Letters to the Editor 11-6-14

Rural Character
Editor: Rural character — it’s why we love living here. Tourists may come for the wine, the bike riding and the outstanding food, yet rural character is the backdrop — the real draw.
Last Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors wisely authorized the County Planning Department to develop guidelines and implementation programs to address the issue of over-concentration of events and entertainment facilities along a few of our rural, scenic roads.
As quoted in the PD, Supervisor Gorin noted, “our rural character is really getting challenged,” and Supervisor McGuire reported that he’s received a flood of complaints about events.
The objective is to create a balance — ensuring event facilities are sited in appropriate locations and to protect against an over-commercialization of our agricultural lands. With 2600 events permitted in the Count! y and hundreds more going on outside the permitting process, there are plenty of parties to go around. In certain locations, these activities raise very real road safety concerns.
Bicycle tourism rivals wine tasting in generating valuable tourist revenue, and our rural by-ways, such as Westside Road, play host to numerous high profile bike events, as well as routes for bike tour operations that bring significant revenue to hotels and restaurants. Events in support of important local organizations include the: Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce Harvest Century; Wine County Century; Santa Rosa Rotary Club Girobello; Vine Man triathlon, and other rides supporting various charities.
Just as Healdsburg officials have grappled with the cumulative impacts of multiple events within city limits, County officials must address the few areas with an over concentration of events and entertainment facilities. For example, on Westside Road alone, the County database lists 25 Use Permits that include event and entertainment facilities. Cumulatively, these facilities are permitted to host over 200 events. There are six facilities that are silent on events, which could add another 100 events, along with another four applications in the pipeline, requesting a total of 124 events on Westside Road. If permitted, Westside Road may face the potential of over 400 events, usually concentrated in the summer and fall months, with some hosting up to 300 people.
Time is of the essence for the County to develop guidelines that protect our rural character. It may be an overused cliche, yet it’s more relevant than ever, we need to address this concern before “we kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.”
Marc Bommersbach
Healdsburg
You’re invited
Editor: The Healdsburg Food Pantry wants to make sure our entire community knows they are invited to join in on the best fundraising party of the year on Saturday, Nov. 8 at The Villa. Aside from being a fun night with a western dinner and square dancing with a caller, it is the biggest fundraiser of the year to support our neighbors in Healdsburg and Geyserville. We provide bags of groceries to nearly 3,000 residents every month. These are our neighbors, and as a community we need to take care of each other.
Tickets for the Square Dance are only $75 each and can be purchased online at healdsburgfoodpantry.org. If you can’t join in the fun, please consider making a gift or donating an auction item. For every $1 that is donated, we can buy $4 worth of food. Call me at 707-433-6777.
Everyone is invited to become an FOFP (Friend of the Food Pantry). We need your help!
Susan Graf
Healdsburg
Homegrown hero
Editor: We are so fortunate to have Mike McGuire as a Healdsburg homegrown hero. Mike has proven in numerous political positions throughout almost two decades that he’s an effective listener,  a leader energized into action beyond measure, and an intellect who understands the deeper issues facing our schools, city, county, and soon to be state. What differentiates Mike is that he is guided by a profound, deeply rooted, and un-shattering sense of integrity.  With his myriad gifts to our community throughout his career, perhaps his greatest contribution is as a young politician, with his actions speaking louder than his words, he instills a sense of hope that perhaps our political system can be fixed as he now moves to the state level and probably far beyond serving as an example of mindful, intelligent, effective, and responsible leadership.
Congratulations Mike — you continue to make us proud and the respect and admiration you have earned from your ever growing community is awe inspiring.
I will always cherish my first introduction to you as president of Healdsburg High School and a student who all of your colleagues admired. Some things never change, thank goodness.
Marie Gewirtz
Healdsburg