Healdsburg leaders discuss gun safety ordinance, approve cannabis tax rates

In the wake of recent mass shootings in other parts of California and the rest of the country, Healdsburg leaders are considering a possible gun safety ordinance that many members of the public appear to favor.

The measure, which was discussed during Monday’s City Council meeting, would require gun owners to “store firearms in a locked container or place a locking device on the firearm while it is stored,” and may also require timely reporting of missing or stolen firearms to the police, according to a city staff report.

Council member Chris Herrod requested council consider the matter because of local concerns about gun safety.

City Council member Ron Edwards asked that the purpose of any proposed ordinance about this particular topic be twofold: to ensure responsible gun ownership, as well as education of the public about the responsible use of a gun.

”I want to see something that’s ongoing that really can change behavior, really can provide some education on an annual ongoing basis,” he said.

Healdsburg police Chief Matt Jenkins and the rest of council agreed.

City Council also talked about low-cost gun safety methods, such as gun storage with the Healdsburg Police Department, reporting time frames for lost or stolen guns and including information on a gun ordinance in a possible city welcome packet.

Healdsburg resident Kelly Dorrance, whose niece, 9-year-old Evelyn Dieckhaus, was shot and killed in March by a former student at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee urged council to take a stance if only to effect some kind of change for the better.

The mother of two boys spoke about the impact the various shootings in recent months have had on her own children’s lives.

“In their own classrooms, (and) public spaces, their own community, is a huge struggle for them right now,” she said. “My son has dreamed up ways that a gun can contain a computer chip so that it will shut down if it gets near his school. It’s not something my little boy should be worried about but here we are.”

Council asked staff to return to them with a proposed ordinance and recommendations to be consider during a future meeting.

In other business, Assistant City Manager Andrew Sturmfels gave an update on the city’s Climate Mobilization Strategy Development that will support the state and regional greenhouse gas reduction goals.

The plan is “not a single strategy, but lots of measures and actions that the city or community will take moving forward to make meaningful reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,” that are “community driven, equitable and feasible,” Sturmfels said.

Current state targets are set for 40% greenhouse gas emission reductions below 1990 levels by 2030 with net neutrality — or net zero greenhouse gas emissions — by 2045. The regional goal is to reach carbon neutrality — the balance between emitting and absorbing atmospheric carbon — by 2030, Sturmfels said.

Thus far, the city and Rincon Consultants, which was contracted to support the strategy’s development, have held various staff and community meetings, reviewed policies and conducted forecast analyses. The most recent community event was Healdsburg’s Climate Fest on Earth Day.

The greatest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Healdsburg, based on 2018 levels, are 55% from vehicles, 20% from natural gas and 14% from electricity use, said Terra Sampson, utility conservation analyst with the city.

Sturmfels urged residents to offer feedback about how to reduce local emissions. He asked that they participate in a survey about this issue that will be available through May 21, ahead of a plan that will be drafted later this year.

“We’re at this inflection point where there’s been a lot of early homework done and very quickly, we’re going to move to actually developing draft measures and actions,” he said.

Also on Monday, City Council approved new cannabis business tax rates in a 4-0 vote. Vice Mayor David Hagele was absent.

The newly adopted tax rates will be 4% for retail sales, 2% for manufacturing, 2% for laboratory testing and 0% for distribution. There will be a tax exemption for medical sales, which Edwards, Herrod and Council member Evelyn Mitchell favored.

In other discussion, Healdsburg’s evacuation map has been updated, according to Kelsey Carreiro, the city’s emergency manager.

Evacuation zones have been consolidated down to 13 zones with an interactive map now available on the city’s website, which residents can use by looking up their addresses.

The next City Council meeting will be held May 15 at 6 p.m. at 401 Grove St.

You can reach Staff Writer Jennifer Sawhney at 707-521-5346 or jennifer.sawhney@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @sawhney_media.