A local group called Preserving Sonoma has put the Sonoma City Council on notice.
The message came via the public comments section of the Sonoma City Council meeting held Monday night. Former Sonoma Mayor and local writer Larry Barnett told the council that the group intended to circulate a petition to place an initiative that will amend the General Plan as it pertains to hotel development.
The group will seek to stop the development of hotels larger than 25 rooms until the annual occupancy rate in Sonoma reaches 80 percent. As of 2012, the annual occupancy rate in Sonoma stood at 64.8 percent, he told the council.
Should the group be successful in gathering enough signatures, and eventually winning in the ballots, it would stop the development of the Chateau Sonoma Hotel Project, that has been the talk of the pages of Sonoma Valley Patch as of late.
The project, on West Napa Street, is designed to feature a 59-unit hotel, a gym and an event facility, two restaurants and 2,800 square feet of retail space.
Barnett told the council that Preserving Sonoma is dedicated to "Preserving our small town character."
Do you agree? Will you be signing Preserving Sonoma's petition?
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Agree with Larry Barnett and Preserving Sonoma. Go for it get the petition now and make a change forever and end this madness. Take the power out of CIty Council's hands and put it in the hands of The People so they can never be swayed by big money, hillside hotels, eminent domain on greenspace, etc. ever again. Let Darius go buy the Sonoma Mission Inn and build out The Springs. Far better project to help revitalize Sonoma Valley and help the people. Ahhhh the grassroots is taking the City back again and standing up. Gee I didn't see that coming. Fight the Power!
Red Flag!
The Nicholas Turkey building was bought from Robert Nicholas Chairman of Sonoma Valley Bank an Insider Deal and financed by SVB as was the postage stamp and Bank of Marin building. Darius bought 2 Suzanne Brangham buildings (Ramekins and Generals Daughter) Suzanne owner of Saddles and MacArthur Place and the former Secretary and Director of Sonoma Valley Bank on the loan committee voting for all these deals as did Nicholas. Darius, Haury, Madjlessi, Brangham and Nicholas...just what kind of "ring" do we have snaking around here in Sonoma? What were these relationships and what was going on?
Corruption charges for kickbacks in New Mexico still active cases as of year end and a settlement in New York of $500k for Darius Anderson's Platinum firm and another $550k settlement for his attorney partner. Remember "Cows Not Casinos" when Darius tried to force a casino into Sonoma Valley and now a French hotel. Does he just not understand where he moved? Is he that ignorant or is it ego and arrogance? Developers usually research the market character before they launch. Then again, in my opinion Darius doesn't demonstrate development skills...just a "yes man" front for big Vegas Casino people. CASINO: "I want one here"...DARIUS: "yes sir I know who to pay." In my opinion there is a distinct pattern and practice. These values don't match those of Sonoma.
The Patch leads with boots on the ground in the City Council meeting last night and active bloggers and commenters, the Sun will come out Thursday with solid coverage and good Letters to the Editor I'm confident, and the Index Tribune will have no news to cover by Friday. Something is wrong with that business model over there in my opinion, several things. Its just lost the status of the Newspaper of Record because THEY DELETED ALL THE ONLINE ARCHIVES in the wake of the Sonoma Valley Bank cover-up. I SAY BOYCOTT DARIUS ANDERSON and the INDEX TRIBUNE and PRESS DEMOCRAT send your advertising dollars over to The Patch and the Sun who bring Sonoma Valley truthful, open and honest news, hard hitting and relevent. SIGN THE PETITION, blog and comment, write letters to the editors, picket, talk it up at the coffee shops around town, and vote with your dollars as well. VIVA SONOMA!
In my opinion given the characters Darius runs with and his prior record for "Pay to Play" and corruption charges, I'm not sure I would trust anything he promised anyway.
new development with guidelines is a good idea. But the petition tied to current occupancy levels only insures that the existing hotels who are not at high occupancy levels due to below average accommodations will keep the ratio too low and therefore discourage new hotels that will add to our community's future and retain our unique small town feel.
Agreed its not specific to one hotel its for Sonoma's future.
At the City Council council meeting, and I quote, "Former Sonoma Mayor and local writer Larry Barnett told the council that the group intended to circulate a petition to place an initiative that will amend the General Plan as it pertains to hotel development." The article above goes on to say, as I am quite familiar with the recent talk of the recent pages of the Patch..."Should the group be successful in gathering enough signatures, and eventually winning in the ballots, it would stop the development of the Chateau Sonoma Hotel Project, that has been the talk of the pages of Sonoma Valley Patch as of late." So you see Christian, the Preserve Sonoma intiative is born of the Darius Anderson Chateau Sonoma project and designed to have an "eternal" aspect to protect against future hotel proposals from Darius or anyone else that may try to dabble in hotels going forward. Case at hand, issue at hand....its all pertinent in my opinion.
