[00:00:01]
AND WITH THAT, UH, CONFIRMATION OF RECORDING, UH, GOOD EVENING TO ALL
[CALL TO ORDER]
AND WELCOME TO THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE PETALUMA CITY COUNCIL AND PETALUMA COMMUNITY DEVELOPER SUCCESSOR AGENCY FOR MONDAY.AND UH, THAT'S MONDAY, JUNE 15TH.
AND, UH, MAY WE HAVE OUR ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
AND I SHOULD NOTE AT THIS TIME THAT, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CATER THOMPSON IS JOINING US REMOTELY AND FOLLOWING ALL BROWN ACT RULES TO DO SO.
[CLOSED SESSION]
CLOSED SESSION.UM, I'M GONNA DEFER TO OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO, UH, ANNOUNCE, UM, THE AGENDA OF THE CLOSED SESSION.
THE COUNCIL WILL HAVE A CONFERENCE WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING ANTICIPATED LITIGATION ENC CLOSED SESSION, UM, THAT REGARDS INITIATION OF LITIGATION UNDER GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION 5 4 9 5 6 9 SUBDIVISION D PARAGRAPH ONE REGARDING, I'M SORRY, PARAGRAPH FOUR REGARDING ONE POTENTIAL CASE.
AND, UH, WITH IT, WITH ITEMS LIKE THIS, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
I'LL DEFER TO THE CLERK NOW TO ANNOUNCE OUR PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE RECEIVED NO PUBLIC COMMENTS PRIOR TO THE CLOSED SESSION.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ATTENDING IN PERSON SHOULD BRING THEIR SPEAKER CARDS TO THE CLERK'S DESK IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE SO.
SPEAKERS ARE REMINDED TO BE RESPECTFUL IN THEIR COMMENTS AND, UH, NOT SEEING ANYONE IN CHAMBERS NOR ANYONE MOVING WITH CARDS TOWARDS THE CLERK.
WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND NOW WE WILL ADJOURN, UH, TO OUR CLOSED SESSION AND RETURN INTO THE ROOM AT THE COMPLETION OF THE BUSINESS OR AT 6:00 PM WHICHEVER COMES LATER.
I BELIEVE WE'RE CONTINUING OUR REGULAR SESSION FLOWING RIGHT INTO IT FROM OUR CLOSED SESSION.
[CALL TO ORDER]
WELCOME TO ALL AND UM, THIS IS OUR REGULAR LEASE SCHEDULED MEETING, THE PETALUMA CITY COUNCIL AND THE PETALUMA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUCCESSOR AGENCY FOR MONDAY, JUNE 15TH.AND, UH, AS ALWAYS, IF YOU WISH TO PROVIDE A COMMENT ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA, PLEASE FILL OUT A SPEAKER CARD.
THEY'RE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
OUR CLERK IS HERE IN THE FRONT OF THE ROOM.
WE HAVE CONCURRENT TRANSLATION SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR OUR, OUR MEETINGS.
AND, UM, TO DO THAT, THERE IS A LINK ON YOUR AGENDA OR THERE'S A QR CODE IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO HAVE OUR ROLL CALL FOR THE EVENING.
BARNICLE PRESENT CATER THOMPSON.
AND I'LL NOTE THAT OUR COUNCIL, UH, WOMAN CATER THOMPSON IS JOINING US REMOTELY, UH, TO THE POWER OF THE INTERNET AND, UM, AND ALL IN CONFORMANCE WITH BROWN ACT REQUIREMENTS.
SO, UM, LET'S HAVE OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, PLEASE, TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, LIBERTIES AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
AND A MOMENT OF SILENCE, PLEASE.
FROM TIME TO TIME, THE CITY USES THIS MOMENT, UH, TO HONOR A PETALUMA WHO WAS RECENTLY PASSED AND WAS A SIGNIFICANT CON CONTRIBUTOR TO THE CITY.
AND, UH, TONIGHT WE HAVE OCCASION TO REMEMBER JUST ONE SUCH PERSON, JOHN VOLPE.
UM, SO JOHN WAS, UH, BORN IN PETALUMA IN 1936.
HE'S JUST PASSED AWAY RECENTLY, UH, JUNE 11TH AT THE AGE OF 90.
AND HE WAS, UM, PROUD DESCENDANTS OF NORTHERN ITALIAN HERITAGE.
THE VOLPI FAMILY HAS LONG BEEN WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR CITY.
IN 1925, HIS PARENTS PURCHASED THE VOLPI GROCERY AND BAR AT 1 24 WASHINGTON, NOW KNOWN AS VOLPES RESTAURANT AND BAR, WHICH RECENTLY CELEBRATED THEIR 100TH ANNIVERSARY FOR GENERATIONS OF PENAL LUMENS.
JOHN WAS MUCH MORE THAN A BUSINESSMAN, DAIRYMAN AND RESTAURATEUR ALONGSIDE HIS SISTER SYLVIA.
THEY BROUGHT JOY TO COUNTLESS AUDIENCES THROUGH MUSIC, ENTERTAINING GUESTS
[00:05:01]
IN THE, IN THE HISTORIC, UH, BACK ROOM, BACK BAR OF VOLPES, WHICH YOU SHOULD INVESTIGATE FOR THE BACKSTORY OF, AND, UM, A GATHERING PLACE WITH ROOTS REACHING ALL THE WAY BACK INTO THE PROHIBITION ERA.AND JOHN WAS ALSO A LIFELONG LOCAL DAIRYMAN AND DEVOTED STEWARD OF THE CITY.
SOME MAY NOT KNOW THIS, BUT HE SERVED AS A BOXING COACH AT PETALUMA BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB.
AND HE HEARD BLACK BELTS IN BOTH TAEKWONDO AND KARATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR WHICH HE WAS PARTICULARLY PROUD.
UM, THROUGH HIS MENTORSHIP, DISCIPLINE AND DEDICATION, HE POSITIVELY INFLUENCED MANY YOUNG PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND WHILE JOHN'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS WERE MANY, THOSE WHO KNOW HIM BEST WILL REMEMBER HIM FOR HIS KINDNESS, HIS LOVE OF FAMILY, HIS PRIDE AND PETALUMA AND THE UNMISTAKABLE SOUND OF HIS ACCORDION.
AS MUCH AS HE LOVED FAMILY, FRIENDS AND OFTEN JOKED, HE OFTEN JOKED THAT THE ACCORDION WAS HIS OTHER GREAT LIFE LOVE IN HIS LIFE.
ON BEHALF OF THE CITY OF PETALUMA, WE EXTEND OUR HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES TO MARY LEE, THE ENTIRE VOLPE FAMILY NEW THOSE WHO KNEW AND LOVED JOHN.
UM, SO THIS MEETING TONIGHT WILL BE ADJOURNED IN MEMORY OF JOHN VOLPE.
[AGENDA CHANGES AND DELETIONS (TO CURRENT AGENDA ONLY)]
AT THE AGENDA AND THEN I LOOK UP AND DOWN THE DAAS AND SEE IF OUR AGENDA HAS ANY QUESTIONS.AND SEEING NO ONE WISHING TO MODIFY THE AGENDA, WE'LL ADOPT IT AS IT'S WRITTEN ON WHAT YOU SEE.
[REPORT OUT OF CLOSED SESSION]
THAT MOVES US TO A REPORT OUT OF OUR RECENT CLOSE SESSION.AND SO I'D LIKE TO INVITE OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO COMMENT ON TONIGHT'S CLOSED SESSION.
THERE IS NO ACTION TO REPORT TONIGHT.
UH, THAT IS THE WAY WITH SOME CLOSE SESSIONS, BUT WE DO
[PROCLAMATIONS]
HAVE A PROCLAMATION TONIGHT.ONE OF THE, UH, UM, HONORS OF THE CITY IS TO, UM, REP PROCLAMATION FOR THOSE CONTRIBUTING TODAY IN OUR CITY.
UM, AND IT, THE, UH, PROCLAMATION IS FOR JUNETEENTH.
AND I'D LIKE TO INVITE FAITH ROSS AND FRIENDS FROM, UM, PETALUMA BLACKS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO THE PODIUM WHILE WE READ.
AND I DO JUST WANNA NOTE THAT JUNETEENTH, THIS IS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDA A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN.
IT WILL BE, IT, IT WILL BE ADOPTED AS A CITY HOLIDAY IN CONTRACT WITH ALL OUR LABOR UNIONS IN THIS AGENDA TONIGHT.
SO THE GOING FORTH THERE WILL BE JUNETEENTH OFFICIAL HOLIDAY IN PETALUMA.
SO, UH, JUNETEENTH, UM, JUNE 19TH, 2026, WHEREAS PRESIDENT ABRAHAM LINCOLN SIGNED THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION ON JANUARY 1ST, 1863, DECLARING SLAVES IN THE CONFEDERATE TERRITORIES, FREE AND PAVING THE WAY FOR PASSING THE 13TH AMENDMENT, WHICH FORMALLY ABOLISHED SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
AND WHEREAS WORD OF THE SIGNING OF THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION WAS DELAYED SOMETIME, SOMETIME BEING TWO AND ONE HALF YEARS TO JUNE 19TH, 1865, BEFORE REACHING AUTHORITIES AND AFRICAN AMERICANS IN THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST UNITED STATES.
AND WHEREAS EMANCIPATION DAY OBSERVANCES ARE HELD ON DIFFERENT DAYS IN DIFFERENT STATES THROUGHOUT THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST AND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE NATION.
AND WHEREAS JUNE 19TH AS A SPECIAL MEANING AFRICAN AMERICANS, AND IT'S CALLED JUNE.
JUNE 19TH, HAS A SPECIAL MEETING AND IT'S CALLED JUNE JUNETEENTH, COMBINING THE WORDS OF JUNE AND 19TH, AND HAS BEEN CELEBRATED BY THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY FOR OVER 150 YEARS.
WHEREAS JUNETEENTH MARKS THE COUNTRY'S SECOND INDEPENDENCE DAY AND ITS HISTORICAL LEGACY SHOWS THE VALUE OF NEVER GIVING UP HOPE IN UNCERTAIN TIMES.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I, KEVIN MCDONALD, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF PETALUMA, ALONG WITH THE MEMBERS OF THE PETALUMA CITY COUNCIL, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 19TH, 2026 AS JUNETEENTH IN THE CITY OF PETALUMA AND URGE ALL RESIDENTS TO BECOME MORE AWARE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE, THIS CELEBRATION IN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AND IN THE HERITAGE OF OUR NATION AND OUR CITY.
IS THIS ON, PLEASE? IS IT ON? IT'S ON.
UH, MAYOR, CITY MANAGER, COUNCIL MEMBERS, UH, CITY STAFF, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND, UH, FRIENDS ON BEHALF OF PETALUMA BLACKS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, I AM DEEPLY HONORED TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION, RECOGNIZING JUNETEENTH JUNETEENTH IS MORE THAN JUST A CELEBRATION OF FREEDOM.
IT IS A REMINDER THAT FREEDOM DELAYED IS FREEDOM
[00:10:01]
DENIED, AND THAT PURSUIT OF EQUITY, JUSTICE, AND OPPORTUNITY CONTINUES TODAY.IT IS A TIME TO REFLECT ON THE RESILIENCE, STRENGTH, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK AMERICANS WHO HELPED BUILD THIS COUNTRY DESPITE TREMENDOUS OBSTACLES.
JUNETEENTH COMMENS COMMENSURATE JUNE 19TH, 1865, WHEN THE ENSLAVED AFRICAN AMERICANS IN TEXAS LEARNED THEY HAD BEEN FREED BY THE EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT IN NINE IN 1863.
SO THAT WAS A LITTLE TIME IN THERE.
WE ARE ALSO CELEBRATING COMMUNITY.
MRS. MARTEL PERRY, A RESIDENT OF SANTA ROSA, WHO GREW UP IN TEXAS, STARTED THE TRADITION OF HAVING A PICNIC TO CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH IN 1954 AT HER HOME AT 1335 WRIGHT ROAD IN SANTA ROSA.
SHE BROUGHT THIS TRADITION TO SANTA ROSA AND IT HAS CONTINUED UNTIL THIS DAY HERE IN PETALUMA.
WE DON'T HAVE A SEPARATE CELEBRATION, BUT A SHARED ONE WITHIN SONOMA COUNTY.
SHE WAS ONE OF MY, UH, CUSTOMERS WHEN I WAS, UM, THE MANAGER OF THE WORLD SAVINGS IN SANTA ROSA.
AND I ALSO GOT TO GO TO HER HOUSE TO A COUPLE OF THE PICNICS THERE WHEN HER CHILDREN HAD STARTED TO DO IT 'CAUSE THEY KEPT IT UP AFTER SHE PASSED AWAY.
THE PROCLAMATION IS NOT ONLY A RECOGNITION OF JUNETEENTH, IT IS ALSO A REMINDER OF OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE IDEA OF FREEDOM AND OPPORTUNITY ARE AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE.
WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP, THE FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT THAT MAKES THIS WORK OF PETALUMA BLACKS POSSIBLE.
2026 MAKES THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY THAT MAKES ME SO HAPPY.
WE AT P-C-C-P-B-C-D ARE COMMITTED TO SHARING THE STORIES, EXPERIENCES, AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK PEOPLE IN SONOMA COUNTY AND BEYOND BECAUSE UNDERSTANDING OUR HISTORY HELPS US CREATE A STRONGER FUTURE.
THANK YOU CITY OF PETALUMA FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND FOR HELPING KEEP THE SPIRIT OF JUNETEENTH ALIVE.
MAY WE CONTINUE WORKING TOGETHER TO BUILD A COMMUNITY WHERE FREEDOM, EQUITY, AND BELONGING A NOT JUST IDEAS, BUT REALITIES FOR ALL.
[GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT]
TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.UH, DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, THE PUBLIC'S INVITED TO MAKE COMMENT ON ITEMS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST THAT ARE WITHIN THE CITY COUNCIL SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION, AND THAT ARE NOT LISTED AS A CURRENT ITEM.
SO PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED UP TO THREE MINUTES IN TIME.
AND DEPENDING ON THE NUMBER OF PERSONS WISHING TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL TIME MAY BE ALLOCATED IN EQUAL SHARES, UH, TOTALING NO MORE THAN 20 MINUTES.
IF WE HAVE MORE THAN 20, UH, SPEAKERS, WE WILL, UM, ADDITIONAL COMMENTS WILL BE HEARD AT THE AFTER THE LAST BUSINESS ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO ASK OUR CLERK IF WE RECEIVE ANY GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE RECEIVED SIX GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENTS AHEAD OF THE MEETING, AND THOSE HAVE BEEN POSTED TO THE AGENDA PACKET ONLINE.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL START A 32ND CLOCK FOR GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT.
DURING THESE 30 SECONDS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD BRING THEIR SPEAKER CARDS TO THE CLERK'S DESK.
IF YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO ALREADY, SPEAKER CARDS RECEIVED AFTER THIS TIME MAY NOT BE ACCOMMODATED.
WE HAVE, UH, TWO CARDS THIS EVENING.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE JENNIFER BOYLE TO BE FOLLOWED BY TIM PORTUS.
[00:15:06]
GOOD EVENING MAYOR.CITY COUNCIL AND CITY STAFF, THE BAD ACTOR, MOBILE HOME LARGE INVESTMENT GROUP OWNERS IN PETALUMA AND THROUGHOUT OUR STATE CONTINUE TO IGNORE AND FLAUNT VIOLATIONS OF BOTH LOCAL ORDINANCES AND SENIOR PARK OVERLAY ZONING AND MRL LAWS.
WHILE FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS AND ARBITRATIONS ARE CONTINUOUSLY AIMED AT BOTH THE CITY AND THE MOBILE HOME MOBILE PARK RESIDENTS IN CAPRI LITTLE WOODS AND YOUNGSTOWN, THE OUTCOMES THUS FAR HAVE CULMINATED IN SIX ARBITRATIONS WITH ZERO AWARDS TO PARK OWNERS.
THREE FEDERAL LAWSUITS AGAINST THE CITY DISMISSED A SENIOR PARK OVERLAY LAWSUIT DISMISSED.
IN PART, ANOTHER ARBITRATION JUST FILED LESS THAN ONE YEAR AFTER THE LAST.
AND ONE ARBITRATION WITH AWARD OF 13% OF THE ASK OF $923.
AND ATTORNEY FEES OVERTURNED ON APPEAL, BLEED RESIDENTS AND CITIES INTO SUBMISSION IS THE GOAL.
THE RENT STAB STABILIZATION ORDINANCE OF OUR CITY AND MMRL LAW DOES NOT ALLOW GROUND RENT IN A MOBILE PARK TO BE RAISED UPON SALE UNLESS THERE WAS AN EVICTION OR THE REMOVAL OF AN OLD MOBILE HOME AND A NEW MOBILE HOME INSTALLED.
REALTORS, HOWEVER, ARE GIVEN INCREASED GROUND RENTS EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AWARE OF WHAT THE CURRENT GROUND RENT IS.
WHEN REALTORS DO THEIR DUE DILIGENCE AND CONFIRM WITH THE CITY OF THE GROUND RENT THEIR OFFER, THEIR OFFERS ARE NOT ACCEPTED AT THE LAST MINUTE.
OR IN SOME CASES, REALTORS FOR SELLERS STATE THAT THERE ARE BUYERS WILLING TO PAY THE INCREASE UNLAWFUL AMOUNT.
THE INCREASED GROUND RENT IS UNLAWFUL.
HOWEVER, NOTHING CHANGES THE RENT STABILIZATION ORDINANCE OF THE MRL.
THIS IS CLEAR CUT VIOLATIONS AND UNLAWFUL BUSINESS PRACTICES.
YOUNGSTOWN MANAGEMENT ARE DEMANDING SIGNED FORMS, WHICH WOULD RELEASE THEIR LIABILITY IN THE POOL AREA AND ALLOWING FOUR 14-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN AND ALL AGE RULES FOR A SENIOR PARK BEFORE ANY RESIDENT CAN GET A KEY TO THE POOL.
AN AMENITY, EVERY RESIDENT ALREADY PAYS FOR REFUSAL.
REFUSAL BY THE RESIDENT TO SIGN THESE FORMS. DENIES RESIDENTS A KEY TO THE NEWLY KEYED POOL AND LIKELY LAST THURSDAY, THANK YOU TIM PORTUS.
REFUSAL BY THE RESIDENT TO SIGN THESE FORMS. DENIES THE RESIDENTS A KEY TO THE NEWLY KEYED POOL.
AND LIKE LAST THURSDAY ON A 97 DEGREE DAY, DENIES ACCESS TO USE OF A POOL AMENITY WE ALL PAY FOR.
THIS IS AN UNLAWFUL YOUNGSTOWN.
AND THIS REDUCTION OF SERVICE IS AN ABUSE AND OF POWER, ESPECIALLY TO SENIOR CITIZENS TRYING TO STAY COOL WITH SIGNIFICANT HEALTH ISSUES.
IN CAPRI, MULTIPLE RESIDENCE CARS IN THE PARK, TOWING IN THE, IN THE PARK OWNER TOWING CAMPAIGN WERE LIFTED FOR TOW UNWARRANTED AND HAD TO PAY IMMEDIATELY THE TOW FEE FOR THE TOW COMPANY TO PUT DOWN THE CAR.
ON A RECENT FRIDAY NIGHT, THIS HAPPENED TO ON THREE DIFFERENT VEHICLES IN CAPRI.
IT'S A RACKET USED TO GET BACK AT RESIDENCE WHO WILL NOT AGREE TO SIGN, TO NOT AGREE TO TALK WITH OWNERS WITHOUT GIVING UP THEIR RIGHTS OR WON'T GIVE THEM, GIVE INTO THE GOUGING THAT THEY'RE INTENDING ON THEM.
THESE BAD PARK, THESE BAD ACTOR PARK OWNERS ARE VIOLATING MRL LAW BUSINESS PRACTICES.
NOW WHAT IF THIS BUSINESS WAS ANOTHER BUSINESS SOMEWHERE HERE IN THE CITY? WHAT WOULD YOU GUYS DO? WOULD YOU DO NOTHING REALLY? PICK ANOTHER BUSINESS.
YOU HAVE THIS, YOU HAVE ACCESS TO THIS.
BUT THIS HAS REALLY GOTTEN TO ME.
[00:20:02]
WE LOOK TO YOU BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE MUCH THAT WE CAN DO ALONE.BUT ANY OTHER BUSINESS, TREAT THIS LIKE THE BUSINESS IT IS.
THEY DON'T GET TO RUN AROUND AND ABUSE US.
THAT'S, IS THAT RIGHT? I CAN'T GET INTO THE POOL.
I'VE LIVED HERE FOR NEARLY SEVEN YEARS.
I'VE PAID ALL OF MY RENT EVERY TIME, BUT I CAN EVEN GO TO MY OWN POOL.
WHAT? LET'S CHANGE THE CONTRACT.
HOW ABOUT I GET TO CHANGE THE CONTRACT AND I'LL START PAYING A HUNDRED BUCKS A MONTH FOR RENT? WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE? HOW DOES THIS WORK? HOW IS THAT EQUAL WITH ANY OTHER BUSINESS HERE IN TOWN? YOU CAN'T ABUSE YOUR, YOUR EMPLOYEES.
YOU CAN ABUSE THE PEOPLE THAT COME INTO YOUR STORES.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO US.
PLEASE, THERE MUST BE A SIGNIFICANT WAY TO STOP THIS.
LISTEN TO THE FIRST ARBITRATION.
WHEN DANIEL WEINSTEIN SAID, THE REASON HE CAME TO PETALUMA IS BECAUSE WE DON'T PROTECT OUR ELDERLY.
BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT HE'S DOING.
UH, WITH NO FURTHER CARDS THAT, UH, CLOSES GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE EVENING, I'LL MOVE IT, UH,
[COUNCIL COMMENT]
BACK UP TO THE DAAS FOR COUNCIL COMMENT.AND I'LL START OFF TO MY LEFT WITH COUNCIL MEMBER REBS TONIGHT.
UM, THE ONLY THING I CAN ADD AT THIS POINT, I DID COMPLETE A COURSE IN HOUSING FROM, UH, GIVEN OVER BY THE ABUNDANCE NETWORK, SO I GOT THAT DONE LAST FRIDAY.
UM, SO I WAS JUST, I I LEARNED A LOT AND, BUT IT'S STILL A HUGELY COMPLEX ISSUE.
