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 @ 6:00 PM
Vintage Hall Board Room - Second Floor
465 Main Street, St. Helena CA
PLEASE NOTE: Any person who wishes to speak regarding an item on the agenda or make a comment under the "Public Forum" portion of the agenda may do so, but please observe the time limit of four minutes.
The City Council meeting will be live-streamed on Comcast Channel 28 and on the City’s website.
Public comment for City Council meetings will be accepted via email via to [email protected]. All public comments must be received three hours prior to the meeting. All other public comments received after the deadline will be attached to the item the next business day or soon thereafter. Public comments will not be read out loud but will be publicly available and attached to the online City Council agenda.
To ensure interpreters are available, requests must be made at least 72 hours in advance by calling the Office of the City Clerk at (707) 968-2640 or emailing [email protected].
The schedule of upcoming meetings and published meeting agendas can be found on the City of St. Helena website at cityofsthelena.gov.
Servicios de interpretación en español durante la reunión pueden ser solicitados por el público.
Para asegurar que los intérpretes estén disponibles, los servicios tienen que ser solicitados al menos 72 horas antes de la reunión llamando a la oficina de la Secretaria de la Ciudad al (707) 968-2640 o por correo electrónico a [email protected].
El horario de las reuniones publicadas y próximas puede ser localizado en el sitio de web de la Ciudad en cityofsthelena.gov
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. ROLL CALL
Mayor: Paul Dohring, Vice Mayor: Michelle Deasy, City Council Members: Aaron Barak, Kate Spadarotto
3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
4. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA
5. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
5.1. Regular City Council Minutes of April 28, 2026
5.2. Special City Council Minutes of May 5, 2026
6. PUBLIC FORUM
Members of the public are entitled to speak on matters of municipal concern not on the agenda during Public Forum. Each person’s comments shall be limited to 4 minutes. Each person is entitled to speak on any non-agendized item only once at any meeting. Brief questions by Council Members for clarifications may be posed and answered, and Council Members may make requests that items be placed on future agendas, but in accordance with state law, no substantive discussion or action may take place unless and until the matter properly appears on the agenda.
7. REPORTS BY STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL, FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS, AND AB 1234 REPORTS
Reports by staff and/or Council Members on items of general interest. Brief questions for clarification may be posed and answered, and Council Members may request that items be placed on a future agenda. Except under certain circumstances, the Brown Act prohibits any other discussion or action by the City Council.
Estimated start time: 6:15 p.m.
8. PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLIC RECOGNITIONS
9. STAFF BRIEFING AND PRESENTATIONS
9.1. Discussion Regardining A-Frame Signs - Policy Background, Current Regulations, and Council Options.
CEQA Determination: Not a CEQA Project (CEQA Guidelines §15378).
Prepared By: Jackie Oneal, Senior Planner
Recommendation: Receive the report, hear public comment, and provide direction to staff.
For Council discussion, a range of potential policy approaches is outlined below, including, but not limited to:
• Maintain the current regulations without modification • Modify existing standards to address location, number, or timing of Aframe signs • Limit A-frame signs to specific circumstances, such as new businesses or certain hours of operation
• Prohibit A-frame signs, consistent with the prior zoning code, with consideration of transition or phase-out options
Any direction to modify the current regulations would require a zoning code amendment and review by the Planning Commission prior to City Council adoption. Implementation timing and transition provisions may also be considered as part of any future action. Council direction will inform whether staff returns with a proposed zoning code amendment for Planning Commission review.
9.2. Proclaiming May 17-23, 2026 National Public Works Week
10. CONSENT ITEMS
Members of the Council or the public (present at the meeting) may ask that any items be considered individually for purposes of considering alternative action, for extended discussion, or for public comment. Unless that is done, one motion may be used to adopt all recommended actions. (Roll Call Vote) Estimated start time: 6:30 p.m.
10.1.Consideration of Authorizing Additional Staffing Support and Budget Allocation to Assist the Office of the City Clerk in Managing Increasing Requests Under the California Public Records Act, Including Funding for Information Technology Support in the Amount of $22,500 Utilizing General Fund Reserves.
