Save Shollenberger Park

Misleading Dutra claim #11 in our 15 reasons why this is the Wrong Plant in the Wrong Place: Claim: Normal operating hours will be Monday through Friday from 7am to 5pm, and the plant will only operate 24/7 when “required to do so by Caltrans, County or municipal projects” yet their own website states: “Over 80% of the aggregate and asphalt that leaves the Dutra Materials plant will be used for publicly funded road and infrastructure projects either for the County of Sonoma, the City of Petaluma, Caltrans or other government agencies.” (above image is a photo of an existing large asphalt plant adjacent to a river that is operating at night. It is not a simulation of the proposed Dutra Asphalt Plant at Shollenberger)

Thanks to everyone that attended the Planning Commission meeting on Thursday. Your voice was heard! The longer this process is drawn out the better...as it is obvious that opposition is continuing to grow. Thanks to everyone that has put significant energy into this effort. Keep it up! Continue to write and email your concerns. Click here to email the decision makers.

Our legal analysis of the Measure D View Corridor (Petaluma/Novato Community Separator) and the General Plan demands that there has to be a voter-approved change to the Measure D area in order to allow the land use changes that Dutra wants for their batch plant and recycling activities. This change cannot be accomplished by Supervisors' actions. We will be presenting these and a variety of additional findings at the Planning Commission meeting tomorrow (4/16). Please continue to contact the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and urge them to abide by the will of the people. Click here for complete legal analysis

We encourage you to take part in our carpooling option to the Planning Commission hearing this Thursday in Santa Rosa. We'll be gathering at Noon at our Headquarters located at: 322 Western Ave. Petaluma, CA. 94952 We need your support, please join us! RSVP on Facebook to stand united in opposition of this asphalt plant proposal from the Dutra Group.

On Thursday, April 16th at 1pm...the Sonoma County Planning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider and make a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on the Noise Elements of the General Plan Policy alterations proposed by Dutra Co. for their Asphalt Batch Plant proposal at Haystack Landing. Here is what Shollenberger sounds like today (click image) : Click on image to hear Shollenberger as it is today Here is what a rock crushing & recycling plant sounds like: What do the experts say? "I was informed about some changes contemplated in the County General Plan, initiated by the Dutra Group, that could have a negative impact (noise disturbance) on the endangered California Clapper Rail ...Please consider potential noise impacts to the breeding success of this critically endangered species prior to amending noise restrictions currently in place." Jules Evens , Principal Avocet Research Associates "...these (egret and heron nesting) sites may be subseq

RE: Paul Kelley's letter to all Mayors,”Development Projects within City Urban Growth Boundaries", 4/9/09, on the eve of this month's Mayors and Council Members meeting. Kelley spends 3 pages, most of the letter, chastising Petaluma for failing to respond and act early in the development approvals process for Dutra Group's Asphalt factory on the Petaluma River. He speaks minimally about the actual UGB issues. It's unclear that this letter was vetted with any other supervisors prior to being sent out. No other supervisors' names are on it, and it is sent on Kelley's own 4th District stationary. It actually sounds like it was written by a combination of Bob Deis, (county administrator) and county counsel. Re: Kelley's complaint that the city ignored many early opportunities to be more deeply involved. He's unfortunately somewhat correct: the prior pro-growth majority of the city council (and resulting city manager's directions to staff) had almost

Based in Berkeley, the Bay Nature Institute is dedicated to educating the people of the San Francisco Bay Area about, and celebrating the beauty of, the surrounding natural world. Their aim is to inspire residents to explore and preserve the diverse and unique natural heritage of the region. Their newest map lists Shollenberger Park as one of the Bay Area's "Protected Parks & Open Spaces." This is a wonderful accolade but at the moment Shollenberger Park is not a protected area and is, in fact, in serious danger. Following the Sonoma County Supervisor vote on May 12th, will Shollenberger still be the diverse and unique place it is today? Join our Network in opposition of the Dutra asphalt plant proposal at Haystack Landing. Click here to view the Bay Nature Map