Sebastopol faces a big decision regarding the “Northeast Area” redevelopment scheme, and this election gives us a chance to vote for a candidate, Guy Wilson, who sees clearly that in its present form, it will turn Sebastopol into a gentrified traffic jam.

     Wilson also wrote persuasively in years past that the ‘Laguna Vista’ project was too suburban and large for its site in the Laguna uplands. We really need a voice like his on the Council because there has been an uncritical sway toward development so long as it is swaddled in words like Green or Smart. Jen Thille apparently sees nothing wrong with the downtown scheme, and like those who wrung their hands and caved in to the ‘Laguna Vista’ project, she repeats the argument that we must accept projects that include affordable housing or we will be sued with no chance to win. This is a misrepresentation of the State law, which holds that a community may refuse a project if it can prove one of the six criteria – for example, if it causes unsafe conditions. The idea is to prevent exclusive townships from keeping “lower class” people out by denying projects dismissively. In the case of ‘Laguna Vista’, citizens showed conclusively that there are many solid arguments under the statute that allow us to turn down a project that would so grievously harm the environment and the character of the town.  

     The same goes for the 300 units proposed for the downtown. The City is making progress with new affordable housing, and would not be sued for a hypothetical project that would at the very least create unsafe traffic conditions.  If the Northeast plan goes through next month, the property owners will immediately be enriched. The rest of us will have to fight for years to save the soul of our little town.

     Eric Johnson
     Sebastopol