Name: Petaluma Historic & Cultural Preservation Committee meeting, May 7, 2024
Start: 2024-05-07
Location: City of Petaluma

Historic & Cultural Preservation Committee

Tue, May 7, 2024

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Meeting summaryAI-generated

Historic & Cultural Preservation Committee — May 7, 2024

This was a regular meeting of the Historic & Cultural Preservation Committee, held at City Hall. All five committee members were present. The main business was a study session on the Draft Historic Resources Policy Framework, part of the ongoing General Plan Update process.

Approval of Minutes — October 3, 2023

The committee approved minutes from its previous meeting, which had been held more than six months prior. No amendments were requested.

Vote: Carried 5–0. Moved by Committee Member Whitley, seconded by Committee Member Perlis. All members (Chair Rinehart, Perlis, Pitingaro, Van Ommeren, and Whitley) voted yes.

Study Session: Draft Historic Resources Policy Framework (General Plan Update)

Principal Policy Planner Christina Paul introduced the item, and the city's General Plan consultants — Ron Whitmore of Raimi & Associates, and Hannah Simonson and Ruth Todd of Page & Turnbull — presented the Draft Historic Resources Policy Framework. This framework is being developed as foundational work for Petaluma's General Plan Update, which will guide long-term land use and preservation decisions citywide.

Because this was a study session, no formal decision was made or required, and CEQA environmental review does not apply at this stage. The full General Plan Update, including a programmatic Environmental Impact Report (EIR), is expected to come before the Planning Commission and City Council for adoption in late 2025.

Committee members Van Ommeren, Perlis, Pitingaro, and Chair Rinehart each engaged in questions for staff and the consultants. The minutes do not detail the specific content of their questions or the substance of the committee's discussion, so the particular feedback provided to staff is not captured in the record.

One written public comment was submitted by email from Katherine J. Rinehart. No in-person public comments were offered. The session ran from approximately 4:03 PM to 5:34 PM.

Vote: No vote taken; study session only.

Committee Comment

Vice Chair Van Ommeren provided updates on Historic Preservation Month activities and on the Petaluma Museum. The committee also discussed recommendations from their ad hoc committee, though the specifics of those recommendations are not detailed in the minutes.

Staff Comment

Planning Manager Andrew Trippel offered staff comments. Details were not recorded in the minutes.

Key Takeaways

No binding decisions were made at this meeting; the study session on the Historic Resources Policy Framework was informational and advisory only.

The Draft Historic Resources Policy Framework is a key building block of Petaluma's General Plan Update, which is on track for Planning Commission and City Council consideration in late 2025, accompanied by a programmatic EIR.

Consultant teams from Raimi & Associates and Page & Turnbull are leading the historic resources component of the General Plan work, with city staff coordination through the Planning Division.

One public comment (emailed) was received on the policy framework; no members of the public attended in person to comment.

The committee meeting covered a roughly seven-month gap since its last session in October 2023, suggesting infrequent meeting cycles for this body.

AI-generated summary from voice-to-text transcript. Not the official record. Verify important details with the source documents linked above.

Agenda items (2)

Procedural (1)

1ProceduralApproval of Minutes for the meeting of October 03, 2023.

Public Hearing

2Public HearingStudy Session – Receive a presentation and provide feedback related to the Draft Historic Resources Policy Framework as part of foundational work on the General Plan Update. No decision is requested as this is a study session only; therefore, environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is not required at this time. Following review of the draft policy frameworks and development of the draft Land Use Framework, the General Plan Update project will begin preparing the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project. In late 2025, when the General Plan is brought forward to the Planning Commission for a recommendation and to the City Council for adoption, it will include a programmatic EIR for certification.

