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Bill and Pamela Dutra emerge from the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors all smiles after their Dutra asphalt plant was passed Tuesday on a 3-2 vote. KENT PORTER/PD
By BRETT WILKISON
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT
The Dutra Materials asphalt plant on the Petaluma River, one of the most disputed industrial projects in recent county history, won final approval Tuesday from the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors.
The quick verdict came on a controversial plan five years in the making and before opponents who expressed bitter frustration at the outcome.
Supervisors Mike Kerns, Paul Kelley and Efren Carrillo voted for the project. Board Chairwoman Valerie Brown and Supervisor Shirlee Zane voted against it. The split vote mirrored the board’s preliminary endorsement on Oct. 12 after hours of public testimony.
While Tuesday’s decision was a procedural formality closed to public comment because a hearing already had been held, it still came with fireworks.
Moments before supervisors took up the issue, Sebastopol activist Magick Altman walked to the speaker’s podium during a period for general public comment, and then approached the raised dais within a few feet of Supervisor Paul Kelley. As she attempted to speak to the packed chamber, she was taken away in handcuffs by a sheriff’s deputy.
Both Dutra supporters and opponents wore stickers or held signs to demonstrate their stance on the project, to be built on 37 acres near Shollenberger Park south of Petaluma
After the vote, Aimi Dutra, spokeswoman for her family’s San Rafael-based company, said she was pleased with the board’s decision.
“It’s been a long road,” said Dutra. The plant was first proposed five years ago as a replacement for a former Dutra plant less than a mile away. Dutra officials said the new plant, with an annual production capacity of 570,425 tons of asphalt and rock material, will have safeguards for environmental and public health.
“We look forward to working with and for the Petaluma community,” Aimi Dutra said.
Supervisors who supported the project said changes to the asphalt plant proposal, including elimination of a crushed materials recycling operation and a change in the way materials arrive at the plant by barge, secured their support.
“I think we have an improved facility,” said Supervisor Efren Carrillo, the swing vote on the project. “The documents in front of me (satisfy) my concerns.”
Opponents, including environmental and citizens groups and the Petaluma City Council, have said the plant would harm air quality and scenic views.
Some have vowed to challenge the project’s approval in court, taking aim at what they say are holes in the county’s environmental review.
They were disappointed not to be able to voice their views again Tuesday.
“This board, on the miserable advice of county counsel, denied the public their right to speak about new information on the Dutra project,” said David Keller, leader of the Petaluma River Council. He cited 114 pages of mitigation documents recently released by the county.
The vote approved a General Plan amendment, a zone change and a use permit for the project.
It followed the board’s final approval earlier in the day of two controversial projects, the Roblar Road quarry and a frost-protection program favored by grape growers. A disputed gravel mine in the Russian River near Geyserville was also given the go-ahead last week.
Dennis Rosatti, executive director of Sonoma County Conservation Action, called the votes “a grand slam for resource extraction” interests. He noted that key votes came from two retiring board members, Kelley and Kerns.
“It’s another in a bad series of days for the county’s environment and for the public’s right to know what its government is doing,” Keller said.
For his part, Kerns has called his support of the Dutra plant, which is in the district he represents, “the most difficult decision” of his 12 years on the board.
Dutra supporters praised the board’s decision, saying both the asphalt facility and the Roblar rock quarry would give the county sustainable, local sources of building material for years to come.
“Cheaper prices, less out-of-the-area truck traffic on our roads, and the money stays in this county,” said John Bly, executive vice president of the Northern California Engineering Contractors Association. “This is good for industry.”
You can reach Staff Writer Brett Wilkison at 521-5295 or brett.wilkison@pressdemocrat.com.
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Thanks, Wayne Clarke.
Always sharing the truth – it is good for people to see this.
For Notutoo – well, grasping at straws. That’s my response to your ?.
The Dutras want to line their pockets with 24/7 government contract work for freeway widening, ruin the South Petaluma area, and laugh all the way to the bank.
The other asphalt plants could be technologically improved or shut down, depending on what leadership in the County determined – and I used the term “leadership” loosely, given the support of Kelley, Kerns and Carrillo with lame excuses about the existing asphalt plants being near residences and schools – nevertheless, they exist, should be greened up and their capacity increased. Those sources can adequately serve the South Sonoma County needs for freeway widening.
