Community Update for April 12, 2024

Posted on April 12, 2024


Map showing the N McDowell Detour

HAGA CLIC AQUÍ PARA ESPAÑOL

 

 

Hello, Petaluma! 

We hope you’ve been able to soak up the sun this week as it looks like we’ve got a couple of rainy days ahead.  

A friendly reminder for wet weather: Keeping the drainage areas and pipes around your property clear of debris is an important part of keeping water where it belongs. You can help by removing or reporting obstructions (such as shopping carts, leaves, debris, trash, etc.) in the drainage channels that run along our roadways (gutters, ditches, drains, creeks, etc.) and storm pipes. See an obstruction? Please call the City Public Works department at 707-778-4303 to report it.

Here’s hoping for the return of sunny skies for all the great community events we’ve got in the pipeline! Read on for information about the Butter & Egg Days Parade & Festival along with events for Blue Zones, our General Plan, the Kenilworth Park Revitalization project, and more. 

PLEASE NOTE: A portion of N. McDowell Blvd. will be closed this weekend due to Petaluma North SMART station construction. Read on to learn more.

Want to get more involved with our City? We’ve included some information on how to join a committee, commission, or board. Join us in helping to make Petaluma the best it can be.

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

 

North McDowell Closed This Weekend for SMART Construction – Detour in Place

Heads up, Petaluma! N. McDowell Blvd. will be closed this weekend from Corona Road to Southpoint Blvd.!

Construction of the new Petaluma North SMART station requires a reconstructing of the railroad crossing at N. McDowell Blvd. This will necessitate the closure of N. McDowell Blvd. from Corona Road to Southpoint Blvd. on April 12 – 15, and a SMART Partial System Closure on April 13 & 14.

Weather permitting, the closure will begin around 10PM on Friday, April 12, and last through Monday, April 15 at approximately 5AM. All residents and businesses will continue to have access during the closure. A detour will also be in place. Please refer to the detour map above to plan an alternate route and avoid traffic delays during this time.

In addition, the SMART rail line will be closed this weekend (Sat, Apr. 13 & Sun, Apr. 14) from the Sonoma County Airport station to the Cotati station. Regular weekend service will be provided from the Petaluma Downtown station to the Larkspur station. The dates of the Partial System Closures may change due to weather conditions impacting construction.

Please plan accordingly and take an alternate route if possible! To learn more, visit: sonomamarintrain.org/construction-updates.

 

 

We Need You for Petaluma’s Committees, Commissions, & Boards 

Applications to be a part of the City of Petaluma’s Committees, Commissions, and Boards (CCBs) open May 8! Throughout April and May, we’ll be using our social media channels to spotlight these important groups and a few of the members whose time and dedication help make our City run. 

CCBs usually meet once per month and are made up of community members who volunteer their time and expertise to help guide and inform City operations. These groups play a critical role in providing valuable oversight to City operations and informing the decision-making process. Through their work, the CCBs review and make recommendations on key issues, provide valuable feedback on proposed policies and projects, and help to build strong relationships between the City and the community. 

We are looking for applicants who bring a diverse range of perspectives and experience to the table, helping to ensure the City’s decisions are equitable and representative of the needs and interests of the community. 

Learn more about all our Committees, Commissions, & Boards, including job duties and meeting times, at cityofpetaluma.org/ccbs. Applications open May 8 for all open seats – follow our social media platforms to stay informed!

 

 

Blue Zones Petaluma Kickoff

Sunday, April 14th, 12 pm – 3pm
SRJC, Petaluma Campus
680 Sonoma Mountain Parkway, Petaluma, CA

Come learn about our Blue Zones Project Petaluma! Discover the secrets of the blue zones – rare longevity hotspots where people live the longest, healthiest lives – and connect with your neighbors and community. This FREE event will have food tastings, music, inspiring activities, movement, and fun for people of all ages. RSVP HERE.

 

 

Kenilworth Park Next Steps – Join the Meeting Wednesday April 17 

Thanks to all who joined us for the Kenilworth Park Revitalization community drop-in event last month! We received some great feedback on the latest park design plans and concepts. 

Join Us Wednesday April 17! 

Next, we will be sharing our updated design at a joint meeting of the Recreation, Music, and Parks Commission and Public Art Committee. Please join us and share your thoughts on what the future of Kenilworth Park should look, feel, and play like? 

When: Wednesday April 17, 6pm
Where: Council Chambers at City Hall, 11 English Street 

Spanish interpretation is available upon request. Please email [email protected] to request interpretation. 

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Please visit cityofpetaluma.org/kenilworthpark to learn more. 

 

 

Petaluma’s biggest event weekend is nearly here! 

