Page 40 - Sonoma County Gazette 12-2019

Often when we think about December and the festivities that are before us we think about gift-giving. This can mean many things to each of us. Gifts of time are precious, thoughtful, and everyone could use some extra hands in our lives with a friend or family member taking care of
Because the coast is so precious to me, I attended the Nov.
The meeting was presided over by Cecily Condon and two other PRMD Planner-IIIs, Gary Helfrich, (transportation specialist) and Jane Riley (housing specialist). There was a powerpoint presentation, an accompanying explanation by Cecily and then about an hour of questions and answers. Many questions were posed by about 10 of the 40-or-so attendees, primarily regarding the notable absence of maps and detailed information regarding Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA) as well as policy language in the draft.
a home project. The gifts from the garden or homemade gifts showcasing your talents and local gifts that our neighbors create with their own hands are truly meaningful. All of them worthy, valued and appreciated when received. A jar of jam is not just a jar of goodness. It was a season of growing, nurturing, watering, picking, and then making the jam in their own kitchen with all the right equipment not to mention the cleanup. So when you get a jar of homemade jam, or a homemade card, or a painted rock – please smile and know you are blessed to have received the finest in gift-giving.
Cecily acknowledged that readily-available scientific recommendations
had not been incorporated in the draft since 2008. She acknowledged that compared to previous Local Coastal Plans, ESHA categories had been reduced from 3 to 1, completely excluding areas of future potentially sensitive habitat.
When you want to add something a little extra shop local of course! This month I want to offer a shout out to ‘The Sea Trader’. I don’t think anyone on the coast has been in business longer than Kathy. Everyone knows Kathy as she is the sunshine on the coast and we all love you! You make everyone’s day with the kindness you share with each of us as we browse your store. The first thing you will experience is the incense burning. It is as if the incense wasn’t burning than something is just not right. Noted on Facebook from Karen Pyle “The soft new age music ... the smell of candles ... the owner ...it’s the ambiance that makes me feel like I’ve gone back in time ... I’m completely relaxed the moment I walk into the store. It’s a must to visit every time we vacation ......, which we’ve done since 1980.” I will always ‘stop in’ at the Sea Trader and find the perfect gift. The address is 38640 S Highway 1 in Gualala. The Dolphin in Gualala gualalaarts.org/dolphin-gallery/ is
She confirmed that no detailed ESHA maps were available except by going in person to the PRMD office to view the single map they have there, despite the fact that the county has access to Geographic Information System mapping and could easily provide them or include them in the Update.
all local artists with awesomeness, Four-Eyed Frog: foureyedfrog.com with many book ideas, puzzles, and more, Accents By the Sea: facebook.com/ pages/category/Gift-Shop/Accents-by-The-Sea-169548079729231/, Gualala Nursery and Trading Company: facebook.com/GualalaNurseyCA/) has great gifts, and Heart of a Child :facebook.com/Gualalatoys/ ) are all great places to shop. So many of our local stores have truly unique handmade homemade gifts! I am sure there are a few more places that I am missing so it is best to get out and explore. In Point Arena, you have The Art Collective, Cove Coffee, Outback Garden, Point Arena Lighthouse, and the Tileworks (which is very cool) are all listed at: https://pointarena.net/shop/.
Cecily also acknowledged that no other entities of coastal governance
had been consulted in the writing of the draft (eg, no representation from State or Regional Parks or the Marine Sanctuary), nor the California Coastal Conservancy, nor the non-profits that have been educating the public at large for decades (eg, Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, Landpaths, Surfrider, etc), particularly school children and underserved youth, and which sponsor beneficial coastal events such as marine debris clean-ups. She acknowledged that the Coastal Resiliency Program developed by the Marine Sanctuary had not been consulted, despite the availability of their published, free, up-to-date, best practices guidelines for coastal land management.
And there are plenty of festive things to do on the coast. Timber Cove Resort continues Locals Night Live Music every Wednesday and locals getting a discount of 20% every Tuesday and Wednesday. Visit them at: timbercoveresort.com/activities. The Point Arena Lighthouse offers tours and special events. Please visit their calendar at: pointarenalighthouse.com/ visit/lighthouse-tours/. Gualala Art Center has one art opening reception, the 2019 Gualala Salon and Salon des Refusés, on Friday the 6th
There is a new concept of “workforce housing combining zones” being discussed with regard to future coastal housing development, in which industry employees’ housing will be constructed near their place of work. But there was no discussion of prioritizing affordable housing, particularly for the fishing community and service workers in general, or the fact that 53% of total housing on the coast is vacation rentals.
This is the showing of fine art that is judged and juried and has become a local favorite. It looks like a lot of fun with the viewer’s participation. Read about this at: gualalaarts.org/2019/12/2019-gualala-salon-and-salon-des- refuses/. A painting class in oil and acrylic will be offered Friday the 13th and three festive musical events with the Ernest Bloch Bell Ringers on Saturday the 14th at 3:00 PM and Kitka on Saturday the 21st at 7:00 PM, and a Winter’s Evening with Wind in the Wires on Sunday the 22nd. All of these are uplifting and great for the whole family. Visit: gualalaarts.org/category/ events/ for more info.
But the main concern for me was ambiguous language in the draft re: a “principle permitted use”, which defines the type of permit required for any sort of development (including events like marathons), the level of review required, the potential for public input and whether it is appealable to the California Coastal Commission. The details of how this concept will be applied is embedded in the new “Administrative Manual.”
The darkest day of the year, our Winter Solstice is Saturday, December 21, 2019, at 8:19 pm. In Universal Coordinated Time it is on Sunday, December 22, 2019, at 04:19. We used to always have a big bonfire and each person brought things they wanted to burn to get rid of ending the New Year clear and clean of unwanted clutter and even memories. Then we all said what we were thankful for and our hopes for the New Year.
My wish for each of you is a bright and cheerful holiday, to find happiness in small things, and to cherish each other. Many blessings!
40 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 12/19
released in 2015, you will recall that a standing-room-only contingent of coastal residents squashed that draft at a little-publicized special meeting held by public demand at the Timber Cove Volunteer Fire Department.
Sonoma Coast in Peril
By Laura Morgan
Anyone who has experienced the magic of the Sonoma County Coast would
be horrified to think that it could be lost. And yet, that is the plan. The Local Coastal Plan 20-year plan, that is.
17th workshop and took notes, which are excerpted here:
It was acknowledged that there is no mention of carbon sequestration or climate change in general in the LCP draft, save for sea level rise. There is
no mention of fuel reduction plans for future fire prevention, no mention of documented migratory bird flyways or resting habitat, no statement of support for the preservation of open space, no policy re: hemp/cannabis cultivation, no mention of offshore or onshore oil drilling issues or policies.
Nor any mention in the Plan draft that the population of the coast swells by thousands on the weekends, overwhelming Highway 1 and public services like emergency response teams.
If anyone remembers the attempt by the county to win approval for the Local Coastal Plan Update when it was first
The County of Sonoma is charged by the California Coastal Act to deliver an updated Local Coastal Plan to the California Coastal Commission by the end of 2020. The general public of Sonoma County is likewise mandated to participate in its creation and approval.
If you have a coastal bone in your body, please stand it up.
Do your best to read even a small portion of the draft online at Permit Sonoma County Local Coastal Plan Update or ask your local library for a hard copy. Then raise your own groundswell of concerned friends and
attend the next public workshop at the Bodega Bay Fire Station on Saturday, December 14th, from 10-12.