The Dutras care about nothing and no one but themselves and trying to get an asphalt plant up and running with the help of Kerns, Kelley and Carrillo, and together with John Barella, their friend, get aggregate extraction at the expense of the Roblar Road community and environment going to line his pockets with more money.
First of all, I can’t believe there was only no comments from “be smart” on Dec 16 @12:05pm to “NOTUTOO” on Dec 20 @ 10:35pm.
This article should have had overwhelming response, since it is the big topic, next to the David Rabbitt Quagmire, which is also getting very little reaction. Why is that?
How much can BRETT WILKISON and the PRESS DEMOCRAT gush over the DUTRA family in the article Wed. 12 15 10 “Final OK for Dutra plant”. I wanted to throw up, but instead wrote some twitter feeds in response to the PD article; here goes:
Please note that this article was very similar to the piece(s) of fiction that MIKE KERNS wrote in ARGUS-COURIER Thur 12 2 10 “Kerns gives outlook on his legacy, county’s future”. CYNTHIA MURRAY’s (actually BRIAN SOBEL) Guest Opinion in the PD Mon 12 13 10 “Right vote, right time on Dutra”.
Here goes those twitters I was promising you all:
1. PD: The DUTRA vote approved a General Plan amendment, zone change, use permit for the project, 3 FRENCH HENS AND A PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE.
2. KERNS: His support of DUTRA plant, “the most difficult decision” of his 12 yrs on Board, or DECIDING ON PRIME RIB MONDAYS AT CASINO 101 lol!
3. EFREN: I think we have an improved facility. Documents in front of me satisfy my concerns: MY BULGING POCKETS OF alliance LOOT GIVES ME SOLACE.
4. AIMI: We look forward to working with & For the Petaluma community: CAN I CUT MY WRISTS NOW-RUN OUT IN THE STREET & GET HIT BY ASPHALT TRUCK.
Every thing in caps (you know how I love caps) are my funny and original reactions to the fictional comments of the prospective interviewees in the PD article(s).
Later
Wayne Clarke
@ be smart…You said, “This proposed Dutra asphalt plant was never needed and is just the Dutras trying to build a noxious heavy industrial plant so they can line their pockets with more money.”
How can that be true when you said that the other two plants are operating at less than 50% capacity due to lack of need? I would assume that if there were no need for this new asphalt then the Dutra’s are not going to “line their pockets” and have made a massive business blunder. But I think not.
Sorry,”Mary R,” but your comments are so wrong, where does one begin?
First of all, the statement about the asphalt plant in one of Santa Rosa’s poorest neighborhoods.
There are 2 asphalt plants in Santa Rosa – one off Maxwell Court – the neighborhood of Efren Carrillo’s childhood and family home – and one off Todd Road – further from residences.
These plants and the other 2 in SoCo are operating at less than 50% capacity to begin with – no new asphalt plant is or was ever needed.
So, how about working to upgrade and “green” the existing asphalt plants, especially since no new capacity is needed? A pledge to work with Efren Carrillo if he were to show any leadership, after his grandstanding speech at the BOS hearing in October – I grew up near one, so you should, too – this is perverted justic. Why not show leadership to clean up any such operation, especially if members of your OWN family may continue to be subjected to emissions and the asphalt plant operation.
But, then again, the existing asphalt plants in the County aren’t producing that much asphalt because of lack of need.
This proposed Dutra asphalt plant was never needed and is just the Dutras trying to build a noxious heavy industrial plant so they can line their pockets with more money.
In addition, your claim about Pam Torliatt’s loss being “extremist” is laughable. The only thing extremist about the last election was the racist bigotry strategy used by the David Rabbitt campaign – heavily funded by all of the Dutra friends, including Mike Kerns, the seated Supervisor – to help him win an election.
Pam Torliatt and the City Council have stood by the majority of citizens in Petaluma who opposed the Dutrap proposal. People are outraged by the cronyism and by Kelley and Kerns, as well as Carrillo and his flip-flopping attempt to try and make decisions and make himself look like he cares.
