The stench of asphalt

<p>Editor: In Don Bennett’s recent column about Petaluma’s restaurant history, “Town’s changing dining landscape,” he is very negative and tries to correlate patterns of change in restaurants, the decline, the replacement of old dining establishments, with the City Council majority’s concern about protecting downtown Petaluma.</p><!-- Nothing to do. The paragraph has already been output --><p>He writes, “There is a lesson here for our City Council majority, which seem to think they are saving downtown by not letting chain stores come to Petaluma.”</p><p>Don Bennett is a county planning commissioner, appointed by Supervisor Kerns, and is trying to lead the way for a stench-producing and noxious asphalt plant at the southern gateway to Petaluma. Talk about decline! </p><p>Forget sitting outside and enjoying outdoor “air” at the Sheraton, forget sitting outside by the river at any of Petaluma’s downtown dining establishments — unless our tourists are coming to Petaluma for the stench of asphalt wafting downtown to greet them. Forget the potential for any ecotourists coming to Petaluma to appreciate our beautiful wildlife and natural resources and bringing their shopping and dining dollars with them. They will not come and, therefore, they will not shop. </p><p>Dutra’s plant will lead to loss of money for the town and merchants, loss of quality of life and, ultimately, loss of property values for homeowners city-wide.</p><p>Melissa Wilson, Petaluma</p>