City Council

City Hall, Council Chamber City of Santa Rosa 100 Santa Rosa Avenue Santa Rosa, CA 95404 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Draft Tuesday, February 6, 2024 9:00 AM GOAL SETTING - SPECIAL MEETING 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Mayor N. Rogers called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m. Present: 6 - Mayor Natalie Rogers, Vice Mayor Mark Stapp, Council Member Eddie Alvarez, Council Member Dianna MacDonald, Council Member Jeff Okrepkie, and Council Member Chris Rogers Absent: 1 - Council Member Victoria Fleming 2. DISCUSSION CALENDAR 2.1 CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY SETTING WORKSHOP It is recommended that the Council receive a presentation from Jacob Green and Associates, Inc. (JGA) regarding City governance and strategic planning best practice. This presentation will initiate the first phase of the City’s Priority Goal Setting process intended to build alignment around the Council’s Vision for the upcoming fiscal year. During the next phase, at a future City Council meeting, the community will have an opportunity to review proposed Council priorities that will be developed by staff and provide input before priorities are finalized and adopted. Jacob Green, Jacob Green and Associates, Inc., and Alan Alton, Chief Financial Officer, presented and answered questions from Council. This item was received and filed. 3. PUBLIC COMMENT Tom LaPenna, Santa Rosa Manufactured-Home Owners Association (SRMOA), spoke in support of recent actions Council has taken for manufactured home owners, and requested adoption of a zoning overlay to protect senior parks and lowering of the in-place transfer fees from 10% to 5%. City of Santa Rosa Special Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 6 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Draft February 6, 2024 Gregory Fearon requested that staff prepare for the rapid utilization of new and uncertain revenue source for permanent supportive housing anticipated for approval by voters in November 2024 in the form of housing subsidies. Roger McConnell, SRMOA, spoke in support of lowering the in-place transfer fee and adoption of a zoning overlay. Duane DeWitt, Sonoma County Housing Advocacy Group, spoke in support of a hard-headed fiscal oversight approach and not using the reserves in the upcoming budget, addressed housing constraints, suggested the City seek federal and state funding for affordable rental residential housing for extremely low income people, and look into grant funding to support Roseland. Cris Eggers, Bikeable Santa Rosa, spoke in support of recent and upcoming bike projects, and suggested an allocation of 15% to protected, connected bikeways. JoAnn Jones, SRMOA spoke in support of creation of overlay to designate senior parks as senior parks. Calum Weeks, Generation Housing, spoke in support of zoning reforms, parking policy updates, impact fee relief, and housing goals. Melissa Stewart spoke in support of funding for the Violence Prevention Program and other safety programs. Bill Montgomery, Friends of Prince Memorial Greenway, spoke in support of funding for parkways and medians landscape maintenance, and support of Friends of Prince Memorial Greenway efforts for restoration, maintenance, and establishment of new activities on the Prince Memorial Greenway. Ananda Sweet, Santa Rosa Metro Chamber, spoke in support of goals related to the following areas: Economic Development and City of Santa Rosa Special Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 6 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Draft February 6, 2024 Business Support, Housing, Homelessness, minimizing risk of fires, the downtown, and early care and education. Steve Rabinowitsh spoke in support of goals related to the Prince Memorial and Southeast Greenways to help address climate change and make our community more attractive to residents and visitors. Chris Guenther, Bikeable Santa Rosa, spoke in support of goals related to creating a low-stress bicycle network part of the transportation system, which serves a larger goal of creating a safer, denser, more affordable, sustainable and vibrant city. Ryan Mathis spoke in support of a budget for SROs at high schools in Santa Rosa. Yvonne Berg, SRMOA, spoke in support of lowering the in-place transfer fee. Joti Chandi spoke in support of funding or in-kind services for Wednesday Night Market. Karen Weeks spoke in support