City Hall, Council Chamber  
100 Santa Rosa Avenue  
Santa Rosa, CA 95404  
City of Santa Rosa  
Economic Development Subcommittee  
Regular Meeting Minutes - Final  
Monday, December 8, 2025  
9:00 AM  
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL  
Chair Okrepkie called the meeting to order at 9:01 AM.  
Rollcall  
3 -  
Present:  
Chair Jeff Okrepkie, Committee Member Eddie Alvarez, and  
Council Member Victoria Fleming  
2. REMOTE PARTICIPATION UNDER AB 2449 (IF NEEDED)  
None.  
3. MODIFICATIONS TO AGENDA  
None.  
4. ANNOUNCEMENTS  
None.  
5. APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
5.1  
Draft Minutes - October 13, 2025.  
Approved as submitted.  
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.  
6. PUBLIC COMMENTS  
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.  
7. MATTERS HELD IN COMMITTEE  
None.  
8. PRESENTATIONS  
8.1  
PRESENTATION - ECONOMIC INSIGHTS WITH DR. ROBERT  
EYLER, SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY  
Receive a report out and presentation on the current state of the  
economy from Dr. Robert Eyler, Sonoma State University.  
Recommended Action: Information and Discussion.  
Chief Economic Development Officer Scott Adair introduced Dr.  
Robert Eyler.  
Dr. Eyler presented.  
Dr. Eyler responded to Committee Member inquiries.  
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.  
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.  
9. PARTNER REPORTS  
None.  
10. ACTION ITEMS  
10.1  
MOTION - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY REPORT  
Receive a copy of the draft economic development quarterly report.  
Recommended Action: The City of Santa Rosa Economic Development  
Division recommends that the Economic Development Subcommittee  
approve the draft economic development quarterly report for  
publication.  
Program Analyst Rachel Beer presented.  
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.  
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.  
Committee Members approved the Quarterly Report for publication.  
11. DEPARTMENT REPORTS  
11.1  
REPORT - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IMPLEMENTATION PLAN  
Receive a staff report on Economic Development Implementation Plan  
progress from the Economic Development Division.  
Recommended Action: Discussion.  
Staff Beer presented.  
Planning and Economic Development Director Gave Osburn  
responded to Committee Member inquiries.  
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.  
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.  
REPORT - PLANNING AND LAND USE PROJECTS  
11.2  
Receive a staff report from the Economic Development Division on  
Coordination with the Planning Division on Planning & Land Use  
Projects, including Entertainment Zones and Conditional Use Permit  
(CUP) changes.  
Recommended Action: Discussion.  
Deputy Director of Planning Jessica Jones, Staff Adair, and Staff  
Osburn presented.  
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.  
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.  
REPORT - DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION STRATEGIES  
11.3  
Receive a report from the Economic Development Division regarding  
current downtown initiatives and activation strategies including:  
· Ross Street Pilot  
· New Commercial Renter Program  
· Asawa art and ongoing fountain/stage conversation.  
· Park impact fees and scope development for improvements in  
Courthouse Square, 4th Street, Je-Ju Way, Comstock Mall,  
Julliard Park.  
Recommended Action: Discussion.  
Staff Adair presented.  
Staff responded to Committee Member inquiries.  
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.  
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.  
12. OTHER UPDATES  
12.1  
REPORT - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT UPDATES  
Receive a report from the Economic Development Division regarding:  
USL  
· Creative Corridor  
· Parking fees and impacts to businesses  
· Art & Culture initiatives  
· Events  
· Downtown play panels  
· Business Concierge Program.  
Recommended Action: Information Only.  
Staff Adair and Arts and Culture Coordinator Meredith Knudsen  
presented.  
Staff responded to Committee Member inquiries.  
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.  
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.  
13. COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS  
13.1  
DISCUSSION - COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS  
Review and discuss assignments accepted by, or given to, individual  
Subcommittee members-whether made by the Chair, initiated by the  
Subcommittee, or requested by staff-for the purpose of performing  
activities, research, outreach, or other actions outside of regular  
meetings that support the work program and priorities of the  
Subcommittee.  
Discussion.  
Recommended Action: Discussion.  
Staff Adair discussed the possibility of Committee Assignments for  
members of the Economic Development Subcommittee.  
Chair Okrepkie opened and closed public comment.  
Committee Members provides comments and feedback.  
14. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS  
Staff adair reported on potential agenda items for a future agendas.  
Committee Members provided comments and feedback.  
15. ADJOURNMENT  
Chair Okrepkie adjourned the meeting at 10:29 am.  
Approved on: February 9, 2026  
/s Jack Reynolds,  
Recording Secretary