Mobile home conversion ordinance delayed

Sonoma’s pending law regulating resident ownership of its mobile home parks is still slated for adoption, but delayed, following a request last week by Sonoma City Councilmember Steve Barbose.
Barbose, who had been absent from the council’s June 18 session where the ordinance underwent its first reading, asked that he see the session’s minutes before taking the final step.
“At the last meeting,” he said, “there was quite a discussion, pro and con, and we have since received a number of letters, again pro and con. I would like an opportunity to go over carefully what was in the minutes of the last meeting before moving forward on this item … so we can take a reasoned decision and approach to this. I don’t think there’s a great rush.”
Joe Guthrie, a resident of Rancho de Sonoma, asked if the letters were available to the public. City Manager Linda Kelly said she would ask the city clerk to make them available.
Rancho de Sonoma owner Preston Cook said he was attending just to reiterate the objections of his attorney, Sue Loftin. “I will not be here next meeting,” he said, so I want to make sure it’s noted.” He asked that her comments be added to the record, and Mayor Joanne Sanders said they would be.
City Attorney Tom Curry assured Cook that all the materials that Loftin has submitted over the years are part of the entire record. “I don’t have any problem with that,” Curry said. “We have a list of all the communication. I don’t think there’s any sacrifice of your legal position. It’s been very adequately stated.”
Cook said he would not be present at the next meeting, but expressed his view of the ordinance. “Just to make the record clear,” he said, “I object to the ordinance as drafted and as adopted.”
The vote on the ordinance will return on July 16.