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Local Sonoma Valley News

Council Briefs

Bike plan passes The long-held dream of a bicycle-friendly Sonoma is a little closer to reality after the Sonoma City Council unanimously approved nearly a dozen bike-related traffic improvements. Specifically, the Sonoma Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Plan – part of the countywide plan approved in... Continue

Fake canvasser prompts alert

The Sonoma County Registrar of Voters is warning that a man conducting door-to-door surveys on the November election is falsely identifying himself as one of their employees. “First of all, we don’t do surveys,” County Clerk Janice Atkinson said Tuesday. “We print the ballots and... Continue

Huge crowd fetes City Hall

The weather was cool but hearts were warm Tuesday night as hundreds of people filled the Sonoma Plaza lawn to sing “Happy Birthday” to the park’s oldest enduring resident. “Welcome to the centennial celebration of our City Hall,” Sonoma City Historian and master of ceremonies... Continue

Grass program revised

Sonoma home- and business-owners have a greater incentive to rip out their lawns than simply saving water, thanks to a recent expansion of the city’s “Cash for Grass” rebate program. Councilmembers voted unanimously on Sept. 3 to raise the square-foot payback from 50 to 75... Continue

Birds, bunnies – and bees, please

As Sonoma’s backyard farming ordinance moves forward, citizens and councilmembers continue to ponder its limits. Chickens and rabbits are in. Pigs and cattle are out. And so are bees. Bees? Who could ban bees? Councilmember Stanley Cohen raised the issue before the council meeting Wednesday... Continue

Council passes bike plan

The long-held dream of a bicycle-friendly Sonoma got a little closer to reality Wednesday night, as the City Council unanimously approved nearly a dozen traffic improvements. Specifically, the Sonoma Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvement Plan – part of the emerging countywide plan approved in May by... Continue

Crash victim identified

The Sonoma County Coroner’s office has identified the victim of last Friday’s fatal crash on Napa Road as Daniel Guido Garcia, 57, of El Verano. Witnesses said Garcia was weaving westbound on Napa Road around 2:10 p.m. when his red 1993 Toyota pickup truck cut... Continue

Council passes mobile home ordinance

In a unanimous vote, the Sonoma City Council – after nearly sixteen months of drafts and re-drafts – passed, with minor revisions, a mobile home park conversion ordinance. “Believe me,” said City Attorney Tom Curry, “I do not recall an ordinance in the last 35... Continue

City Hall to celebrate centennial

In its first hundred years, Sonoma City Hall has served as a firehouse, judicial court, council chamber and administrative offices – as well as a catalyst for civic improvements. “I think the one thing that makes our city hall special is probably the fact of... Continue

Napa/Sonoma quarantine announced

When it comes to the light brown apple moth (LBAM), if two are found in the same area - as happened in Sonoma in April - a state and federal quarantine results. What happens when two becomes four? It all depends on location. Sonoma’s original... Continue