PETALUMA, CA — Petaluma city council will decide whether to approve a $70 million bond package for critical wastewater projects, adopt the city's latest water management blueprint, and review findings from the Independent Police Auditor during Monday night's City Council meeting.
Among the most closely watched items is the council's review of the 2025 Independent Police Auditor annual report, which examined 141 police incidents, including uses of force, vehicle pursuits, and citizen complaints.
The report found no use-of-force incidents or pursuits that violated department policy, while issuing 24 recommendations aimed at strengthening supervision, training, documentation, and accountability. Auditors reported that Petaluma's hybrid police oversight model continues to improve transparency, accountability, and public trust.
Council members are also expected to consider the city's 2025 Urban Water Management Plan, a state-mandated blueprint that guides water supply reliability, conservation efforts, drought preparedness, and sustainability planning through 2050. The plan projects Petaluma's population will grow from roughly 61,400 residents today to more than 77,000 by 2050, while concluding the city has sufficient water supplies to meet demand even during prolonged drought conditions.
A major financial decision awaits council members as they consider authorizing approximately $70 million in wastewater revenue bonds to finance two long-planned infrastructure projects: the Parallel Force Main Project and the Hopper Street Pump Station Replacement Project.
City officials say the projects are essential to maintaining the reliability of Petaluma's wastewater system.
Nearly all sewage generated within city limits travels through a single 53-year-old, 2.5-mile pipeline that carries as much as 36 million gallons per day during heavy storms. The proposed Parallel Force Main Project would construct a second pipeline to prevent catastrophic service disruptions if the aging line fails.
The force main project carries an estimated cost of $58.3 million and is expected to begin construction later this year, with completion targeted for March 2028. The pump station replacement project, estimated at $31.6 million, would replace the aging Hopper Street facility and is expected to be completed in late 2028.
City officials said Petaluma has spent more than two decades funding wastewater capital projects primarily with cash reserves, investing nearly $84 million over the past 10 years without taking on new debt for construction. Staff now said the scale of the two projects requires borrowing.
Despite the proposed bond issuance, city officials say no sewer rate increase is currently anticipated beyond normal inflationary adjustments. Staff said in a reportthat the city can absorb the new debt as existing 2019 wastewater bonds are paid off in 2029, freeing up approximately $7.75 million annually in debt-service obligations.
The proposed bonds would carry a 24-year term and currently hold an AA+ credit rating from Standard & Poor's, placing them among the highest-rated municipal debt offerings.
Council members will also make appointments to several city commissions and committees before concluding the meeting.
The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall, following a closed session scheduled for 5 p.m.
Info: City Hall Council Chamber, 11 English St. and online.
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