SVCAC greenlights expanded hours for La Luz

A more-public-than-usual session of the Sonoma Valley Citizens Advisory Commission voted unanimously Wednesday night to approve a modified use permit for the La Luz Bilingual Center in Boyes Hot Springs.
“We were locked out of the (Sonoma) fire station so we ended up having a tailgate meeting, which was kind of fun,” La Luz executive director Ellen LaBruce said Thursday. “There were only 15 minutes worth of agenda, and La Luz was the only item on it.”
At issue was La Luz’s plan to add another full-time family advocate and expand their weekday operating hours from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The center provides counseling, language classes and basic services to Sonoma Valley residents of limited English ability.
In her written request to the Sonoma County Permit and Resource Management Department, LaBruce cited “many requests from clients and the general public to expand our limited hours and there is no other agency in the area that serves this population.”
Currently, the center serves an average of seven families a day in the office and many more by telephone, she said.
“We do not anticipate an increase in the number of cars that visit the site, nor any changes in noise level or traffic as many of our clients walk to our facility,” LaBruce wrote. “With the establishment of regular office hours, we will be able to more effectively serve the Sonoma Valley community.”
The issue next goes to the county Board of Supervisors for approval. At press time, the item had not yet been scheduled.