We Need to Protect Our Ecosystem
A picture I took of Scott Ranch back in 2003.
My “day job” is being a landscape photographer. I go out in nature and try to capture its beauty in a single image. I love my job, but as a person whose profession involves “being observant”, I regularly notice the damage that we humans inflict on the environment, and to other species who have been here long before us. We gratuitously make these other species’ lives difficult, if not impossible, and we often do it just for our own convenience.
Native Americans lived here for thousands of years. A Coast Miwok elder told an anthropologist in 1932 that “deer and elk used to be plentiful in the valley this side of Petaluma — just like cattle there [and that] Nicasio people got acorns from the Petaluma Valley.” Ducks and geese flew up from the Petaluma River and its tributaries so thick as to obliterate the sun for an hour at a time, and seasonal swarms of monarch butterflies passing through the Petaluma Valley a mile wide, several miles long, forced the Lekatuit there to take refuge for sometimes a full day.
Of course, we don’t have that ecosystem anymore because we have destroyed over 90% of the wetlands and paved over prime habitat around Petaluma, blocking animals from their traditional feeding grounds and migration paths. We rarely notice the destruction because it happens over years. Friends tell me how they used to see foxes and badgers on their property years ago, now they are seen no more. You would think we have done enough damage, but apparently the City of Petaluma doesn’t think so, because it continues to do damage on a regular basis, approving construction near riverbanks and creeks, and in wetlands.
There is a lot of talk about decarbonization and environmental justice, but no one seems to be talking about the ecosystem that we all live in. We have precious few open spaces left within city limits, but we can still protect these remaining places if we act decisively.
Bad Decisions
Mike Healy approved 180 luxury homes at Sid Commons on February 24th, 2020, which is partially located in the wetlands of the Corona Reach, the city-council overruled the unanimous vote of our planning commissioners who voted against re-zoning this parcel to allow the construction of these units. I and several other Petaluma citizens banded together and sued to stop construction.
There has been no construction on that parcel to the present date, and the Friends of the Petaluma River are now trying to acquire parcels in that area as part of a Petaluma River Greenway project. Even though we lost the case, it has been a significant victory to delay that project this long. We may just save this piece of critical habitat after all.
Another long-term ecological battle was over Scott Ranch, the Davidon proposal to build luxury homes at our urban/wildland interface. As part of this project, there is unfortunately an expansion of Helen Putnam Park that is another human-centric development with two parking lots, paved trails, and pedestrian bridges. It has little regard for the existing wildlife at this location, and some Petalumans call it a “Disneyland Park”.
This is habitat for the threatened red-legged frog, and it seems that this development will help make it go extinct in Petaluma. Both Mike Healy and Brian Barnacle approved this project even though it violates many of our environmental standards, including the VMT (vehicle miles traveled) standard. All the traffic to the park and new homes will be using D Street, which is already overburdened. This is bad planning all around.
Helen Putnam Park Expansion Map
The Biggest Upcoming Environmental Battle
The biggest upcoming battle will be over the Corona Reach wetlands and floodway. There is currently a proposal to build over 600 homes with over 1100 parking spaces there (this proposal is by the same property owner that owns Sid Commons). If that ever happens, it will be an ecological disaster and will possibly negate the flood protection provided by the weir and flood walls constructed in the upper Petaluma River by the Army Corps of Engineers at a cost of over 40 million dollars. The flood walls border the edge of the Payran neighborhood.
Alternatives for the Corona Reach – Shopping Center or Open Space?
One of the options in our upcoming general plan is to put 3-story homes in the Corona Reach as well as a new shopping center (including stores like a Costco). This is where the “Rainier Connector” has been proposed over the years to alleviate traffic. A Rainier Connector would not alleviate traffic, what it would do is open our largest remaining wetlands and meadows to rampant development, and it would further congest traffic. If these proposals ever happen, this critical habitat will be lost forever.
Another option in the upcoming General Plan is to turn the Corona Reach into Open Space. I think the entire remainder of the Corona Reach should be turned into a low-impact park that is restored as much as possible to its natural state. This will reduce flooding and provide critical habitat for the few remaining native plants and animals that are still in city limits. It can also be a nature path for hikers and bikers to cross town without having to deal with vehicle traffic on busy streets like Washington Street or other crosstown connectors.
Other Important Parcels to Protect
In District 6 itself, we have the Paula Lane Nature Preserve, a piece of land that local citizens have been helping to restore for years. The city seems to be working at cross-purposes with these volunteers, instead of cooperating with them. Casa Grande High School students have been working for years to restore a fishery on the east side of town through their nonprofit “The United Anglers of Casa Grande”. I would support taking an inventory of all ecologically important parcels within the city, and work with any groups that are trying to protect them, and I would like to get all these stakeholders together to work on a comprehensive plan to protect and enhance all these parcels.
I have been an advocate for the environment ever since I could remember. As soon as I was no longer a starving student, I joined the Sierra Club (I just got a certificate of appreciation from them celebrating 35 years of membership).
Locally, I am on the board of “Protect Wild Petaluma”, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting our remaining wild places in Petaluma. I am on the steering committee of 350 Petaluma, part of 350.org, a nonprofit that is dedicated to reducing the carbon in our atmosphere. My wife Moira is a co-founder of ReLeaf Petaluma, and I created their first website so that they could obtain their first grant. My wife advocated for the planting of NATIVE trees by ReLeaf, and that organization is doing a great job of increasing the tree canopy in Petaluma. I have also done extensive work for the Sonoma Land Trust, photographing their properties to help with fundraising and leading free photography workshops on their properties to engage the public in land conservation. I could go on, but let’s just say that I take environmental protection very seriously.
Because of my background, several Petaluma environmental advocates in town support my candidacy for city council, including former Council Member David Keller, who has advocated for the protection of the Corona Reach for literally decades.
Conclusion
We have to take the environmental crisis seriously and not just put up banners saying that we are “Climate-Ready” when our actions say otherwise.
I would like to apply my knowledge and skills to protecting Petaluma’s ecosystem. I not only want to stop environmental destruction in our city, but I also want to “rewild” parts of Petaluma and help us become a “regenerative city”. This would greatly improve the quality of life for all living beings in Petaluma, including us humans.
A Recent Endorsement
“District 6 residents would do well to consider voting for Lance Kuehne. His platform of managed growth, green spaces and community involvement should resonate with anyone looking for a balanced approach. Lance is for preserving Petaluma’s architectural heritage while grappling with the need to add affordable housing stock; managing growth while preserving green spaces and protecting the river, and for a more collaborative, transparent government. Read Lance’s blog, “The Kuehne Observer”—I’ll bet it will resonate with you!”
Lydia Asselin – Retired Petaluma Architect
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