SO JUST RAISES LOTS OF QUESTIONS, BUT I LEARNED THAT THERE'S LOTS OF QUESTIONS OUT THERE.
THANKS, COUNCIL MEMBER QUINT, UH, NO REPORT OUT TONIGHT.
UH, THANK YOU, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER.
NOW, UM, I TOO HAVE NO REPORT, UM, BUT I DO WANNA SAY MEET ME AT THE FAIR.
IT STARTS ON THURSDAY AND IT'S FULL OF SO MUCH LOCAL HISTORY ON AGRICULTURE AND PETALUMA PRESENT DAY, PAST AND INTO THE FUTURE.
AND SO MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE REPRESENTED.
AND OF COURSE, OUR FOUR H AND FFA KIDS AND OUR LOCAL STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOLS.
I HAVE TO DO A SHOUT OUT TO CITY STAFF, UM, AND TO OUR CONTRACTORS.
THEY HAVE DONE AN AWESOME JOB.
I WAS BROUGHT TO TEARS BY HOW WONDERFUL OUR FAIRGROUNDS LOOKS.
NO LIAISON REPORTS, BUT I DO WANT TO SAY THAT, UM, THE AIRPORT, UH, FLY IN BASH WAS, WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.
THEY HAD A, UH, GREAT TURNOUT.
UM, IT'S BEEN GETTING BETTER EVERY YEAR, SO THAT'S A VERY POPULAR THING TO DO.
AND THEY DO, UM, ONCE A MONTH.
THEY DO THEIR DISPLAY DAYS, UM, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THAT OR HAVE KIDS.
AND THEN, UM, I DO WANNA SAY ALSO LAST NIGHT I ATTENDED THE NEON CHICK LIGHTING, WHICH WAS A VERY COOL THING, UH, PUT TOGETHER BY A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS.
THERE WERE A TON OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THAT.
AND, UH, COUPLE HUNDRED PEOPLE I THINK ATTENDED LAST NIGHT JUST TO WATCH IT GET LIT.
AND, UM, REALLY AN AWESOME THING TO SEE, UH, AN OLD PIECE OF OUR HISTORY RESTORED AND BACK IN SERVICE.
UM, AND, UM, KIND KIND OF A TIE IN THERE, UM, WE, WE ALL ATTENDED COUNT, UH, MAYORS AND COUNCIL, UH, MEETING THIS WEEK.
AND PETALUMA HOSTED AT, UH, WHAT WE CALL THE SEED BANK OR THE, THE OLD BANK AT THE, THE CORNER OF, UH, WASHINGTON AND PENTON BOULEVARD.
SO A BIG SHOUT OUT TO THEM FOR BEING ABLE TO HOST A GROUP LIKE THIS.
AND IT'S REALLY COOL TO SEE THE, THE TWO GOING TOGETHER.
BUT THE TOPIC OF THE EVENING ONE WAS PG E AND WHAT ALL THEY'RE DOING IN THE WORLD OF, UM, PROVIDING ENERGY AND ENERGY, RELIABILITY TO THE AREA.
AND, UM, AND THERE WERE A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT POTTER VALLEY AND PG E'S DECOMMISSIONING OF A DAM THERE.
UH, SO WE HAD A GREAT CONVERSATION WITH, UH, PG E ALSO REGARDING FIRES, FIRE PREVENTION, UNDERGROUNDING OF WIRING, UH, AND THAT THE, UH, MAIN EVENT THOUGH FOR THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBERS WAS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COUNTY'S MEASURE O MENTAL HEALTH MEASURE AND, UM, WHAT'S GOING ON NOW WITH LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING AND LOSS OF, UH, STATE FUNDING FOR IT.
IT'S, UM, I AM, UH, VERY PLEASED BY HOW MUCH MONEY THAT THAT MEASURE OWE TAX, BRINGING BACK INTO PETALUMA, HELPING WITH OUR SAFE TEAM, HELPING WITH COTS AND HELPING WITH OTHERS AND DIRECT, UH, MONEY BACK TO THE CITY.
BUT ALSO IT'S JUST IMPRESSIVE WHAT MENTAL HEALTH IS IN THE COUNTY.
THE BIG FACILITIES THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY LOCALLY, THAT COUNTY HAS TO STAND UP FOR SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.
[00:25:01]
SO IT'S GOOD THAT WE'RE ALL AWARE OF WHAT ROLES EACH OF OUR PART OF GOVERNMENT DOES ALSO ATTENDED THE BLUE ZONE STEERING COMMITTEE.UH, THEY'RE COMING UP ON THEIR THREE YEAR, THEIR CERTIFICATION WHERE THEY'VE SUCCEEDED AT, UH, THE TASK OF BRINGING BLUE ZONES OF PETALUMA AND CHANGING LIVES.
BUT THE QUESTION REMAINS WHAT'S NEXT? AND OF COURSE, HOW TO FUND WHAT'S NEXT.
AND, AND THE HIGHLIGHT, I THINK AS COUNCIL MEMBER NOW MENTIONED, THE FAIR IS COMING UP AND, UM, RIGHT NOW, UM, IT, UH, THE, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER NOW LOOKS A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
I SAW HER A COUPLE HOURS AGO WITH GLOVES AND BOOTS ON.
SHE'S PERSONALLY MAKING SURE THE FAIR DOES, AS DOES EVERY CITY EMPLOYEE.
IT'S REALLY AMAZING TO SEE WHO'S OUT THERE.
JUNE 18TH, JUNE 21, NOW OVER THE CITY MANAGER AND NO REPORT FOR ME TONIGHT.
AND THAT, AND WHAT ABOUT JANICE? WE HAVE SOMEONE, WE HAVE A MEMBER LOGGING IN, IN A, IN A LITTLE BOX SCREEN AND I OVERLOOKED YOU.
COUNCIL MEMBER CATER THOMPSON, UH, YOUR REPORT.
ANYWAYS,
[CONSENT CALENDAR]
CONSENT CALENDAR.UM, WE HAVE, UM, HERE ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR SOME 12 ITEMS TONIGHT.
AND I'D LIKE TO ASK IF THE COUNCIL HAS ANY QUESTION OF ANY OF THE ITEMS. COUNCIL MEMBER NOW, UM, THE VERY FIRST CONSENT ITEM, THE MINUTES OF THE CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING OF JUNE 8TH, I WAS NOT PRESENT.
SO SHOULD I NOT VOTE? AND, UM, I BELIEVE OR CITY ATTORNEY WEIGH IN ON THIS? UM, YES, YOU, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT A VERY GOOD ANSWER.
'CAUSE
BECAUSE I PRESUME YOU'VE, YOU KNOW, YOU WERE ABLE TO SEE THE AGENDA, ET CETERA.
I WAS, AND I WATCHED THE VIDEO, BUT, SO TRYING TO VOTE.
UH, VICE MAYOR, UM, I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ITEM SEVEN, AND IF ANYBODY FROM IS MAYBE PUBLIC WORKS WANTS TO TALK ABOUT THAT.
UM, IT'S, IT'S A REPLACING A 600 GALLON GALLON DIESEL TANK FOR A GENERATOR.
UM, BUT THE TANK ITSELF IS GONNA COST $41,000.
SO I'VE, I'VE NEVER SEEN A TANK OF THAT SIZE.
NO MATTER THE MATERIAL, IT COSTS SO MUCH MONEY.
UH, STEVE WORL, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF WATER RESOURCES AND UTILITIES, UM, IT WAS THE SAME SPEC AS THE ORIGINAL TANK IN PLACE.
IT'S A BELOW GROUND TANK WITH SECONDARY CONTAINMENT.
SO, UM, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THEY COST IS THE BEST ANSWER I CAN GIVE YOU.
IT IS AN UNDERGROUND TANK? IT IS, YEAH.
I THOUGHT IT WAS ATTACHED TO THE GENERATOR UNIT, UM, ALSO CORRECT.
YEAH, IT'S, IT'S PARTIALLY BURIED, IS MY UNDERSTANDING.
YEAH, AND THE OLD, THE OLD ONE WAS BEYOND REPAIR.
THE OLD ONE HAD LEAK IN THE SECONDARY CONTAINMENT, SO THE PRIMARY WALL FAILED AND THERE WAS FUEL IN THE SECONDARY CONTAINMENT.
AND THERE WAS NO CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE POSSIBLE.
THAT'S KIND OF THE, YEAH, THAT'S THE TYPICAL PRICE WE SAW.
I KNOW INFORMALLY, WE LOOKED AT OTHER OPTIONS AND, UM, EVEN THOUGH THIS TANK CAME FROM TEXAS, IT WAS CHEAPER THAN FINDING ANYTHING ELSE THAT WOULD MEET THE REQUIREMENTS.
I I THINK, UH, WE ALL GET, UH, STICKER SHOCK ON A LOT OF THINGS.
AND, UM, THAT SEEM DOES SEEM LIKE A BIG NUMBER FOR 600 GALLONS.
WELL, IT DOES, BUT I MEAN, I'VE SEEN MUCH LARGER TANKS COST ABOUT A QUARTER OF THAT, SO I, TO ME IT'S, I, EVEN IF YOU'RE CUSTOM BUILDING IT, I CAN'T SEE IT COSTING THAT MUCH.
UM, SO WITH NO OTHER QUESTIONS, I'LL PASS IT TO THE CLERK FOR, UM, GENERAL PUBLIC OR FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
WE HAVE RECEIVED NO PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THE CONSENT CALENDAR AHEAD OF THE MEETING AT THIS TIME.
I'LL THIRD, I'LL START THE 32ND CLOCK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
DURING THESE 30 SECONDS, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD BRING THEIR SPEAKER CARDS TO THE CLERK'S DESK IF THEY HAVE NOT DONE SO ALREADY.
SPEAKER CARDS RECEIVED AFTER THIS TIME MAY NOT BE ACCOMMODATED.
AND SEEING NO ONE MOVING, UH, TOWARDS TO ADD A CARD.
THEN, UH, WE'LL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THE EVENING ON THE CONSENT CALENDAR AND BRING IT BACK UP TO
[00:30:01]
THE COUNCIL FOR A MOTION.I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE CONSENT CALENDAR.
WE HAVE A MOTION BY NOW AND A SECOND BY, UH, SHRIVES.
I THINK I MAY PULL ITEM SEVEN IF YOU WANNA VOTE ON THE REST OF THE CALENDAR.
DO YOU WANT ME TO AMEND IT TO ONE THROUGH SIX AND EIGHT THROUGH 12? YEAH, ONE THROUGH 12 LAST SEVEN.
AND THEN WE'LL DO SEVEN SEPARATE.
AND, UM, THAT'S AN AMENDED MOTION, SO I'LL ASK AN AMENDED SECOND.
SO WE STILL HAVE MOTION, UH, FOR, FROM NOW WITH SECOND FROM SHRIVES FOR ONE THROUGH SIX, EIGHT THROUGH 12.
UM, DID I GET A CHANCE TO WEIGH IN THERE? AMEN.
[7. Resolution Ratifying the Emergency Purchase of a New Fuel Tank for the C Street Sanitary Sewer Pump Station from ACS Manufacturing, Inc.]
UH, SO THEN I'M, NOW I'M LOOKING FOR A MOTION ON, UH, ITEM SEVEN.[13. Introduction (First Reading) of Ordinance to Change Certain Appropriations for the Operations of the City of Petaluma from July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026; and Finding that this Action is Not a Project Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(B)(5)]
TO OUR ITEM 13, A PUBLIC HEARING AND MATTER FOR CONSIDERATION.AND THAT'S THE INTRODUCTION OR A FIRST READING OF AN ORDINANCE TO CHANGE CERTAIN APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE OPERATIONS OF THE CITY OF PETALUMA FROM JULY 1ST, 2025 TO JULY JUNE 30, 26.
AND FINDING THIS ACTION IS NOT A PROJECT PURSUANT TO CQA.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE OR GETTING THE END OF, WE'RE GETTING TO THE END OF THIS YEAR.
AND TO HELP US WITH THIS, WE HAVE LINDA LEE, DEPUTY CITY MANAGER.
GOOD EVENING, MR. MAYOR, HONORABLE COUNCIL MEMBERS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.
LINDA LEE, WITH THE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT, THE CITY REVIEWS ITS BUDGET ON A CONTINUAL BASIS THROUGHOUT THE FISCAL YEAR.
BUDGET ADJUSTMENT REPORTS ARE TYPICALLY PRESENTED TO THE COUNCIL ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.
ONE FOR QUARTER ONE, ONE AT MIDYEAR AND ONE AT THE FINAL YEAR END.
THE PROPOSED YEAR END BUDGET ADJUSTMENT BEFORE YOU THIS EVENING, OR THE FINAL ADJUSTMENT TO THE ADOPTED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 2026.
THE MAJORITY OF THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS PRESENTED ARE RESULTING FROM THE APPROVED COUNCIL ACTIONS SINCE JULY 1ST, 2025.
INCLUDED IN THIS RELU, THIS ORDINANCE IS A REQUIRED TRANSFER FROM GENERAL FUND RESTRICTED FUND BALANCE SET ASIDE TO ELIMINATE THE LONG-TERM DEFICIT IN THE MARINA FUND.
THIS DEFICIT RESULTED FROM MARINA OPERATING COSTS CONSISTENTLY EXCEEDING THE REVENUES FOR AT LEAST THE PAST 15 YEARS AS AN ANNUAL OPERATING LOSSES ACCUMULATED, THE MARINA FUND DEVELOPED A NEGATIVE FUND BALANCE OF APPROXIMATELY $1.8 MILLION, WHICH HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AN ONGOING CONCERN BY THE AUDITORS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.
THE CITY'S AUDITOR IS REQUIRING THE GENERAL FUND BALANCE TO BE SET ASIDE AND RESTRICTED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF COVERING THE MARINA FUND DEFICIT.
THIS TRANSFER HAS NO IMPACT ON THE GENERAL FUNDS ASSIGNED OR EMERGENCY RESERVES.
THOSE RESERVES ARE HELD IN SEPARATE COMPONENT OF FUND BALANCE AND REMAIN FULLY INTACT AND UNAFFECTED BY THIS TRANSACTION.
IN ADDITION TO SUCCESSFULLY RESTRUCTURING THIS LONG-TERM OUTSTANDING MARINA LOAN WITH THE STATE, THIS IS PART OF THE PLAN TO ADDRESS THE FUTURE OF THE MARINA.
THE DETAIL LIST OF THE ALL BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS IS INCLUDED IN THE STAFF REPORT.
IT IS RECOMMENDED THIS EVENING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL INTRODUCE THE ATTACHED ORDINANCE TO AMEND THE APPROPRIATION BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30TH, 2026.
UM, MOVING IT OVER TO, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ITEM.
WE HAVE HAD NO PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR ITEM 13 AHEAD
[00:35:01]
OF THE MEETING AT THIS TIME, I'LL SET A 32ND CLOCK.I, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD BRING THEIR SPEAKER CARDS TO THE CLERK'S DESK IF THEY'VE NOT DONE SO ALREADY.
SPEAKER CARDS RECEIVED AFTER THIS TIME MAY NOT BE ACCOMMODATED.
NOT SEEING ANYONE MOVING FORWARD AND NOT HAVING ANY ON THE CLERK'S DESK WILL CLOSE.
UM, PUBLIC COMMENT ON ITEM 13.
ANY, UH, LAST COMMENTS? I THINK I WANT TO MAKE ONE COMMENT HERE, JUST, I AM, UM, VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO NOT HAVING DEBT ON THE MARINA, NOT HAVING LIABILITY ON THE MARINA.
I MEAN, I RE RECOGNIZE THAT NOT ALL CITY PROGRAMS COMPLETELY PAY FOR THEMSELVES.
UM, BUT, AND SOMETIMES THERE'S THINGS YOU DO AS A COMMUNITY AND, UM, AND THERE THEY'RE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND NOT IN BALANCE.
BUT, UH, TAKING US CLOSER TO THAT EVERY DAY IS A, IS A, A GOOD THING.
SO I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT REPORT.
COUNCIL MEMBER SCH SHRIMPS, UH, JUST MENTIONING THE MARINA, I JUST WANNA, UH, THANK STAFF 'CAUSE THEY STEPPED UP ON THIS ONE.
THEY GOT A $8 MILLION DEBT REDUCED DOWN TO ABOUT 4 MILLION, SO THEY JUST SAVED US $4 MILLION.
UM, AND, UH, SO THAT, THAT'S A GREAT SAVINGS THAT WE DID.
UH, WE ASKED THEM TO STEP UP AND TO DO IT.
THEY GOT IT DONE AND IT'S A GREAT SAVINGS.
SO TH THANK YOU STAFF FOR MAKING THAT HAPPEN.
UH, AND, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A MOTION MOVED.
HAVE A MOTION BY BARNACLE SECOND BY NOW.
AND OUR ROLL CALL VOTE PLEASE.
MOTION CARRIES YOU UNANIMOUSLY.
THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
[14. City of Petaluma 2026-27 Economic Development Workplan, including a proposed Hotel Incentive Program]
NOW, UH, WE MOVE TO A WORKSHOP ON THE CITY OF PETALUMA'S 2020 6 27 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK PLAN, INCLUDING A PROPOSAL PROPOSED HOTEL INCENTIVE PROGRAM.AND I'D LIKE TO, UH, TURN THIS OVER TO, UH, CATHERINE DEPAS, OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, AND WELCOME TO, UH, COUNCIL PRESENTATION TIMES AND TO YOUR TEAM.
GOOD EVENING, MAYOR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND CITY MANAGER.
MY NAME IS CATHERINE DE PASQUA AND I'M THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER.
JOINING ME TONIGHT IS NANCY SANDS, OUR SENIOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ANALYST, AND BRIAN O OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR.
TONIGHT WE'LL BE DISCUSSING THE CITY'S 20 26 27 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK PLAN.
I'LL BE WALKING YOU THROUGH THE ECONOMIC CONTEXT, WHAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM STAKEHOLDERS, AND WHAT WE PLAN TO FOCUS ON OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
BEFORE GETTING INTO THE WORK PLAN ITSELF, I WANTED TO SPEND A MINUTE ON WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY AND WHAT WENT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN.
SALES TAX REVENUE CAME IN AT $15.6 MILLION IN FISCAL YEAR 24 25, WHICH IS DOWN FROM A PEAK OF 17.7 MILLION IN FY 21, 22 POST COVID.
UH, THIS ISN'T NECESSARILY A CRISIS, BUT IT IS A TREND WE WANNA GET AHEAD OF.
AND THIS WORK PLAN IS ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN DO THAT.
ON THE JOB SIDE, PETALUMA IS A REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT HUB WITH OVER 30,000 JOBS.
HOWEVER, ONLY ONE IN FIVE OF THOSE JOBS IS FILLED BY A PETALUMA RESIDENT.
SO THERE'S A REAL OPPORTUNITY TO BETTER CONNECT OUR JOBS HERE WITH THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE.
WE ALSO HEARD TWO THINGS REALLY CLEARLY DURING OUR STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PERMIT.
STREAMLINING IS BUSINESS'S TOP PRIORITY, AND THE FOCUS SHOULD BE KEEPING AND GROWING THE BUSINESSES WE HAVE HERE ALREADY.
PETALUMA IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND THIS WORK PLAN IS HOW WE'RE GONNA DELIVER ON THAT.
AND LAST BUT DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS PLAN IS THAT PETALUMA HAS A REAL COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.
IT HAS A GREAT QUALITY OF LIFE, A CENTRAL LOCATION, AND A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN.
A BIG PART OF WHAT MAKES OR WHAT THIS WORK PLAN WILL DO IS HOW, HELP US TELL THAT STORY MORE PROACTIVELY.
AND SO BUSINESSES AND INVESTORS KNOW THAT THIS IS A PLACE WORTH, YOU KNOW, SETTING UP A BUSINESS IN.
SO BY THE NUMBERS, PETALUMA IS A STRONG COMMUNITY BY MOST MEASURES.
UM, MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS ABOVE BOTH THE COUNTY AND STATE AVERAGES.
AND NEARLY 44% OF RESIDENTS HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE OR HIGHER.
SO WE HAVE AN EDUCATED HIGH INCOME COMMUNITY, WHICH IS A REAL ASSET.
ON THE FLIP SIDE, THE HOUSING PICTURE IS WHERE IT STARTS TO GET A LITTLE COMPLICATED.
MEDIAN HOME VALUE IS $849,000,
[00:40:01]
AND MEDIAN RENT IS $2,380 A MONTH.SO MEDIAN IS THE MIDDLE LINE, NOT AVERAGE.
SO IT'S THE POINT EXACTLY IN THE MIDDLE, UH, WHICH, AND BOTH OF THOSE NUMBERS ARE ABOVE BOTH THE COUNTY AND STATEWIDE AVERAGES.
UH, WHAT THAT MEANS IN PRACTICE IS THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE WORKING IN PETALUMA CAN'T AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
ROUGHLY 80% OF WORKERS COMMUTE IN FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
AND THAT'S NOT SOMETHING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAN FIX ON ITS OWN, BUT IT'S THE REALITY WE'RE WORKING WITHIN AND DIRECTLY AFFECTS HOW WE'RE GONNA ROLL OUT OUR WORK PLAN.
SO IT'S MY, ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARTS.
BUT SO THIS CHART SHOWS, UH, WHERE PETALUMA REALLY STANDS OUT WHEN COMPARED TO SONOMA COUNTY AS A WHOLE.
MANUFACTURING IS THE CLEAR STANDOUT.
THERE'S 80% MORE MANUFACTURING IN PETALUMA THAN THE COUNTYWIDE AVERAGE.
THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN BY ACCIDENT.
IT REFLECTS DECADES OF COMPANIES CHOOSING TO PUT THEIR ROOTS DOWN HERE.
THE REASON PROTECTING THIS BASE MATTERS SO MUCH COMES DOWN TO ECONOMIC OUTPUT.
EVERY MANUFACTURING JOB GENERATES $720,000 IN TOTAL ECONOMIC ACTIVITY COMPARED TO ABOUT 170,000 OF A RETAIL JOB.
AND THAT 720,000 ISN'T JUST EMPLOYEE WAGES, IT'S SPENDING WITH LOCAL SUPPLIERS, CONTRACTORS, BUSINESS SERVICES, AND FREIGHT COMPANIES.
AND A LOT OF THAT MONEY STAYS RIGHT HERE IN PETALUMA.
