Born and Raised

The SDAT report is coming! I have a prediction about what we will  not see in the report. I am open minded, I would be happy to be proven wrong, but I think that in the upcoming report the idea of growth will not be re-imagined.  Economic growth is considered the bedrock of community planning, and economics in general. It's not just an essential component of our economics, it is also a social value, widespread in our country and across the globe. Corporate officers are bound by law to strive for growth and produce this singular result.  But I, and many others, question this value and see the fall-out from it in the social justice issues we face, in environmental destruction and in a quality of life experience too dependent on materialism. Sustainability is the value that replaces open-ended growth. Sustainability replaces stratified incomes with fairness and opportunity and limits extreme wealth, it replaces environmental wastefulness and pollution with restrained consumptio

Cc: Healdsburg City Council Carla Howell, City Manager Mickaelian Dear City Council, My support for limiting hotels downtown, limiting tasting rooms and limiting oversized projects (106 Matheson?) is based on a desire to create a downtown that welcomes and serves Healdsburg residents as vigorously as it presently does visitors.  This desire is shared by many in our community, as I am sure you are aware. During Joe Naujokas' campaign, Joe was looking at some ideas that might help incentivize, support and encourage "local serving" businesses. I was excited by these ideas and would love to see them developed.  A few thoughts and questions: 1) How would we define these sorts of businesses?  For me, the litmus test is the availability of a store that saves me a trip to Santa Rosa such as Everywear, Toy Chest, Levin's books etc. What other "tests" and criteria would help define them? 2) What are the legal challenges for incentivi