In This Issue: LOVE Sculpture| 2019 Alcaldessa | Council Reorganization | City Profile Report LOCALFest 2019 | S.C.O.P.E Training | Sonoma Shuttle | Treasure Artist Reception | TOT Increase Storm Prep | Project Updates | ADU Survey | Emergency Volunteers| Nextdoor | On the Agenda
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Happy New Year Sonoma! Welcome to the January edition of "About Town," the quarterly e-newsletter from the City of Sonoma. New to "About Town," is a section dedicated to Project Information and Updates that includes quick links to information, documents and news updates about key initiatives, development, and infrastructure projects in the City.

But that's not all! Read on to learn more about the 2019 Honorary Alcaldessa and City Council Reorganization. Check out Sonoma's " City Profile Report ," see a list of Upcoming City Meetings , read about the Transient Occupancy Tax Increase that went into effect January 1st, sign up for an upcoming S.C.O.P.E. & Hands-Free CPR Training , get more information on Sonoma County Transit's "Fare-Free" Program, sign up to be an Emergency Volunteer , save-the-date for the Sonoma Chamber's LOCALFest 2019 , take Sonoma County's ADU Survey , see how you can Stay Connected to the City, find out how to purchase your tickets for the January 29th Reception Honoring Cynthia Tarr, Sonoma's 2019 Treasure Artist and MORE below!
SONOMA CITY COUNCIL REORGANIZATION
City Council Reorganization was on the agenda at the   December 10, 2018 Meeting  of the  Sonoma City Council .  The reorganization included a presentation of a key to the City to outgoing council member Gary Edwards, recognition of re-elected council members  Madolyn Agrimonti and  Rachel Hundley , introduction and oath of office of new council member  Logan Harvey , and the recognition to Madolyn Agrimonti for her year of service as Mayor. 

Amy Harrington   was selected as the new Mayor and Logan Harvey as the new Vice-Mayor.You are always welcome to email individual Council Members or the Council as a whole by emailing [email protected] . Learn more about individual City Council members, find contact information and office hours on our CivicWeb portal.
"LOVE" BY LAURA KIMPTON ON THE SONOMA PLAZA EXTENDED TO JANUARY 25, 2019
The Sonoma Valley Museum of Art (SVMA) partnered with the City to install Laura Kimpton's “LOVE” sculpture on the Plaza as part of a special SVMA exhibition featuring art inspired by the 2017 Northern California Wildfires to one year anniversary of the fires in October.

The LOVE sculpture installation on the horseshoe lawn in the Sonoma Plaza will be removed the week of January 25, 2019. Go get your photos before it's gone!
KAREN COLLINS NAMED 2019 ALCALDESSA
The City of Sonoma has selected Karen Collins as  Honorary Alcaldessa  (“Alcalde” is the Spanish name for Mayor.) Mayor Harrington nominated Ms. Collins in recognition of her ongoing efforts and contributions to the Sonoma community. Particularly of note was Ms. Collins’ work in the preservation and protection of the natural environment in and around the City of Sonoma. The announcement was made at the  January 14 ,  2019  Council Meeting and it was ratified unanimously by the City Council.

The City of Sonoma will host a reception in Ms. Collins’ honor soon. Details of the reception will be announced at a later date. Photo: Patch.com

To learn more about the City of Sonoma Alcalde and a list of past Alcaldes and Alcaldessas, please visit our  Alcalde  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 and subscribe to the agendas for meetings that interest you . It's a great way to get engaged with your city government.

UPCOMING MEETINGS
  • January 22 - Special Planning Commission
  • February 4 - City Council
  • February 21 - Planning Commission
  • February 19 - Design Review & Historic Preservation
  • February 20 - City Council
  • February 21 - Planning Commission
  • March 4 - City Council
  • March 14 - Planning Commission
  • March 18 - City Council

For more information and details on the meetings listed above, please visit CivicWeb directly or via the homepage link at s onomacity.org.
2018 SONOMA CITY PROFILE NOW AVAILABLE
The Economic Development Board, in partnership with the City of Sonoma and the Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to present the 2018 Sonoma City Profile Report . The annual report provides economic information and forecasts for the city of Sonoma.

To see reports from other Sonoma County cities, visit the Sonoma County Economic Development Board website . Learn more about Economic and Business Development Services in the city of Sonoma.
RECEPTION TO HONOR CYNTHIA TARR,
2019 TREASURE ARTIST
Tuesday, January 29, 2019, 6:00 PM
The  Cultural and Fine Arts Commission  of Sonoma will host a reception to honor local music director and performer  Cynthia Tarr , the 2019  Sonoma Treasure Artist  of the Year. Members of the public are invited to attend the event which will be held at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, January 29, 2019, at Andrew’s Hall,  Sonoma Community Center , 276 East Napa Street, Sonoma. Tickets are required.

