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TheHealdsburg HealdsburgTribune Tribune The Enterprise & Scimitar Enterprise & Scimitar
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OPEN MIC: MEASURE O IS RIGHT STEP FOR HEALDSBURG
Healdsburg, California Healdsburg, California
October 3, 2024 Date, Date, 20202020
A REBUTTAL TO LAST WEEK’S OP-ED AGAINST LOCAL GROWTH MEASURE
It seems ever yone in Healdsburg knows someone who grew up here or works here but is struggling to make ends meet because of the incredibly high price of housing. For 24 years we haven’t been able to keep up with our housing needs because of the far-fromperfect Growth Management Ordinance (GMO). The GMO is one of the major driving factors behind the tremendous increase in housing costs. Fortunately we still have a chance to start fixing it. Measure O, which is on the ballot this November, responds precisely to this problem by making adjustments to the GMO in the two specific areas best suited for the kind of housing that can do the most to alleviate prices for middleclass families. This housing would be state-of-the-art, water-smart, economically designed multi-family units (apartments, mainly)—all close to transportation. These geographic areas, adding up to just 15% of the town, are filled with underutilized and neglected parcels, like the old gas station on Piper Street. These lots are perfect sites for the type of housing that can begin alleviating prices for all of us. But this will not happen without Measure O. Sadly, nothing would happen. Now the flipside: Healdsburg residents are deeply concerned about how growth impacts our town’s unique charm and livability. We always have been. In last week’s issue of The Healdsburg Tribune, we saw an argument that New York City-style density ➝ Open Mic, 7
Rendering by Alan B. Cohen, courtesy of the City of Healdsburg
By Shaun McCaffery
400 BLOCK An architect’s sketch of the mixed-use building proposed along Healdsburg Avenue, two blocks north of the Plaza. It would include a large wine-tasting room, renovated storefronts and two new apartments.
Tasting Room Tipping Point? DOWNTOWN PROPOSAL COULD DISPLACE BELOVED SHOE REPAIR SHOP By Simone Wilson
A relatively modest proposal to build a 1,220-squarefoot, 45-person tasting room inside an existing warehouse in downtown Healdsburg has ignited a familiar debate among residents about the town’s core character. This would be the 28th wine-tasting room in Healdsburg, city planning officials said at a heated hearing on the proposal last week. An age-old question lingered in the air: How many tasting rooms is too many for one small town? Adding fuel to the debate were community concerns that a current tenant, the 50-year-old Ramos Shoe Repair shop, might be displaced during construction—potentially
driving out one of Healdsburg’s oldest and most beloved businesses, a last bastion of simpler times. “Healdsburg has changed a lot,” current o w n e r Jo r g e R a m o s , whose father Demetrio opened the shop in 1974 and just passed away over summer, told the Tribune this week. “It’s kind of sad, in a way. People with money think they can do whatever they want.” Ramos said he hasn’t yet heard anything about the proposal from his landlords, who have always been good to him—but if he did have to close his doors due to construction, he said he might consider moving his shop to Windsor, or even retiring early. Christian Foley-Beining, owner of the Chris Foley Fine Leather shop in the next building over, said of the tasting-room proposal: “We have so many things like this. There are all these boutiques, wineries. Ramos is one of the last places in town where you can get something
practical done.” The plan for 430 Foss St. came before the City of Healdsburg’s Planning Commission on Sept. 24 because owners of the 4,000-square-foot building needed a “conditional use permit ” in order to serve alcohol there. Those owners, Healdsburg residents Rod Matteri and his mother Carole Mascherini—who also happen to own Garrett Ace Hardware together— dabble in winemaking on the side, according to their architect, and want a place in town to serve it. Their application describes a tasting room open from 10am to 7pm daily, with live acoustic music from Thursday through Sunday. “Occasional events are proposed in conjunction with the tasting room and are estimated to be between 15 and 20 events per year,” the application says. “Interior improvements within the building include… a new bar with five seats; a large table with twelve seats;
and six smaller tables.” Overhead, a new second story on the building would house two longterm apartments—an addition that drew kudos from commissioners. Garrett’s owners Matteri and Mascherini did not respond to a request for comment. They were represented at last week’s city meeting by Healdsburg architect Alan B. Cohen, whose designs can also be seen in the Mill District development rising further south along Healdsburg Avenue and the new Foley Family Community Pavilion going up right across Foss Street from the proposed tasting room. “The tasting room is allowed, and it makes sense why they want it,” Planning Commissioner Carrie Hunt said at the meeting—but “I’m not over the moon for another tasting room in Healdsburg. I do hope that we find ways to maximize space like this to benefit our community of residents and families and workforce,
not just tourists.” Hunt called the Ramos family “staples in our community” and said “it’s really important that they don’t feel kicked out.” Still, she and other planning commissioners granted the Garrett’s owners a permit to serve wine at 430 Foss St., mainly on the grounds that city rules allow for one tasting room per “block face.” The project’s architect, Cohen, explained at the meeting: “The family that owns the property is starting a small sparkling wine company, so they thought it would be ideal to incorporate a tasting room in the building. Obviously that’s not possible on Healdsburg Avenue but since it has frontage on Foss Street, that was an option. It’s a small tasting room, but we think it will work.” During the public comment period, around a halfdozen Foss Street residents and business owners aired their concerns—some more
HOMECOMING PARADE: A SLICE OF AMERICANA
police as they meandered through the town’s neighborhoods—starting at the high school, making a couple of rounds around the Plaza and ending at Rec Park, where students stood by for halftime activities. The sudden appearance downtown of hyped-up high schoolers on floats seemed to surprise, then delight, many a passerby. In fact, this very reporter, newly retired from a long career teaching English and AVID at Healdsburg High, was likewise surprised—and delighted—to find himself as a last-minute parade participant, riding shotgun with Spanish teacher Andrea Ruiz in an enormous $100,000 black Chevy pickup truck with all the bells and whistles. This year’s theme was “seasons.” Each class—freshman, sophomore, junior and senior—was assigned
LIVELY TOWN TRADITION MAKES UP FOR TOUGH FOOTBALL GAME By John Linker
Photos by Joe Rowland
BUNDLED UP Spirited members of Healdsburg High School’s senior class manned a
winter-themed float in this year’s Homecoming Parade.
Every high school has a Homecoming, but not every high school holds a Homecoming Parade. Last Friday afternoon, Healdsburg carried on its yearly tradition of holding one such parade. Four floats, one per class at the high school, were escorted by Healdsburg
➝ Downtown Proposal, 6
➝ A Slice of Americana, 5