S.R. Council Agenda, March 8th, 2016

Greetings!

Many thanks to our friend, Anne Seeley of Concerned Citizens for Santa Rosa:

There are no study sessions before this meeting.

4PM Meeting

Among Consent items is this:  11.3 An Ordinance to Allow Cannibis Cultivation in several industrial zone categories, with a conditional Use Permit. Find the ordinance below:

https://santa-rosa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4288216&GUID=A803EED1-E848-459F-A0AE-8CD73B760D38 

Report

13.1 Sonoma County Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing Marketplace.  In 2009 the City Council approved the city's participation in the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program (SCEIP), which is a type of PACE program.  In 2014 the county created the Sonoma County PACE Financing Marketplace, expanding the financing options available to property owners.  The Council is offerer several choices, which are explained in the link below:

https://santa-rosa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4282254&GUID=5428D398-F5FE-48B8-BF82-6FDC76911675 

13.2 Amend the Art In Public Places.  Currently the Art in Public Placed Committee (APPC) is comprised of a combination of 4 members of City Boards and Commissions, 2 Council members and 4 public at-large members and there is a Public Art Master Plan in place.  There is interest in revamping much of the Public Art Policy and in changing the method of selection of the at-large public members to the way in which other Board and Commission members are selected - by individual Council members.  

The Council has several selections in the way they can go ahead:

https://santa-rosa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4282392&GUID=E0EC1001-197C-4A50-BBCA-34F7FD22F7E4 

5PM Public hearings

14.2 Appeal of the Planning Commission's approval on 12/10/15 of the proposed addition in Oakmont of a complex of 4 multi-use sport courts, along with a reduction in parking.

As you might expect, the stress is on parking, with the appellants' contention that one notice of the planning Commission's planned proceedings didn't include the words "with a reduction in parking".   The courts would likely be used for pickleball.

https://santa-rosa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4285498&GUID=6DA935C1-D721-4971-9959-46C23AF352EF 

Upcoming meetings:

https://santa-rosa.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=4285484&GUID=B935D978-1BEC-44C3-92E5-A9B2177514C0

See you there!   Anne

Placemaking in Roseland

Greetings!

The Sonoma County Community Development Commission has conducted a series of meetings at the Roseland Community Center over the last two weeks to "Placemaking" to the Center's design planning.  Taking direction from the Project for Public Spaces, Ruthie Snyder has led participants through exercises which seek to determine possible uses for two current sites on the property.  Following guidelines to embrace ten different activities, and keep it simple, flexible, and cheap, Snyder gathered more ideas and followers yesterday at the Center.

In the 3-5 years before the Commission expects to complete the Roseland Village development, its staff hopes that these placemaking exercises will shape the uses of available land and resources.  For zmore information, contact Ruthie Snyder Consulting at ruthiesnyder@gmail.com, or stop by the Center at 779 Sebastopol Road..

Meeting Reports

Greetings!

Much of what SRT Steering Committee members do is attend meetings.  Most of the meetings are with other groups, but we have regular meetings with city and county leaders too.  Following our recently-adopted "Everyone has a Voice" tagline, we are advocating for open and easily-accessible civic participation processes in which all of us can express our opinions, and guide public policy.

So we are constantly asking when and how and by what processes can community members and organizations learn about what is being proposed to change in our City, and what is being planned for their participation in the decision-making.  When we find something out, we use our calendar, this blog, our Facebook page, and our Newsletter to inform our members and the broader community.

We are also active within other organizations and community committees.  In both Roseland and the Southwest area's community planning, and homeless/affordable housing initiatives, we are actively participating in bringing about actions to build strong neighborhood control and community solutions.

We welcome your thoughts, your interest, and your participation.  Feel free to contact Lawrence Lehr or Pat Kuta with your questions or comments.

Santa Rosa City Council, Feb 23rd Agenda

Next Tuesday’s Santa Rosa City Council meeting will begin a series of four meetings in which the Council will hear “Housing Series” Reports they asked be prepared and delivered to them in time for their 2016-2017 budget deliberations.

February 23, 2016 City Council Meeting: 

• Housing Program Options and Funding: revenues that can be redirected and /or adjusted for housing projects.
• Planning Process Improvement Action Plan: process improvements specific to the development review process.

April 19, 2016 City Council Meeting: 

• Alternative Housing Programs: specification of new housing programs that emphasize inclusionary housing and stimulus of market rate housing. 
• Assessment of Santa Rosa by Brokers, Builders, Employers: result of outreach seeking input that could spur development.

May 17, 2016 City Council Meeting:

• Housing Incentives and Production: Specific regulatory reforms and financial incentives for stimulating housing development.

July 12, 2016 City Council Meeting: 

• Economic Development Initiatives: actions to build upon and/or enhance existing strategies related to housing. 
• Implementation: Council actions initiating implementation of preferred reforms, programs and housing funding sources.

