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2023/02/22 City Council Special Meeting Agenda Packet (Strategic Priorities)"We Care for Our Residents by Working Together to Build a Better Community for Today and Tomorrow." ROHNERT PARK CITY COUNCIL, ROHNERT PARK FINANCING AUTHORITY (RPFA), SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A SPECIAL MEETING will be held on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. MEETING LOCATION: MEETING LOCATION: CITY HALL - COUNCIL CHAMBER 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park, California PUBLIC PARTICIPATION: The Rohnert Park City Council welcomes your attendance, interest and participation at its regular meetings scheduled on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 5:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers. The use of a mask or facial covering when attending the council meeting is strongly recommended, regardless of vaccination status. Members of the public are encouraged to observe the meeting on Cable Channel 26, by visiting meeting central on our website https://www.rpcity.org/city_hall/city_council/meeting_central or on our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/CityofRohnertPark PUBLIC COMMENTS: Provides an opportunity for public comment on items related to this agenda only (limited to three minutes per appearance with a maximum allowance of 30 minutes allotted per comment period, with time limits subject to modification by the City Council in accordance with the adopted City Council Protocols). Please fill out a speaker card prior to speaking. Members of the public may also provide advanced comments by email at publiccomment@rpcity.org Comments are requested by 8:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting, but can be emailed until the close of the Agenda Item for which the comment is submitted. The emails will not be read for the record but will be provided to Council. Please note that all e-mails sent to the City Council are considered to be public records and subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. City Council/RPFA agendas and minutes may be viewed at the City’s website: www.rpcity.org. PUBLIC HEARINGS: Council/RPFA may discuss and/or take action on any or all of the items listed on this agenda. If you challenge decisions of the City Council or the Rohnert Park Financing Authority of the City of Rohnert Park in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at public hearing(s) described in this agenda, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Rohnert Park at, or prior to the public hearing(s). RIGHT TO APPEAL: Judicial review of any city administrative decision pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure Section 1094.5 may be had only if a petition is filed with the court no later than the deadlines specified in Section 1094.6 of the California Code of Civil Procedure, which generally limits the time within which the decision may be challenged to the 90th day following the date that the decision becomes final. SIMULTANEOUS MEETING COMPENSATION DISCLOSURE (Government Code § 54952.3): Members of the City Council receive no additional compensation as a result of convening this joint meeting of the City Council and the Rohnert Park Financing Authority. CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES: The Rohnert Park City Council adopted ten strategic priorities for 2022 (listed below in no particular order): a. Navigating through COVID-19 f.General Plan update b.Climate change g.Infrastructure, maintenance and beautification c.Police/community relations and accountability h. Make progress on the downtown d.Services for unhoused people i.Attract housing at all levels e. Financial health j.Memorable community experiences for all 1.CITY COUNCIL/RPFA/SUCCESSOR AGENCY JOINT SPECIAL MEETING - CALL TO ORDER/ROLL CALL (Elward_____ Giudice _____ Sanborn_____ Hollingsworth Adams_____ Rodriguez_____) 2.DISCUSSION AND DIRECTION REGARDING CITY COUNCIL STRATEGIC PRIORITIES A.Public Comments B.Facilitated Workshop on Strategic Priorities C.Council discussion and direction 3.ADJOURNMENT NOTE: Time shown for any particular matter on the agenda is an estimate only. Matters may be considered earlier or later than the time indicated depending on the pace at which the meeting proceeds. If you wish to speak on an item under discussion by the Council which appears on this agenda, please refer to page 1 for more details on submitting a public comment. Any item raised by a member of the public which is not on the agenda and may require Council action shall be automatically referred to staff for investigation and disposition which may include placing on a future agenda. If the item is deemed to be an emergency or the need to take action arose after posting of the agenda within the meaning of Government Code Section 54954.2(b), Council is entitled to discuss the matter to determine if it is an emergency item under said Government Code and may take action thereon. AGENDA REPORTS & DOCUMENTS: A paper copy of all staff reports and documents subject to disclosure that relate to each item of business referred to on the agenda are available for public inspection at City Hall, 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park, California 94928. Electronic copies of all staff reports and documents subject to disclosure that relate to each item of business referred to on the agenda are available for public inspection on https://www.rpcity.org/city_hall/city_council/meeting_central. Any writings or documents subject to disclosure that are provided to all, or a majority of all, of the members of the City Council regarding any item on this agenda after the agenda has been distributed will be made available for inspection at City Hall and on our website at the same time. Any writings or documents subject to disclosure that are provided to the City Council during the meeting will be made available for public inspection during meeting and on our website following the meeting. AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT ACCOMMODATION: Any member of the public who needs accommodations should email the ADA Coordinator at jcannon@rpcity.org or by calling 707-588- 2221. Notification at