Commission puts off Target decision

Petaluma planning commissioners, after a marathon meeting that lasted past midnight Wednesday morning, postponed until next month further discussion of the controversial East Washington Place shopping center project.

Commissioners were scheduled to consider the final environmental impact report, parcel map and architectural review of the 362,000-square-foot site, which would be anchored by Target on one end and a Friedman’s Home Improvement store on the other.

The announcement of Friedman’s potential return to Petaluma after more than 30 years came just three hours before the meeting began, although it wasn’t the focus of the agenda item.

A recently revamped planning process that combined architectural review and land-use considerations was intended to streamline the process for projects making their way through the city approval process.

But in its first meeting with a large-scale issue on the agenda, the commission spent more than three hours on a different project before reaching the East Washington Place item.

As the clock struck midnight, commissioners decided to adjourn the meeting until 6 p.m. on Dec. 8 so the developers, public and commissioners can continue discussion on East Washington Place, a project that has sparked controversy since its first incarnation in 2004.