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September 11, 2020

Open Streets and Marketspace Programs Extended

On Sept. 8, the Healdsburg City Council extended the Open Streets program on Plaza Street through Jan. 31, 2021. That means that Plaza Street between Healdsburg Avenue and Center Street, and Center Street to about halfway to East Street will remain closed to vehicles and open for pedestrian use, public seating, social distancing, and for businesses to extend into outdoor space. 
 
Additionally, the City Council extended the Marketspace parklet program through Dec. 31, 2021. This program allows businesses to operate in parking stalls and other public spaces. To date, City staff have issued 31 temporary outdoor activity permits. More information about the Marketspace and Open Streets programs can be found at cityofhealdsburg.org/marketspace.

Free COVID-19 Testing on Saturday, Sept. 12

Text 9-1-1 Service Now Available in Healdsburg

The Healdsburg Police Department is now offering Text to 9-1-1 for our residents who are deaf, hard of hearing, have a speech disability, or who cannot safely call 9-1-1 in a dangerous situation. Dialing 9-1-1 in an emergency is still the preferred way to request help, and the public is reminded to “Call if you can, text if you can’t.” For most people, sending a text to 9-1-1 will not replace making a phone call.
 
Currently, the text service is only available in English, but other language solutions are being developed. Similarly, the system cannot receive photos and videos at this time. Tips on texting 9-1-1 in an emergency:

• Include clear information about the location (including city) of the emergency with the type of help needed (police, fire, or medical).
• Be prepared to answer questions and follow instructions from the dispatcher. 
• Keep your text messages brief and easily understood. Do not use abbreviations, emojis, or slang.
• Stay on the line until the dispatcher closes the dialog.
• You cannot include 9-1-1 in a group text or while roaming.
• Don’t forget to silence your phone if you don’t want to be heard.
• Do not text and drive.

 
Text to 9-1-1 does have limitations. It only works in cities that provide the service and unlike a voice call, text messages are NOT real-time communication and are subject to issues such as messages being received out of order or being delayed to carrier limitations and volume. For more information about Text to 9-1-1 in Healdsburg, please contact Sgt. Luis Rodriguez at (707) 431-3164 or lrodriguez@ci.healdsburg.ca.us

Fuels Reduction on Fitch Mountain

Foss Creek Pathway Extension Moving Forward

On Sept. 8, the Healdsburg City Council awarded the construction contract for the Foss Creek Pathway segments 7 and 8 to Rege Construction, Inc. of Cloverdale for $2.6 million. The project will extend the existing pathway from the flood-control detention basing adjacent to the Carson Warner Memorial Skate Park north across Dry Creek Road and continue to Grove Street at Healdsburg Avenue. 
 
Construction is expected to begin this fall and will take about a year to complete. This long-awaited project will provide bicycle and pedestrian connectivity from the downtown area to Dry Creek Road and the Healdsburg Community Center. The project includes an 80’ bridge that will span Foss Creek and a pedestrian-activated traffic signal at Dry Creek Road. During construction, there may be some impacts to traffic but we will do all we can to keep them to a minimum.

Reduced Water Flows of Russian River
Please Conserve Water

In response to the third-driest year on record in our region, the State Water Resources Control Board this summer approved a temporary urgency change petition (TUCP) filed by Sonoma Water. The petition was needed to preserve water storage in Lake Mendocino, which is projected to reach critically low levels due to dry conditions and reduced water transfers from the Potter Valley Project. Healdsburg’s drinking water comes from Lake Mendocino via the Russian River, so maintaining sufficient water storage is vital.
 
The City, in partnership with Sonoma Water, maintains storage levels, but we encourage residents to also help by conserving water. Simple steps include reducing the duration and frequency of irrigation and running full (not partial) washing-machine and dishwasher loads. Community members can take advantage of rebates for irrigation upgrades, lawn conversions, smart irrigation controllers, and water-wise appliances. Visit https://www.ci.healdsburg.ca.us/723/Water-Rebates for more information.

Recycled Water Regulatory Compliance:
Keeping our Watershed Safe

The City has been working continuously over the past decade with the Regional Water Quality Control Board on wastewater-treatment regulations. The City treatment of raw sewage has consistently produced high-quality recycled water that can be used for dust control, irrigation, and other purposes. 

 
One of the more difficult regulations is the prohibition of discharging recycled water to the watershed during the summer months. Ahead of our planned schedule, the City is on track to meet the discharge prohibition through use of additional pond storage and increased use of recycled water for agricultural irrigation. This is a major milestone for the City’s regulatory compliance and demonstrates what the City staff’s hard and consistent work has achieved.

Heat Wave and Energy Shortages

The last few weeks have been challenging for the state’s electric grid due to long heat waves affecting the entire west coast. During these times of extremely high electric usage, conservation is critical and Healdsburg electric customers, along with consumers throughout California, heeded the call for conservation. A big thank you to all electric customers who conserved energy!