QUICK FACTS

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Washington Square Shopping Center

• Neighborhood shopping center since 1961

• 27 businesses, including Safeway, Staples, Planet Fitness

• 300+ local jobs (additional 25-30 jobs planned)

• $800,000 est. annual sales tax revenues to City of Petaluma

 

Proposed Gas Station

• Permitted Use per City Zoning code

• Small kiosk (697 square feet, no alcoholic beverages)

• 8 gas islands

• Up to $400,000 est. sales tax generated to City of Petaluma

• Electrical Vehicle charging station

• Rebuild Eastside Transit Center, pulling buses off Maria Dr.

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PROJECT TIMELINE: SEVEN YEAR PROCESS

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2013

• Safeway submits application to City for gas station

 

2014

• Council Member Healy proposes gas station moratorium

• City Council rejects moratorium

• Safeway completes traffic, pedestrian/bike, air quality, noise, and other environmental studies

• City proposes 14,000% increase in development impact fee for Safeway gas station (from $12,000 to $1,700,000)

• Safeway notifies City of violations in proposed fee increase

 

2015

• City rescinds 14,000% increase, reassesses fee structure

• Safeway merges with Albertson’s

 

2016

• Safeway meets with City Staff to review application status

 

2017

• Staff requests additional technical data and review

• Safeway updates all studies and responds to several rounds of Staff comment

 

2018

• April 5, 2018 Environmental MND – public notice sent by Staff per State law

• May 8, 2018 Planning Commission (continued to June 26)

• June 19 and June 23 Open Houses

• June 26, 2018 Planning Commission vote to approve MND and SPAR

• July 9, 2018 JoAnn McEachin and "No Gas Here" file appeal of SPAR

• September 17th City Council Hearing (postponed until December 3rd)

• December 3rd City Council Hearing and vote to require Environmental Impact Report for project

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2019

• January 28th City Council meeting to address Brown Act violations in City's 12/3/18 City Council hearing

• March 4th City Council Meeting to reconsider Appeal

• April 1st City Council Meeting to deny appeal and uphold Planning Commission approval

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PROJECT ANALYSES AND APPROVALS

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• 16 project analyses and reviews– most in City of Petaluma and Safeway history for a gas station!

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• Reports conclude project meets all guidelines for health, safety, traffic, environment 

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​Pedestrian Safety and Traffic Studies

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1. Traffic Impact Study (TKJM, August 2014) [Note: includes pedestrian and bike]

 

2. Traffic Study Update (CHS Consulting Group, March 2018) [Note: includes pedestrian and bike]

 

3. Supplemental Pedestrian Safety Analysis (CHS Consulting Group, June 6, 2018) [additional pedestrian safety assessment and intersection data]

 

4. Wymer & Associates Traffic Study Peer Review (September 14, 2018)

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Air Quality Studies and Health Risk Assessments (HRAs)

 

5. Air Pollutant and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Assessment (Illingworth & Rodkin, January 2014)

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6. Health Risk Assessment (Illingworth & Rodkin, January 2014)

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7. Asbestos and Lead-Based Paint Survey (Cardno ATC, May 2013)

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8. Environmental Noise Assessment (Illingworth & Rodkin, April 2014 – revised in 2017)

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9. Air Pollutant and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Assessment Update (Illingworth & Rodkin, September 2017)

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10. Health Risk Assessment Update (Illingworth & Rodkin, September 2017)

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11. School District peer review of Health Risk Assessment (ESA, May 7, 2018)

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12. Safeway response to School District peer review (Illingworth & Rodkin, May 8, 2018)

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13. Supplemental response to Planning Commission re: HRA (Illingworth & Rodkin, June 6, 2018) 

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14. School District letter accepting Illingworth & Rodkin study (June 18, 2018)*

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15. Response to Comments made by Moira Sullivan (Illingworth & Rodkin, September 4, 2018)

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16. Comments of Proposed Safeway Fuel Center MND (Meridian Consultants, September 12, 2018)

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17. BAAQMD Comments on Safeway Fuel Project (September 17, 2018)

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18. Fox-Kapahi Comments on the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (September 17, 2018)

19. Updated Modeling Results with AERMOD Dispersion Model (Illingworth & Rodkin, October 10, 2018)

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20. BAAQMD Comments on Health Risk Assessments (November 8, 2018)

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*Note: Petaluma City Schools has accepted project finding of no significant health risk. (6/19/18)

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PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND DIALOGUE

 

Public Discussion and Review

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• 7+ Years of public discussion and debate

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• 15+ City Council and Planning Commission meetings with feedback provided via public comment and elected officials

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• 4 Resubmittals of Application until deemed complete

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• Approval by Pedestrian & Bicycle Advisory Committee

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• Approval by Transit Advisory Committee​

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• Multiple On-Site Meetings with City Staff

 

Community Outreach and Media

 

• 40+ Press Articles, Editorials, Op-Eds, letters to the editor, and blog posts

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• 2,400+ “Yes” votes on supporter Petitions

 

• Extensive In-Store communication with customers, including detailed FAQ

 

• One-on-one meetings with public meeting attendees and community members

 

• In-Person meetings with representatives from adjacent schools

 

• Mailer sent to Safeway customers provided detailed information on the project

 

• Petaluma Chamber of Commerce endorsement

 

• Four (4) community open houses at project site

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