SO WHEN WE LOSE A MANUFACTURER, WE'RE NOT JUST LOSING THE JOBS, WE'RE LOSING THAT RIPPLE EFFECT THAT IT GENERATES ON THE RETAIL AND FOOD SIDE, ABOUT 50% OF OUR SALES TAX COMES FROM THOSE TWO CATEGORIES.
IN THE ANALYSIS THAT WAS DONE BY RSG SOLUTIONS, WE FOUND THAT PETALUMA RESIDENTS ARE DOING A LOT OF THEIR SHOPPING OUTSIDE OF THE CITY.
THAT SPENDING AND THOSE SALES TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING TO NEIGHBORING JURISDICTIONS INSTEAD OF STAYING HERE.
SO THERE'S A REALLY, THERE'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY HERE TO BE CAPTURING MORE OF THAT SALES TAX REVENUE IN TOWN.
AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING ON IN PRIORITY FOR OF THE WORK PLAN.
SO BEFORE GETTING INTO THE WORK PLAN ITSELF, I WANNA SHARE TWO EXAMPLES OF WHAT PROACTIVE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LOOKS LIKE.
THE FIRST EXAMPLE IS DIAMOND QUANTA, WHICH IS AN ADVANCE TO MANUFACTURING AND TECHNOLOGY COMPANY THAT WAS LOOKING TO EXPAND FROM MOUNTAIN VIEW INTO EITHER MARIN OR SONOMA COUNTIES.
WE WORKED WITH THE CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO GET IN FRONT OF THEM EARLY.
WE ORGANIZED PROPERTY TOURS AND WE PULLED TOGETHER A DESIGN REVIEW MEETING WITH SEVEN CITY DIVISIONS TO DISCUSS WHAT THE PERMIT REQUIREMENTS WOULD LOOK LIKE BEFORE THEY'D EVEN GET INTO THE FORMAL PROCESS.
SO THAT'S THE KIND OF EARLY COORDINATED ENGAGEMENT THAT THIS WORK PLAN IS GONNA SET UP TO MAKE MORE FORMAL.
THE SECOND IS THE NORTH SMART STATION SPECIFIC PLAN.
WE'RE DOING DIRECT OUTREACH TO BUSINESSES ALONG THE MCDOWELL CORRIDOR RIGHT NOW TO UNDERSTAND WHAT COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS THE EMPLOYERS NEED IN THAT AREA.
THAT CORRIDOR IS ONE OF PETALUMA'S MOST IMPORTANT EMPLOYMENT AREAS.
AND AS THE PLAN MOVES FORWARD, WE'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH PLANNING AND CONSULTANTS TO MAKE SURE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IS PART OF THAT CONVERSATION.
UH, 'CAUSE WE REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE WE'RE STRIKING THE RIGHT BALANCE BETWEEN EMPLOYMENT GROWTH, WHICH IS SO NEEDED AND DESPERATELY NEEDED HOUSING.
SO THIS WORK PLAN HAS FOUR PRIORITIES.
FIRST, RETAIN AND GROW THE BUSINESSES WE ALREADY HAVE.
SECOND, PROTECT AND STRENGTHEN OUR MANUFACTURING AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE SECTORS, WHICH TOGETHER ACCOUNT FOR MORE THAN 20% OF ALL OF JOBS IN THE CITY.
THIRD, MAKE PETALUMA EASIER TO DO BUSINESS IN BY STREAMLINING, PERMITTING, AND EXPANDING OUR BUSINESS NAVIGATOR SUPPORT AND FOURTH, ACTIVATE VACANT SITES AND BUILD THE FINANCING FRAMEWORKS WE NEED TO SUPPORT THAT LONG-TERM DEVELOPMENT.
SO, AND I'LL WALK THROUGH THE KEY MILESTONES FOR EACH OF THESE PRIORITY AREAS, BUT I'LL JUST MENTION THAT ALL OF THESE AREAS ARE MEANT TO KIND OF WORK IN TANDEM WITH EACH OTHER.
SO AS ONE BUILDS EACH WILL BUILD ON ITSELF.
SO IT'S A, UM, SEQUENTIAL OR IT'S NOT SEQUENTIAL, IT'S ALL KIND OF HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.
SO, SO PRIORITY ONE IS REALLY THE FOUNDATION OF OUR PROGRAM.
WE'RE LAUNCHING A CITYWIDE BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION PROGRAM WITH DEFINED VISIT TARGETS.
SO THIS INCLUDES ALL INDUSTRIES ALONG ALL COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS IN THE CITY.
UM, EVERY INTERACTION WILL GET LOGGED INTO A NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOCUSED CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, WHICH I'M GONNA CALL CRM FROM NOW ON.
UM, SO NOTHING FALLS THROUGH THE CRACKS AND WE CAN TRACK THE RESOLUTION OF EACH ITEM.
WE'RE ALSO BUILDING A Y PETALUMA COMMUNICATIONS FUNCTION TO TELL OUR STORY PROACTIVELY
[00:45:01]
TO BROKERS, TENANTS, AND PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS.PRIORITY TWO PUTS DEDICATED OUTREACH IN PLACE FOR MANUFACTURERS AND FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCERS.
THE GOAL IS TO SYSTEMATICALLY SURFACE WHAT'S GETTING IN THE WAY FOR SOME OF THEM, WHETHER IT BE ZONING CONSTRAINTS, INFRASTRUCTURE GAPS, OR PERMIT TIMELINES.
UH, WE WILL DOCUMENT IT, RESOLVE WHAT WE CAN INTERNALLY AND USE WHAT WE LEARN TO INFORM POLICY CHANGE OVER TIME.
UH, WE'LL ALSO BE PARTING, PARTNERING WITH OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, UM, FOLKS ON ZONING CODE UPDATES TO HELP PROTECT PRODUCTION USES CITYWIDE.
AND THE PHASE ONE OF THAT IS TARGETED TO COME BACK TO COUNCIL IN THE FALL.
PRIORITY THREE ADDRESSES THE TOP ASK WE HEARD FROM STAKEHOLDERS.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO PILOT A FAST TRACK PROCESS FOR HIGH IMPACT PROJECTS WITH THE DEDICATED BUSINESS NAVIGATOR SUPPORT.
WE'LL ALSO EVALUATE A SELF-CERTIFICATION PERMIT PROGRAM AND SET MEASURABLE PERMIT REVIEW TIME TARGETS BY PROJECT TYPE CRM ACCESS WILL ROLL OUT TO THE PERMIT COUNTER THIS SUMMER.
SO BUSINESS INQUIRIES ARE TRACKED FROM THEIR VERY FIRST CONTACT WITH THE CITY.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, PRIORITY FOUR IS REALLY WHERE THE CITY STARTS TO PLAY A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN WHAT GETS BUILT AND WHERE.
SO THE MOST IMMEDIATE WORK STREAM IS THE EVALUATION OF A HOTEL INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
HOTEL DEVELOPMENT DRIVES TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS TOT.
BUT WITHOUT REDEVELOPMENT TOOLS, PROJECTS THAT WOULD BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY OFTEN DON'T PENCIL OUT FINANCIALLY.
WE HAVE TWO ACTIVE HOTEL OPPORTUNITIES IN PETALUMA RIGHT NOW, A PROPOSED DOWNTOWN BOUTIQUE HOTEL AND AN EXPANSION PROJECT THAT WAS ENTITLED A COUPLE YEARS AGO, BUT DIDN'T MOVE FORWARD BECAUSE THE FINANCING DIDN'T WORK.
SO THESE PROJECTS UNDERSCORE THE NEED FOR A CLEAR, CONSISTENT POLICY FRAMEWORK.
THE IDEA OF A HOTEL INCENTIVE PROGRAM IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT.
CITIES IN CALIFORNIA HAVE BEEN FILLING THE REDEVELOPMENT GAP WITH T-V-T-O-T SHARING PROGRAMS FOR YEARS.
MORGAN HILL, DUBLIN, TEMECULA, PALM SPRINGS AND ANAHEIM HAVE ALL ADOPTED VERSIONS OF THIS APPROACH.
THE STRUCTURES VARY, BUT THE PRINCIPLE IS CONSISTENT.
THE CITY RETAINS A BASELINE OF TOT REVENUE AND THEN SHARES A PORTION OF THE GROWTH ABOVE THAT AMOUNT WITH THE DEVELOPER FOR A DEFINED PERIOD OF TIME.
POST CONSTRUCTION, NO MONEY GOES OUT UPFRONT, BUT DEVELOPERS CAN BORROW AGAINST THAT FUTURE REVENUE STREAM TO HELP COVER THEIR CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
WE'RE PROPOSING TO RETAIN A CONSULTANT TO EVALUATE THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY OF A PROGRAM LIKE THAT HERE IN PETALUMA, UH, WHICH WOULD COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL FOR CONSIDERATION LATER THIS SUMMER OR FALL.
WE WILL ALSO BE EVALUATING THE FEASIBILITY OF AN ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICT, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS AN EIFD.
THE BASIC IDEA IS THAT AS A DEVELOP, AS DEVELOPMENT HAPPENS AND AS PROPERTY VALUES RISE, THAT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE ALSO GROWS.
AND AN EIFD CAPTURES THAT GROWTH AND SETS IT ASIDE IN A DEDICATED FUND FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT DOESN'T RAISE TAXES, IT REDIRECTS FUTURE TAX GROWTH TOWARDS INVESTMENTS THAT BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY.
AND FINALLY, THIS FALL WE'LL BE LAUNCHING A BROKER AND DEVELOPER WORKING GROUP, INCLUDING PROPERTY OWNERS AND BUSINESSES FOCUSED INITIALLY ON VACANCIES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
GROUPS LIKE PETAL AND IRMAN CHAT AND THE VACANCY PROJECT ARE ALREADY DOING A LOT OF GREAT WORK IN THIS SPACE.
SO WE JUST WANNA PLUG INTO THAT ENERGY AND PUT ALL OF THEIR DATA TO GOOD USE.
SO HOW ARE WE GONNA KNOW THAT THIS PLAN WORKS? UH, WE'RE GONNA BE MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF THIS WORK PLAN BY TRACKING FOUR THINGS.
ARE WE KEEPING BUSINESSES? IS PERMITTING GETTING EASIER? IS THE ECONOMY GROWING AND ARE PARTNERS ENGAGED? THE DATA WILL BE MADE PUBLICLY AVAILABLE THROUGH A NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DASHBOARD THAT WE HOPE TO LAUNCH IN THE FALL.
WE'LL RETURN TO COUNCIL PERIODICALLY WITH UPDATES SINCE THIS IS A LIVING DOCUMENT AND WE EXPECT IT TO EVOLVE AS CONDITIONS CHANGE.
AND THIS SLIDE WILL KIND OF GIVE YOU A SENSE OF WHERE WE'RE HEADED OVER THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO.
THIS SUMMER, WE'LL BE HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING, LAUNCHING A NEW BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION PROGRAM, STANDING UP A NEW COMMUNICATIONS FUNCTION, GETTING THE CRM LIVE AND AT THE PERMIT COUNTER AND KICKING OFF THE HOTEL INCENTIVE PROGRAM EVALUATION FALL WILL BE OUR BIGGEST DELIVERY QUARTER.
THE PUBLIC DASHBOARD GOES LIVE.
PHASE ONE ZONING CODE UPDATES COME BACK TO COUNCIL AND THE BROKER DEVELOPER WORKING GROUP LAUNCHES WITH AN INITIAL FOCUS ON DOWNTOWN VACANCIES.
[00:50:01]
AND WE'LL LOOK INTO THE FAST TRACK PERMIT PILOT AND SELF-CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS. UH, WINTER WILL BRING THE FIRST SYNTHESIS OF WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM MANUFACTURERS AND THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE PRODUCERS, ALONG WITH A REVIEW OF BUSINESS LICENSE FEE STRUCTURES.YAFD AND PROP FOUR FEASIBILITY WILL ALSO FOLLOW IN EARLY 2027.
AND THEN IN YEAR TWO, ONCE WE'VE KIND OF BUILT THE FOUNDATIONAL SYSTEMS AND THE SUPPORT FRAMEWORK, WE'LL SCALE INTO WORK WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAMMING, AND MORE TARGETED BUSINESS ATTRACTION EFFORTS.
AND THAT IS THE CONCLUSION OF THE PRESENTATION.
BRIAN, NANCY AND I ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.
APPRECIATE ALL THE INFO AND IT'S SUPER NECESSARY.
UM, WHO WANT, LIKE, WHO HAS A QUESTION AND WANTS TO LEAD OFF HERE FROM THE DIAZ COUNCIL MEMBER? SHRI? UM, SO FAR IT LOOKS LIKE A WONDERFUL PROGRAM THAT WE'RE GETTING STARTED.
FINALLY, WE'RE GETTING TO THE ECONOMICS, UH, WHICH IS REALLY NEED MANUFACTURING IS REALLY NEED.
UH, SO WE'RE BRINGING IN THIS, UH, HIGH TECH COMPANY.
WE, WE WERE THE, UH, ONE OF THE HIGH TECH CITY CAPITALS OF THE WORLD FOR A LITTLE WHILE THERE WITH UH, UM, UM, ALL THE INTERNET COMPANIES THAT WERE HERE AT THAT TIME.
BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF 'EM ARE STILL HERE.
AND I JUST, UH, VISITED WITH ONE.
THAT ONE JUST HELPED ME OUT AT SCHOENBERGER PARK.
AND THEY'VE GOT ALMOST LIKE THEY'RE WORKING ON AI CENTER TECHNOLOGY, THEY ACTUALLY GENERATE EQUIPMENT FOR THAT.
SO, UH, LOTS OF OPPORTUNITY THERE.
SO CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT HOW YOU HAVE GARNERED THIS OTHER COMPANY COMING IN AND HOW CAN WE TAKE OUR NEXT STEPS TO GET OTHER COMPANIES TO COME IN WITH HOW CAN WE, UH, DO A LITTLE BETTER JOB AND, AND BRING THEM BACK? 'CAUSE WE HAVE SOME OFFICE SPACE STILL AVAILABLE TO FILL.
SO AT THE COUNTY, WE WOULD SAY THROUGH THE CHAIR, DO WE SAY THROUGH THE MAYOR AT THE CITY
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH THE STATE THROUGH THE, UH, GO BZ TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYBODY GOING THROUGH THEM, REALLY LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND.
SO I'LL BE WORKING KIND OF IN LOCKSTEP WITH THE STATE.
WE'LL ALSO BE COORDINATING WITH BROKERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT INVENTORY OF AVAILABLE SPACE WE HAVE.
AND REALLY IT'S ABOUT COMMUNICATING AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR VALUE PROPOSITION IS OUT THERE TO KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE TO WORK WITH YOU.
WE, YOU KNOW, CAN HELP, YOU KNOW, GET YOU IN, WE CAN HELP FIND SPACE, WE CAN HELP YOU NAVIGATE THROUGH THE PERMIT SYSTEM, AND THAT IS WHAT THE PLAN IS ESSENTIALLY MEANT TO DO.
AND SOME OF OUR, OUR LARGER COMPANIES, LIKE, UM, UH, I THINK IT'S LOG ANITAS, UM, AFTER VISITING THEM OR SEEING THEIR OPERATIONS A LITTLE BIT, UM, THEY PRETTY MUCH FILLED THEIR SPACE.
SO IS THERE, UM, HOW, HOW, AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, CAN WE FIND MORE SPACE FOR THEM TO EXPAND INTO AND GROW THEIR BUSINESS? WELL, WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? I THINK IN THAT PARTICULAR CASE, WE WOULD NEED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT THEIR OPERATIONS ARE SPECIFICALLY AND WHAT THEY NEED, AND THEN WE'LL FIND THE RIGHT SPACE FOR IT.
I THINK PART OF WHAT THE GENERAL PLAN AND THEN THE PETALUMA NORTH STATION SPECIFIC PLAN IS REALLY ABOUT PRESERVING INDUSTRIAL USE AND THE ZONING TO ALLOW FOR POTENTIAL EXPANSION DOWN THE ROAD.
JUST, I, I JUST GENERATE SOME IDEAS OF, OF WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE ON A PRACTICAL BASIS.
UM, SO WHEN THERE, UH, AND SO FOR THE PERMIT PROCESS TO GET THINGS CHANGED IS GONNA BE A SEPARATE DESK THAN THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT PERMIT PROCESS, OR IS IT LOOK GONNA BE ALL ELECTRONIC? UH, WHAT DOES THAT KIND OF LOOK LIKE ON A PRACTICAL BASIS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES? SO THE CITY ALREADY DID SOME GREAT WORK IN CREATING THE BUSINESS NAVIGATOR PROGRAM.
I MEAN, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF IT AND NANCY SANDS.
SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT COMMUNICATING THAT THAT SERVICES AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE DEDICATED EMAIL ADDRESS AND A PHO A PHONE NUMBER FOR IT.
AND THE WHOLE POINT OF COORDINATING WITH THE PERMIT COUNTER AND HAVE THEM HAVING ACCESS TO THE CRM IS IF SOMEBODY COMES IN THROUGH THE PERMIT COUNTER TO ASK QUESTIONS, WE'LL GET NOTIFIED RIGHT AWAY THAT THERE'S A BUSINESS INQUIRY AND THEN WE CAN FOLLOW UP DIRECTLY.
AGAIN, JUST I WAS LOOKING AT THE PRACTICAL, UH, APPLICATIONS HERE AND WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
YOU KNOW, I, I JUST HAVE TO SAY, UM, I DID MEET WITH THE LAGUNITAS FOLKS AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE MEETING WITH YOU AS WELL AND, AND IT WAS FUN THAT YOU WERE ALREADY AHEAD IN THE CURVE LIKE THAT AND GETTING OUT TO SOME OF OUR LARGEST AND, UH, THAT THEIR CONCERNS WERE UPDATING THE, UH, THE MUSIC VENUE AND BEING ABLE TO BE MORE OF AN ENTERTAINMENT SPACE.
I THINK IT'S TOUGH IN BEER RIGHT NOW AND SALES DOWN AND WHATNOT AND IN, AND, UH, IN CLEARING UP OLD PERMITS AND PERMITS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A PROBLEM.
UM, SO I I, I THINK I, MY QUESTION IS MORE IN THE PERMITTING
[00:55:01]
SIDE OF THINGS.UM, I THINK THE FIRST STEP TO SOLVING A PROBLEM IS ADMITTING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM.
AND, UM, HOW CAN YOU GET HONEST FEEDBACK ABOUT, UM, PERMIT SUCCESS? UM, A LOT OF BUSINESSES, UM, COMPLAIN DURING THE PROCESS, BUT ARE VERY UNWILLING TO BE CANDID WITH YOU AT THE END OF THE PROCESS.
HOW CAN YOU COAX OUT WHAT YOU NEED TO BE BETTER FROM A RESISTANT BUSINESS? HOW CAN YOU GET GOOD FEEDBACK? I THINK THAT IT'S KIND OF TWOFOLD.
I MEAN, PART OF IT IS REALLY BUILDING THE RELATIONSHIP AS WE GO.
AND THAT'S REALLY JUST THE CORE TENANT OF THE BUSINESS NAVIGATOR PROGRAM IS DEVELOPING THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, MAKING SURE BUSINESSES TRUST US, CAN COME TO US WITH HONEST FEEDBACK AND REALLY WE CAN BE, YOU KNOW, THE INTERNAL ADVOCATES FOR THEM.
SO THAT'S KIND OF THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.
IT'S ALSO KIND OF ON THE DATA SIDE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING IS ALREADY DOING A LOT OF WORK IN, YOU KNOW, DOCUMENTING PERMIT REVIEW TIMELINES AND, YOU KNOW, CREATING A LOT OF GOOD DATA.
SO IT'S ABOUT LEVERAGING THE DATA, IMPLEMENTING THE BUSINESS NAVIGATOR EFFORTS AND SEEING IF THAT DATA SHIFTS OVER TIME.
I'LL JUST ALSO ADD MAYOR, UM, WE'VE BEEN DOING MONTHLY.
UM, SO THERE'S A OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE SEEKING A PERMIT, COMPLETING A PERMIT, JUST CURIOUS ABOUT A PERMIT TO, UM, PROVIDE US ANONYMOUS FEEDBACK AS THEY GO AND NAVIGATE THROUGH THE PERMIT PROCESS.
UH, SO WE DO GET PRETTY ROBUST DATA THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S SHARED, UM, AMONGST THE TEAM.
UM, AND THEN THAT GETS IMPLEMENTED AND, UM, ADAPTED.
UM, SO WE'RE ALWAYS IMPROVING THE PROCESS.
UM, BUT I DO THINK TO CATHERINE'S POINT, UM, IT'S THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING.
IT'S, UM, YOU KNOW, SHOWING A PROOF OF CONCEPT SHOWING THAT THERE'S TRUST, UM, AND OFTENTIMES THERE'S A PRETTY SLIM POOL OF ARCHITECTS.
AND SO THAT'S USUALLY, UM, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE HAVING THAT DIRECT INTERFACE, UM, TO HELP WITH PERMIT SUCCESS.
SO STICKING ON THE PERMIT THEME.
THE, UM, UH, I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN HEARING FROM STAFF HOW YOU FEEL THE PERMIT PROCESS HAS CHANGED, SAY OVER THE LAST YEAR OR TWO.
UH, I KNOW THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S COME UP AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN WORKED ON THROUGH THE NAVIGATOR PROGRAM, UH, AND THERE'S BEEN AN EFFORT TO TRY TO IMPROVE THAT PROCESS.
UM, HOW, WHAT, WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF IN SUMMARY, WHAT DOES THAT THAT CHANGE LOOK LIKE THUS FAR? I WOULD SAY IT'S, IT'S OVERALL, UH, POSITIVE.
IT'S, AS CATHERINE MENTIONED, UH, WE DO TRACK THE PERMIT TIMELINES.
UM, AND SO WE'RE ALWAYS, UH, CONSISTENTLY, YOU KNOW, CLOSE TO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO HIT, WHICH IS NEAR A HUNDRED PERCENT TURNAROUND TIMES.
UM, THAT SAID, THERE'S ALWAYS A NUMBER OF PROJECTS THAT SEEM OUTSIZED AND, UM, UH, TAKE MORE TIME.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE PULL OUT OF THE SYSTEM, UH, MAKE SURE THAT WE COURSE CORRECT, MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THOSE GET, UM, THE ATTENTION SO THAT, UM, THE REST OF THE PERMITS GET TO, UM, TO GET REVIEWED.
