Deadlocked at 3-3, the Sonoma City Planning Commission on Thursday evening did not approve the application by Donna Barton to hold meetings of the Church of Scientology at the office building she is purchasing at 752 Broadway. This item had been continued from the commission’s meeting on September 13, to allow Barton time to address concerns regarding parking, time of operation, and number of people attending.
Barton intends for the “Sonoma Mission” to share the building with her accounting business. That commercial use in such a “Mixed Use” zoning area is permitted, and therefore not subject to a use permit, while a permit is required for operation of a church in that zoning district. Barton said that at full capacity, her church would only accommodate 15 people at once and would operate Monday through Friday evenings from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. in addition to Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon.
The planning commission, as do most public agencies, has an odd number of members, specifically to avoid such deadlocks. For this item, two commissioners (Tom Anderson and Matt Howarth) had recused themselves for proximity reasons, leaving five members, but alternate commissioner Gary Edwards was seated in their absence, making six members to hear the case and setting up the possibility of a deadlock.
Commissioners heard concerns from neighbors about traffic and noise coming from the property. Pat Summers, who is selling the property to Barton, told the commission that she had held even outdoor events at the property over the years, including live music and wine, with no complaints from neighbors. In an effort to provide some specific resolution, Commissioner Jean Barnier suggested “a six-month trial period” as a compromise, but this proposal found insufficient support from the other commissioners.
Commissioner Randy Cook said that he had never heard of a church that was successful with such a small congregation and expressed further concerns that nearby neighbors should not be put in the position of being “whistle blowers” in the event that the church was successful and grew above its proposed size.
Barton said in an interview afterward that she would continue to work with the city planners regarding the church proposal and that she was determined to find a site for it in Sonoma. “If not here,” she said, “then somewhere else.”
Gun Raids at Three Valley Homes
Five suspected felons were arrested by the Sonoma County sheriff’’s deputies during separate raids on Wednesday morning at homes on Broadway, Olive Avenue, and Burndale Road. Eleven firearms were seized in the raids, along with 6 ounces of methamphetamine. A sixth person, already in Sonoma County Jail, was arrested there later.
At the Broadway residence, authorities said they found ammunition and firearms, including shotguns, handguns and rifles. A 30-caliber semiautomatic rifle with a 30-round magazine was also found, as was evidence of counterfeiting. Brian Thomas Clifford, 41, and Deana Lyn Davis, 39, were arrested there.
Kyle Gordon Gunderson, 37, of Sonoma and Shar Lyn Andrieux, 37, of Hayfork were arrested at the Olive Avenue house, where a firearm and ammunition were found, along with controlled substances for sale.
At the Burndale residence, deputies arrested Christopher Edward Keys, 32, of Sonoma.
In jail on other charges, Kathleen Marie Deringer, 22, of Sonoma, was arrested on suspicion of carrying a concealed weapon in a vehicle and furnishing firearms to convicted felons.
Anyone with information about the case is asked by authorities to call Detective Tony King at 565-2185.
