New Petaluma hotel plans scrutinized

Petaluma officials reviewed plans for a 122-room Courtyard Marriott Hotel proposed as part of a new large-scale development in southeast Petaluma with heightened scrutiny, questioning design elements of the four-story building that’s proposed at one of the city’s main gateways.

At its Tuesday meeting, the Petaluma Planning Commission provided comments about plans for the roughly 74,000-square-foot hotel proposed for the 35-acre Riverfront property at 500 Hopper St., where developer Basin Street Properties is seeking to create a mixed-use project that incorporates houses, apartments and commercial space.

The panel sought additional details about the 52-foot tall hotel’s appearance to motorists on Highway 101 and to pedestrians walking through the development. Commissioners also asked developers to provide more concrete details and flesh out presentations about some of the more specific design elements, including landscaping, color scheme and materials.

“What is this really going to look like? ... I understand the concern that it’s been a long time, but I don’t think these things will take that long so we have a better feeling about voting for something that’s going to be here for a long time,” Chairwoman Diana Gomez said at the meeting. “It’s the cornerstone of the entire project. It’s not just any building, it’s the first building that everything is going flow from. I’d like it done right.”

The hotel would be the first structure in the multi-use development that calls for 60,000 square feet of office space, 30,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, 273 housing units including 134-single family homes, 39 townhouses and 100 apartments.

The development will include 7.5 acres of open space, with land set aside for a bridge crossing the Petaluma River and a boathouse.

Frank Marinello, the vice president of development for Basin Street Properties, described the contemporary style of the hotel as part of a new generation of design that’s being introduced for Courtyard Marriott hotels. He said his team has worked with city staff since at least September 2015 to make tweaks to prototype design elements, and developers hope to build the project this year.

“(Marriott) thinks this is a good community and one of the better communities for them to be in, and we certainly agree with that,” he said.

Jeff Pawlowski of PK Architects, an Arizona-based firm that specializes in hotels, called the design “colorful and playful” but “timeless.”

Plans for the hotel also include an outdoor swimming pool and spa, 206 parking spaces and additional bicycle parking. The Marriott would also feature a bistro and bar, an outdoor dining area, meeting rooms, public bathrooms and a fitness center, according staff reports.

It would be the fourth Marriott brand hotel in Sonoma County, with The Courtyard Santa Rosa, a Fairfield Inn and Suites in Sebastopol and a Marriott hotel in the town of Sonoma already in operation.

Vice Chair Richard Marzo said he felt the project is “not that far off from where we need to be.”

“At the end of the day I’ve stayed in a lot of Marriott Courtyards, and this would probably be the nicest one,” he said. “The hotel price point is $125 and $199 a night, I think this design is very nice for that type of hotel.”

In light of the commissioners’ concerns, the panel voted 6-0, with Commissioner Jennifer Pierre absent, to continue discussion of the hotel project to its March 14 meeting.

“This is a special piece of property in our community - I want to know what about this hotel is going to be unique,” Commissioner Jocelyn Lin said.

The overall Riverfront development has advanced in recent months after the Petaluma City Council approved a map for the project’s first phase last June, and also signed off on early grading work.

An application for 19 single family homes has been submitted and the commission is set to consider approval of the site plan and architectural review for the homes at its Feb. 14 meeting.

(Contact Hannah Beausang at hannah.beausang@arguscourier.com.)