UM, AND SO I'D SAY OVERALL POSITIVE, OF COURSE AS WE START, CONTINUE TO GET FEEDBACK, UH, WE'RE ALWAYS IMPROVING.
UM, THERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF, UH, OF A PERMIT THAT, UH, ONE OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS RAISED LAST WEEK, UH, VERY VISIBLE.
UM, SMALL REHAB PROJECT PERMIT WAS ISSUED.
UM, AND THE WORK HAPPENED LITERALLY THE NEXT DAY, WHICH IS, UH, REALLY, UM, ENCOURAGING TO SEE.
AND SO WE'VE CONTINUE TO BUILD OFF OF THAT ENERGY AND THOSE SUCCESSES AND, UM, KEEP WITH THE MISSION, WHICH IS, UM, STREAMLINE AND GET PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROCESS AS QUICK AS WE CAN.
HAVE THERE BEEN, UM, HAS STAFF TAKEN A LOOK AT PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS TO DETERMINE IF THERE'S, UH, REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE TODAY THAT ARE NOT NECESSARY ALMOST TOO MUCH? UM, SO PART OF WHAT WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT AS PART OF THE ZONING CODE REFORM, UM, PART OF THE EFFORT TO SELF-CERTIFY, UH, SO AS AN EXAMPLE, FENCE PERMITS,
[01:00:01]
UH, OUR CODE IS VERY CLEAR, UH, THAT FENCES ARE, UM, PERMITS THAT HAVE TO BE APPROVED BY THE DIRECTOR.UH, THEY'RE RELATIVELY STRAIGHTFORWARD.
UM, DO WE NEED PEOPLE TO BE SUBMITTING PERMITS, UM, TO REVIEW, UH, A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD PERMIT? UM, I WOULDN'T, I, I THINK IT'S NOT NECESSARY THAT, THAT OUR CODE PRESCRIBES IT.
AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'LL BE LOOKING AT.
UH, BUILDING CODE IS A LITTLE LESS STRAIGHTFORWARD AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TENANT IMPROVEMENTS, UH, FOR COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS, UH, IT GETS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.
UM, BUT SOMETHING THAT WILL, UM, CONTINUE TO REFINE AND, AND TRY TO, UH, MAKE IT AS STREAMLINED AS POSSIBLE.
YEAH, I MEAN, I MEAN, I JUST THINK ABOUT, UM, THINGS LIKE SOMEONE TRYING TO OPEN A RESTAURANT, GOING INTO A, A FACILITY THAT WAS JUST A RESTAURANT AND, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TODAY TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THAT RESTAURANT TO GET UP AND RUNNING WITHOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, BURDENSOME PERMIT REQUIREMENTS? I'M NOT SUGGESTING THAT, UH, WE OPEN UP THE FLOODGATES FOR UNSAFE RESTAURANTS, UM, BUT IT'S ALREADY, UH, A THING THAT'S DIFFICULT.
YOU KNOW, A RESTAURANT'S A REALLY DIFFICULT BUSINESS AND TO ME, UM, IF WE CAN FIND WAYS TO REASONABLY, UH, MAKE THAT EASIER WITHOUT MAKING THINGS UNSAFE FOR THE PUBLIC, I THINK WE SHOULD, I THINK WE SHOULD, UH, YOU KNOW, TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
UM, SORRY, I'M GETTING A LITTLE BIT INTO TO COMMENT SO I'LL, I'LL I'LL BRING IT BACK TO QUESTIONS.
I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE, THE CRM.
UM, IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE LOOKING TO IMPLEMENT A NEW SYSTEM AND I'M CURIOUS WHAT THAT, UH, HAVE, HAVE WE IDENTIFIED A SYSTEM? HOW MUCH IS THAT COST? I SAW WHERE IT WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED IN SPRING OF 2026, I THINK I READ, WHICH SEEMS REALLY FAST FOR A NEW SYSTEM GIVEN KIND OF HOW THINGS MOVE THROUGH, YOU KNOW, MUNICIPALITIES.
SO JUST PLEASE, UH, GREAT QUESTION.
WE ARE GOING TO BE USING EXECUTIVE PULSE FOR OUR CRM, WHICH IS A, UM, SYSTEM THAT WAS BUILT FOR AND BY ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS.
SO IT IS A VERY KIND OF NICHE, UH, CRM THAT'S SPECIFIC TO TRACKING BUSINESS RETENTION AND OUTREACH VISITS, TRACKING, UM, ECONOMIC INDICATOR DATA.
UM, SO IT, IT'S, SO I'M ACTUALLY REALLY EXCITED TO START USING IT.
WE'RE JUST STARTED WITH KIND OF THE DATA MIGRATION AND THE IMPLEMENTATION AND WE'RE HOPING TO KIND OF HAVE IT UP AND RUNNING AND HAVE TRAININGS BY THE END OF THIS MONTH.
UM, AND IN TERMS OF COST WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION, UH, THE NUMBER ESCAPES ME FOR YEAR ONE, INCLUDING YEAR ONE SUBSCRIPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION.
IT WAS LESS THAN $20,000, BUT ONGOING COSTS WILL BE, UH, JUST SHY OF $8,000 PER YEAR MOVING FORWARD IF WE CONTINUE TO USE THE SYSTEM.
GETTING UP THAT FAST AND QUITE HONESTLY, BEING THAT CHEAP TO ME SEEMS LIKE A REALLY SMART INVESTMENT FOR THE CITY, SO THANK YOU.
UM, IN YOUR PRESENTATION YOU TALKED ABOUT THE VACANCY WORKING GROUP, AND I BELIEVE I HEARD, UH, MENTION THAT THAT'S GONNA BE FOCUSED ON VACANCIES IN THE, IN THE DOWNTOWN.
UM, AND I WAS WONDERING IF WHY THE FOCUS ON JUST DOWNTOWN? I MEAN, I KNOW THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT, UM, BUT WE, YOU KNOW, HAVE VACANCIES ELSEWHERE AS WELL.
THE IDEA IS, ADMITTEDLY, WE ARE REALLY ONLY A TEAM OF TWO, SO WE DO HAVE TO KIND OF TARGET OUR, OUR EFFORTS.
UH, SO THE PLAN IS TO FOCUS INITIALLY ON DOWNTOWN VACANCIES BECAUSE THAT AREA IS SUCH A DRIVER FOR SALES TAX REVENUES, BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE TRACKING OTHER VACANCIES AS WELL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO INDU INDUSTRIAL USES IN SAY, THE, THE NORTH END OF TOWN OR OFF OF LAKEVILLE.
SO WHILE IT'S NOT SPECIFICALLY CALLED OUT, IT IS WORK WE'LL BE DOING FOR SURE.
UM, OKAY, LAST ON THE HOTEL INCENTIVES.
UH, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, UH, SO, SO YOU, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD THAT YOU
[01:05:01]
ANSWERED PARTIALLY WAS, ARE THERE OTHER CITIES SOMEWHAT SIMILAR IN SIZE OF PETALUMA THAT HAVE INCENTIVIZED HOTELS IN SIMILAR WAYS AS TO WHAT THE CITY IS CONSIDERING? UM, ARE THERE OUTCOMES THAT WE CAN POINT TO TO PREDICT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IN PETALUMA? YOU MENTIONED SOME CITIES, UM, BUT I'M CURIOUS IF WE'VE LOOKED AT, IS, IS THERE ANYTHING TO TELL US WHETHER THOSE INCENTIVES THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL OR PROBLEMATIC ELSEWHERE? SO ULTIMATELY THE, WILL IT WORK IN PETALUMA AND BY WHAT SCALE WILL NEED TO BE DETERMINED BY KIND OF A THIRD PARTY FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS THAT A CONSULTANT WILL DO? SO THE, THE TRUE DOLLARS AND CENTS OF IT IN TERMS OF IMPACT HERE WILL NEED TO BE EVALUATED.BUT ANECDOTALLY, WE HAVE SEEN THE PROGRAM BE SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER AREAS.
ONE THING THEY TEND TO BE, IS KIND OF TARGETED TOWARDS LIKE, GETTING, UM, HIGH-END HOTELS OR HOTELS WITH RESTAURANTS.
SO THEY'RE TRYING TO USE THE PROGRAM TO INCENTIVIZE THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT THEY'RE WANTING TO SEE.
AND WHEN THE PROGRAMS ARE MORE TAILORED, THEY TEND TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL.
BUT AGAIN, THE, THE EVALUATION THAT WE WOULD BE UNDERTAKING WILL HELP INFORM THAT TOO, OF WHAT HAVE OTHER JURISDICTIONS DONE AND WHAT WE SHOULD BE KIND OF USING HERE LOCALLY TO OUR BENEFIT.
I'LL SAVE THE REST OF HER COMMENTS.
UM, I THANK YOU A COUNCIL MEMBER, QUINT.
'CAUSE THOSE ARE A LOT OF MY PERMITTING QUESTIONS, BUT ONE, WE HAD A, UM, A DRIVE-THROUGH BEVERAGE COMPANY THAT WANTED TO COME TO PETALUMA AND IT DIDN'T FIT WHERE THEY WANTED TO BUILD, BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER DRIVE IN OPPORTUNITY, EMPTY LOCATION IN A SHOPPING CENTER RIGHT DOWN THE STREET.
DO WE SHOW THAT APPLICANT ANOTHER LOCATION FOR THEIR BUSINESS THAT THEY WANT TO BRING TO PETALUMA? DO WE, DO WE DO THAT? YOU KNOW, THIS ONE DOESN'T WORK, BUT MAYBE THIS ONE WILL WORK.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS, UH, OFTEN IF YOU'VE GOT, UH, AN APPLICANT WHO'S COMING IN, UM, AT A HIGHER LEVEL, THEY'RE WORKING WITH A BROKER, AND SO THEY'LL GIVE US A CALL AND THAT, THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION.
AND WE DON'T, WE DON'T ALLOW IT HERE, UM, FOR DRIVE THROUGH.
UH, THAT'S, THAT'S KIND OF A TRICKY, THAT'S A TRICKY ONE, BUT ABSOLUTELY IF THERE'S A SPOT THAT DOESN'T WORK IN ONE PLACE, THEN WE'RE, WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT OTHER PLACES AS WELL.
NOW THERE'S NOT TOO MANY, UM, DRIVE THROUGH LOCATIONS THAT CAN BE GRANDFATHERED INTO A NEW BUSINESS.
BUT THIS ONE WOULD BE A, UM, NON NON-RESTAURANT.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THE BEVERAGE IS CONSIDERED A RESTAURANT BECAUSE THERE'S NO REAL KITCHEN EXCEPT FOR A SINK.
I, MAYBE A REFRIGERATION, SO IT WOULDN'T BE THAT HARD TO CONVERT.
UM, AND HOW WE COULD, YOU KNOW, SHOW THEM THAT THIS MIGHT BE A BETTER LOCATION AND MORE SUCCESSFUL FOR WHAT THEY WANT.
IT'S, IT'S GOT A BIGGER FOOTPRINT.
IT'S THEIR, THEIR DRIVE-THROUGH WOULD BE WIDER AND IT WOULD NOT BE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD AND NOT, IT WOULD BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THAT BUSY WASHINGTON STREET CORRIDOR THAT THE NEIGHBORS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT FOR TRAFFIC BACKUP.
SO I, THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE THINGS I'M THINKING, DOES THE CITY HELP THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX? SO WE WANT YOU TO COME TO PETALUMA, BUT THIS LOCATION DIDN'T WORK.
AND, UM, I DID ASK, UM, GOING TO THE HOTEL INCENTIVE STAFF TO KIND OF GIVE, UM, COUNCIL AND THE MAYOR SOME INPUT ON WHAT THE CURRENT TOT, UM, IS TO, YOU KNOW, TO THE BUDGET.
AND I FORGET MY OTHER QUESTION, BUT ABOUT THE TOTS AND HOW THE HOTELS, OH, ALSO AIRBNBS.
WHAT DO THEY GIVE BACK TO THE IN TOT FUNDS? AND THEN THE ONE PART OF YOUR PRESENTATION IT WAS, UM, THAT I HAD A QUESTION ABOUT IS THAT WE WOULD LOAN THEM MONEY, THE HOTEL DURING CONSTRUCTION.
SO HOW MUCH MONEY DO THEY NORMALLY BORROW? THAT, THAT IS MY QUESTION.
SO THANK YOU FOR ASKING THE QUESTION SO THAT WE COULD CLARIFY.
UH, WE WILL NOT BE LOANING ANY MONEY, ESPECIALLY DURING CONSTRUCTION.
THE TOT REVENUE SHARING HAPPENS ALL POST CONSTRUCTION, AND IT IS, UM,
[01:10:01]
WOULD BASICALLY ACCUMULATE OVER TIME AS THEY BASICALLY EARN THE TOT REVENUE.BECAUSE I THOUGHT I HEARD, AND IT WAS IN THE LINE THAT I FORGET WHICH SLIDE THEY COULD BORROW AGAINST.
SO THE DEVELOPER, ONCE A TOT REVENUE AGREEMENT IS EXECUTED WITH A LOCAL JURISDICTION, AND THERE ARE ONCE KIND OF A, A MARKET FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS, HAS DONE THAT KIND OF ESTIMATES WHAT, SAY TOT REVENUE WILL HAPPEN OVER THE COURSE OF 10 YEARS.
AND WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS, THEY CAN TAKE THAT TO A LENDER AND SAY, HERE, I'VE ESTABLISHED THIS AGREEMENT, CAN I BORROW AGAINST IT? AND THAT WOULD BE THE PATH FOR THEM IF THEY NEEDED THE FUNDING RIGHT AWAY.
BUT THE CITY IS NOT LENDING THE MONEY.
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
IT GAVE ME A LITTLE HEARTBURN THERE.
COUNCIL MEMBER CARLY, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, CATHERINE AND NANCY AND BRIAN.
UM, I'M JUST WONDERING IN, IN GOING TO PERMITS AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE KIND OF DOING SOME SELF-REFLECTION IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE OUR SERVICES AND EVERYTHING, UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CITY'S SHORTFALLS IN PERMITTING PRO, UM, PROCESSING PERMITS? BECAUSE THAT'S, IT'S BEEN MENTIONED THAT'S BEEN KIND OF THE REPUTATION THE CITY'S DEVELOPED.
SO IN, IN KIND OF DOING SOME SELF-REFLECTION, WHAT, WHAT ARE THOSE SHORTFALLS ELSE? EVERY PERMIT IS UNIQUE.
UM, DEPENDS ON THE ARCHITECT, DEPENDS ON THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.
IF I REALLY WERE TO DISTILL IT DOWN, UM, IT'S EARLY AND OFTEN INTERVENTION.
AND SO THAT'S WHERE REALLY THE BUSINESS CONCIERGE PROGRAM COMES INTO PLAY.
SO BEFORE SOMEONE COMES IN AND SUBMITS A PERMIT, THE PRE-CONSULTATION, HEY, I'M A BUSINESS.
I WANNA DO X, Y, Z, THERE'S A FOOD COMPONENT.
THAT'S WHERE OUR TEAM JUMPS IN.
AND UM, OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE AN ARCHITECT ON BOARD AND THAT IS SUPER HELPFUL.
UM, AND SOMETIMES PEOPLE JUST, THEY LIKE TO BRING PEOPLE THAT THEY ARE, UM, THEY HAVE WORKED WITH.
AND SO I, I CAN THINK OF A HANDFUL OF EXAMPLES WHERE, UH, SOMEONE FROM A DIFFERENT, UM, PART OF THE BAY AREA COMES IN AND JUST NOT AS FAMILIAR.
UM, AND SO I THINK THAT EARLY INTERVENTION IS REALLY THE KEY.
UM, AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE CONTINUE TO PUSH, UH, FOR THE BROKERS, FOR THE ARCHITECTS, UM, AND JUST REALLY BUILD THAT MUSCLE MEMORY.
UM, AND THEN WHEREVER POSSIBLE, UM, FLEXIBILITY.
AND SO IF, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE STUFF IS VERY CLEAR CUT.
UM, TITLE 24 IS A STANDARD AT THE STATE LEVEL.
UM, IT IS ESSENTIALLY AN ENERGY AUDIT.
SO ANYTHING NEW THAT YOU PROPOSE, DOES IT MEET THIS THRESHOLD? IT LITERALLY HAS TO PASS A TEST.
UM, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS I THINK ABOUT AN OLD HISTORIC BUILDING.
UM, IT WOULDN'T MAKE A WHOLE LOT OF SENSE TO ASK THEM, UH, TO SHOW US THE DIAGRAM FOR ALL THE ELECTRICAL THAT'S BEHIND A, A BRICK WALL.
UM, AND SO TO THE BEST, I'M THINKING ABOUT AN EXAMPLE, UM, RATHER THAN, UM, HAVE THEM PRODUCE, UH, A, A DIAGRAM, UM, OUR BUILDING OFFICIAL WENT OUT THERE, MARKED OUT WHERE ALL THE, UM, ELECTRICAL, UM, OUTLETS WERE, AND THAT WAS SUFFICIENT.
AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS FLEXIBILITY, EARLY INTERVENTION, UM, SO THAT OUR BUSINESSES CAN BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND THEN, UM, HOW MANY OPEN PERMITS ARE THERE RIGHT NOW THAT ARE A YEAR OLD JUST TO KIND OF UNDERSTAND THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT'S HAPPENING IN TOWN? SO THE CITY PERMITS, UH, THOUSANDS, UM, OF PERMITS A YEAR, LIKE FOR BUSINESSES.
AND YEAH, I DON'T HAVE THE, THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
WE DO GET, UM, A PRETTY, UH, STEADY STREAM OF NEW PERMITS.
UH, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT GETS SENT TO US EACH, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME SOMEONE SUBMITS.
IF IT'S A COMMERCIAL TENANT IMPROVEMENT, UM, OR A PROSPECTIVE BUSINESS, UM, THIS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT, UM, JUMPS IN TRACKS, REACHES OUT, DOES THAT EARLY INTERVENTION.
SO I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD EASILY, UM, PRODUCE IN A MEMO.
YEAH, THAT'D BE HELPFUL TO KNOW.
AND I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT, UM, UH, LET'S SEE, HOW, ASK THIS.
[01:15:01]
WHAT, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE TIME THAT, UM, FOR A BUSINESS IF A PERMIT TAKES FROM START TO FINISH AND THEN WHAT, WITH THE NEW PROGRAM AND EVERYTHING, WHAT ARE WE AIMING FOR TO, TO REDUCE THAT TIME DOWN TO? SO THERE'S THREE STREAMS. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS, IT'S BEEN SOME TIME.SO I, WE DEFINITELY OWE THE COUNCIL, UM, AN UPDATE.
BUT, UH, DEPENDING ON THE PERMIT, THERE'S A DIFFERENT, UH, LEVEL OF EXPECTATION.
SOME THINGS CAN HAPPEN, UH, WITHIN 24 HOURS, SO WE CALL THOSE OVER THE COUNTER PERMITS.
UH, SOME THINGS CAN HAPPEN WITHIN A WEEK.
UM, BUT MOST, UM, SO I, I WOULD SAY MOST, UH, FALL UNDER THAT CATEGORY.
UH, WE ALSO HAVE, UH, SOME OF THE MORE, UM, INTENSIVE RESOURCE INTENSIVE PERMITS.
UH, AND SO WE, UM, OUR MEASURE FOR THAT IS 20 BUSINESS DAYS.
AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE CALL A STANDARD, UM, BUILDING PERMIT REVIEW.
UM, AND SO I LOOK AT THAT, UM, UH, HOLISTICALLY JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, OVERALL OUR NUMBERS ARE, UM, MEETING THAT MARK.
UM, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS OUTLIERS.
THERE'S ALWAYS THE ONES THAT, UM, I THINK, YOU KNOW, EDGE CLOSER TO THE 60 DAYS.
I THINK THAT SORT OF, UM, IT REALLY DEPENDS, RIGHT? IF YOU GET A HIGH QUALITY PERMIT UPFRONT, WE CAN GET THAT DONE IN ONE REVIEW.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT WE KEEP AN EYE ON, MAKE SURE THAT, UM, THERE'S NOTHING LOST IN COMMUNICATION.
UM, OFTENTIMES IT JUST TAKES A PHONE CALL.
WE PICK UP THE PHONE, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE OWNER, THE ARCHITECT, GET THEM RIGHT BACK ON TRACK.
UM, AGAIN, THERE'S A DASHBOARD, UM, THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING SOMETHING, UM, WE CAN FOLLOW UP IN A MEMO.
WELL, AND I GUESS, UM, MAYBE WHERE IT MAKES A BIGGER DIFFERENCE IS FOR BRAND NEW BUSINESSES COMING IN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'VE, THEY'VE MADE A HUGE INVESTMENT TO TAKE THAT LEAP AND START THEIR BUSINESS, BUY A BUILDING, LEASE ONE, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER THE CASE.
AND SO IT'S, IT'S KIND OF TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE TO, TO START GETTING A RETURN ON THAT AND START CONSTRUCTION OR REMODELING.
UM, I MEAN, WHAT, FOR, FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THAT WHERE YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, COULD BE, LET'S JUST SAY RETAIL OR RESTAURANT, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS THE AVERAGE TIME FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT? AGAIN, IT, IT DEPENDS.
IF THERE'S A TAILOR MADE, READY TO GO, UM, YOU KNOW, UH, IN ITS PRIOR LIFE, IT WAS A FULLY FUNCTIONING RESTAURANT.
UM, IN RECENT MEMORY, IT SHOULDN'T TAKE MUCH, RIGHT? THERE'S, THERE MAY BE SOME, UM, REORGANIZING OF SEATING, ET CETERA, UPDATING OF THE, UM, KITCHEN FACILITIES.
UM, OFTENTIMES IT'S THE BIGGER STUFF, EXPANSION OF DINING SPACE, UM, THE OCCUPANCY IS USUALLY THAT'S SORT OF THE TRIGGER.
SO IF THERE'S AN INCREASE IN OCCUPANCY, THAT SORT OF PUTS YOU DOWN A DIFFERENT PATH.
AND SO, UM, THAT'S STUFF THAT WE'RE, UM, CONNECTING WITH EARLY AND OFTEN.
MANY OF OUR BROKERS KNOW THE LANGUAGE.
