Chamber Building, 1st Floor  
Large Conference Room  
637 1st Street  
City of Santa Rosa  
Santa Rosa, CA  
Climate Action Subcommittee  
Meeting Minutes - Final  
Wednesday, October 4, 2023  
4:00 PM  
1. CALL TO ORDER AND ROLL CALL  
Chair Rogers called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.  
3 -  
Present:  
Chair Chris Rogers, Mayor Natalie Rogers, and Council Member  
Victoria Fleming  
2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES  
2.1  
August 02, 2023 - Regular Meeting Minutes - DRAFT  
The August 2, 2023 minutes were approved as submitted.  
3. PUBLIC COMMENTS  
Public Commenter spoke on adding acreage to parks and having  
more land for public use.  
4. DEPARTMENT REPORTS  
None.  
5. NEW BUSINESS  
5.1  
UPDATE ON ARTIFICIAL TURF BAN INVESTIGATION  
The Santa Rosa City Council’s Fiscal Year 2023-24 work plan includes  
the investigation of the feasibility of banning artificial turf installations.  
Staff will provide background on the issue and information about  
benefits and impacts for review and direction by the subcommittee.  
Jennifer Burke, Director - Santa Rosa Water, presented.  
Staff answered questions and received feedback from  
Subcommittee Members.  
Mark Marcarian shared that he believes grass is better, but is more  
expensive for upkeep and with artificial turf people can play sports  
year round and there is less rest or recovery time needed.  
John Quinn shared that artificial turf can provide more use time than  
grass. Shared that Europe is recycling artificial turf and that  
recyclable alternates are now being used as infill material.  
Megan Kaun shared that pesticides are needed for artificial turf and  
that it can become hot which affects living organisms. Also, if  
artificial turf is not replaced on time, it breaks down to microplastics  
that can spread and be breathed in.  
5.2  
DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY’S COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRATED  
PEST MANAGEMENT POLICY  
Staff will provide an update regarding the development of the City’s  
comprehensive Integrated Pest Management Policy. Staff will provide  
background on the issue and other information for review and direction  
by the subcommittee.  
Sean McNeil, Deputy Director - Environmental Services presented.  
Staff answered questions and received feedback from  
Subcommittee Members.  
Megan Kaun spoke about using synthetic free pesticides and  
herbicides for routine maintenance, as well as using animal grazing  
when able.  
Bob Chipola asked questions regarding jurisdiction for county  
pockets and private land like schools and the Junior College.  
6. FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS  
6.1  
PRESENTATION - FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS  
Tasha Wright, Sustainability Coordinator, presented.  
Items suggested for future topics included: recycling at City parks  
and the City's development of the green house gas emission  
reduction strategy.  
7. ADJOURNMENT  
Chair Rogers adjourned the meeting at 5:58 p.m. The next regularly  
scheduled Climate Action Subcommittee is November 1, 2023.  
Approved on: November 01, 2023  
____/S/________________________  
Michelle Montoya  
Recording Secretary