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2025/8/28 Planning Commission Agenda Packet City of Rohnert Park Planning Commission Regular Meeting Thursday, August 28, 2025 6:00 P.M. CITY HALL - COUNCIL CHAMBER 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park, California PUBLIC COMMENT: For public comment on items listed or not listed on the agenda, or agenda items if unable to speak at the scheduled time, you may do so upon recognition from the Chairperson. Please fill out a speaker card prior to speaking. Members of the public may also provide advanced comments by email at Planning@rpcity.org. Comments are requested by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Email comments must identify the Agenda Item Number in the subject line of the email. The emails will not be read for the record but will be provided to the Planning Commission. Please note that all emails sent to the Planning Commission are considered to be public records and subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. Planning Commission agendas and minutes may be viewed at the City’s website: www.rpcity.org NOTE: If you challenge the nature of the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the 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. 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL ( Orloff Lam Epstein Austin-Dillon Campbell ) 2. READING OF THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The City of Rohnert Park acknowledges Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of the land. Let it be acknowledged that the City of Rohnert Park is located within the traditional homeland of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, comprised of Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo peoples. 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 4. PUBLIC COMMENT – Persons who wish to speak to the Commission on any Consent Calendar item or an item that is not on the agenda may do so at this time. Each speaker will be allotted three minutes. Please see page 1 for details on how to submit public comments. 5. CONSENT CALENDAR – ADOPTION OF MINUTES 5.1 Approval of the Draft Minutes of the Planning Commission Regular Meeting of May 22, 2025. Commissioner Motion/Roll Call Vote: ( Orloff Lam Epstein Austin-Dillon Campbell ) 6. DISCUSSION ITEM 6.1 PRESENTATION – An Informational Presentation on the General Plan 2040 Update. No action is proposed or required. A. Staff Presentation B. Public Comment C. Commission Discussion 7. CODE COMPLIANCE ACTIVITY UPDATE 8. ITEMS FROM THE PLANNING COMMISSION 9. ITEMS FROM THE DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF 10. ADJOURNMENT 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 at 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 Planning Commission 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 Planning Commission during the meeting will be made available for public inspection during the meeting and on our website following the meeting. AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT ACCOMMODATIONS: Any member of the public who needs accommodations should email the ADA Coordinator at jcannon@rpcity.org or by calling 707-588- 2221. The ADA Coordinator will use their best efforts to provide reasonable accommodations to provide as much accessibility as possible while also maintaining public safety in accordance with the City's 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_resourc es CERTIFICATION OF POSTING OF AGENDA I, Clotile Blanks, Community Development Technician for the City of Rohnert Park, declare that the foregoing agenda was posted and available for review on August 22, 2025, at Rohnert Park City Hall, 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park, California 94928. The agenda is available on the City of Rohnert Park’s website at www.rpcity.org. Signed this 22nd day of August 2025, at Rohnert Park, California. Clotile Blanks Minutes of the Planning Commission Meeting of the City of Rohnert Park Thursday, May 22, 2025 6:00 P.M. 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL Chairperson Orloff called the regular meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. Present: Marc Orloff, Chairperson Tramaine Austin-Dillon, Commissioner Tim Campbell, Commissioner Matthew Epstein, Commissioner Absent: Fanny Lam, Vice-Chairperson 2. READING OF THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Read by Chairperson Orloff. 3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Led by Chairperson Orloff. 4. PUBLIC COMMENT None. 5. CONSENT CALENDAR – ADOPTION OF MINUTES 5.1 Approval of the Draft Minutes of the Planning Commission Regular Meeting of May 8, 2025 ACTION: Moved/Seconded (Austin-Dillon/-Campbell) to approve the Minutes of the Planning Commission Regular Meeting of May 8, 2025. Motion carried by the following 4-0-1 roll call vote: AYES: Orloff, Austin-Dillon, Campbell, Epstein; NOES: None; ABSENT: Lam. 6. AGENDA ITEM 6.1 PUBLIC HEARING – CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT File No. PLUP21-0001. Applicant/Owner: Laura Lawley/Frank Gobar. The Planning Commission considered the adoption of a resolution for a Conditional Use Permit to allow a Tattoo Studio in the C-R Regional Commercial District. (CEQA-Exempt Under CEQA Guidelines Class 1 Section 15301 Existing Facilities), at 6555 Hunter Drive, Suite #4, (APN 143-051-049). ACTION: Moved/Seconded (Epstein/Austin-Dillon) to approve Resolution 2025-05 approving a Conditional Use Permit for a tattoo studio at 6555 Hunter Drive, Suite #4, (APN 143-051-049) (CEQA – Exempt). Motion carried by the following (4-1-0) roll call vote: AYES: Orloff, Campbell, Epstein; Austin-Dillon NOES: None; ABSENT: Lam. Planning Consultant Ratcliffe informed the Commission that a ten (10) day appeal period will apply prior to the finalization of this action. 