The Fairgrounds is a centrally located, 55-acre, City-owned property that has touched the lives of many Petalumans and the broader community for decades.
For the past 50 years, the City of Petaluma has leased the Fairgrounds property to the 4th District Agricultural Association – which operates the Sonoma-Marin Fair – allowing them to determine the Fairground property uses. The City’s lease of the Fairgrounds will expire December 31, 2023.
The City of Petaluma is committed to broad and inclusive public engagement as it establishes a vision for the future of the property. Scroll down to see how you can get involved.
CITY COUNCIL WORKSHOP
The City Council held a workshop to hear from the community and staff and to provide direction for next steps regarding the future of the city-owned fairgrounds property.
Click HERE for to see the agenda and down load the staff report and attachments. To see the report and attachments, click on the discussion item on the agenda and the documents will pop up. You can also watch a video of the workshop.
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HISTORY AND RESOURCES
To view a short summary of the Fairgrounds history, as well as view studies about the property, please visit our Fairgrounds Resource webpage.
OUR QUESTION TO THE COMMUNITY:
How might we use the City’s fairgrounds property to create the experiences, activities, resources, and places that our community needs and desires now and for the foreseeable future?
A NEW APPROACH
We are providing many ways for our community to weigh in on this important process. First, we have hired Healthy Democracy, a US-based nonpartisan nonprofit that designs and coordinates innovative deliberative democracy programs, to conduct a one-of-a-kind experience in democracy – a lottery selected panel. This panel will include 36 Petalumans from all different walks of life. They spent three weekends learning about our Fairgrounds and hearing from our community, then provided recommendations to our City Council about how the City might plan for the future of this iconic property.
This new approach, integrated with our established community engagement tools, has brought new voices to the table for this important conversation.
CLICK HERE to learn more about the Petaluma Fairgrounds Advisory Panel, their process, and their recommendations.
We also have several other opportunities for the Community to share their vision. We are offering a Community workshop, an online survey, a meeting to-go kit, and a digital story tool. We hope that you will join us and share your thoughts through one or all of these processes.
COMMUNITY INPUT OPPORTUNITIES
LOTTERY SELECTED PANEL
People from all walks of life in Petaluma came together to share their vision for the future of the Fairgrounds. Click here to view the Fairgrounds Panel Report Manual.
COMMUNITY WORKSHOP
On Sept. 10 we held a Community Workshop to gather input to inform the City Council as they determine next steps for the Fairgrounds property.
Virtual Community Workshop
Missed the in-person community workshop? Not a problem! Visit www.PetalumaFairgrounds.
COMMUNITY INPUT SURVEY
An online survey designed to capture the broader community’s vision and goals for the future of the Fairgrounds.
COMMUNITY STORYTELLING EXHIBIT
A digital exhibit featuring community drawings, poems, photos, videos, voice notes, and more – sharing stories and other memories that speak to the spirit and legacy of the Fairgrounds. Click here to learn more.
WHAT WILL WE DO WITH YOUR INPUT?
All of this information we have gathered from the community will be presented to the City Council so that they can decide how best to move forward.
WHAT ELSE WILL BE CONSIDERED?
Over the years, there have been many studies conducted about how the Fairgrounds works and what has happened on the property. Here is a list of documents that provide information and context for where we are today.
- Community Process Summary - In 2020, a consultant presented an outline of a proposed community engagement process.
- Ad Hoc Committee Meeting Notes - In January of 2020, both the City Council and 4th DAA Subcommittees met separately prior to meeting with the public.
- Fairgrounds Background Document 2017 - A Study completed by the 4th DAA, authored by Populous Markin Consulting
- Fairgrounds Background Document 2015 - A Study completed by the City of Petaluma, authored by RCH Group Inc.
- Economic Impact Study 2015 - A Study completed by the 4th DAA regarding economic impacts of the Fair event.
- Community Gathering Space 2019 - A Report of fairgrounds activities authored by the 4th DAA
WANT MORE DETAILS?
Click HERE to view background documents and additional studies.
UPCOMING MEETINGS
To be announced. Please sign up to be informed.