Review & Summary — Community Matters: Will Petaluma nurture or stifle its downtown

A recent Argus-Courier commentary by John Burns, former publisher of the Petaluma Argus-Courier, delivers a pointed, unapologetically sharp critique of Petaluma’s recurring tendency to sabotage its own economic prospects — this time by jeopardizing the most promising downtown revitalization effort in decades. The piece, Community Matters: Will Petaluma nurture or stifle its downtown argues forcefully that the proposed luxury Appellation Petaluma Hotel at Petaluma Boulevard North and B Street represents precisely the kind of full-service, revenue-rich commercial development the city urgently needs, especially as sales-tax revenues stagnate and infrastructure needs mount. Citing city-commissioned studies, Burns emphasizes that Petaluma’s lack of any 4- or 5-star hotel or downtown full-service lodging sends tens of millions in visitor spending to other cities every year.

Burn's piece chronicles how, after an exhaustive two-year public process, the City Council passed a modest zoning update to allow six-story buildings in a tiny, blighted portion of downtown — only to cave to what the author characterizes as a loud but misinformed nimby faction invoking exaggerated fears about “historic charm,” traffic, and parking. Even after the council drastically shrank the overlay area, opponents forced a referendum, freezing the project and stalling the broader economic revival the hotel was poised to ignite.

Drawing a historical parallel, Burns reminds readers that this is not the first time Petaluma’s aversion to growth has cost it dearly, recalling years of resistance to retail projects like Target and Friedman’s despite clear evidence of lost revenue. He suggests the city risks repeating the same self-defeating pattern.

The sudden appearance of a new, scaled-down 56-room hotel proposal — submitted by the developer as an apparent fallback while the referendum looms — raises new questions. Is it merely an insurance policy? A response to perceived public sentiment? And will Petaluma end up settling for a generic 3-star chain hotel that delivers far fewer economic benefits than the original, transformative project?

In sum, Burns’ piece is a sharp, critical examination of a city at a crossroads: poised either to embrace a long-overdue downtown renaissance or to once again let fear and obstructionism stifle its future.

Review & Summary by: Elisa Weber
Argus-Courier Source URL: https://www.petalumanews.com/2025/11/21/community-matters-will-petaluma-nurture-or-stifle-its-downtown/
Argus-Courier Date: November 29th 2025

Reconsidering the Building of the Hotel Petaluma: Visionary, Not Gullible

Author: Stuart A. Sutton
Professor Emeritus, University of Washington

A recent commentary on the Petaluma Historian blog titled “Petaluma’s Hotel Déjà Vu” has suggested that the citizens of Petaluma “got played” when they rallied in 1922 to finance the Hotel Petaluma through local stock subscriptions. The implications of the piece are that Petaluma is getting “played again” with the Appellation Petaluma Hotel project. That claim oversimplifies history and disregards the civic and infrastructural context that framed the Hotel Petaluma project in 1922. Far from being duped, Petalumans were participants in a broad and forward-looking civic investment movement that swept the American West during the 1920s.

The Hotel Petaluma was conceived as a community improvement project, not a speculative real-estate venture. Similar citizen-financed hotels were being built in Chico, Redding, and Napa — each a sign of civic optimism and confidence in local prosperity. Petaluma’s residents subscribed to shares not because they were misled, but because they sought to place their town on equal footing with its regional peers.

Critics often forget that in 1922, Sonoma County’s tourism infrastructure had not yet matured. The Golden Gate Bridge would not open until 1937, and the San Rafael–Richmond Bridge until 1956. Until then, travel from San Francisco and the East Bay to Petaluma relied on ferries, riverboats, and rough roads. The hotel’s backers correctly anticipated the economic importance of visitors and travelers, but they did so more than a decade before the road network made such travel commonplace. In that sense, the hotel was visionary but premature — a civic investment waiting for the region’s connectivity to catch up.

The early struggles of the Hotel Petaluma were not the result of deceit or folly but of structural timing. When the Golden Gate Bridge finally opened, Petaluma’s location on the main north-south highway confirmed the foresight of those 1920s investors. The building they created—still standing proudly in the heart of downtown and freshly restored — is a testament to their confidence in Petaluma’s future, not evidence of their being “played.”

Moments in history are framed by their context. When examined in light of its time, the building of the Hotel Petaluma stands as an act of collective civic ambition, not of misplaced trust.

Date: November 10, 2025

Reference:

John Patrick Sheehy, Petaluma’s Hotel Déjà Vu: How Citizens got played 100 years ago (Oct. 11, 2025). Online: https://petalumahistorian.com/petlaumas-hotel-deja-vu/

Neglecting Downtown Petaluma is Not Preserving It

Author:
Brian Barnacle
Petaluma City Council member representing District 6.

