Community

The Sonoma Sister Cities Association (SSCA) was established on September 8, 1986, by official agreement between SCI and the City of Sonoma, as a nonprofit organization to create long-term partnerships between Sonoma and communities in other countries where we have mutual, beneficial interests. Today, SSCA has seven sister city relationships that extend to four continents: Aswan, Chamson, Greve in Chianti, Kaniv, Patzcuaro, Penglai, and Tokaj.

The Sonoma Valley Regional Library, located at 755 West Napa St., is part of the Sonoma County Library System.  A local Library Advisory Board provides information and make recommendations to the County Library Commission and the Library Director on matters affecting library service based on input from the Sonoma Valley service area. The Friends of the Sonoma Valley Library supports the local library financially and sponsors programs.

The City of Sonoma does not operate its own Recreation Department.  Instead, traditional recreational and community services programs  are provided by local non-profit organizations with the support of the City.  Find information about the recreation, parks and community services available in Sonoma on our Recreation page.

Visit our Emergency Preparedness page to sign up for alerts through Nixle and SoCo Alerts, learn how you can participate in training with S.C.O.P.E. (Sonoma Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies), and review a variety of resources on steps you can take now to get your family, home, and pets prepared for emergencies.
You can also register as an emergency volunteer.  The Sonoma Community Center serves as our community’s Emergency Volunteer Center (EVC).  The EVC registers volunteers and, in the event of a disaster, takes requests for volunteers and matches them to where they are needed.

Our CivicWeb meeting portal provides the calendar, agenda, and meeting materials for City Council and commission meetings.  You can subscribe to agenda updates, and watch televised meetings on CivicWeb, either live or through the archive.  In addition, you can use CivicWeb to review the City’s municipal code, contact your councilmembers, or apply for commission openings.

All dogs over the age of 4 months in the city limits be licensed. If your dog is lost, the license will enable us to identify him and return him to you more quickly.

A dog license costs $25 for a dog that has been neutered and $50 for one that has not. Owners who are over 62 qualify for a discount for one dog only.—$10 for a neutered dog and $25 for one that is not.   You should bring proof of neutering if applicable.

Come to the Police Department during business hours with proof that your dog has a current rabies vaccination and pay the required fees.

The California Secretary of State provides information on voter registration.  Vote by mail information is maintained by the County of Sonoma.

You can use the Service Center on the homepage to report many types of issues online.  For some types of issues (active hazards, highly time-sensitive complaints), you’ll be directed how to report the issue by phone.

Information on setting up water and garbage service is available at the Finance Department.  Additional information for new residents can be found at the Chamber of Commerce’s relocation guide page.

City Hall is closed on the following holidays:

New Year’s Day – January 1 (or closest Friday or Monday if it falls on a weekend)

Martin Luther King Day – Third Monday in January

Presidents’ Day – Third Monday in February

Memorial Day – Last Monday in May

Independence Day – July 4 (or closest Friday or Monday if it falls on a weekend)

Labor Day – First Monday in September

Veterans’ Day – November 11 (or closest Friday or Monday if it falls on a weekend)

Thanksgiving – Fourth Thursday and Friday in November

Christmas – December 25 (or closest Friday or Monday if it falls on a weekend)

Every day proclaimed by the Mayor as a holiday.

The City’s referendum-approved leaf blower ordinance prohibits use of gas-powered leaf blowers.  Electric leaf blowers may be used Monday through Saturday (excepting holidays) between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Additional information can be found in this summary of the City’s leafblower ordinance.

Water conservation resources are available through our Public Works department.  Thank you for you conservation efforts!

2-1-1 (or 211) is a free service that connects community members to information about a wide range of critical health and human services available in their community.  2-1-1 Sonoma County is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 2-1-1 utilizes both bilingual Call Specialists and a phone-based translation service to offer 2-1-1 information and referral in over 150 languages. 2-1-1 also provides incident specific information during times of disaster, including road closures and shelters.  TO ACCESS 2-1-1 BY PHONE: Dial 2-1-1 from a landline or cell phone in Sonoma County or by dialing our toll-free number (800-325-9604). BY TEXT: Text your zip code to 898-211. ONLINE: Search the 2-1-1 resource database online at 211sonoma.org .

In 1992 the City Council adopted a Mobilehome Park Rent Control Ordinance to “assure that economic hardship to a substantial number of mobilehome park tenants in the City, many of whom are senior citizens on low fixed incomes, does not occur”.  The ordinance also established “a mechanism to assist in in the resolution of disputes that may arise from time to time between tenants and management of mobilehome parks regarding the rates charged for the rental or lease of space”. The 1992 ordinance also established the Mobilehome Park Rental Review Board which served as the hearing body for proposed rental increase applications. For more information, visit the Mobilehome Park Rent Control page.

Sonoma Garbage Collector has guidelines for what you can recycle and what can go in the yard waste bin.

Contact Sonoma Garbage Collector at (707)996-7555 or sonomagarbage@email.com.  Their office hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Please refer to the Sonoma Garbage Collector website for the holiday collection schedule and other information.

The City of Sonoma encourages the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) as part of our progress towards becoming a low carbon community. There are public DC fast chargers located at the Bank of America parking lot and Tier 2 chargers located in the public parking lot at 152 East Napa Street (enter from East Napa Street near First Street East).  A ChargePoint Card or phone app works best to activate the charging station. If using a Visa, Discover, American Express, or paypass card please contact 1-888-758-4389 and the charging station will be unlocked remotely.

The Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau provides information on electric vehicle charging stations at local hotels and other locations in Sonoma Valley, and Sonoma County Tourism provides information on locations of EV charging stations in other areas of Sonoma County.

Polling place and vote by mail information is maintained by the County of Sonoma. 

Please refer to the Sonoma County Recycle Guide at www.recyclenow.org.

The non-emergency, 24-hour dispatch number is (707)996-3601.  In an emergency, always dial 9-1-1.

The business number for the Sonoma Police Department is (707)996-3602.