Additional votes recorded in minutes

Approval of Minutes for October 03, 2023

aye 5

Alice Van Ommerenaye

Bill Rinehartaye

John Perlisaye

Paul Pitingaroaye

Thomas Whitleyaye

Verbatim transcript available

3 transcript segments indexed

CITY OF PETALUMA, CALIFORNIA REGULAR MEETING OF THE HISTORIC & CULTURAL PRESERVATION MEETING City Hall Council Chamber 11 English Street Petaluma, CA 94952 MINUTES Tuesday, May 07, 2024 CALL TO ORDER - (4:00 PM) ROLL CALL PRESENT: Alice Van Ommeren, Chair Bill Rinehart, John Perlis, Paul Pitingaro, Thomas Whitley ABSENT: None GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT- (4:01 PM) During General Public Comment, the public is invited to make comments on items of public interest that are within the Committee’s subject matter jurisdiction and that are not listed on the current agenda. Public comments are limited to up to three minutes per person. Depending on the number of persons wishing to address the Committee, time will be allocated in equal shares totaling no more than twenty minutes, subject to the Committee’s discretion (Cal. Gov’t. Code §54954.3(a), Petaluma City Council Rules, Policies and Procedures, III). Chair Rinehart opened public comment. - No general public comments were provided. Chair Rinehart closed public comment. Chair Rinehart closed the Meeting Item and continued with the agenda. PRESENTATIONS – (4:01 PM) Chair Rinehart announced that there were no presentation items during this meeting session. Chair Rinehart closed the Meeting Item and continued with the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – (4:01 PM) 1. Meeting Item 1 – Approval of Minutes for the meeting of October 03, 2023. Chair Rinehart invited Committee Members to provide amendments. No amendments were provided. Committee Member Whitley motioned for a vote, and Committee Member Perlis seconded the motion.

A roll call vote was taken: Vote: Carried 5-0 Yes: Chair Rinehart, Perlis, Pitingaro, Van Ommeren, and Whitley No: None Absent: None Recused: None Chair Rinehart announced that the minutes were approved by a vote of 5-0. Chair Rinehart closed Meeting Item 1 and continued with the agenda. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND MATTERS FOR CONSIDERATION - (4:03 PM) 2. Meeting Item 2 – Study Session – Receive a presentation and provide feedback related to the Draft Historic Resources Policy Framework as part of foundational work on the General Plan Update. No decision is requested as this is a study session only; therefore, environmental review pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is not required at this time. Following review of the draft policy frameworks and development of the draft Land Use Framework, the General Plan Update project will begin preparing the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the project. In late 2025, when the General Plan is brought forward to the Planning Commission for a recommendation and to the City Council for adoption, it will include a programmatic EIR for certification. Chair Rinehart announced this item was not a public hearing and did not require disclosing any ex-parte communications. Principal Policy Planner Christina Paul briefly introduced Meeting Item 2. General Plan consultants, including Raimi and Associates’ Ron Whitmore and Page & Turnbull’s Hannah Simonson and Ruth Todd presented on Meeting Item 2. Chair Rinehart opened Meeting Item 2 to Committee Member questions for staff. - Committee Member Van Ommeren - Committee Member Perlis - Committee Member Pitingaro - Chair Rinehart Chair Rinehart opened Meeting Item 2 to public comment. Emailed Comments: - Katherine J. Rinehart In Person Comments: - None Chair Rinehart closed public comments. Chair Rinehart opened the item to committee discussion.

Chair Rinehart closed Meeting Item 2 and continued with the agenda. COMMITTEE COMMENT - (5:34 PM) Vice Chair Van Ommeren provided updates on Historic Preservation Month and on the Petaluma Museum. Chair Rinehart opened the Meeting Item up to ad hoc recommendations to staff. The Committee discussed their Ad hoc committee recommendations. Chair Rinehart opened the Meeting Item to general Committee comments. Chair Rinehart closed the Meeting Item and continued with the agenda. STAFF COMMENT - (5:53 PM) Andrew Trippel, Planning Manager ADJOURNMENT Chair Rinehart adjourned the meeting at 5:57 p.m.