Upcoming Meetings
The City encourages all residents and businesses to provide their input. The planning process includes several opportunities, described below. Dates have not yet been confirmed, however, the general timeframe in which meetings will occur are listed below.
Mar 10 - added dates for next two Advisory Committee meetings. April 14 and May 12.
Mar 9 - Advisory Committee meeting being held Mar 10.
Mar 9, 2010 - last focus group -"Growing the Green Economy in Petaluma" - Mar 16, 730-930AM at the Petaluma Community Center. Click for agenda.
Mar. 4, 2010 - added a second - Petaluma Hispanic Business Strategy Focus Group Meeting.
Feb. 17, 2010 - added - Petaluma Hispanic Business Strategy Focus Group Meeting.
Feb. 10, 2010 - added agenda for Feb. 23 Arts and Culture focus group meeting, presentation for Feb. 9 meeting.
Feb. 8, 2010 - added Petaluma Businesses focus group meeting, Feb. 24.
Jan. 13, 2010 - Dates for Advisory Committee meetings added.
Advisory Committee
The City established an ad hoc committee to develop a request for proposals from economic development firms and to review the submitted proposals. Members of the Advisory Committee This ad hoc committee selected Applied Development Economics (ADE) to prepare the economic development strategy. The ad hoc committee will meet five times during the course of the ADE contract to provide input into the development of the strategy. Their meetings are open to the public. The first meeting occurred on December 9, 2009. Dates and times for four future meetings have not yet been scheduled, but will be during the following months. As the dates for the meetings are scheduled, they will be posted on this website.
1. December 9, 2009 (click for minutes)
2. February 9 (click for presentation)
3. March 10 (click for agenda)
4. April 14 - 4-6pm, Petaluma Community Center (agenda to be posted later)
5. May 12 - 4-6pm, Petaluma Community Center (agenda to be posted later)
Community Stakeholder Interviews
ADE will conduct about 40 interviews with businesses, non-profit groups and residents to better understand and assess the City’s distinctiveness and unique economic strengths. These interviews will help in understanding the linkages between local businesses and the regional and global economy and the role that supportive institutions, such as health care, government, workforce training and education, and others play and providing a supportive business climate.
Focus Group Meetings
To provide more input into the development of the economic development strategy, there will be four focus group meetings held in late January or early February. The purpose of these focus groups is to obtain information from a broad range of businesses about trends in their industries, potential opportunities for growth and potential threats to the future competitiveness of their businesses. More information coming soon.
Focus Group - "Growing the Green Economy in Petaluma" - Mar. 16, 730-9am. click for agenda.
Focus Group - Petaluma Hispanic Business Strategy, Mar. 16, 730-9pm, St. Vincent de Paul Church. - for agenda.
Focus Group - Petaluma Hispanic Business Strategy, Feb. 23, 6-9pm, Petaluma Community Center, 320 NMcDowell Blvd. - for agenda.
Focus Group - The Role of Arts and Culture in Economic Prosperity - Feb. 24, 7-9pm at the Petaluma Arts Council, 230 Lakeville St. - for brochure
Focus Group - Petaluma Businesses (including retailers, artists, specialty food processors, lodging, restaurants, and non-profits). - for the meeting agenda. - Feb. 23, 3-5pm at the Petaluma Community Center, 320 NMcDowell Blvd.
Public Community Forum
There will be a community forum, to be held sometime in March. The purpose of the community forum, is to engage Petaluma residents and businesses in the drafting of economic development goals and strategies. The format of the community forum will include time for the consultant to present findings from its research and earlier public input, define the City’s economic strategic issues and address questions from the public about those findings. Participants will be asked to work together to draft goal statements and suggest strategies for achieving those goals. All members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend.
City Council Meetings
The planning process includes presentations by the consultant at two City Council Meetings. The first meeting will be held after the Community Forum to present draft economic development goals to the Council and the second meeting will be held in late May to present the final economic development strategy and implementation plan. The dates of these City Council meetings will be posted on this website and noticed in local newspapers and cable TV channels. Members of the public are encouraged to attend, listen to the presentations and make public comments.
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