Municipal Code Amendments – Art Requirement
Summary
SCH Number
2026100340
Public Agency
City of Sonoma
Document Title
Municipal Code Amendments – Art Requirement
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/12/2026
Document Description
Ordinance repealing and replacing SMC Chapter 19.51 Public Art Program and adding Chapter 3.45 Public Art Fund to the Sonoma Municipal Code requires public works projects and new construction, remodeling, repair or reconstruction of commercial and/or multi-family (five units or more) development projects with a building permit valuation of more than $250,000 install art equal to one percent of the project’s total valuation, or pay an in-lieu fee equal to that amount. It also establishes a Public Art Fund, the annual City allocation of one quarter of one percent of the City's general fund expenditure budget, capped at $25,000 per year, unless waived by the Council.
Contact Information
Name
Jennifer Gates
Agency Name
City of Sonoma
Job Title
Community Development Director
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Address
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Sonoma
Counties
Sonoma
Regions
Citywide, Northern California
Other Location Info
Citywide
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Other
Type, Section or Code
Section 15061(b)(3)
Reasons for Exemption
City has determined that the adoption and implementation of the ordinance is exempt from further environmental review under the general rule in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3) that CEQA only applies to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. As the project is modifying the requirement for public art, allowing an in-lieu fee to be paid and reestablishing a public art fund without any physical project being approved, it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the ordinance will have a significant effect on the environment. Furthermore, this ordinance will not cause a direct or indirect physical change to the environment and is therefore not a project under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378.
County Clerk
Sonoma
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
Disclaimer: The Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) accepts no responsibility for the content or accessibility of these documents. To obtain an attachment in a different format, please contact the lead agency at the contact information listed above. For more information, please visit LCI’s Accessibility Site.