Petaluma Neighborhood Association

The Petaluma Neighborhood Association was founded out of a communal desire to educate ourselves and our neighbors about the planned Big Box developments slated for Petaluma. Projects of particular interest are the East Washington Place (Regency) Development and the Deer Creek (DSL) Development. At this time, our mission is to generate community awareness and participation in letter writing, attending city council meetings, providing educational materials, and organizing community events addressing the effects of Big Box stores on our community and local economy. We encourage the various neighborhoods of Petaluma to join us in taking a creative and active approach in voicing our concerns and participating in the preservation and development of Petaluma for today and tomorrow.

We need your help and support to keep things moving.
Please visit our Take Action Tab and sign our petition and learn about all the diffent things you can do to get involved.

Join us in attending the City Council meeting on June 16th at 7 p.m. to show our support for the Petaluma Community Impact Report. Located at City Hall, 11 English Street. Please read the posts below to learn more about why CIR’s will be great for our developing commutniy!

Stand Up for Accountable Development in Petaluma
Monday, July 7th, 2008 7:00 PM

Support the Proposed Fiscal and Community Impact Report for Retail Development in Petaluma
Save the date: Monday, July 7th, 2008 7:00 PM
Petaluma City Council Chambers
11 English St., Petaluma

The Living Wage Coalition, Petaluma Neighborhood Association, Petaluma Community Coalition, Petaluma Independent Business Association (PIBA) and Petaluma Tomorrow have introduced a Fiscal and Community Impact Report (FCIR) requirement for new large retail developments to the City of Petaluma. The City Council will consider our FCIR resolution and discuss a staff report at this meeting. The FCIR is an innovative policy tool that can help policy-makers and staff makes informed decisions on proposed large commercial retail. The FCIR complements the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) by factoring in the potential impacts of proposed large retail projects on small businesses, public health and social services, and job quality, .

Our legislation is similar to a recent state law passed in Maine, the Informed Growth Act. An FCIR will encourage more sustainable and equitable development in the City of Petaluma, and can serve as a model for other cities in the county.

Please come to the City Council meeting to demonstrate your support for Community Impact Reports!

To distribute flyers to friends and neighbors please click FCIR to download PDF!

Please download and print up copies of this postcard in support of the CIR
ordinance!

They can be mailed to the Petaluma City Council

11 English St. Petaluma, Ca. 94952

CIR Postcard

April 3, 2008
Petaluma Argus Courier
Guest Commentary

CIR will steer us in right direction
By Paul Francis

There has been much talk centered on community impact reports these days. Some of it has been accurate, but much of it has been misreported. In most part, the opinions regarding the intentions behind the inception and implementation of this new policy/ordinance have been distorted.

[Read more →]

North Bay Bohemian
News and Features
March 5, 2008

Big-Box Bingo: Petaluma Grapples with Deciding
the Entire Impact-both Fiscal and Communal-of
Construction.

True Cost

Petaluma Considers Evaluating Economic Impacts

By Patricia Lynn Henley

[Read more →]

Support the Proposed Community Impact Report for Retail Development in
Petaluma!
Date: June 16th, 2008 7:00 PM
Location: Petaluma City Council 11 English St., Petaluma

The Living Wage Coalition, Petaluma Neighborhood Association,
Petaluma Community Coalition, Petaluma Independent Business
Association, Sonoma County Conservation Action and Petaluma Tomorrow
have introduced a proposed Community Impact Report (CIR) requirement
for new large retail developments to the City of Petaluma. The City
Council will consider our CIR ordinance and discuss a staff report at
this meeting. The CIR is an innovative policy tool that can help
policy-makers and staff to make informed decisions about proposed
large commercial retail. The CIR complements the Environmental Impact
Report (EIR) by considering the potential impacts of proposed large
retail projects on small businesses, public health and social
services, job quality, and affordable housing. Our legislation is
similar to CIR requirements adopted in other California cities such
as San Diego and Los Angeles, and a recent state law passed in Maine,
the Informed Growth Act. A CIR will encourage more sustainable and
equitable development in the City of Petaluma, and can serve as a
model for other cities in the county.
Please come to the City Council meeting on Monday, June 16th to
demonstrate your support for Community Impact Reports!
For more information on the CIR proposal and to view the language
proposed, please go to: www.livingwagesonoma.org

 Please support the adoption of  a CIR in Petaluma by showing your support to the Petaluma City Council on Monday, January 28  at 7:00pm at City Hall, 11 English St. Please view the following flyer and share it with your concerned friends and neighbors!
cir_council_flyer.pdfcir_council_flyer.pdf

What is a Community Impact Report?
* Excerpted from the report the “Limits of Prosperity: Growth, Inequality, and Poverty in the North Bay” by Nari Rhee and Dan Acland and published by New Economy, Working Solutions (NEWS). For more information please go to:
http://www.neweconomynorthbay.org/news_room.php?id=95

[Read more →]

“INVASION OF THE BIGBOX CHAINS”
A chilling analysis of how proposed Bigbox retail development
would bankrupt Petaluma economically and socially…

Copies of “Invasion of the Big Box Chains!” will soon be available
at independently owned businesses throughout Petaluma!
If you are interested in hosting a viewing party for your friends
and neighbors please contact Melissa at: oldeastpetaluma@yahoo.com
Included in the viewing kit is a DVD of “Invasion of the Big Box Chains!”,
a DVD of Oct. 2nd’s “Should Petaluma Think Outside the Box? Doing the Math
on Proposed Big Box Retail: A Community Forum” and all the information
you need to become an informed and active member of the PNA!

The reviews are in:
“A terrifying film of action-packed economic violence
and soul-sucking social mayhem. A tip of the Royal
Top Hat to H.R. Downs and Paul Francis for creating a
film that should be seen by everyone in Petaluma who
cares about their town.”
–His Majesty Norton II, Emperor of Petaluma
(Petaluma 360)