May 8, 2023
Greetings & Thoughts
Making a difference
After suggesting last week that readers consider applying for a Petaluma commission, committee, or board as a way of making a difference in our shared community (information repeated under May 31 below), I found that “making a difference” became the continuing theme of my week.
On Friday, I attended a gathering organized by Cool Cities to introduce the various groups active in local climate initiatives and to exchange ideas. Each table was encouraged to synthesize a theme about how their group viewed climate action.
My table settled on “EEI”, standing for Education, Engagement, and Implementation. Our shared concept was that the most effective climate action, or any community advocacy, comes from first understanding the issues, then becoming engaged in the process of change, and finally making a difference.
I wholeheartedly endorsed this synthesis, only offering one caution when I presented EEI to the entire room. I warned that engagement is often not a quick process. Sometimes, there are windows in which we can make a significant change in a short period of time. Urban Chat has had some good successes with these. However, it’s more common that engagement takes years to bear fruit.
Urban Chat is largely about improved land uses and a good land-use policy or project can often require years, if not decades, to bring to consummation. Folks who are willing to buckle in for the long haul are to be treasured.
With that thought in mind, I realized how greatly the rest of my week aligned with it.
This StrongTowns article builds on the theme of long-term engagement, while also acknowledging that even showing up a handful of times still sends a message.
The Oyster Cove project team asked for a select group of Urban Chat members to review the current iteration of their project. That Zoom meeting, a week ago today, went well. I think most of us like the project while still offering thoughts about concerns and areas of potential improvement.
But the meeting was a reminder that this project is one aspect of a renewed City commitment to transit-oriented development, a commitment that could be argued to have begun in 2010 with the kickoff of the Station Area Master Plan process. So, thirteen years in, although progress has been made, we’ve yet to see a single transit-oriented development break ground.
The Oyster Cove project will next go to the Planning Commission tomorrow evening (May 9, details below) for a tentative map and other related approvals. And yet this will be far from the final step of the approval process, which is likely to continue well into 2024, with the first move-in residents in 2027 at best. That would be nearly two decades after the transit-oriented development push began.
Even if the finish line is still years away, everyone is encouraged to attend the Planning Commission tomorrow evening.
Regarding extended land-use processes, EKN Development will host another public meeting on their proposed Appellation Petaluma hotel next week. They invite all interested members of the public to attend. Details are below under May 16. This project, including earlier iterations, is now 15 years into its history.
Lastly, on another topic that has been pursued for decades, Petaluma Public Works is seeking input, via a survey, on how local children can access their schools without being driven. The English version of the survey is surveymonkey.com/r/TXNK2ZK. The Spanish version is es.surveymonkey.com/r/HS9JXN5.
Questions or comments? Let me know. – Dave Alden 707-338-8388
P.S. New folks can be added to this conversation here.
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 online.
Monday, May 8 (Today!) – Petaluma City Council
The Council will host a workshop on the draft 2023-24 City budget.
The public portion of the meeting will convene at 6:00pm. Other meeting information is on the Urban Chat calendar, link above.
Tuesday, May 9 (Tomorrow) – Petaluma Historical and Cultural Preservation Committee
The committee will receive a presentation that will include a case study on identifying historical resources in a small community.
The meeting will convene at 4:00pm. Other meeting information is on the Urban Chat calendar, link above.
Tuesday, May 9 (Tomorrow) – Petaluma Planning Commission
The Planning Commission will conduct a hearing on the proposed tentative map for the Oyster Cove project on D Street next to the Petaluma River. More information can be found here on the Petaluma Major Projects webpage. Urban Chat doesn’t have a project endorsement process and no project is perfect, but many Urban Chat members are pleased with the overall direction Oyster Cove is taking.
The Planning Commission meeting will convene at 7:00pm. Further information is provided on the Urban Chat calendar, link above.
Wednesday, May 10 (This week) – Petaluma Public Works
Public Works will host a Zoom meeting on the status of the N. McDowell Boulevard improvements.
The meeting will convene at 6:00pm. Further information is on the Urban Chat calendar, link above.
Wednesday, May 10 (This week) – Know Before You Grow
KBYG will present a forum on Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA), an automotive technology to restrict travel to posted speed limits. Portions of an America Walks video on the topic will be shown, combined with local Q&A. America Walks has set a goal of 50 U.S. communities adopting ISA for their entire fleet. Ventura County is already on the list. We’ll talk about whether we should advocate for Petaluma to join the list.
The forum will begin at 7:00pm. Further information will soon be provided on the Urban Chat calendar, link above.
Thursday, May 11 (This week) – Petaluma Transit Advisory Committee
The Transit Committee is expected to have a workshop on goals for 2023-24 as Petaluma Transit looks to play its role in the move to carbon neutrality.
The meeting is expected to convene at 4:00pm. Other meeting information will be on the Urban Chat calendar, link above, when published by the City.
Monday, May 15 – Petaluma City Council
The tentative agenda includes a workshop on the City's commissions and committees, a second reading of an ordinance on residential tenancy protections, and possible adoption of the 2023-24 City budget.
The public portion of the meeting is expected to convene at 6:30pm. Other meeting information will be provided on the Urban Chat calendar, link above, when published by the City.
Thursday, May 18 – Petaluma General Plan Advisory Committee
This is the standing time for the monthly GPAC meetings. However, it’s possible this meeting will be moved to Saturday, May 20, at a time to be determined. The expected discussion will be on sea level rise and flooding risk, although this topic isn’t confirmed.
Information on the rescheduled meeting will be on the Urban Chat calendar, link above, when published by the City.
Saturday, May 20 – Petaluma General Plan Advisory Committee
See the calendar item above about the possible rescheduling of the GPAC meeting to this date and the possible topic.
Information on the rescheduled meeting will be provided on the Urban Chat calendar, link above, when published by the City.
Thursday, May 25 – Petaluma Urban Chat
The monthly meeting of Urban Chat is almost always agenda-free, allowing an enjoyable and enlightening conversation to wander freely over the urbanist landscape.
The exchange of ideas will commence at noon. Other information is provided on the Urban Chat calendar, link above.
Friday, May 31 - Petaluma City Clerk
This will be the application deadline for City commissions, committees, and boards.
The application deadline is 5:00pm. See additional information including a link to the City webpage on submitting applications, on the Urban Chat calendar, link above.
