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Preserve Petaluma

Stop the big dig!

A massive renovation and ground excavation at the historic Brainerd Jones-designed home at 26 6th St., owned by Peter & Ginnie Haas of the Levi Strauss & Co. fortune, was approved by the City of Petaluma City Council on December 22, 2020, without required CEQA compliance.

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1905 brainerd jones home LOST TO THE COMMUNITY

The Haas Residential Remodel project will soon commence without California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review, per the decision of City Council on December 22, 2020.


This project sets a troubling precedent which significantly lowers the bar for historical preservation and environmental review requirements in our beloved historic districts.  Preserve Petaluma has lost trust and faith in the City following its required processes and its fair and consistent application of established standards to protect the community’s interests and resources. 


Preserve Petaluma is saddened for Petaluma and the future of its designated historic districts, which are now no longer protected.   

Violation of City neighborhood outreach requirements

Noncompliance with City Resolution 2018-107 N.C.S.

This project was approved to move forward without adherence to neighborhood outreach as required by City Resolution 2018-107 N.C.S. The resolution requires project applicants to perform outreach to neighbors within a 1000 SF radius if the project is major enough to require a public hearing (such as the HCPC hearing and City Council hearing). Applicants must provide neighbors an opportunity to learn about project plans and details such as timelines and impacts and have their consultants available to answer questions -- all of this PRIOR to the scheduling of ANY public hearing. The applicant's architect voted for passage of this Resolution when serving on the Planning Commission, so should be aware of its requirements.  Every applicable project since the Resolution passed has been required to comply, including another project presented at the very same HCPC meeting. This project was heard by the HCPC in July without compliance to this Resolution, and again by City Council on December 21, again without compliance. Why does the City’s Planning Department not require this applicant to follow the rules? 

 City Staff's Response:

At the December 7, 2020, City Council meeting discussion regarding a requested continuance of this item scheduled for December 21, City staff indicated that a meeting was held between the applicant and the 3 appellants after the HCPC decision. This is no substitute for the neighborhood outreach meeting described above, in which all property owners from a 1,000 SF radius are invited to provide input on the project prior to HCPC review and approval. City staff also mentioned the standard noticing of the HCPC public hearing to homeowners within 1,000 feet, but again, this is not the meeting invitation required by the resolution prior even to the scheduling of the hearing, nor does it represent compliance.

Learn More

Please see official documentation of City Resolution 2018-107 N.C.S. below.

Link to Resolution

Resolution Adopting a public outreach policy

Download PDF

KEY PROJECT COMPONENTS

  • 4,210 SF UNDERGROUND PARKING GARAGE - Over 1200 cubic yards of soil and bedrock will be excavated from underneath the home to accommodate a full story 4,210 sq ft underground parking garage for 4+ cars with vehicle turntable and elevator.  This massive excavation of ~4500 SF to a minimum depth of 7 feet will occur within feet of neighboring historic homes and a protected Coastal Live Oak tree.

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  • HIGHLY VISIBLE FROM PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY - This subterranean parking garage with its sloping entry driveway will be clearly visible from the public right of way on 6th Street, creating disharmony with surrounding historic buildings.
  • REMOVAL OF GROUND WATER - An undetermined amount of ground water will need to be continuously pumped out of the underground garage level in order to keep it dry year round, resulting in a significant loss of ground water for the neighborhood.

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  • DOUBLING SIZE OF HOME TO ~10,000 SF - Total square footage of the residence will more than double from 4,241 SF to 9,464 SF, per the City of Petaluma Planning Department, and the floor plan will be changed from a 6 bedroom home to 2 bedrooms, incorporating an elevator, and essentially gutting all existing interior historic features.
  • DEMOLITION OF HISTORIC FEATURES - An architecturally significant upstairs rear dormer window will be demolished in order to create an attic level 460 sq ft outdoor terrace that will have unimpeded views down into at least 6 neighboring backyards.
  • NEGATIVE IMPACTS TO NEIGHBORS - An 864 sq ft lower level outdoor deck will be created with an outdoor kitchen only a few feet away from neighboring backyards, at the existing elevated finished floor height of 5 feet.
  • VIEW-BLOCKING PERGOLA STRUCTURE - A pergola, with the potential for full screening, will be created on top of this elevated lower deck, impeding skyline views from neighboring backyards as well as B St.

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  • MIN. 80 DUMP TRUCK LOADS - The construction period for this major project is ESTIMATED at 14 months of Monday -Saturday work, with its significant amount of machinery, noise disturbance, construction vehicle traffic and parking impediments predicted for the entire neighborhood. The underground excavation alone will require a minimum of 80 trips of a standard 15 yard dump truck, on our newly resurfaced city streets.

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View the Full Project Plan Set Here

Architectural Plans

A Street Historic District Standards and guidelines

A Street Historic District Standards Introduction and Description

City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance (IZO) 15.070 Standards for Review - Historic District

A Street Historic District Standards Introduction and Description

 In 1986, City Council adopted the  'A Street Historic District Standards,' applying them to 77 properties in a designated neighborhood under the City's Implementing Zoning Ordinance.  A small amount of the City's residential inventory thus had its historic 'character' preserved as a resource.  The 'A Street Historic District Standards' incorporate by reference the U.S. Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings.  