of complete implementation of the Open Government report in 2014. Danielle Nelson, General Manager Santa Rosa Plaza Mall, spoke in support of City Staff and Council's commitment to the downtown community, and encouraged considerations on the following priorities: adopt an office incentive policy, conduct a thorough review of downtown parking strategy, allocation of an Assistant City Attorney time for enforcement of misdemeanors, safety issues from the Transit Mall and nearby service centers, and overall safety and attraction of downtown. Rebecca Sullivan, Safe Campus Alliance, spoke in support of the prioritization of city safety programs and school campus safety and funding for SRO program and the VPP. City of Santa Rosa Special Meeting Minutes Page 4 of 6 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Draft February 6, 2024 Mike Montague, Railroad Square Association President, spoke in support of additional funding for parks, and specifically the Prince Memorial Greenway maintenance. Council Member Fleming joined the meeting at 11:12 a.m. Michelle Klimek spoke in support of bike considerations including funding for bicycle paths, better connectivity of the bike paths, and downtown beautification/rejuvenation. Jim Pedgrift, Southeast Greenway Campaign, spoke in support of making the Southeast Greenway a priority goal by ensuring adequate staff timing and Planning and Recreation and Parks department availability for collaboration with greenway partners. Margaret DeMatteo, Legal Aide, spoke in support of housing considerations that prevent displacement and increase housing stability. Dianne Monroe spoke in support of the adoption of a zoning overlay to protect senior parks and lowering of the in-place transfer fees. April Liggett Ritts spoke in support of funding for safety on school campus, including funding for the return of school resource officers. Jen Klose, Generation Housing, spoke in support of Council setting "moonshot" goals related to the housing crisis. Jeremy De La Torre spoke in support of overall safety for our community as a main priority, as well as focus on youth on youth violence, continued funding for the VPP and wrap around support services. Thomas Ells spoke in support of infrastructure and maintenance funding as a priority. Christopher Williams spoke in support of increased funding for the City of Santa Rosa Special Meeting Minutes Page 5 of 6 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Draft February 6, 2024 maintenance of Prince Memorial Greenway and other creek maintenance as part of goal setting. Anabell Nunez spoke in opposition to SROs on campus, and asked that priorities discussions should focus on safety of the children, their pedestrian access to schools, spending on homeless initiatives, looking at spending by districts should also be considered and providing more funding for the VPP. Rick Dunniston spoke in support of SROs on campus. Cadance Hinkle Allinson, DAO, spoke in support of prioritizing the improvement of safety, attraction of, and lighting in the downtown, safety strategies at transit mall, retention and expansion of downtown businesses, review of parking strategy, and allocation of an Assistant City Attorney to address misdemeanor enforcement. LATE CORRESPONDENCE This item was received and filed. 4. CLOSED SESSION Mayor N. Rogers recessed at 11:43 a.m. to Closed Session Item 4.1 as listed on the agenda. 4.1 PUBLIC EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION - CITY MANAGER (Government Code Section 54957(b)(1)) Consistent with the initiation of the City’s Priority Goal Setting process, in closed session the Council will consider developing goals, objectives, criteria, and clear expectations for the City Manager’s future performance review. This item was received and filed. Mayor N. Rogers reconvened the meeting at 1:41 p.m. Present: 7 - Mayor Natalie Rogers, Vice Mayor Mark Stapp, Council Member Eddie Alvarez, Council Member Victoria Fleming, Council Member Dianna MacDonald, Council Member Jeff Okrepkie, and Council Member Chris Rogers City of Santa Rosa Special Meeting Minutes Page 6 of 6 City Council Special Meeting Minutes - Draft February 6, 2024 5. REPORT ON CLOSED SESSION Teresa Stricker, City Attorney, reported that there was no reportable action from the closed session item. 6. ADJOURNMENT OF MEETING Mayor N. Rogers adjourned at the meeting at 1:42 p.m. Approved on: _______________________________ Dina Manis City Clerk