SMART to build east Petaluma station

SMART is moving ahead with plans to build a second commuter rail station in Petaluma at Corona Road, a major victory for the city that has long advocated for the station that was promised when voters approved the transit agency in 2008.

But land use observers have questioned the design of developments around both the downtown Petaluma and Corona stations, challenging the latter in court, which could hinder construction of critical housing and rail infrastructure.

The SMART board of directors Wednesday ratified a deal with Petaluma that commits $8 million from the sale of the agency’s downtown land to building the Corona station. The city, which separately approved the deal last month, will contribute $2 million to building the station that it sees as important to easing traffic.

“This was a long time coming,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, a SMART board member. “One of the reasons I got on the SMART board was to see that the second station was built. It was a long strange trip, but it’s nice to get it over the finish line.”

Rabbitt cautioned that several hurdles could still hold up the developments. The deal is contingent on developer Lomas Partners closing on the downtown property by November. Lomas plans to then sell that property to international builder Hines, which has drawn up plans for a 405-unit residential and commercial development.

Lomas, which is contributing a parking lot at the Corona station site as part of the deal, is entangled in a lawsuit over a 110-unit residential development near the future station. Opponents, who say the city-approved project is not appropriate for a transit stop, have sued to compel the city to do further environmental study.

The Hines project on the downtown parcel has also come under scrutiny after the planned development removed a key access street that was long visioned as a connection for drivers to reach the SMART station. A 2013 planning document included the so-called Transverse Street bisecting the future Hines property and another project south of Copeland Street, providing a through street from the SMART station to the Petaluma River.

The city and SMART did not agree on a land deal needed to connect the future Transverse Street to the station, so the concept was removed from the latest plans. The connector street was replaced by a pedestrian promenade, but the lack of automobile access will cause extra traffic for SMART commuters, according to Dave Alden, who founded a land use discussion group in Petaluma.

“Basically if you don’t follow that circulation plan, anyone who wants to reach the SMART station has to go around the block,” said Alden, whose group wrote a paper advocating the inclusion of Transverse Street. “We really need Transverse to connect.”

The position paper encourages SMART and the city to work out a deal that would connect a future Transverse Street to the station.

“Connecting Transverse Street and Station Access Road would improve the accessibility, community setting, and passenger experience at the downtown Petaluma SMART station,” the paper concludes. “It would also prevent additional congestion on East Washington Street, D Street, and Lakeville. And it may return Transverse Street to its planned role as a community centerpiece. The SMART riders deserve a good solution. So do all Petalumans.”

Rabbitt dismissed claims that SMART was to blame for the failed connection. He pointed out that SMART is a transit agency with no authority for approving land use decisions.

“SMART is selling the land, not dictating the development,” he said. “The city approves the design. Quite frankly it’s ridiculous. SMART has been blamed for planning decisions. It’s not true.”

City Councilman Kevin McDonnell lauded SMART for approving their end of the deal to build the Corona station.

On the issue of the downtown development design, he said the Transverse Street was part of the plan in 2013, but since then the city has declared a climate emergency and worked to encourage less driving. He said turning the street into a pedestrian walkway makes more sense now.

“I’m a big fan of a promenade that is open to bicyclists and pedestrians,” he said. “The traffic needs to get restudied, sure. But we’re in a new era and we’re trying to knock off cars.”

(Contact Matt Brown at matt.brown@arguscourier.com.)