Petaluma Municipal Code Ch. 5.02 District Elections

The city council hereby declares that the purpose of this chapter is to change the method of electing members of

the city council other than the mayor from an at-large method to a by-district method as deEned in the California

Voting Rights Act of 2001, Election Code Section 14025 et seq., as amended from time to time or any successor

statute, and as permitted by Section 3 of Article IV of the City Charter and in furtherance of the purposes of the

California Voting Rights Act, which purposes include eliminating minority vote dilution and addressing ongoing

discrimination in voting. (Ord. 2803 NCS §4, 2022.)

Six city council election districts are hereby established in the city. The boundaries and identifying number of each

district shall be as described on the election district map as depicted in subsection A of this section. The election

district boundaries are further described in the metes and bounds also provided below in this section.

A. Election District Map.

B. Election District Metes and Bounds.

1. District 1. All of that portion of Sonoma County bounded and described as follows:

1. Beginning at the point of intersection of the Petaluma city line and Magnolia Ave, and proceeding

northerly along the Petaluma city line to the Penngrove/Petaluma census designated place/city line,

and proceeding northerly along the Penngrove/Petaluma census designated place/city line to the

Petaluma city line, and proceeding easterly along the Petaluma city line to Sonoma Mountain Pkwy,

and proceeding easterly along Sonoma Mountain Pkwy to Maria Dr, and proceeding southerly along

Maria Dr to S McDowell Blvd, and proceeding easterly along S McDowell Blvd to McGregor Ave, and

proceeding southerly along McGregor Ave to Stuart Dr, and proceeding southerly along Stuart Dr to

Kresky Way, and proceeding southerly along Kresky Way to Lindberg Ln, and proceeding southerly

along Lindberg Ln to nonvisible boundary, and proceeding southerly along nonvisible boundary to

Redwood Hwy, and proceeding southerly along Redwood Hwy to CaulEeld Ln, and proceeding

westerly along CaulEeld Ln to Payran St, and proceeding westerly along Payran St to W Payran St,

and proceeding westerly along W Payran St to Magnolia Ave, and proceeding westerly along

Magnolia Ave to the point of beginning. 2. Except for all of the region bounded by the Petaluma city

line. 3. Except for all of the region bounded by the Petaluma city line.

2. District 2. All of that portion of Sonoma County bounded and described as follows:

Beginning at the point of intersection of the Petaluma city line and Sonoma Mountain Pkwy, and

proceeding northerly along the Petaluma city line to E Washington Blvd, and proceeding southerly

along E Washington Blvd to E Washington St, and proceeding southerly along E Washington St to Ely

Blvd S, and proceeding easterly along Ely Blvd S to nonvisible boundary, and proceeding southerly

along nonvisible boundary to stream/river, and proceeding westerly along stream/river to Maria Dr,

and proceeding northerly along Maria Dr to Sonoma Mountain Pkwy, and proceeding westerly along

Sonoma Mountain Pkwy to the point of beginning.

3. District 3. All of that portion of Sonoma County bounded and described as follows:

Beginning at the point of intersection of Maria Dr and S McDowell Blvd, and proceeding northerly

along Maria Dr to stream/river, and proceeding easterly along stream/river to nonvisible boundary,

and proceeding northerly along nonvisible boundary to Ely Blvd S, and proceeding easterly along Ely

Blvd S to Weaverly Dr, and proceeding westerly along Weaverly Dr to Crinella Dr, and proceeding

easterly along Crinella Dr to Casa Grande Rd, and proceeding southerly along Casa Grande Rd to S

McDowell Blvd, and proceeding easterly along S McDowell Blvd to Lakeville Hwy, and proceeding

easterly along Lakeville Hwy to the Petaluma city line, and proceeding easterly along the Petaluma

city line to Redwood Hwy, and proceeding northerly along Redwood Hwy to nonvisible boundary,

and proceeding northerly along nonvisible boundary to Lindberg Ln, and proceeding northerly

along Lindberg Ln to Kresky Way, and proceeding northerly along Kresky Way to Stuart Dr, and

proceeding northerly along Stuart Dr to McGregor Ave, and proceeding northerly along McGregor

Ave to S McDowell Blvd, and proceeding westerly along S McDowell Blvd to the point of beginning.

4. District 4. All of that portion of Sonoma County bounded and described as follows:

1. Beginning at the point of intersection of E Washington St and Ely Blvd S, and proceeding northerly

along E Washington St to E Washington Blvd, and proceeding northerly along E Washington Blvd to

the Petaluma city line, and proceeding northerly along the Petaluma city line to Lakeville Hwy, and

proceeding westerly along Lakeville Hwy to S McDowell Blvd, and proceeding northerly along S

McDowell Blvd to Casa Grande Rd, and proceeding northerly along Casa Grande Rd to Crinella Dr,

and proceeding westerly along Crinella Dr to Weaverly Dr, and proceeding northerly along Weaverly

Dr to Ely Blvd S, and proceeding westerly along Ely Blvd S to the point of beginning. 2. As well as all

of the region bounded by the Petaluma city line. 3. As well as all of the region bounded by the

Petaluma city line. 4. As well as all of the region bounded by the Petaluma city line.

