The city appears to be overtaken by state developers, contractors and consultants. Core city services have been outsourced and the gorgeous old character and charm of our community is gone forever, sadly. Proper city planning and "sustainability first thinking" has been set aside for maximum profits. Let's take back our city!!
The Hotel Sebastopol will never be built. What is its purpose, so people can rent a $500/night room to see empty restaurants in the Barlow? Most likely, the developers are angling for a beautiful huge tax abatement. Why would anyone build such a hotel here in the era of vrbo, declining wine industry, closing restaurants and dangerous streets. Soon Sebastopol will be just nail salons and dollar stores. Visit Healdsburg to see how it's done. Yes, it's a much larger town but the weather there is bad but it's walkable to music, restaurants, bars interesting shops and wine tasting.
I think your doomer sentiment is fairly justified. But let’s be honest, the current City Council is the most business-friendly in decades (also, I know, the bar is low). If they don’t screw it up, there’s some hope.
Do you think "business friendly" means anything but take the money and run? Hope for what? Wealthy developers make a bundle and build an even bigger mansion? Or help the people who live here. It's a myth that fancy developments benefit anyone except the owner class. All businesses fail. Do you think anyone running a business knows anything?
The realities of current times; vast personal wealth for a few as infrastructure and society stagnates.
It is bizarre that voters and government leaders refuse to enact a realistic wealth tax.
Thank you Sebastopol Times for telling these stories.
The city appears to be overtaken by state developers, contractors and consultants. Core city services have been outsourced and the gorgeous old character and charm of our community is gone forever, sadly. Proper city planning and "sustainability first thinking" has been set aside for maximum profits. Let's take back our city!!
The Hotel Sebastopol will never be built. What is its purpose, so people can rent a $500/night room to see empty restaurants in the Barlow? Most likely, the developers are angling for a beautiful huge tax abatement. Why would anyone build such a hotel here in the era of vrbo, declining wine industry, closing restaurants and dangerous streets. Soon Sebastopol will be just nail salons and dollar stores. Visit Healdsburg to see how it's done. Yes, it's a much larger town but the weather there is bad but it's walkable to music, restaurants, bars interesting shops and wine tasting.
I think your doomer sentiment is fairly justified. But let’s be honest, the current City Council is the most business-friendly in decades (also, I know, the bar is low). If they don’t screw it up, there’s some hope.
Do you think "business friendly" means anything but take the money and run? Hope for what? Wealthy developers make a bundle and build an even bigger mansion? Or help the people who live here. It's a myth that fancy developments benefit anyone except the owner class. All businesses fail. Do you think anyone running a business knows anything?