Tickets for the wine and hors d’oeuvres reception will be available until 5 p.m. Wednesday, January 23, and must be purchased in advance. The cost is $25 per person. Drop off or mail payment to: City of Sonoma, Attn: City Clerk, No. 1 The Plaza, Sonoma CA 95476.

For additional information, contact City Clerk   Rebekah Barr , 933-2216 or  Rita Gipson , 933-2218.

Photo from  www.cynthiatarr.com
SAVE-THE-DATE!
SONOMA VALLEY LOCALFest 2019, APRIL 17th
5pm-7pm, Ramekins
The Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce presents  LOCALFest 2019 , a new business showcase. New Sonoma Valley businesses provide samples, demonstrations and information to attendees. This event is open to the public with free admission.

If you started a business or nonprofit organization in Sonoma Valley in 2018 and would like to participate, please e mail  Carmen  with the Chamber to register! There is no cost to participate.

For details, visit SonomaChamber.org or contact us at (707) 996-1033 or [email protected] .
S.C.O.P.E (SONOMA CITIZENS ORGANIZED TO PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES) TRAINING
A key component of emergency response in any community is the extent to which its residents and businesses have themselves planned for what to do in the case of an emergency. The S.C.O.P.E program  provides guidelines and training for neighbors to work together to prepare for disasters.

Sonoma Valley Fire & Rescue Authority (SVFRA) is holding numerous S.C.O.P.E presentations & Hands Only CPR training. The S.C.O.P.E. program includes emergency response, community preparedness, utility safety, and fire prevention. The Hands Only CPR training will teach you what to do until help arrives & also includes Automated External Defibrillator (AED) familiarization.

S.C.O.P.E. Training Dates
  • Saturday, March 2nd from 9-12 pm – Station 1
  • Friday, March 8th from 6-9 pm – Station 5
  • Sunday, April 7th from 9-12 pm – Station 1
  • Saturday, April 13th from 9-12 pm – Station 5
  • Saturday, May 18th from 9-12 pm – Station 1
  • Sunday, May 26th from 9-12 pm – Station 5

Hands Only CPR Training Dates
  • Sunday, March 3rd from 2-4 pm – Station 1
  • Saturday, March 9th from 2-4 pm – Station 5
  • Monday, April 8th from 6-8 pm – Station 1
  • Sunday, April 14th from 2-4 pm – Station 5
  • Sunday, May 19th from 2-4 pm – Station 1
  • Saturday, May 25th from 2-4 pm – Station 5

Sonoma Valley Fire’s Station 1 is located at 630 2nd Street West in Sonoma
Sonoma Valley Fire’s Station 5 is located at 13445 Arnold Drive in Glen Ellen

For more information please visit SVFRA's website or call us at 707-996-2102.
THE "SONOMA SHUTTLE" IS NOW FREE
Sonoma Valley Bus Route 32 is now free to ride
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and the City of Sonoma have approved funding to subsidize fares for all riders on  Route 32 , the “Sonoma Shuttle,” through June 30, 2020. The City is contributing 30% of the funding and the County is contributing the remaining 70% for the program. 

When riding the local route serving the communities of Agua Caliente, Boyes Hot Springs, Temelec and the city of Sonoma, passengers will no longer need to worry about having the correct change, having a transit pass or paying a fare at all! The “Fare-Free” program is designed to make using local transit services easier and to encourage hop-on, hop-off, travel without the need to pay a fare.

In addition, Sonoma County Transit adjusted the Route 32 schedule, in part, to accommodate Sonoma Valley High School students who wish to use the free service to commute to school. The first bus of the day now departs from Agua Caliente Rd./Highway 12 at 7:30 AM and arrives at the Sonoma Plaza at 7:55 AM, 25 minutes before first period at Sonoma Valley High School begins at 8:20 AM.

Download  or  view  the schedule for Route 32 and start riding “Fare-Free” today!
WINTER STORM PREPAREDNESS
With the winter storm season underway, we strongly encourage you to take time to prepare for upcoming storms.

If your property has a history of flooding, please don’t wait for a storm to prepare sandbags. Sandbags can be prepared and kept on hand throughout the winter. Free sandbags are now available to City residents at City Hall during normal business hours, limit 10 bags per resident while supplies last. Additional bags are available for purchase at Friedman’s Home Improvement Center (1360 Broadway).