least 72 hours prior to the meeting will enable the ADA Coordinator to use her best efforts to provide reasonable accommodations to provide as much accessibility as possible while also maintaining public safety in accordance with the City procedure for resolving reasonable accommodation requests. Information about reasonable accommodations is available on the City website at https://www.rpcity.org/city_hall/departments/human_resources/a_d_a_and_accessibility_resources CERTIFICATION OF POSTING OF AGENDA I, Sylvi a Lopez Cuevas, City Clerk for the City of Rohnert Park, declare that the foregoing agenda was posted and available for review on February 16, 2023 at Rohnert Park City Hall, 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park, California 94928. The agenda is also available on the City web site at www.rpcity.org. Executed this February 16, 2023 at Rohnert Park, California. Any writings or documents subject to disclosure provided to the City Council during the meeting were made available for public inspection during meeting and added to our website and this agenda following the meeting. Sylvia Lopez Cuevas Office of the City Clerk From: To:Public Comment Cc:CityClerk Subject:RE: AGENDA ITEM #2: PUBLIC COMMENT TO CITY COUNCIL 2023 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES - FEB 22, 2023 Date:Monday, February 20, 2023 10:11:05 PM EXTERNAL EMAIL Greetings, Unfortunately, I will not be present during the public comment; However, please provide the below e-mail to Council. Thank you- Tom Levin From: Sent: Monday, February 20, 2023 10:01 PM To: 'Public Comment' <publiccomment@rpcity.org> Cc: cityclerk@rpcity.org Subject: AGENDA ITEM #2: PUBLIC COMMENT TO CITY COUNCIL 2023 STRATEGIC PRIORITIES - FEB 22, 2023 Greetings: It is requested the following recommended strategic priorities for 2023 tobe considered for adoption by Rohnert Park City Council (listed below in noparticular order): a. Fiscal Stability / Financial health b. Residents’ Quality of Life a. Safety b. Cleanliness c. Affordability /Attract housing at all levels d. Recreational Amenities (Parks, Sports Center, Spreckels, Creek trails) e. Memorable community experiences for all c. Community Development a. General Plan update b. Parks & Recreation Master Plan Update c. Make progress on Downtown d. Construct a community olympic size pool/swim center next Callanan Sports Center (funding donated by Graton Rancheria) d. Infrastructure, Maintenance, and Beautification e. High Performing City Organization a. Hiring of more safety officers, K9, drug task force, ordinance enforcement b. Emergency Responder training and outreach f. Environmental Stewardship From: To:CityClerk Subject:Fwd: 2/22 Special Meeting on Council Priorities: Legal Aid of Sonoma County"s public comment Date:Tuesday, February 21, 2023 4:37:05 PM Attachments:image001.png EXTERNAL EMAIL From: Sent: Tuesday, February 21, 2023 4:28 PM To: publiccomment@rpcity.org <publiccomment@rpcity.org> Cc: Srodriguez@rpcity.org <Srodriguez@rpcity.org> Subject: 2/22 Special Meeting on Council Priorities: Legal Aid of Sonoma County's public comment Good afternoon, Please accept this as our public comment on the Rohnert Park’s strategic priorities for 2023. Considering the large population of renters in Rohnert Park, and the evidence showing the effectiveness of homelessness prevention programs, we ask that you prioritize housing interventions for tenants, and not just those occupying subsidized housing. See BREAKING THE FALL: SUCCESSFUL HOMELESS INTERVENTIONS IN THE COVID PANDEMIC We urge the City to commit to advancing policies and programs that offer strong tenant protections as a crucial component of affirmatively furthering fair housing due to the disparate impact on renters with disabilities, renters of color, and other members of protected classes when there is a shortage of affordable housing options and inadequate tenant protections. The City could meet this commitment by enacting any or all of the following policies/ordinances to maximize housing opportunity and protect the rights of all tenants: Emergency Rent Assistance Program: Legal Aid is increasing seeing clients who fell behind on rent and cannot pay the back rent, but could pay the rent going forward to keep their housing. Rent Stabilization: Further limiting the rent increase caps enacted by the state is crucial to address the displacement of the City’s low-income renters who do not qualify or cannot find affordable housing. Just Cause Eviction: This would offer tenants, especially those of protected classes, crucial protection. One of the leading causes of evictions and displacement are the no fault just causes - substantial remodels, owner move-ins, and withdrawal from the rental market. These no-fault just causes are often used, and abused, by owners to remove tenants so that rents can be increased to market rate, further eroding affordable housing stock. Strengthening no-fault just causes for evictions – through higher relocation payments, longer eviction notice periods, and a right for a tenant to return at the same rent at the time of displacement, apart from lawful, annual rent increases – are critical to addressing the displacement of the City’s BIPOC and senior renters. A Just Cause ordinance should include: Substantial repairs - Repairs for health and safety concerns only and permits obtained before notice to vacate is served; tenant has the right to return under the same terms/rent, subject to allowable rent increases. Withdrawal from the rental market - Clarify that a sale of the property is not “withdrawal” and is not a just cause for eviction; owner is required to file notice with the city/county; a longer notice period and the right to return for displaced tenants. Right to Return if owner/owner’s family move out of the unit within 3 years, or if the owner/owner’s family fail to move into the unit within 30 days of the tenant’s removal. Community or Tenant Right to Purchase (“COPA/TOPA”): As a key intervention against speculation, TOPA/COPA preserves currently affordable housing and generates new permanently affordable housing for future generations. TOPA/COPA expands stability and wealth-building opportunities for tenants by creating pathways to homeownership. Fair