A New Master Plan for Petaluma
Seven years after launching efforts to create a new 20-year master plan for Petaluma, the City Council has this week unanimously approved a whopping, 273 page blueprint which will re-shape this historic riverfront city as we've known it for the next two decades.
Residential and commercial real estate development has been on hold for the past two years, as the council struggled to solve critical deciding factors, such as water shortages, roads, public safety, utilities and greenhouse gas emissions from traffic back-up.
Although developers have been chomping at the bit to push plans through the planning department (with some serious losses of investment having incurred across the city due to the lengthy moratorium), it seems fitting that final approval for the next, most significant boom in Petaluma's 150 year history, has come to pass in this Sesquicentennial year.
Petaluma's 56,000 population is anticipated to grow to 72,000 by the year 2025 and the general plan has had to look closely at how and where at with what impact these additional community members are going to cohabit our city and country neighborhoods.
Some 6,000 new homes are expected to be built over the next two decades, with some 13 city parks developed or expanded during that time. With the city council as cash-strapped as it is, developers are facing building fees of almost double the amounts imposed prior to the new city plan being put in place.
Retail and commercial projects are expected to face similar cost increases starting this August to help cover the need for additional police officers, fire stations and adequate roads.
Hopefully now we will see some action on the postponed saleability of the Sunset Line and Twine Building at Jefferson and Lakeville. An ambitious project to convert the historic property into upscale condos was shelved due to the council's crippling moratorium, but developers are now hopeful that a new direction for the restoration of the landmark building will be one of the first major projects Petalumans will appreciate.
Heard it on the grapevine that the Sunset Line and Twine Building may be considered for conversion as an upscale West side hotel to serve growing demand for rooms and conference, event space in this area. Wouldn't that be great?
Residential and commercial real estate development has been on hold for the past two years, as the council struggled to solve critical deciding factors, such as water shortages, roads, public safety, utilities and greenhouse gas emissions from traffic back-up.
Although developers have been chomping at the bit to push plans through the planning department (with some serious losses of investment having incurred across the city due to the lengthy moratorium), it seems fitting that final approval for the next, most significant boom in Petaluma's 150 year history, has come to pass in this Sesquicentennial year.
Petaluma's 56,000 population is anticipated to grow to 72,000 by the year 2025 and the general plan has had to look closely at how and where at with what impact these additional community members are going to cohabit our city and country neighborhoods.
Some 6,000 new homes are expected to be built over the next two decades, with some 13 city parks developed or expanded during that time. With the city council as cash-strapped as it is, developers are facing building fees of almost double the amounts imposed prior to the new city plan being put in place.
Retail and commercial projects are expected to face similar cost increases starting this August to help cover the need for additional police officers, fire stations and adequate roads.
Hopefully now we will see some action on the postponed saleability of the Sunset Line and Twine Building at Jefferson and Lakeville. An ambitious project to convert the historic property into upscale condos was shelved due to the council's crippling moratorium, but developers are now hopeful that a new direction for the restoration of the landmark building will be one of the first major projects Petalumans will appreciate.
Heard it on the grapevine that the Sunset Line and Twine Building may be considered for conversion as an upscale West side hotel to serve growing demand for rooms and conference, event space in this area. Wouldn't that be great?