7. ITEMS FROM PLANNING COMMISSION Commissioner Epstein inquired whether the Planning Department had received an appeal regarding the Walmart modified Conditional Use Permit approved on May 22, 2025, by the Planning Commission. Ratcliffe confirmed that an appeal has been filed. The appeal hearing is scheduled before the City Council for July 8, 2025. As a result, the Use Permit modification is currently on hold, and the conditions placed on the project by the Planning Commission are not in effect and the original Use Permit is still in effect. The appeal hearing before the City Council will be publicly noticed in the same manner as the original Planning Commission hearing. 8. ITEM FROM DEVELOPMENT SERVICES STAFF Hina Gupta, Deputy City Attorney, was introduced by staff. Gupta indicated that she was temporarily filling in for City Attorney Karen Murphy during her vacation. 9. ADJOURNMENT Chairperson Marc Orloff adjourned the Planning Commission Meeting at 6:15 p.m. _____________________________ ________________________________ Marc Orloff, Chairperson Clotile Blanks, Recording Secretary 1 City of Rohnert Park Planning Commission Report Meeting Date: August 28, 2025 Item No: 6.1 Prepared by: Barry Miller, Planning Consultant Agenda Title: Status Report on Rohnert Park General Plan 2040 RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receive a presentation on the status of the Rohnert Park General Plan 2040 Update, including an updated timeline for completion. BACKGROUND: Every city and county in California is required to prepare a general plan for its future growth and development. The contents of the plan are shaped by State law and California’s General Plan Guidelines, with extensive input from the community. General plans are divided into chapters (called “elements”) covering topics that include land use, transportation, housing, open space, conservation, safety, noise, and environmental justice. The plans typically have a 15–20-year time horizon and cover all land within the jurisdiction and, in many cases, a larger “planning area” that includes nearby unincorporated lands. Rohnert Park’s existing General Plan was adopted in 2000. The City began a comprehensive update of the Plan in 2018, moving the time horizon forward to 2040. A consulting team was retained, and a community engagement strategy was developed and implemented. A Town Hall meeting was convened in Spring 2018, and several meetings with the City Council, Planning Commission, and other City Boards and Commissions took place in the first two years of the Plan Update. In Fall 2018, the City and its consultants published a series of background reports (“white papers”) on the various topics covered by the Plan. These reports provided the technical foundation for the Plan’s policies as well as a separate Environmental Impact Report that accompanies the Plan. A visioning report was also prepared, defining the community’s vision for Rohnert Park’s future. The City published an Alternatives Report in October 2019, exploring different ways the City might grow and change in the next 20 years. 2 Briefings to the City Council occurred on October 23, 2018 (discussion of White Papers), November 27, 2018 (visioning), and October 22, 2019 (Alternatives). Planning Commission study sessions also occurred in 2018 and 2019. Progress on the Plan was slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-2021, but the community continued to be engaged through virtual platforms and a robust project website. Work on the Plan’s policies occurred during this period, and the General Plan Land Use Map was developed for public review. Council meetings were held on October 13, 2020, and January 26, 2021, to discuss Community Development and Economic Development policies. Study sessions on the Draft Climate Change policies were held on June 22, 2021, and October 12, 2021. A study session on Racial, Social, and Environmental Justice policies was held on November 9, 2021. In June 2022, the City produced a Draft Policy Document for public review. This was essentially a working draft of the full General Plan, as it included the narrative text, edited policies, maps, and implementing actions for all elements. A City Council study session on this document was held on June 28, 2022, followed by a Planning Commission study session two months later. Concurrently, an Administrative Draft Environmental Impact Report (Admin DEIR) was prepared. The Admin DEIR analyzes the potential significant impacts of the proposed General Plan’s policies and Map changes. It includes measures to mitigate those impacts and examines alternatives to the project. In late 2022 and early 