Hello, Petaluma –
We have a lot to share this evening, but first we would like to take a moment to honor the unimaginable pain currently being experienced by the families and friends of the victims of the Tops Friendly Market shooting in New York and the Robb Elementary School shooting in Texas. Please join us in sending love, healing, compassion, and strength to all those affected.
Crimes such as these take hold deeply within each of us, instilling fear and unease that can last a lifetime. The simple act of going to the grocery store or sending children to school should not be one of bravery. While this national crisis is bigger than us, we can all aim to care for one another, treat each other with kindness, and address the underlying issues that lead to violence.
May is Mental Health awareness month. This is a good time to check in with friends and family and make sure we are all getting the mental health support we and our children need. And remember, our SAFE team is staffed 24 hours a day to respond to Mental Health crises. Call 707-781-1234 to reach a directory where you can choose to speak with a 9-1-1 operator or a non-emergency staff member to help.
Services are available in both English and Spanish.
And finally, hug your loved ones tighter today and please strive to lead with love and compassion in all that you do.
PLEASE JOIN US IN CELEBRATING MEMORIAL DAY
Memorial Day, which is observed on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while in military service. In observance of the holiday, many people visit cemeteries and memorials, and volunteers often place American flags on each grave site at national cemeteries. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time. Please join us in honoring the men and women who have given their lives in service of our country.
CLICK HERE for more information about the history of Memorial Day.
PETALUMA HONORS ASIAN AMERICAN AND NATIVE HAWAIIAN/PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE
During the month of May, Petaluma has joined the rest of the nation in paying tribute to the generations of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders who have enriched America’s history and are instrumental in its future success. Please join us and the White House in honoring the diversity of cultures, languages, and religions the AANHPI brings that makes our Nation more vibrant.
Looking for a way to participate locally? Check out Sonoma County Library’s free virtual programming and activities recognizing AANHPI achievements and contributions and addressing anti-Asian hate.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
PLACE YOUR ORDER FOR FREE AT-HOME COVID TESTS
A message from the County of Sonoma:
With case rates rising, many people have had a close contact with someone who has COVID-19. Did you know that residential households in the U.S. are now eligible for another order of free at-home tests?
Here’s what you need to know about your order:
- Each order now includes eight rapid antigen COVID-19 tests
- Your order of eight tests will come in two separate packages (four in each package) each with its own tracking number
- Packages are shipped at no cost to you
CLICK HERE to order your free at-home tests.
In addition to at-home tests, you can go to testing locations throughout the county for free, confidential COVID-19 testing that does not require social security or citizenship. This includes LHI testing locations where you can get tested and, if you are positive and qualify, you may receive COVID-19 treatment medication on-site at no cost to you.
Learn more HERE.
D STREET TRAFFIC ALERT – MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
Ahoy mateys! Starting today (May 25) through Monday (May 30), the D Street Bridge will be raised/lowered several times a day to accommodate approximately 40 sailboats and yachts coming to Petaluma for a Petaluma Yacht Club event. This will likely cause increased traffic on and near D Street from 9am-4pm each day, so please plan accordingly.
More than 180 boating enthusiasts from all over the Bay Area will be participating in the event, which includes land-based activities at downtown shops and restaurants. This is a wonderful opportunity for visitors to get to know Petaluma and support our local businesses. So we hope you will extend a warm, Petaluma welcome despite the traffic delays.
HELP SAVE WATER BY FOLLOWING THE LIMITED WATERING SCHEDULE
As temperatures rise, we are noticing some community members are not following the restricted watering schedule still in place due to the ongoing drought. Please limit outdoor water use, and if you need to irrigate your landscape, only do so:
Overnight Tuesday and Saturday between 7pm-8am
To report water waste or violations of the watering restrictions, please do so online here or contact us via email [email protected] or by phone (707) 778-4507.
SCHEDULE A FREE WATER-WISE HOUSECALL
A Water-Wise HouseCall is a City program in which a trained water conservation technician will visit your home or business to evaluate your water use and share ways to use water more efficiently. The specialist will also:
- Teach you how to program your irrigation timer to follow the limited watering schedule
- Identify overspray or leaks in your irrigation system
- Read your water meter and check for leaks
- Assess if you are eligible for our free Mulch Madness program
- Share information on high-efficiency toilet and washing machine rebates
- Provide free water conservation devices like aerators, showerheads, and more.
To schedule a free Water-Wise HouseCall, call (707) 778-4507.
IMAGINE PETALUMA’S FAIRGROUNDS
As the Fairgrounds Visioning process unfolds, we are working with the community to think comprehensively about how the Fairgrounds property can fit into and complement our community’s broader goals and values while retaining our annual fair event and other agricultural activities that are at the heart of Petaluma’s past and future. And we want to hear from you!
What are your thoughts on the future of the Petaluma Fairgrounds? There will be several opportunities for you to weigh in and share your thoughts over the coming months. The first way is to fill out this survey. Please share this with your friends, neighbors, and family so we can hear from all parts of our community.
CLICK HERE to take the survey.
WORKING TO CREATE SAFER STREETS
The City of Petaluma is committed to making our streets safer for all who travel them. We are hard at work on projects all over town and look forward to updating you on our progress as we go. Check out what we’ve been up to below!
