Sign up for our newsletter!

If you'd like to get this City Manager's Update sent directly to your email inbox every two weeks, go to our "Notify Me" page to sign up. Thank you.

October 11, 2019

City Manager's Office

PG&E Planned Power Shut-Offs

All City departments and employees – from Utility, Fire and Police to front-counter Utility Billing Staff – pulled together this week to help ensure that our community was safe during the Red Flag Warning and PG&E’s public-safety power shut-offs (PSPS) that affected Sonoma County. The City Manager’s Office, Utility, Fire and Police were in contact several times a day with Sonoma County’s Department of Emergency Management, PG&E, and the U.S. National Weather Service to keep apprised of the weather and PSPS situation. In addition, many employees spoke personally with concerned community members to inform them that City electric customers would not be affected by the PSPS and provide further information.

Community Services

Healdsburg’s First Int'l Active Aging Week a Success

People sitting at tables and eating at Age-Friendly Picnic.

We had a great turn-out and balmy weather at the Age-Friendly Picnic.

Senior Center staff and volunteers hosted a successful International Active Aging Week in Healdsburg from October 1-6. Over 575 people took part in the week-long celebration, which featured walks, religious celebrations, educational lectures, a tour of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging, fitness classes, a garden dance party, and the annual Age-Friendly Picnic in the Plaza. Active Aging Week promotes a healthier and more active lifestyle and the Senior Center embodies this approach to a well-rounded lifestyle not just during Active Aging Week but throughout the year. Learn more about classes and fitness opportunities for older adults.

Gram Ham’s Pie Dough-Making Class

Just in time for the holidays, Lorraine Ham, aka “Gram Ham,” will share her secrets from 50+ years of baking the perfect pie dough. Participants will take home two of their own creations as well as Gram’s famous pie recipes. This hands-on class is part of the Senior Center’s Saturday Social series. These classes are inter-generational opportunities for the community to learn, create, and socialize. There are two classes: Saturday, October 12, or Saturday, November 9. For more information and to register, contact the Senior Center at 707-431-3324 or go here.

SNAP Returns for Third Year

This Saturday, October 12, will mark the start of the 2019-20 Special Needs Activity Program (SNAP) at the Community Center. Community Services staff works in partnership with the Rotary Clubs of Healdsburg, Cloverdale, and Windsor to offer activities for individuals with special needs and their families in northern Sonoma County. The program meets Saturday mornings from October - March with a rotating theme and activities each week. While the program is geared for participants with special need, anyone is welcome to participate. If you’d like to participate or volunteer, please contact Recreation Supervisor Garrett Perdigao, 707-431-3301.

Oct. 13, Fitch Mountain Forever Fundraiser & Hike

The Fitch Mountain Forever Fund and Community invite the community to the Villa Chanticleer this Sunday to show your support for Fitch Mountain. This fun event will include family-friendly activities, a BBQ by Ken Rochioli, live music featuring acclaimed fiddler Matthew Szemela, an auction led by State Senator Mike McGuire, and of course, a hike up the mountain. The Fitch Mountain Fund was created to forge a strong and enduring partnership with the City of Healdsburg and ensure that there are funds to protect our beloved natural resource. For more information and to purchase tickets for this event, click here.

New Scoreboard at Recreation Park

Community Services Department partnered with the Healdsburg Unified School District and the Sotoyome Curtis Masonic Lodge #123 to purchase and install a new football scoreboard at Recreation Park. The old scoreboard had reached the end of its expected useful life. The new scoreboard was installed this week and is ready once again for Friday night lights!

Planning and Building

120 Parkland Farms Blvd Tentative Map

On October 8, the Planning Commission held a public hearing for the subdivision of an 11.4-acre site into 11 single-family residential lots. The proposed project would include seven accessory dwelling units (ADUs) that would be deed-restricted as affordable units to meet the project’s inclusionary housing requirement. The Planning Commission recommended City Council approval of the tentative map and the subsequent mitigated negative declaration prepared for the project. Future development will be subject to the Growth Management Ordinance and minor design review. A date for the City Council’s review of the project has yet to be set.