The referendum to overturn the downtown overlay is not about protecting downtown. It is about a few people who want to block a new hotel from being built on a vacant lot that is covered in weeds and debris, and surrounded by a chain link fence.

The empty lot generates only $341 per year for the city in property taxes – less than $1 a day – and it does nothing for the surrounding businesses. This piece of prime real estate is 30 years overdue to be converted into a contributing part of Petaluma’s economy.

The new hotel proposed for the site would transform this depressed lot into a vibrant building that – each year – would generate about $10 million for Petaluma businesses and $700,000 in direct tax revenue to the city. The hotel’s farm-to-table restaurant will procure millions of dollars in goods from local agriculture and beverage producers. The tile decorating the hotel will come from a local tile producer and the art will be provided by local artists.

The project would be an economic catalyst that stimulates investment in the surrounding area and supports the customer base for existing restaurants, shops, and services.

On paper, the Appellation Petaluma hotel has a similar footprint to Hotel Petaluma. It has about the same amount of commercial space and both lots are 0.3 acres. The Appellation has three more rooms and 58 additional off-street parking spaces. Hotel Petaluma is eight feet taller than the Appellation Petaluma would be at the property line, but because of the Appellation’s publicly accessible rooftop deck, it is listed as 15 feet taller than Hotel Petaluma.

What is all the fuss about?

Importantly, while passing the overlay is required for the Appellation Petaluma to be considered, the overlay policy grants complete discretion to the Planning Commission and City Council to block a poorly designed project.

Still, even with prudent guardrails ensuring the hotel has exceptional architecture, the fear of change has brought together a loud group of activist opponents who are attempting a voter referendum to block the hotel from being built.

If the activists get their way and we are forced into a special election, it will cost city taxpayers more than $100,000 to put it on the November 2025 ballot. Worse, if this activist group wins, it will take $10 million in sales each year away from local businesses, millions of dollars away from local agriculture and beverage producers who would sell to the hotel’s farm-to-table restaurant, and eliminate a million-dollar-per-year bump to the city’s General Fund in direct taxes and influenced taxes.

If you sign the referendum petition, you are choosing to spend taxpayer dollars to take money away from local businesses, parks, and public safety. You are also enabling activists to choke off investment in our downtown and undermine the financial strength of our city.

The activists have positioned themselves as “historic advocates” who are defending the city’s heritage, but their actions are doing more to impede progress than protect our heritage. True advocates for historic preservation should be pushing for the city to maintain our historic buildings, repair the trestle, seismically retrofit our Historic Carnegie Library/Museum, and add buildings to the national historic registry. Instead, their sole focus is trying to keep a vacant lot vacant.

Petaluma is not a museum – it’s a living, breathing community with real people who need real solutions. Activists can preach ideals, but city leaders and small businesses must face reality. The reality is that Petaluma has an enormous backlog of needs, and every city and business in Sonoma County is facing flat revenues, rising costs, deficits, and an uncertain economy.

Petaluma leaders are trying to spur investment in our town, grow the customer base for local businesses, and bolster city revenues as we head into uncertain economic times. Our police and firefighter unions felt the impact of poor city finances for too long, and that is why they have come out strongly supporting Appellation Petaluma.

Please join your city leaders, first responders, and numerous local businesses and residents who want to see responsible growth and a financially strong city. Don’t sign the poorly intentioned activist referendum.

Published: Argus Courier 
Date: May 12, 2025 at 5:58 PM PDT

Matt Sharkey: Letter to the Editor

To the Editorial Staff at the Argus Courier,

I would like to applaud and support Petaluma business owners Elisa Weber, Nancy Leoni and Naomi Crawford for their commentary in the July 18th edition of the Argus Courier. In the following breath, say shame on the so-called Petaluma citizens group "Petaluma Historic Advocates" for single-handedly attempting to slow progress in our community. 

Every single member of City Council ran on very public platforms during this last election and were exceptionally transparent about where they stood in support of the overlay in general and, specifically, of the Appellation Petaluma hotel. We, the citizens, voted these council members in based on the platforms they ran on. Now a group of citizens who intend to slow progress, co-led by a member who lost the City Council election, are standing in the way of our town thriving with a most recent lawsuit against the city. It's honestly infuriating. 

More than 75% of downtown businesses are in support of the hotel because they understand the economic impact it will have on their respective businesses. I can confidently say that if that hotel were open when my family had our retail store (Bleacher Critic) on 4th Street, that we'd likely still be open today. 

Mike Healy and other members of the group are propping up a facade of "historic preservation" in their argument and those who canvased for signatures on their behalf did the same. I know, I was approached by two of them. Both painted an inaccurate depiction of what the Appellation Petaluma can and will represent to our town and our greater community. 

Both the Theater Square District and 100 Petaluma Blvd. North were built during Mr. Healy's watch as a member of City Council. Both fly squarely in the face of historic preservation. So why is Appellation Petaluma any different? Because it takes up a bit more skyline? Come on, we owe it to each other to be better than that. 

I fear that people who signed the Petaluma Historic Advocates petition either don't support or patronize local downtown businesses, don't understand the benefits of the economic impact the hotel will have on the city, or were simply misled. And now the entire community may be left staring at an empty lot surrounded by a chain link fence for yet another year or two, providing zero benefit to anyone. 

If you haven't noticed the number of vacancies in our retail storefronts over the past several years, you're not paying attention. Appellation Petaluma would directly impact that. More people wanting to stay downtown in our community will directly support all of our downtown businesses.

When you consider all of the contemporary codes required for new buildings, the group who designed Appellation Petaluma did a far more remarkable job in giving Petaluma something to be proud of than either of the aforementioned properties above. I have no ties to the group behind the hotel, I just want to see our town continue to be vibrant. And, lastly, I want to encourage all citizens to ask direct and hard questions to anyone who canvasses for your signature, regardless of the subject. 

Best,

Matt Sharkey

Appellation Petaluma Hotel: An Investment in Our Future

Authors: Elisa Weber, Nancy Leoni, & Naomi Crawford

As business owners and stakeholders in Petaluma’s future, we stand united in support of the Appellation Petaluma Hotel project. This proposal represents a rare opportunity to revitalize a long-blighted downtown property, generate critical new revenue for city services, and strengthen the economic ecosystem that sustains our local businesses, artists, farmers, and producers.

For more than 30 years, the vacant lot at the center of this debate has generated nothing to the life or economy of our downtown. The Appellation Hotel would change that overnight. According to data presented by the City Council, the hotel would generate $10 million annually in economic activity that benefits local restaurants, cafés, retailers, and service providers.

This is not just a hotel. It is an investment in Petaluma’s downtown vitality, a catalyst for neighborhood renewal, and a customer magnet for our small businesses. It would convert a chain-link fenced eyesore into a vibrant, walkable destination that draws new visitors, supports local artists and makers, and aligns with Petaluma’s values of sustainability, local pride, and smart growth.

We are deeply concerned by efforts to derail this project through a voter referendum that is neither fiscally responsible nor grounded in fact. Some local businesses have received threats of boycotts simply for voicing support for the project. That is unacceptable in any civic dialogue. Regardless of how you feel about the hotel, all of us should reject the bullying of local businesses.

Let’s be clear: just because our doors are open does not mean we are thriving. The majority of us are merely surviving. We fully support historic preservation, but vacant lots do not add to our charm like a thriving downtown business community would. We need investment in our downtown, and right now, fear-driven politics is undermining our future. The Appellation Petaluma Hotel is a good example of responsible, contextual development. It complements nearby buildings in scale and footprint, and features a publicly accessible rooftop deck that is set back from Petaluma Boulevard. As a result, the Appellation Petaluma Hotel’s perceived height from the street will be less than that of the Petaluma Hotel, a historic landmark since 1923.

Not only will the hotel benefit our downtown business community in general, but more specifically, they will be working with local businesses to make Appellation Petaluma-centric. The hotel’s farm-to-table restaurant, run by an award-winning Sonoma County chef, will purchase millions of dollars of goods and services from local producers. Last November, downtown businesses supported our agriculture community by overwhelmingly opposing Measure J. Now we need the community we serve to support us.

Your downtown business community joins the police and firefighter unions in recognizing the urgent need for economic stimulus and sustainable city revenues. Let’s not block progress that benefits all of us, even those in opposition. Let’s support a project that celebrates our community’s best qualities: local talent, sustainability, respect for Petaluma’s historic significance, smart design, and shared prosperity.

We urge the Chamber of Commerce, our fellow business owners, and all residents who care about Petaluma’s future to oppose the referendum, support the overlay, and stand in favor of the Appellation Petaluma Hotel.

Petaluma thrives when Petaluma works together.

Signed by,

Petaluma Business Owners and Organizations in support of Appellation Petaluma Hotel

Jupiter Foods
Leghorn Wine Company
LivXplore Lok Group of Companies d.b.a Quality Inn Petaluma
Lunchette
MAD Architecture
McEvoy Ranch
McNear’s
Mockingbird Heights Salon
Obsessed Clothing Company
Out to Lunch Catering
Paradise Found
Pennyroyal
Petaluma Pie Company
Refill Mercantile
Risibisi
Robindira Unsworth
Rusty Hinges Ranch
Seared Simmer
Stellina Alimentari
Stellina Pronto
Stockhome
Table Culture Provision
The Kentucky
The Mystic
Uber Optics
Usher Gallery

Published: Argus Courier
Date: May 26,2025

Commentary: Opponents of New Petaluma Hotel Forget the City’s Once Bold Spirit

Authors: Elisa Weber, Nancy Leoni, & Naomi Crawford

Petaluma stands at a crossroads. A recent citizen-initiated ballot referendum in Petaluma that seeks to overturn carefully considered changes approved by our City Council has made it onto the next ballot. The initiative rejects changes that would selectively allow, under rigorous review, the construction of buildings up to six stories tall in certain parts of our historic downtown.

Changes to building height limits from the current four to six floors in select developments do not open the door to reckless development. They open the door to thoughtful, impactful projects that reflect the evolving needs of our community. Opponents have framed these height limit adjustments for select properties as a threat to our heritage. But in reality, they are an invitation to strengthen our city—culturally, architecturally, and economically. The City Council approved zoning changes that are accompanied by strict review requirements.

The first project to move forward under the revisions—one of high quality and vision—demonstrated the scale of positive impact such projects can have. The fiscal contributions include over $2.5 million in one-time development impact fees for the Appellation Petaluma Hotel, money that would flow directly into our City coffers. This would provide new funding for traffic improvements, parks, open space, and civic infrastructure. That’s before a single hotel guest checks in. Over the next quarter century, Petaluma stood to gain more than $41 million in new tax revenue from this single hospitality investment. Transient occupancy taxes alone could generate $37 million in funding for essential city services like parks, public safety, and local programming. And that’s just the public revenue.

The total economic activity from construction and operations is projected at more than half a billion dollars over 25 years. Roughly 328 construction jobs would be supported in the short term, with 150 permanent local jobs created year over year. Petaluma businesses, particularly those downtown, could see over $250 million in local guest spending, directly strengthening our independent shops, restaurants, and cultural venues.

In sum, a total of over $809,000,000 in public and private revenue would flow into the Petaluma community over the next 25 years. These numbers aren’t hypothetical—they’re backed by detailed city findings and economic impact studies.

Too much of the opposition to these updates is rooted not in facts, but in fear that anything new under the revisions must threaten the old. In truth, these revisions were designed to protect Petaluma’s heritage while allowing it to grow. They were crafted to ensure that new buildings contribute meaningfully to our urban fabric—economically, architecturally, and socially.

However, this conversation is about far more than one hotel. It’s about how the citizens of Petaluma choose to define “preservation.” Do we see it as a living practice—one that embraces continuity across generations? Or do we reduce it to a defensive stance, wielded to halt change rather than shape it?

True preservation is not the act of freezing time. It is the commitment to steward our shared legacy while building a future worth inheriting. It asks each generation to leave behind something of value—not just memories, but markers of relevance and vitality.

Right now, our city’s future is being shaped by a small but vocal few looking backward. But what about the rising generation of Petaluman citizens—the ones who will inherit the long-term consequences of stagnation disguised as stewardship? Their voices, too often left out, must be brought into the conversation through new leadership and vigorous public outreach through the rising generations' digital communication channels of choice.

This is not just Petaluma’s story. Across the country, cities and towns struggle with efforts to repackage nostalgia as policy, sidelining the concerns of younger residents, renters, workers, and small business owners who experience towns and cities not as static postcards but as dynamic ecosystems. Preservation, when used as a blunt instrument, can become a barrier to progress and, unfortunately, a mask for exclusion.

Petaluma deserves better. We deserve leaders who can hold our heritage with care, without mistaking it for a cage. We need a Mayor and City Council who understand that honoring our past means investing in our future. We need a Mayor and City Council who can vigorously carry the progressive measures Petaluma needs to the citizens of Petaluma. We need future-facing leaders who recognize that thoughtful change is not the enemy of character, but its next chapter. We need leaders who are willing to vigorously oppose candidates who see a progressive Petaluma as unacceptable. We, as citizens of Petaluma, need to make our voices heard loud and clear at the ballot box.

Let’s ask ourselves honestly: Will we define “historic” as an end point, or a point of departure? Will we build a city where future generations can contribute, create, and be seen? Or will we allow decisions to be shaped by those clinging to a version of Petaluma that no longer reflects the whole of who we are?

This is not just about height limits. It’s about limits on vision, inclusivity, and courage.

We, as citizens of Petaluma, need to make our voices heard by rejecting fear-based nostalgia at the ballot box. Let’s choose future-facing leaders who are willing to look forward with clarity, with care, and with confidence. Petaluma’s legacy isn’t something to entomb—it’s something to grow into. And that growth starts by electing progressive candidates vigorously committed to both preservation and progress.

Published: Argus Courier
Date: July 10, 2025