ON THE ISSUES

Moving Petaluma forward.

+ Affordable & Workforce Housing

For years, Petaluma has been underbuilding affordable and working-class housing. As a result, many people who work in Petaluma cannot afford to live here. The ability to grow up, raise a family, and grow old in our city is less feasible than ever. This affects young and old people, singles, couples, families, and everyone in between.

Brian has championed key policy reforms that are attracting the types of housing we desperately need: affordable and workforce housing. In his second term, Brian will continue his leadership by championing policies that:

  1. Produce stock for first-time homebuyers
  2. Encourage housing near transit and services
  3. Add new units of transitional housing
  4. Secure millions of dollars to build Affordable Housing
  5. Promote Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU)
  6. Ensure seniors and tenants have stable, safe, and healthy housing

With these priorities, Petaluma can stabilize housing prices, support local businesses, protect open space, and remain a working-class, family-friendly town.

+ Traffic Relief & Street Safety

In 2020, Petaluma had the worst streets in the Bay Area. Today, we are investing three times more than we were in 2020 into road repairs and making a dent in our backlog of deferred maintenance. Still, while people used to complain about potholes and traffic, many are increasingly concerned because our streets have become unsafe.

Brian has been a champion for road repairs, safe streets, and a new crosstown connector. In his second term, Brian will push to:

  1. Double down on slowing traffic and making streets safer
  2. Expand our “safe routes to school” program
  3. Build the Caulfield Bridge and reduce crosstown traffic
  4. Renovate the Corona Road overcrossing
  5. Improve public transportation (bus & train)
  6. Implement a downtown parking management program
  7. Improve signal timing citywide

With these priorities, Petaluma can improve public health and safety, while reducing traffic and air pollution.

+ Climate & Environmental Leadership

Petaluma has become a national leader in addressing climate change. While commendable, there is still much work to be done. We need to reduce emissions from transportation and buildings, sequester carbon at scale, protect the green fields and farms that define our town, and improve safety and community resilience in the face of disasters.

Brian’s leadership has helped make Petaluma a national leader in climate action and environmental protections. In his second term, Brian will push to:

  1. Renew our Urban Growth Boundary (UGB)
  2. Protect floodplain and sensitive habitat inside city limits
  3. Plant 10,000 trees citywide
  4. Expand the city’s solar, storage, EV charging, and electrification efforts
  5. Make walking, biking, and public transit safer and more convenient
  6. Reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) — the primary contributor to our greenhouse gas emissions, traffic congestion, and poor quality roads.

With these priorities, Petaluma can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, protect farmland and sensitive habitat, be more resilience to our changing climate.

+ A Thriving Downtown

The last 20+ years has given us large big box shopping centers that support chain retail businesses and rob patrons from our downtown. Decades of disinvestment in downtown–combined with inflation, rising costs and labor shortages–have made it difficult to have a small business downtown. We’ve lost several longtime downtown businesses, from art galleries, to restaurants, to retail shops. It is high time for Petaluma to prioritize investing in our downtown, filling empty storefronts, and helping local businesses thrive.

Brian knows that the businesses and people who frequent them are what make downtown special, and he is committed to helping downtown thrive. In his second term, Brian will push to:

  1. Promote investment in downtown
  2. Attract new anchor businesses to downtown
  3. Streamline permitting, minimize fees, and provide dedicated support for small businesses
  4. Preserve and rehabilitate the Trestle (and other historical & cultural treasures)
  5. Add public restrooms downtown
  6. Implement a parking management program
  7. Facilitate infill housing

With these priorities, small businesses can thrive, we can retain our charm, and downtown can be an inviting place for residents and visitors alike.

+ Activities for Everyone

Petaluma youth have an impressive legacy of high achievement, be it team sports, skateboarding, art, agriculture, or something else. We must invest in our young people by providing copious opportunities to be active, connect, and find community. We also must acknowledge that over the last decade Petaluma’s senior population has grown twice as fast as the rest of the state.

Brian has been a champion for quality parks and all-ages recreation, and as a result of his advocacy the city has doubled the parks maintenance budget, approved a new skatepark, and so much more. In his second term, Brian will push to:

  1. Make the fairgrounds an all ages activity hub
  2. Improve and maintain our grass fields
  3. Rehabilitate the historic McNear grandstands
  4. Bolster programming for teens and seniors
  5. Renovate the swim center
  6. Expand art and music programming
  7. Provide safe mobility options for seniors and youth

With these priorities, we can foster a mentally and physically healthy community, with an exceptional quality of life, whether you are 8, 80, or in between.

+ A Safe & Inclusive City

Petaluma is blessed to have the best first responders in the country. Be it our police department, fire department, ambulance, SAFE team, or our nonprofits helping to address homelessness, food insecurity, youth mentoring, senior living, racial equity, or something else, we all work together to deliver exceptional service to our community. In Petaluma, it is all for one and one for all.

Brian has been a strong proponent of strengthening the social safety net for seniors and tenants, modeling 21st century policing, and addressing homelessness with compassion. In his second term, Brian will push to:

  1. Build a state-of-the-art fire station and emergency operation center
  2. Ensure first responders have the facilities, training, and care needed to be their best
  3. Promote racial and cultural awareness so that all residents feel welcome in Petaluma
  4. Expand mobility options for seniors
  5. Expand transitional housing and job training programs
  6. Secure funding for a new police headquarters
  7. Work closely with our schools to offer youth mentorship and recreation opportunities

With these priorities, Petaluma will be a safe, welcoming city regardless of a person’s race, religion, or sexual orientation.

+ Love Our River

The Petaluma River is a defining feature of our fine city. The River creates an environmental corridor from the North to the South end of our city, and is the skeleton for Petaluma’s rich industrial history. Unfortunately, we have neglected our downtown waterfront, do not have a reliable funding source for river dredging, and have never implemented the River Access and Enhancement Plan. The River is our crown jewel, and we should act like it.

Brian has been a strong proponent for river access, recreation, watershed improvement, and floodplain protection. In his second term, Brian will push to:

  1. Rehabilitate the Trestle
  2. Secure a long-term source of funding for river dredging
  3. Permanently protect the upper reach of the Petaluma River
  4. Implement a river trail from Ellis Creek to Industrial Drive
  5. Promote river recreation
  6. Activate the downtown waterfront

With these priorities, the Petaluma River will become a world class environment for recreation, relaxation, and environmental protection.