Teresa Barrett 2018 Mayor Candidate

We sent a questionnaire to each of the 2018 mayoral and city council candidates. The questionnaire was very specific about the Scott Ranch/Davidon proposal and the future of the land at Windsor and D Street.

Petaluma Mayor Candidate

Teresa Barrett

Response

Question:

What role does a city council member have in protecting community character and addressing issues such as traffic circulation?

Too often Petaluma’s traffic problems are concentrated into Rainier as a solution. This parcel has specific issues relating to the flow of traffic on D Street which is of a particular concern going out of the city each morning and coming into the city each afternoon.

Question:

What steps would you take to solve traffic congestion on Windsor, D Street, and adjoining streets now that commuters are using these streets to avoid 101 traffic?

We need to finish Highway 101. That would allow motorists to stay on the highway rather than use our backcountry roads.

A traffic circle has been contemplated, but I have to wonder if one lane would allow anyone to actually enter that circle at the peak a.m. and p.m. traffic times. It needs to be further analyzed to make sure it will provide the promised relief.

Question:

What is the number of homes (if any) that you think should be built on this property?

This number is better determined by the environmental impact report. Although there has been movement toward the draft EIR environmentally superior alternative, that does not mean there are no negative and unavoidable environmental impacts. We should strive to avoid votes of overriding consideration to facilitate the development of homes in sensitive areas. I would trust the updated and final EIR to give us an understanding of the desirable number of homes in this area.

Question:

Since 44 acres of the 58 acres will become part of Putnam Park, where on the remaining 14 acres should the 28 homes be located?

The homes should be sighted in the least intrusive way that accommodates the aesthetic and environmental constraints of the property.

Question:

Given that Petaluma is already critically short of police, fire, and first responders, would the Davidon development help solve this problem?

Population growth is not the path to gaining the revenues required for serving a population base. The best forms of development to meet that need is inner city concentrated transit oriented development. Sprawl growth at the edge of the urban growth boundary does not achieve the same infrastructure economy of scale and expands the geographic boundaries of our service area which can have the effect of slowing the city’s overall response time.

Question:

How would you solve this problem?

The increase in property taxes and additional shoppers in town to generate sales tax will increase revenue but only on the margins. The new residents as mentioned above will also increase the demand for services.

I have advocated for an increase in our hotel tax, but the city council majority prevented us from achieving that goal. However, as a result of, and in reaction to my advocacy, the hotel industry agreed to self assess a fee and will be providing several hundred thousand dollars of services the city has been providing. Thus we are marginally better off. As your Mayor, I will continue to look for opportunities to generate the revenue necessary to provide the service you want, deserve, and demand.

Question:

Are there net fiscal benefits to the proposed Davidon project?

It is true the city will collect development impact fees, however those fees are to provide for the infrastructure the new development creates the need for. So that unto itself is not a gain.

On property taxes, the city keeps only 11 cents on the dollar. Therefore, there is some cash flow, but also the demand for additional services and more wear and tear on the streets as a result of new residents. Housing should not be looked upon as a money maker for a city because that is not the reality. Housing provides needed homes for those that make Petaluma their community.

We have a required number of homes to build in various categories and under our state required housing element we need to provide a variety of every type of home. This proposal would fit a category of high end homes that may be ideal for leading executives.

What are the potential costs to the city?

Costs to the city include a demand for additional services that forces an expansion of the work force or a decline in response times by police and fire. Depending upon what is built, and how it is built there also could be a nonquantifiable cost of loss of community character and charm.

Preliminary project plans show that four homes will be located within the red-legged frog habitat.

Question:

Should the Council permit Davidon to build on the portion of the land that is habitat for the threatened red-legged frog, which would mean its death or removal or could these houses be relocated to avoid this significant impact?

Every effort should be made to avoid critical areas including this one.

Please contact Teresa Barrett with any questions about these statements:

teresa4petaluma@comcast.net