Lots of letters this week…
One-sided reporting
EDITOR: Why does your piece (Westside Road winery seeking expansion, Sept. 7, 2017) not take into consideration the efforts that he (Ramey) will have acquiesced to over the last 3-plus years? It seems you are more concerned with a vocal minority of NIMBY new residents to the community than a 40-plus year resident, who is not only responsible for producing some of the most consistently delicious and well awarded wines coming out of Sonoma County, but also someone who contributes to our tax base as well as employs many local residents.
This property was an eyesore in disrepair before the Rameys purchased it and they want to continue with the improvements. There will be no increase to traffic as stated and the events you refer to would include any business meetings they would conduct on the property, be it visits from three people who could come from their Maine distribution partners or a group of grape growers from the Sonoma Coast and Russian River.
Your job as a journalist is to quote facts that express both sides of a story, which you have failed at miserably. The Rameys have not only put their money where their mouth is and met every request that has been thrown at them but they have done it in a professional manner and not gone around bad mouthing as these 6-8 new residents have.
It’s a wonder that nothing ever gets done in this county in any reasonable amount of time (SMART train, Courthouse Square, etc) please follow up on this article with the Ramey side of the story so your readership will have a complete view of the issue and save the fluff piece for when you cover the food at the county fair or why the Kenwood pillow fights no longer happen.
David Repp, Santa Rosa
Fair memories
EDITOR: We are putting together a book on the beginning and early years of the Healdsburg Future Farmers Country Fair. We are focusing on the years between 1949 and 1956 and we are looking for photos with captions, plus stories pertaining to that time period. We may not be able to return your photos unless you include an envelope with a return address. We have engaged the museum and a local author in our quest to obtain all the information we can on the origin of the fair. We may have to expand the search later to the 1960s or 1970s, but we want start with 1949 through 1956. We would appreciate all information be sent to HFFCF at PO Box 763, Healdsburg, CA 95448.
Thanks, HFFCF directors
Kiwanis checks in
EDITOR: On behalf of the Healdsburg Kiwanis Club, I would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest appreciation to the community and the city for their many years of support of our Christmas tree lot. As many of you learned from a recent article in this paper, our club will not be operating the lot for the first time since 2003. Although there are a number of factors that led to this decision, the most significant was the closure of the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center that resulted in the loss of half of our labor.
As one of the few lots in northern Sonoma County, we recognize the impact this will have for many of our loyal customers. To that end, over the next few months we will be exploring ways to resume operation of the lot next year. In the meantime, we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause this holiday and look forward to serving you in 2018.
Randy Collins, club president, Healdsburg
Rush to judgment
EDITOR: To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors: Congratulations on rushing to approve the Knightsbridge Winery project. Just as our harvest begins, in a year of good rains, our last well is barely recharging. This is the first time it has ever happened so dramatically. We are the property adjacent to the project and where county policy legally requires surrounding properties’ groundwater be protected when permitting discretionary land use. The developers’ deal in your public hearing for “no net water increase” (when they already pump more than any nearby neighbor) doesn’t hold water.
You had no qualms approving a project entirely based on consultants working for the developer rather than grant the public the EIR we requested. We personally met with you to discuss the multiple new wells for the 10-bedroom, 10-bath estate, swimming pool and guest home but granting a permit for the proposed winery took precedence. Thanks. Our 40 years of experience in the ag preserve growing grapes had no merit or influence and now our wells have drained. Shame on the county for not representing the people who are the backbone of agriculture in favor of outside money. Is this the way democracy works today?
Meredith and Bill Blau, Knights Valley
Change hotel zoning
EDITOR: The town needs balance between the needs of residents and those of tourists. Many residents believe there is an over-concentration of hotels downtown.
The Downtown Commercial District currently has eight hotels (181 tourism rooms). This includes two hotels on the Plaza (67 rooms) and two hotels 100 yards from the Plaza (H2 and H3 with a total of 75 rooms). We do not need a third congesting hotel across from H3. Also, there are other downtown sites that could be transformed into hotels.
An ad hoc group is proposing to the Healdsburg City Council that it restrict any future hotel growth in the Plaza and Downtown Commercial Districts. This is a four- block by three-block area (Piper to Mill, East to Vine). Preserving this area for existing uses or similar retail and business uses would help keep our small town character.
Current zoning allows a permitted use for hotels in both districts. Presently any size hotel, as long as it has on-site parking and has a 50-foot height limitation, would be allowed. Do you remember the 75 room Kessler hotel proposal in 2013?
To eliminate the permitted use for these two districts, the city council would need to approve a simple change in our land use code by majority vote. This change would not affect hotel applications elsewhere in town. There are many reasons to support this proposal. We need to have a “values and vision” approach to what we want our downtown to be now and in the future. Our downtown is more than just some commodity with supply and demand and “best use” being the only metrics. There is a qualitative side – a sense of place that is paramount. Both residents and tourists enjoy having a real town where the scale is small and a range of shops and businesses serve everyone.
There are over 350 hotel rooms approved and under construction outside the downtown that will double the number of hotel rooms. Most of these new hotel guests will flood the downtown for dining and shopping. With this increasing congestion, why should we even consider more downtown hotels?
