When Paul Fritz, writing about Sebastopol's Northeast Area Plan in a Close to Home column on June 19 repeats the word "sustainable" 10 times, but provides no substance and no detail, one must conclude he is greenwashing. Because new construction in a floodplain is the antithesis of sustainable land use.

Ecologically speaking, "sustainable" means a balance whereby no additional resources are used. How does a dense, four-story development in a floodplain adjacent to the Laguna de Santa Rosa qualify?

The fill or podia required to elevate the new structures, so they are above the 100-year floodplain, is estimated to cost as much as $10 million to $15 million. Add to that the expense and soil degradation from ground compaction necessary to build in a liquefaction zone. Is that sustainable?

What about construction materials for 391,000 square feet of retail and commercial buildings and 300 housing units? And waste from the demolition of 23,000 square feet of existing light industrial buildings now in that area?

The Northeast Area Plan is expected to generate 55,627 new vehicle trips weekly, but no increase in public transit. How would the huge tonnage of auto-generated greenhouse gas emissions qualify as sustainable, while cars idle in Sebastopol's gridlocked streets?

We read daily of water shortages, global climate change and rampant wildfires. Yet Sebastopol will be looking at a huge increase in water usage if it approves the plan. The new housing, mostly to be built in the first five to seven years, represents a 10 percent population increase. And that is on top of 300 housing units already in the pipeline to be built in the next five years.

While economic vitality is a stated goal of the plan, no analysis is provided of the plan's economic impacts on our existing downtown. Thirty-four local business owners, including Fircrest and Pacific Markets, have signed a petition requesting that such a study be completed to determine the impact on them of a new downtown center.

The Northeast Area Plan, which is largely expected to be composed of small factory-outlet stores, a bigger Whole Foods and a 50-room hotel, would increase city expenses, including maintenance, police and fire costs. At the same time, anticipated income from hotel and retail sales taxes is unverified.

The Northeast Area Plan is not about sustainability or the city's economic health. It is about a few landowners who would like their property rezoned and exempted from current height, traffic and growth restrictions for greatly increased profits.

While there are intense pressures for growth from the development and building industry, it is patently untrue that growth is inevitable. Growth is human-induced. It can and should be controlled and kept within Sebastopol's carrying capacity, including roads and water. Our urban growth boundary prevents sprawl. It does not mandate growth beyond that allowed currently under our general plan.

At three recent City Council meetings attended by hundreds of citizens, 80-plus people spoke against the Northeast Area Plan while only seven approved. Many speakers urged that the general plan not be changed to accommodate the Northeast Area Plan.

Looking for solutions, some suggested that the needs of the community and the environment be met innovatively, such as retrofitting existing industrial buildings as a year-round farmers market. Many stated they want future development located near the existing Town Plaza and above the floodplain, where building costs, and thus leases, would be substantially lower.

The people have spoken, and would welcome a wise response from the City Council.

The council meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Community Center, 390 Morris St.

Holly Downing of Sebastopol is a member of the Sebastopol Preservation Coalition.