LOOK here for what is coming to the very HEART of Sebastopol -
http://piazzahospitality.com/hotel-sebastopol/
(http://piazzahospitality.com/hotel-sebastopol/)http://www.waccobb.net/forums/waccobb/keep90days/2018-08-24_17-48-38.png (http://www.sonomawest.com/)
‘Hotel Sebastopol’ coming into focus (http://www.sonomawest.com/sonoma_west_times_and_news/news/hotel-sebastopol-coming-into-focus/article_43a5b374-5f3e-11e6-bc8d-5f3f39c7e36d.html)
(http://piazzahospitality.com/hotel-sebastopol/)
by Amie Windsor Sonoma West Staff Writer [email protected]
<time datetime="2016-08-10T14:06:00-07:00" class="tnt-date asset-date text-muted" style="box-sizing: border-box;">Aug 10, 2016</time>
"PARTICIPATION IS THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR COMMUNITY" (slogan from City of Sebastopol's site) - Let Sebastopol Council members know your mind, BEFORE ground is broken!
414 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg, CA 95448 (owners are from SF and own 3 Healdsburg $$$$$ boutique hotels among other ventures)
T: 00.1 707.431.8221
E: [email protected]
Please share your emails and their responses (if forthcoming) here for our community. Thanks.
Just sent my email to the council, thanks, Judith. I got so wrought up over traffic that I clean forgot to say anything about the hotel. I especially loved the line about their responsiveness to public input.
So right, Judith Iam, "housing first."
SonomaPatientsCoop
08-21-2019, 12:44 PM
I'm sorry- but I REALLY don't understand what one has to do with the other. This was not publicly owned property. Are you actually saying the government should be able to force private landowners to fix, at their cost, our counties problems ?
I don't have much issue with the proposed Hotel. The reality is that Sebastopol has increasingly over the years become a boomtown, and has become increasingly dependent on tourism and the revenue that brings. And there is no going back.
And just as a side note- the article linked is 3 years old. This project has been in the works for somewhere around 4 or so years - an insane cost to bear and an indictment of just how far the city, state, and county have overstepped their bounds and made it nearly impossible except for the rich to get anything done in this state.
As to affordable housing - I would argue a main obstacle (after the obscene cost of land) is the state/county/city regulations and permitting. It is so cost prohibitive and such a nightmare of red tape to build an ADU (additional dwelling unit) on property few bother. If the city/county cared many regulations or fees could be reduced or waived to encourage such construction. Likewise "forgivable loans" could be offered- whereby many of the fees are "paid" by the county via a "loan" to the homeowner - a loan that doesn't need to be paid back so long as they keep the rental unit at "x" below market value for "Y" number of years.
I hate to say it but there is good reason the right loves to point to CA as an example as a failure of the left. While the intentions are usually good... CA - especially the western portion, has become the most unfriendly state I have lived to try and live or run a business.
John Eder
08-21-2019, 04:33 PM
The hotel that is to be constructed downtown has been approved by the city for some time- breaking ground has been delayed. As of 6/12/19, its status, per the City's website is: "Building Permit Under Review, Construction expected 2019."
Emailing the Councilmembers will likely not result in any changes.
Note that the referenced article is from 2016...
SonomaPatientsCoop
08-21-2019, 06:20 PM
The hotel that is to be constructed downtown has been approved by the city for some time- breaking ground has been delayed. As of 6/12/19, its status, per the City's website is: "Building Permit Under Review, Construction expected 2019."
It is still a long way off. My understanding is it still needs another review from the city council, then a review and sign off by the planning commission. I'd be surprised if they break ground before spring 2020.
And again, my understanding... there are 3 sticking points. One is over parking - where the city seems to want them to have more on site parking then they normally do at their other hotels. 2nd is related- their off-site parking where they want the street changed to one way. And the big 3rd - the city's demand that they offer "hostel rooms". Something I've never heard being demanded anywhere and which makes absolutely no sense to me. To their credit- they seem willing to try it but have submitted a lot of paper showing they have no experience with this and don't know if it can work...and demand the right to be able to walk away from this provision if it is not economically feasible.
I have a bad feeling this is all going to fall apart and end up in a massive lawsuit that dwarfs the city councils idiotic and arrogant "Drive through ban" re: the CVS development that did nothing but drain city funds...
gardenmaniac
08-21-2019, 08:44 PM
Wait a minute - what are (they) thinking of, or are (they) even thinking at all?
San Francisco's failure to put housing-first has rendered that city UN-affordable for small businesses; many long-time residents, including teachers and fire-fighters, have been priced out.
is that what we want here?
Why not build some affordable housing, or isn't that profitable enough for greedy developers?
just my 2-cents ...:2cents:
Barry
08-22-2019, 10:59 AM
I seem to remember the blue sign on the property saying that construction was expected to start in August 2019.
occihoff
08-22-2019, 03:16 PM
I find the rapid developments in Sebastopol quite scary. Just another thing that makes me actually grateful for my death that will be coming sometime within the next 20 years.
:rip:
tommy
08-22-2019, 05:59 PM
I don't think the site of the new hotel would be good for affordable housing. It's right downtown, so it's probably an expensive piece of land, which would make it difficult to build "affordable" housing. Also, when people think of living in the bucolic oasis of Sebastopol, I don't think they envision living right in the middle of downtown, in this very congested, concreted, and noisy area.
Shamelessly, I must admit I like the idea of a new hotel like the ones in Healdsburg. They're really classy! Beautiful rooms, elegant public spaces, unique gardens, and cool bars to talk about cbds, the best tattoo artist, or other entanglements of the ego.
Glia
08-22-2019, 06:36 PM
Then why are you still here? Leave and go somewhere better, cheaper, easier, etc. When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping.
BTW you could use your $1000/month Freedom Dividend to cover moving costs, or any other life change you may want to make.
I hate to say it but there is good reason the right loves to point to CA as an example as a failure of the left. While the intentions are usually good... CA - especially the western portion, has become the most unfriendly state I have lived to try and live or run a business.
podfish
08-22-2019, 08:00 PM
...San Francisco's failure to put housing-first has rendered that city UN-affordable for small businesses; many long-time residents, including teachers and fire-fighters, have been priced out.
is that what we want here?
Why not build some affordable housing, or isn't that profitable enough for greedy developers? ...in SF's case, and probably here too, it's also 'greedy homeowners'. Or NIMBY if you prefer that. People (including me) would love it if the city's permitting was quick, cheap and easy. Except when it means development that might threaten their home values, or increase traffic, or let people seen as non-compatible come in. That isn't always code for 'poor people'. Many here don't really want to have more people visiting who are cool with $500/night hotel rooms. They'd rather it stay the same, welcoming to people of similar means to themselves.
Me too, I'd like it to stay the same, and have people coming to visit who like the same things as I do and aren't willing to pay too much more but are able to pay enough. That way they can help support the things I and my friends like to do so businesses I patronize can flourish, not being priced out of their rents or failing for lack of customers. Those are just personal preferences though; it's the job of the local government to balance the values of us residents with the needs of a broader community. In my view, they're too supportive of the status quo and aren't going far enough to provide low-cost housing. They're more willing to bend towards the wishes of those with money, but even they get plenty of roadblocks.