A controversial proclamation, smoke complaints, and a surprisingly interesting Water Master Plan
PART 1: Recap of the Sebastopol City Council meeting for May 5
The May 5th Sebastopol City Council meeting was a treat for people who like to venture deep into the weeds and roll around in the nitty-gritty of running a city government.
In Part 1 of this article, we’ll hear an update on the Sebastopol Police Department volunteer programs (or lack thereof), as well as a financial update on the General Fund and Enterprise Funds. The council also approved a lot split of the St. Sebastian Catholic Church property and the purchase of cameras for the Sebastopol Police Station. Most significantly, the council got its first look at the city’s new Water Master Plan.
In Part 2 of this article, which we’ll publish on Tuesday, we’ll dive into the council’s long discussion of the city’s cost allocation methodology, as well as the 3% cost-of-living adjustment the council approved for management, mid-management employees and the police.
Mayor Jill McLewis, Vice Mayor Sandra Maurer, Councilmember Phill Carter, Councilmember Neysa Hinton, and Councilmember Stephen Zollman were present in chambers for the May 5 Sebastopol City Council meeting.
Proclamations
There were two proclamations this week, one proclaiming May 2026 as Bike Month and May 14, 2026, as Bike-to-Work Day in Sebastopol and another proclaiming May 2026 as Jewish American Heritage Month.
The latter was somewhat controversial. Before the proclamation was made, Councilmember Zollman said, “I just hope this is not viewed as being divisive, especially with everything that's going on with the Middle East, and I hope it doesn't send a message to our other brothers and sisters, especially those in Palestine, that might take this in a different direction.” In Public Comment, Oliver Dick reminded the council that there were hundreds of religions and denominations in the world and he wondered if the council would now be faced with honoring all of them with a proclamation—and listening to the comments in reaction. He thought this wasn’t the best use of the council’s time.
Alexis Boutin, a Sebastopol resident and archeology professor from SSU, who requested the proclamation of Jewish American Heritage Month, thanked Mayor McLewis for bringing it forward. She said, “Declaring May as Jewish American Heritage Month in Sebastopol tells our community that you see us and that we belong here, and in a time of extraordinary polarization that too often leads into anti-semitism, knowing that we belong here and that you will stand by us means the world to us. To councilmember Zollman’s previous comment, I would just say that any group is welcome to request such a proclamation recognizing a heritage month that would like to do that, so hopefully his comment is of no further concern.”
Ergo Oliver’s concern.
Public comment for items not on the agenda
A large group of neighbors from Eleanor Avenue, a quiet little street running parallel to Petaluma Avenue just one block east, came to council to complain about smoke drifting over from A&M Barbecue’s two large smokers.
Former city councilmember Larry Robinson, who lives on Eleanor Avenue, framed the neighborhood’s current concern in a historical light. “In 2005, it was my honor to serve as Mayor of Sebastopol, and in that year, we adopted our wood-smoke ordinance, because clean air was a high priority for this community, and it still is. At that time, many of us were still heating our homes with wood, and we realized that we had to make the transition to cleaner ways of heating. Because some people were still using barbecues, we made an exception for barbecues in our smoke ordinance. We never intended that to be an exemption for an industrial-level smoker. I know that you’re considering requiring A&M Barbecue to put filters on their smoker. So I encourage you to move ahead with that. We love their food. We love having them in the neighborhood, but we don’t love having smoke in our neighborhood.”
Robinson’s neighbor Megan Kaun said, “We’re here to speak up about the A&M barbecue situation. When they first opened with the two small smokers, that was completely acceptable, but when they rolled out the two identical large commercial smokers with the large smokestacks, air quality in our neighborhood became untenable. The smokestacks bring the smoke directly up into our neighborhood…and it creates this very toxic situation that has been captured in the PM 2.5 meters on Purple Air.”
PM stands for particulate matter, and the number reflects the size of the particulates in microns. A&M BBQ runs their smoker at night and in the early morning.
“I’ve been working with the city of Sebastopol since last fall, and I just want to thank your staff. They’ve been amazing to monitor the situation,” Kaun continued. “It’s really been showing a steady, elevated PM 2.5 right in our neighborhood. I’ll just say that as recent as yesterday, even with the one smoker in operation, the PM 2.5 in our neighborhood went up to 75 and the rest of the day, when the smoker was not in operation, the PM 2.5 was zero.”
The U.S. EPA Air Quality Index rates a 2.5 micron particulate score of 51–100 as “Moderate – Air quality is acceptable; some pollutants may pose a mild risk for sensitive groups.” Scores of 0 to 50 are defined as good. The higher the number, the worse the air: scores of 101 to 150 are defined as “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” 151 to 200 are “unhealthy” in general, 201 to 300 is “very unhealthy,” and 301+ is “hazardous.”