THEY KNOW HOW TO, UM, NAVIGATE THAT FOR THEIR CLIENTS.
UM, AND SO TYPICALLY IT'S THE, LIKE OLDER BUILDINGS THAT NEED THE RETROFITTING, THE A DA, ET CETERA.
UM, THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE A LITTLE BIT LONGER.
UM, SOME OF THE NEWER STUFF, DEER CREEK, UM, AS AN EXAMPLE, UM, THOSE ARE MORE UPDATED.
THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, UM, TYPICALLY UP TO CODE.
UM, SO DON'T NEED A WHOLE LOT OF INTERVENTION OR REVIEW.
AND THEN, UM, KIND OF JUMPING OVER TO THE TOT REVENUE SHARING, UM, SORT OF FEELS LIKE THE CITY IS NOW LOOKING AT SUBSIDIZING PRIVATE PROJECTS.
I MEAN, THAT'S WHAT IT FEELS LIKE.
SO I MEAN, IS THAT MORE OR LESS WHAT IT IS? UM, SO ONE, WHAT I APPRECIATE ABOUT THE, UM, THE FOLLOW UP ABOUT THE, UM, IS IT A LOAN? IS IT NOT A LOAN? THIS IS REALLY UNREALIZED REVENUE.
SO AT, LET'S USE THE DOWNTOWN, UM, HOTEL PROJECT AS A EXAMPLE.
THERE'S NO TOT THAT'S BEING GENERATED.
THERE'S NO SALES TAX CURRENTLY BEING GENERATED.
NO VERY LITTLE PROPERTY TAX, UM, THAT IS BENEFITING THE CITY.
UM, I, I DON'T KNOW IF I'D LOOK AT IT AS A SUBSIDY, IT'S, IT'S MORE OF AN INCENTIVE FOR A FUTURE REVENUE THAT WE HAVEN'T REALIZED.
WE MAY NOT REALIZE, UM,
[01:20:01]
COUNCIL IS AT LEAST TO STUDY IT, GET A THIRD PARTY ANALYSIS.DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR THE CITY? DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR THE COMMUNITY OF PETALUMA, UH, BEFORE, UM, THE COUNCIL MAKES A DECISION ON IT? WELL, IT'S LIKE IN ESSENCE, YOU'RE GIVING ONE PARTICULAR SECTOR A HUGE BREAK, UM, WHEREAS OTHER SECTORS DON'T, THEY DON'T GET THAT AT ALL.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, I'LL JUST SAY TOO, LIKE I TALKED ABOUT THE, THE LIGHTING OF THE CHICK SIGN, UM, THEY PAID ALMOST $2,500 IN PERMITS.
AND THAT WAS THROUGH THE GENEROSITY OF PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY DONATING TO THAT, BECAUSE THEY ALL WANTED TO SEE THAT.
AND THEN THE CITY, YOU KNOW, FOR TAKING A SIGN OUT, RESTORING IT, PUTTING IT BACK IN, CHARGING 'EM 2,500 BUCKS, AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING CHARGED THE FULL AMOUNT, BUT SOMEBODY FROM OUT OF TOWN WHO WANTS TO BUILD A HOTEL, WE'RE GONNA GIVE THEM MULTIMILLION DOLLAR BREAK ON SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT.
UM, SO I, I BELIEVE, ACTUALLY, AND I'LL CONFIRM, BUT UM, WE DID DO A, UH, PERMIT FEE REDUCTION FOR THE, UM, NEON SIGN.
UM, I WOULD ALSO WOULD THINK THAT THERE'S DIFFERENT CONSIDERATIONS.
I THINK AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND, UH, COMMUNITY BENEFIT.
UM, YES, WE'RE SUPPORTIVE OF ALL, UM, DIFFERENT EFFORTS TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITY, UH, RATHER THAN COMPARE THE TWO, I THINK IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON WHAT'S BEFORE US, UM, WHICH IS A HOTEL INCENTIVE POLICY, AT LEAST TO STUDY IT.
DOES IT MAKE SENSE FOR THE CITY? WILL IT CREATE SOME, UH, FUTURE REVENUE POSSIBILITIES THAT WE HAVEN'T, THAT WE WOULDN'T OTHERWISE, UM, REALIZE POTENTIALLY.
AND, UH, THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD ADD TO BRIAN'S COMMENTS IS THAT, YOU KNOW, WHY HOTELS WELL, UM, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH IN TERMS OF TAX GENERATION FOR THE CITY.
AND IT IS AN INDUSTRY THAT HAS POTENTIAL FOR REVENUE THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY PUT SUCH A HIGH BURDEN ON CITY RESOURCES.
SO WHEN IT COMES TO KIND OF COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS, IT, IT, IT MAKES SENSE ON PAPER.
SO, UM, THAT'S WHY WE'RE DOING KIND OF THIS EVALUATION.
UM, THE OTHER THING TO CONSIDER IS THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY DOES HAVE A HISTORY OF, OF, YOU KNOW, HELPING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS LIKE THIS JUST BEFORE, UM, WHEN THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY WAS IN EXISTENCE, AND THE CITY HELPED WITH THE THEATER DISTRICT.
AND SO WE DO HAVE A HISTORY OF SUPPORTING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS THAT HELP THE COMMUNITY GROW AND, YOU KNOW, BUILD REVENUE.
SO, AND THAT ISN'T JUST FOR HOTELS, IT WAS FOR OTHER THINGS TOO.
AND THEN MY, MY LAST QUESTION, I GUESS ABOUT PERMITS TO BE, UM, AS PART OF, YOU KNOW, BESIDES STREAMLINE, I MEAN, IF WE'RE GONNA STREAMLINE 'EM, THERE'S A LOT LESS TIME SPENT ON THEM, RIGHT? CAN WE LOOK AT REDUCING PERMIT FEES TO MAKE IT MORE AFFORDABLE? WE ABSOLUTELY CAN.
UM, PART OF, UH, WHAT WE DID A FEW YEARS AGO, WE DID THE FEE STUDY, UM, AS WE, UM, YOU KNOW, AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND ON OUR EFFORT TO STREAMLINE, UM, AS THE, UM, WE'LL ALWAYS RIGHTSIZE IT, RIGHT? THE, IT'S NOT INTENDED TO MAKE MONEY.
IT'S INTENDED TO BE COST RECOVERY.
AND SO IF THE TIME IT TAKES TO REVIEW SOMETHING GOES DOWN, UM, WE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE LOOKING AT THE PERMIT FEES.
UM, THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
UH, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE SO MUCH GOOD WORK HAPPENING IN, UM, YOUR SHORT TIME HERE.
UM, SO, AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT GETTING MY QUESTIONS IN AHEAD OF TIME, BUT I FEEL LIKE A TOTAL JERK FOR THAT.
UM, SO I'M JUST GONNA DIVE RIGHT IN THOUGH.
UM, CAN YOU TALK MORE ABOUT THE, UH, THE COMM STRATEGY AND WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE COMM STRATEGY, SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT? SO WE ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING ON A CONSULTANT TO HELP WITH SOME OF OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND MARKETING.
UH, WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING WITH BAY AREA DIGITAL SOLUTIONS, WHO HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WORKING KIND OF IN THIS SPACE.
UH, THE, WHAT WE HEARD A LOT IN THE STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT WAS THAT THERE'S A DESIRE TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT BUSINESS SUCCESS STORIES.
AND SO A BIG COMPONENT OF THAT WORK EFFORT IS GOING OUT TO BUSINESSES AND KIND OF SHINING A LIGHT ON WHAT AMAZING THINGS THEY'RE DOING AND KIND OF DOING, YOU KNOW, HUMAN INTEREST STORIES.
SO WE'RE GONNA BE LEVERAGING OUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS TO REALLY KIND OF HIGHLIGHT WHAT'S AMAZING ABOUT PETALUMA AND ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE MAKING IT WORK, LITERALLY.
[01:25:01]
UH, YOU'RE A FORMER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, AND NANCY DID SOME GREAT WORK ON SOME MATERIALS, LIKE A BUSINESS TOOLKIT AND SOME GREAT BRANDING.SO WE'RE JUST GONNA BE UPDATING IT WITH CURRENT INFORMATION, BUT USING A LOT OF WHAT'S ALREADY THERE.
UM, SO I HEARD A LOT ABOUT INCENTIVES.
ARE WE, ARE WE EXPLORING ANY SORT OF REGULATORY MECHANISM STICKS? I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME TALK IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT VACANCY TAXES.
I PARTICULARLY HAD AN INTEREST IN A CHAIN LINK FENCE ORDINANCE.
UM, JUST CURIOUS IF WE'RE EXPLORING ANY OF THOSE, UH, TOOLS TO TRY AND, UM, FILL THINGS.
I THINK THE IDEA OF THE WORK PLAN IS THAT WE WANNA DO THIS EVALUATION FIRST, KIND OF WORK AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO USING KIND OF THE CARROT APPROACH.
AND THEN IF WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY MOVEMENT THERE, WE ABSOLUTELY CAN LOOK INTO MORE REGULATORY MEASURES.
UM, AND THEN CAN, WE'RE ABOUT TO START PHASE ONE OF OUR ZONING CODE UPDATE.
I THINK THE INITIAL THING IS SMALL LOTS.
WE'RE SUPPOSED TO START THAT I THINK THIS MONTH, UH, AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
CAN, ARE WE GONNA BE LOOKING AT ANY EARLY MEASURES, UH, TO STREAMLINE ZONING OR ANYTHING LIKE THE, THE PERMITTING PROCESS, THE CS, THINGS LIKE THAT THROUGH THE ZONING CODE? YES.
UH, SO PART OF THIS, UH, INITIAL, UM, SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR IS WHEN WE'RE COMING BACK WITH THE FINAL GENERAL PLAN AND EIR.
UM, AND SO WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS THAT DAY, UH, TO ACCOMPLISH A COUPLE THINGS.
SO THERE'S GONNA BE A TECHNICAL ZONING CODE UPDATE.
SO WE HAVE A NEW SET OF LAND USE, THERE'S GONNA BE NEW ZONING DESIGNATIONS.
WHAT LEVEL OF PERMITTED USES SHOULD FIT IN EACH OF THOSE CATEGORIES.
SO WE'LL BE HAVING THAT INITIAL CONVERSATION, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, AC UH, ACCOMPLISHING OR STARTING THE CONVERSATION, UM, AROUND, UM, OUR HOUSING ELEMENT REFORM.
AND SO HOW DO WE BUILD SMALLER, FASTER STREAMLINE ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE, WHICH AGAIN, COINCIDES NICELY WITH WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR BUSINESSES, UM, AROUND LIVABILITY AND
UM, AND THEN ON THE, SO WE'VE, A COUPLE MEETINGS AGO WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF OUR SORT OF EARLY FORAYS INTO AI.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE BUSINESS PERMITTING PAGE, IT'S A LOT OF WORDS AND A LOT TO TRY AND TAKE IN.
AND THERE'S A LOT OF LINKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HAVE WE LOOKED INTO TRYING TO BUILD AN AI LAYER TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN FINDING THE DOCUMENTS THAT THEY NEED, BUSINESS PERMITS THAT HAVE, THAT ARE SIMILAR? LIKE, I FEEL LIKE I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SAY, I WANT TO OPEN A BUSINESS LIKE ART PLAY CAFE.
WHAT PERMITS DO I NEED? AND YOU SHOULD LITERALLY BE ABLE TO SHOW ME, HERE'S THE PERMITS THEY HAVE AND HERE'S THE FORMS YOU NEED AND THIS IS HOW MUCH THEY'VE COST.
AND THAT SEEMS LIKE A, LIKE A VERY LOW HANGING FRUIT USE CASE FOR AI.
AND, UM, JUST WONDERING IF WE'RE LOOKING AT ANYTHING LIKE THAT, WE ARE LOOKING CITYWIDE.
UM, AT AN AI POLICY, UM, IT'S ALREADY, UM, YOU KNOW, WITHIN OUR WORK ENVIRONMENT, UH, SO SOMETHING WE ARE EMBRACING, WANTING TO, UH, NOT ONLY CREATE A POLICY, BUT FIND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IT TO WORK, NOT JUST FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, BUT ALSO OUR COMMUNITY.
AND SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY GREAT EXAMPLE OF, UM, OF A CASE STUDY OF, UM, USING TECHNOLOGY, UM, TO HELP THROUGH, UM, LOCAL GOVERNMENT PROCESS.
UM, AND THEN, UM, I THINK I'M JUST GONNA HOLD OFF.
UH, I, YEAH, I'LL JUST HOLD THE REST OF MINE I THINK ARE COMMENTS, SO THANK YOU.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, COUNCILMAN CATER THOMPSON.
YEAH, I, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS.
UM, I JUST WANNA KNOW IF YOU CAN TELL US THE OTHER REVENUE SOURCES THAT COME FROM HOTELS, AND WHEN YOU DO THE ANALYSIS, WILL YOU BE, UM, LOOKING AT THE ORIGINAL EKN AND THE PROPOSED FROM THE SIX TO THE FOUR STORY, WHAT THE DIFFERENCE, UM, IN THOSE DOLLARS WOULD BE WITH THE REVENUES THAT WOULD COME IN? UM, AND THE OTHER IS WHAT ARE ACTUALLY THE DOWNTOWN BOUNDARIES YOU'RE SPEAKING OF? 'CAUSE WHEN I SEE THE DOWNTOWN, I LOOK AT WASHINGTON STREET AND PETALUMA BOULEVARD, AND IT'S JUST NOT FROM, UH, B STREET OR D STREET TO PETALUMA BOULEVARD OR TO WASHINGTON STREET, IT SEEMS LIKE IT NEEDS TO EXTEND.
[01:30:01]
SO WHAT ARE THOSE BOUNDARIES? UH, I THINK WE ALSO AGREE THAT WHEN WE SAY DOWNTOWN, WE MEAN THE BROADER DOWNTOWN.UM, NOT JUST THIS, THOSE COUPLE BLOCKS DOWNTOWN, WE DO MEAN PET THE NORTH.
UM, IN TERMS OF, UH, HOTEL REVENUE IN ADDITION TO TOT, THERE'S ALL OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF SALES TAX, UH, THAT'S GENERATED, PARTICULARLY IF IT'S A HOTEL THAT HAS, UH, RESTAURANTS.
UH, SO, UH, THOSE WOULD BOTH BE EVALUATED, UM, BY THE CONSULTANT.
AND IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY WILL REVIEW, IT IS KIND OF GONNA DEPEND ON WHAT, YOU KNOW, EKN OR ANY HOTEL DEVELOPER WANTS TO BRING FORWARD TO THAT CONSULTANT.
UM, SO, UM, COULD WE REQUEST THAT THEY BRING BOTH PROJECTS FORWARD? SO, BECAUSE I'D CERTAINLY LIKE TO KNOW THAT ANALYSIS, AND I THINK MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE MADE COMMENTS ABOUT THE ORIGINAL ANALYSIS.
AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO KNOW.
I'D, I'D SAY I'D SORT OF PUT THAT BACK TO A DISCUSSION TOPIC FOR THE COUNCIL, UM, ON WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
IT IS QUITE, UH, DETAILED FROM OUR INITIAL UNDERSTANDING.
UM, TO CATHERINE'S POINT, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS, A LOT OF FINANCIAL, UH, INFORMATION THAT WOULD GO FROM, UM, THE APPLICANT TO THE CONSULTANT.
UH, AND SO GETTING THAT CLARITY, I THINK WOULD BE REALLY CRITICAL.
UM, I THINK TYPICALLY THOUGH IT IS BASED ON A PROJECT, I THINK, UM, SO THAT, YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF ROOMS, HOW MUCH, UH, ARE WE CHARGING PER ROOM.
UM, ALL THOSE ESTIMATES ARE TYPICALLY, UM, BASED ON ONE HOTEL PROPOSAL.
UH, AND THEN JUST ONE OTHER THING ABOUT THE, THE REVENUE QUESTION.
THERE'S, UM, TO CATHERINE'S POINT, THERE'S A SALES TAX, THERE'S THE, UH, TOT, THE HOTEL TAX, UH, BUT THEN ALSO THE SPINOFF BENEFITS, UM, THAT, UH, YOU KNOW, WE ALL UNDERSTAND, RIGHT? AS WE, UM, VISIT NEW PLACES, UM, YOU KNOW, WE LOVE THE RESTAURANT THAT'S ON SITE, BUT OFTENTIMES IT'S EXPLORING THE REST OF THE DOWNTOWN, UH, BUYING GIFTS TO BRING HOME.
UM, AND SO THERE'S, THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER, THEY CALL IT SPINOFF OR SECONDARY TERTIARY BENEFITS, UM, THAT THERE IS A MONETARY VALUE, UM, AS WELL.
UM, AND I JUST WANNA GO UP, UM, NORTH ON MCDOWELL, SOME OF THE OLD OFFICE SPACES.
UH, WE, I THOUGHT WE JUST APPROVED THAT THERE COULD BE OTHER USES IN THERE.
UM, ARE WE LOOKING AT OLDER OFFICE SPACES FOR HOUSING? 'CAUSE JUST HAPPENED TO BE DOWN IN SAN DIEGO, AND THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE DOING WITH ALL THEIR HIGH RISES.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY REPURPOSING THEM, UH, FOR HOUSING, QUITE A FEW OF THEM.
SO I'M WONDERING IF WE'RE GONNA BE LOOKING AT THAT.
UM, FOR OLD OFFICE SPACE, THE NORTH END OF TOWN, THERE IS A, UH, GREAT QUESTION, COUNCIL MEMBER.
UM, SO THAT I WOULD, UH, LOOK AT IT THROUGH THE LENS OF THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE.
SO THE COMMUNITY AND COUNCIL HAVE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, UH, THINKING THROUGH WHERE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, WOULD BEST, UM, MATERIALIZE.
AND SO THERE WAS A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE, UH, IT'S A FORMER, UH, BASIN STREET PROPERTY, UM, ON MCDOWELL, UH, RIGHT BEHIND THE APPLEBEE'S.
SO THERE WAS CONVERSATION THERE THAT WE HAD, UH, LAST WITH COUNCIL.
UM, THAT'S REALLY THE, THE STARTING POINT.
AND SO WE CONTINUE TO GET THAT INTEREST FROM, UH, PERSPECTIVE, UH, BUYERS, DEVELOPERS, UM, ON HOW, UH, WHAT THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE.
UM, AND I THINK THE BIG TAKEAWAY FOR THE GENERAL PLAN AND FOR THE ZONING CODE IS GONNA BE AROUND FLEXIBILITY.
AND SO WHERE THERE'S A MARKET TO TAKE AN UNDERUTILIZED OFFICE SPACE, UH, CONVERT CONVERTED INTO RESIDENTIAL, UM, I BELIEVE WE ARE CREATING A PROCESS TO MAKE THAT EASIER.
AND, UM, AND CREATING THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, UH, THROUGH THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE.
COUNCIL MEMBER NOW ALWAYS TALKS ABOUT, UH, THE NEED FOR APPLIANCES IN TOWN.
AND I'M ALWAYS, UM, TALKING ABOUT THE NEED FOR A HIGH RENT SHOE STORE.
UM, HOW WILL YOU BRING THOSE TYPES OF BUSINESSES INTO OUR TOWN? WELL, AND, AND THAT REALLY GOES TO THE, THE RSG ANALYSIS THAT SHOWS THAT WE DO HAVE SOME RETAIL LEAKAGE.
SO THERE'S A HUNDRED PERCENT AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEVERAGE OUR VACANT SPACES FOR SOME TARGETED BUSINESS ATTRACTION.
[01:35:01]
UH, THERE ARE, UH, ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO ATTRACTING RETAIL GROUPS, AND THERE IS EFFORTS THAT WE CAN DO ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SIDE TO BRING FOLKS INTO THOSE SPACES, AND THAT'LL BE PART OF KIND OF A COORDINATED EFFORT.AND ACTUALLY, ONE MORE, UM, COMMENT OR QUESTION.
UM, IT'S, IT APPEARS DOWN ABOUT WHERE THE AUTO SALES ARE THAT THEY'RE SELLING.
I THINK HYUNDAIS NOW AT, INSTEAD OF THE NISSANS, SO DO WE EXPECT, UM, LARGER REVENUE? I, I THINK THAT'S ALWAYS THE HOPE.
UM, I, THERE'S USUALLY A REASON WHY, UH, SOMEONE SELLS AND, UH, ANOTHER REASON WHY SOMEONE SEES AN OPPORTUNITY.
AND SO, UM, I THINK THEY MAKE REALLY NICE CARS.
AND I, I THINK I PERHAPS, UM, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO INCREASE OUR REVENUE THROUGH AUTO SALES.
UM, AND WE HAVE AN OPEN LINE OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE OWNER.
UM, AND SO THERE'S A HISTORY THERE, UH, FAMILIARITY.
UM, AND SO SOMEONE SEES THAT THERE'S A MARKET HERE IN PETALUMA WORTH INVESTING IN.
UM, THEY'RE STARTING TO PUT QUITE A BIT OF IMPROVEMENTS, UM, INTO THEIR, UM, INTO THEIR SITE.
AND SO, UM, WE ARE OPTIMISTIC.
I GUESS, UH, I'M REALLY EXCITED TO HEAR YOU TALK THIS FOR ALL, ALL THE BENEFICIAL REASONS THAT YOU BROUGHT UP.
BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW, WE, WE DO HAVE THAT STRUCTURAL DEFICIT FROM THE FINANCE SIDE THAT WE TALK ABOUT.
AND, UM, SO I, I'M THINKING LIKE THIS HAS TO BE THE YEAR OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THAT PURPOSE AS WELL AS FOR OPEN FOR BUSINESS SIDE OF THE, AND THE SECOND HOTEL YOU MENTIONED WAS THE SUNSET LINE, ENTWINE HAMPTON.
I DON'T THINK YOU PUT A NAME TO IT IN THE PRESENTATION, BUT, UM, THAT'S SEVERAL YEARS.
ANY FEEDBACK ON WHY THAT HASN'T GONE FORWARD YET? IT GOT THROUGH ENTITLEMENT.
IT IS ENTITLED, MAYOR, YOU'RE CORRECT.
IT'S THE EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING SILK MILL.
IT'S, UH, HAMPTON INN PROPERTY, UH, OWNED BY A HOTEL, UM, DEVELOPER BASED, I BELIEVE, IN THE SOUTH BAY, UH, AS CATHERINE, UH, STATED DURING THE PRESENTATION, IT'S, IT'S A FINANCIAL, RIGHT.
