1992/03/03 City Council MinutesRohnert Park City Council Minutes
March 3, 1992
The Council of the City of Rohnert Park met this date in
adjourned regular session commencing at 7:00 p.m. in the City
Offices, 6750 Commerce Boulevard, Rohnert Park, CA with Vice
Mayor Hollingsworth presiding.
Call to Order Vice Mayor Hollingsworth called the adjourned regular session
to order at approximately 7:00 p.m.
Roll Call Present (3) Councilmembers Eck, Hopkins, and Vice Mayor
Hollingsworth
Late: (1) Councilmember Reilly (arrived at 7:15 p.m.)
Absent: (1) Mayor Spiro
Staff present for all or part of the meeting: City Manager
Netter.
The City Manager /Clerk acknowledged the report on the posting
of the meeting's agenda.
Unscheduled Vice Mayor Hollingsworth stated that in compliance with State
Public law (The Brown Act), anyone in the audience who wished to
Appearances make comments may do so at this time.
Cultural Arts Commissioner Tim Danesi indicated he had a
question regarding the General Plan he would bring up later
in the meeting.
Community The first item for discussion was regarding the community
Separators/ separator /open space issue as outlined in the document
Open Space "Intergovernmental Program for the Protection of Community
Separators" submitted by Councilmember Ben Collins from the
City of Healdsburg.
City Manager Netter briefly summarized the outline and
indicated this item was scheduled for the work session in
order to get'the Council's input and direction in regards to
a proposed policy regarding community separators. Mr. Netter
indicated that a draft resolution has been prepared outlining
these policies which will be discussed at the Community
Separators Committee meeting of Thursday, March 5, 1992.
Vice Mayor Hollingsworth read and summarized the policies as
outlined in the document, which centered on protection of
community separator lands between cities. There was general
discussion on the policies with a note that the strongest
policy as listed in the document was included in item 1.(c)
which "proposes non - annexation of the community separators as
1
Rohnert Park City Council Minutes
March 3, 1992
a strong LAFCO policy." Other items in the document were
discussed, including item 3 which provided for some
flexibility in changing the form and location of the
community separators through joint amendments.
A motion was made by Councilman Hopkins to table these
proposed policies and wait until the Open Space Committee has
completed its acquisition plan to see how these policies
relate to those policies that are currently being developed.
The motion was seconded by Councilman Eck and unanimously
approved.
Further discussion continued with the consensus of the
Council that Councilman Eck would indicate at the March 5th
meeting of the Community Separators Committee the Council's
action in regards to this matter. In addition, Councilman
Eck was given the direction to indicate Rohnert Park's
concerns with item 1.(c), item 3. and item 5. as outlined in
the "Intergovernmental Program for the Protection of
Community Separators" report dated January 9, 1992.
LAFCO Policies City Manager Netter summarized the LAFCO Policies document
and indicated to the Council that there are some very strong
policies developed in this document which would potentially
make LAFCO a regional control agency. City Manager Netter
indicated that the City Managers of Santa Rosa, Petaluma,
Sonoma, and Rohnert Park met to discuss these policies and it
was the consensus that most of the policies developed
consisted of a duplication of efforts as other agencies
already handle much of what is recommended in this report.
City Manager Netter indicated that the City Managers sent a
letter to the LAFCO Board requesting these policies be tabled
until the City Managers have more time to evaluate and
prepare a position paper regarding the proposed policies.
City Manager Netter informed the Council that LAFCO Executive
Director Vivian Look has indicated she is leaving the county
and that she would be recommending to the LAFCO Commission
that they hold off any action on these proposed policies
until a new Executive Director is hired.
Councilman Eck indicated he has a problem with some of the
policies as outlined in the report, especially with the open
space issues with a potential of sending all proposals having
significant impacts on agricultural or open space lands to
the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space
District. Councilman Eck stated that as the City
Council previously indicated its opposition to the makeup of
the District, i.e. being the Sonoma County Board of
Supervisors, that he does not feel it appropriate that all
these items should be sent back through the Open Space
2
Adjournment
v
C i t a,i ager /Clerk
Rohnert Park City Council Minutes
March 3, 1992
District which, in reality, is the Board of Supervisors.
It was the consensus of the Council that it would wait until
the City Managers complete their position paper regarding
these policies before making any comments regarding same.
Councilman Hopkins indicated he was interested in pursuing
the idea of making LAFCO an independent agency. City Manager
Netter indicated he had mentioned this to the City Managers
group and City Manager Ken Blackman is having his City
Attorney research the funding possibilities if LAFCO became
an independent agency. City Manager Netter stated that City
Manager Blackman indicated that the law may allow for the
County to continue funding even though the LAFCO agency
becomes independent. City Manager Netter stated that he
would update the Council as information is received from the
City Attorney of the City of Santa Rosa.
Vice Mayor Hollingsworth asked if any Councilmembers had any
miscellaneous matters.
Cultural Arts Commissioner Tim Danesi asked if the Council
would be selecting members to the General Plan Update
Committee. Vice Mayor Hollingsworth indicated that the
appointments would be made at the City Council meeting of
March 10, 1992.
There being
Hollingsworth
p.m. to the
Rohnert Park.
3
no other matters for discussion, Vice Mayor
adjourned the meeting at approximately 8:00
Community Development Agency of the City of
Mayor Pro Tempore