5. District 5. All of that portion of Sonoma County bounded and described as follows:

1. Beginning at the point of intersection of the Petaluma city line and Redwood Hwy, and proceeding

northerly along the Petaluma city line to Western Ave, and proceeding easterly along Western Ave to

Fair St, and proceeding southerly along Fair St to 10th St, and proceeding easterly along 10th St to D

St, and proceeding northerly along D St to shoreline, and proceeding easterly along shoreline to

Redwood Hwy, and proceeding southerly along Redwood Hwy to the point of beginning. 2. As well

as all of the region bounded by the Petaluma city line.

6. District 6. All of that portion of Sonoma County bounded and described as follows:

1. Beginning at the point of intersection of the Petaluma city line and Western Ave, and proceeding

westerly along the Petaluma city line to Magnolia Ave, and proceeding easterly along Magnolia Ave

to W Payran St, and proceeding easterly along W Payran St to Payran St, and proceeding easterly

along Payran St to CaulEeld Ln, and proceeding northerly along CaulEeld Ln to Redwood Hwy, and

proceeding southerly along Redwood Hwy to shoreline, and proceeding westerly along shoreline to

D St, and proceeding southerly along D St to 10th St, and proceeding westerly along 10th St to Fair

St, and proceeding westerly along Fair St to Western Ave, and proceeding westerly along Western

Ave to the point of beginning. 2. As well as all of the region bounded by the Petaluma city line.

C. In case of an apparent conFict between the election district map in subsection A of this section and the

election district metes and bounds in subsection B of this section, the election district metes and bounds shall

govern. The city clerk is authorized to make technical adjustments to the district boundaries speciEed in this

section if necessary to facilitate the implementation of this chapter, so long as such adjustments do not materially

aHect the district populations, the eligibility of council candidates, or the residency of elected oGcials within any

district. The city clerk shall consult with the city manager and the city attorney concerning any technical

adjustments that the clerk deems to be necessary and shall advise the city council of any such adjustments.

(Ord. 2803 NCS §4, 2022.)

Upon the ordinance codiEed in this chapter taking eHect and upon the commencement of by-district elections in

the order established in Section 5.02.040, members of the city council except for the mayor shall be elected by

district as deEned in Government Code Section 34871 as amended from time to time or any successor statute.

Candidates for city council must be eligible electors in accordance with Section 11 of Article IV of the City Charter

who have resided in the district in which they seek election for at least the thirty days immediately preceding the

time they Ele nominating papers or equivalent declarations of candidacy for such oGce, or for such person’s

appointment to Ell a city council vacancy. (Ord. 2803 NCS §4, 2022.)

A. Commencing with the general municipal election in 2022 and every four years thereafter during the statewide

general election held in a midterm election year, the voters in Districts 1, 2, and 3 shall elect members of the city

council by district for full four-year terms at the same time that the mayor is elected at large in accordance with

Section 5.01.030. Commencing with the general municipal election in 2024 and every four years thereafter during

the same statewide general election held in a presidential election year, the voters in Districts 4, 5, and 6 shall elect

members of the city council by district for full four-year terms.

B. This chapter shall have no eHect on the term of city council members who have been elected prior to the

eHective date of the ordinance codiEed in this chapter and whose term of oGce has not expired as of the eHective

date of the ordinance codiEed in this chapter.

(Ord. 2803 NCS §4, 2022.)

In accordance with Section 4 of Article III and Section 6 of Article IV of the City Charter, the successful district

candidates shall be the eligible candidates for city council that receive the greatest number of votes cast by all

eligible electors who reside in the district in which they seek election in accordance with Section 5.02.030 and

Elections Code Section 15452 as amended from time to time or any successor statute. (Ord. 2803 NCS §4, 2022.)

Registered voters signing nomination papers or voting for candidates for city council other than the mayor shall be

residents of the geographical area making up the district from which the candidate is intending to run or is

running for election. (Ord. 2803 NCS §4, 2022.)

The terms of oGce of each city council member elected by district shall be four years beginning the Erst regular

city council meeting in January after the council member’s election and continuing until the council member’s

successor is elected and qualiEed in accordance with Section 16 of Article IV of the City Charter. (Ord. 2803 NCS §4,

2022.)

A vacancy in a city council oGce Elled by district shall be Elled by city council appointment of an eligible city elector

who resides within the boundaries of the election district where the vacancy has occurred in accordance with

Section 13 of Article IV of the City Charter and the requirements of Section 5.02.030. (Ord. 2803 NCS §4, 2022.)

The city council shall adjust the boundaries of any or all of the city election districts following and based on each

decennial federal census and at the time of annexation of any territory to the city in accordance with the

requirements of Elections Code Section 21620 et seq. as amended from time to time or any successor statute.

(Ord. 2803 NCS §4, 2022.)

The Petaluma Municipal Code is current through Ordinance 2916 NCS, passed December 1, 2025.

Disclaimer: The city clerk’s oGce has the oGcial version of the Petaluma Municipal Code. Users should contact the

city clerk’s oGce for ordinances passed subsequent to the ordinance cited above.

City Website: cityofpetaluma.net

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