2023, the City’s focus was necessarily shifted to the Housing Element Update. The Housing Element is part of the General Plan, but unlike the other elements, it is subject to a specific deadline and certification process. All cities and counties in the Bay Area were required to adopt their Housing Elements by January 31, 2023. Rohnert Park met this deadline and was one of the first communities in the Bay Area to be certified. At the time of the City’s certification (March 23, 2023), 92 Bay Area cities were still out of compliance and only eight other cities were certified. Non-compliant cities face the loss of state funds, increased legal vulnerability, and the potential for loss of local land use control. Staff changes and competing priorities delayed progress on the General Plan in late 2023 and 2024. Work resumed in 2025, and staff is presenting this progress report and updated adoption timeline to apprise the Planning Commission on next steps. A similar report was presented to the City Council on August 12, 2025. ANALYSIS: The intent of this section is to recap recent activities and lay out a schedule for Plan adoption. The staff report does not provide a detailed overview of each chapter of the General Plan. However, Attachment 1 is a staff report presented to the City Council on June 28, 2022, which served that purpose. Commissioners are encouraged to review that report for information on the Plan’s content, including a map of the Planning Area and Focus Areas, a chapter-by- chapter summary of the document, and a description of the implementation programs. 3 Edits Required Prior to Plan Publication Minor revisions to the General Plan are now being made to ensure that the document is current at the time of publication. For instance, the actions drafted in 2022 reference “future” updates of the Parks Master Plan and the City’s Active Transportation Plan. Both of these updates were completed in 2022-2025, and the text needs to be revised to reflect that. The Plan identifies other actions to be implemented by 2025 that are still pending or lack funding; the time intervals need to be adjusted to reflect more realistic completion dates. Actions identified in the General Plan as taking place in 2020-2025 that have not yet started are being moved to 2026-2029 as appropriate. In addition, some of the demographic data and forecasts cited in the Plan are now dated. Development that occurred in 2022-2025 is also not reflected. Revisions are also being made in response to these new State requirements adopted between 2022 and 2025, and to incorporate comments from recent tribal consultation (discussed below). Tribal Consultation Consultation with California Native American tribes is required by State law when updating a General Plan or preparing an EIR. Input from Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria has been an important part of Rohnert Park’s General Plan Update process. General Plan consultation meetings with FIGR occurred in July 2021, August 2021, October 2021, February 2022, March 2022, November 2022, and August 2024. More recently, consultation meetings occurred on June 11, 2025, and August 11, 2025, to discuss the EIR. The meetings have been collaborative and productive. Next Steps The next step in this process is to finalize the General Plan and DEIR, and then publish both documents to begin the formal review, comment, and adoption process. A graphic timeline appears at the end of this section below (see Figure 1). Staff anticipates formal publication of the revised Draft General Plan and Draft EIR in early fall. The City will provide comprehensive noticing upon publication, including a press release, notice to the General Plan mailing list, and the formal Notice of Availability for the DEIR as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The timeline from that point forward will be determined in part by State law and in part by the number and type of comments received on the Plan and EIR. Comments may be made by the public, other regulatory agencies, and FIGR, as well as the Planning Commission and City Council during the public hearing process. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requires a 45-day review period for a General Plan Draft EIR. For example, assuming a September 26 release date, the City would 4 close the comment period on approximately November 10, 2025. At least one Planning Commission hearing will be convened during the 45-day period to provide an opportunity for oral comments on the DEIR. Comments on the General Plan itself also may be considered during this time and could continue to be submitted by the public beyond the DEIR deadline. After the public comment period on the DEIR has closed, formal responses to all comments received will be prepared and incorporated in a Final EIR. Publication of the Final EIR is anticipated to occur by the end of 2025 or early 2026. The Final EIR incorporates the Draft EIR, all comments received on the Draft EIR, and the lead agency's responses to those comments. Timing of the Final EIR could be affected by the volume of comments and the nature of those comments. The first Planning Commission hearing on the Final EIR and General Plan is tentatively scheduled for early 2026. The