Another neighbor, Kit Keller, a retired toxicologist, said, “There is no safe level of inhalation of these particulates. The particulates we’re talking about and measuring are particularly dangerous types that get deep in the lungs.”
At the end of the evening, Interim Planning Director Jane Riley gave an update on the city’s work with A&M. “My understanding is they have removed the one barbecue smoker. We’ve been working with them for the last couple months to remove the second barbecue smoker. We are beyond the deadline, so the city attorney and I are working on the enforcement letter to have that [the remaining smoker] removed.”
Quick look at the Consent Calendar
The consent calendar consists of items that are routine in nature or don’t require additional discussion, often because they’ve been discussed extensively at a previous council meeting.
In addition to approving the minutes of earlier meetings, the council unanimously approved the following:
An extension of the Building the Commons committee through Sept. 30, 2026, after which it will be disbanded.
An amendment to the city’s Flag Policy, approving the placement of United States Flags to be placed and displayed by the Scouts or other nonprofits for the following holidays: Martin Luther King Junior Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Women’s Equality Day, Labor Day, Columbus/Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and Veterans Day. The Scouts asked for this change because, as they explained in their request, “Troop 27 has recently run into an issue where we potentially need a permit for each individual instance of posting flags, and as this is a lengthy process, we have had trouble being able to carry out this service.”
Direction to the council’s voting delegate in the Sonoma County Mayors and Councilmembers Association to support the appointment of Ariel Kelley to the Association’s Airport Land Use Commission.
A resolution continuing participation as a part of the Urban County Joint Powers Agreement for purposes of qualifying for Department of Housing and Community Development (HUD) monies, including Community Development Block Grants and Emergency Solutions Grants. HUD requires “Urban Counties” to requalify every three years.
Presentations and Informational Items
Update on Police Volunteer Programs
The first presentation was a brief update by Sebastopol Police Chief Sean McDonagh regarding the department’s long-defunct volunteer programs, such as Police Explorer Program and the Citizens Academy, as well as the newly suggested Horse Mounted Unit. McDonagh said he has been concentrating on recruiting and training new police officers to get the department fully staffed, which he hoped would happen by next spring. (From application to screening to onboarding and training can take up to eight months, depending on the applicant’s background.)
Councilmember Zollman is under the impression that many Sebastopol residents are chomping at the bit to join these volunteer programs. Councilmember Hinton said she wasn’t sure that was the case. Although she first expressed frustration with how long it was taking to re-establish these programs, Mayor McLewis ultimately suggested that the city try to assess the level of community interest. (McDonagh noted that he’s gotten only two applications in the 15 months that he’s been here.) Zollman requested that city staff send out an email to community members assessing their interest in the programs.
Third Quarter Financial Update on General Fund and Enterprise Funds
The point of these quarterly updates by Administrative Services Director Ana Kwong is to ensure that city revenues and expenditures are roughly in line with expectations in the city budget. According to Kwong, that seems to be the case, as indicated by the staff report’s summaries of the city’s three funds:
“At the close of the third quarter, General Fund expenditures are generally aligned with the adjusted budget, with variances largely explained by timing, staffing, and scheduled payments rather than unforeseen cost pressures or savings. Staff will continue to monitor departments that are trending above the expected benchmark while recognizing that several costs are front-loaded and expected to normalize by year-end.”
“Overall, the Water Fund continues to perform within expected parameters for the third quarter, with current variances primarily attributable to billing and expenditure timing rather than underlying structural issues.”
“Overall, the Wastewater Fund continues to operate within expected financial parameters, with current variances largely driven by normal timing factors rather than underlying budgetary concerns.”
The council received this report without any questions or comments. See the full staff report, with revenue and expenditure charts, here.
Kwong also included a quick review on how Measure U funds (derived from a half-cent sales tax passed in 2024) have been used. As a prerequisite for supporting the measure, then-Councilmember Jill McLewis required that at least 40% of Measure U funds must be used for infrastructure improvements for roads, drainage, and parks. By July 2026—the end of the 2025-26 fiscal year—Measure U will have brought in $1.5 million. The council budgeted $800,000 for infrastructure improvements. Only a small portion of that—$290,000—will have been spent by the end of the year. The remaining $510,000 will be rolled over into next year’s infrastructure spending.
Regular Agenda
Lot split at St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church
In response to the sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church, the Diocese of Santa Rosa is selling off many of its assets, including an undeveloped parcel across from Brook Haven School. The empty lot is a part of the larger St. Sebastian’s Catholic Church property. The church and associated buildings are located on the front 4.12-acres facing onto Covert Lane, and the 2.47-acre empty lot behind those buildings fronts onto Valentine. The Diocese, which declared bankruptcy in 2023, has said proceeds from the sale of this and other properties will fund settlements with abuse survivors.
The council unanimously OK’d the lot split, approving a tentative map and exempting it from CEQA.
