Petaluma city leaders are hoping a regional water agency grant can turn a small section of a creek into a more effective flood control channel and a heartier riparian habitat.

The Petaluma City Council unanimously voted Monday to broaden citywide restrictions on smoking to include private living spaces, medical marijuana and electronic cigarettes.

The Petaluma City Council late Monday night unanimously approved broad new smoking restrictions, including banning smoking in multi-family housing units, such as apartments and condos, and from certain outdoor spaces, including private balconies, decks, courtyards and bus stops.

The decision to place a sales tax increase on the November ballot in Petaluma rests in the hands of four City Council members after three others declared their opposition to it Monday night.

An effort to rewrite part of Petaluma’s sign code failed late Monday night as the City Council stalemated in a 3-3 tie.

The Petaluma City Council is set to examine the Petaluma Planning Commission’s recommendation on freeway-facing signage and make its own decision Monday.

Petaluma City Council members on Monday expressed support for seeking an increase in the sales tax but first want to see if city employees, civic groups and the community would support a November ballot measure on it.

The Petaluma City Council unanimously appointed a former council candidate Monday to the Planning Commission.

Petaluma city leaders agreed late Monday to tighten the budget belt one more notch. In another round of cuts that trim about 5 percent from the 2012-13 general fund, the $32.5 million spending plan should maintain priority services and put the city on course to begin rebuilding a rainy day fund.

The developers of what soon will be Petaluma’s largest shopping center say their major tenants are insisting on freeway-facing signs, something generally prohibited by city ordinance.