Free sand is also available to City residents in the parking lot at  Depot Park  (270 1st ST W). The sandbag filling station at Depot Park is self-serve; please bring your own shovel.   Read our Sandbag Instructions  to learn how to properly fill, stack, and construct sandbags.

Visit our  Emergency Preparedness  page for more information including an  Emergency Supplies Checklist  and visit  Ready.gov/floods  to learn more about how you can protect yourself, your family, and your community in the event of flooding. To stay up to date on emergency notifications, make sure to sign up for  SoCo Alerts   and  Nixle .
ACCESSORY DWELLING UNIT SURVEY
The County of Sonoma and partnering cities want your input on potential barriers and incentives for building accessory dwelling units (ADUs), with the ultimate goal of providing more housing for residents in Sonoma County.

Learn more about  Accessory Dwelling Units  in the city of Sonoma and take Sonoma County's survey  here .
TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX INCREASE EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2019
In November 2018 mid-term election, voters approved  Measure S , the Transient Occupancy Tax increase with 79.9% "yes" votes.  Measure S  increased the TOT rate from the existing 10% to 12% effective January 1, 2019 and authorizes the City Council to further increase the rate to 13% within the next five years (by January 1, 2024).

Learn more TOT, the Tourism Improvement District Assessment and see frequently asked questions regarding the tax increase on our Transient Occupancy Tax page .
THE CITY OF SONOMA IS NOW ON NEXTDOOR
The City of Sonoma joined Nextdoor in October 2018 to share information and updates that have direct impact on your neighborhood. Nextdoor is a private social network that provides a platform where neighbors create private online communities.

All Nextdoor members located in city limits automatically receive messages from the city of Sonoma. We are only able to see private messages sent directly to us; your Nextdoor neighborhood conversation remains private to you and your neighbors.

Joining Nextdoor is part of the City's continuing efforts, along with an expanded social media presence and a regularly updated  website , to improve communications with our community. We look forward to connecting with you on Nextdoor!
SONOMA COMMUNITY CENTER NOW RECRUITING EMERGENCY VOLUNTEERS
Submit an application online today!
Since 2013, the  Sonoma Community Center  (Center) has been designated as the Emergency Volunteer Center (EVC) as part of the City of  Sonoma’s Emergency Plan . With the support from the City of Sonoma and Pacific Gas & Electric Company, the Center kicked off an initiative in October 2018 to build a cadre of community volunteers who have been registered and screened for activation during the next community emergency.

Register to be an emergency volunteer today!  Once enrolled as an Emergency Volunteer in the database, volunteers will receive periodic communications to validate the volunteer’s status, continued interest in being an emergency volunteer and update the inventory of skills or equipment available.

Volunteers will receive invitations to attend specialized emergency training to be provided by public safety, Red Cross and the utility companies.

More information is available online at  sonomacommunitycenter.org , by calling (707) 938-4626 x1, or by visiting the  Center’s main office  Monday through Friday from 10:00AM – 4:00PM at 276 East Napa Street, in Sonoma.
PROJECT INFORMATION & UPDATES
Find quick links to information and status updates  for key initiatives, individual development and infrastructure projects in the city of Sonoma.
KEY INITIATIVES
In accordance with the goals and priorities established by the City Council, several major policy decisions and other key initiatives are part of the current workplan. Select a topic to learn more and see the latest updates on each Key Initiative.

ADDITIONAL KEY INITIATIVES "COMING SOON"
  • Broadway Streetscape
  • Cemetery Program
  • Downtown Parking
  • Plaza & Depot Parks Enhancement & Connectivity
DEVELOPMENT & PLANNING PROJECTS
Learn more and see the current status of planning projects
Click on the links below for information and status updates for individual projects.  Visit our CivicWeb portal for  agendas and meeting reports  for past and upcoming meetings of the Planning Commission, Design Review and Historic Preservation Commission, or the City Council.
IN THE WORKS
See current and upcoming infrastructure projects
Click on the links for information and status updates for individual projects. Infrastructure projects are typically part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) ; a planning and budgeting document for improvements to the City's infrastructure. The CIP includes projects to improve the City's streets, sidewalks, bikeways, and storm drainage; water distribution system, wells and pumps; parks and open space; cemeteries; and City buildings. Please see the current fiscal year  CIP  for more information, which is included in the  2018-2019 Budget documents .
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!