North Village Master Conditional Use Permit

Comstock Healdsburg, LLC, has resubmitted a proposal for the future development of a mixed-use community on the site of the recently approved North Entry Area Plan. The Master Use Permit proposes the future street design, frontage improvements, Foss Creek pathway improvements and a perimeter trail. We anticipate that a Planning Commission workshop will be held in November, date to be confirmed.

Public Safety

Healdsburg Fire Open House this Saturday, Oct. 12

Healdsburg Fire Department will host its annual "Open House" during Fire Prevention Week on Saturday, October 12, from 10 AM to 2 PM. Please join us for a fun-filled day meeting your first responders, Sparky the Fire Dog, and Smoky the Bear. We will have lots of demonstrations for the kids and will have emergency preparedness information for the parents. This year's theme is "Plan and Practice Your Escape." Lunch will be provided.

Oct. 16: Healdsburg Fire Blood Drive

Healdsburg Fire Department's next blood drive with partner Vitalant will be held next Wednesday, Oct. 16, from 1:30-6 p.m. The bloodmobile will be at the firehouse: 601 Healdsburg Ave. Please click here to make an appointment if you can; there are many available slots.

Public Works

Finished: US-101 and Dry Creek Road Intersection Improvements Project

The US-101 and Dry Creek Road Intersection Improvements Project is essentially complete. The project improves traffic flow during peak hours by adding east and westbound stop signs at the southbound on/off ramp intersection and widening and restriping Dry Creek Road to add left turn lanes for the northbound and southbound ramp access. Remaining cleanup and shoulder work is set to occur next week. We can already see that the new stop signs have helped to improve traffic flow. Please observe and adhere to the signage.

Maintenance of Storm Drains

As an ongoing, precautionary measure, Public Works staff continue to inspect and maintain the City’s storm drain system in advance of winter rains.

Grove Street Roundabout

After an initial problem, the developer with City staff approval changed the traffic flow to allow vehicle access on southbound Grove Street, between Dry Creek Road on the north and Grant Street on the south. The closure is working well and work is progressing. Our apologies to all for the inconvenience, but the roundabout will help to better move traffic as Grove Street gets built out.

Utility

Public Power Week

This week, more than 2,000 community-owned, not-for-profit electric utilities nationwide celebrated Public Power Week. Community-owned electric utilities, such as that owned by the City of Healdsburg, provide their communities with cheaper and more reliable electricity. This week was a perfect example of how the City of Healdsburg’s electric-utility provides Healdsburg with a more dependable electric system than the surrounding areas and does it at prices 30 percent to 40 percent lower than PG&E. For many decades, the City has put the people first when it comes to the need for electricity, and Healdsburg can be proud of its community-owned electric system. The City’s electric service is reliable and safe, and City Staff take pride in continuing to serve Healdsburg.

Healdsburg Declares a Climate Emergency

The City Council passed a resolution on Oct. 7 declaring a climate emergency. The resolution acknowledges that man-made greenhouse gas emissions have led to catastrophic climatic events, loss of biodiversity, sea level rise, and ocean acidification. The resolution requires the City to include climate action and environmental stewardship in the 2020 Strategic Plan and asks all community members and stakeholders to draw-down greenhouse gases. Goal setting and implementation measures will be discussed at the upcoming City Council strategic plan workshop on Nov 4.

Commercial Energy-Efficiency Program for Refrigeration

The Electric Dept. has launched a program to help local businesses improve energy efficiency in their refrigeration loads. Called Keep Your Cool, this program provides free upgrades to grocery stores, convenient stores, and restaurants to retrofit their refrigeration equipment so equipment runs as efficiently as possible. So far, 22 local businesses have signed up and will receive free upgrades that average $2,400 in labor and materials and save an average of 6,000 kWh per customer. For more information, click here.