What's on the Agenda for Tonight's City Council Meeting?

Though this week's City Council meeting takes a decidedly less heated tone than the last meeting's , there are still several major issues on tonight's agenda.

The Council will discuss a resolution which would issue up to $16 million of Tax Allocation Bonds, as a way of keeping redevelopment money in the face of future cuts made by . Though the state plan would capture a portion of redevelopment money, eventually terminating redevelopment agencies, the Governor has promised not to take "obligated" funds, that are already processed into bonds.

In the last City Council meeting, the council discussed underwriting bonds in order to keep current funds from being taken by the state. According to city documents, the bonds would have to be processed 60 days before the state budget passes.

Also on the agenda, the council will weigh the merits of continuing the process of developing an affordable housing project at 19344 Sonoma Highway.

The affordable housing project would be designed for residents in the low or very-low income brackets, and would contain a number of "green" features, including a grey water system and solar energy generating photovoltaics installations. 

Currently, the Berkeley based Affordable Housing Associates has an exclusive contract with the city of Sonoma, and has developed a proposal for the housing project which was approved by both the City Council and the Design Review Commission. Now, the CDA Board (the City of Sonoma) will discuss entering into a Development and Disposition Agreement with Affordable Housing Associates, which will assign funding for the project. City staff is recommending a total CDA contribution of $5,388,000, made up of a $2,850,000 loan, and $2,530,000 land contribution. 

Other items on the agenda:

• The council will discuss construction of a trail across city-owned property to connect with the Montini Preserve.
• The council will discuss sending a letter to the County Board of Supervisors urging them to restore the Watmaugh Bridge using historic preservation standards.
• The council will discuss giving financial support through a city-subsidized rental of the Sonoma Veteran's Memorial Building to the Sonoma International Film Festival.
• Proclamations recognizing the Christmas Bird Count for Kids and Sonoma Valley High School's "Road to Reality" event.  

As always, check back in at 6 p.m. for up-to-the-minute updates as the meeting progresses.