Comments for Petaluma Neighborhood Association

Comment on Take Action! by Jackie Rocha

Jackie Rocha — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:27:58 +0000

Thank you for all this information and a place to share. This is our community and this is how we shape it.

Comment on Forum by RaynTan

RaynTan — Fri, 01 May 2009 00:43:36 +0000

Hello I’m ryan i’m new here. I just wanted to drop a note to say hello and i’m pleased to be here.

Comment on Contact by Craig Caddell

Craig Caddell — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 19:22:21 +0000

Dear Melissa & Paul,

I am doing volunteer outreach for my children’s school, Live Oak Charter, which is located in the Fairgrounds and I would like to put PNA on the distribution list for our monthly newsletter, or discuss with you the most effective way for our school to reach your audience with news about our accomplishments, festivals and events.

We are, by the way, very concerned about the potential effects of having the Regency project go in next door and many parents at the school are active on this issue.

Do you have time to talk this coming week?

Thank you,
Craig Caddell

Comment on Take Action! by Paul Francis

Paul Francis — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 19:20:27 +0000

We must all do our part, to be actively engaged in the world around us, to promote development which is sustainable for generations to come, to only allow development projects that will contribute to our healthy community without burdening our local economy.

Comment on Get Your own Copy of “INVASION OF THE BIG BOX CHAINS” Today! by Connie Madden

Connie Madden — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 08:20:43 +0000

I’m pleased to have been part of the making of this film and that Utne Reader has expressed interest in it. I’m hoping people in all the neighborhoods of Petaluma have a chance to see the film so they can better understand what the chain stores really mean for our community.

We didn’t know, for instance, that people in Europe have only about 1/10th the retail stores we have. Maybe we have enough already - or too much to support! We really need Community Impact Reports (CIRs) to understand the impacts of any big new development in Petaluma.

Comment on Forum by Kit Lofroos

Kit Lofroos — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:00:39 +0000

Melissa-
Come to Petaluma’s Ped/Bike Advisory Committee meetings from 6-8pm, second and fourth Wednesdays of the month.
Sign up to get our Agendas trough the City’s website- City Clerk’s office. Or, go to the Agendas pages on the City Clerk’s page, and look at at our Agendas, as well as all other City Committees/Commissions agendas & minutes.
cool.
Kit

Comment on Forum by Emperor Norton II

Emperor Norton II — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 23:43:57 +0000

His Majesty Norton II, Emperor of Petaluma and Protector of Sonoma County will be at the gala premiere of the big-box blockbuster movie by H.R. and Paul on September 30 Boulevard Cinemas 7PM. Read all about the exciting night at
http://tim-hurley.petaluma360.com/default.asp?item=682070

Comment on 9/15 Coastal Clean-Up Day! by Melissa

Melissa — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 21:51:17 +0000

Coastal Clean-Up Day was such a wonderful experience and really made such a difference! Over 2,000 lbs of trash was removed from the Lucchessi site location. Thanks to everyone who participated and special thanks to Diane Reilly-Torres for coordinating Petaluma’s participation in this state wide event!

Comment on Forum by Chip

Chip — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 06:19:10 +0000

Respectfully, Petaluma currently does have a mix of large, medium and small businesses. It also currently has an exhorbanant amount of vacant retail space in need of being filled. It is a slippery slope to add too much retail space before existing spaces are filled. Too much vacancy sends a very strong message that a town lacks vibrancy, and thus makes it even harder to attract new businesses to fill those spaces. WE MUST focus our attention on re-invigorating that which already exists before we prematurely add hundreds of thousands of more square footage in development into the retail mix.

It is well studied the impacts big-box stores have on local communities (including communities of Petaluma’s size). EXTREME precautions must be made prior to allowing such development for the safety of preserving any sense of unique community experience, heritage and values that extend beyond convenient consumerism.

To give some perspective, Wal-Mart’s U.S. stores, for example, annually average $418 sales per square foot (Wal-Mart 2005 Annual Report), meaning a 200,000-square-foot supercenter is designed to capture $84 million each year. Most communities, even fast-growing areas, cannot absorb a store of that scale without severe revenue losses to existing businesses, including both locally owned stores and competing supermarkets and shopping centers. Now Wal-Mart carries much of the baggage currently as the ‘evil’ big-box example - but really their is a systemic problem within the big-box business approach in general that puts our communities at risk.

The community should come to determine what it’s goods and services needs/desires are and creatively seek out smaller, more independent, community minded entities to come in and provide us those. It doesn’t REQUIRE a Target or Cost Plus to fill our household good needs/desires. That is simply an easy, convenient turn-key option. We should be considering what role a Target, Cost Plus, etc. truly plays for us - and encourage unique businesses that can fill those voids to come in and do so, while actually contributing some new and unique character to our town at the same time.

I’m not here as an anti-growth activist by any means. I wholeheartedly believe in change and evolution. But I demand that change and evolution, especially when it pertains to the community in which I reside, to be smart, thoughtful, and of the highest integrity to the OVERALL way of life. We must consider ourselves CITIZENS of a community first rather than CONSUMERS first - and make development decisions based on ALL facets of community living.

Comment on Forum by Shawn

Shawn — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 04:28:38 +0000

I would like to see a mix of large, medium, and small businesses. There are many people who live in Petaluma, who now shop in Rohnert Park, that would be able to stay off the highways if there was a Target or a Lowes in town. A community of close to 60,000 people can support a variety of retail businesses. Let’s keep our tax dollars in our town.