The site is zoned for Multi-Family Residential (R-7) and has a High-Density Residential Land Use Designation, which means someone could potentially build up to 61 condos on the two-and-a-half-acre site. Interim Director of City Planning Jane Riley said the buyer of the property planned a small-lot single-family subdivision, which should provide some solace for the neighbors who feared a high-density condominium project like the one proposed further down the street on Valentine.
Councilmember Maurer asked if the zoning could be changed in an attempt to block any high-density development. Staff said that was not possible at this point.
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Installation of Surveillance Cameras at the Police Department
The Sebastopol Police Department asked the city council to approve a budget amendment of $13,875 to cover installation costs for the police department’s new video security system, which the department purchased last year to replace the current system, which was installed in 1991. The money will be reimbursed to the General Fund using the Police Endowment Fund.
According to the city’s Surveillance Technology and Community Safety Ordinance, the council needs to adopt a “use policy” for any new surveillance technology. Because the department’s old cameras don’t have the ability to record and the new system (Safe House Security System) does, it qualifies as a new technology.
Unfortunately, the use policy was not attached to the staff report for this item, which had originally been scheduled for the last council meeting on April 21. The use policy was attached to the staff report for that earlier meeting. You can find that here. There was some discussion on the council about whether folks were OK with proceeding despite this error. Council members said they had reviewed the material for the previous meeting and were ready to vote. The council voted unanimously to approve the budget amendment and the use policy so that the installation of the new video camera system at the police station can proceed.
First look at the Water Master Plan
GHD, the city’s consulting engineering firm, delivered the long-awaited Water Master Plan for Sebastopol, and the news was better than many expected. Consultant Matt Kennedy declared that the city’s water system as a whole was in good condition, though there were some sections that required repair.
These projects are summarized below:
Replacement of the City’s municipal Well #4, which has groundwater that has been contaminated and is required to be replaced.
Pleasant Hill Road water system connection loop from Pleasant Hill Tanks at Lynch Road to the intersection at Pleasant Hill Road at Mitchell Crescent.
Study of structural assessment of First Street Tank and Pleasant Hill Tanks.
Design for seismic retrofit and construction project for First Street Tank and Pleasant Hill Tanks.
Replace approximately nine existing service connections with ¾-inch diameter HDPE service lateral pipes, along Gwendolyn Place from the intersection of Litchfield Avenue.
Installation of automated flow meter for the Public Works Yard water-filling station tower at Johnson Street to supply potable water to local customers.
Replace approximately 215 feet of the 8-inch water main along 500 South Main Street from the intersection of Gravenstein Highway South, south of Walker Avenue.
Replace the existing pressure-reducing valves at Healdsburg Avenue, Fircrest Avenue, and at Dutton and Huntley avenues.
Addition of a water treatment system at Well #6 to remove naturally occurring arsenic from the water at the well.
Replace approximately 94 water service laterals using approximately 20 feet, ¾-inch diameter HDPE service lateral pipes, along Valley View Drive from the intersection of Ragle Avenue.
Replace approximately 360 feet of the 6-inch cast iron water line on Covert Lane between Norlee Street and Zimpher Drive.
Replace approximately 195 feet of 6-inch diameter old cast iron pipe between Ellis Court and High School Road.
Installation of valves at different locations for system isolation during repair works at Parquet Street and Litchfield Avenue.
14. Painting and relining of First Street Tank and Pleasant Hill Tanks.
Kennedy then offered this handy chart, which gives the estimated costs of these projects and ranks them from high to low in terms of priority.
Mayor McLewis asked if it was usual to have so many high-priority, big-ticket repair items. Kennedy reassured her that the system was, all things considered, in good condition. When she pressed him about how this list compared to other cities he’d worked with, he said, “There are cities that have more.”
He continued, “As I stated during the presentation, the city water system is in good condition. I think it’s been well maintained. There are certain practices that we’ve also recommended in the report for ongoing operation and maintenance. All municipal water systems have repairs and replacements that need to be done over time, because they do have a limited service life. Sebastopol is not unique in that regard, but there are some projects that need to be done.”
Watch the video of the May 5 city council meeting and find the documentation for the meeting here. Part 2 of this report will be published on Tuesday, May 12.
61 more units shoehorned into another quiet neighborhood. Sebastopol is one of the few remaining small 'towns' left that have any character, individuality, and relative serenity. But we are making warp speed progress toward catching up with the rest of the cramped, soulless, traffic clogged state. The really ironic and maybe saddest part of this particular assault is that 'we' and wildlife (yes, there are critters on that property in spite of all efforts to spray and starve them out of existence) are paying for the sins of the Catholic Church.
Council member Zollman grilled the police chief about the lack of progress on resurrecting a defunct program that was neither identified as a priority last year or this year. This council didn’t do priorities before that. Why was Mr Zollman grilling the police chief? Shouldn’t he have identified this as a priority, asked for council support and then given that a priority to the city manager before ripping into the chief?