Projects on Petaluma's Waterways That Increase Flooding and Safety Hazards
Stop the Sid Commons development and the destruction of our wetlands
- This 180-unit apartment project, which has less than 10% marked for affordable housing would destroy irreplaceable wetlands and heritage oaks next to the Petaluma River.
- This project sits inside of the Petaluma Flood Hazard Zone, and could significantly increase flooding in surrounding neighborhoods. The development is being challenged in a lawsuit brought by local citizens because it undermines the flood prevention measures put in place by the Army Corps of Engineers to protect our city.
- The wetlands are the Earth’s second most important habitat after the rainforest. They are essential to the health of our community and should be protected.
The approved Riverbend development increases the threat of flooding
- This development is comprised of 29 single family houses on a riverfront parcel at 529 Madison St (next to the Clover Dairy).
- The project is located on a 3.36 acre site, within the Residential 3 (R3) and Floodway zones
- The developer has:
- Submitted incomplete and inaccurate traffic and biology reports.
- Planed to cut down 13 trees (including six Heritage trees) that are crucial habitats and nesting sites for special status species. (3 were saved by vocal opposition)
- Has not assessed the flood hazards in relationship to the other planned developments along the river.
- It sits on seasonal wetlands and does not adhere to the City’s General Plan and undermines FEMA’s flood mitigation recommendations.
Taxpayer funded Rainier Connector will destroy wetlands in critical flood zones
- This extraordinarily expensive, $115M tax-payer funded project, would extend Rainier Avenue from McDowell Boulevard across Hwy 101 to Petaluma Boulevard North.
- It would pave over open space and vital wetlands that lie within the flood zone.
- It was marketed for traffic alleviation, but studies show that with the additional surrounding development projects attached to it, traffic will actually dramatically increase.
- The project includes hundreds of new luxury homes and acres of commercial space that will congest our roads with thousands of additional vehicles.
- Taxpayers will be responsible to maintain the roads and provide fire, police and other services to support this project.
Petalumans Working Together to Protect Scott Ranch
- Davidon Homes purchased the property for $7.8 million 15 years ago from University of the Pacific in Stockton
- The current owner of Scott Ranch has agreed to sell most of the property for public use. Under this agreement, 44 acres – three-quarters of the land – is on track to be converted into an extension of Helen Putnam Regional Park.
- Housing development on the property is 28 luxury homes with a private park.
- It would extend Putnam Park by 44 acres and create a new entry point to the park on the east side (near the intersection of Windsor Drive and D Street)
- Preserve the red barns as historic landmarks at Petaluma’s western gateway
- Protect critical habitat for the threatened California red-legged frog
Read the Ecologists Assessment of the impacts of this proposal by clicking here.