Hotel raises driveway, water concerns

Editor, Index-Tribune:

While the smaller mass of the Kenwood Investments hotel proposal is an improvement, why hasn’t the West Napa driveway been moved? Earlier reporting indicated that Caltrans would have to approve a left turn on West Napa, aka Highway 12.

The traffic impact of tourists attempting to make a left turn (legal or not) on traffic during the summer and weekends would make the already ready glacial traffic worse. Never mind the danger to pedestrians on the West Napa sidewalk as cars, between dawdling tourists, try to make the turn into the driveway against traffic or between traffic. ?It would also be a wasted opportunity to make West Napa inviting and welcoming to pedestrian traffic by removing the gaps between buildings and driveways that make that side of the street less than inviting.

The driveways (if there must be two) should be on First Street West and Second Street West – Kenwood Investments can certainly purchase easements from 195 and 165 West Napa Street if they are so intent on building in Sonoma.

The space along West Napa currently earmarked for the driveway should be used as public open green space to help soften the mass. The restaurant could even use part of it as sidewalk style outdoor seating while making the first block of West Napa as pleasant as its East Napa twin.

I would also like to see Kenwood Investments pay for improvements along all three affected streets to mitigate storm water runoff with sidewalk planting beds that divert run off from the street into native plantings. All parking surfaces in the hotel complex should be permeable and the storm water off all Kenwood Investment-owned buildings in the complex should be handled onsite with swales and other storm water mitigation strategies.

The last thing Sonoma needs is more storm water runoff into our streets, considering the routine flooding during bad winter storms.

While I continue to oppose this project, if it is approved as our city seems to do all too easily, the city should demand these concessions, along with massive mitigation payments.

Sarah Sugarman

Sonoma