HAGA CLIC AQUÍ PARA ESPAÑOL
Hello, Petaluma!
We hope you’ve been enjoying the lower temperatures this week! Though the heat wave has subsided, Cal Fire has alerted us to a Red Flag Warning that will be in effect from Thursday to Saturday. Please read on to learn more about what this means and what you can do to help keep our community safe.
In addition to the Red Flag Warning, today’s Update brings news of the EKN/Downtown Overlay, sponsorship opportunities for Petaluma’s first annual ice rink (Luma Ice), an exciting new citywide electric bike share program, and more.
Lastly, don’t forget that the last day to register to vote in this year’s General Election is October 21! Check your status or register to vote at registertovote.ca.gov.
There is certainly never a dull moment in this unique, passionate community of ours! Thank you for all you do to make Petaluma such a special place to be.
Red Flag Warning Thursday Oct 17 — Saturday Oct 19
Per Cal Fire, a Red Flag Warning due to high fire danger will be in effect for much of Central and Northern California from 11 p.m. Thursday to 5 p.m. Saturday.
Gusty winds and low humidity will produce critical fire weather for North Central California, including Petaluma and all of Sonoma County. Meanwhile, strong offshore winds and critically dry conditions create red flag conditions for the Bay Area and Central Coast.
The Red Flag Warning will impact all or parts of the following counties: Shasta, Tehama, Glenn, Butte, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Sonoma, Napa, Yolo, Sacramento, Solano, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Alameda, Santa Cruz, and Santa Clara.
Please help reduce the risk of wildfire and be prepared by:
- Learn you evacuation zone HERE
- Sign up for emergency alerts via Nixle, CodeRed and the Watch Duty App – learn more HERE
- Never mow or trim dry grass during a red flag warning because a power tool could spark on a rock and start a grass fire. It is not recommended even on windy, dry, hot days.
- Don’t pull your vehicle over in grass as it can spark a grass fire. If necessary, pull over on paved roads.
For information from the County of Sonoma about precautions to take during Red Flag Warnings, please visit: https://socoemergency.org/emergency/red-flag-warning/.
EKN Appellation Hotel/Overlay Update
At the Oct. 7 City Council Meeting, Council reviewed the Downtown Housing and Economic Opportunity Overlay & EKN Appellation Hotel Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) and directed staff to begin preparations of the Final EIR.
The EIR is a study that considers a project’s potential impacts on the environment so that the community has as much information as possible when considering a development project. The report is completed in two steps — a draft and then a final which provides the community time to weigh in on the study before it is finalized.
This report was requested by the City and community after an Initial Study (completed in April 2024) found potential impacts in the areas of aesthetics, land use, and cultural & tribal resources. The draft EIR takes a closer look to help us better understand how the proposed Overlay and hotel project might affect the look, feel, and heritage of Petaluma’s downtown.
The public comment period on the Draft EIR will remain open until October 21, 2024, for those who still wish to review the document. You can read the Draft EIR here and share your thoughts by emailing your comments to [email protected].
To learn more about the Overlay & EKN Appellation hotel projects, click here.
To read the FAQs about the Overlay project, click here.
Return Your Purple Cups by October 31
Shoutout to Gen Z: Several of our City schools have been supporting the Petaluma Reusable Cup Project by collecting cups to be returned. Thank you to Casa Grande, Petaluma High, and Petaluma Junior High for volunteering to collect reusable cups! Every cup adds up, because it means less waste going to landfills.
The first phase of the Reusable Cup Project will end after Halloween — which means it’s time to give up any cups you’ve been meaning to return. Please drop your cups in any purple return bin before November 1st.
If you’re interested in helping collect cups in your community, please reach out to the project at [email protected] for more information.
Slow the Fast Down this Halloween!
What do black cats, Batman, and Darth Vader have in common? They are all hard to spot skipping along darkened streets.
With Halloween right around the corner, please remember to SLOW THE FAST DOWN while driving around Petaluma. While the holiday itself may not be until the 31st, there are lots of community festivities planned for the week and weekend ahead. So PLEASE drive slowly around our neighborhoods and watch out for trick-or-treaters!
LUMA ICE Sponsorships Now Available
Hey business owners! For the first time, the City of Petaluma is hosting LUMA ICE, a real ice, outdoor skating rink at the Petaluma Fairgrounds from Dec. 13, 2024 – Jan. 7, 2025.
We have an opportunity for local businesses like yours to bring LUMA ICE to life and help create an accessible experience for all of Petaluma’s families. LUMA ICE will host up to 1800 skaters per day on 5,600 square feet of ice and will also provide a festive outdoor gathering space for our community throughout the duration of the event. We aim to create a truly magical experience this season while also drawing residents and visitors from across the Bay Area to Petaluma for holiday activities, shopping, and dining, and we want YOU to be a part of it.
Sponsorships are now available at all levels, from the ‘LUMA Star’ presenting sponsor, to our community-level sponsorships, all designed to promote your business at LUMA ICE. All sponsorships will help make LUMA ICE a success and bring more visitors than ever to Petaluma over the holidays.
A sponsorship brochure outlining the various sponsorship opportunities is available on our website: https://cityofpetaluma.org/lumaice/.
Join us in making Petaluma the coolest place to be this winter!
New Job Training Program Through Rebuilding Together Petaluma
The City of Petaluma is excited to announce the expansion of services for those experiencing homelessness, thanks to new partnerships with Rebuilding Together Petaluma (RTP) and HomeFirst! This expansion will provide vital job training opportunities, such as downtown cleanup, maintenance, and operating the City’s mobile shower program, giving our unhoused neighbors the skills they need to achieve financial stability and secure permanent housing. HomeFirst will also lead an exciting new Landlord Recruitment Program, further increasing housing options in our community.
This initiative marks another milestone in the City’s ambitious Strategic Plan to End Homelessness, coming at a pivotal time as we respond to growing challenges. We are proud to share that the City has also been awarded an $8 million grant from the CA Department of Housing & Community Development, which will fund these expanded services and help us continue the fight to end homelessness in Petaluma. Read the full press release HERE.
D Street Pilot Project Update
On April 8, City Council adopted a resolution approving the D Street Traffic Calming Pilot project, a temporary street redesign effort to slow traffic and create safer conditions for people walking, bicycling, and driving on this busy corridor.
The pilot project installation is complete. The City is collecting data and community feedback and will share our preliminary findings with City Council and the community in early 2025. We will seek direction from Council on how best to proceed with the permanent improvements based upon the input and findings.
Please visit cityofpetaluma.org/dstreetpilotproject to share your feedback, learn more about the data we are collecting, and review answers to frequently asked questions about the project and the new road configuration.
Let’s Connect! Petaluma Welcomes The Redwood Bikeshare!
Monday October 14th, the Redwood Bikeshare had its soft opening, and 300 e-bikes are now available to connect you from hub to hub throughout Petaluma and beyond. Seven Sonoma and Marin County cities are participating in this 2-year pilot program, the result of the shared efforts of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), Sonoma County Transit Authority (SCTA), Sonoma Marin Rail Transit (SMART) and the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM). The Redwood Bike Share is generously funded by a grant through the MTC and SCTA.
Redwood Bikeshare’s goal is to provide residents and visitors with an environmentally friendly and innovative way to connect with local transit systems and travel car-free across Marin and Sonoma counties.
As part of this soft launch, the Redwood Bikeshare app is now live and available for download. Visit RedwoodBikeshare.com for details and use the promo code “RideRedwood” to get your first THREE trips (up to 30 minutes each) free.
Stay tuned for more information on an official launch event on November 6th!
2025 PETALUMA MINIMUM WAGE
Starting January 1, 2025, the hourly minimum wage for employees working within the Petaluma city limits will be $17.97. The 2025 wage reflects a 3% cost of living increase on the 2024 wage, based on the Bay Area Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). The annual CPI increase aligns with the State (July – June) using the prior year’s Bay Area CPI-W.
For more information about the City’s minimum wage ordinance, to download posters for noticing at business sites, and for answers to related questions, go to cityofpetaluma.org/minimum-wage.
Student Art Contest
The City of Petaluma, Petaluma Arts Center (PAC), and Recology are seeking student artists to create artwork for 30 new recycling cans throughout downtown Petaluma. This is the second and final round of art submissions! The goals for this art opportunity are to address and speak about climate themes such as sustainability, zero waste, recycling, and sustainable communities in Petaluma.
All Petaluma students in the 4th to 12th grade are encouraged to submit their work. Students may work individually or as a team.
Submission Due Date: Friday, November 1st, 2024, by 5pm. Find more information about the submission criteria at the Google Form HERE.
Black Cod Week
Get hooked on Black Cod during Sonoma County’s first-ever Black Cod Week, from October 18-27, 2024!
Sustainable fishing is more important than ever. This year, the Sonoma County Tourism is introducing Black Cod Week starting this Friday to promote Black Cod as one of our county’s most sustainable, and delectable, proteins!
With the commercial crabbing season shortened and Salmon season canceled for the second year in a row, Black Cod is a fish available to the local fishing community right off the Sonoma Coast. To help support Sonoma County’s fishing community and encourage an abundant and healthy industry, we are re-introducing this delicate fish for one special week in October. Restaurants countywide will offer a Black Cod dish on the menu. Sample as many creations as your appetite allows because each chef is bringing their A-game to highlight this versatile and delicious fish. Local markets will also offer fresh Black Cod for the at-home chef to try their own creations.
Help support Sonoma County’s fishing industry by trying Black Cod at a local Petaluma participating partner below!
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.
Police Officer (Current Academy Attendees and Graduates)
Public Safety Dispatcher – Lateral
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:
Oct 21, 6:30pm – City Council/PCDSA Regular Meeting
Oct 23, 6:00pm – Public Safety Advisory Committee Meeting
Oct 24, 6:00pm – Public Art Committee Meeting
Nov 4, 6:30pm – City Council/PCDSA Regular Meeting
Nov 5, 4:00pm – Historic & Cultural Preservation Committee Meeting
Check for upcoming meetings, agendas, and how to participate on the City’s meeting webpage: https://cityofpetaluma.org/meetings/.