logo
A luxury hotel could transform this California town. Some residents are fighting back

A luxury hotel could transform this California town. Some residents are fighting back

On paper, the Appellation Hotel proffers one vision of the future for downtown Petaluma: A hefty cube of ceramic tile, anchored by a farm-to-table restaurant and crowned with an airy rooftop bar.
Rising 72 feet from what's now a weed-choked lot, the building would dwarf its neighbors, a scattering of feed stores, Victorians and plazas with old-timey architecture. To some, the hotel concept appears too big and modern for that rustic setting. To others, it represents prime in-fill development that the North Bay town would be foolish to squander.
These two competing mindsets have stoked a battle among Petaluma leaders and residents, one that has led to scurrilous attacks online and shouting matches at City Council meetings. In the Bay Area, the story is familiar. Every community, at one point or another, confronts the vexing politics of change.
But emotions are particularly charged in Petaluma, where a landscape of grain silos and backyard chicken coops sprawls along the border of Wine Country. Neighboring cities like Healdsburg have already converted into tourist destinations, trading their scruffy charm for Michelin-starred restaurants and luxury hotels — including another Appellation, set to open this summer.
'Petaluma is like Healdsburg was 20 years ago,' said Charlie Palmer, a celebrity chef who co-founded the Appellation brand. He watched Healdsburg residents evolve from skepticism, to acceptance, to a point where the former outpost for prunes and lumber now has 22 tasting rooms ringing its main square. Such economic prosperity bouys everyone, said former Healdsburg Mayor Gary Plass.
'A town of 11,000 can't survive and have good schools just by taxing the people who sleep there,' Plass said. 'You have to find ways to support it. You have to pick the right projects.'
While Petaluma has a different culture and mentality, it sits right at that crossroads and could easily become the next wine and foodie mecca.
So far residents and merchants have resisted the transition. The downtown has a trapped-in-amber quality, with seemingly every business opening inside a factory from the early 1900s. A river cuts past the train station and warehouse district, and chain retail gets hidden behind corniced masonry. Plaques commemorate birth dates of the saloon and fire department; T-shirts celebrate the 'egg capital of the world.'
Locals who fiercely protect this sense of tradition and independent spirit cast a wary eye toward new real estate.
'Petalumans do not want to become Healdsburg,' said Jane Hamilton, a former city councilmember and volunteer for the group Petaluma Historic Advocates, which is pressing for a ballot measure — possibly for a special election or the 2026 June primary — that would undo a recent zoning ordinance to enable construction of the hotel.
'We already have tourists,' Hamilton continued. 'We draw people in because we're a unique, quaint town that everybody can walk around in, and visit all of our small businesses. The hotel will serve people who don't live here, and make life for people who do live here very difficult.'
Proponents of the hotel argue, to the contrary, that it would inject tax money and vitality into a sleepy town beset by retail vacancies.
'This is the gateway to Sonoma County,' said Ebbie Khan Nakhjavani, CEO of EKN Development, the Southern California firm that partnered with Palmer for the Petaluma venture (EKN is not involved in other Appellation hotels). Nakhjavani views the small North Bay city as ripe with potential, and uniquely positioned to define its next phase.
'And we want to be on the ground floor,' Nakhjavani said. 'We want to capitalize on Petaluma's incredible history, on its DNA.'
That pitch appealed to Petaluma City Councilmembers who in February approved a zoning overlay to allow dense structures of up to 75 feet in three sections of downtown. Following a backlash, the council reduced the scope of its new zoning rule in March, limiting it to one subarea that encompassed the lot at B Street and Petaluma Boulevard, where the six-story Appellation would open in 2028.
'We've listened to everybody, and we were really careful to preserve and protect this historical district,' said Petaluma Mayor Kevin McDonnell, who counts himself among the hotel's supporters. He touts the jobs, tax revenue and tourism it would bring, and the ripple benefits for surrounding businesses. And the height would be relatively innocuous, McDonnell said, with a recessed fifth floor below the breezy rooftop terrace. The edifice would feel 'more like four stories' to anyone looking up from the street.
Unsatisfied, opponents of the hotel and the upzoning began gathering signatures for a voter referendum. They expect to have 5,000 by next week, exceeding the 4,100 needed to qualify for the ballot. With the deadline looming, Hamilton spent part of Wednesday morning outside Umpqua Bank, clipboard in hand, making her case to anyone who would listen. She and others plan to hoist a giant weather balloon near the site at B Street and Petaluma Blvd. this weekend, to show how big 72 feet can be.
Joggers, shoppers and dogwalkers who passed by the lot on Wednesday appraised it with bemused expressions. Most people were familiar with the hotel proposal and had strong feelings about it, though opinions were sharply divided.
'Well, I'm definitely against it,' said Mandy Podesta, owner of The Hunter & the Bird, a baby clothes boutique where the shelves teem with tiny floral print dresses and gingham onesies. Tucked into an old grain mill that's been repurposed for shops and restaurants, Hunter & the Bird is located half a block from the hotel site, within what critics would consider its blast radius. Hunter & the Bird might not stay there long according to the store's Instagram page, which announced a relocation in June.
Even so, Podesta worries about potential traffic and parking impacts for other businesses, as well as the hotel's sheer bulk.
'It's just too big to fit in that little space,' she said.
Others expressed undiluted enthusiasm for the project.
'I think it's going to be great,' said longtime resident Jessica Scerri. She and her brother, Seth Nonmann, were walking down B Street to grab lunch at Ayawaska RestoBar, a Peruvian restaurant inside a former brick manufacturing plant.
Like McDonnell, she hoped the new commercial development would help energize a downtown that's surviving, but not thriving.
'We've had so many vacancies,' Scerri said, gesturing at the row of shops in the grain mill and at a similar strip mall across the street, also in a salvaged building fronted by a dusty brick facade.
Amid this hodge-podge of retail sits the lot, a third acre of dead space with signs advertising The Appellation. Previously it housed a Chevron gas station which closed more than a decade ago. Now, the parcel is fenced off and strewn with grass and hay.
Preservationists insist they would accept a hotel there if it were four stories instead of six, and more in keeping with Petaluma's bohemian small-town vibe. Nakhjavani scoffed at this, saying the detractors would find something wrong with any proposed development.
'They've been all over the place: 'It's too tall, it's too big, we don't need it,'' Nakhjavani said, barely suppressing his frustration. 'I've addressed every allegation, every potential concern. I can't really hit a moving target.'
Still, even those who want the hotel say they understand why it's provoked conflict.
Reflecting on the situation, Scerri and Nonmann looked at each other and shrugged. Change, they said, 'is just really hard for this town.'

