Questions for the Council

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Dear Healdsburg City Council Members,
As you know, in late January the City Council will be considering public demand for limits to hotel construction downtown. A ban on hotels near the plaza, establishment of a zone requiring Conditional Use Permits (CUPs) downtown, limits on room number and/or requirements for downstairs retail are all up for discussion.

I am asking that before you accept any of the positions that leave the door open for however many more hotels downtown, that you ask yourself these questions:

1) If you support a position moving forward (CUP's or other) that lands us in the future with "too many hotels downtown" (however you define it) will you be able to say that you really did your best to preserve balance between tourist and resident interests, and preserve 'small town charm', as you promised to do in your election campaign?

2) Do you confidently understand what the impacts on retail diversity, livability and the marketability of our authentic and historic downtown will be after the hotels which are under construction now, and the ones considered inevitable, are built? 

3) Do you honestly believe that allowing further hotel construction around the Plaza really reflects the spirit of our town's General Plan, especially the Guiding Principles section?

4) Do you confidently believe that the people of Healdsburg would embrace a decision to allow more hotels downtown, and that the trust the public has in you and the Council will be bettered if you allow more hotels to be built before we understand the impacts?
If you answered 'no' to any of these questions, then I think you should consider embracing a limit on more hotels downtown.

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