Council to close Oak Circle pathway for safety; public urges tobacco retail licensing

City staff told the council on April 28 that the Oak Circle pedestrian path — a concrete connection between Oak Circle and Lawrence Jones Middle School — has become a vehicle drop‑off point creating safety and access problems for neighbors and emergency vehicles. Public Works Director Mark Henderson and Public Safety Chief Matos said the city previously adopted a resolution in 2024 approving the closure; staff have completed related infrastructure work (Snyder/Keizer intersection widening and a sidewalk connection) and are installing a traffic signal. Henderson said the plan is to remove the concrete path during the summer, install temporary fencing and coordinate communications with the school district and neighborhood. Chief Matos said parked cars on both sides of the street can make it very difficult for a fire engine or ambulance to access residences, and he prioritized safety over convenience.

Council members asked about enforcement and how to prevent parents from continuing to use the neighborhood for pick‑up; Matos and Henderson said options include frequent monitoring, signage and temporary fencing, and said the school district is already providing personnel to monitor children. Henderson acknowledged the mitigation will make the walk a bit longer for some students, but said the added sidewalk and turn pocket at Snyder should provide a safer alternative. Staff estimated the traffic signal activation would take "2 to 3 weeks."

During public comment several health‑care and community advocates urged the council to adopt a tobacco retail licensing ordinance that would restrict flavored electronic smoking devices and oral nicotine pouches and require licensing of retailers. Speakers — including Ricardo Adam (parent and Alliados Health civic engagement project manager), Leah Turner (nurse and student), Maria Lopez (Child Care Parent Institute), Pamela Granger (chair of Tobacco Free Sonoma County Community Coalition) and others — described oral nicotine pouches as discreet, highly concentrated in nicotine, and attractive to youth, and they urged Rohnert Park to join nearby cities in ending flavored product sales. Chief Matos and city staff said they have been meeting with the advocacy group and retailers, that a draft ordinance is near completion, and that staff plan outreach meetings with retailers before bringing sample ordinances to council in June or July; staff also said there may be grant funding to support enforcement and that county enforcement resources have been used in prior cases.

The council thanked staff and public commenters and asked staff to continue coordination with the school district and to return with ordinance options and enforcement details.