City Council Meeting Minutes
Monday, November 18, 2024 at 6:00 PM
33 Church Street, Sutter Creek, CA 95685
The Agenda can be found on the City’s Website: www.cityofsuttercreek.org The City of Sutter Creek City Council Meeting was available via Zoom and in person.
1. Call to Order and Establish a Quorum for Regular Meeting Council members Feist, Gunselman, Riordan, and Swift present in chambers.
Council member Sierk was present on zoom.
2. Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
3. Public Forum
No speakers
4. City Manager’s Report
City Manager DuBois presented an update attached. He reviewed some emergency ARSA repairs, update on a potential company coming to Sutter Creek, and a County emergency preparation meeting.
5. Approval of Minutes
A. City Council Minutes of Nov 4, 2024 and October 21, 2024 Recommendation: By motion approve minutes as presented.
Motion: Council member Riordan, Seconded by Council member Swift Motion passed 5-0
6. Administrative Agenda
A. Amador County Tourism Marketing District
Kathleen Mahan and Tracey Berkner presented the process to form a special business district, which will notify all lodgings including AirBNB. They are presenting to each City Council, and will then present to the County at a County public hearing, and a second hearing. To pass they must have 51% of lodging units. They reported that the Kiota Inn is on the board. Expect to get much more than 50%. The process will likely take until Feb. The special district fee will sunset in 5 years. They funds will be spent on marketing the area to compete with others counties in California. Their goal is to get tourism up to 7 days a week for the business community. Council members asked follow-up questions:
CM Sierk - 2% fee for business district? Yes. Where does it go? Goes to marketing and generating visitors.
Mayor Gunselman - Was the Wine heritage district approved? Yes, it passed County, now mailing vote to the Vintners. Dissolving Vintners association and forming a new group. ACT will remain but be an administrator. The Tourism lodging district will have its own board. Currently 100% volunteer board, hope to hire an executive director.
Council member Riordan: - only lodging folks who pay? Yes Council member Swift - clarified the difference between an assessment vs tax. HGL will be hired to collect the fees
Motion made by Council member Sierk, Seconded by Council member Feist Motion passed by 5-0 vote
B. Short Term Rental Policy Discussion
Staff explained that we have had seven applications in the last 2 years for a total of 19. In addition to short term rentals, there are hotels, making a total of 26 establishments from which the City collected TOT. 3 former short-term rentals are currently inactive. Staff would like to collect more information when people register such as safety information and reviewing the renter manuals.
Council member discussion ensued.
Council member Sierk: Any kind of audit process? The city tried a company, reported rentals matched the information the city had. We can also look on Airbnb periodically to see if anyone is not registered.
Council member Riordan: Commented that we are barely hitting 20th. Doesn’t seem to be an issue Council member Feist: How many houses in Sutter Creek? 1428 housing units. Nearly 50% are rentals.
Council member Sierk: What is considered short-term? Anything less than 30 days by state law.
Mayor Gunselman: Suggested a straw poll on whether there is council interest to work on short term rental ordinance now or not? Polling was 4 - 1 Not interested now.
Council member Swift: Suggested Council pick up the issue when a percentage of the housing stock is short term rentals such as 4 -5%. We have requirements for parking, contact. Requirement on response time could be more clear, whether that is by phone or in person.
Mayor Gunselman commented that she disagreed with waiting until later.
Council member Riordan: Felt it not a problem at the moment, agreed with updating safety requirements Council member Sierk agreed with waiting until we hit a percentage target. Also agreed about adding safety requirements now.
Planner Ventura discussed other cities having initial inspections and renewal inspection, only good for 3 years, non-transferable. Feels we need to update Safety information during submission process.
Council began discussing more substantial changes such as restrictions by zoning, owner vs whole house, density on a block, and looking at ordinances in other cities.
There was a suggestion that perhaps the fire district could inspect for alarms.
Current application fee is $600 plus staff costs, this has been sufficient. There is also the business license charge. In Plymouth they charge less - 2 -3 hours of staff time. Renewal is 1 hour.
PUBLIC comments - a member of the public commented that hotels are not subject to inspections, the only requirements are by the health department. The City should require insurance, insurers will require safety elements.
Council resumed discussion. City code requires a CUP outside of the downtown district, commercial zones, and mixed-use zones. This drives the cost, sending it to the planning commission. The City could update its ordinances to allow staff approval with appeal of the decision. Currently the planning commission has no real decisions to make, staff ensures the applications meet the requirements before bringing them to the commission.
Council spent significant time on a complicated ordinance in the past that was shelved.
There was a council consensus to do the following:
a. Have staff improve the application process to require insurance, a floor plan, and the clear directions on safety equipment such as fire alarms, fire extinguisher, and utility cutoff. b. Staff will send out the last draft of the previous ordinance and current ordinance. c. During 2025, Staff will come back with an outline of an ordinance update to address some of the concerns raised and look at staff level processing of applications.
C. California Jobs First Grant
Motion: Direct staff to apply for Catalyst grant and for Mayor to sign a letter of support Staff presented the report and Council discussed
Council member Swift commented he liked it. Other council members agreed.
Motion to support effort made by Council member Swift, seconded by Council member Fiest Motion passed 5-0
D. Capital Infrastructure Plan (CIP)
This Item has been continued to the Dec 2, 2024 Council Meeting
7. Mayor and Council Member Reports
Council Member Sierk: There are updated ideas on the bike/ped project. Will be shared at next meeting.
Mayor Gunselman: Duck race planning is moving along. Benefit foundation is supporting financially and the Native sons paid for the ducks. Jackson Rancheria has made a donation. Invitations will go out to Sutter Creek non-profits to participate.
Council member Swift - Giving Tuesday is coming up on Nov 26th.
8. City Attorney’s Report
None
9. Future Agenda Items
None
10. Information and Correspondence
A. Treasurer's Report - Note all accounts now returning over 4.6% interest B. Finance Monthly Reports
C. Planning Monthly Report
D. Public Works Monthly Report
E. Police Monthly Report
F. Engineering Monthly Report
11. Adjournment
Adjourned at 7:43
The next regularly scheduled meeting is December 2, 2024