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Community Corner

City's Decision on Dutra Suit Expected Tonight

Early closed session prior to 7 p.m. city council meeting set to decide whether to join suit to Ninth Circuit Court.

Tonight’s meeting is sure to attract the attention of Petaluma residents, especially over those concerned with the fate of the Shollenberger park and the proposed Dutra asphalt plant at Haystack Landing.

Previous stories on Petaluma Patch have detailed the December 23 court ruling by to allow the plant to move forward, and the who urge the city to keep fighting the project. 

The plant, which would be located at Haystack Landing across the river from Shollenberger Park, has been in the works for six years and in December 2010.

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Following the County judge’s decision, opponents are considering taking the issue to the State Court of Appeals, in San Francisco. (corrected)

The City Council to decide whether or not to stay on as a plaintiff against the plant, a meeting that become so contentious the decision was delayed.

Find out what's happening in Petalumawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

That decision is expected to come tonight at a special closed session set for 5:30 p.m. The agenda for tonight’s meeting is attached to this story.

The agenda indicates there will be an opportunity for final public comment. “Prior to adjournment into Closed Session, the public may speak up to 3 minutes on items to be addressed in Closed Session.”         

The City Council is scheduled to resume the public meeting at 7 p.m., at which time they will announce their closed session decision and take up other city business.

Opponents of the project include Friends of Shollenberger, a group created to fight the asphalt plant and one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit against Sonoma County and Dutra.

Public polls on the decision indicate the respondents favor continuing the suit by a 2-to-1 margin, as indicated in and this survey on Surveymonkey.

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