At this week’s Windsor Town Council meeting, council members will hear the result of a highly-anticipated racial polarization study, formally extend the parklet program through two actions and authorize Mayor Sam Salmon or another designee to vote at an upcoming meeting of the Sonoma County Mayors’ and Councilmembers’ Association (SCMCA). The council meeting is being held on Nov. 17 at 6 p.m., and the full meeting agenda can be found here.
Racial polarization study results:
Perhaps the most consequential item on the agenda, a report on a recently completed racial polarization study seems to suggest Windsor will have to keep it’s by-district election system, or else risk violation of the California Voting Rights Act. More information about this item can be found here.
Extension of outdoor dining program:
The council is expected to extend the Town of Windsor’s parklet program until Dec. 31, 2022, which has allowed Windsor restaurants to provide additional outdoor seating on public streets during the pandemic.
Windsor instituted its Temporary Outdoor Commerce Permit program in June 2020 in response to ongoing COVID-19-related lockdowns, with the expiration date set to expire on Dec. 1 of this year. With restaurants an essential part of Windsor’s economy, and some customers still more comfortable dining outside given the uncertain state of the pandemic with the rise in Delta variant cases, the council discussed adopting an extension at its Oct. 6 meeting.
The extension will include some caveats, however. Expanded guidelines included in an attachment on the agenda packet include design and use requirements, along with Americans with Disability Act (ADA) accessibility requirements. Businesses which wish to continue operating parklets after Jan. 1, 2022 will have to submit an application by the end of the year. The deadline for modifications in compliance with the new permit must be completed by Feb. 1.
“Like Windsor, jurisdictions throughout the state and county are working to better understand how and if parklets should continue to be a part of their community. As the delta variant continues to create a high rate of transmission, it is clear that creating opportunities for outdoor dining will continue to have a public health benefit and reduce community transmission. Even as case rates drops, a significant segment of the public remains hesitant to eat indoors in a public setting. Due to these factors, the majority of cities in Sonoma County have extended their parklet programs until at least spring 2022,” the agenda packet reads.
This item is coupled with a separate item allowing for the temporary consumption of alcoholic beverages in the downtown area.
Sonoma County Mayors’ and Councilmembers Association (SCMCA) appointments:
The council will deliberate on whether to authorize Mayor Sam Salmon or another designee to vote in favor of re-appointing members of a certain subcommittee, as part of a Sonoma County Mayors ‘and Councilmembers’ Association (SCMCA). The designee will then participate in a vote at a special SCMCA meeting Nov. 18.
According to the staff report, the SCMCA “is a collaboration of all Sonoma County cities with a goal of creating a united front to represent the strongest voice possible in support of city interests.”
The subcommittee in question pertains to a 2019 initiative to make changes to the SCMCA as “it had become clear that the speed, volume and types of issues confronting Sonoma County cities required better coordination to address issues of common interest.”
Three of the four representatives on the subcommittee, each from cities other than Windsor, will require new appointments to continue working on implementing changes to the SCMCA. A replacement for Teressa Barrett (City of Petaluma), will also need to be selected.
