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May 7, 2021

Drought: 20 Percent Cut in Water Use Required 

Because of a severe drought, the Healdsburg City Council on Monday approved activating Stage 2 of Healdsburg's water-shortage emergency plan. This plan requires all Healdsburg residents, businesses, schools, and City facilities, including parks, to reduce water use by at least 20 percent systemwide.

You can make a big difference: Residents make up 70 percent of Healdsburg’s total water use, while commercial businesses use 20 percent. The remaining 10 percent is used by City facilities, schools, and industrial businesses. Our latest Cityscape column in the Healdsburg Tribune provides more information about our water use, especially in comparison with other local cities: https://bit.ly/3eWwgkg

Below are rules and prohibitions that impact residents and businesses:

• Watering and irrigation are limited to Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays from 8 PM – 7 AM.
• Hosing down driveways and hardscape areas is prohibited.
• Washing cars and personal vehicles at home is prohibited.
• New pool permits will not be authorized unless water is sourced from outside Healdsburg’s potable water system.
• Drinking water at restaurants and other food establishments is upon request only.
• Dust control, compaction, and other construction must use recycled water; potable water is prohibited.

The City's Utility Department offers rebates for lawn conversion projects, low-flow toilet replacements, and irrigation upgrades like smart controllers. Learn more by visiting: www.smartlivinghealdsburg.org.

May 18: Learn About the 2020 Urban Water
Management Plan 

The City’s Utility Department will host a virtual meeting on Tuesday, May 18, from 6-7:30 PM to review the preliminary results of the City’s 2020 Urban Water Management Plan. This plan, which is updated every five years, looks at water supply and water demand projections in Healdsburg over the next 20 years.

The plan also includes measures to address sustained drought, water demands from development projects, population growth, and conservation. In addition to sharing the methodology and findings, there will be time for community input and questions. Please join us to learn more about this critical community resource and provide feedback.  Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_YH2f5GE1SDieunc1w17gQQ 

For reference, our 2015 Urban Water Management Plan can be found on the City's website: https://www.ci.healdsburg.ca.us/622/Urban-Water-Management-Plan

May 16: Fitch Mountain Villas Prescribed Burn 

A prescribed burn will take place on Sunday, May 16, in the Fitch Mountain Villas open space between March Avenue and the Gauntlet Reservoir. Grass will be burned off to remove excess fuels and make this area more fire-resistant. The burn will begin in the early morning and last most of the day. As a result, smoke will be visible in the area all day and into the evening.  

This burn operation will be in cooperation with the Northern Sonoma County Fire District, the Healdsburg Fire Department, the Northern Sonoma County Fuels Crew, and the Fitch Mountain Villas Homeowners Association. For more information, please contact Fire Chief Jason Boaz, jboaz @ ci.healdsburg.ca.us or (707) 461-3363.

Parkland Farms Wildfire Mitigation Work

As part of our ongoing efforts to make Healdsburg more fire-safe, the Healdsburg Fire Department and Team Rubicon cut back vegetation in the Parkland Farms neighborhood last weekend. Check out this short video in which Healdsburg Fire Marshal Linda Collister talks about the mitigation work: https://youtu.be/oHMNUVvEYn8

May 17: City Council to Consider Proposed Verizon Lease

The Healdsburg City Council at its May 17 meeting will consider a proposal for a land lease and associated access easement for a 1,200 square foot parcel of land at 923 South Fitch Mountain Road (adjacent to the Tayman Park Golf Course) for the construction and operation of a Verizon telecommunication facility. 
 
The facility will include a 76-foot-tall antenna pole designed as a faux evergreen tree with associated equipment. The May 17 meeting will be held virtually at 6 PM via Zoom and livestreamed on the City’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/cityofhealdsburg.

