Petaluma’s million-dollar views

(Editor’s note: This is one in an ongoing series of stories taking a close-up look at neighborhoods in Petaluma.)

Every Fourth of July, as throngs of Petaluma residents head to the fairgrounds for a fireworks show, many residents of one particular neighborhood elect to stay home.

They’re no less festive than other Petalumans, though: They enjoy the celebrations from their homes, which offer views every bit as spectacular as the fireworks.

“We have a great view of the fireworks, unless it’s foggy — and then we have a great view of colored fog,” said Joyce Waldren, who has lived with husband Chuck on La Cresta Drive for the past 26 years.

Some of the homes don’t have sweeping panoramic views, but provide visual access to beautiful natural surroundings and interesting events at Petaluma High School’s Durst Field.

“We can see Sonoma Mountain from our kitchen window, and half of the field from our deck,” said Kathy Chambers, who has lived on Hill Boulevard with husband Dennis for the past 37 years.

Some families, such as the Chambers, enjoy watching the annual PHS graduation, which also brings the largest traffic jam of the year to the neighborhood.

“On graduation day, people sometimes get desperate as they look for places to park. But people here are smart enough to make plans for that day,” said Peter Webber, who has lived on Hill Boulevard for the past 23 years.

Most residents contacted, including Webber, said that they like having PHS nearby.

“We occasionally hear sporting events going on at the field, and have used the track to exercise,” he said.

Some families were attracted to the neighborhood partly because it is so close to PHS and Valley Vista Elementary School.

“When we moved here, we had four children 8 years old and younger, and we wanted to be near the schools,” said Dolores Lewis, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1963.

Many residents also were drawn by the proximity to Hillcrest Hospital, which opened on Hayes Lane in 1957 with 50 beds, and served the community until Petaluma Valley Hospital opened with 99 beds in 1980.

Lewis, Webber and other longtime residents have seen the composition of the neighborhood change over the years.

“I’ve watched children grow to become adults over a 23-year period,” Webber said.

Many longtime members of the neighborhood died or moved away during the past two decades.

“As the old-timers have moved, new people have been coming in. I used to know everybody on the hillside, but it’s not like that anymore,” said Martha Overton, who has live on Manor Way for the past 48 years.

Despite the influx of new families, demographic statistics indicate that the aging of the neighborhood is continuing. In 1990, 16.2 percent of the neighborhood’s residents were from 45 to 64 years old. This percentage rose to 29 percent in 2008. The portion of white residents fell from 94.5 percent to 85.1 percent during this time, while the percentage of Hispanic residents increased from 8.7 percent to 15.9 percent.

Lewis has seen plenty of changes during her 46 years in the neighborhood, and fondly remembers her initial years there.

“Our house was wonderful: Everyone had a bedroom,” she said. “A lot of young children lived here, and they grew up together. And an older couple that lived on a corner, near our house, put in a garden and would leave baskets full of corn, tomatoes and other vegetables by our back door.

“Everyone used to have parties, and we would watch football games from our house. It was a different time. Now, people don’t get together for parties and the trees have grown up, blocking my view of the football field.”

Several other people also said that residents don’t get together as a group, but added that neighbors generally get along fine.

“We all know each other and look after each other, but we don’t do a great deal of socializing,” said Robert Thompson, who has lived on Hayes Lane for the past 17 years.

“The people here are exceptionally friendly, and they’ll help you if you need help,” Webber said.

Beginning in 2004, some neighborhood residents did collaborate as supporters of the Save La Cresta Ridge and Ravine Neighborhood Coalition, a group that opposed the California Water Service’s proposal to construct 17 large, executive homes on La Cresta Ridge parcels. The owner later decided to sell the land so that it can be used as open space, featuring public access trails.

The city of Petaluma subsequently received $2 million in a matching grant from the Sonoma County’s open-space district to help purchase the 13.6-acre piece of property.

And last year, some residents joined the El Rose/Hayes Lane Coalition, a group of more than 100 Petalumans who opposed the expansion of a dental office at 30 El Rose Drive due to concerns over increased traffic, privacy and aesthetic inconsistency with architectural design of other homes and businesses. On March 16, 2009, a split City Council approved the expansion after the developer agreed to reduce the project’s impacts on the neighborhood.

The neighborhood’s spirit of activism perhaps is best embodied by Lewis, now 80, but still going strong.

“When I see something I don’t like, I rattle all the cages that I can,” she said. “I call everyone I can think of. No one knows what you think about something until you sound off.”

Many residents were brought together out of their mutual concerns during a seven-acre grass fire that threatened the La Cresta Drive area on June 12. Despite strong winds that day, two air tankers, a helicopter and nearly 50 firefighters from multiple departments extinguished the fire within about an hour, and before it reached any homes.

“I could smell smoke before I noticed the fire. Our house wasn’t threatened, but all the neighbors were out watching it,” Chambers said.

“My home was never in danger, but I kept an eye on the fire,” Lewis said. “I was very pleased with the police department, and the fire department and other agencies that put the fire out. The situation could have been very bad, but they did a wonderful job.”

Such occurrences are rare in the neighborhood, which several residents praise for its tranquility, convenient location and traditional feel.

“It is very quiet,” said Patricia Smoot, who for many years has lived on La Cresta Drive when not traveling around the world. “I make sketches on my trips and then come back to my studio here to do my oil paintings. I’ve also done a lot of paintings of oak trees in this area.”

“We wouldn’t consider living anywhere else. We are close to the mountains, the city and the beach,” Waldren said.

“It’s like an old-fashioned, small town of yesteryear,” Webber added.

(John Jackson, Corey Young, Kylie Buck and Sean Trott contributed to this story. Contact Dan Johnson at dan.johnson@arguscourier.com)