Springs Community Alliance

Around a hundred community members turned out for our Springs Town Hall Meeting last Thursday, which centered around a community conversation with Supervisor Susan Gorin. It was a vibrant meeting and a potpourri of issues and ideas were raised, often passionately, by community members. Thomas O’Kane, Deputy Director of Transportation & Public Works and John Haig, Redevelopment Success Agency Manager were on hand to answer questions and provide information.

Here’s a list of some of the topics and ideas covered during the meeting, in some cases with some related web links:

• Preservation of “eclectic” and historic houses in the Springs

• Creating a historical walk through the Springs

• Fluoride in drinking water concerns (links: pros and cons)

• Access to and safety along Sonoma Creek

• Developing the Central Sonoma Valley Trail (bike path)

• The proposed Sonoma Springs Mixed-Use project and Community Health Center

• Getting the most out of Maxwell Park

• Smoking ordinance enforcement and retail licensing fees

• Highway 12- status of the improvement project, lighting, crosswalks, traffic congestion, parking, signage, scenic route…

• Questioning the Arnold Drive traffic circle

• How important safe pedestrian access is to aging community members

• Questions/criticisms/information regarding the planning and design review process and design guidelines for the Springs

• A pocket park at the old Clemente Inn (Mountain Ave) site?

• Replacing the Larson Neighborhood Watch sign

• Graffiti removal

• The poor condition of local streets and roads and how to get them repaired.

• Preserving access to Sonoma Valley hills

• The upcoming Sonoma Business Expo and Food Forum (March 21)

• The Sonoma Valley Grange’s plans for improving its building and fundraising

Henry Ford said, “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Thursday’s Town Hall meeting might mark a sort of new beginning for the Springs. We will be working hard over the upcoming months to help connect people who want to work together to tackle the important issues and advance the good ideas raised during the meeting. Please join us at our regularly monthly meetings on the 2nd Thursday of each month from 7 to 9 pm at the Sonoma Valley Grange Hall if you want to help make this happen.

The Springs Community Alliance wishes to thank Supervisor Gorin for enthusiastically engaging with the Springs community and to Messrs. O’Kane and Haig for their participation at the Town Hall Meeting. Also thanks to the Sonoma Valley Grange providing the venue, Sonoma Mission Inn and Starbucks for refreshments and our dedicated volunteers who helped make the meeting possible.