August 28, 2023
Greetings & Thoughts
Film Festival planning continues!
Twenty-three days and counting until the first showing of the Better Cities Film Festival | Petaluma 2023. Much has been accomplished in recent weeks and much remains to be done.
As of the weekend, we had 24 sponsors in place with several more pending. Among the names many of you will recognize are the City of Petaluma, Generation Housing, the Eames Institute, Green Building Architects, Scannell Properties, LivXplore Realty, Safe Streets Petaluma, Jones Architecture, Foundry Wharf, and the Aqus Foundation. A complete list of the sponsors will be on full display on the nights of the showings and elsewhere. We’re thankful for the great support we’re receiving.
Later today, the Film Festival committee will make final decisions on the films to be included in the 2023 showings. The committee will also keep moving ahead on the many logistical issues around the showings.
Of course, we can always use more hands. Within the next few days, we’ll have a printed Film Festival poster which we hope to display in as many Petaluma businesses as possible. Anyone willing to help, let me know.
Beyond the tickets already sold, we have another 200 tickets to sell. Please, make plans now to attend and to bring friends. If you have any questions, let me know.
Also, we could use a few more Urban Chat helpers at the showings. If you’re willing to assist, let me know.
Over the coming weeks, I’ll share more Film Festival details. Check back frequently at the Urban Chat Film Festival webpage.
Looking back, we had an exciting if unconventional KBYG forum this past week. Perhaps because we were consumed by Film Festival planning, we didn’t do the necessary internal double-checking and failed to reserve a venue. Oops. As a result, half of the attendees sat on the front steps of the Cavanagh Center while the other half watched from home.
But the good news is that it was a bonding experience for those watching a single laptop on the Cavanagh Center steps. And the even better news was that Tony Jordan of the Parking Reform Network gave a great presentation, effectively combining the inadvertent humor of oddball parking regulations with the climate and financial urgency of doing better parking management. The video recording of the forum is ready to view on the Urban Chat Past Events webpage.
And if any of you were wondering about the reference Jordan made to the number “85”, let me explain. Parking guru Donald Shoup was turning 85 the day after the forum. A large part of Shoup’s legacy is his argument that curb parking should be dynamically priced as a market good.
Specifically, he suggests that the price should be set such that no more than 85 percent of the parking spaces in any block should be in use at one time so that everyone wanting to park can easily find a space without circling the block.
It was the overlapping instances of the number “85” that parking geeks like Jordan and me found oddly compelling. But perhaps we’re not normal.
Following up on the sad news last week of Kevin Kelly’s unexpected passing, I had conversations with several of you regarding the loss. Many of you are also disappointed that the first architect on the Planning Commission in several years was on the dais for only a single meeting.
City Hall hasn’t yet announced when applications to replace Kevin will be accepted. However, out of respect for Kevin, I hope we can find a qualified and experienced design professional to replace him and his passionate presence.
Looking at the week ahead, August is ending with a whimper. There’s not a single urbanist-related meeting until after Labor Day. But that gives us time to focus on the many Film Festival tasks still to be completed.
Questions or comments? Feel free to reach out. – Dave Alden c: 707-338-8388
P.S. New folks can sign up for this email through the Urban Chat website.
Upcoming Meetings
All events are open to the public. Everyone is encouraged to participate in person or on-line. The link to the Urban Chat calendar, as frequently referenced below, is here.
Wednesday, September 13 – Know Before You Grow
The speaker will be local attorney Paul Pitingaro speaking on Senate Bill 9. SB9 is legislation that simplifies lot splits and ADUs, both of which can create the new households needed to support 15-minute neighborhoods. This topic will build on the early August KBYG presentation by local developer Chris Larson.
The forum will convene at 7:00pm. We’re assessing two alternatives for a venue. Information will be posted on the Urban Chat calendar, link above, when finalized.
Wednesday, September 20 - Petaluma Urban Chat/Better Cities Film Festival
This will be the first showing of the Better Cities Film Festival as presented by Urban Chat. More information is provided above in “Greetings & Thoughts”.
We suggest attendees arrive at 5:00 pm in the lobby of the Boulevard 14 Cinemas for conversation and no-host beverages and light dinners. We’ll begin moving into the theatre at 5:45, with the curtain rising at 6:00 pm.
Thursday, September 21 (likely) – Petaluma General Plan Advisory Committee
The GPAC has been advised that the September meeting will finally (!) feature sea level rise and flooding risk. The tentative plan is also for this to be a hybrid meeting, allowing GPAC members to meet face-to-face for the first time in their GPAC roles.
The date hasn’t been confirmed but is tentatively assumed to be the standing date of the third Thursday of the month, which will be September 21. Similarly, the time of the meeting isn’t yet known. Information will be provided on the Urban Chat calendar, link above, when published by the City.
Thursday, September 28 – 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. Arrive early if you plan to order lunch. Other information including location is provided on the Urban Chat calendar, link above.
Thursday, September 28 - Petaluma Urban Chat/Better Cities Film Festival
This will be the second showing of the Better Cities Film Festival as presented by Urban Chat. It will be the same film selection as the first showing, but with a larger contingent of students, adding to the energy and self-interest of the audience.
As with the first showing, we suggest attendees arrive beginning at 5:00pm at the Carole L. Ellis Auditorium on the Santa Rosa Junior College Petaluma campus. After light conversation outside, we’ll begin moving into the theatre at 5:45 with the curtain rising at 6:00.