SO ON TOP OF, UM, CONSTRUCTION COST, TIMING FEES, UM, OR IMPACT FEES.
UH, AND THEN, UH, YEAH, THERE'S A COST BENEFIT TO THAT, THAT THE ECONOMICS, UM, DON'T WORK.
AND SO CURRENTLY THAT PROJECT, UH, DOES NOT HAVE A BUILDING PERMIT SUBMITTAL, IT HAS ITS ENTITLEMENT.
SO THERE'S THIS PIPELINE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT VERY CLOSELY, NOT JUST ON THE COMMERCIAL SIDE, BUT ON THE RESIDENTIAL SIDE.
HOW DO WE GET THINGS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE, OYSTER COVE, ET CETERA.
UM, AND OFTENTIMES THE, THE CONNECTIVE TISSUE BETWEEN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL IS, UM, IT JUST DOESN'T PENCIL.
UM, AND SO THAT'S WHAT THE POLICY IS LOOKING TO EXPLORE.
UM, IS THERE A BIGGER BENEFIT, UM, BY COMING UP WITH SOME, UM, FUTURE REVENUE AGREEMENT, UM, THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY, RIGHT? I KIND OF GET THAT ON THE BASIS THAT IF THERE'S NO REVENUE, IF IT'S VACANT, THERE'S NO REVENUE, AND YOU KNOW, YOU CAN NEGOTIATE FOR A HUNDRED PERCENT OF IT OR COME IN WITH 70%, 80% FOR, FOR THE CITY'S BENEFIT, FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT OF HAVING A FACILITY.
AND I, I'M KIND OF SUPPORTIVE OF THE IDEA OF GETTING SOMETHING THERE, BUT ALSO I NOTE IN THIS, THERE'S A SLIDE THAT SAYS, UH, RENTS AND PETALUMA 2300, UH, MONTH AND, UM, SONOMA COUNTY BROADLY 2000 A MONTH, BUT THERE'S MORE GROWTH IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTY WHERE THE RENT IS LOWER.
HOW DO WE MAKE SENSE OF WHY THERE'S NO GROWTH, EVEN IF THE RENT IS HIGHER IN PETALUMA? AND THAT CAN BE A LONGER, HARDER NON-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT QUESTION.
BUT I, IT GETS BACK TO THE PERMITTING THING.
I JUST, I DON'T HOPE IT'S NOT THE FEES, I HOPE IT'S NOT THE PERMITTING, IT'S THOSE KINDS OF THINGS WE NEED TO CLEAR UP.
I APPRECIATE YOU TALKED ABOUT OUTREACH, THAT YOU'VE BEEN TO THE CHAMBER FOR A, A MEETING AND THAT YOU'VE DONE OUTREACH ALREADY, AND THE GOAL WAS 40 TO 50 BUSINESS CONNECTIONS PER YEAR.
AND I'M THINKING THAT'S NOT AMBITIOUS ENOUGH.
IS, IS THAT A TIGHT NUMBER OR, UM, DO WE ONLY HAVE 40 TO 50 LARGE BUSINESSES THAT WE NEED TO FOCUS? IT IS A CONSERVATIVE NUMBER THAT WE HOPE TO OUTPACE, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO SET REALISTIC, YOU KNOW, BENCHMARKS GIVEN OUR CURRENT WORKLOAD.
COUNCIL MEMBER DI CARLY, UH, EXCUSE ME, JUST ONE LAST QUESTION.
THE, THE CITY DOES HAVE A, I FORGET IF IT'S A COMMITTEE
[01:40:01]
OR JUST AN AD HOC, UM, THE T-O-T-O-T COMMITTEE, UM, THAT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD'VE BEEN A GOOD CHANNEL FOR THE TOT REVENUE SHARING TO GO THROUGH FIRST.UM, HOW COME WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT? COUNCIL MEMBER? CAN YOU CLARIFY? SO, UH, YOU SAID A TOT COMMITTEE.
WE HAVE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, AND, YOU KNOW, WE COULD HAVE DONE THAT.
UM, BUT THIS WAS COMING UP ON OUR AGENDA, SO WE PIGGYBACKED ON THAT.
AND COUNCIL CAN ALWAYS KICK IT BACK TO THE TOT SUBCOMMITTEE IF YOU WANT.
MIGHT BE A GOOD PLACE TO REVIEW THE, UM, CONSULTANT REPORT WHEN IT DOES COME.
ALSO, COUNSEL, IF I COULD ADD, UM, TO GET US HERE FOR THIS IMPORTANT DISCUSSION, UM, IT'S, IT'S PURPOSELY THE CASE THAT IT'S A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL DISCUSSION IN TERMS OF THAT PROGRAM, BECAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENT CHOICES THAT ARE, ARE GONNA BE WHAT THE CONSULTANT REVIEW IS GONNA HELP US DIVE INTO AND WHAT OUR OWN RESEARCH IS GONNA HELP US DIVE INTO.
AND THERE'S SOME CHOICES, UM, UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IS BETTER TO FOCUS ON TOT UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES, BETTER TO FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE DEVELOPMENT FEES, UM, WHAT ABOUT THE PREVAILING WAGE IMPACTS? AND I THINK ONCE WE HAVE SOME MORE OF THAT FLESHED OUT A LITTLE BIT IN THAT ANALYSIS, I THINK IT COULD BE A GREAT TIME TO CONNECT WITH THE SUBCOMMITTEE TO GET SOME MORE, YOU KNOW, HAVE MORE DETAILED DISCUSSION.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE PRESENTLY WE HAVE A LOT TO FEED THEM WITH TO GET SOME GOOD FEEDBACK, BUT WE WILL.
AND, AND THE OTHER THING THING THAT THAT'S IMPORTANT I WANNA POINT OUT IS THAT NONE OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE ONE STAFF JUST GETS TO IMPLEMENT.
THEY'LL ALL HAVE TO COME BACK AS, AS, YOU KNOW, THINGS THE COUNCIL WILL, WILL MOST LIKELY LEGISLATIVELY HAVE TO APPROVE.
SO, SO MORE TO, MORE TO COME ON THAT FOR SURE.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S ANOTHER GOOD WAY TO HAVE DISCUSSION TO GET IT READY FOR COUNCIL DELIBERATION.
YEAH, NO, I, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BENEFICIAL THING TO DO.
AND I, I THINK WE ALL KIND OF FORGOT ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, FOR A SECOND, THAT SUBCOMMITTEE.
BUT, UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
MAYOR, CAN I JUST ADD, UM, YOU HAD MENTIONED, UM, OUR 50 TO 60, UM, BUSINESSES THAT WE'RE OUTREACHING TO.
WE'RE REALLY HOPING THAT COUNCIL WILL SERVE AS SPOKESPEOPLE FOR OUR, UM, YOU KNOW, ATTRACTION AND RETENTION EFFORTS.
SO WE'D LIKE TO DEPLOY YOU ABSOLUTELY.
AND, UM, AND WE, WE DO GET OUT A BIT AND HOPEFULLY WE GIVE YOU, UH, FEEDBACK ON, UM, WHAT WE HEAR TOO.
LET'S TAKE IT OVER TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND, UM, OUR CLERK WILL LEAD US IN.
WE HAD 12 PUBLIC COMMENTS FOR THE MEETING THAT YES, PLEASE.
AT THIS TIME, I WILL START A 32ND CLOCK FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK SHOULD BRING THEIR SPEAKER CARDS TO THE CLERK'S DESK IF THEY HAVE NOT ALREADY DONE.
SPEAKER CARDS RECEIVED AFTER THIS TIME MAY NOT BE ACCOMMODATED.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER IS AMY LEVINE, AND OUR SECOND SPEAKER WILL BE, UH, ANITA PELLEGRINI.
UM, UH, I'M, I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF, UH, PETALUMA URBAN CHAT AND THE VACANCY PROJECT, AND, UH, I SUBMITTED SOME WRITTEN COMMENTS TO Y'ALL, UH, EARLIER TODAY.
WE JUST WANTED TO TOUCH ON A COUPLE OF POINTS.
UM, WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT THERE IS A WORK PLAN.
UM, WE'RE VERY EXCITED THAT THAT'S BEEN PUT TOGETHER AND THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD ON THIS INITIATIVE.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE THOUGHT THAT WENT INTO THIS PLAN AND,
[01:45:01]
AND THAT THERE'S, UH, AN INTENT TO DO THINGS THAT ARE REALLY FEASIBLE AND PRACTICAL.AND THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.
UM, WE'RE THINKING, I WANTED TO MAKE SOME COMMENTS ABOUT, UM, SORT OF THE BIG PICTURE AND WHAT WE'D KIND OF LIKE TO SEE AS PART OF THE PLAN.
UM, AND AS A LONG-TERM OBJECTIVE, UH, HOPEFULLY SOMETHING THAT COULD BE STARTED WITHIN THIS TIME PERIOD, BUT ALSO JUST LOOKING TO THE FUTURE.
AND THAT'S REALLY TO WORK ON, UM, HOW THE CITY INVESTS IN INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC SPACES AND ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION THAT CAN HELP BE THE CATALYST FOR DEVELOPMENT IN SOME OF OUR VACANT AREAS.
UM, AND I'M THINKING PARTICULARLY OF THE AREA AROUND THE, THE DOWNTOWN SMART STATION WHERE WE'VE HAD YEARS OF STAGNATION WITH INVESTMENT THERE.
AND, UH, THE OTHER, THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT IS REALLY HOW TO ADJUST DEVELOPER IMPACT FEES WHEN THE CITY IS ALSO CONTRIBUTING.
SO I THINK THAT'S THE OTHER THING, IS THAT THAT CAN PROVIDE, UM, A BARRIER, AN UNINTENDED BARRIER, UM, THAT WE REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS.
AND I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THIS IS NOT, YOU KNOW, MY BRILLIANT IDEA, BUT I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT FOR A LOT OF YEARS.
AND IN THE, THE STATIONARY AND MASTER PLAN FROM 2013, UM, IT SAID THAT BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE AND PUBLIC AMENITIES ARE IMPORTANT COMPONENTS OF DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOPERS AND FINANCING ENTITIES HAVE A GREATER PERCEPTION OF CERTAINTY AND CITY COMMITMENT WHEN THE CITY ACTUALLY BUILDS THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND AMENITIES NECESSARY FOR PRI UH, PROJECT PRIOR TO COMMITMENTS ON THE PRIVATE SIDE.
SO I THINK IF WE REALLY WANT TO SEE THAT PRIVATE INVESTMENT, THE CITY HAS TO INVEST AS WELL.
UM, I'M KIND OF RUNNING OUTTA TIME, BUT I JUST WANTED TO, I, THE OTHER OTHER THING IS I WANTED TO, UH, EMPHASIZE THAT WE WANNA SEE THE CITY BE ABLE TO PAY FOR WHAT THESE, WHAT IT'S GONNA DO.
UM, WE REALLY SUPPORT SOME STRATEGIC PLANNING, BUILDING A, A FUNDING STACK SO THAT WE KNOW WHERE THE MONEY'S COMING FROM AND WHEN WE'RE NOT JUST KIND OF RELYING ON OPPORTUNISTIC, UM, FUNDRAISING AND THE, UM, ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ENHANCED INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCING DISTRICT IS CRITICAL, AND IT'S CRITICAL TO DO THAT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
SO WE CAN JUMP ON THE, THE TAX INCREMENT.
UM, AND IT'S SORT OF A VIRTUOUS CYCLE BECAUSE AS WE IMPROVE OUR TAX BASE, WE GET MORE MONEY INTO THAT AND, UM, IT'S GONNA TAKE MANY YEARS FOR THAT TO BUILD UP.
SO WE NEED TO JUMP ON THAT SOON.
THANK YOU, ANITA PELLEGRINI TO BE FOLLOWED BY DARREN RASON.
GOOD AFTERNOON, GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I'M ANITA PELLEGRINI, THE CEO OF THE PETALUMA AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND WE JUST WANNA SAY THAT WE ARE DELIGHTED AND EXCITED TO SEE THE RELEASE OF THIS, UH, PROPOSED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK PLAN.
THIS WORK PLAN IS IMPORTANT ELEMENT IN THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.
UM, WE APPLAUD THE EFFORTS THAT ARE BEING MADE.
THIS IS A DOCUMENT THAT WILL NOT BE JUST PUT ON A SHELF.
IT'S A LIVING DOCUMENT, ONE, WHICH, WHICH WE BELIEVE WILL PUT FORWARD A REALLY GOOD CITY ECONOMIC FUTURE.
IT MOVES US CLOSER TO BEING BUSINESS FRIENDLY NOW.
WE THINK IT'S CRUCIAL TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THE CITY'S REPUTATION AS A FRIENDLY PLACE TO DO BUSINESS.
THE CHAMBER LOOKS FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO WORK WITH THE CITY.
WE STAND HERE, WILLING AND ABLE TO HELP WHEREVER WE CAN.
AND WE, UM, ARE LOOKING F FORWARD TO A PARTNERSHIP IN A FUTURE IN THIS PLAN.
THANK YOU DARREN KUZEN TO BE FOLLOWED BY NATASHA JULIANA.
UH, I WANNA SAY THAT I APPRECIATED SOME OF THE GROUNDED AND PRACTICAL APPROACH THAT THE WORK PLAN CURRENTLY TAKES.
UH, I'LL START WITH THE THINGS THAT I REALLY LIKED.
UM, TWO THINGS REALLY STOOD OUT FOR ME.
PERMITTING FASTER APPROVALS, REVIEW TIME TARGETS, CONCIERGE SUPPORT.
I LIKE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AI POLICY NOW.
WE'RE, I, I THINK ANOTHER PIECE TO ADD WITH THAT IS SHOW PEOPLE WHAT A COMPLETED PERMIT LOOKS LIKE WITH KIND OF DUMMY INFORMATION.
IT REALLY HELPS PEOPLE FILL IT OUT FASTER.
UH, AND THEN I ALSO LIKE THE IDEA OF A DYNAMIC BROKER WHO'S GONNA PUT DEALS TOGETHER.
YOU KNOW, I SAID THAT IT'S NOT A NEW IDEA, BUT I SAID THAT A COUPLE YEARS AGO.
IT'D BE GREAT IF WE COULD JUST PUT DEALS TOGETHER INSTEAD OF CHANGING A MAP AND WAITING FOR THEM TO HAPPEN.
AND I THINK THE DIRECTION THAT SOME OF THESE THINGS THAT I REALLY LIKE, THEY KIND OF GROW RESIDENT AND BUSINESS PROSPERITY DIRECTLY, WHICH DOES EVENTUALLY LEAD TO CITY REVENUES INSTEAD OF A FOCUS ON CITY REVENUES FIRST.
AND HOPING THAT LEAVES OUR, THE CITY BALANCE SHEET AND EVENTUALLY TRICKLES DOWN TO RESIDENTS.
SO I LIKE THAT FOCUS TO START WITH.
UH, THAT DOES BRING ME TO THE HOTEL PIECE.
I KIND OF SEE THAT AS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT BALL OF WAX.
AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A HISTORY OF IT WITH IT BEING ON PLANNING AND THIS WHOLE QUESTION OF FEASIBILITY, UH,
[01:50:01]
THAT'S BEEN THE CORE DEBATE OR AT CENTER OF THE DEBATE ABOUT THE HOTEL SINCE WE FIRST SAW THE PROJECT, WAS THE IDEA THAT IT COULDN'T PENCIL AND IT COULDN'T BE FINANCED BY TRADITIONAL LENDING.UH, AT SIX STORIES, IT WASN'T FEASIBLE.
THEN AT FOUR, IT WAS NOW AT FOUR.
IT ISN'T, I THINK ALONG THAT WAY, WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE SEEN REAL FINANCIALS FROM THE APPLICANT.
I KNOW THAT'S ATYPICAL, BUT IT'S NOT UNHEARD OF.
AND THEY CERTAINLY SKATED THROUGH A LOT OF ENTITLEMENTS, LEANING ON THAT WITHOUT US EVER SEEING THEIR NUMBERS.
UH, WE MIGHT HAVE SEEN THE REVENUE SIDE AND MAYBE WITH THIS TOT WE'RE GONNA EXAMINE THE REVENUE SIDE.
BUT NOW THAT THE CITY, AND ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE ISSUING, YOU KNOW, A POTENTIAL AGREEMENT THAT WILL BE USED BY A BANK AS KIND OF COLLATERAL, WE, I WOULD ASSUME THAT WE'RE THEN UNDERWRITING THAT IF THEY START THE DEAL AND IT FALLS THROUGH, WE STILL HAVE TO, WE'RE SOMEWHERE ON THAT BANK'S LIST OF PEOPLE THAT NEED TO PAY THEM.
SO IF WE'RE GONNA ACT AS AN EXTENSION OF FINANCING FOR THIS PROJECT, NOW IF PETALUMA, BY ISSUING THIS THEORETICAL REVENUE STREAM TO A BANK, WE'RE BECOMING LIKE A LENDER.
WE NEED TO SEE THEIR FINANCIALS.
UH, WE REALLY NEED TO VERIFY THE COST SIDE OF THIS.
I THINK FOR NO OTHER REASON THAN AGAIN, THE APPLICANT HAS REALLY LEANED ON THAT THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
BUT NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, HEY, THIS IS THE PIECE THEY REALLY NEED TO GET THIS DONE, FIRST OF ALL, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT'S THE CASE.
WE DON'T WANT TO EMBARK ON A JOURNEY WHERE WE DON'T KNOW THAT THIS WILL FILL THE GAP, RIGHT? UM, AND ALSO JUST TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE ARE GETTING INVOLVED, THAT YEAH, THE PROJECT IS FEASIBLE.
YOU KNOW, I'VE THOUGHT THAT THROUGHOUT, IF THEY REALLY CAN'T GET FINANCING WITHOUT MAJOR CHANGES, MAYBE WE GOTTA TAKE A SECOND LOOK AT THE PROJECT AND DECIDE LIKE, IS IT FEASIBLE AT ALL? 'CAUSE WE CAN, YOU KNOW, UH, NOT THROW GOOD MONEY AFTER BAD.
SO, UM, I KNOW IT'S GONNA BE ANALYZED MORE.
I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE US TO REALLY ASK FOR THAT.
LET'S SEE THE COSTS, LET'S SEE THEIR FINANCIALS.
THEY'LL NEED IT FOR A BUILDING PERMIT, LIKELY ANYWAY, SO WHY NOT GET IT NOW? THANKS.
JULIANA TO BE FOLLOWED BY, UM, KOKER.
I AM THE DIRECTOR OF COOL PETALUMA, A NONPROFIT THAT DOES CLIMATE ACTION THROUGH COMMUNITY BUILDING.
I ALSO AM A DOWNTOWN SMALL BUSINESS OWNER SINCE 2012, SO I'M WELL FAMILIAR WITH DOWNTOWN AND WHAT HAPPENS DOWN THERE.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO JUST GROUND US IN REMINDING US THAT, UH, WE DID DECLARE A CLIMATE EMERGENCY.
AND BACK THERE ON THE WALL, IT SAYS, UH, SUSTAINABILITY IS AT THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING.
SO I WAS HAPPY TO SEE THAT UNDER THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK PLAN, PRIORITY NUMBER ONE, RETAINING AND GROW, RETAIN, AND GROW PETALUMA BUSINESSES.
IT SAYS, CONNECT BUSINESSES TO AVAILABLE GREEN BUSINESS RESOURCES AND SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAMS IN COORDINATION WITH CITY PARTNERS TO SUPPORT PETALUMA'S CLIMATE GOALS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT TONIGHT.
UM, INCREASING GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFICATION IS LISTED AS AN ACTION ITEM WITHIN OUR BLUEPRINT FOR CLIMATE ACTION AND ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE UNDER WHAT BUSINESSES CAN DO TO TAKE CLIMATE ACTION.
IT'S THE FIRST, UM, STEP THAT IS LISTED THERE.
THANKS TO LAST YEAR'S, UM, CITY FUNDING AND A COLLABORATION WITH THE COUNTY OF SONOMA'S ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY DIVISION, COOL.
PETALUMA WAS ABLE TO SHEPHERD A COHORT OF 16 BUSINESSES PLUS CITY HALL THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA GREEN BUSINESS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
AND THIS PROCESS IS NOT EASY, AND WORKING TOGETHER MADE IT, MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE FOR THESE BUSINESS OWNERS.
THERE WERE ONLY NINE EXISTING CERTIFIED GREEN BUSINESSES IN PETALUMA WHEN WE STARTED.
SO WE ALMOST TRIPLED THAT NUMBER IN ONE SPRING.
AT OUR CERTIFICATE CERTIFICATION CELEBRATION, DORIA ESTRELLA FROM THE COUNTY OF SNOW OMA, UM, CAME AND SPOKE TO THE MEMBERS AND TO THE PUBLIC, AND SHE SAID, QUOTE, BECOMING A CERTIFIED GREEN BUSINESS TAKES DEDICATION, ACTION, AND A WILLINGNESS TO GO BEYOND BUSINESS AS USUAL.
YOUR EFFORTS TO CONSERVE ENERGY AND WATER, REDUCE WASTE, CREATE HEALTHIER WORK ENVIRONMENTS AND OPERATE MORE SUSTAINABLY, WILL MAKE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT NOT ONLY FOR YOUR ENVIRONMENT, BUT FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES, CUSTOMERS, AND THE FUTURE OF SONOMA COUNTY WITH THIS PROVEN SUCCESS.
PETALUMA IS READY TO ASSIST IN A SECOND COHORT.
WE HAVE LOCAL BUSINESSES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN FOLLOWING THIS LEAD NOW THAT THEY SEE IT CAN BE DONE, AND WE ARE SEEKING, UM, SUPPORT IN THIS NEXT ROUND SO THAT WE CAN KEEP THIS MOMENTUM GOING AND BOLSTER PETALUMA'S REPUTATION AS A HOT SPOT FOR SUSTAINABLE BUSINESSES.
OUR, UH, NEXT SPEAKER IS MARIE MCCUSKER TO BE FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINE WHITE.
GOOD EVENING, UH, COUNCIL AND, UH, CITY MANAGER.
