Meetings & Events

Events:

Should Petaluma Think Outside the Box? Doing the Math on Proposed Big Box Retail: A Community Forum

Tuesday, October 2nd, 6:30-8:30 pm
Petaluma Public Library
100 Fairgrounds Dr.
Petaluma

Panelists:

• Sarah Muller, Associate Policy Director, Working Partnerhsips, USA, San Jose
• Ken Jacobs, Labor Specialist and Chair, UC Berkeley Center for Labor Resarch and Education
• Vicki Pozzebon, Executive Director, Santa Fe Alliance
• Patty Norman, Children's Specialist at Copperfield's Books Petaluma.
• Moderator, Eileen Morris, Co-Chair, Living Wage Coalition

The forum is free and wheelchair accessible.

Sponsored by the Living Wage Coalition of Sonoma County and New Economy, Working Solutions (NEWS).

For more information call 707-545-7349 x220 or ben.boyce@sbcglobal.net
and see: http://www.livingwagesonoma.org

For Immediate Release: August 28th, 2007
Contact: Ben Boyce,
Living Wage Coalition Coordinator
(707) 478-9663
benboyce@livingwagesonoma.org
www.livingwagesonoma.org

"Should Petaluma Think Outside the Box? Doing the Math On Proposed Big Box Retail: A Community Forum"

Living Wage Coalition holds forum on new development tool: the Community Impact Report (CIR)

The Sonoma County Living Wage Coalition will hold a public forum to introduce community members, policy makers and developers to a new development review tool that the Petaluma City Council will soon be considering. The Community Impact Report (CIR), now in use in San Jose and in other communities throughout the country, is designed to take the element of surprise out of the development process by requiring an analysis of a large project's impact in the following areas: impact on small businesses, employment, housing, smart growth design, community services, public health care services, and fiscal costs and benefits to the city. The forum will also examine the economic and social impacts of big box stores in California, the experience of communities that have adopted CIRS, and local alternatives to big-box retail.

The forum will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.,Tuesday, October 2 at the Petaluma Public Library, 100 Fairgrounds Drive. Admission is free and wheel chair accessible.

Panelists will include: Sara Muller, Associate Policy Director at Working Partnerships USA, the research and advocacy organization that spearheaded efforts to have community impact reporting requirements adopted in San Jose; Ken Jacobs, Chair of the UC Berkeley Department for Labor Research and Education and author of numerous works about low wage employment, including, "The Hidden Cost of Wal-Mart Jobs: Use of Safety Net Programs by Wal-Mart Workers in California;" Vicki Pozzebon, Executive Director of the Santa Fe Alliance, a network of business owners, community members, employees, non-profits, and government leaders which promotes locally based economic development; and a representative from a local Petaluma business.

What is a Community Impact Report?

"We're not necessarily saying 'no' to all big box stores," says Marty Bennett, co-chair of the Living Wage Coalition. "We just think that communities have a right to understand the impacts that large scale retail developments may have. CIRS will help Petaluma assess the worth of projects and it will give the public information early in the development process. It will give policy-makers they information they need to negotiate and make decisions in the public interest. We think once people are familiar with this tool, its value is going to be clear."

CIRs would be required of large scale commercial and market rate housing developments. The reports cover the following areas:

I) Jobs: What kinds of jobs are created by the project? Do they pay wages that would allow employees to support themselves and their families, or would the public sector and local charities be subsidizing the employers through benefits to the employees? Who can access the jobs? Are there opportunities for career advancement?

II) Housing: Who could afford proposed housing units? Would the development increase the need for affordable housing? Would current housing units be lost?

III) Neighborhood Needs: What are the needs in the neighborhood for parks, child care, retail business and other services? Would the proposed development help meet those needs?

IV) Smart Growth: Would the project help build pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods with green space and links to public transportation?

V) Fiscal Impact: What are the costs and benefits to the city of Petaluma? This discussion includes analysis of income that may be lost from existing businesses in town due to the proposed project.

To view the proposed language for a Petaluma Community Impact Report click here.

Meetings:

Living Wage Coalition: General meeting is on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 pm at SEIU Local 707, 600 B St. Santa Rosa. Call Ben Boyce for more information: 545-7349 x220 or ben.boyce@sbcglobal.net

Sonoma County Accountable Development Coalition meeting is on the third Monday of each month at 5:30 pm at SEIU Local 707, 600 B St. Santa Rosa. Call Ben Boyce for more information: 545-7349 x 220 or ben.boyce@sbcglobal.net

NEWS board of directors meets the first Friday of each month 3-5 pm at SEIU Local 707, 600 B St. Santa Rosa. Upcoming meeting:Call Marty Bennett for more information at: 545-7349 x221 or mbennett@vom.com.