February 27, 2023
Greetings & Thoughts
A change to our weekly update format and a KBYG cancelation
This evening may be the long-awaited (15 years!) resolution of the Scott Ranch project at D and Windsor Streets. Speaking not for Urban Chat but for myself, I hope the project is approved while also acknowledging my feelings of ambivalence.
In a perfect world, I wish the land had never been zoned residential. Indeed, without any malice to my friends who live in Victoria, I could wish for all of Victoria to be wiped from the map. In my view, towns should never leap over open ridges to create car-centric housing on the far side.
But we don’t live in that perfect world. The developer paid for the land based on its zoning and has shown remarkable willingness to accommodate a changing community ethos. A group of Petalumans has put in remarkable effort to craft a compromise that results in much of the land becoming an addition to the regional park. It seems the best outcome to an unfortunate conundrum.
I fear denial would unwind the hard-fought compromises and result in a worse eventual outcome.
Having much else I can accomplish at my desk, I won’t attend the Council meeting, but will watch attentively from home as the Council considers certifying the EIR and approving text amendments and a tentative map. It should be an evening worth several bowls of popcorn.
Looking further ahead, on March 13 the Council will conduct a workshop to set City Hall goals for 2023. Is anyone interested in a conversation about goals that could be proposed by Urban Chat? I don’t think a face-to-face meeting can be scheduled in the two weeks available, but a group email exchange can be organized to offer, to discuss, and to settle on Urban Chat ideas to suggest for Council consideration.
Questions or comments? Let me know. – Dave Alden 707-338-8388
P.S. If you wish to be removed from this email list, or have folks to add, let me know.
Calendar Notes
See our new monthly calendar here!
Upcoming Meetings
All events are open to the public and everyone is encouraged to participate in person or on-line.
Monday, February 27 – Petaluma City Council
Consideration of a proposed agreement between the City and SMART regarding the future Corona SMART station has been removed from the agenda. In its place, a workshop on the draft Housing Element has been added.
The main event of the evening will be the Scott Ranch decisions further described above.
The public portion of the meeting will convene at 6:30pm. Other meeting information is provided on the Urban Chat calendar.
Monday, March 6 – Petaluma City Council
Following a workshop on tenant protections, a topic that has been attracting increased community attention, the Council will consider approving the Housing Element for resubmission to the state. The public portion of the meeting is expected to convene at 6:30pm. Other meeting information will be provided on the Urban Chat calendar when published by the City.
Monday, March 13 – Petaluma City Council
The Council will conduct a workshop to set City Hall goals for 2023.The public portion of the meeting is expected to convene at 6:30pm. Other meeting information will be provided on the Urban Chat calendar when published by the City.
Thursday, March 16 – Petaluma General Plan Advisory Committee
The General Plan Advisory Committee will convene for their monthly meeting. The meeting topic hasn’t yet been announced.
