Sonoma-Marin Fair opens amid uncertain future

Petaluma and fair officials are in talks over the fairgrounds property.|

As Petaluma’s fairgrounds come to life this week for the 78th edition of the Sonoma-Marin Fair, the future of the annual celebration of agricultural heritage remains uncertain, with the current lease for the centrally-located fairgrounds property set to expire in six years.

City and fair officials declined to share details about the ongoing, confidential negotiations over the fair’s $1-per-year lease agreement for the 64-acres of city-owned land off East Washington Street. The current 50-year lease expires in 2023.

Discussions about the parcel, located on the outskirts of Petaluma’s core business district, come as the city contemplates its bleak fiscal forecast and mulls options for new revenue sources. Developing the land would boost the city’s budget, though it would signal a major change for a fete that’s long been an integral part of Petaluma’s cultural fabric.

Fair publicist Christy Gentry said officials view the city as a partner, and the fair’s board of directors recognizes the need to strike a balance to represent the best interests of all parties.

“The conversations are very amiable and the city and the fair association are trying to figure out what’s the best and most forward thinking possibility for the community … conversations are very positive and focused on how are we going to preserve the tradition and the heritage of the fair and make the best possible economic and developmental decision,” she said.

Much of the fair officials’ current efforts have focused on gearing up for this year’s event, which runs through Sunday and includes new features like unique wildlife demonstrations, an interspersing of various craft stations and an egg and spoon race.

“There’s the heritage and the agricultural traditions and the fair is able to keep the growing generations in touch with that …. It brings the community together by participating in exhibits, sharing art and talents and all those key aspects of agriculture, art and community,” Gentry said.

Concluding the lease negotiations is among the city council’s goals for 2017 and 2018, and City Manager John Brown said finding a solution is a high priority for the city.

“The goal is to keep and support the fair at that location, but at the same time to be able to make better economic use of the property and to redevelop the property,” he said. “We’ve discussed some options for how that might look going forward.”

Those options have included a number of combinations of mixed-use developments, Brown said. A feasibility study, also identified in the council’s goals, would allow the city to “really drill down on the how tos” of shaping the future of the site, he said. Any plans identified would be subject to a robust public review.

Mayor David Glass said he’s in favor of capitalizing on the development potential of the acreage, a stance he developed after carefully weighing the city’s finances and its residents’ needs. Though he emphasized his views may not be popular among the seven-member body of decision makers, he said the property is brimming with unrealized potential.

Glass outlined the possibility for a “core central park area” that could be supplemented with housing units and possibly a hotel, a plan that would soothe an ailing budget while easing the housing crunch. He said he’s willing to “keep an open mind” to the potential of setting aside part of the land for use as a fairgrounds, though he opposes anything that would “sabotage” the city’s ability to addresses its most pressing needs.

“We’ve got extremely valuable land and we’ve got people clambering for (answers to) where will our kids live, how will we be building affordable housing and how will the city economically survive in the future,” he said.

The property has also piqued the interest of civil engineer Dave Alden, a Petaluma resident who serves on a number of city boards and helms Urban Chat, a salon of urban growth enthusiasts. About two years ago, Urban Chat drafted plans that included homes, a concert hall, parking and a smaller footprint for the fair, and now it awaits the chance to participate in public discussions.

“It can definitely be a walkable urban community in itself given its proximity to the SMART station and downtown,” Alden said.

James Burleson, a member of the fair’s board of directors, was quick to acknowledge the property’s potential.

“No one is blind,” he said. “Everyone realizes that this is 60 acres in the middle of downtown and everyone realizes it can be a win-win for everyone.”

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

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