Commission will have an opportunity for an in-depth discussion of the Draft General Plan at this hearing and any subsequent hearings it deems necessary during the adoption process. At the conclusion of its hearings, the Commission will consider resolutions recommending Council adoption of both the Final EIR and General Plan at that time. The Plan and FEIR will then move to City Council for consideration. [ ňě ╩ ╗¾ك‭ م ك¢ ╗→ů¾ð ╤¾× ك] ¾τ ¾╗Ï Γك¢ ΓÏ τ ك±ňσ ¾Γňτ ¾ ~ ňΓ¾╛╤→τ ¾ك ? Ï ╤¾ City Council briefing on Status and Timeline August 12, 2025 Planning Commission briefing August 28, 2025 Publication of General Plan and Draft EIR Early to mid-fall Publication of Final EIR and any annotated General Plan edits End of 2025/Early 2026 Planning Commission hearing on Resolution recommending Council adoption of General Plan and FEIR Early 2026 City Council hearing on General Plan and FEIR Early 2026 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS: This item is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(5) because the Status Report is an administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment. 5 PUBLIC NOTIFICATION: As this is an informational item, public notification is not required. However, notification of the City Council meeting covering the same material was provided to an interested parties mailing list prior to their August 12 meeting. The Planning Commission’s August 28 meeting was also announced at that meeting. Planning Manager Approval Date: 8-20 2025 Attachments: 1. Status Report on the General Plan delivered to the City Council on June 28, 2022 ITEM NO. 7.A. 1 Meeting Date: June 28, 2022 Department: Development Services Submitted By: Mary Grace Pawson, Director of Development Services Prepared By: Jeffrey Beiswenger, Planning Manager Agenda Title: Presentation on the Public Review Draft of the General Plan 2040 Policy Document RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receive a presentation on the public review draft 2040 General Plan Policy Document. BACKGROUND: Staff has completed the public review draft of General Plan 2040. The City of Rohnert Park last made a comprehensive update of its General Plan in 2000. To provide a contemporary plan that will guide the community through the year 2040, the General Plan needs to be updated to reflect changes in the community, including new issues and opportunities identified through community input, changes in state law (such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions), and new trends. The Rohnert Park General Plan 2040 is intended to provide a vision and framework for the future growth of Rohnert Park that is internally consistent, easy to use, and that will provide guidance in the planning and evaluation of future land and resource decisions. As part of the General Plan update process, staff has received input on the draft elements from the City Council, Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC). A variety of methods have been used to collect public input including a General Plan web site, community workshops and “pop-ups” at community events such as the Farmer’s Market, Founder’s Day, “I Heart Rohnert Park” and others. The City has received meaningful input from the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria (Tribe) through several consultation meetings. This input from the Tribe has been especially important to help staff revise the Elements to more accurately reflect the Tribal Reservation, reflect the Tribe’s contributions to community, and craft effective policies related to the protection of cultural resources and future consultation activities between the Tribe and the City. The version of the General Plan policy document attached to this staff report is the full public review draft. It is the result of a robust public engagement process and reflects input from the public, interest groups and decision-makers. While this is an important document in the General Plan 2040 update process, it is not the final version. It will serve as the basis for the environmental impact report, and the public review process as required by California law. Based on this process we anticipate modest changes will be necessarily prior to launching the approval process later this year. The General Plan policy document now includes the following chapters: •Introduction •Our Vision, Our Future Mission Statement “We Care for Our Residents by Working Together to Build a Better Community for Today and Tomorrow.” CITY OF ROHNERT PARK CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT ATTACHMENT 1 ITEM NO. 7.A. 2 •Racial, Social and Environmental Justice Element •Community Development Element •Economic Development Element •Climate Change Element •Circulation Element •Public Facilities and Services Element •Health and Safety Element •Resource Conservation Element •Housing Element The policy document is the heart of the General Plan update process. This document is made up of a collection of “elements,” or topic chapters. The state-mandated topics are land use, circulation, housing, conservation, open space, noise, safety, air quality and environmental justice. A jurisdiction may elect to include additional elements that address issues of local concern. Under state law, if optional