LETTERS TO THE EDITOR – 1-26-12

Economic stagnation
Editor: Abandoned buildings that squat in the midst of a sea of
concrete are not only ugly, they communicate political and economic
stagnation. Assuming that the city can’t afford to purchase the
property and convert it to a public park, I would encourage the
Sebastopol City Council to move ahead and give final approval to
the existing plans for the development slated for the Pellini
Chevrolet property.
Michael D. Fels, Ph.D.
Sebastopol
Look at the plans
Editor: I am writing to all opposed to the CVS at the Pellini cite.
Have any of you seen the plans that have been presented by the
Armstong Group? If you have you might change your mind. I have and
am very impressed. Not only are they going to improve the drainage,
add a walking/bike lane, add approximately 60 trees, extend the
parking for easy in/out, any many more much needed improvements.
Not to mention much needed revenue to the city. That corner needs a
facelift and they are the ones to get it accomplished. I am all in
favor of the small city charm but its time we all come to the 21st
century. As far as the traffic is concerened, give me a break, it
cannot get any worse. I say yes to CVS and yes to the
Pellinis.
Steve Longinotti
Sebastopol
Civil discourse
Editor: After attending Monday’s 4 hour City Council meeting about
the CVS Chase project, I want to commend the audience for being
appropriate after hours of public comment. The Council and all City
officials were very professional and the Mayor moderated things
very well.
I give credit to Kathleen Shaffer for risking to address the
suspicion regarding her sending an e-mail asking pro-project
supporters to show up en masse. By her own admission, she did send
an e-mail asking for people to voice their opinions and although I
have not read it, it looks like there is a bit of reporting that
the media and her constituents may need to follow up on.
Also, the developer has shown themselves to be willing to make
myriad and expensive improvements to the initial proposal, thanks
to City officials and citizen input. Beyond the positive aspects of
the meeting, there remains many questions that cast doubt on the
developer’s ability to persuade the public and Council about the
value and appropriateness of the project: The developer and
architect stated many times how wonderful it will be to have
“public parking” at the CVS lot so folks can walk around town. Is
that free and unfettered parking or is that only for CVS/Chase and
if not, exactly how many spaces are designated as free and
public?
The developer’s credibility was dubious when flipping between
photos of a neglected lot with 7-foot weeds and the glossy 3D video
animation that mysteriously did not include traffic, any signage
whatsoever, or existing trees.
Yes, I believe that this site should be developed, but tonight the
City Planner again made an embarrassing statement saying, “This
project will be much better that what is currently existing”:
Thanks for the insight.
What exists there is 7-foot weeds, debris, and neglected asphalt.
Clearly the owners and developers are invested in keeping it as
crappy looking as possible.
Mr. City Manager, please address the blight in the meantime; don’t
wait until fire season, as you suggested to me in an e-mail.
Before and during the next meeting on this topic, let’s continue to
move forward, not in an us versus them dynamic, but as in we’re all
a united community hoping for the best for our town.
Stuart Mitchell
Sebastopol
Redevelopment issues
Editor: The Ives Park renovation, the Downtown Streetscape, a
proposed low income rental complex for seniors are all projects the
city will not be able to proceed with due to the loss of
redevelopment funding. The recent ruling by the California Supreme
Court that eliminated 400 redevelopment agencies in the state means
a loss of local projects and jobs. The ruling becomes effective
Feb. 1. The state legislature is attempting to delay this action
until April 15 to give time for a compromise. You can help save
this critical funding that cities use for so many important
projects. Please contact the local legislators and the governor’s
office and ask for their support. Tell them how this funding helps
make so many improvement projects happen in our community.
Kathleen Shaffer
Sebastopol City Councilmember
Stacked deck
Editor: I attended the Rotary/City Council meeting this past Monday
night and walked away stunned at the enthusiasm exhibited by most
of the attendees for the CVS/Chase project presented by Armstrong
Developers.
I say Rotary/Council meeting because it soon became clear that 99
percent of the supporters of these two projects were wearing yellow
stickers that had been passed out by the property owners in
question, and that apparently they were, for the most part, members
of the two Rotary clubs in town, as is one of the Councilmembers
and her husband.
While I think Rotary is a fine organization, and does great work in
many areas of the world, their focus is on business so their
support was no surprise. It was a stacked deck.
Regardless, I was still saddened to hear people so willing to allow
our city to be defined by corporations like CVS and Chase Bank. All
across America, downtowns are being slowly removed from the map and
replaced by chain stores and strip malls. The results are an
anonymous society insulated by the automobile. And cleaner air is
not a by-product of this sort of development: a huge, brown,
automobile-centric box with a drive-thru window and 100 parking
spaces in the middle of rustic downtown Sebastopol.
A town that prides itself on progressive thinking, local sustenance
and environmental sensitivity, would now be associated with the
first thing you’ll see when entering Sebastopol – the giant CVS
logo that will be seen from three major approaches. The showpiece
of our town will no longer be the quaint shops along Main Street.
It’ll be the stark, street level windows of CVS featuring shampoo
displays, stacked liter bottles of soft drinks and posters
announcing discounts on liquor.
All across America, communities are suing CVS to keep this company
out of their town. Attorneys General have successfully sued CVS for
predatory and unethical business practices. Chase is one of the
biggest lenders of mortgages that are underwater. Yet, there are
people who believe these projects to be the future of
Sebastopol.
Look, I am all for standing up for what you believe in. But these
two projects seal the fate of our beloved downtown. It sends
Sebastopol in an irreversible direction that will, in one way or
another, dilute all growth in the future, including the Barlow
project. Sebastopol will be reduced to an oversized intersection
that people will do their best to avoid.
Don’t forget: these companies are already in Sebastopol. We just
don’t want them to ruin downtown. We’ll all lose if they do.
Bill Shortridge
Sebastopol