I guess we'll find out if the majority are honest and true to their words about the new commission being created to streamline and expedite new development projects.
If they show they're not, I'm sure anyone entering the race in November will have no problem proving the public cannot put their trust in the current majority.
All I can say is everyone needs to be at the Planning Meeting on Tuesday November 24th at 6:00pm. It will be a very long evening but we need to show these people our support for Regency.
Hopefully both of the proposals will be up to snuff, especially Regency, as hundreds of Petalumans have weighed in with concerns and ideas plus they have the general plan to look at to help with the design. And hopefully Regency's EIR is a little more complete this time.
and therein lies part of the problem! this council majority asks/expects that applicants address all of the community's (the hundreds of petaluman's you refer too) concerns. now, with hundreds of people giving their thoughts and wants, it is impossible to make them all happy and that is what the majority wants. it can and will be used against the project. they know it is impossible to make an entire town happy but that won't stop them from asking an applicant to do just that.
It's a good idea for the Regency supporters to show up to the meeting.
In the end it would be like Giants fans traveling to LA to support their team at the Chavez Ravine (Dodgers stadium).
Of course with Regencies supporters being the Giants fans, Chavez Ravine being the commsions chambers and the new commission being the Dodgers fans in LA.
Good to show support but I think this new commission will be overly bias towards the project and move it backwards, I hope I'm wrong.
As Tuesday's meeting approaches, I think it might be good to re-visit some quotes by our council majority. Then watch the meeting with these quotes in mind:
Councilmember Tiffany Renée said. “I do hope that as we are demanding certain standards for this project, we continue to achieve things that are going to be beneficial to all Petalumans, not just those who feel entitled to shop at a Target.”http://www.petaluma360.com/article/20090409/COMMUNITY/904089920/1362
Torliatt, Barrett and Councilmember Tiffany Renée also said the city should consider requiring a “demolition bond” or passing a “tear-down ordinance” to ensure that Petaluma would not be left with a “ghost mall” if stores at East Washington Place closed.http://www.petaluma360.com/article/20090917/COMMUNITY/909169944/1362
“We really have no idea how it’s going to impact us as a city and the other businesses we have in the community,” Torliatt said. “I’m not opposed to a Target — it’s what it looks like and how it impacts us.”http://www.petaluma360.com/article/20090409/COMMUNITY/904089920/1362
Just a few of the quality, open-minded quotes from our Council. There are too many other choice comments to list them all. Remember the first comment from Barrett when the prospect of revitalizing the sunset line and twine building came up? 'Can't do it. No water.'
Should be interesting to see how it plays out. Watch closely.
Posts: 86 | Location: Petaluma | Registered: 18 March 2009
Yes, those are a small few of the biased comments from the council majority.
For now I will remember the Mayor's words at the November 2nd meeting - "We have some opportunities for revenue generation that we are pursing in this city. What this council has done is set up a process particularly for some of these projects including the Regency project to actually get through the process". Then she went on to say, "Regency is probably coming back in December or January for final approval". Then she corrected her statement to "consideration for final approval".
Let's see if her new process with her new planning commissioners will actually get Regency through the process.
I'm sure this is getting old and redundant but here's a link that pretty much answers all your questions, when you click on community,more links like community art etc... will pop up, sounds very exciting. Have fun exploring the entire site, I personally can't wait for the beutification and re-opening of the catwalk to the new pedestrian plaza. Still things like access around the skate park and pool do need to be fixed. I was excited years ago when Torliatt and Glass did the ribbon cutting and told Petalumans they will have much new retail to not leave town for soon, and since Regency paid cash, a brand new state of the art junior high is right around the corner. On the fourth of July I drove around the back to where Kenilworth used to be all I saw was homeless camping behind the lumps of earth. I hope this new commission is going to look at this project w/out bias, just check out the website they've more than beant over backwards and are even applying for leed certification, the highest rating for a enviromentally friendly project.
I hope someone besides me has seen through the recent announcement of the "Strategic Planning" process. I'm betting that the timing is no coincidence... it's a stall tactic. This commission is likely to recommend that the Council delay (STALL) their decision until that study is completed. Classic Torliatt move! If that actually happens, we can only hope that the voters put Rabbitt into that Supervisor seat, so Petaluma can get a much-needed break from Pam and her merry henchmen (henchpeople?).
It's time for some revenue generation in Petaluma!
Posts: 10 | Location: Petaluma | Registered: 13 April 2007
hmmm, I thought Regency has been jumping through hoops for the city? I just took a look and the project again and their final EIR and really, it look almost identical to what I saw two years ago. I thought they were working on some of these issues like traffic. And how come the EIR pretends all the overpasses and roads and traffic work is in the pipeline has already happened but doesn't mention all the other retail development that is in the pipeline. Are they gonna make all the modifications to make our traffic run smoothly? Even while pretending we have all the road infrastructure, they still point out several problem traffic areas.
Can someone show me something the Regency has changed lately in their proposal that really addresses things like traffic and pollution and all the extra retail space in their project that has nothing to do with Target.
And don't give me the generic right wing response "oh its those __________ (commies, enviro-nazi's, "progressives, socialists, blah blah blah) just trying to control everything."
I say this forum needs a much more nuanced conversation.
So yes, please come to the meeting! It's about the EIR, by the way. Read up and become educated.
Originally posted by 2282: Not everyone who supports the Regency project is Republican, or right-wing. Not even close.
I know, but a lot of the people on here use the same extremist tactics and lingo that extremist repubs. do. Some of the people on here sound like right wing public radio hosts. I am actually not right wing or left or moderate. and I actually chat with right-wingers all the time about things we don't agree on, but they aren't the extremist, scare tactic, misinformation mob types like a few people on here are. Just a few, but they really bristle my feathers. Uneducated right-wingers use certain lingo because they don't know the actual processes at hand.
So how did you all like the Planning Commission's EIR hearing last night?
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