elements are included in the general plan, they carry the same weight of law as those that are legally mandated. General plans may be organized in a way that the jurisdiction chooses provided the required topics are addressed (see Table 1). Table 1 Elements of the Rohnert Park 2040 General Plan Rohnert Park Elements: State Mandated Elements Optional Land Use Circulation Housing Conservation Noise Open Space Safety Air Quality Environmental Justice Racial, Social and Environmental Justice  Community Development     Economic Development  Climate Change         Circulation   Public Facilities and Services    Health and Safety     Resource Conservation    Housing   Source: Mintier Harnish, 2020 ITEM NO. 7.A. 3 Planning Area State law requires cities to adopt a general plan that addresses physical development within city limits, as well as any land outside its boundaries, “which in the planning agency’s judgment, bears relation to its planning.” The Planning Area for the 2040 General Plan is shown on Figure 1 and depicts: •City Limits. The jurisdictional limits of Rohnert Park where zoning and other municipal regulations apply. •Sphere of Influence (SOI). Determined by Sonoma County’s Local Area FormationCommission, this boundary includes all land within the City Limits, plus land outside the CityLimits where the City could expand in the future (e.g. Northeast area) or where the City provides services (e.g. Canon Manor area). •Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). The voters of Sonoma County renewed UGBs in 2019.UGBs limits the urban expansion of cities until 2040. Specifically, the UGB prevents RohnertPark or any other city from expanding city serves (e.g. water and sewer) or approvingdevelopment that would result in new homes or businesses outside this line. The purpose of the Planning Area is to provide the opportunity to evaluate the effects of future growth in the entire Planning Area and to develop further analysis of the values of the surrounding open space and agricultural areas beyond the existing and planned urban area. ITEM NO. 7.A. 4 Figure 1 Planning Boundaries ITEM NO. 7.A. 5 To help ensure that appropriate actions are taken to implement the 2040 General Plan, the General Plan includes a set of implementation programs. These programs identify the specific steps to be taken by the City to implement the policies. They may include revisions of current codes and ordinances, plans, capital improvements, programs, financing, and other measures that should be assigned to different City departments after the General Plan is adopted. While some policies can be implemented as part of standard City operations, some policies require specific programs to assure their implementation. These implementation programs are included as the last section in each element in a format illustrated on Figure 2 below. Figure 2 How to Read Implementation Programs Environmental Impact Report To accompany the policy document, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared consistent with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The EIR will analyze the potential significant impacts of the proposed General Plan’s policies and identifies measures to mitigate those impacts. Staff expects that have a Draft EIR available to public within the next few months. A public meeting will be held during the review and comment period to present the major findings of the Draft EIR and to receive comments from the public and members of the Planning Commission and City Council. ITEM NO. 7.A. 6 Summary of Policy Document A brief summary of each chapter of the General Plan policy document is included below and the complete document is included as an attachment to this staff report. 1.Introduction. The introduction outlines the purpose of the 2040 General Plan, as a “long-rangeplan that guides decision-making and establishes rules and standards for development and cityimprovements.” The chapter explains the General Plan organization and how each element is structured with goals, policies and implementation programs. 2.Our Vision, Our Future. This chapter provides a user-friendly overview of the City’s overallvision and how the new General Plan will help achieved that vision. This chapter provides alook at eight focus areas (see Figure 3) that will see larger changes over the next 20 years. The discussions of each area provide a framework for the community’s expectations about the future of these areas, and to express the City’s vision in a more tangible way. Figure 3 Focus Areas ITEM NO. 7.A. 7 3. Racial, Social and Environmental Justice Element. The Council felt that it was important to include this Element in the General Plan and asked staff to expand on the State required topic of environment justice to also include racial and social issues. The environmental justicecomponent complies with Senate Bill 1000 (SB 1000). SB 1000 requires general plans toincorporate environmental justice goals, policies, and objectives to address health risks indisadvantaged communities. SB 1000 directs local agencies to consider policies that reduce exposure to pollutants or other hazards, promote healthy habits, prioritize infrastructure improvements and programs that address the needs of disadvantaged communities, andpromote civic engagement in the public decision-making process. The Racial, Social and Environmental Justice Element is divided into three subsections: Racialand Social Justice, Environmental Justice, and Civic Engagement in the Public Decision- Making Process. 