Patch Editor Alexis used to cover them reeltime as they unfolded and push out updates to email users several times during a session that's how important these meeting are to Sonoma and were at least one time to The Patch. The SunTV channel used to stream them and the Sun archive live video so all citizens could "attend" virtually. I really don't see your points Christian? Are you saying The Patch is about to pull the plug on City Counsel coverage now and be damned the out of town working and travelling people? Thank God for Carlos updating us all at about 7:40p last night he provides an important service to Sonoma Valley and other interested parties on the road.
Link ---> http://sonomavalley.patch.com/blog_posts/cows-not-casinos-was-darius-anderson-remember-9878e2b7
Larry Barnett Ed Clay Georgia Kelly Will Shonbrun Jerry Bernhaut Bob Edwards Marilyn Goode Kathleen Parks Perry Stanley Cohen Norma Barnett Helen Marsh Tom Cannard Mark Dennis Jeri Lynn Chandler Michael Lockert Tom Whitworth Ditty Vella Robert Berner Jamie Marsh Ralph Scott Peter Hassen Ned Forrest Jane Zimmerman Brian Ruff Hillary Wicht Bob Mosher Leslie Whitelaw Jenny Germaine Kathleen Barnett Dwayne Aslaksen Juna Carle Eleanor Cuevas Eric Baumgartner Link ---> http://www.preservingsonoma.com/index.php
Well his news cronies hosted a "horror film" highlighting abuse of mental patients at his very own Ramekins to smear the SDC and dramatize some "allegations" then proceeded to show clips from the State system not Sonoma. So where are the criminal charges? Who committed these acts? Is this all a plot for Darius Anderson to have his buddy Gov Jerry Brown close the SDC so he can buy and develop it? Brown's administration put in "The Closer" a recycled party line Administrator set to take over April Fools Day. Did the Index Tribune's Dave Bolling poo poo the crowds and over-demonize the situation? Falk and his Chronicle crony from California Watch helping to spin? In my opinion, perhaps Chateau Sonoma is a stepping stone to a bigger development at Sonoma Development Center? Something is unusual about this.
Now the big guns are coming out. Stand by...I think Darius just woke a sleeping giant in the People of Sonoma.
In my opinion The People have already voted in opposition with all the fury of a Perfect Storm with Preserving Sonoma, Hillside Preservation Alliance and the Cows Not Casinos groups coming out for a reunion of sorts. For a Scotsman, Darius certainly did underestimate the power of uniting the Clans in Sonoma. Is that blue warpaint I see on The People?
Ralph Hutchinson 10:54 am on Tuesday, March 26, 2013 "Laurie Gallian held a Sonoma Soirée fundraiser with Susan Gorin and Facebook lists the details. Other names on there are Hosts: Steve Barbose, Donna Lewis, Larry Barnett, SUSAN MOORE, Georgia Kelly. Does that mean all these Sonoma Valley people are Casino Backers since they are partnering with Gorin and Susan Moore President of "Friends of Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria" backed by Darius Anderson and his casino interests?" What a laugher! This man has no credibility. It turns out that Larry Barnett and Georgia Kelly are key leaders in the opposition to Darius Anderson's hotel project. The accusations and innuendos are flung about carelessly. Folks, do not listen to this man. His tenure as the bully troll on Sonoma Patch is over. He will get called out on his reckless and baseless slanders. A man has to exercise some responsibility in his public statements if he expects to be respected.
Barbose was a host alongside Susan Moore so he in my opinion must be friendly to Casino backers to associate closely with her for a common cause. My point there appears to be conflicts of interest established and when it comes to a vote or time to take a position these sitting Politicians may NOT be able to excercise independent votes and represent the voice of the People given their loyalties whether financial or emotional. Cronyism and taking payments results in less than independent viewpoints. As for the rest, they are not sitting Politicians however, the fact they associated and worked with Susan Moore a Casino backer remains of concern to me. People are judged by the company they keep in my opinion and that is a concern long term.
They attend his lavish private parties, serve on boards together, and benefit from his donations of Ramekins and other gifts. Over time this creates problems eroding independence and cronies can't say "NO" to each other. These same people used to be leaders in Rosewood Hillside Measure A, Cows Not Casinos, Hospital Measure C Leveroni Dairy Farm seizure, Staples or Peets. Yet today they seem complacent to Chateau Sonoma hotel on the plaza. In my opinion these are actions of a hypocrite. To benefit financially or emotionally from the guy behind "Cows Not Casinos" when many of them were formerly against demonstrates unclear policy and weak character in my opinion. Pay to Play is alive and well in Sonoma. I don't know if Darius learned these tactics from his SF Police Officer father if he came home and told his son what crap he saw in SF politicians, or learned it from Burkle, Bosco, or Gray Davis but Darius is smooth and has been working our City Council and District Supervisors for years now.