Help Us Make Petaluma Roads Safer
Keeping our roads safe for all who use them is a high priority for the City of Petaluma. We are putting together a Local Road Safety Plan and an Active Transportation Plan and we need to hear from you. We’d love your perspective on:
- Locations you have witnessed accidents almost happen (“near miss” areas)
- Areas where you feel unsafe when walking, biking, or driving
- High traffic areas where children or families often walk
CLICK HERE to share your input today.
We will be holding a virtual community workshop the evening of Tuesday June 7 to share what we’ve learned so far and take additional input from the community about how we can make our streets safer.
Join the workshop to learn more and share your perspective!
When: June 7, 6pm
Creating Smoother, Safer Streets
Our street teams have been hard at work improving our roads as part of our Pavement Restoration Project. Last year, during Phase 1 of the project, 28 miles of Petaluma streets received slurry seal, a treatment that protects the underlying pavement of our roads for long-term preservation.
We are now in Phase 2 of the project, with more streets being slurry sealed each week. In fact, an additional 21 miles of streets are schedule for this phase! Detailed maps and schedules will be posted HERE throughout the duration of the project.
Please note, as the work is being completed you may notice a couple of things:
- Loose gravel – This occurs as a natural and anticipated part of the curing process. Streets will be swept as this occurs. Please proceed with caution on these roads until gravel is swept away.
- Changes in lane striping – There is a short period of time that newly sealed roads will not have striping. We are working hard to minimize the amount of time for safety reasons. Please use caution when driving on these roads.
This project, made possible in large part by your votes to pass Measure U (thank you!), addresses the need to keep more streets from degrading to the point of needing a more extensive reconstruction.
Please feel free to reach out to City staff anytime (707-331-2316) with questions, concerns, or scheduling conflicts.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
WAITLIST OPEN FOR HOUSING UNITS IN PETALUMA AND HEALDSBURG
The Sonoma County Housing Authority will accept housing voucher applications from May 23 through July 1, for Project-Based Voucher waitlists. Applicants will be required to provide information regarding income and any preferences for which they may qualify. Applications will be open for the following locations:
- Fisher Senior 1 and Fisher 2 Apartments, Petaluma
- 575 and 579 Vallejo Street Senior Apartments, Petaluma
- Petaluma River Place, Petaluma
- Mill District Apartments, Healdsburg
Those interested in applying to any of the above-listed Project-Based Voucher waitlists must apply during this application period.
CLICK HERE to learn more.
PLEASE JOIN US MAY 31 FOR A COMMUNITY WORKSHOP ON HOMELESS SERVICES
Over the past year, the City of Petaluma has been developing a strategic action plan to effectively address homelessness in our community. Please join us on Tuesday, May 31, from 6 to 8:30pm at the Petaluma Community Center, for a Community Workshop designed to:
- Provide the community with an opportunity to learn about current efforts to solve homelessness in Petaluma
- Solicit feedback from residents and community stakeholders about future homelessness programming efforts.
Feedback from this event will be incorporated into the action plan, which will then be presented to the City Council on June 20 for final approval.
Those who cannot attend the meeting will be able to provide feedback via a form here: cityofpetaluma.org/pathwaytohousing
More details of the event will be made available when the agenda is posted to our meetings page – cityofpetaluma.org/meetings – stay tuned!
CLIMATE ACTION UPDATE
This week, our Climate Action Commission shared the following:
Curbing Other Climate Pollutants, Not Just CO2, Gives Earth a Chance
Slashing emissions of carbon dioxide by itself isn’t enough to prevent catastrophic global warming, a new study from the National Academy of Sciences shows. If we simultaneously also reduce emissions of methane and other often overlooked climate pollutants, we could cut the rate of global warming in half by 2050 and give the world a fighting chance. Read more HERE.
FINE BALANCE PUBLIC ART PROJECT APPROVED
The newly designed Fine Balance public art project was approved by City Council at a new location in the H Street Pocket Park along the Petaluma River. This project will breathe new life into this miniature park and create a brand new enjoyable space for neighbors to enjoy the riverfront and welcome tourists and locals alike to nearby businesses. The new public artwork will upgrade this small but cherished community park and complement the industrial-themed surroundings of Petaluma’s Warehouse District.
To learn more, please visit: cityofpetaluma.org/finebalance.
HELP BUILD A GREAT COMMUNITY TOGETHER – JOIN A COMMITTEE, COMMISSION, OR BOARD
Petaluma’s Commissions, Committees, and Boards (CCBs) provide important oversight to City operations and the decision-making process. We are now accepting applications for vacancies on the following City Committees and Commissions:
- Airport Commission
- Animal Services Advisory Committee
- Climate Action Commission
- Measure U Oversight Committee
- Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee
- Planning Commission
- Public Art Committee
- Recreation, Music, and Parks Commission
- Senior Advisory Committee
- Sonoma County Library Commission
- Technology Advisory Committee
- Transit Advisory Committee
- Tree Advisory Committee
- Youth Commission
CLICK HERE to learn more.
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.
Have questions about working for the City? Please reach out to [email protected].
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:
May 31, 6pm – Community Workshop on Homeless Services
June 1, 6:30pm – Pedestrian & Bicycle Advisory Committee
June 2, 6pm – Airport Commission
Check for upcoming meetings, agendas, and how to participate on the City’s meeting webpage: https://cityofpetaluma.org/meetings/