4.Community Development Element. The Community Development Element establishes landuse designations that identify the type and intensity of uses allowed in the City, together withthe goals, policies and implementation activities that will support these land uses. Thedesignations are shown on the Land Use Diagram, which graphically illustrates the boundaries for distinct land use designations (and is correlated with the city’s zoning map). The intent of these land use designations is also described through text and a table of accompanyingdevelopment standards. While this element preserves many of the goal and policies of thecurrent general plan, it also introduces new goals and policies that create a flexible businesspark designation to support economic development. 5.Economic Development. This is a new element to the Rohnert Park General Plan, which isfocused specifically on goals and policies that support long term economic health for thecommunity. The element includes the following highlights: •Fiscal Health – policies are included to ensure that the City can generate enough revenue to maintain and provide high-quality municipal services. •Business Park Designation - a key policy in this section is to “Establish a Business ParkDesignation and Provide Incentives.” The City has four geographic areas which havevacant properties, underdeveloped properties or properties that could be redeveloped. The proposed policy and goals would be to create one designation for these areas thatwould encourage a wide range of uses to respond to dramatic changes in the economiclandscape. •Downtown Rohnert Park – policies are included to increase the vibrancy of downtown. Successful downtowns serve to generate financial, community and social benefits. •Business Attraction, Retention and Expansion – business attraction and retention is animportant economic development activity that not only maintains and increases cityrevenues but also supports the community’s workforce. Rohnert Park experiences significant workforce “leakage” meaning that residents leave the City to find employment. As Figure 4 illustrates that over 18,000 workers leave the city every day tofind employment elsewhere. The goal and policies in the section provide guidance forattracting, retaining and expanding businesses, which ideally will provide higher qualityjobs for residents, reduce the need for commuting and support city services. ITEM NO. 7.A. 8 Figure 4 Commuting Patterns (2017) 6. Climate Change Element. The City Council requested the preparation of the Climate Change element due to the importance of this issue for the City. The Council adopted Resolution 2021-026 in early 2021, to “endorse the declaration of a climate emergency.” The climate emergency resolution directs the City to address Climate Change through the following measures: • Transition away from fossil fuel; • Collaborate on climate issues; • Achieve zero net emission as quickly as possible; • Provide for full community participation; • Accelerate adaptations and resiliency strategies; • Develop a mobilization strategy; • Provide a climate liaison; and • Educate City employees and Rohnert Park residents. The goals and policies of the draft Climate Change Element have been developed to help address the measures adopted with Resolution 2021-026, as well as to help the City comply with various state laws around greenhouse reduction. The goals, policies and implementation program in the General Plan will provide the roadmap for the City’s work to transition to a low carbon economy and adapt to a changing climate. 7. Circulation Element. The single largest change impacting the Circulation Element is the shift from using a level of service analysis to set policy to using a Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) analysis to set policy. VMT is a metric which holistically seeks to reduce vehicle miles traveled through changes in land use, creation of improved bike and pedestrian facilities, and ITEM NO. 7.A. 9 encouraging the use of alternative travel mode choices (transit, walking, biking, carpooling etc.) The Circulation Element provides a policy framework to address emerging trends in the transportation sector (e.g. Uber and Lyft, bike-share and scooter-share, electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles). These emerging trends will continue to influence travel choices within Rohnert Park, which in turn can alter infrastructure needs. New policies will help prepare Rohnert Park for these emerging trends. 