Petaluma Council Demands Say in County Solar Plans

Sonoma County's proposed zoning changes that could lead to the expansion of renewable energy-producing facilities in and around Petaluma have city officials alarmed about the possible impact on open space.

On Monday, the City Council voted unanimously to express those concerns in a letter to the Board of Supervisors ahead of an Aug. 6 meeting in which county officials could take action on the proposed rezoning laws.

Solar power plants would be allowed on land zoned for non-intensive farmland under the proposed rezoning laws. Windmills would likely soon follow.

“Essentially, the county is working on renewable energy, which is something I support and all of the council supports, but we are concerned about placement of large commercial solar installations in the open spaces around Petaluma,” Councilwoman Kathy Miller said.

“We want protections for our open space and scenic corridors around Petaluma.”

A staff report on a proposed solar development in unincorporated Petaluma on Frates and Adobe roads near a PG&E substation precipitated the council's response, Miller said.

The proposed power plant is described in a Santa Rosa Press Democrat report as a 4-megawatt, 6,340-panel project that would occupy 22.6 acres of grazing land that would provide enough energy to power 750 homes.

“That's what got us involved in this in the first place,” Miller said. “There was little to no public input, which is problematic for us as a city.”

And city officials fear the renewable energy push could lead to the construction of solar power stations and windmills on land where cows now graze throughout the city's surrounding areas.

Future developments imperil the Petaluma area's rural and agrarian heritage, Miller said.“The message is that we want to know and weigh in on these sorts of things prior to (the power stations) being implemented,” Miller said.