In This Issue: News & Updates | Cannabis Town Hall | Wine Tasting Rooms Community Meeting
On the Agenda | Get to Know: Special Events | Trouble viewing this email? View as Webpage
Welcome to "About Town," the inaugural e-newsletter from the City of Sonoma. "About Town" is part of the City's continuing efforts, along with an expanded social media presence and a new website, to improve communications with our community.

Access to accurate and timely information is critical to helping you understand the issues and decisions facing our City Council and Commissions and engage in the policy making process. We also want to make it easier for you to access the City services you need.

Sonoma is a special place, with City and Valley residents that care deeply about our town. While 2017 brought unexpected challenges, it also brought out the incredible strength of community that we have here in Sonoma. The fires of 2017 reinforced the importance of having tools and processes in place for sharing information, both during a crisis and on a regular basis.

Look for "About Town" Sonoma City E-Newsletter in your inbox at least each quarter. Please forward this email to others who you think may want to subscribe !

Sincerely,
Cathy Capriola, Sonoma City Manager
Sonoma City Hall Trivia Question:
What do the seven flags that hang from the balcony of City Hall represent?
Be the first to email the correct answer and be mentioned in our next newsletter!
NEWS & UPDATES
> SONOMACITY.ORG Launched! -- One of the City Council's priorities for 2017 was a new City website to better meet our residents' information needs. In October, we launched the new site early to provide a platform for local  fire recovery information . Since then, we've continued developing sonomacity.org into the central resource for City information that allows you to access documents, forms, frequently asked questions, news and events, and more. You can get information on proposed  development projects and updates on City  infrastructure projects  in your area and even  report issues  like graffiti or code violations online. The site has a mobile-friendly interface that adapts to all devices, improved search tools, language translation, and links to online payments. We look forward to getting your feedback !
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> Key Initiatives -- In accordance with the priorities established by the City Council, several major policy decisions and other key initiatives are underway. Visit   Key Initiatives to learn more about Cannibis Regulation , Wine Tastin g Rooms , and Water Rate Study .
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> Bicycle Friendly Community Survey -- H elp the League of American Bicyclists gain a better understanding of local bicyclists’ experiences and perceptions of bicycling in the City of Sonoma. The City would appreciate your help in providing feedback. Take the Survey Today !
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> Sonoma Valley Citizens Law Enforcement Academy Accepting Applications -- The Sonoma Valley Law Enforcement Citizen’s Academy will provide citizens with an inside look at local law enforcement and provide an overview of office policies and procedures.  Learn more about the seven week series that begins April 4, 2018.
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> Groundwater Recharge Pilot Study Underway -- The study, a joint effort of the  Sonoma County Water Agency  and the City of Sonoma, is exploring groundwater banking as a method for improving local water supply resiliency and restoring aquifer health. Learn more about the Groundwater Recharge Pilot Study located at the test well at the Sonoma Veteran's Memorial Cemetery.


For the latest news and updates, please visit our News page .
CANNABIS TOWN HALL MEETING #2
April 11, 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
About 40 community members attended the first Cannabis Town Hall meeting on March 28, 2018 at the Sonoma Community Center. The first meeting focused on background information, state regulations, overview of dispensaries, testing and manufacturing facilities; and options/issues for municipal regulation. The majority in attendance supported allowing medicinal dispensaries, testing facilities and manufacturing facilities in Sonoma. View the Powerpoint presentation and watch the recorded video from Cannabis Town Hall #1.

The City encourages the public to come learn more about potential cannabis regulation and cannabis business options under consideration for the City of Sonoma at the next meeting scheduled April 11, 2018. Public input on this policy decision is important to the City Council as they make their decision regarding what regulations and what cannabis businesses to allow or prohibit in Sonoma in the next few months.

Cannabis Town Hall #2 – Wednesday, April 11, 2018, 6:30-9:00 PM
Sonoma Community Center, Andrews Hall, 276 E Napa St
This Town Hall will focus on answering questions from the prior Town
Hall, distance requirement options and other regulatory options for specific
cannabis businesses, and potential taxing, fee and other administrative
issues. There will be a question/answer portion, an exercise for attendees
to give specific feedback, and a public comment period.

Each Town Hall community meeting will be taped and televised live on Sonoma Valley Community Television’s Channel 27 and also posted afterwards on the  City’s Civic Web Portal and linked to from the City’s Cannabis Key Initiative page .

For a summary, current allowable activities and background of Cannabis Regulation in the City of Sonoma visit  www.sonomacity.org/cannabis-regulation    or  Download the full press release .
WINE TASTING ROOMS COMMUNITY MEETING
April 3, Drop-In Between 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
The City of Sonoma encourages members of the community to attend a community meeting to bring their questions and provide feedback on issues associated with wine tasting rooms in downtown Sonoma and options for potential regulations. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at the City of Sonoma EOC, 177 First Street East (in the back of the Police Station). The meeting will structured as an informal, drop-in session, so that participants may stop by at any time during the two-hour session to ask questions and provide feedback. 

In recent years, the City has experienced a growing trend of wineries establishing a store-front wine-tasting presence around the Sonoma Plaza. The City Council has identified this as an issue for community discussion. In December, City Council adopted an urgency ordinance placing an interim moratorium on the establishment of Wine Tasting Rooms in the Plaza Retail Overlay District pending the consideration and study of zoning and other land use regulations pertaining to Wine Tasting Rooms. 

After the Community Meeting and the completion of other outreach in April, the Planning Commission will discuss and develop recommendations for subsequent consideration by the City Council. For more information about the moratorium and to follow the City’s progress on wine tasting rooms, visit the Key Initiatives Wine Tasting Rooms page.
ON THE AGENDA
Visit our new meetings portal, CivicWeb , to easily find the calendar and agendas for all upcoming City Council and Commission meetings, locate and review the relevant staff reports, and view televised meetings (live or later). You can also search the City's Municipal Code, learn more about our City Council members and how to contact them, and subscribe to the agendas for meetings that interest you . It's a great way to get engaged with your city government, and we've integrated it with our new City website .

UPCOMING MEETINGS

April 3 - Wine Tasting Facilities Community Drop-In Meeting
April 5 - Cultural and Fine Arts Commission Meeting  
April 9 - Special City Council Meeting, 4th Street East & Brazil Street Residential Appeals
April 11 - Community Services and Environment Commission Meeting
April 11 - Cannabis Town Hall #2
April 12 - Planning Commission Meeting
April 16 - City Council Meeting
April 17 - Design Review & Historic Preservation Commission Meeting
April 23 - City Council Meeting

For more information and details on the meetings listed above, please visit CivicWeb directly or via the homepage link at SonomaCity.org.
GET TO KNOW
Special Events at the Sonoma Plaza & Depot Park
Special Events Calendar & Event Planning Resources

Our town has many amazing special events. Visit the City's new special events calendar so you know what is happening when! You can also learn more about planning an event at the Sonoma Plaza or Depot Park, download forms, and more!

Read more
www.sonomacity.org
STAY CONNECTED
The greater the involvement of our citizens, the stronger our community will be. Here are some of the ways you can stay connected with the City of Sonoma!