8. Public Facilities and Services Element. This element includes eleven sections that each include goals and policies related to a type of public service. • General Public Facilities and Services – focused on the effective provision of public facilities and services. New policy areas include sustainable business practices for City operations and facilities and assuring that public facilities are climate resistant. • Parks and Recreation – provides for a system of parks and trails to meet community needs. New policies call for long-term park maintenance, parkland dedication requirements for new development and considering the location and amenities of parks for maximum community benefit and use. • Water supply and Delivery – continued focus on water use efficiency and recycled water use along with ongoing coordination on regional water supplies from Sonoma Water and the Santa Rosa Plain Groundwater Basin. • Wastewater - Rohnert Park is part of a subregional treatment system operated by the City of Santa Rosa. In 2013 / 2014, the City built the East Side Trunk Sewer which provided additional capacity for new development on the eastern side of Rohnert Park. Policies in the new General Plan will mostly focus on modest improvements to the existing system. No major system changes are anticipated. • Stormwater – since the last General Plan update, stormwater management techniques and requirements have changed significantly. There are many new policies in this section to improve stormwater quality and allow for on-site stormwater infiltration (ie. Low Impact Development or LID). • Law Enforcement – new policy areas included related to staffing benchmark standards, police equipment and facilities, police communications, community policing strategies, community engagement, and collaboration with schools / employers / institutions, and mutual aid. • Fire and Emergency Services – section includes a goal and policies which are designed to ensure high quality fire and emergency response. • Utilities – new policy areas include utility services modernization, utility siting coordination, utility provider coordination, renewable energy, PACE program, streamlining of solar installations, and cooperation with Sonoma Clean Power. • Communications Infrastructure – section responds to the increased need for and importance of state-of-the-art communications infrastructure and focuses on the creation and maintenance of this infrastructure. 9. Health and Safety Element. While this element preserves many of the goal and policies of the current general plan, it also introduces new goals and policies based primarily on new hazards induced by climate change. New policy topics include: ITEM NO. 7.A. 10 • Communication protocols in emergencies; • Cooling center locations; • Post-disaster rebuilding; • Ensuring of continuity of operations; • Wildfire inter-agency planning; • Wildland-Urban interface; • Fire access; • Defensible space; • Hazard mitigation partnerships; • Limiting of impervious surfaces in new development; • Noise protection through site planning techniques; • Hazardous materials plans for businesses; and • Hazardous waste remediation coordination. 10. Resource Conservation Element. This is an existing element of the current general plan with some important updates. It is organized in the follow sections: • Historical Cultural and Archaeological Resources – new policies include support for historic landmark designations and tribal consultation compliance. • Habitat and Biological Resources – new policies in this section call for: biological resource assessments for development projects; sensitive project design in areas with known endangered plant and animal species; preferences for native plants and trees; and protection and enhancement of Rohnert Park’s urban forest. • Water Conservation – this section encourages water conservation through the use of recycled water, low impact development (LID) which allows for water infiltration to restore ground water, and water efficiency initiatives for existing buildings. • Open Space – the policies in this section are largely carried over from the existing general plan and provide a policy framework for the preservation and maintenance of open space. • Air Quality – the policies of this section have been largely carried over from the existing general plan and provide a policy framework for maintaining a high level of air quality and serve to mitigate or reduce exposure to any adverse air quality impacts. 11. Housing Element. Rohnert Park’s current Housing Element, which was adopted on November 25, 2014 and addresses housing needs for the 2015-2023 projection period. This section contains the goals, policies, and programs extracted from that 2015-2023 Housing Element, and is currently being updated as a separate (but related) project to the 2040 General Plan. 12. Glossary. Includes definitions of terms that are unique to the General Plan. NEXT STEPS: Now that the public review draft of the General Plan 2040, Policy Document has been completed, efforts will turn to the completion of the draft Environmental Impact Report. This will be completed so that it can be circulated for public comment within the next few months. Work on the Housing Element is also continuing as a parallel effort. The Housing Element has a State mandated timeline for adoption by early 2023. Therefore, the project will progress independently of ITEM NO. 7.A. 11 the full 2040 General Plan, in order to ensure that the City Council will be able to adopt the Housing Element on time. Figure 5 below shows how far we have advanced in the General Plan schedule. The EIR will be circulated for public comment when complete. At that point we can