UM, FIRSTLY I'D LIKE TO THANK CATHERINE AND NANCY FOR COMING TO MEET WITH ME, UM, AND TO ACTUALLY INCLUDE THE PDA AND THE THE VISIT PROGRAM IN, UH, STAKEHOLDERS AND ASKING OUR OPINIONS, OUR INPUT, UM, FOR THIS
[01:55:01]
WORK PLAN.UM, WE COVER SMALL BUSINESSES AND WE ALSO WORK WITH THE HOTEL COMMUNITY.
SO I FEEL THAT OUR VOICE, UM, IS GREAT TO BE INCLUDED AND IMPORTANT TO BE INCLUDED.
WE REPRESENT THE PET LODGING ASSOCIATION, WHICH IS A GROUP OF 10, UM, HOTELIERS IN TOWN.
UM, SO I HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS AROUND THE HOTEL, UM, INCENTIVE SIDE.
UM, BUT I ALSO WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU TO GOING BACK TO BASICS ON, UH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S, IT'S TIME TO GO BACK TO THAT ATTRACTION AND RETENTION.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO REMIND OUR BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE, THAT THEY'RE IMPORTANT AND INVEST IN THEM.
AND TO HAVE YOU LISTENING MEANS THE WORLD.
SO I'M VERY GRATEFUL FOR THAT.
UM, ON THE TOT SIDE, UM, WE HAD A HUGE LOSS IN TOT BECAUSE OF LOSS OF BUSINESSES IN TOWN.
OUR SMALL BUSINESS PARKS HAVE LOST A LOT OF BUSINESSES, AND OUR HOTELS HAVE LOST A LOT OF THEIR SUNDAY TO THURSDAY BUSINESS.
SO, UM, THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
AND WHEN YOU LOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE IN THE BUSINESS PARKS, THAT BUSINESS GOES AWAY.
SO FILLING THOSE BUSINESS PARKS ARE IMPORTANT.
GETTING CORPORATE BUSINESS MANUFACTURING IS A HUGE INDUSTRY IN THIS TOWN.
SO IF WE CAN BRING A LOT OF THAT BACK, I THINK, UM, AND OUR HOTELS CAN DO THE REST, TRYING TO GET THEIR CORPORATE CLIENTS BACK WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO YOUR BASELINE OF TOT.
SO I, YEAH, I THINK THEY ALL WORK IN SYNERGY OF MAKING THINGS WORK.
I WOULD BE MINDFUL WHEN I'M THINKING ABOUT, UM, I DID LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS THAT YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR WORK PLAN ABOUT OTHER LOCATIONS THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE SHARING PROGRAM, THE REVENUE SHARING.
MOST OF THEM ARE LOOKING TO GET LUXURY HOTELS, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE ANY, SO WE DON'T REALLY COMPETE VERY WELL FOR THE REST OF SONOMA COUNTY.
UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE DON'T WANT MID-LEVEL, WE WANT FULL SERVICE HOTELS, WHICH MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
BUT LET'S ALSO BE MINDFUL OF THE HOTELS THAT HAVE INVESTED AND BEEN HERE A LONG TIME AND HAVE SOME FAIRNESS IF THEY CAN'T MEET ALL OF THOSE REQUIREMENTS.
SO IF THEY WANT TO MAYBE EXPAND, UM, INCENTIVIZE THEM ALSO TO, UM, CHANGE UP THEIR HOTELS BECAUSE ONE LUXURY HOTEL IS NOT GONNA CHANGE THE WORLD FOR US.
WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE OUR LOCAL HOTELIERS OR INCENTIVIZE THEM ALSO.
AND CHRISTINA WHITE AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.
UM, WITH RESPECT TO, UH, THE BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS, I HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT AS A HOMEOWNER AND USING YOUR ONLINE SYSTEM.
SO IT'S NICE TO SEE IT'S GETTING THERE, RIGHT?
BUT FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE, I ASKED SOMEBODY ABOUT THE PROCESS FOR THEM, WHAT WAS IT LIKE? AND THIS WAS PRE REDOING THE PERMITTING.
WHAT THEY SAID WAS, IT WAS THE INSPECTION PROCESS THAT SLOWED 'EM DOWN A BIT.
SO MAYBE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PERMITS AND COSTS AND, AND LENGTH OF TIME FOR PERMITS, BUT BEYOND JUST GETTING A PERMIT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE INSPECTORS OUT.
WE DID NOT HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THAT AS A HOMEOWNER, BUT AS A BUSINESS, THEY HAD A HARD TIME WITH THE INSPECTOR, AND THEN ALSO COMMUNICATION WITH THE INSPECTOR.
SO I THINK YOUR LIAISON IS PROBABLY A GREAT THING SO THAT THEY HAVE A CONTACT, BECAUSE THAT WAS A BIG PART OF THEIR HASSLE AND DELAYS.
SO I THINK, UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE, AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'RE DOING.
WITH NO FURTHER, UH, PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK.
THEN, UM, I'LL BRING IT BACK UP TO THE DAAS CLOSE PUBLIC CLOSING PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE ITEM.
UH, LET'S HAVE OUR CITY ATTORNEY WEIGH IN FOR A HEARTBEAT HERE.
SORRY, UM, MR. MAYOR, BUT, UM, THE CITY MANAGER WANTED ME TO CLARIFY, UM, IN RESPONSE TO, UM, UH, COMMISSIONER CUSSONS COMMENTS IN CASE THE COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE THIS CONCERN TOO.
UM, I MENTIONED ALREADY THAT I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD DEAL OF HELPFUL FLEXIBILITY IN, UM, GETTING THE CONSULTANT ANALYSIS AND THEN COMING BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH SPECIFIC OPTIONS FOR, FOR HOW TO DO INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE A SCENARIO IN WHICH WE'D BE RECOMMENDING A PROGRAM THAT SHIFTED FINANCING RISK FROM, FROM A HOTEL DEVELOPER TO THE CITY.
THE ONLY KIND OF PROGRAM, AT LEAST I CAN IMAGINE RIGHT NOW, IS ONE IN WHICH THEY BUILD A PROJECT.
UM, IT'S GENERATING FEE REVENUE, UM, TAX REVENUE, AND WE HAVE A, UM, PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES FOR AN ALLOCATION OF THAT ACTUAL REVENUE FROM AN ACTUAL PROJECT.
UM, THAT, TO GET TO THAT POINT UNDER AN AGREEMENT WAS WORKING AS INCENTIVE TO GET TO THAT POINT.
[02:00:01]
I MEAN, IN TERMS OF RISK ALLOCATION? THAT'S NOT THE CITY HOLDING THE BAG.SO THE PROOF WILL BE IN THE PUDDING WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE COUNCIL WITH OUR RECOMMENDATIONS.
BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE CLEAR THAT WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, PLAYING ROULETTE WITH THE PUBLIC'S MONEY.
I WAS GONNA ASK THAT IN THE, UM, IN, IN A DIRECTOR FRAME, UH, FRAMEWORK, WHICH IS WE'RE NOT PROPOSING TO PUT UP MONEY FOR ANYTHING, NOR WOULD WE BE EVER CONTRACTUALLY OR, UM, INCIDENTALLY, UM, LIABLE FOR ANY BANK RELATIONSHIP.
NO, WE WOULDN'T BE SURETY TO A PRIVATE PROJECT LIKE THAT.
AND, AND I KNOW WE DO OTHER THINGS.
WE, UH, WE WAIVE IMPACT FEE ON, UM, AFFORDABLE HOUSING COMPLEX, WHICH THEY GET CREDIT FOR, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A NON-CASH TRANSACTION THERE, AND THEY ARE ABLE TO, UM, BANK AGAINST IT.
SO I GET WHAT THE POINT WAS STAFF WAS MAKING, UM, BUT I WANT TO, UM, PROVIDE ASSURITY TO THE, UH, PUBLIC COMMENTER THAT THAT IS NOT AT ALL THE CASE.
AND, UH, WITH THAT THEN, UM, OTHER THOUGHTS FROM COUNSEL, COUNCIL MEMBER SHR, UM, JUST ONE, UH, WE DO WANT TO, UH, IMPROVE ON OUR USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND USING THE AI POLICIES, BUT, UH, I DID RECEIVE, UM, UH, EMAIL FROM FOLKS, UM, AND THERE IS A PROPOSAL THAT OTHER CITIES IN CALIFORNIA ARE DENYING, UH, OR TRYING TO PUT A MORATORIUM ON AI CENTERS BEING PUT INSIDE THEIR CITY LIMITS.
SO, UM, THAT MIGHT BE A POSSIBLE TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION.
AND IS THAT A BUSINESS THAT WE WOULD WELCOME OR NOT? JUST, JUST AS A THOUGHT PROCESS, UM, UH, WITH OUR, OUR GENERAL POLICY AND OUR THAT THAT WE HAVE.
IS THAT WORTHY OF DISCUSSION OR NOT? I JUST WOULD BRING THAT UP AS, AS IS THAT A BUSINESS WE WANT OR NOT? UM, JUST FOR FUTURE DISCUSSION, JUST AN IDEA.
I SEE THE IRONY OF WANTING THE TECHNOLOGY AND NOT WANTING TO HOST THE TECHNOLOGY.
I REMEMBER THE OTHER QUESTION I HAD THAT I PUT IN MY QUESTION COUNCIL QUESTIONS, AND IT WAS ABOUT HOW MUCH, UM, REVENUE THE YACHTS BRING TO PETALUMA WHEN THEY COME IN.
WE HAD 30 YACHTS COME UP THE RIVER AND STAY FOR THREE NIGHTS.
THEY DON'T EAT ON THEIR YACHTS.
THEY GO OUT INTO OUR CITY AND DINE AND SHOP AND, UM, THEY LIKE OUR DOWNTOWN AREA A LOT.
AND I, I'M LIKE, THAT'S EVEN BETTER THAN A HOTEL.
UM, AND THEN I DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PARKING.
ANYWAY, UM, THANK YOU TO A COUNCIL MEMBER.
I CATER THOMPSON, WHO BROUGHT UP ABOUT MY PASSION FOR APPLIANCES BECAUSE I CRINGE EVERY TIME WE HAVE TO LEAVE THE CITY LIMITS TO GO BUY A NEW APPLIANCE.
AND THAT BRINGS US TO WAREHOUSE OPPORTUNITIES.
UM, THERE'S A LOT OF WAREHOUSE TYPE STORES THAT SELL APPLIANCES.
ONE IS ADVERTISED CONSTANTLY ON TV DURING THE GIANTS GAME.
FRIEDMAN'S, IT'S NOT ANY RELATIONS TO FRIEDMAN HOME IMPROVEMENT.
AND IT ALSO HAD AN INSERT AD IN THE ARGUS COURIER.
SO, AND I SEE THEIR TRUCKS IN TOWN DELIVERING, SO WE NEED TO GET THEM HERE, BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A SPACE.
I DON'T KNOW WHERE WE WOULD PUT A WAREHOUSE APPLIANCE SPACE, BUT THERE'S ALSO WAREHOUSE STORES LIKE COSTCO THAT WANT TO COME.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE BIG BUILDINGS, LIKE THERE'S AN EMPTY GYM RIGHT OUTSIDE DISTRICT THREE.
INSIDE DISTRICT THREE, THERE ARE RIGHT OUTSIDE DISTRICT THREE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF LAKEVILLE IS A, A LARGE PAINT STORE THAT'S EMPTY.
WHAT WE DID WITH KMART, HELPING THEM BREAK IT INTO THREE INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES WAS WONDERFUL.
THEY HAD A FEW HICCUPS WITH THEIR PERMITTING.
AND IF WE CAN HELP THE SHOPPING CENTER OWNER MOVE A LITTLE QUICKER AND HOLD THEIR HAND, DRY THEIR TEARS AND HELP THEM WRITE THOSE CHECKS, WE CAN GET THE OPPORTUNITY.
SO I JUST WANTED TO BRING THAT OUT, UM, TO THE PUBLIC AND STAFF.
UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WANNA SAY CONGRATULATIONS ON THE WORK PLAN.
I THINK STAFF HAS DONE, UH, REALLY GREAT WORK WITH THIS.
AND I THINK IT SHOWS, YOU KNOW, WITH THIS AND THE, THE WORK THAT THE, UH, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TEAM HAS DONE, UH, I SEE US MOVING IN, UH, THE RIGHT DIRECTION, AND I APPRECIATE THAT.
UM, YOU KNOW, I, WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, I ALWAYS, I, I, I DON'T KNOW WHY I FEEL THE NEED TO BRING THIS UP AND TALK ABOUT IT, BUT I DO.
AND THAT IS, I THINK OFTENTIMES THERE'S A TENSION BETWEEN,
[02:05:01]
UM, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN PROGRESSIVE VALUES, WHETHER IT'S CLIMATE OR ENVIRONMENT, AND THERE'S THIS TENSION BETWEEN THAT AND BUSINESS.AND, UH, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I BELIEVE THEY GO HAND IN HAND.
YOU KNOW, WE ALL AGREE THAT WE HAVE THINGS IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT WE WANT TO ADDRESS.
WE WANNA FIX THE TRESTLE, WE WANNA FIX OUR ROADS, WE WANNA INVEST IN OUR PARKS, WE WANT TO INVEST IN, UM, YOU KNOW, IN, IN, IN CLIMATE.
UM, AND ALL OF THIS STUFF REQUIRES TAX REVENUE IN ORDER FOR US TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITY BETTER.
AND SO, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I THINK BUSINESS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DESERVES TO BE ON THE TOP SHELF WITH SOME OF THOSE OTHER BIG THINGS.
UM, AND SO I JUST WANT TO CONTINUE TO, YOU KNOW, PUSH US TO GO DOWN THIS PATH, UM, ON THE, ON THE PERMITS.
I, I GUESS MY FINE, THE, THE THING THAT I WANNA SAY, THE FINAL THING TONIGHT IS, UM, I APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE PERMITTING BETTER, EASIER, FASTER, UH, BUT HONESTLY, I BELIEVE IT, UH, REQUIRES SOME TEETH, RIGHT? I THINK ABOUT DASHBOARDS.
I BUILD DASHBOARDS FOR A LIVING.
THAT'S WHAT I DO FROM A TRANSPORTATION PERSPECTIVE AND WHAT I'VE LEARNED THROUGH MY CAREER AND WHAT DASHBOARDS BRING, THEY ONLY BRING THE BENEFIT IF THE, YOU KNOW, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER IS LOOKING AT THEM AND HOLDING PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE.
DASHBOARDS GIVE YOU NOTHING WITHOUT ACCOUNTABILITY.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO PERMITTING, THEY CAN TELL US TIMELINES AND ALL OF THAT STUFF, BUT HONESTLY, IF WE DON'T HAVE SHOT CLOCKS ON PERMITS AND, UM, AND SOMEONE HOLDING US ACCOUNTABLE FOR MEETING THOSE, UH, I THINK WE'RE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GONNA BE A CONSTANT BATTLE.
SO I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE US MOVE IN THE DIRECTION OF PUTTING, YOU KNOW, FIGURING OUT REALISTIC, MEANINGFUL TIME LIMITS, AND WHENEVER WE, UM, WHENEVER WE EXCEED THOSE TIME LIMITS ON A, ON A PERMIT, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S REVIEWED BY COUNSEL.
LIKE I WOULD LOVE IT IF SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, DIDN'T RESPOND TO A PERMIT REQUEST AND HAD TO COME UP HERE AND EXPLAIN WHY THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, RIGHT? I'M NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA GO THERE.
BUT HONESTLY, I THINK IT REQUIRES THAT KIND OF COMMITMENT IF WE WANNA MAKE MEANINGFUL PROGRESS.
UM, UH, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A, UH, A, A A, A BULLET IN THE PRESENTATION THAT TALKED ABOUT, UM, STREAMLINED PERMITTING FOR MCKEE BUSINESSES, RIGHT? I FORGET THE EXACT PHRASE, BUT, YOU KNOW, LIKE IMPORTANT BUSINESSES.
SO HONESTLY, ALL SMALL BUSINESSES MATTER AND ALL, AND, AND, AND THE, THE SMALL BUSINESSES DESERVE FASTER PERMITTING AS WELL.
AND THEN LASTLY, ON THE COMMS, UM, I DO BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD LEAN INTO A BUSINESS FRIENDLY PETALUMA COMMUNICATION.
LIKE, I, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SOCIAL, THE SOCIAL MEDIA MESSAGING THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT.
I LOVE THAT IDEA, BUT I, YOU KNOW, THE UNDERTONE OF THAT NEEDS TO BE, PETALUMA LOVES BUSINESS AND WE WANT BUSINESSES TO COME TO PETALUMA.
LIKE, I WANT IT TO BE INFECTIOUS.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I BELIEVE THAT THE STAFF REPORT MENTIONED FOCUSING ON RETENTION OVER RECRUITMENT.
ME PERSONALLY, I BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT.
LIKE, I THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE, PARDON ME, ALL OF THE, SOME OF THE REALLY GREAT WINS THAT WE'VE HAD RECENTLY, ALL OF THAT'S COME FROM RECRUITMENT, RIGHT? AND SO, YOU KNOW, THAT TO ME THAT NEEDS TO, TO, I, I FEEL LIKE IT NEEDS TO BE A, YOU KNOW, A THING.
AND THEN ON THE COMMS, LIKE I, WHEN I LOOK OUT AT OUR CITY FLEET, LIKE, YOU KNOW, EVERY CITY VEHICLE SAYS CLIMATE READY ON IT.
LIKE, I WOULD LOVE FOR IT TO SAY CLIMATE READY AND BUSINESS FRIENDLY, OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THE REASON WHY I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS IT REINFORCES AND IT BUILDS A CULTURE, RIGHT? AND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, UM, A CITY STAFF PERSON THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR GETTING SOMETHING DONE WHEN THEY KNOW THE CULTURE IS THAT THIS COMMUNITY
[02:10:01]
REALLY CARES ABOUT THAT, YOU KNOW, I KIND OF FEEL LIKE IF, IF IT'S, IF IT'S FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT THE END OF THEIR DAY AND THEY'VE GOT 15 OR 20 MINUTES THAT THEY NEED TO, YOU KNOW, SPEND ON THIS, AND THEY'RE MAKING THE DECISION WHETHER THEY STAY AT WORK AND FINISH IT OR PUT IT OFF UNTIL MONDAY, LIKE I WANT 'EM TO STAY AND FINISH IT.AND IT'S THAT KIND OF CULTURE MENTALITY THAT I THINK THAT COMMUNICATION HELPS REINFORCE.
UM, YEAH, I'M GONNA BUILD ON SOME, SOME OF THE THINGS FRANK'S TALKED ABOUT.
UH, SO I WAS IN DENVER RECENTLY, AND THE MAYOR, I'M GONNA TELL THE STORY UNTIL I'M BLUE IN THE FACE, BUT THE MAYOR SAID, UM, YOU KNOW, HE CAME IN AND THEY, THEIR ENTITLEMENT TIMELINE FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT WAS THREE YEARS.
AND THEY DID A BLUE RIBBON STUDY AND THEY SAID, OH, TRY AND SHRED BY 20%.
AND DEVELOPERS SAID, THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
WE'RE STILL GONNA GO TO A DIFFERENT CITY.
SO HE SAID, OKAY, 180 DAYS, AND IF WE SKIP IT, WE'RE GONNA REFUND YOU YOUR FEES.
AND THEN THE PERSON WHO, UM, WHO IS MANAGING THE PROJECT HAS TO COME AND TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED.
AND SOME, SOME OF THE THINGS FRANK SAID, AND, UM, SINCE THEY ROLLED THAT OUT, THERE'S BEEN TWO PROJECTS AND BOTH OF 'EM WERE, BECAUSE THE DEVELOPER DRUG DRUGGED THEIR FEET AND DIDN'T MEET DEADLINES.
UM, IF IT'S A RESTAURANT FILLING A PLACE THAT WAS A RESTAURANT, IT'S A 14 DAY PERMIT, SAME THING.
LIKE THAT FEELS UNHEARD OF FOR US TO PROCESS A NEW RESTAURANT PERMIT IN 14 DAYS.
BUT I THINK, UM, THE POINT OF THIS, I GUESS IS, UM, IS SETTING A BIG GOAL AND THEN TRYING TO ACHIEVE IT, AND LIKE LETTING THAT BE THE THING.
NOT LIKE I WANT TO MAKE THE, THE PERMIT PROCESS BETTER, BUT I ACTUALLY WANT TO PROCESS RESTAURANT, NEW RESTAURANT PERMITS IN 14 DAYS.
I'M LIKE, WHAT THE HELL DOES IT TAKE TO DO THAT? AND IT'S LIKE, I DON'T KNOW.
BUT WHEN I LOOK AT THE PERMIT THING AND THERE'S FOUR DIFFERENT, UH, FOUR DIFFERENT EMAILS THAT SOMEONE COULD SEND, IT'S PROBABLY MAKING IT REALLY CLEAR WHICH ONE OF THOSE FOUR THEY NEED TO CONTACT.
IT'S A GOOD PLACE TO START BECAUSE I'VE HEARD OTHER THINGS OF, YOU KNOW, WELL, I WAS IN TOUCH WITH PLANNING, AND PLANNING DIDN'T TALK TO BUILDING, AND THEN FIRE MARSHAL GOT INVOLVED LATE IN THE GAME AND IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS LIKE ONE HORSE STORY AFTER ANOTHER.
RIGHT? AND YOU'VE, IF YOU'VE HEARD ONE, YOU'VE HEARD 'EM ALL, BUT THEY'RE ALL DIFFERENT, RIGHT? AND SO UM, BUT I THINK TO THE CULTURE POINT, IT'S LIKE WE PROCESS PERMITS IN 14 DAYS, AND IF YOU'RE NOT HERE, LIKE IT WILL GET APPROVED.
UM, OR YOU'RE GONNA BE THE ONE IN THERE TALKING TO PEGGY, YOU KNOW, AND EXPLAINING WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED.
UM, I THINK THERE'S SOME OF THAT.
THE OTHER THING THAT HE SAID IS EVERY FRIDAY THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR ASKS ALL THE STAFF, THE ICEBREAKER QUESTION IS, WHAT'S ONE RISK YOU TOOK ON BEHALF OF THE CUSTOMER THIS WEEK? AND THAT WAS THEIR, THAT WAS LIKE THE ICEBREAKER QUESTION FOR THEIR WEEKLY MEETING EVERY SINGLE FRIDAY.
AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS JUST BRILLIANT BECAUSE IT PUTS THEM THE ONUS ON THE PEOPLE HERE THAT LIKE, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO TAKE RISKS TO HELP BUSINESSES COME INTO OUR COMMUNITY.
SO THERE'S JUST A COUPLE OF LIKE CULTURAL THINGS THAT I THINK COULD, UM, COULD HELP.
UM, I THINK A MAP, I'VE HAD SOME LIKE REALLY EXCITING WORK GOING ON WITH LIKE, UM, MAPPING, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH SOME LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH URBAN CHAT AND WHATNOT.
AND A MAP OF BROKERAGE PROPERTIES IS PROBABLY THE EASIEST DANG THING WE COULD GET, UM, FROM PULLING FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT BROKERAGES, UM, A MAP OF GREEN BUSINESSES SO THAT PEOPLE CAN DO THIS.
AND LIKE PUTTING THAT INTERACTIVE MAP ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, UM, IS TO ME, LOW HANGING FRUIT FOR, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO BE BUSINESS FRIENDLY, BOTH, YOU KNOW, HELPING PEOPLE TO FIND LOCATIONS, BUT ALSO HELPING PEOPLE TO FIND BUSINESSES THAT ALIGN WITH THEIR VALUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, SO EMPHASIZING THAT, UH, I LOVE GETTING RID OF FENCE PERMITS.
THAT ONE WAS JUST A RANDOM ONE, SO YEAH, LET'S DO IT.
UM, UH, THE CRMI HAVE A LOT OF THOUGHTS ABOUT CRM.
UM, MOST PEOPLE DON'T USE THEM, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO DO USE THEM NEED TO HAVE SORT OF SOME OF THE THINGS SET ON AUTOPILOT.
LIKE, UM, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, TRACKING EMAILS SHOULD NOT BE SOMETHING THAT IS LIKE EXTRA THAT I HAVE TO DO, SHOULD BE SOMETHING THAT IT JUST AUTOMATICALLY DOES.
LIKE WE USE, WE USE HUBSPOT AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN REALIZE IT, BUT LIKE WHEN I GO IN, I'M LIKE, OH, DANG, I SENT A LOT OF EMAILS TO THOSE PEOPLE AND EVERYBODY ELSE KNOWS THAT TOO.
AND SIMILARLY, LIKE, YOU WANT TO KNOW IF I'M COMMUNICATING WITH THE GENERAL MANAGER OF LAGUNITAS AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT, AND YOU'RE LIKE, OH, DANG, BRIAN'S BEEN LIKE PULLING ON HIS OWN DEALS OVER HERE.
LIKE, I THINK THAT YOU SHOULD TRY AND TRACK OUR EMAILS IN THE, IN THE CRM AND, AND EVERYBODY ELSE'S TOO, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN CLOSE THE LOOP ON THINGS BECAUSE WE WILL GET OUR WIRES CROSSED.
THERE'S, IT'S NOT THAT BIG OF A TOWN.
SO REALLY TRYING TO THINK ABOUT HOW YOU BUILD THE BUSINESS PROCESS TO MAKE THAT LIKE SEEM LI UH, STREAMLINED, UM, AND REALLY EASY
[02:15:01]
FOR THOSE OF US WHO ARE NOT CRM TECH SAVVY, BUT LIKE, YOU WANNA KNOW IF WE'REUM, WE TOUCHED ON IT A LITTLE BIT, BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, UH, DAVE ALDEN AND VERONICA, UM, BOTH SENT IN COMMENTS THAT I THINK KIND OF TOUCHED ON SOME OF THE SAME THING IS LIKE REALLY LEANING INTO OUR IDENTITY.
UM, I APPRECIATED THE FOCUS ON MANUFACTURING JOBS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, WHEN I THINK OF OUR DOWNTOWN IN PARTICULAR, I THINK THE, THE, THE CREATIVE, UH, ASPECT OF OUR TOWN AND, UM, IN PARTICULAR HOUSING AND VIBRANCY, UM, EARLY IN THE MORNING AND LATE AT NIGHT, UM, YOU KNOW, SEVEN NIGHTS A WEEK, FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK, WHATEVER IT IS.
LIKE I JUST DON'T SEE HOW WE HAVE A THRIVING DOWNTOWN.
IF IT CLOSES DOWN AT SIX 30 AT NIGHT, SEVEN O'CLOCK AT NIGHT, WE HAVE TO EXTEND THOSE BUSINESS HOURS SO THAT THE HIGH COST OF DOING BUSINESS DOWNTOWN ACTUALLY MAKES SENSE FOR PEOPLE.
OTHERWISE, I JUST DON'T SEE HOW WE HAVE A THRIVING DOWNTOWN.
ALSO, I THINK THAT BUSINESSES WOULD BE FULL IF WE HAD, IF THERE WAS PATRONS FOR THEM IN DOWNTOWN.
AND SO I REALLY THINK AS PART OF DOING THIS, I HOPE WE START TO REALLY LEAN INTO THE EDUCATION OF, UH, OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HOUSING IN CREATING VIBRANCY THROUGHOUT THE DAY IN OUR DOWNTOWN.
UM, UH, I ALREADY SAID MY STUFF ABOUT THE AI AND THE PERMITTING.
UM, I THINK IT'S, UH, ON, ON THE COMMS PIECE, UM, I THINK INCORPORATING US, UH, INTO THOSE STORIES, UM, IT'S ONE THING TO GO OUT AND FOCUS ON A BUSINESS.
UH, IT'S ANOTHER THING TO BE THE MAYOR THAT'S GOING AND SHAKING THEIR HAND WHEN THEY'RE OPENING THE DOOR AND SAYING THAT.
AND, UM, I LOOK AT LIKE DANIEL LURIE, AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE FOLLOWS DANIEL LURIE, MAYOR OF SAN FRANCISCO ONLINE, BUT HE IS JUST A WIZARD WITH HIS SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM AND HIS BUSINESS.
YOU KNOW, LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY GOT RID OF, UH, PERMITS FOR OUTDOOR DINING.
THEY WERE JUST LIKE, HERE'S THE GUIDELINES AND IF YOU VIOLATE THE GUIDELINES, WE'RE GONNA COME TELL YOU.
YOU HAVE TO MOVE IT, BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO GET A PERMIT FOR IT BECAUSE YOU DON'T NEED A PERMIT FOR IT.
LIKE, THESE ARE SMART PEOPLE, THEY'RE OPENING A BUSINESS, THEY DON'T NEED A PERMIT FOR THAT, THEY JUST NEED TO BE TOLD IF THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG.
UM, BUT I THINK FOCUSING LIKE WE HAVE A WEAK MAYOR SITUATION UP HERE, NOT LIKE KEVIN'S NOT STRONG, BUT THE, YOU KNOW, THE FORM OF GOVERNMENT THAT WE HAVE.
AND, UM, WHAT THAT RESULTS IN IS A LOT LESS COMMUNICATION FROM US ON BEHALF OF THE CITY.
AND I THINK WHEN IN PARTICULAR, WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESSES AND SPEAKING TO BUSINESSES AND MAKING BUSINESSES FEEL IMPORTANT, UM, ALL OF US UP HERE IN PARTICULAR, THE MAYOR HAVE A REALLY IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN SORT OF GLAD HANDING AND BEING A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CITY IN A WAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THE CITY MANAGER, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, PEOPLE LIKE THAT JUST DON'T HAVE THAT SORT OF CACHET THAT, UM, OUR LOVELY MAYOR AND AND COUNCIL MEMBERS HAVE.
UM, AND THE FINAL THING ON THE HOTEL, UH, EXCITED TO SEE THAT COME FORWARD.
UM, YOU KNOW, I'LL NOTE THE, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE WHOLE THEATER SQUARE WITHOUT SOME FORM OF SUBSIDY, RIGHT? LIKE WE PUT IN $17 MILLION OF REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS TO THAT, AND IF WE LOOKED AT THAT AS SUBSIDY, THAT MIGHT STILL BE A, A CAR LOT.
AND SO, UM, YOU KNOW, TO ME WHEN I LOOK AT THIS, UH, THE, THE, UM, THE, THE VALUE OF US, YOU KNOW, REATING HOTEL TAXES FOR A FEW YEARS IS, UM, PEANUTS IN THE LONG TERM BENEFIT TO OUR CITY IN TERMS OF DIRECT FOR TAX REVENUE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THE, THE BENEFIT TO THE SURROUNDING BUSINESSES.
LIKE I WAS LOOKING AT THE ECONOMIC ANALYSIS FROM THE EKN HOTEL, THE ORIGINAL ONE, SO NOT WHAT IT IS NOW, BUT IT WAS LIKE $15 MILLION IN INFLUENCED ECONOMIC ACTIVITY PER YEAR.
SO IF WE TAKE A BATH ON OUR TAX REVENUES, BUT WE'RE SPREADING $15 MILLION AROUND OUR DOWNTOWN AT THE LOCAL BUSINESSES, WELL WORTH IT, MY OPINION.
THE OTHER THING THAT I JUST WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO IS THE PROPERTY TAXES.
WE ONLY GET LIKE 11% OF PROPERTY TAXES OR 12%.
UM, SO THE PROPERTY TAXES, AND THAT WAS LIKE $280,000.
BUT THE BIGGER THE, THE PEOPLE WHO HURT MOST FROM OUR WEAK TOP PROPERTY TAX BASES ARE SCHOOLS, THEY GET LIKE 48 OR 49% OF ALL THE PROPERTY TAXES IN OUR CITY.
AND WHEN WE'RE SEEING HEADLINES LIKE CITIES LAYING OFF, OR PETALUMA CITY SCHOOLS IS LAYING OFF, YOU KNOW, 40, YOU KNOW, EMPLOYEES AND THEY'RE FACING A $6 MILLION DEFICIT, LIKE THAT'S ON US FOR HAVING A WEAK PROPERTY TAX BASE THAT'S ON US FOR HAVING A WEAK, UM, COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE TAX BASE IN OUR DOWNTOWN.
[02:20:01]
HOTEL PARCEL THAT'S SITTING THERE IS NOT GENERATING $15 MILLION A YEAR FOR THE SURROUNDING BUSINESSES.AND IT'S NOT GENERATING A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR IS WHAT IT WOULD'VE DONE FOR OUR SCHOOLS.
A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR GOING INTO THE SCHOOL'S GENERAL FUND WHEN THEY HAD A $6 MILLION DEFICIT THAT ONE PROJECT WOULD'VE CLOSED ONE SIXTH OF THE SCHOOL, UH, DEFICIT THIS YEAR.
THAT'S TEACHERS FOR OUR STUDENTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO I JUST ENCOURAGE US TO KEEP THINKING ABOUT ALL THIS STUFF IN TERMS OF BENEFITS FOR THE, FOR THE COMMUNITY AND CONTINUING TO TRY AND MESSAGE ALL OF THIS STUFF.
'CAUSE IT'S INCREDIBLY COMPLEX.
LIKE I CAN, YOU KNOW, SPEW ALL THIS OUT.
I'M NOT A COMMS PROFESSIONAL, BUT LIKE, THESE ARE THE MESSAGES THAT OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND OF WHY THIS STUFF'S IMPORTANT.
UM, BECAUSE OTHERWISE THEY'RE GONNA HEAR, WE'RE JUST GIVING AWAY THINGS TO DEVELOPERS AND NOT LIKE WE'RE ACTUALLY SHOWERING OUR DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES WITH $15 MILLION AND WE'RE PUTTING A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM BECAUSE THAT'S WHY WE CARE ABOUT THIS STUFF.
SO ANYWAY, THAT'S, UM, MY COMMENTS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.
UH, COUNCIL MEMBER CATER THOMPSON.
UM, I ALSO WANNA THANK, UM, STAFF FOR A GREAT PRESENTATION, BUT I ALSO WANT TO, UM, THANK OUR COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR ALL THE GREAT COMMENTS, UM, THAT WERE MADE.
BUT I JUST WANNA GO BACK TO, YOU KNOW, AS A COUNCIL MEMBER, I ALWAYS GET A CALL WHEN THE YACHTS ARE COMING IN, AND I NORMALLY GO DOWN TO EACH YACHT AND I TALK TO EACH PERSON AND THEY REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND THEY LOVE COMING TO PETALUMA.
AND SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT WHEN YOU'RE JUST, YOU KNOW, WALKING AROUND, ASK PEOPLE QUESTIONS BECAUSE YOU'LL FIND OUT A LOT ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY AND HOW MUCH, HOW MANY PEOPLE LOVE COMING HERE.
UM, AND SO I JUST THINK, UM, WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD, UM, TO THE INFORMATION THAT'S GONNA COME BACK AND JUST THANK EVERYBODY.
UM, I'D LIKE TO SINCERELY THANK STAFF FOR THE PRESENTATION.
I, I REALLY FEEL THAT, UM, THE ECO THE ECONOMY IS THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING IN TOWN.
IT AFFECTS HOUSING, IT AFFECTS TRANSIT.
UM, IT AFFECTS ALL OF IT, YOU KNOW, AND, AND SO I APPRECIATE STAFF REALLY LOOKING AT HOW, HOW WE CAN MAKE PERMITTING FASTER, HOW WE CAN STREAMLINE IT.
I'D LOVE TO SEE PERMIT FEES REDUCED.
UM, I LOVE THE, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO, UH, RETAIN BUSINESSES HERE, HELP THEM GROW, UNDERSTAND THEIR NEEDS, AND ALSO BRING NEW BUSINESS IN WHERE POSSIBLE.
UM, I THINK THAT'S ALL A GREAT RECIPE FOR SUCCESS HERE.
AND, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, I, I LIKE SEEING THE EMPHASIS ON INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING TYPE WORK.
UM, I THINK I'VE SAID MANY TIMES LIKE THAT'S, THAT'S CRITICAL TO PETALUMA.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, UH, YOU KNOW, I THINK IF, IF WE'RE SUPPORTING THIS ECONOMIC PLAN, WE NEED TO BE CONSISTENT WHEN WE REVISIT THE GENERAL PLAN BECAUSE THERE WERE A LOT OF PROPERTIES WHERE LAND USE GOT CHANGED FROM INDUSTRIAL TO OTHER, OTHER THINGS.
AND SO I THINK WHEN WE GO BACK, WE NEED TO, WE NEED TO REVISIT THAT AND, UM, YOU KNOW, POINT OUT TOO THAT, UM, THE GENERAL PLAN'S FISCAL IMPACT ANALYSIS SAID THAT INDUSTRIAL AND MANUFACTURING ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR LONG-TERM FINANCIAL HEALTH.
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT, COMING BACK.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND THEN I THINK AT THE SAME TIME TOO, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS REALLY HELPING THE BUSINESSES AND NOT BEING TOO OVERBEARING ON 'EM.
SO WE NEED TO KIND OF KEEP IN MIND SORT OF A LAISSEZ-FAIRE APPROACH TO THIS AND, AND LET THE BUSINESSES DO WHAT THEY DO BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHAT THEY NEED.
THEY, THEY KNOW HOW TO SURVIVE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE JUST NEED TO BE THERE IF THEY NEED IT.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO, AND THEN GOING BACK OVER TO THE HOTEL, TOT HO, UM, EXCUSE ME, THE TOT REVENUE SHARING WITH THE HOTEL, UM, I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO SEE WHAT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T PENCIL OUT MEANS.
UM, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT SEVERAL TIMES AND YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE NEVER, WE'VE NEVER BEEN GIVEN ANYTHING TO SUB SUBSTANTIATE THAT.
AND, UM, SO, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T SEE HOW WE CAN BE OFFERING THEM A BREAK WHEN, WHEN THEY HAVEN'T GIVEN US, YOU KNOW, ANY SORT OF AN IDEA OF WHAT THAT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.
AND THEY ALSO OWE US, YOU KNOW, NEARLY A MILLION DOLLARS AT THIS POINT IN, YOU KNOW, UNPAID WORK TO THE CITY.
AND SO LIKE THEY'VE, THEY'VE GOT SOME THINGS THAT THEY NEED TO CLEAN UP AS WELL.
AND THEN, UM, YOU KNOW, TO TALK ABOUT TOT ALSO, LIKE, IT'S, IT'S BASED ON PEOPLE STAYING IN OUR CITY.
IT'S NOT BASED ON THE NUMBER OF HOTELS THAT WE HAVE.
AND OUR HOTELS ARE LARGELY, UM,
[02:25:01]
THEY'RE, THEY'RE RARELY EVER AT CAPACITY.YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TIMES, THERE ARE PEAK MOMENTS CERTAIN TIMES OF YEAR WHERE THEY ARE, BUT, BUT ON THE WHOLE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE NOT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I WONDER IF, IF WE'RE TRYING TO DO A GOOD THING HERE BY GIVING HIM A BREAK AND BRINGING MORE HOTELS IN, BUT WHAT WE'RE REALLY DOING IS KIND OF DILUTING, UM, YOU KNOW, CUSTOMERS AT OTHER HOTELS AND REALLY HURTING HOTELS IN THE LONG RUN HERE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO BE CONSCIOUS OF AS, AS WE CONSIDER IDEAS LIKE THIS.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, AND, AND TALKING ABOUT THE SILK MILL HOTEL AS WELL, UM, THAT, THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT'S, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THERE'S PEAK TIMES, BUT IT'S RARELY AT CAPACITY.
AND SO I DON'T UNDERSTAND, I KNOW THEY CAN DO IT IF THEY WANT TO, BUT THEY'RE NOT IN A PLACE WHERE THEY, THEY NEED TO EXPAND.
AND SO WHY WOULD WE BE GIVING A BREAK TO SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T NEED TO EXPAND, I WOULD SAY, AND IN A HISTORIC BUILDING AS WELL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, ANYWAY, I DO, I DO LIKE THIS PLAN.
I DO LIKE THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING, UM, SAYING IT FOR A LONG TIME, LIKE, THIS WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING I TALKED ABOUT WHEN I CAMPAIGNED, LIKE, WE'VE GOTTA IMPROVE OUR ECONOMY AND REALLY TAKE CARE OF OUR BUSINESSES.
SO I'M GLAD TO SEE US TAKING THESE STEPS AND, YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, UM, STAFF IN THE CITY BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE IMPROVEMENTS AND STICKING TO IT AND ALWAYS STRIVING TO MAKE IT BETTER AND EASIER FOR BUSINESSES TO DO WELL HERE.
I DID HAVE ONE, UH, QUE FEEDBACK TO STAFF.
UM, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT, UH, WE WERE ASKED, UH, FOR EXISTING HOTELS ELSEWHERE THAN DOWNTOWN AND THINGS EXPANSIONS, THEY'D STILL BE IN THE CONVERSATION FOR WHATEVER TOT CONVERSATIONS WERE CONSIDERING, CORRECT? YES, CORRECT.
AND, UM, TO VICE MAYOR'S COMMENT, UM, THE, THE FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS THAT WOULD BE DONE BY THE CONSULTANT WILL ABSOLUTELY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHAT THE MARKET IN PETALUMA CAN SUSTAIN.
SO I DON'T WANT EXISTING HOTELS TO THINK THAT THEIR, THEIR NEEDS AND THEIR MARKET WOULD BE INFRINGED UPON.
IT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE CONSULTANT WOULD BE EVALUATING.
'CAUSE THAT'S A IMPORTANT GO NO GO FOR US WHEN WE'RE MAKING THE DECISION.
UM, AND THE, JUST SINCE I'M SPEAKING, I WILL SAY IN TERMS OF THE, THE SILK MILL, UM, EXPANSION PROJECT IN TERMS OF NEED OR NOT NEED, I THINK SUBJECTIVE, BUT WHAT THE PROPOSAL INCLUDED WAS ADDING, UM, DOUBLE BED ROOMS, WHICH AT THE CURRENT POINT, THE HOTEL DOES NOT HAVE ANY, IT'S ONLY A SINGLE KING BED.
SO THE EXPANSION WAS SPECIFICALLY TO ADD DOUBLE BEDS TO KIND OF, YOU KNOW, MAKE THEMSELVES MORE ATTRACTIVE, ESPECIALLY FOR LIKE FAMILY TRAVELERS.
UH, SO, UM, TO GET ROLLING HERE, UM, LET'S SEE.
I THINK WE DO HAVE A LOT OF EVIDENCE, UM, THAT THINGS DON'T PENCIL.
AND I THINK THAT THE EVIDENCE IS THE CONTINUED VACANCY THAT WE DON'T SEE ANYTHING BUILT ON.
UH, WE HAVE PROPOSALS AND WE HAVE THINGS THAT GET PROCESSED, BUT UM, IT JUST DOESN'T PENCIL, WHICH IS WHY WE DON'T SEE GROWTH IN, IN OUR CITY.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I I I, I DO AGREE WITH, UH, ONE OF THE POINTS THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT UP, ESPECIALLY BY THE VICE MAYOR ABOUT PERMITTING AND BY THE AUDIENCE ABOUT INSPECTION IS, IS THAT IT'S A BEGIN TO END SITUATION.
WE HAVE TO DO CARE AND FEEDING FROM BEGINNING OF A PROPOSAL, UH, ALL THE WAY, ALL THE WAY TO END.
AND, UM, I DID LIKE WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER BARNACLE WAS SAYING WITH GROWTH, GOOD GROWTH IS GOOD FOR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IT IS WHAT WE NEED IN THE TOWN.
AND I THINK THAT'S SIMILAR POINT TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER QUINT WAS MAKING ABOUT, IT'S NOT CITY REVENUE, IT'S PUBLIC REVENUE.
IT'S, IT'S FOR ALL THE PUBLIC AMENITIES.
AND SO, UM, I REALLY APPRECIATE, UM, WHAT YOU'VE, UM, BROUGHT TO US TONIGHT.
I HOPE WE, UH, FLESH IT OUT AND GET IT TO THE NEXT STAGE IN THE GOALS THAT THE COUNCIL TALKED ABOUT FOR THIS YEAR.
IT WAS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE WERE ALL ON FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND YOU'RE BRINGING THAT IN AND WE WANT TO SEE IT GET TO, UH, BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT AND, AND, AND CASH FOR EVERYBODY, SUSTAINABILITY FOR EVERYBODY.
SO, UM, THANKS FOR EVERYBODY ON THAT AND, UM, GOOD MEETING.
APPRECIATE THE AUDIENCE BEING HERE.
AND THIS MEETING, UH, IS NOW ADJOURNED IN HONOR OF, UM,
AND, UM, I'M NOT SAYING I'M HEADED OVER THERE, BUT, UM,