Impact Sonoma draws cities from through the county

Nine Sonoma County city leaders Wednesday morning ventured into a wide range of topics at 'Impact Sonoma' – from talking about the need for affordable housing or how to handle tourism, the role of their downtowns and even addressing basic problems, like tripping on uneven sidewalks.

Impact Sonoma, organized by the North Bay Business Journal and underwritten by Summit State Bank, drew leaders from Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park and the Town of Windsor as well as 'small cities': Sonoma, Healdsburg, Cloverdale, Sebastopol and Cotati.

The event sponsors were: George Petersen Insurance Agency, Western Health Advantage and Ghilotti Construction with corporate sponsorship, Sonoma County Airport.

The city leaders or top officials, big and small sized,focused on housing. Each cited projects in the works to add housing that is affordable.

Some cited streamlined development processes, embracing downtown housing, allowing 'junior' suites (homes created within existing homes), or working more closely with developers and nonprofit groups.

But noticeably absent from the process, said Paul Cayler, city manager of the 8,900-resident City of Cloverdale, are federal and state governments. Each has 'left the field' of providing assistance, leaving local governments – 'the most accountable level of government' – to handle the issue without 'any tools.'

Damien O'Bid, city manager of nearly 7,300-resident Cotati, said there are 240 housing units under construction there and, by regulation 15 percent have to be affordabe. It also partnered to help with a Habitat for Humanity five-unit housing project.

Each city's population may vary, but most of those who spoke Wednesday at Impact Sonoma expressed a vision for their central core – downtowns.

Mayor John Sawyer of Santa Rosa envisioned a Santa Rosa downtown which includes places to live. The reunification of that city's Courthouse Square could 'reignite' the area and create a 'sense of a town center.'

Mark Millan, Mayor of Windsor, says the vision for his city is a town square. The addition of restaurant and a boutique hotel is part of that vision. A SMART train station to ease the commute will also serve as an attraction to live and work at the city's center.

Gina Belforte, mayor of Rohnert Park, says that city wishes to create a downtown where there currently is none.

Building residences where State Farm Insurance was once housed, plus capitalizing on retail-housing opportunities brought on with an operating SMART train station, could lead to a new downtown, she said. 'And that downtown would not be far from Graton Resort & Casino and Sonoma State University.'

Cloverdale's Cayler said the city has five downtown acres and a plan for it including a new police station, a 30,000 square foot Alexander Valley Health Care system location and a skate park. 'Plus we have 1.5 acres left for retail if someone has an interest.'

Petaluma – population about 60,000 – has river side development 10 years in the making on tap, said Ingrid Alverde, Economic Development manager for that city. That project is a combination of housing, commercial, hotel and park development at the water's edge.

Representatives highlighted specific items as well:

Rohnert Park (Belforte): Hiring an assistant city manager and having that person devote 60 percent of the time working on improving the process of development and building relationships is paying off by speeding development review and solving issues quickly.

Sonoma City Manager Carol Giovanatto highlighted the city's highest rating by the Insurance Service Office which will mean 'savings to our residents' in fire insurance premiums and to reduce hazards, the city has devoted $50,000 a year to grinding down sidewalk trip hazards.

Healdsburg, David Mickaelian, city manager, said the city is routing all of its Transient Occupancy Tax to community services functions, rather than paying for those citizen services out of the general fund.

Santa Rosa's Sawyer said the additions of a Car Max and the Nordstrom Rack highlights the city's 'streamlined' process of business development and noted the city sees more opportunities for business in craft brewing and cannabis.

Windsor (Millan): The Russian River Brewing Company coming to a 16-acre site is just one of the projects in the works which also includes the Civic Center Vision Plan.

Sebastopol, Una Glass, vice mayor: Highlighting its quirky 'west county' brand is key to its overall vision, including a deal in the works with a low-wattage radio station to promote city activities, luring 'eco tourists' and improving signage to guide visitors to features like 'the Barlow' center. A new hotel, she said, is also planning to include 35 'hostel' rooms.

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