About Brian Barnacle

Early Years

Brian grew up in Petaluma on a small farm. He’s a fourth-generation Petaluman with a large, closely knit family. Brian raised dairy cows, was in 4H, and showed at the fair. He went to Petaluma High School, played high school football, coached youth sports, and served in student leadership.

After high school, Brian worked his way through college, starting at Santa Rosa Junior College and later transferring to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo to study City Planning. After college, Brian traveled across the United States in a minibus and backpacked internationally before settling into his career in clean energy.

On the Council

Brian Barnacle was elected to the Petaluma City Council in 2020 and was seated in January of 2021. Since joining the council, Brian has been committed to making Petaluma an inclusive city where people can grow up, raise a family, and grow old—a welcoming city for all ages, ethnicities, and incomes.

Be it housing and homelessness, mobility and safe streets, parks and recreation, open space protection, emergency services, social justice, or economic vitality, Brian has consistently brought a positive attitude and fresh perspective that moves Petaluma forward. Read more about his achievements here.

In addition to serving on the City Council, Brian has served on the following bodies:

Petaluma Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee, Council Liaison, 2023-present
Petaluma Fairgrounds Ad Hoc Committee, Member, 2023-present
Sonoma Clean Power, Board Member, 2023-present
Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Board Member, 2023-present
Petaluma Groundwater Sustainability Agency, Board Member, 2023
Petaluma Music Parks and Recreation Commission, Council Liaison, 2021-2022
Petaluma Business & Tourism Improvement Districts, Council Laison, 2021-2022
North Bay Water Reuse Authority, Board Member, 2021-2022
Sonoma County Agriculture & Open Space District, Community Advisory Council Member, 2021-2022

Growing a Family in Petaluma

Brian is married to his wife, Gretchen. In 2021, Brian and Gretchen sunk their roots into District 6 when they purchased their first home. In July of 2024, Gretchen and Brian will welcome their first child. Brian tells friends, “Gretchen balances me and is the perfect teammate; I am so lucky to have her partnership in this journey.”

In his free time, Brian can be found at Petaluma’s local restaurants and music venues, riding his bike and walking his dog around town, appreciating the beautiful California coast, and enjoying time with his family and friends.

A Career Focused on a Cleaner Future

Brian’s career has zeroed in on clean energy, including electrification, energy efficiency, solar, battery storage, electric vehicles, and microgrids. Brian has forged partnerships among public agencies, community groups, and private companies to help build a clean energy economy. Brian’s leadership, knowledge, and skills have earned him multiple awards for personal and team accomplishments.

Brian is currently Director of Strategy & Development for Building Decarbonization Coalition, a nonprofit focused on powering the nation’s buildings with emissions-free energy.