The Butter & Egg Days Parade and Festival is just around the corner! We hope to see you there Saturday, April 20. Please be aware that many streets in the downtown area – including Petaluma Blvd – will be closed to vehicle traffic as early as 5am. to 6pm.

We’re encouraging everyone to bike, walk, or take public transportation to the event. As in years past, rides on Petaluma Transit, and other regional transit lines are FREE all weekend! 

CLICK HERE to learn more.

 

 

Free Bus Rides with Petaluma Transit on Butter & Egg Day’s Weekend! 

Make the sustainable choice and take transit to the Butter & Eggs Parade. Skip out on traffic congestion and parking problems and let Petaluma Transit get you there, stress-free! Shuttle service to the parade will operate every 15-minutes and get you within a six-minute walk of the event! Enjoy a ride on clean and safe hybrid buses.

How it works:

  • April 20, 2024, board the Butter & Eggs Shuttle at the Eastside Transit Center (Safeway).
  • The bus will take passengers to the Copeland Transit Mall, a short walk to the parade route.
  • Transit Ambassadors will be there and happy to help and direct you.
  • Service will operate every 15 minutes from 9am – 6pm. (Every 30 minutes between 6:30am – 9am & 6pm – 8pm)

Need help planning your trip?
Download the Transit App to plan your route and track your bus, or call Petaluma Transit at 707-778-4460; we are happy to help.

Additional Transit Service
In addition to running shuttle service to the parade, Petaluma Transit will be operating all weekday, non-school routes on Saturday, April 20th for FREE. For more information on our routes visit https://transit.cityofpetaluma.net/.

Take the bus all weekend long April 20 & 21 and April 27 & 28 to the Antique Fair
Keep the fun going by taking free bus rides to all your weekend events April 20 & 21 and April 27 & 28 to the Antique Fair. Please see our schedule for specific route details.

Learn more HERE.

 

 

Park Access Improvements Coming Soon!

Making our parks safe and accessible to all who use them is a top priority. We are excited to share that reconstruction of several park pathways will be underway this spring to improve both safety and accessibility for those walking, biking, and rolling around our green spaces and places. This project will include pathway improvements at:

  • McDowell Park
  • LaTercera Park
  • McNear Park

Upgrades will include removal of the existing degrading asphalt and reconstruction of the interior pathways using reinforced concrete which will create a smoother, more durable surface for age- and ability-friendly travel.

We will be sending notifications to neighbors of these parks ahead of the start of construction. To learn more about the project, please visit: cityofpetaluma.org/parkaccess.

 

 

Join us for General Plan Fest on May 11!

Have you ever wondered, 

  • How do we ensure our community is ready for sea level rise and flooding?
  • How do we make Petaluma a more walkable city?
  • What can we do to support our local residents and businesses, while making it a destination for visitors?

Petaluma’s General Plan Update is underway now, and we’re asking ourselves these questions and more! To this end, the City of Petaluma is delighted to release the 14 Draft Policy Frameworks that will form the heart of Petaluma’s next General Plan, the document that will guide our city’s next 20-25 years.

This spring, we invite the community to check out the 14 policy Frameworks that form the foundation of our upcoming General Plan Update. Visit our website HERE to read one, or all of the Frameworks, at any time during the next three months.

Then, join us in person for the all-community General Plan Fest on May 11, 9:00 am – 2:00 pm. This family-friendly event will be held at the Petaluma Fairgrounds. You will have an opportunity to learn more about the Frameworks, speak with staff, and let us know what you think. There will be plenty of activities for kids, as well. Your ideas are vital to the process, and we hope to see you there. Arrive early if you’d like to see animals leave the Fairgrounds at 10:00am as part of the Transhumance Festival! Additional details will be published closer to the date.

 

 

JOIN OUR PETALUMA TEAM! 

The City of Petaluma is looking for talented people to join our team! Please click the links below for more information about our open positions. CLICK HERE for a full list of career opportunities.

Part Time Intern

Permit Technician

Police Officer (Current Academy Attendees & Graduates)

Police Officer – Lateral

Police Officer Trainee

Senior Management Analyst

Utility Service Worker II

 

 

UPCOMING MEETINGS 

The City of Petaluma is hard at work for our community. Please check out our upcoming meetings and click on the links below for more information:

April 15, 6:30pm – City Council/PCDSA Regular Meeting

April 17, 3:30pm – Tree Advisory Committee Meeting

April 17, 6:00pm – Recreation, Music & Parks Commission Meeting

April 18, 6:30pm – General Plan Advisory Committee Meeting

April 23, 6:00pm – Planning Commission Meeting

April 25, 6:00pm – Public Art Committee Meeting

Check for upcoming meetings, agendas, and how to participate on the City’s meeting webpage: https://cityofpetaluma.org/meetings/.

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