Town Hall Meetings

April 19, 2009 Town Meeting

by Richard Naegle, President, Forestville Planning Association

Over 50 people attended the Town Meeting on April 19. First we brainstormed in small groups about the visions we have for Forestville in the next couple of years. The results were gathered and can be seen at Town Meeting Notes 4-09.

You can vote there for which issues you think are most important and add new issues. The results will be used to help the FPA target community goals in the coming year as well as establish the agendas for future Town Meetings.

Efren Carillo, our County District Supervisor, updated us on current County issues. He particularly spoke of the difficult job ahead dealing with the deficit in the County budget.

He encouraged us to attend County budget workshops. He also reported about the County’s new Energy Independence Program which provides loans to homeowners for energy and water efficiency as well as renewable energy improvements — sonomacountyenergy.org.

He emphasized that the PRMD will only focus on the Energy Independence permit requested and will not be looking for any code irregularities. In other words, we should not fear the PRMD coming onto our property if we participate in this program.

Lucy Hardcastle-Barnett reported on the Forestville Community Fund. Several recipients of grants in 2008 spoke of the success of their projects.

Finally, Allan Tilton (innkeeper at Case Ranch Inn and a transportation specialist) presented on the proposed roundabout at Mirabel and 116. (The County is recommending a roundabout to Caltrans and hopes to begin construction by late summer, 2010.) Allan pointed out the Forestville community had the opportunity to design the roundabout’s center, a circle with a 90 foot circumference.

There was great interest in the different possibilities of designing this gateway into our town. The Downtown Planning Committee will be taking up this issue soon.