Letters to the Editor 12-31-15

Generous community
Editor: I would like to take a moment to say how grateful I am for the support Cloverdale is showing the local Food Pantry this holiday season. The response to the $20 food pantry bags at Ray’s Food Place has been incredible. I have the opportunity to pick up the bags from Ray’s and work with the Builders Club of Washington School to prepare the items for distribution by my fellow Kiwanis members. Seeing the complete cycle is very inspiring. I know each recipient is grateful for this generous outpouring. On their behalf I’d like to thank all those who have already or will purchase bags this month and wish each of you a wonderful holiday season.
Julie Carter, Kiwanis of Cloverdale
Resorts, panaceas and a small town
Editor: I’m not necessarily against a resort if it’s brought in with wisdom as part of the overall plan to sustainably grow the town of Cloverdale with input and cooperation of its citizens, town council and planning committees. I am leary of political posturing of any corporation to use its money power to strong arm changes in a town.
Cloverdale would be wise to study the consequences of ridding itself of its airport, present the pros and cons and bring it to a vote. I get the feeling, after reading the latest barrage of letters, that the resort is looked at as a panacea – it will miraculously solve all the economic problems by flooding the town with money. Be careful of this thinking, because before you know it, you will find that a corporation has taken control of the development of your town. The Cloverdale 2009 General Plan seems a bit outdated. It doesn’t seem to address long term sustainability by proactively focusing on the local economy’s ability to adapt to changing conditions. Look at Cloverdale’s place in Sonoma County and encourage growth of a variety of businesses downtown and provide a draw for people who would come to spend time at a resort. Right now we are not a destination point – maybe a lunch or dinner stopover. We are a wine country town, but there isn’t one tasting room in our downtown.
We also need diversity in the type of boutique shops and stores that address local needs and shops that are a draw for tourists. If we don’t coordinate that type of growth with the coming of a resort, you will find that the majority of the people who are drawn to the resort will go to Healdsburg, Geyserville or even Hopland. We do have a start with Bolt, 14 Feet, coffee houses, a couple of good art galleries, Voss Vintage, a few new and good restaurants, nurseries and antique shops, but there are still too many empty, sad places that sit year after year. We need sustainability with proactive policies that will create a bounty that sustains the community long term.
The citizens of Cloverdale have voiced many opinions, but it seems in the end the City Council usually does what it wants. It’s an old mentality that is overdue for change. Build on the existing strengths of the town and let’s move forward wisely by developing economic sectors that fit in with the local culture and goals for how the community should develop and prosper, so it’s bounty can sustain the community for a long time.
Maria Doglio, Cloverdale
Don’t change decades of good planning
Editor: On Jan. 5, Laulima and Tyris will be going in front of the Cloverdale Planning Commission to ask for a zoning change for the Tyris property on Santana Drive (a part of which is occupied by Soil King) with the intent to change the zoning from Business Park to Resort Commercial. Making this change would go against the decades of good planning which has led to the creation of a thriving industrial center and on average 200 jobs. This is to say nothing of the disregard it would show towards the huge investment that has been made by friends, neighbors, the city and myself to create the industrial center so that people will have a place to work and feed their families (most, if not all jobs in the industrial center are middle income or above).
It seems as though no shortage of concessions have been made to cater toward Laulima’s and Tyris’ agenda. The golf course is gone; according to Tyris’ EIR this would make more land available for houses. The City Council has voted to look into closing the airport. And now they are going in front of the Planning Commission asking to make the gateway to the industrial center Resort Commercial. This goes against the general plan, which is the city’s constitution for land use adopted in May of 2009 and is scheduled to run for 20 years.
Common sense will tell you that having heavy trucks driving by your Resort Commercial site day and night will create a nuisance for the upscale facility. This would lead to a similar conflict as that between the airport and the resort. The business park zoning acts as a buffer for the general industry. It is very common to place business parks or open space between general industry and future developments.
On Jan. 5, the Planning Commission will be hearing Laulima and Tyris’ request for the zoning change. My numerous and widespread sources and I believe this zoning change will be bad for the industrial center and should not happen. If you are interested in this matter please attend the Jan. 5 Planning Commission meeting at the Performing Arts Building at 6:30 p.m.
Bruce Reuser, Cloverdale