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Popular Tijuana taqueria opens location in San Diego County
Popular Tijuana taqueria opens location in San Diego County

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

Popular Tijuana taqueria opens location in San Diego County

(FOX 5/KUSI) — Tacos el Franc, one of Tijuana's most renowned taquerias, opened its first location in the United States this Wednesday in a shopping plaza in National City.••• Lee este artículo en español The new location is located in Westfield Plaza Bonita, right at the plaza's east entrance. Two Baja California restaurants receive Michelin stars The taco chain is known for its Tijuana-style meats, and its menu includes asada, adobada, cabeza, suadero, tripa, campechano, and lengua, as well as vegetarian tacos and other dishes. Its name comes from the French ancestry of the family that founded the company. Founder Javier Valadez worked at a taco stand in Tijuana in 1974 and opened the first Tacos el Franc in 1996. Visit The San Diego Guide to find unique places and experiences The taqueria has been recognized by the Michelin Guide and gained even more fame when it was featured in the popular Netflix series, Taco Chronicles. The Tijuana location is located at the intersection of downtown and Zona Río. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams helps save Trump-linked Bally's casino bid
NYC Mayor Eric Adams helps save Trump-linked Bally's casino bid

New York Post

time2 hours ago

  • New York Post

NYC Mayor Eric Adams helps save Trump-linked Bally's casino bid

Mayor Eric Adams put his chips on the table for Bally's. The City Council voted to advance legislation Wednesday that would allow gaming operator Bally's to convert part of President Trump's former Bronx golf course into a casino — after the mayor intervened to help secure its passage. The proposal — referred to as a home rule message — requires 34 votes from the council for passage without the mayor's backing. But only 26 votes are needed — a simple majority, if the mayor declares his support. 6 NYC Mayor Eric Adams held his weekly presser and media availability inside the Blue Room at City Hall on June 10, 2025. Paul Martinka At the 11th hour on Wednesday, Adams issued a formal message of support to the council, and the measure passed 32-12, with seven abstaining. It means the bill can now be take up by the state Legislature. If approved, it would allow the golf course property, currently designated as state parkland, to be repurposed as a casino complex. Bally's will then be able to submit a bid for one of three covered downstate state casino licenses later this month. 6 Exterior of Bally's casino in Atlantic City on February 20, 2011. LightRocket via Getty Images The firm hopes to build a 500,000-square-foot casino on the Bronx site by its golf course — now called Bally's Golf Links at Ferry Point — along with a 500-room hotel with a spa and meeting space, retail shops, a 2,000-seat event center and two parking garages with capacity for up to 4,660 vehicles. The City Council and Albany lawmakers recently approved such land use legislation allowing Mets owner Steve Cohen and Hard Rock to repurpose some of the lots around Citi Field for a casino complex. Cohen's bill got little to no resistance from the council — but Bally's, with its Trump connection, did. 6 Democratic mayoral candidate Adrienne Adams speaks during a Democratic mayoral primary debate, Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in New York. AP As part of the deal to acquire the golf course at Ferry Point in 2023, Bally's agreed to provide the Trump Organization an additional $115 million if it wins a casino license. As The Post previously reported, a council vote on Bally's proposal was postponed two weeks ago — provoking criticism from its CEO Soo Sim, who also fumed that lobbyists for rival bidder Cohen were allegedly whipping up votes against him. Bronx Democrats back the project. But Councilwoman Kristy Marmarato, a Republican whose district includes Bally's Golf Link at Ferry Point, opposes it. 6 U.S. President Donald Trump waits for German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 5, 2025. REUTERS Her opposition triggered five of her GOP colleagues — including Council Minority Leader Joanne Ariola — to vote against the project that could benefit the president and his company. During the vote, Marmarato said her constituents opposed the proposed casino and blasted 'outside interference' and 'special interests' lobbying. City Hall insisted the mayor pushed for Bally's to get a fair hearing from the state Gaming Commission with its casino bid, and wasn't putting his thumb on the scale for the gaming operator or Trump. 6 New York Mayor Eric Adams speaks during a press conference on Public Safety at City Hall on June 03, 2025 in New York City. Getty Images 'Mayor Adams supports a fair process with as many competitive casino bids in New York City as possible, each of which would bring good-paying union jobs and an economic boost to the community,' an Adams spokesman said. 'It does not matter which proposal is selected by the state so long as it's in New York City. We would be supportive of more than one selection in New York City, but that requires more than one competitive proposal.' Bally's applauded the Council's action. 6 A general view of Bally's Casino on March 24, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Getty Images 'We appreciate the City Council, including the Speaker and Bronx Delegation in particular, for recognizing the opportunity that this project can afford to the Bronx and the City as a whole. Their actions today allow us to move forward to the next step of making this happen for NYC,' said Christopher Jewett, Bally's senior vice president of corporate development. He said Bally's has been a 'good neighbor' and will continue to work closely with elected officials and residents. Cohen's team declined to comment.

More public parking may be coming to Virginia Beach Oceanfront
More public parking may be coming to Virginia Beach Oceanfront

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

More public parking may be coming to Virginia Beach Oceanfront

VIRGINIA BEACH — The city is poised to partner with a hotel developer on a new parking garage in the resort area's northern end as the need for public parking at the Oceanfront continues to grow. City Council first considered the project in 2021, but the rising cost of construction at that time put the plans on hold. Now, it's back for consideration and the terms of the deal have changed, according to Kathy Warren, director of planning and community development. Suburban Capital, a Virginia-Beach-based company that recently developed the Hyatt Place hotel on 36th Street and Atlantic Avenue, would give land to the city to build the garage, Warren told the council on Tuesday. The .66-acre lot on the west side of Atlantic Avenue at 35th Street is a surface parking lot currently used by Hyatt Place hotel guests. The city assessment of the land is $3.5 million. Under the 2021 proposal, Suburban Capital would have continued to own the land and some of the parking spaces, and the Virginia Beach Development Authority would own 200 public spaces. Under the new proposed deal, the Development Authority would own and manage the garage, which would have 348 spaces — 148 spaces for hotel guests and 200 spaces for the public. New exhibit examines coal dust pollution in Newport News Newport News City Council gives the go ahead to Costco relocation Norfolk commonwealth's attorney race one of most expensive, divisive in city's history Virginia Beach cleared 100 homeless encampments in the last year Longtime Chesapeake deputy city manager retires, former police chief hired The entire project is expected to cost about $12 million. Suburban Capital would pay $590,000 and obtain a loan to build the garage. The city could also be on the hook for the interest on Suburban Capital's loan and the cost to relocate Dominion Energy power lines — an amount to be determined, Warren said. Council members Worth Remick and Stacy Cummings said they want to avoid paying interest on the loan and would rather the city make payments while the garage is being constructed. City Council could vote next month to increase the original $7 million set aside for the project to $12.35 million. The garage construction could begin this fall and be completed by next summer, Warren said. The city's Capital Improvement Program fund for resort area parking has a $26 million balance, according to the city. There are no public parking lots or garages north of 31st Street. The city has 358 spaces in surface lots; five garages with 2,613 spaces; and 644 metered street spaces south of 31st Street. 'Our goal is to have public parking every five blocks,' Warren said. In 2021, the city approached Suburban Capital about partnering in the parking garage on their parcel, and the City Council directed $7 million toward it for 200 public spaces. But construction prices were escalating, and the project was put on hold. Hyatt Place opened in 2022 and replaced the Belvedere hotel, one of the city's original motor lodges. Suburban Capital, owned by Chris Perry and Tim Stiffler, invested $28 million in Hyatt Place, The Virginian-Pilot has reported. Proceeds from public parking fees are funneled into a parking enterprise fund which is used to cover the costs of maintaining and improving parking facilities. 'This is almost an obligation,' Mayor Bobby Dyer said. 'Parking is a major problem for us. This is a step in the solution.' Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125,

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store