Community Update for November 1, 2024

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Happy November, Petaluma!

This week, we have information for you about voting in next week’s election, how you can get involved with LUMA ICE, and how Petaluma’s road ratings have improved leaps and bounds over the last three years. Plus, rain is on the way, so find some tips below on prepping your home to prevent flooding this winter.

Also, don’t miss info from the Sonoma County Housing Authority. Their waitlist for one and two-bedroom, project-based housing vouchers (including an option in Petaluma) is opening Nov. 1, and will remain open through the end of the month.

Thanks for reading, Petaluma! A friendly reminder — don’t forget to reset your clocks this weekend for Daylight Savings!

Make Your Voice Heard: It’s Voting Time!

If you haven’t voted yet, Petaluma, there’s still time! Return your mailed ballot at a drop box or vote in person at one of the locations below.

Drop off your completed ballot at either Petaluma drop box location: the Petaluma Community Center (320 N McDowell Blvd), or the Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building (1094 Petaluma Blvd S). Most importantly, please remember to sign your ballot!

OR vote in person at any of the five Official Voting Centers in Petaluma. Locations, dates, and open hours are:

Casa Grande High School, #E-11
333 Casa Grande Rd
Open 11/2 to 11/4, 9am – 5pm, and 11/5, 8am – 7pm

Petaluma City Hall
11 English St
Open 11/2 to 11/4, 9am – 5pm, and 11/5, 8am – 7pm

Petaluma Community Center
320 N McDowell Blvd
Open 10/26 to 11/4, 9am – 5pm, and 11/5, 8am – 7pm

Petaluma Veterans Memorial Building
1094 Petaluma Blvd S
Open 11/2 to 11/4, 9am – 5pm, and 11/5, 8am – 7pm

SRJC Petaluma, 1101 Capri Creek Classroom
680 Sonoma Mountain Pkwy
Open 11/2 to 11/4, 9am – 5pm, and 11/5, 8am – 7pm

Want more information on how to vote in this year’s election? Go to: sos.ca.gov/elections.

Can’t wait to see what happens? Official results will be posted by the County, starting at 8:00pm on Election night, at the link HERE.

LUMA ICE: Sponsor the Magic, Sell Your Wares, + BUY TICKETS NOW!

The City of Petaluma is thrilled to be getting ready to host LUMA ICE this holiday season on your Petaluma Fairgrounds. Now we need you to help us bring the magic to life! Tickets and event bookings are available NOW for general admission and Birthday Parties on the Ice at our website HERE.

There are also two big opportunities for local businesses and donors to promote your work while spreading holiday cheer:

Become a Corporate Sponsor and advertise your business to thousands of residents and visitors on the ice and on Washington Street (Petaluma’s busiest thoroughfare)
Sign up to be a vendor at our Holiday Marketplace and Polar Lounge area! LUMA Ice is looking for food businesses, unique retailers, and art makers that represent the full range of what Petaluma and the North Bay have to offer.

LUMA ICE will be more than Sonoma County’s only outdoor, real ice skating rink – it will be a top holiday destination this year! Besides skating, we’ll offer a special family photo booth, kids activities, a Polar Express on the Fairgrounds Concourse, and even fire pits in the Polar Lounge. All to create a holiday experience unrivaled in the North Bay.

The deadline for vendor applications is November 4 and sponsorships are due Nov. 8, so reach out today to Jeanette DuBois at [email protected] to submit your application or learn more. More information about the event can be found at our website HERE.

Prevent Flooding

With the rainy season on the way, clearing clogged storm drains and gutters can help prevent flooding. Remember:

Keep Drains & Gutters Clear
Keeping the drainage areas and gutters around your property clear of debris is an important part of keeping storm water where it belongs during the rainy season and preventing potential flooding.

Compost Leaves & Yard Waste
Please be mindful to place leaves and yard waste in your green bin rather than blowing or raking it into the street. Leaves are some of the top drainage obstructions this time of year!

Remove or Report Obstructions
You can help by removing or reporting obstructions (such as shopping carts, debris, trash, etc.) in the drainage channels that run along our roadways (gutters, ditches, drains, creeks, etc.).

Move Cars for Street Cleaning
Reminder to move your car before sweep day to allow space for the sweeper truck. Check your sweep day at Recology.com/Petaluma.

Please Remember: It is illegal to dump or leave trash, leaves, landscape debris, paint, grease, or any other materials in the City’s drainage system. These can severely impact our systems ability to properly control water flows and prevent flooding. See an obstruction? Call the City Public Works department at 707-778-4303 to report it.