assess whether any significant changes need to be made to the General Plan and progress to adoption hearings. Figure 5 Schedule STRATEGIC PLAN and CITY COUNCIL PRIORITY ALIGNMENT: The General Plan update supports Strategic Plan Goal D – Continue to Develop a Vibrant Community. Completing the update of the General Plan is one of the City Council’s current priorities. FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE: The funding source for the General Plan project is General Plan Maintenance Fund. Code Compliance Approval Date: N/A Department Head Approval Date: 06/14/2022 Finance Director Approval Date: N/A City Attorney Approval Date: N/A Assistant City Manager Approval Date: 06/16/2022 Attachment: Public Review Draft of the General Plan 2040 Policy Document City of Rohnert Park Planning Commission Regular Meeting Thursday, August 28, 2025 6:00 P.M. CITY HALL - COUNCIL CHAMBER 130 Avram Avenue, Rohnert Park, California PUBLIC COMMENT: For public comment on items listed or not listed on the agenda, or agenda items if unable to speak at the scheduled time, you may do so upon recognition from the Chairperson. Please fill out a speaker card prior to speaking. Members of the public may also provide advanced comments by email at Planning@rpcity.org. Comments are requested by 5:00 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Email comments must identify the Agenda Item Number in the subject line of the email. The emails will not be read for the record but will be provided to the Planning Commission. Please note that all emails sent to the Planning Commission are considered to be public records and subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. Planning Commission agendas and minutes may be viewed at the City’s website: www.rpcity.org NOTE: If you challenge the nature of the proposed action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the 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. 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL ( Orloff Lam Epstein Austin-Dillon Campbell ) 2. READING OF THE LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The City of Rohnert Park acknowledges Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of the land. Let it be acknowledged that the City of Rohnert Park is located within the traditional homeland of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, comprised of Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo peoples. Planning Commission Briefing –August 28, 2025 ▪Status report on Plan ▪Timeline for Adoption ▪Draft EIR ▪Next Steps/ Q&A ▪Expresses community’s vision for the future ▪City’s “blueprint” for decision- making ▪Required by State law ▪Long-term plan (20-year span) ▪Contains goals, policies, implementation programs General Plan 2040 Housing Element 2023 - 2031 ▪Farmer’s Markets ▪Founder’s Day and I Heart Rohnert Park ▪Community Workshops •Town Hall Meeting on Issues •Visioning Workshop ▪BPAC/ Parks & Rec Study Sessions ▪Planning Commission Study Sessions ▪City Council Study Sessions ▪Tribal Consultation 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 ▪General Plan Update is a “project” under CEQA ▪Draft EIR has been prepared ▪Mitigation measures have been identified to reduce impacts ▪45-day comment period on Draft EIR following publication ▪City will prepare responses to comments ▪EIR Resolution will include Findings and Statement of Overriding Considerations EIR Topics •Aesthetics •Air quality •Biological resources •Cultural and historic resources •Energy •Geology and soils •Greenhouse gas emissions •Hazardous materials •Hydrology and water quality •Land Use •Noise •Population and housing •Public services and recreation •Transportation and traffic •Tribal cultural resources •Utilities •Wildfire Circulation Element Study Session | March 23, 2021 ▪General Plan and Draft EIR Publication (Early Fall) ▪Review and comment period (Fall 2025) •Environmental Impact Report (45 days) •Commission hearing during EIR review •General Plan (ongoing until adoption) ▪Final EIR (including responses to comments) (End of 2025/early 2026) ▪Adoption Hearings (Early 2026) 8 Circulation Element Study Session | March 23, 2021 Planning Commission Briefing – August 28, 2025 Code Compliance Activity Report Key Updates for 2024 •Transition from GOGov to CodeTRAK, enhancing case tracking & integration with planning and building permitting •Adopted Amendments to Title 1, creating a clearer process for handling complaints, issuing notices and administrative citations •22% decrease in case volume, 1,303 new cases in 2024, down from 1,672 in 2023 Trends in New Cases –2012 to 2024 Case Types –2023 vs. 2024 New Cases by Category in 2024 Citations & Penalty Trends Type Issued / Collected 2023 2024 % Change 2023 to 2024 Citations Issued 183 281 54% Citation Penalties Issued $ 57,220 $ 84,770 48% New Proactive Enforcement Initiatives In 2024, the Code Compliance team launched the following initiatives: ●Unpermitted Food Vendor Task Force ●Sidewalk Obstructions ●Graffiti Abatement Graffiti Abatement Continued Proactive Enforcement Initiatives In 2024, the Code Compliance team continued the following initiatives: •Shopping Cart Abandonment •Hazardous Weeds •Homeless Issues •Business License Compliance Questions?