LETTERS TO THE EDITOR – 1-12-12

Celebrate service
Editor: This coming Monday, Jan. 16, will be the 26th year that we
celebrate Martin Luther King Day. It was first observed as a
federal holiday in 1986, and in 1994 Martin Luther King Day was
designated by congress as a national day of service, “a day on, not
a day off.” President Obama has echoed this sentiment.
Every year when the holiday arrives, there is publicity about the
goal of celebrating with service to others. After seeing most of
our national holidays degenerate into days only of shopping, I am
so happy to be reminded, it makes me want to spread the word. There
is so much we can do to honor our history and improve our
communities and country and every little bit counts.
I am writing this letter to encourage everyone to celebrate this
holiday. Visit or write a letter or e-mail to someone who is
lonely; read to a child – or let the child read to you; decide
finally to call that organization that you like, to ask about
volunteering; trim those bushes blocking your sidewalk (ok, I
talked to a city councilperson about possible ideas); talk a
couch-potato into taking a walk with you. Even those who have a
regular workday can do something.
Or, I invite you to do the simple thing my husband and I plan to do
this coming Monday: Pick up some trash. This service is easy. Just
choose your spot.
Our starting spot will be the Sebastopol Town Plaza at 10 a.m. on
Martin Luther King Day. We will bring some extra gloves and trash
bags to share and a pickup truck to take bagged trash and
recyclables until noon. Please feel free to join us.
Rhonda Berney
Sebastopol
Bond money for Karlson
Editor: We are in support of using Bond Measure I money for the
renovation of Karlson Field. We are members of the original Field
Turf Committee that was asked to fund the survey to get the bond
onto the ballot in the first place. It was implied that the bond
money would be used for “solar and fields.” Many voted in favor of
the bond for just that reason.
The Field Renovation Project would result in the installation of a
safe, low maintenance all weather playing surface to serve the
8,500 residents of the Greater Sebastopol community. Students,
youth sports, and community would use the playing surface
approximately 86,300 person-days a year. The use of the
tire-derived product in this project is consistent with the
Sebastopol value of responsible environmental stewardship and is
within the “green spirit” of Bond Measure I. It is crucial that
Karlson Field be brought up to Safety and Handicapped Access
codes.
The Field Turf Committee has sizable funds of approximately
$200,000 to go towards this project. We have a volunteer to rewrite
the Waste Management Grant of $100,000 that we were awarded but had
to decline because the project was stalled. The Sebastopol Rotary
has set aside $20,000 for the field renovation that must be used
soon or it will be used for other community projects. We have
numerous volunteers willing to donate their time.
We are willing to spear-head a committee to work with the District
to accelerate and facilitate this process. Although all of the
requested projects have merit, we strongly believe that the spirit
of the bond was to use the money for “solar and fields.” We urge
Sebastopol voters to contact the WSCUHSD board and express your
opinions about this project.
Chip and Loretta Castleberry
Sebastopol
Support for Pellini
Editor: I wish to express my support for the Pellini Corner
renovation/CVS project.
Heavy traffic in Sebastopol is a mixed blessing. It is a sign of
vitality and a pain in the butt. No one seriously wants Sebastopol
to wither and become a ghost town, we just don’t want those cars to
be in front of us. The bottlenecks in our traffic flow are decades
old issues. Defunct steetcar and freight rail right-of-ways shaped
our streets. It is unreasonable to expect the renovation of
Pellini’s corner to solve these problems. The Pellini renovation is
only one piece of the traffic puzzle, and it is a step in the right
direction.
Patronizing the businesses on the east side of Highway 116/Petaluma
Avenue has always been problematic. There is no easy way to get
yourself turned around and back to the center of town.
However, the recently approved Barlow renovation includes an
extension of McKinley to Morris. This creates a convenient return
route on the north side of Highway 12/Sebastopol Avenue.
Similarly, the Pellini renovation includes an extension of Barnes
to Abbott. This will create a return route on the south side of
Highway 12.
There are many other changes designed to improve vehicular,
pedestrian and bike access to this area:
• The number of driveway entrances to the property will reduced
from eight to four;
• 16-foot-wide tree-shaded sidewalks will front Pellini corner on
highways 12 and 116;
• The pedestrian islands at highways 12 and 116 will be renovated
for improved pedestrian safety and better vehicle turning;
• 100 new, unrestricted public parking spaces will be added,
benefiting patrons of all area businesses;
• Signalized crosswalks will be added at Barnes crossing Highway 12
and at Barnett crossing Highway 116;
• There will be bike paths, bike racks and direct bike access to
the Joe Rodota Trail.
