New Housing Development Proposed West of Highway 101

Basin Street Properties, the company that brought Petaluma the Theater District, wants to build a new development complete with a three-story hotel, 150 new homes and an apartment complex off Hopper Street east of Caulfield Lane.

The developer submitted plans to the city last month for the Riverfront project that would include 40 townhouses, a 45-unit apartment and 70,000 square feet of retail and office space. The entire project would be situated on 39 acres of land off Hopper Street on the north bank of the Petaluma River.

Neither Vincent Smith, who is managing the project for Basin Street, or Matt White, president of the company, were immediately available for comment. 

According to plans submitted to the Planning Department, the project would consist of the hotel and office park adjacent to Hopper Street and a central green belt, surrounded by retail spaces. The single family homes would be located around the retail, with some overlooking Highway 101 while others the north side of the Petaluma River. Check out the pictures on the right for more detail.

In a review of the project, Petaluma Fire Marshall raised concerns that in an event of a fire or another emergency, residents of the proposed development would be able to exit only through Hopper Street, because there are no connector roads south of the development.

Another concern is the railroad tracks that run parallel to the planned subdivision that could block traffic, especially if a train gets stalled or derailed. Instead, Fergus suggested the former Pomeroy site, near the Petaluma Animal Shelter, as a better alternative. However, if the southern crossing at Caulfield Lane gets built, as has been proposed, it would provide a second exit out of the subdivision and faster access to Highway 101.

The city has hired a consultant to conduct a fiscal and economic impact analysis of the project which should be completed this month, according to Planning Deputy Director Heather Hines. The project will then be presented to the City Council.

What are your thoughts on the proposed project? Are you excited to see it built?