Lower Russian River Municipal Advisory Council
Minutes
Regular Meeting
November 13, 2025 05:30 PM
West County Services Center, 16390 Main Street, Suite B Guerneville
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/lrrmac

1. Call to Order
   The meeting was called to order at 5:30 pm by Chair & Rio Nido Representative: Pip Marquez de la Plata.
   
   
   1. Roll Call
      

      Present: Chair & Rio Nido Representative: Pip Marquez de la Plata, Vice Chair & Hacienda Representative: Vicki Clewes, Cazadero / Duncan Mills Representative: Tony Goodwin, Guerneville Representative: Joe Rogoff, Guerneville Representative: Spencer R. Scott, Guerneville South / Pocket Canyon Representative: Betsy Van Dyke, Monte Rio / Villa Grande Representative: Patty Thayer, Forestville Representative: Thai Hilton, Non-Voting Student Representative: Faye Zamora

      Absent: Forestville Representative: Lonnie Lazar

      
      
2. Approval of the Agenda Guerneville South / Pocket Canyon Representative: Betsy Van Dyke motioned to approve. Guerneville Representative: Joe Rogoff seconded the motion.
   
   The motion passed with the following vote:
     8   In Favor      0   Opposed
        Abstained         Absent         Recused
   
   
3. Statement of Conflict of Interest

   There were no statements of conflict of interest.

4. Consent Agenda

   1. Approval of October 9, 2025 Minutes

   Tony Goodwin abstained from voting to approve the minutes because he did not attend the October meeting.

   Monte Rio / Villa Grande Representative: Patty Thayer motioned to approve. Guerneville Representative: Spencer R. Scott seconded the motion.
   
   The motion passed with the following vote:
     7   In Favor      0   Opposed
     1   Abstained         Absent         Recused
   
   
5. Councilmember Comment
   • Vicki Clewes announced Food For Thought’s Dining Out for Life event on December 4 and shared that she will serve as the ambassador at Baked on the River that day.
   
   
   • Pip Marquez de la Plata announced Forgotten Felines’ pet food drive, coordinated with Redwood Empire Food Bank and FISH. Pip also noted an upcoming nail-clipping fundraiser at the Rio Nido station, with sign-ups available through Friends of Rio Nido.
   
   
   • Vicki Clewes additionally announced the Forestville Holiday Fair on December 6 along Main Street.

   
   

   • Tony Goodwin conveyed thanks from the fire district for a grant from Supervisor Hopkins’ office that will fund needed equipment.

   • Joe Rogoff reported on the crosswalk committee. He shared that the committee received more than forty community suggestions, with two themes emerging most strongly: a rainbow concept and a nature-focused concept. A call for artists will be issued for design proposals.

6. Public Comments

   Terry Gwiazdowski, Cazadero Alternate attending as a member of the public, invited the community to the Forestville Library Open House occurring the next day at 3 p.m., noting that new furnishings and snacks were provided by the Friends of the Library. Terry also announced the Young Writers Awards Ceremony at the Guerneville Library on Saturday at 1 p.m., an essay contest for 6th through 8th grade students in West County.Terry also shared dates for the December 6–7 winter wreath, book, and bake sale at the Guerneville Library, including a $10 bag sale on Sunday.

7. County Update

   1. Measure H Update - report attached

      iIt was noted that CAL FIRE crews have recently conducted significant vegetation management work in areas such as Canyon and Summer Home Park, and Cazadero with visible progress and a real difference in fire safety conditions which is appreciated by residents.
      • Tony Goodwin shared that in Cazadero, thanks to Measure H, there is now:
      – improved firehouse staffing,
      – an agreement enabling CAL FIRE personnel to stay year-round, and
      – prioritization of local response capacity.
      
      

   2. Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) Update - report attached

      The EIFD update noted that a written status report was provided and that the next step is for the County Administrator’s Office to issue a call for applicants to serve on the Public Financing Authority. The authority will include three members of the Board of Supervisors and two community representatives, which was briefly acknowledged as an unusual structure because it creates a Board quorum. No additional discussion followed. 

8. Guerneville Plaza & Russian River Community Park Project Updates
   Community Planner Noe Noyola and the Sonoma County Public Infrastructure team described the early visioning phase for the Guerneville Plaza focused on improving sightlines, addressing social-behavior challenges, reconsidering the location of the transit stop, updating furnishings, and clarifying pedestrian space. They shared initial outreach findings and invited feedback on identity features, public art, shade structures, seating options, and how the plaza can function better for events.
   
   
   Brian Grant of Praxis Architects provided an overview of the Russian River Community Park project, located behind the Park & Ride lot in Guerneville. He explained that the team is in the early scoping phase and has begun evaluating the site’s basic conditions and constraints. This initial review is helping identify the level of cleanup and preparation the area will require before design work can advance. Grant noted that these foundational assessments will inform the next steps as the team begins shaping early concepts for access, circulation, and overall site layout.

9. Airport Noise
   Che Casul explained that the FAA made significant unannounced changes to STS departure routes about two years ago, including lower-altitude early turns and a narrowed departure corridor. These changes shifted noise onto communities such as Forestville, Occidental, and Cazadero. He noted a 4,000 percent increase in noise complaints and described the County’s request that the FAA adopt the consultant’s recommended mitigation: a higher-elevation 3 percent continuous descent that keeps aircraft within the Highway 101 corridor. Casul asked the MAC to authorize a letter supporting this recommendation.
   
   
   • A councilmember asked whether increased air traffic was responsible for the noise. Casul clarified that flight volume is largely fixed by the general plan and does not fluctuate unless routes are altered or closed.
   
   
   • Another comment mentioned a rise in helicopter noise. Casul responded that the County is aware of the increase and that constituents are contacting the office more frequently about it.
   
   • Another commenter shared that she has lived in West County for 25 years and that the quiet she moved for has been “eroded” in recent years. She thanked Che and Supervisor Hopkins’ office for their prior letters on this issue and urged the MAC to add its voice. She asked whether residents should file a complaint for every individual noisy flight, noting that people seem unsure whether multiple submissions are necessary. Che followed up recommending that people keep submitting each complaintif they have the capacity to do so, because the cumulative numbers are what demonstrate the severity of the problem. He added that writing to the FAA and congressional representatives is also helpful.
   Guerneville Representative: Joe Rogoff motioned to approve. Monte Rio / Villa Grande Representative: Patty Thayer seconded the motion.
   
   The motion passed with the following vote:
     8   In Favor      0   Opposed
        Abstained         Absent         Recused
   
   
10. Adjournment

    The meeting was adjourned by the Chair at 7:12 PM.