Measure B, the Hotel Limitation Measure on the November 19th special election ballot in the City of Sonoma, today gained the endorsement of Sonoma County Conservation Action (SCCA), founded in 1991.
In their press release, SCCA President Emeritus Bill Kortum said, "We’ve been advocating city-centered growth for more than two decades. But not all growth is appropriate for every town." He added, “We ultimately felt that preserving the small town experience for both residents and visitors strikes the right balance for the City of Sonoma. This choice may be different from one city to the next, but our small towns and the ambiance they maintain are part of the mixture that makes Sonoma County comfortable for visitors.”
Larry Barnett, Chair of Preserving Sonoma, the grassroots group which collected signatures to place the measure on the ballot expressed his pleasure at receiving the endorsement. "Tourism is often cited as a "painless" industry, but it's cumulative effects add up and over time can degrade the quality of life for residents in small towns and place pressure on limited infrastructure and resources. Measure B is designed to offer some relief from that prospect, and the endorsement by SCCA helps us make the case that unlimited growth of big hotels is not in the best interest of Sonoma or the local environment."
Preserving Sonoma has moved into its full campaign mode; lawn signs are available and more than 300 people recently attended a successful fund-raiser featuring five local bands who support Measure B. For more information, see www.preservingsonoma.com.