A Street Historic District Standards Introduction and Description

City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance (IZO) 15.070 Standards for Review - Historic District

A Street Historic District Standards Introduction and Description

"The District's wide diversity of architectural styles co-exist in harmony of scale and material.  They illustrate a cross-section of architectural history over the 65-year period of the neighborhood's development.  While there are institutional structures as well as a few very impressive homes in the District, all have fairly down-to-earth, human scale, and are straight-forward, unostentatious design, built with simple, basic materials such as wood and clay.  

  The "A" Street Historic District is a distinctively representative slice of Petaluma's past, in an nearly untouched condition."

City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance (IZO) 15.070 Standards for Review - Historic District

City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance (IZO) 15.070 Standards for Review - Historic District

City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance (IZO) 15.070 Standards for Review - Historic District

  

“Applications shall not be approved unless: the proposed work shall not adversely affect the exterior architectural characteristics or other features of the property which is the subject of the application, nor adversely affect its relationship in terms of harmony and appropriateness with its surroundings, including neighboring structures, nor adversely affect the character, or the historical, architectural, or aesthetic interest or value of the district. In addition, applications shall be consistent with standards included in the designating ordinance.” 

A Street Historic District Standards of Review A.2. Design

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #5

City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance (IZO) 15.070 Standards for Review - Historic District

 “Architectural design features on the sides and rear of a building must remain consistent with the front façade.” 

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #2

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #5

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #5

"The removal of historic materials or alteration of features and spaces that characterize a property shall be avoided.” 

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #5

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #5

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #5

“Distinctive … features … and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property will be preserved.” 

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #9

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #9

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #9

“New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property.” 

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #10

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #9

Secretary of Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, Standard #9

“New additions and adjacent or related new construction will be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired." 

The project does not meet these standarDs:

Violates City of Petaluma Implementing Zoning Ordinance 15.070

  • The proposed work adversely affects the property’s relationship in terms of harmony and appropriateness with its surroundings, including neighboring structures, and adversely affects the aesthetic value of the historic district.  

  •  The downward sloping driveway and its subterranean garage entrance will be highly visible from the public right of way on 6th Street, and is inharmonious with the surrounding neighborhood.  

  •  The new construction of the pergola and second story deck will also be readily visible from the public right of way on B and Post Streets, and will permanently alter neighborhood views.  

Violates A Street Historic District Standard A.2.

  •  The removal of the rear dormer and the creation of the attic level terrace is readily visible from the public right of way on both B and Post Streets, and also does not retain consistency with the front façade of the building.  

Violates Secretary of Interior's Standards, #2, #5 and #9

  •  The rear dormer is a character defining feature of the building and, as such, should be preserved, not removed. 

Violates Secretary of Interior's Standards, #10

  • The destruction of the back half of the home as well as the creation of the full-story underground garage are both features that would significantly impair the ability of future owners to restore the essential form and integrity of the property.  

altering historic use from residential to commercial?

Parking

# of Bedrooms

# of Bedrooms

  • Covered parking capacity for at least 5 vehicles, plus one additional uncovered.

# of Bedrooms

# of Bedrooms

# of Bedrooms

  • Reduction in home's number of bedrooms from 6 to 2. 

"Board Room"

# of Bedrooms

"Board Room"

  • Dining/board room capacity for up to 25 guests.

Mail Room

Transfer of Ownership

"Board Room"

  • Presence of mailroom on main floor, and 3-story elevator.

Foundation Address

Transfer of Ownership

Transfer of Ownership

  • Title address of property is c/o Argonaut Securities, which is same holding company as for Joanne & Peter Haas Jr. Foundation.

Transfer of Ownership

Transfer of Ownership

Transfer of Ownership

  • House sold for $1.5M on 9/9/16, then again on 10/28/16 for same price, indicating possible transfer of ownership to trust.

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Existing 1st Floor Plan with 4 bedrooms

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New 1st Floor Plan with 1 bedroom, dining for 25, mail room & elevator to 4-car underground parking garage.

We're In the News!

Check out our Opinion-Editorial piece in the September 30, 2020, issue of the Petaluma Argus-Courier.

Find out more

URGENT: we need your help!

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Preserve Petaluma is still shaken by the complete disregard for historic preservation and necessary CEQA review exhibited by the City of Petaluma's City Council, City Planning Department and Historic & Cultural Preservation Committee. 


The last possible recourse to prevent this project from proceeding as approved is via litigation demanding CEQA compliance initiated prior to the 30-day statute of limitations expiring on January 20, 2021. The estimated cost for this action is $25-30,000 and unfortunately, Preserve Petaluma does not have the funding necessary, so is urgently seeking any advocates or donors who might champion this cause. 


Please email preservepetaluma@gmail.com ASAP if you are able to help! 

Preserve Petaluma

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