Two traffic impact studies have been commissioned and approved by
the Sebastopol City Council.
I believe that this project is a step in the right direction to
renovate a prominent community eyesore and brings many needed
benefits to Sebastopol.
Please show your support by attending the Special City Council
meeting at the Community Center on Jan. 23.
Greg Reynolds
Sebastopol
‘Eyesore’ property
Editor: This letter is to reinforce the letter of Dec. 29 (“Support
for CVS/Chase”) by a group of Sebastopol citizens and business
owners, relative to the Pellini/CVS project on the corner of
Highway 12 and Petaluma Avenue.
I am a business owner in town, and have been for over 12 years (a
resident for 30). I am so thrilled that this project is in the
works, for a few reasons.
Because we are located in downtown, the access to this facility
will be much appreciated by myself and my whole staff. Besides the
ability to have a drug store in town, the proposed changes to the
property are phenomenal.
Currently, the property is an eye-sore. It is not pedestrian
friendly at all. Additionally, there is currently only one tree on
the property, and that will be turned into 60 trees when the
project is finished, certainly a much better sight than what
currently faces people coming into Sebastopol, westbound on Highway
12.
As with the folks in the other letter, I actually work full time,
and so to find the time to “organize” people to come to the meeting
doesn’t really happen for me. However, I have been talking to many
folks here in town, who are very much looking forward to this
project being approved.
So, now it is time for all of us who support this project to let
the city and the city council know our thoughts. This project will
benefit the economic future of this beautiful town and the council
has already approved the project twice. Why? Because it meets all
the requirements of a project like this.
Now it is time for the city council to “really step forward,” put
an end to this nonsense of “protesting the project.” As I said at
one of the design review board meetings, if the folks who are so
opposed to this project, because they “don’t like CVS or Chase,”
then let them buy the property, turn it into a park, and this will
be done. That, of course, won’t happen for many reasons, so let the
existing proposed project be completed. Everyone who has seen the
future design of that corner, and understands the financial impact
it will have on the city, is 100 percent in support of the
project.
Please, come to the special meeting of the city council, which will
be held on Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. at the Sebastopol Community
Center.
We know the “organizers” will be there, but so will we.
Nancy Aita, Robert Aita,
Jessica Dominik, Eileen Baughn,
Linda Rivera
Sebastopol
No to CVS/Chase
Editor: What I have heard most about the large opposition to a CVS
drug store at the Pellini site in Sebastopol is the impact on
traffic, and how it fits in (or not) with the character of the
town.
The architects tried to make it greener, more pedestrian and
bicycle friendly and as attractive as possible for a big-box drug
store.
But this is the center of our town and most people simply don’t
want another drug store and bank here. I don’t see how it would
benefit the economic future of our community. It would simply move
CVS and Chase Bank from their other locations in Sebastopol.
We already have at least 10 banks in town, at least 7 of which are
in the pedestrian heart of town.
Other types of businesses, possible dwellings and even public park
use at that location would likely produce more revenue and increase
pedestrian use – enhancing all businesses in the area.
To move the CVS/Chase businesses from where they are would not
increase revenue, not unless the vacancies created at Redwood
Market Place are filled.
Wouldn’t it be more efficient to leave them where they are, with a
nice parking lot and all?
Continuing with the CVS/Chase project at the Pellini site would
miss a huge opportunity to grow the heart of Sebastopol into
something we and generations to come will love. It is time to get
creative here.
If you agree, please plan to attend the Jan. 23, 2012 special city
council meeting starting at 6 p.m. at the Sebastopol Community
Cultural Center.
Ellen Storz
Sebastopol
Approve it already
Editor: After far more design review meetings than necessary and
hours of meeting with city staff to appease the board’s perceived
flaws in the proposed project, Pellini’s Corner is once again
coming to the city council for approval on Jan. 23.
The project has many positives for the city of Sebastopol; two new
safe pedestrian crossings, landscaping, storm drainage, downtown
parking, and utility improvements at no cost to the public. It will
provide new revenues from project fees, taxes and jobs.
CVS will provide a drive-thru prescription pick-up. This will allow
the physically disabled, young mothers with sick children, and the
elderly with limited mobility an alternative way to obtain their
medication since no pharmacy in Sebastopol provides that service or
free delivery.
Non-approval will leave us with an unattractive empty building. No
national chain (as they would be the only business that could
afford to) would spend its time and money to develop the site after
seeing all the delays and changing demands made by the city.
I guess the Pellinis could lease the building’s windows for
advertizing.
Pete Hill
Sebastopol