More information will be in the City Council meeting agenda packet, which will be published on Thursday, May 13 and made available on the City's website: http://healdsburgca.iqm2.com/Citizens/default.aspx,

Registration Underway for Summer Swim Lessons

The Healdsburg Swim Center will reopen for a modified summer season in early July. The focus will be on the Learn-to-Swim program, but we are closely monitoring current health guidelines to incorporate Lap Swim and Rec Swim as the guidelines and schedule allow. Swim Lesson registration opened on Thursday and will continue through spring.

For more information, please visit www.cityofhealdsburg.org/summer2021. We look forward to welcoming the community back to the swim center this summer!

Youth Soccer to Return this Fall

Healdsburg Community Services, in partnership with Healdsburg Youth Soccer Association, is excited to announce the return of youth soccer this fall. Our youth soccer program serves children ages 4-15 and is one of the fastest-growing recreation program areas in our community.

Registration for the fall season will begin on Monday, May 10, and continue through July. If you register before June 1, you will be eligible for an early-bird discount. Soccer practice will begin in August and games will start in early September. For more information, please visit www.cityofhealdsburg.org/summer2021.

Temporary Parklet Permit Application
and Guidelines Now Available

City Staff released an updated Temporary Parklet Program Permit application and guidelines to the community on Tuesday. This application follows action taken by the City Council on April 5 to extend the parklet program -- which allows local businesses to operate in outdoor public spaces such as parking spaces, alleys, and sidewalks -- until January 2023. 

Healdsburg businesses can apply for a new or extension of an existing Temporary Parklet Permit through June 30. For more information and to access the application and guidelines, please visit https://www.ci.healdsburg.ca.us/987/Marketspace-Opening-Public-Spaces

Senior Center Celebrates Mother’s Day 

Senior Center Staff and the Friends of the Healdsburg Senior Center hosted a drive-through Mother’s Day Tea on Thursday at the Community Center to recognize all mothers ages 60 or better in Healdsburg. 

Participants were greeted by volunteers and banners created by children in the Camp HBG 2.0 program. Each car received handmade greeting cards, sandwiches, tea, and a special dessert. Thank you to everyone who participated to make this a special occasion for our older adults!

Navigation Center for Victory Studios & Apartments

Construction has started on a navigation center at the City-owned Victory Studios and Apartments on East Street -- 11 units of supportive housing for formerly homeless people and families managed by Reach for Home, a local non-profit whose mission is to end homelessness in northern Sonoma County.

The navigation center will provide much-needed office space for case managers to meet and serve clients. Construction is expected to be complete by mid-June. The City is also making Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) improvements to the property to better serve clients. This project is funded with State of California Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) funds, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME investment partnership funds, and City of Healdsburg inclusionary housing funds. 

June 5: Fitch Mountain Evacuation Exercise

To help the community better prepare for disasters such as wildfires, the City of Healdsburg is collaborating with Sonoma County’s Department of Emergency Management and local COPE groups to host a full-scale evacuation exercise on Fitch Mountain on Saturday morning, June 5. This voluntary exercise will be similar to the Mill Creek evacuation exercise in 2019.

Residents in the Fitch Mountain area will be notified via mail and other channels on how to take part in this evacuation exercise. Once plans are finalized, we will also provide information to the entire Healdsburg community via all City communication channels. In the meantime, if you have questions, please email Sonoma County Deputy Emergency Services Coordinator Richard Diaz at Richard.Diaz @ Sonoma-county.org. 

June 5: Affordable Housing Meeting

Healdsburg community members are invited to a meeting on Saturday, June 5, to learn more about the proposed affordable housing units on the Saggio Hills site, adjacent to the Montage Healdsburg resort. Hosted by Oakland-based Freebird Development Company, the meeting will take place at 10 AM at Barbieri Brothers Park, 324 Bridle Path, located in the Parkland Farms neighborhood.

More information on the meeting will be coming soon. If you have questions, please email info @ freebirddev.com or City Housing Administrator Stephen Sotomayor, ssotomayor @ ci.healdsburg.ca.us.