Controversy brewing as Healdsburg weighs planned event space versus housing on dormant city land

A groundswell of public support has developed in Healdsburg over the future of a city-owned property long-designated for a community pavilion and weekly farmers market but now up for discussion as an affordable housing complex.

The City Council is bracing for an overflow crowd Monday night to help decide the suddenly controversial issue of what to do with the 1.2-acre parcel and its dilapidated structure located at 3 North St. The lot, known as both the Cerri and Purity property, has sat dormant for more than a dozen years, and residents have mobilized in their effort to finally see the planned project completed.

As of Sunday, about 1,300 people had signed an online petition endorsing the multimillion-dollar renovation that would see the site converted into the 5,200-square-foot pavilion and 6,100-square-foot parking and open-air event space. A small but vocal opposition group seeks to convince the council to reconsider its unanimous approval of the project about three years ago in favor of addressing the city’s housing needs in a larger plan for the area of town two blocks from Healdsburg’s downtown plaza.

“We’re trying to figure out what do with a valuable piece of city land,” said Councilman Shaun McCaffery, who has been active in exploring housing at the location. “Ultimately this is a really good problem to have, and we’re in a dilemma. The council just needs to weigh the benefits and the options and make a decision.”

Complicating matters further is a pledged donation of $7 million to build the farmers market concept from the Foley Family Foundation, the charitable arm of the Santa Rosa-headquartered luxury wine brand. After receiving the offer in January, the five council members met separately last month with Courtney Foley, the company’s executive vice president of business development, to learn more about the family’s interest in the project and how much leeway the city has in reimagining the land’s use while still accepting the gift.

“To me, it’s a great offer. I was shocked at the last meeting and really taken aback, and did not expect the council’s response to be anything other than glee and gratitude,” said Mayor Leah Gold, who doubled down on her support of the event space. “Not making a decision is making a decision. It would be a lost opportunity.”

Previously lacking the money to build the community event center, the city began contemplating the 3 North St. site for affordable housing. A review of the parcel by Santa Rosa-based nonprofit Burbank Housing found it could provide as many 55 units of low-income rental housing and would score well in a competitive federal tax credit financing program to subsidize the cost to construct the complex.

The land, which the city bought for $1.7 million in 2004 and is located next to the abandoned railway, is also being considered for a future SMART commuter train station. Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit stated for the first time in a letter to the city ahead of the March 2 City Council meeting that, with passage of a sales tax renewal on Tuesday and a successful grant funding cycle, it could extend service from neighboring Windsor to Healdsburg by 2024.

A final project on the property may also accommodate a mixed-use option that houses both the rail platform as well as the long-envisioned farmers market and event space. That choice would likely eliminate its use for apartments dedicated to the local workforce, which city staff noted in its report could be built at several other sites identified around the city.

“The challenge is we’ve had some pretty significant fire events that … have definitely changed, I think, the way we look at land-use policy,” said Councilman Joe Naujokas. “It’s also important to recognize the process and the way that the community has come together on the final decision. I think it’s a testament to our ability to come together and think through different potential solutions to come up with something that the community is strongly behind.”

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin Fixler at 707-521-5336 or kevin.fixler@pressdemocrat.com.