Letters to the Editor 11-27-14

Thank You Windsor
Editor: Windsor, thank you for voting and a heartfelt thanks for your votes. twenty years is a long time. The council has added two fresh faces and kept one old one. Windsor’s growth, how much, when and what kind, was the issue that initially involved me way back when and remains my primary interest. As of council’s last meeting, we have approximately 1,000 residential units with some type of approval, almost all proceeding through the Planning Commission. The smallest project, six single family homes on Los Amigos Road, a half block from Arata Lane, concerns me. Los Amigos is a collector road, with neighborhood streets emptying on to Brooks Road or Arata Lane. The proposal has the six homes with driveways loading on to Los Amigos. Los Amigos currently has no curb cuts allowing for driveways or on street parking. A bicyclist currently has a bike lane and clear view without on street parking. Although traffic speeds shouldn’t, they can approach 50 MPH. With these new homes, the bike lane will need to move closer to traffic. My concern is when the dog, the ball or outdoor cat, accidentally wanders into the street and someone makes chase, or when someone backs out of a driveway, cautiously, but still unexpectedly. Although the chances of someone being seriously harmed is very slight, I question why we we put people in this position in the first place. By people, I mean not only the prospective residents who will live here but also the drivers using Los Amigos, as well as the bicyclists. This is a project that should be placed within the adjacent neighborhood where the streets are safer and traffic slower and where the majority of the cars are your neighbors. This cannot happen today because the developer does not own the two adjacent parcels. Does this proposed project compromise sound and safe planning principles? This is a question to be asked of every project. I would like to hear from you. Council member Sam Salmon 522-8525 or [email protected].
Sam Salmon
Windsor
Dining with Dogs
Editor: Seriously? So, what about those of us who do not want to dine with animals? I look at it like this, those who claim “emotional support” perhaps need a therapist, not a dogs escort. Shame to those who claim “service animal” un-truthfully. Let’s not ignore allergies and those who fear dogs. A dog in a food shopping cart is just plain disgusting. Animal defecation indoors, like the mall – well this suggests persons who feel they have an entirely new level of entitlement. One of my most memorable events was at Mazzaco Winery at the Summer Concert series where there I sat in my low to the ground lawn chair, sipping my wine and eating my cheeses etc. And in comes some folks with their massive dog! A beautiful English Mastiff, whose massive rear endwas at eye level next to my head! Wonderful and fragrant as well! Another favorite, Sunday brunch at Costeaux Bakery & Cafe in Healdsburg, where it is now impossible to enjoy the patio area without the disruption of dogs, hardly well behaved. Apparently, our only choice is to eat indoors-so we are denied the enjoyment of the patio. More recently, Agave Restaurant, also in Healdsburg, the entire patio open, but of course enter the people with three dogs who just had to sit by me. Dogs barking and coming up to my table. I announced, “what is this the pound?” The dogs owners told me I was rude and suggested I move! I was there first! Rude? Why? Because I don’t want to eat with animals? Where did my rights go? It is my understanding that the ordnance is no animals within 20 feet of food being served. I am being served at a restaurant, right? A service I have to pay for. I have three dogs, four cats, a parrot and a fish-truly not an issue of not loving animals. I would never think anyone else should want to dine or spend time with my animals. They are at home, where they are safe, have ample room to play, and have food and water. Why do folks think their animals really want to attend outdoor concerts? The poor things have to sit and smell food and not get any? At times there are hundreds of people there, moving around, dancing, drinking and eating- anxiety for the animals for sure. I would suggest we have become an attention craving people, and are using our pets to gain such attention. I see that the law is changing, after all, we seem to be in the land of everything goes. The compromise-area for the folks who wish to eat with animals, and area for those who do not. The outdoor dining/entertainment experience just shouldn’t go to the dogs.
Paula Eidsen
Windsor
Don’t Believe It
Editor: Regarding Robin Gordon’s “Lytton Rancheria project gains momentum” (Windsor Times, Nov. 12, 2014), I don’t care what anyone says–we’ll have a casino in Windsor in the next 10 years, if not five. We tried to be the next Healdsburg and failed. All we need is a casino to be the next Rohnert Park. Maybe we’ll get lucky and Styx will give a concert! $89 a ticket! Wow! Think of all the money we’ll make!
David Randolph
Windsor