Next Tuesday, in Agenda Items 15.2 and 15.3 (late in the meeting), Housing and Community Services Director David Gouin and David Guhin, Planning and Economic Development Interim Director, will present two reports aimed at providing the Council with options to strengthen the City’s ability to operate homeless programs and provide affordable housing. 

The options from Housing and Community Services include:

·       Sustain existing level of General Fund support for the City’s homeless and housing programs.

·       Develop a set of regulatory and financial incentives to offset Housing Impact Fees, charged to rental housing projects and consider increasing the Housing Impact Fees (within the limits set forth in the Nexus Study) to encourage on-site production of affordable rental housing units.

·        Following completion of a Commercial Linkage Fee Nexus Study, consider imposing the fee at a level deemed not to inhibit desired commercial development.

·        Seek voter approval of a tax measure supporting housing programs and homeless services.

·        Consider short-term General Fund investments in housing programs and planning services to stimulate housing production and economic development.

·        Consider increase housing program funding using an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) or similar tax increment mechanisms.

The options from Planning and Economic Development include:

·        Process improvements designed to improve customer experience.

·        Increase transparency, and ease permitting and entitlement procedures to encourage business and housing development.

Roseland Annexation News at Los Cien Meeting today

At the Los Cien meeting today in the Roseland Village Community Center, county and city officials provided reports on developing projects of interest to the over 200 attendees.  Santa Rosa’s annexation of Roseland was the centerpiece of the presentations, with Board of Supervisors Chair Efren Carrillo and Assistant City Manager Chuck Regalia delivering updates on their activities and status.  

Chuck began by outlining the process of the annexation, and the details of the City’s request for a multi-year finance partnership with the County to address the huge infrastructure and operational costs anticipated.  Efren then offered a preview of a response which would be provided to the City in “early-to-mid March”.  It was a commitment that the County will (underline indicates County offer):

·      Share one-time costs and ongoing costs for ten years.  City indicated costs were $1.3 million in start-up costs, and $1.1 million/year for ten years to close the gap between revenue received and operating costs.  Apparent agreement.

·      Fund $6.62 million in road improvements, and share costs and partner with the City in the pursuit of outside funding for street lighting and street completions.  City asked for $1.8 million for ten years.  City and County are $11-$12 million apart.

·      Complete current projects in Southwest Santa Rosa.

·      Complete Roseland Creek Community Park.  City asked for $3 million to acquire the middle section of the park, and Efren indicated that the County was interested in that purchase.  City asked for $1 million to improve the north section, and $4 million to improve the south section.  Neither were mentioned by the County.  City asked for $800,000/year for ten years.  County did not mention ongoing payments.  City and County are $13 million apart.

·      Complete 7 miles of Class I bike trail between Joe Rodota Trail and Colgan Creek Trail.

·      Maintain Joe Rodota Trail.

·      Complete Roseland Village.

Chuck responded with the City’s thanks for the County’s commitments, and said they were looking forward to the written proposal and continued talks.

Additionally, Caryl Hart and her staff detailed the progress that the County Parks Department is making developing the Moorland Community Park (Andy’s Unity Park), and indicated that it could be open in less than a year.

City Council Agrees on Goals for 2016

Greetings!

Responding to ideas proposed by each of the Council members, the Santa Rosa City Council agreed today on five Tier One Goals for 2016. At an all-day workshop in the Round Barn Hilton Hotel, the results were homelessness services; housing development citywide (including affordable, workforce and market-rate) and rent stabilization; Roseland annexation and implementation; preparing for medical marijuana cultivation;  and infrastructure and deferred maintenance planning. They also agreed that a couple of others currently underway: downtown reunification; and development of an emergency preparedness strategy, including vulnerable targets.

Among a variety of Tier Two Goals, they highlighted SMART Train connections and introduction, ensuring long-term revenue stability (Measure O & P), Southeast Greenway, rental inspection, and community impact reports.

City Board Vacancies

Council Member Erin Carlstrom is seeking volunteers interested in serving on the following Boards to fill current vacancies with terms expiring December 31, 2016: 

Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Board (One At-Large Position) 

The City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAB) provides guidance in the preparation of the City’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan by identifying pedestrian and bicycle projects and advising on the priority of those projects. The Board meets on the third Thursday of approximately every other month from 4 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the City Hall Annex in Conference Room 7A/B, 90 Santa Rosa Avenue. 

Board of Community Services (One At-Large Position) 

The City’s Board of Community Services reviews City recreational and cultural policies, facilities and programs and advises the City Council on their adequacy and effectiveness, assists the Director of Recreation and Parks in the formulation of rules and regulations for the use of City parks and recreational facilities, and promotes and coordinates arts and cultural activities within the City of Santa Rosa. The Board meetings on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. at the Finely Community Center. 

For more information regarding the City’s boards, commissions and committees and to apply online, please visit: http://srcity.org/government/boards/Page... or call (707) 543-3015. Applicants must be registered voters of the City of Santa Rosa. Interested persons are encouraged to apply by 5:30 p.m., Monday, February 22, 2016.