October 13, 2004

By COREY YOUNG
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF

(Editor's note: This is the fifth of a series of stories about issues in the Petaluma City Council campaign. Comments by candidates for council are taken from their responses to an Argus-Courier questionnaire.)

They're the issues every growing city faces -- providing recreation, homes and water for its residents.

Petaluma is no exception and is dealing with questions of where new parks and play areas should go, where to build affordable housing and how a General Plan for the next 20 years will guide those decisions.

This week the five candidates for City Council -- Pamela Torliatt, Spence Burton, Karen Nau, Mike O'Brien and Cindy Thomas -- share their views on major planning issues facing Petaluma.

Pamela Torliatt

Councilmember Pamela Torliatt said the city is struggling to meet its need for recreational open space, but more parks are on the way in the next couple of years.

"Gatti Park, Turn Bridge Park and Rockridge Pointe will be opening soon," she said. "The City Council will be working with the school district to relocate some of the ballfields to the new junior high site."

The city should pursue recreational uses located in the Petaluma River flood plain, Torliatt said.

Regarding a park at Lafferty Ranch on Sonoma Mountain, Torliatt said the land should remain in public ownership.

"We should pursue funding from outside sources, such as the Open Space District and state agencies, to open the park," she said.

On the subject of Petaluma's water, Torliatt said the city's water advisory committee is grappling with the issue of a finite supply of surface water. As a member of that committee, Torliatt said she was involved in negotiating a new master water agreement.

"I have been advocating for Petaluma to take on a long-term strategy of 'Hold the Flow,' which is a program focused on conservation of water on the front end of the water use process, so the cost is less for purchasing, delivering, treating and re-using the resource," she said.

Torliatt said she hopes the City Council will support the program when it is discussed again.

"This will hopefully help reduce water consumption, reduce water and sewer rates and allow our water supply to last longer," she said. "Planning ahead in this fashion is the best way to continue to protect our city's water supply."

Regarding flooding and the river's flood plain, Torliatt said she is glad the city is able to model surface water using a computer program, "with better data than we have had in the past."

However, "we need to have an additional model run reflecting an appropriate, conservative baseline tide elevation," Torliatt said.

"The model has not been run yet to include the city's existing baseline tide elevation policy," she said. "I have requested this to be completed as part of the choices being presented in the General Plan process. We need to preserve our flood plain and not jeopardize all of the projects downstream of the flood control project."

When planning new housing, Torliatt said the city needs to promote infill development and prevent urban sprawl.

"This infill includes not only housing, but the downtown theater, additional retail and office space," she said. "This allows the opportunity for people to live and work in downtown. Supporting lower-density housing along the urban growth boundary is also important, such as the Paula Lane and the D Street areas."

Torliatt said she is satisfied with the city's progress on the General Plan.

"We should be coming to a conclusion in spring 2005," she said.

Spence Burton

"We do not have sufficient parks, playing fields and recreational facilities for adults and our youth," challenger Spence Burton said.

"In fact, we have less as every day passes," he said. "With the sale of Kenilworth, we are losing several ballfields and only God knows how they are going to be replaced."

Private ballfields proposed near the airport have been delayed for several years and "it may be time to form a different joint public-private partnership to develop and build those fields," Burton said.

Burton said the General Plan identifies a piece of land at Windsor Drive and D Street as a potential park site, but a housing development is now proposed for the property.

"We shouldn't be changing land use or designations from park use to any other use as long as we have a serious park and open space shortage in Petaluma," he said.

Regarding Lafferty, Burton praised it as "a beautiful and special place with unbelievable views of the entire Bay Area."

However, "We cannot afford to fight homeowners in that area who seem to have an unlimited amount of funds that they are willing to expend to keep everyone out," he said. "We should re-open discussion with the state and others about transferring this valuable land to the state for a future limited-use state park."

Burton said recycling and re-use of wastewater from the city's new plant is a "giant step" toward providing adequate water supplies in the coming years.

"In addition, we need to continue to encourage the conversion to low-flow devices in the city," he said.

"I believe that Petaluma can continue to expand, but not at the current rate of approximately 1,000 new residents every year," Burton said. "Slow growth is like slow food -- better quality and ambiance. There is a time and a place for fast food, but never a time for fast, uncontrolled growth."

Additional building in Petaluma's flood plain would be "flat-out dangerous," Burton said.

"The current proposed expansion of the outlet mall by adding approximately 240,000 square feet would dramatically impact on downstream flooding and the Payran area," Burton said.

Any significant building in the flood plain needs to be certified as generating no additional runoff, and developers should post bonds in the event of downstream flooding, Burton said.

Burton said he would continue to promote infill development throughout the city, wherever it would not be in conflict with the existing design and feel of an area.

"Generally, I would be opposed to placing a large condo or apartment complex in a long-established single-home neighborhood," he said.

"As we approach the urban growth boundary around the city, we need to reduce the density of housing and development so that we gradually blend into the agricultural lands that surround us," he said.

Burton said he is reasonably satisfied with the city's progress on the General Plan.

"The General Plan is our rock," he said. "We shouldn't play politics with it. Once adopted, I would feel morally bound by the policy and goals of the plan."

Karen Nau

As a member of the Petaluma Parks, Music and Recreation Commission, challenger Karen Nau said she understands the need for more playing fields in Petaluma.

"With a population of 55,000, we need to support the different sports and leagues with appropriate room to play, as well as provide our citizens with passive parks," Nau said.

Many of the city's older parks are in need of repair and are priorities for improvement, but the budget constraints of the parks and recreation department have delayed that work until money is available, Nau said. A tight budget also led to the cancellation of the traditional Fourth of July fireworks show, she noted.

