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Council appoints members to new Design Review & Preservation Board, renames Cultural Heritage board seat
Summary
The Santa Rosa City Council appointed seven members to the newly consolidated Design Review & Preservation Board and approved renaming the existing Cultural Heritage board to the Board of Parks and Recreation for consistency with city department titles.
At its April 15 meeting the Santa Rosa City Council appointed seven members to the newly created Design Review & Preservation Board, the hybrid body that consolidates historic-preservation and design-review functions.
Council voted on staggered terms to ensure continuity. The council’s appointments (motions adopted by roll call) included practicing professionals and residents with local building-history experience. The new board additions include licensed architects, a landscape professional, and several at‑large community members with experience in design or historic preservation. Council also approved renaming the separate Community Services board language to “Board of Parks and Recreation” to align board naming with the Recreation & Parks Department title.
Appointments approved by council (vote recorded 5–0): - Licensed architect seat (term ending 2028): Robert Weigel - Licensed architect seat (term ending 2027): Mike Schwartz - Architectural historian/historian seat (term ending 2027): Ingrid Anderson (council asked staff to confirm application documentation for this specialty) - Licensed landscape professional (term ending 2027): Adam Sharon - At‑large members (terms ending 2028 / 2027): Melanie Jones Carter, Cher Ennis, and Drew (surname in record: Weigel/Drew — appointed as at‑large)
Councilmembers said they sought a geographic and professional mix and staggered terms to protect institutional knowledge while adding new perspectives. Staff noted the appointments followed an open application and interview process.
What the council adopted: a set of appointments to the new board and a name change to an existing board to reflect department naming conventions. These actions set the new board composition and permit the new board to begin scheduling meetings and taking up design-review and preservation matters under consolidated rules.
Next steps: staff will confirm credential documentation (particularly for the historian/architectural‑historian seat), finalize term start dates, and schedule the inaugural board meeting.
Quotes: “I would love to see a diversity of districts represented and mix of experience,” Councilmember Rogers said while discussing slate balance.
Ending: The new board appointments and board-name change passed on roll-call votes. Staff will return with documentation and the board will begin its public schedule in coming weeks.