CEQA Determination: Not a CEQA Project (CEQA Guidelines §15378) Prepared By: Andrew Bradley, Program Manager (City Clerk) Recommendation: Adopt a Resolution to:
1. Authorize additional staffing support with Regional Government Services within the Office of the City Clerk to assist with the processing and management of Public Records Act requests.
2. Approve supplemental budget allocation to cover increased costs associated with Information Technology support related to Public Records Act responses with APEX.
3. Direct staff to include ongoing funding considerations for PRA response management in future budget discussions if the upward trend in requests continues.
10.2.Resolution authorizing a ceremonial flag recognizing LGBTQ+ Pride Month during the month of June 2026.
CEQA Determination: Not a CEQA Project (CEQA Guidelines §15378) Prepared By: Andrew Bradley, Program Manager (City Clerk) Recommendation: Approve a resolution authorizing the Progress Pride flag to be flown on the City's ceremonial flag pole during the month of June 2026.
11. PUBLIC HEARINGS
12. OLD BUSINESS
13. NEW BUSINESS
Estimated start time: 6:45 p.m.
13.1.Referendum Petition Challenging a City Council Ordinance protesting a portion of Ordinance No. 2026-03
CEQA Determination: Not a CEQA Project (CEQA Guidelines §15378) Prepared By: Andrew Bradley, Program Manager (City Clerk) , Ethan Walsh, City Attorney, BBK
Recommendation: That the City Council:
1. Receive, file, and accept the certificate of sufficiency of referendum petition signatures as valid in all respects.
2. Select one of the following two options:
A. Repeal the challenged portion of the ordinance in its entirety; or B. Submit the challenged portion of the ordinance to St. Helena voters at the next regular municipal election that is not less than 88 days after the date of calling the election, which is November 3, 2026.
13.2.Consideration of Process for Appointment to Fill City Council Vacancy CEQA Determination: Not a CEQA Project (CEQA Guidelines §15378) Prepared By: Andrew Bradley, Program Manager (City Clerk) Recommendation: Fill the vacancy via an appointment (as opposed to an election) created by Council Member Summers after being absent for more than 60 days consecutively from the last regular meeting he attended. Utilize the proposed process and timeline Council for the appointment of a new City Council Member.
14. CITY COUNCIL REPORTS
15. ADJOURNMENT
The next Regular City Council meeting is scheduled for May 26, 2026 at 6 p.m.
This agenda was posted at City Hall, 1088 College Avenue, and at Vintage Hall, 465 Main Street, St. Helena, California on May 8, 2026.
Andrew Bradley, City Clerk
In Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please call the City Clerk’s Office (707) 967-2792. Notification 72 hours prior to the meeting as required by Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting.
CHALLENGING DECISIONS OF CITY ENTITIES
The time limit within which to commence any lawsuit or legal challenge to any quasi-adjudicative decision made by the City of St. Helena is governed by Section 1094.6 of the Code of Civil Procedure, unless a shorter limitation period is specified by any other provision, including without limitation Government Code section 65009 applicable to many land use and zoning decisions, Government Code section 66499.37 applicable to the Subdivision Map Act, and Public Resources Code section 21167 applicable to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
Under Section 1094.6, any lawsuit or legal challenge to any quasi-adjudicative decision made by the City must be filed no later than the 90th day following the date on which such decision becomes final. Any lawsuit or legal challenge, which is not filed within that 90-day period, will be barred. Government Code section 65009 and 66499.37, and Public Resources Code section 21167, impose shorter limitations periods and requirements, including timely service in addition to filing.
If a person wishes to challenge the above actions in court, they may be limited to raising only those issues they or someone else raised at the meeting described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of St. Helena, at or prior to the meeting. In addition, judicial challenge may be limited or barred where the interested party has not sought and exhausted all available administrative remedies.
SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL RECEIVED AFTER THE POSTING OF THE AGENDA Any supplemental writings or documents distributed to a majority of the City Council regarding any item on this Agenda, after the posting of the Agenda, will be available for public review in the City Clerk’s Office located at 1088 College Avenue, St. Helena, California, during normal business hours and by appointment. In addition, such writings or documents will be made available on the City’s website at cityofsthelena.gov and will be available for public review at the respective meeting.