DOWNTOWN HOUSING & ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY OVERLAY & EKN APPELLATION HOTEL Projects

The Planning Department has been considering two projects proposed for our downtown area that may impact the community: the EKN Appellation Hotel Project and Downtown Housing & Economic Opportunity Overlay. Read below to learn more about these projects, how they are related, and how the zoning code may sometimes be updated to meet the community’s needs.

April 2024 UPDATE

On April 12, 2024, the city shared a Notice of Preparation (NOP) and Initial Study to let the public know that the City of Petaluma will create an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Downtown Housing & Economic Opportunity Overlay / EKN Appellation Hotel Project as required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The NOP was sent to the California State Clearinghouse, multiple organizations, and all residents and owners of property within 1,000 feet of the Overlay study area (1,441 mailers) and published in the Argus. The Notice of Preparation is a 30-day comment period starting Friday, April 12th through Monday, May 13, 2024.

The Initial Study created for this project reviewed the possible effects to all the resource areas named in Appendix G of the CEQA Guidelines. The CEQA topics of Air Quality, Agricultural and Forestry Resources, Biological Resources, Greenhouse Gases, Energy, Geology, Hazards and Hazardous Materials, Hydrology and Water Quality, Land Use and Planning, Mineral Resources, Noise, Population and Housing, Public Services, Recreation, Transportation, Utilities and Service Systems, and Wildfire have been selected as less than significant in the Initial Study and will not need additional review in the EIR. The CEQA topics Aesthetic Resources, Cultural Resources, and Tribal Cultural Resources, will need more study in the EIR. The EIR will also have other CEQA-required sections and alternatives.

The Initial Study can be found HERE.

The Notice of Preparation (NOP) can be found HERE.

The Community Notice of Preparation (NOP) that was published in the Argus and sent to California State Clearinghouse, multiple organizations, and all residents and owners of property within 1,000 feet of the Overlay study area as (1,441 mailers) can be found HERE.

Click HERE to view ALL the supporting documents pertaining to the DOWNTOWN HOUSING & ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY OVERLAY & EKN APPELLATION HOTEL PROJECTS.

ENGAGE

The City would like your comments and suggestions about the scope and content of the EIR, project alternatives, and environmental impacts. For the most up to date information on the projects, please join the email subscriber list on the right side of this page.

UPCOMING MEETING:

The City of Petaluma Planning Division will have a public scoping meeting on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, between 5:15PM and 6:15PM to get more information and comments from public agencies and the general public about the areas of the Draft EIR to study the Downtown Housing & Economic Opportunity Overlay/ EKN Appellation Hotel Projects. The scoping meeting will be held at the Petaluma Community Center, Conference Room #2, at 320 North McDowell Boulevard, Petaluma.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Email: Greg Powell, Principal Planner
Online: Find project information HERE
In-person: See project information at the City Hall Planning Counter at 11 English Street, Monday through Thursday between 10 AM and 3 PM.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT:

In-Person: Public comments can be given at the scoping meeting on May 1, 2024

Comments may also be provided by 5:00 PM, May 13, 2024 via:
E-mail: [email protected]
U.S. Mail: City of Petaluma, Planning Division, 11 English Street, Petaluma, CA 94952.

FEBRUARY 2024 UPDATE

Following the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process by the City, FirstCarbon Solutions was selected to create the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for both the proposed EKN Appellation Hotel and the Downtown Housing & Economic Opportunity Overlay.

JANUARY 2024 UPDATE

After listening to community feedback, EKN agreed to proceed with an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), both for their proposed EKN Appellation Hotel and a Downtown Housing & Economic Opportunity Overlay that proposes to create more redevelopment opportunities in key downtown corridors.

As lead agency, the city has moved forward with an RFP (Request for Proposal) to select and directly manage the EIR consultant and oversee the environmental review process that will include a number of opportunities for public input. We expect this work to be completed by Fall 2024.

We hope the EIR will help the city and the community better understand the possible impacts of the hotel and the Overlay, and we look forward to sharing what we learn later this summer.

When and How Cities Adapt Their Zoning Codes

EKN Development Group applied to build the Appellation Hotel Project at 2 Petaluma Boulevard South, however, the project did not comply with the current height, lot coverage, and floor area ratios of the city’s General Plan and Implementing Zoning Ordinance. When this happens, it is the Planning Department’s job to work with applicants to navigate the city's zoning and requirements. In this case, the Planning Dept. advised the applicant if they wanted to continue with the project as is, they would need to apply for amendments to the General Plan and Zoning Text which would establish new standards under which the project could be reviewed. All costs for this process are paid for by the applicant.

Of the legal options available, Staff and the applicant agreed the best tool they could use to address the project’s need for an increased density of land use would be to create the Downtown Housing & Economic Overlay. The overlay considers three areas of Downtown as the potential “Overlay District.”

Overlays: A Tool to Update City Zoning Codes

Overlays are often used to create redevelopment opportunities in key areas that are under-utilized and allow for the development of future uses that adapt with our community's needs. Property owners control the use of their parcels, while the overlay serves as a tool for what is permitted. Petaluma has used overlays to address the Theatre District, the Flood Plain, the Historic District, and most recently, Mobile Home Parks. The Downtown Housing & Economic Opportunity Overlay avoids historic structures and considers properties that include empty parcels; parking lots or properties with low density uses. Adopting an overlay not only creates opportunities, but it also protects sites outside of the overlay by prioritizing development uses in designated areas.

Learn More

There are many upcoming opportunities to learn more and engage with:

the EKN Appellation Hotel Project and
the Downtown Housing & Economic Opportunity Overlay.

Both pages are updated regularly and have project details, documents and FAQ’s. Fill out the form on the right to subscribe to receive project updates.