St. Helena and Carmel both have a cap on the number of hotel rooms. Insatiable hotel growth was occurring and they took steps to find balance in their commercial districts. We could learn from that. If you support my proposal, would you please write both council members and letters to the editor? From my discussions with council members, they are listening and your support could help make the difference in getting this zoning change.
Bruce Abramson, Healdsburg
Young artists sought
EDITOR: We are looking for young artists in all mediums to apply for the upcoming annual Emerging Artists exhibition at Healdsburg Center for the Arts by Sept. 25. The age group has changed this year to include high school seniors; any young artist up to age 17 to 30 is encouraged to join in. No fees; just go online and apply at healdsburgcenterforthearts.org/artist-
opportunities/calls-for-artist. The Emerging Artists program celebrates and supports artists at the beginning of their careers. They will receive a small stipend to assist in their pursuit of art expression, thanks to the Namaste Foundation, Merede & Barbara Graham Memorial Fund. The exhibit will run from Oct. 28 to November 19 and is very popular. Anyone who knows a young artist can help by inspiring them to join in the fun and apply.
Cynthia Helen Beecher, Healdsburg Center for the Arts
Basic rights
EDITOR: Los Cien Sonoma County believes that everyone living in the United States is entitled to certain basic rights under the U.S. Constitution, including undocumented immigrants. We stand in solidarity with the 800,000 DREAMERs here today and refuse to permit the politics of hate to define our community or our America. We call on all Sonoma County Latinos and amigos to stand beside all of our DREAMERs, insuring that they can take their full and rightful place in our community and our country. They deserve nothing less than our full support. At the same time, we urge federal legislators to enact a bipartisan permanent legislative solution, one that will allow these bright minds to be nurtured and prosper in the America we know and love.
Herman J. Hernandez, chairman of the board, Los Cien Sonoma County
Embracing community engagement
EDITOR: It is important for members of our community to be able to meaningfully participate in city decision-making on matters that affect the quality of life in Healdsburg.
At the last Healdsburg City Council meeting on Sept. 5, a group of residents asked permission to show a four-minute video that encapsulated the key concerns, hopes, and ideas of over 100 people who attended a community forum on sustainable tourism on May 31. A detailed list of the participants’ suggestions are available online through this newspaper or at https://healdsburgcoalition.org.
The city council did not agree to view the video and instead deferred to the city manager’s recommendation to develop a protocol for any group wanting to show a video.
Residents also asked the council to create an opportunity for a meaningful discussion and dialogue with the council about the sustainable tourism study and the best way to go about planning for the city’s future. There was no discussion or response to this request by council members.
This lack of responsiveness by the council to these types of requests dampens the desire of the public to take the time and effort to put forth their ideas.
Healdsburg is most fortunate to have a public that is interested and committed to making their town a highly livable, sustainable and friendly place. Our town suffers when their ideas are ignored.
We need additional ways for residents to meaningfully participate in city decision-making through improved communication, collaboration and access to staff and outside experts.
At the beginning of the year residents reached out to the city council and staff on ways to build more open and collaborative government and participated in the city council’s annual goal setting session in March. The city manager decided to hold community conversations once a month. Last week the city hired a new community outreach coordinator. Our hope is the role of this position will be to sincerely engage in constructive dialogue and problem solving with the community.
Numerous ideas have been presented to the council and in this newspaper: 1) At least five days notification of agendas and packets instead of three; 2) Discussions/workshops that permit dialogue with the council; 3) Free meeting space for citizen-led forums and meetings.
Our future depends on our city government working together with an informed and engaged public.
Todd Everett, Healdsburg
Biased story
EDITOR: I was happy to see the picture of Westside Farms on the cover of the Tribune (Westside Road winery seeking expansion, Sept. 7, 2017); it’s a beautiful property. In reading the article it was easy to recognize with the use of emotive words and phrases, this is a one sided, biased commentary on the project the Ramey family has been working on for years.
I was disappointed to reach the end of the article with no quotes from the Rameys themselves. They are a respected family within this community who have built a business from the ground up through hard work and a dedication to doing things the right way. They are thoughtful, responsible and fair minded people with a commitment to their employees, community and environment around them.
I am disappointed the paper took such an approach and encourage its readers to recognize this was one side of the story.
Carrie Hanford, Healdsburg
Why talk across divide?
EDITOR: Was the November election like a bad dream from which you can’t awaken? Are you wondering how you can make a difference in the 2018 Congressional Elections?
In California, seven districts cast the majority of their votes for Hillary Clinton, at the same time that they elected Republicans to Congress. Greater voter turnout and a more informed electorate could turn these swing districts from Red to Blue in 2018. Groups like Indivisible, Swing Left, Working America and Sister District Project are facilitating volunteer opportunities in districts like these.
If you want to be able to converse with potential swing voters and perhaps even members of your own family — without tempers flaring — Indivisible groups across Sonoma County are co-sponsoring a workshop on Saturday, Sept. 23, with Sharon Ellison, entitled “How to Talk Politics Across the Current Divide.”
More than 200 people attended an Ellison workshop in Berkeley in June. Participants reported that they learned valuable skills they would apply in their personal lives — in addition to feeling more comfortable engaging with Trump supporters. Several participants said the event was life changing.
For tickets to How to Talk Politics Across the Current Divide, go to brownpapertickets.com/event/3070522. Tickets are $20; scholarships are available. For more information, email cn*******@gm***.com.
Pam Browning, Cloverdale
