Brown’s back; Williams-Sonoma saga; La Luz party and more
Ken Brown is three votes away from returning to City Hall. The former Sonoma City Councilmember is up for a seat on the Community Services and Environment Commission. The City Council must approve his two-year term, but voting against any selected delegate is a rarity indeed. Thus, other safe bets include: Bill Essert, alternate, Design Review & Historic Preservation Commission; Chip Roberson and Bill Willers, reappointed to the Planning Commission; and Chris Rateaver and Christina Cook, CSEC… Speaking of Sonoma government (insert better segue here), who is the 2014 council candidate with that nice green lawn? It sure was brown — or, as Martha Stewart calls it, “Politically Correct Mocha” — during the campaign.
Recasting the David and Goliath story, you’d probably put the 99-year-old man in the underdog role. But when that gent is Chuck Williams, of the Williams-Sonoma legend and multi-billion-dollar namesake company, the odds swing somewhat. On August 17, the Sonoma City Council will hear an appeal to the Planning Commission decision to grant an expanded use permit to Williams-Sonoma. Shelling out the $630 to make the counter argument is former three-term city council member Larry Barnett. The basis of the appeal is primarily focused on special events: the company has failed to provide an adequate Special Event parking and traffic mitigation plan required by the Planning Commission, Barnett said. Disabled access is at issue, as is parking in general. The store does not have permission from the Post Office to use that nearby lot, but store officials haven’t been that concerned. They say that since the store will employ a valet parking company for each bash, it’s not their problem. Barnett (who writes for The Sun) contends otherwise… Barnett has been told by the city that he will have all of 10 minutes to make his entire case. That’s about as much time it will take the W-S team of lawyers to introduce themselves.
Add this to the list of New Economy revenue opportunities: put your car on the street and charge the valet parking guy $10 to use your driveway. Dibs on the app!
La Luz Center can party in any language. The ‘Noche Latina’ event, held amid informal elegance at Glen Ellen’s K2 horse ranch, raised a record $452k. Event creator and producer Marcelo Defreitas, resplendent in a daring matador ensemble, presided as emcee, including a mock bullfight with boardmember Kimberly Blattner, who “didn’t get the memo” about not wearing red. And yes that was Valerie Pistole doing the tango. More somber, at least until the Brazilian dancers held sway, was Executive Director Juan Hernandez, who offered a surprise tribute to Defreitas, thanking him for “giving five years of his life and talents to La Luz.”
The recent public meeting about paint jobs in the Springs turned out to be a big pep rally for the neighborhood. The vast majority of speakers that night told of their love and hopes for the area, and spoke to a real ‘shop hyper-local’ ideal… Apparently they still have some work to do. Days layer, Assemblyman Bill Dodd visited the area. “On purpose?” cracked James Chandler.
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