Chance Ordinance: The use of criminal history in obtaining housing should be eliminated, given the disparate impact on people of color, using Berkeley, Oakland, Seattle, and Alameda County as templates for such an ordinance. Tenant Bill of Rights: The purpose of a Tenant Bill of Rights (TBR) is to state unequivocally that all residents have the right to clean, safe, and secure housing, which includes but is not limited to: Anti-retaliation - Rebuttable presumption of retaliation if tenants assert their rights, including but not limited to requesting a reasonable accommodation, reporting sexual harassment, and otherwise filing complaints against housing provider staff within 6 months. Clean, safe housing - stronger protections for tenants from eviction if they deduct repairs from rent. A rental registry Tenant Commission- Seats reserved that represent low-income seniors, persons with disabilities, tenants in federally subsidized housing including LIHTC, and communities of color on a commission that provides information, referrals, and advice to tenants and advises City leadership on programs and policies affecting tenants. Nonpayment notices - Require landlords to provide a 7-day warning letter before a 3- day notice to pay or quit. Protections for subletting - Subletting not a just cause for eviction IF the landlord unreasonably withheld consent following a written request by the tenant, so long as the maximum number of occupants does not exceed allowable limits. Protections for families - Addition of family members not a just cause for eviction, so long as the number of occupants does not exceed allowable limits. Addition of family members not a just cause for eviction, so long as the number of occupants does not exceed allowable limits. Legal Aid is committed to housing justice and assisting the City to meet the current and future housing needs of Rohnert Park citizens. Thank you. Best Regards, Margaret DeMatteo (she/her/hers) Housing Policy Attorney CONFIDENTIAL AND PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATION The information in this email message is for the confidential use of the intended recipients only. The information is subject to the attorney-clien​t privilege and may be attorney work product. Recipients should not file copies of this email with publicly accessible records. If you are not an intended recipient or an authorized agent responsible for delivering this email to an intended recipient, you have received this email in error, and any further review, dissemination, distribution, copying or forwarding of the email is strictly prohibited. If you received this email in error, please notify us by return email and delete this message. Thank you. From: To:Public Comment Subject:Board agendas Date:Tuesday, February 21, 2023 9:11:25 PM EXTERNAL EMAIL Your board post ls the YouTube channel on the website but nothing has been posted since December of 2022. This needs to addressed ASAP. Also, your agendas for meetings, especially special meetings is vague at best. You should be posting your ahead da items with attachments so that you have an informed electorate and community. Lastly, why could you not have a meeting, special or otherwise, in the evening so that it could be attended by the public more readily. It seems that RP City Council is purposely trying to hide what it is doing and that needs to change asap if you want to have any trust with the RP community. My hope is that you actually think about how you are transparent and not assume that you are. Greg Nelson Rohnert Park City of Rohnert Park Overview •Incorporated in 1962 •Centrally located in Sonoma County & easily accessible along Hwy. 101 •3rd largest city (Population of 44,330) •Overall City budget of $122.5 million •Full-service City with over 200 full-time equivalent employees •3,506 active business licenses & 17,107 households •Known as friendly-city and thriving family-oriented community •Recognized for Sonoma State University, Green Music Center, & Graton Resort & Casino 2 Rohnert Park -Highlights •Civil, harmonious, and supportive governance •Bold leadership striving for diversity and inclusivity •Talented, committed, resourceful, and professional staff •Strong vision, mission, and values •Team-oriented •Pro-development •Growth opportunities •Community minded and civic pride 3 Expectations •Strive for organizational excellence •Community engagement •Invest in identified priorities/areas of focus •Promote housing and business development opportunities •Strengthen partnerships with various stakeholders 6 7 Significant Development Areas within or near Rohnert Park Opportunities •Remain focus on vision, mission, and values •Strong and diverse local governance •Retain and recruit qualified and engaged employees •Financial sustainability •Prioritize resources to address complex community needs – downtown project, homelessness, housing, aging infrastructure, building maintenance, etc. 8 Most municipal services are the same but WE can be different in spirit and achievement! Community Council Organizational Priorities Budget City Manager Staff team Executive Team 9 Achieve a shared focus that will keep us on track so we can continue producing extraordinary results for our community! Ultimate Desire 10 Celebrating Accomplishments •Diversity of Council •Creating and maintaining relationships with Sonoma State University and the native people •Acquisition of downtown site for redevelopment •Success of programs for unhoused community members (i.e., Labath Landing) •Progress on the General Plan •Hired a new City Manager 22 Share Appreciations 23 City of Rohnert Park Council Workshop Held on February 22, 2023 Facilitator(s): Nancy Hetrick, Christine Butterfield The best thing about this session was... ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Some thing(s) which could have been better... ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ I’m glad that the facilitator(s)... ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ I wish the facilitator(s) would have... ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Overall usefulness of the workshop: 1 2 3 4 5 Not Useful Very Useful Overall quality of the workshop: 1 2 3 4 5 Poor Quality High Quality Other Comments: