HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 5.A Late Document 02 01/04/2010I.~it 5. A°
From: Crump, Katie
Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 8:23 AM
To: -City Clerk
Subject: FW: Letter regarding East Washington Place project
Attachments: EastWashington_kc.pdf
For the book
From: Kelly Collins [mailto:kellyrcollins@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, January 04, 2010 12:31 AM
To: citymgr;.ptorliatt@aol.com; teresa4petaluma@comcast.net; daveglass@comcast.net; mike4pet@aol.com;
mthealy@sbcglobal.net; david@davidrabbitt.com; tiff@tiffanyrenee.com; pdfarmer@ci.petaluma.ca.us
Subject: Letter regarding East Washington Place project
Please find letter attached and submit to administrative record for the East Washington Place proposal.
i
ti
~~
'~
~~ --~
Collins Design, Inc.
01/02/10
To: Petaluma City Council members
Mayor Torliatt
City Manager Brown
Greetings Petaluma city governors,
I am contacting you in this new year to respectfully request a judicious proceeding on the East Washington place
project. I live a few blocks from this site and for the 3 years that my husband and I have tried to inform ourselves
about what is about to occur in our neighborhood, we have found it very challenging to feel as though our town is
practicing the tenants of open government. In this new year, I hope this will improve under your thoughtful
guidance.
At this important juncture, moving forward on the submitted EIR, many of our neighbors have prepared detailed
comments on the validity of the project as it stands. I would not like to address technical aspects as the project
relating to the EIR or General Plan. Instead, I'm noting below a few questions and observations that keep me
uneasy.
• Why does Petaluma invite, approve ordeserve alowest-common-denominator project like this?
The design is outmoded, unsafe, not pedestrian friendly, homely, not mixed or flexible in use and burdens our
town with a hideous entree from the 101. Tourists will not have a more meaningful reason to exit the freeway
than to grab a box of Pampers and some fast food. Residents will gain another strip mall and some minimum
wage commuters. Other communities are enjoying well-designed, attractive, high-functioning mixed-use projects
such as 4th Street, Berkeley and Montgomery Village in Santa Rosa. Why aren't we pursuing ahigher-end site?
• If the Deer Creek development can achieve a commitment with Lowes, do we require a Friedmans at East
Washington Place? This also begs the question of Regency's true level of commitment-no agreements with
any major tenants. They have no contract with their "anchor" store, Target. In fact, Target reps have publicly
stated that their corporation has no plans for new Bay Area sites. These stories do not align.
• How do we see our existing merchants faring in the future? The downtown turnover is higher than ever right
now. In the absence of a thoughtful financial plan and strategy for the future, and observing the vast rate of
vacancies throughout the rest of the city, how can we hope for a healthy additional blend of new businesses at
the proposed site?
Thank you again for you consideration. It is our neighborhood's sincere hope that a smarter mix-use project will
prevail. Please help.
Sincerely,
Kelly Collins
Kelly Collins 216 Vallejo St., Petaluma, CA 94952 415.350.6300