Nau said she doesn't support spending any more taxpayer money to reach the city's parks goals.

"The new passive neighborhood parks, like Mannion Knolls, will be maintained financially by a park assessment fee paid by the developer," she said.

Regarding water, Nau said the city needs to have a clean, reliable and ecologically sustainable future supply.

"More aggressive water conservation, wastewater and use of Petaluma's wells to meet the summer peak demand all contribute to the solution," she said.

The General Plan process is looking at solutions to the 100-year flood plain, Nau said.

"To protect the river and creek corridor, the General Plan is focusing on development locations out of flood-prone areas," Nau said.

To assure the success of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control project, the city needs to avoid floodwater displacement -- "which is what the zero net fill ordinances address," Nau said.

"I support creating more detention/wetlands ponds, the natural habitats along the river and providing recreational areas to enjoy nature," Nau said.

Completion of the Central Petaluma Specific Plan, with its live/work units, is a big step forward when it comes to housing, Nau said.

"The residents of Petaluma are also looking at the affordability of homes in Petaluma," she said. "Hence the need for higher-density housing, smaller lots and multi-story homes to fulfill the needs of all residents."

Nau said mixed-use development allows for a range of uses in close proximity or on the same parcel of land.

"Developers need to be strongly encouraged to build more affordable ownership townhomes and condominiums, not just apartments and large residences," she said.

Nau said she is impressed with the input that the community has put into the draft of the General Plan and the three alternatives to the land use maps.

"By the end of the year, the General Plan, which will be in place until 2025, will be presented to the Planning Commission and the City Council," she said.

"The General Plan's mission statement is to ensure that it embodies the community's vision of Petaluma that will endure for the following generations as a great place to be, live and/or work; and that our natural surroundings and quality of life are sustained as a defining aspect of our community through implementation of the adopted goals and priorities of the City Council."

Mike O'Brien

Councilmember Mike O'Brien said he does not believe Petaluma has enough parks and playing fields for the general public.

"We need to provide more areas for our children to play," O'Brien said.

He noted that parks within the city limits are paid for with development fees.

"Lafferty, on the other hand, is paid for out of the General Fund," O'Brien said. "The General Fund cannot afford this type of expenditure. Lafferty is a park for the few; we should concentrate on parks for the many. Shollenberger Park is a perfect example of how this can be accomplished."

O'Brien said the city can provide adequate water supplies to its residents and businesses in the future.

"By working diligently with the Sonoma County Water Agency and supporting smart growth, this can and will be accomplished," he said.

As projects are approved near the Petaluma River, they are subject to the city's zero net fill policy, O'Brien said.

"The surface water management plan works, as evidenced by lack of flooding in recent years," he said. "The people who say it will not work are strangely lacking in any hydrology degrees or education. If you say it loud enough and often enough, it does not make it true."

O'Brien said he has worked hard to see the flood control project come to fruition and his diligence will not stop.

"This area is protected," he said.

High-density housing proposed for Petaluma scares him at times, O'Brien said.

"What scares me more, however, is that developable land was included by the proposers of the urban growth boundary when it was passed, and now they say it is not developable," he said.

"We must stay with the intent of the UGB, to prevent sprawl and not reduce the inventory of land in the city," he said.

O'Brien said he is not satisfied with the progress of the General Plan update.

"I feel that the General Plan has languished under the leadership of (General Plan Administrator) Pamela Tuft and it needs to move forward now," he said.

Cindy Thomas

Challenger Cindy Thomas said the city has insufficient parks and playing fields.

"The city is not in compliance with its current General Plan requirement of five acres of local parks per 1,000 residents," she said. "This is a planning issue."

Thomas said future development projects should include sizable parks, "which would help to compensate for the shortage of existing park acreage and with full public participation in the planning process."

The city should also continue to seek solutions for "removing the barriers that prevent access to Lafferty Park, such as access from the east side of the mountain," Thomas said.

Future water needs will need to be addressed through protection of current waterways, public education and citizen action, Thomas said.

"The Sonoma County Water Agency estimates that without further expansion, their current delivery system will reach maximum capacity in seven to eight years," Thomas said.

"In light of the potential for water shortages, we need to think very seriously about restricting our new growth, requiring new building to be water-conserving, including low-flush toilets, drought-tolerant landscaping and conservation measures," she said.

Thomas said she supports the creation of a city park, including walking and biking trails and ballfields, in the flood plain area north of the Payran flood control project.

She said she opposes new retail development there.

"Covering the wetlands area with concrete and asphalt negatively impacts the area's ability to naturally soak up and retain surplus water during the rainy season and could very possibly result in flooding in the downstream area," Thomas said.

"The flood plain is one of the few natural beauty areas we have left in Petaluma and is filled with riparian oak forests that provide for both land and waterborne habitat," she said. "It should be preserved as open space or a recreational park. Petaluma can do better than an outlet mall expansion."

Thomas said she supports maintaining the current urban growth boundary and preventing sprawl.

She also supports high-density infill development.

"High-density and mixed-use development located in the core of Petaluma offers more affordable living opportunities for lower-income families and our single-income households," Thomas said.

"It also gives those who work downtown the opportunity the live within walking distance of their jobs while reducing the number of cars on our streets," she said. "Additionally, there are bus services for downtown residents who might bus to their jobs in Marin and San Francisco."

Thomas said good progress is being made on updating the General Plan.

"The plan deserves a lot of careful thought, planning and community input to ensure Petaluma with a good future," she said. "The community needs to stay very focused on sustainability, traffic, land use, parks and water. I'm very pleased that public workshops are being regularly scheduled and am hopeful that future workshops will be better attended by the public."

(Contact Corey Young at cyoung@arguscourier.com)

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