Sunnyslope Bike Improvements

Heads up, Petaluma! In the coming weeks, the City of Petaluma will be making Safe Routes to School upgrades to Sunnyslope Avenue between D and I Streets. Improvements will include: a refreshed, painted centerline (replacing the existing dots, many of which are now missing or faded), high-visibility “ladder” (striped) crosswalks, a new crosswalk across Sunnyslope Avenue at Deer Valley Court, bike lane markings, and reduced speed limit signage in the school zone near McNear Elementary.

Marking the bike lanes will not require removing any existing parking. We will be marking 15-20 foot sections of red curb adjacent to intersections in order to improve visibility, as required by state law.

While the street will remain open to traffic during installation, parking may be temporarily prohibited to allow roadway markings to be installed. A-frame signage will be posted advising dates and times if parking is prohibited.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to complete this important project.

Learn more: cityofpetaluma.org/sunnyslopeave.

Petaluma Streets are Getting Safer and Smoother!

Petaluma’s road quality is on the rise! The latest report from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) shows our city’s pavement condition score climbing, with a jump from 44 to 48 over the past three years—and hitting 52 in 2024! This progress is thanks to Measure U, the voter-approved sales tax supporting road safety and infrastructure upgrades. Want to learn more about what this means for our streets? Read the press release HERE.

Also, for even more great information, join us for our City Council meeting Monday, November 4! City staff will be presenting updates on all kinds of infrastructure projects, including our 5-year Paving Plan, which shows how we prioritize street repairs and restoration citywide.

Join us at 6:30PM to help shape the future of Petaluma in person at City Hall (11 English Street). The meeting can also be viewed via Zoom by clicking HERE.

Remember, in order to provide a public comment, you must either appear in person at City Hall to speak, or email your comment to [email protected].⁠ We hope to see you there!

Housing Authority One and Two-Bedroom Project Based Vouchers Opening 11/1

The Sonoma County Housing Authority will accept applications for one and two-bedroom Project-Based Vouchers waitlist lotteries from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30. The waitlists will be for applicants who meet the qualifications for “extremely low income,” which is at or below 30 percent of area median income.

Applicants will be required to provide information regarding income and any preferences for which they may qualify. To qualify, a family of four would have to make $41,500 or less per year. Applications will be accepted for Project-Based Voucher units at the following locations:

Alta Madrone Apartments in Sonoma
Crossroads Apartments in Santa Rosa
Fetters Apartments in Sonoma
Fife Creek Commons in Guerneville
Logan Place in Petaluma
The Randall Apartments in Healdsburg
Windsor Redwoods Apartments in Windsor

Those interested in applying to any of the above-listed Project-Based Voucher waitlist lotteries must apply after the Nov. 1 opening and no later than Friday, Nov. 29, by 5 p.m. if submitted in person or Saturday, Nov. 30, by 11:59 p.m. if submitted online. Applicants must indicate which list they are applying for on their application Income-eligible applicants must apply during this application period only.

Beginning Nov. 1, applications may be completed online at www.waitlistcheck.com/CA085 or in person at the Housing Authority’s new office, located at 141 Stony Circle, Suite 210 in Santa Rosa. Offices are open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Learn more at the Housing Authority website HERE.

Thoughts About Downtown Parking? Tell Us and Enter to Win a $100 Shop Petaluma Gift Card!

The City of Petaluma is working on a Parking Management Study for downtown, and we’d love to hear from you! We’re looking to understand your experience with parking and getting around downtown so we can identify ways to improve. Your feedback will help us better understand the challenges you face and guide our recommendations for a more convenient and enjoyable experience for everyone visiting downtown Petaluma.

CLICK HERE to complete the survey and enter for a chance to win a $100 Shop Petaluma gift card!

To learn more about our Parking Management Study and sign up to receive updates, please visit: cityofpetaluma.org/downtownparking.

New Ellis Creek Floating Solar Project

Did you know that Climate Action can actually save the City money long term? This month, construction began on the Ellis Creek floating solar project. The project is designed to supply over 95% of the electricity used by the Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility over the course of the year, saving the City approximately $450,000 in the first year, and nearly $12 million over the 20-year agreement.

The floating solar project is expected to be powered up and saving the City in money by fall of 2025. And better yet, since the panels and floats are owned by the solar developer, the launch costs will be recouped within the project’s first year. Let the sunshine in!