Hi fellow cyclists.  There's been some lively discussion on NextDoor related to the proposed change of zoning to accommodate new hotel development in the historic downtown area (current zoning allows for only 4 stories, the proposed "Overlay" would allow for 6 stories), the future of the Sonoma-Marin Petaluma Fairgrounds, the recently implemented D Street Traffic Calming pilot program, upcoming city council elections, and the direction that the City of Petaluma is heading toward.

In case you'd like to read up on these topics, the City websites are as follows:

Hotel Re-Zoning: https://cityofpetaluma.org/economic-opportunity-overlay-ekn-appellation-projects/

Petaluma Fairgrounds: https://cityofpetaluma.org/next-steps-for-our-fairgrounds/

D Street Traffic Calming Pilot: https://cityofpetaluma.org/dstreetpilotproject/

I received the below email from a neighbor, and wanted to share it since not everyone engages through NextDoor.  Pepper is requesting folks to fill out a survey and I hope you'll help.

Thanks!  - Mike

________________________

Hello, all.

Here is the NextDoor post I just submitted. If you are so inclined, please share with any other Petalumans you may know who are not regular NextDoor users.

Pepper

- - - - - -

With the discussion around city council elections, I want to talk about our city manager position, which is NOT an elected official. The position is referred to as the CEO of Petaluma, which means this position runs the city.

In a business, if the CEO was not running the company the way shareholders desired, the board of directors would replace him or her. However, I have been told that council members are "afraid to cross" Peggy Flynn, our city manager, Petaluma's CEO. Council members are afraid of getting “frozen out” and unable to move their agendas forward.

Wait, what? The elected officials are concerned of upsetting an unelected city employee? That’s backwards!

I, along with many others, worked my tail feathers off to socialize D St safety measures with city council and city staff. Suddenly, after 3 years begging for crosswalks, street trees/landscaping as part of design, new pavement for bikers, etc., it suddenly became all about bike lanes. And now we have the city's version of the "pilot program," a plan with an indeterminate set of goals and timeline.

My question is: how does everyone else feel about our city’s direction? Are you all happy with how much money is being spent on these types of city projects? Are you all satisfied with the outcomes? Do you feel the monies spent align to measurable carbon reduction - or is this green washing? Is the city listening to the public’s priorities and desires?

If not, we need to pull together and demand our city manager’s processes and past projects be reviewed – publicly. We need to see hard data on how much money has been spent and for what measurable outcomes.

Here is a link to a survey I have created to learn if I am alone in feeling isolated, unimportant, and unheard by my city's CEO:  https://forms.gle/baJaxdjLLyx3zxUo6

Here is the link to the same survey in Spanish: https://forms.gle/eyj11B2yqhgjhyBN7