Staff to study restrictions on locations
The Healdsburg City Council extended an urgency moratorium on firearms dealers in the city Monday night and directed the city’s planning staff to come back with recommendations to restrict future locations for businesses that sell guns.
Reacting to a Windsor man’s plan to open a gun shop on North Street, next door to a toy store, the council implemented a 45-day moratorium in December, and extended that moratorium another 10.5 months on Monday.
Urgency ordinances like the moratorium require a 4/5ths vote of the council, and the vote was just that. City councilmember David Hagele, while questioning the appropriateness of the proposed location, voted against the moratorium extension, saying: “I really get concerned about us thinking of ways to prevent businesses from coming to Healdsburg.”
Hagele added: “What if the gun store was already there and a toy store wanted to go in next door? Would I prefer that a different business go in there? Probably, but I don’t like changing the rules once the game has started,” referring to the fact that gun shops are currently allowed in the downtown commercial zone.
The other four councilmembers approved the moratorium, focusing on the proximity to the existing toy store and the downtown district in general.
“It’s not an appropriate location,” said councilmember Leah Gold. “It’s clear to me that we need to reconsider our zoning.”
“It’s a question of what we want downtown,” said mayor Brigette Mansell. “I have no problem with a city council in a town that’s evolving to have a conversation.”
The moratorium settled, the council then took up what to do next. Public comment was mostly against allowing a gun shop downtown, especially the optics of having it located next to a toy store, but three speakers spoke in favor of Scott Gabaldon’s plan to open a shop.
Tony Frye, a longtime Healdsburg High School teacher and coach, remembers Gabaldon when he attended HHS and spoke of his character and commitment. Frye also said: “The fact is, it’s zoned for a gun store now; there used to be two gun stores within 150 yards of this location.”
History figured largely in the public conversation. Despite being founded in 1857 by gun owners and hosting firearms dealers as late as the 1980s, public comment favored a changed Healdsburg.
“Guns don’t belong in this town,” said Vicky McEnhill. “They’re not part of the fabric of this town.”
Other speakers agreed, in addition to focusing on recurring dilemma of the proposed location. “My concern is that it doesn’t seem to be an appropriate location,” said Katherine Nelson, urging the council to “look at the laws and look at common sense in terms of location.”
Looking at zoning maps provided by Healdsburg Planning Director Maya DeRosa, the city council directed planning staff to look into how to restrict firearms dealers in downtown areas, but to explore how to possibly expand and allow them in the city’s industrial zones.
“This is not an either/or issue,” said city councilmember Joe Naujokas. “It’s an opportunity for us to have a dialogue” about land use.
Healdsburg City Manager David Mickaelian said he hopes that a draft zoning update can be ready soon and be sent to the planning commission for review, possibly as early as February.
