City Council

City Council Special Meeting — April 29, 2024

This was a special joint meeting of the City Council and the Petaluma Community Development Successor Agency (PCDSA), convened as a workshop focused entirely on the City's ongoing General Plan Update. The session ran nearly six hours, requiring a mid-meeting vote to extend past 11:00 p.m., and concluded just before midnight.

General Plan Update Workshop: Carbon Neutrality, Policy Frameworks, and Land Use Alternatives

Director of Community Development Brian Oh introduced the item. The Council then worked through the presentation in sections, with public comment periods opened after each major topic.

Blueprint for Carbon Neutrality

The first segment covered the Draft Blueprint for Carbon Neutrality, which outlines the City's strategy for reaching carbon neutrality as part of the General Plan. Four members of the public commented: Ben Peters, Dave Alden, Duane Bellinger, and Robert Hansen. The minutes do not detail the substance of their remarks. Council took a recess from 6:53 p.m. to 7:09 p.m. following this section.

Policy Frameworks

The second segment addressed draft policy frameworks associated with the General Plan. Mayor McDonnell opened public comment, but no members of the public chose to speak.

Land Use Alternatives

The workshop's most substantial portion addressed land use alternatives — the different scenarios for where and how Petaluma might accommodate future growth and development across the city. This section was split into two sub-sections, each with its own public comment period. Duane Bellinger, Veronica Olsen, and Darren Racusen spoke during both rounds, indicating sustained public interest in the land use questions. Again, the minutes do not capture the specific content of those comments.

Because discussion extended late into the evening, the Council voted unanimously to continue the meeting past the standard 11:00 p.m. cutoff. The meeting ultimately adjourned at 11:48 p.m.

Vote to extend meeting past 11:00 p.m.: Moved by Councilmember Nau, seconded by Councilmember Cader Thompson. Carried 7–0.

*Note: This was a workshop session. No binding policy decisions were made. The purpose was for the Council to receive information, hear public input, and provide feedback to staff to guide further development of the General Plan documents. The minutes do not capture the specific direction or feedback Council gave to staff during the session.*

*Also note: The minutes list Councilmembers Healy and Pocekay as present. These names do not appear on the current known Council roster; they may reflect council composition at the time of this April 2024 meeting, prior to any subsequent changes.*

Key Takeaways