You’re just going to have to find some other argument against citizens and people other than cronies with big money. The extremism and blaming of David Keller and Pam Torliatt for the desire for fresh air, clean water, good jobs and a protected environment in which our children can grow up and thrive is strong and will continue.
Keep your head stuck in the sand. It will be less painful for you as reality emerges and the lawsuit to stop the Dutra plant moves forward.
Why should Petaluma need a local source of aggregate and asphalt when they can get it trucked in from Forestville and Roseland?
What a bunch of demagoguery from those saying it’s less green house gases trucking it in from Santa Rosa from an antiquated plant (that meets “clean air standards”) in the midst of one of the poorest neighborhoods in Sonoma County.
Maybe Pam Torliat’s landslide loss is a backlash due to her extremist positions to the detriment of Petaluma’s economy and Sonoma County’s environment.
“The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots.”
H. L. Mencken
US editor (1880 – 1956)
Auto parks, basketball courts, bike paths, construction yards, driveways, french drains, foundations, gutters, planters, rain gardens, roads, septic tanks, sidewalks, soil amendment, wells – well, you get the picture.
Perhaps Petaluma should have annexed the area in question so they would have control over it. Since it isn’t within the City, it is the County’s decision.
One way to deal with this would be to anchor the midget Navy ship next to the asphalt plant and make it even more of a target for the nukes!
As much as some want to celebrate the 7-10 permanent jobs and the temporary construction jobs, good luck. The only jobs that will come from this will be those charged with handling the soon to be forthcoming lawsuit. Dutra could have selected a less controversial site long ago and you’d have those jobs. Dutra’s insistence in working against our community will only continue to delay those jobs from materializing. Based on the weak legal standing of the County and Dutra, it’s unlikely the project will even be ready in time for the projects it was purported to serve.
Blame the majority of Petalumans and the City Council all you want Dutra advocates, it is you and Dutra that have insisted on an inappropriate location for an asphalt factory and you and your prospective workers will continue to suffer as a result. Had you only considered a less controversial site, you’d already be recouping on your investment. Enjoy spending more defending the County from the forthcoming lawsuit! Maybe Aimi’s Facebook friend Sarah Palin can help chip in.
“Supervisors Shirlee Zane and Efren Carrillo were opposed, citing concerns about the quarry’s potential effect on the environment and implications for county open space policy.” – The rock quarry on Roblar road story.
Which side is Efren Carrillo on? The environment or the Dutra’s
@jack c: Starting my defeat Efren Carrillo fund today. Well worth any monetary sacrifice I’ll have to make to see that this is his last political victory.
@joan: Expect our continued financial support. We won’t let the Dutra grinch destroy us.
Carrillo just flushed any political future he might have had – thank you! It’s crystal clear that Stupidvisors and their staff are bought and paid for by extraction/destruction industry. Be honest: people with the yes stickers on yesterday have something financial to gain. It’s the way it is. Own up to it when you write these things. What’s in it for you? More work? That’s OK, but say that. If it’s OK to you that a project is built that most your community members (85%) don’t want and that could hurt the health of your neighbors and their children because you want more money, that say it. Be honest.
Efren Carrillo – you will never win re-election. I’ll contribute to anyone running against you.
Despite a unanimous City Council, majority of residents and business, and zero need for another plant when there are already three operating under capacity, the Board of Supervisors approved zoning amendments to the General Plan to push this down our throats.
No matter how much lipstick Dutra and their special interest advocates want to apply, this plant proposal remains a pig and entirely wrong for Petaluma.
I just read where Apple is having 600,000 IPAD 2′s getting ready to ship in February. Guess where our All American company is having them made? China, or course. All those that complained about our buying cheap stuff from China, are now complaining about a good old fashion USA manufacturing plant right here in Petaluma.
The community of Petaluma will work tirelessly to reverse this irresponsible decision, which is an insult to the Gateway to Sonoma county and to the voice of Petaluma’s CIty Council. The Legal Defense Fund to Save Shollenberger Park is officially launched today .
Please send your tax-deductible donations, checks made out to O.W.L. FOundation, mail to : Friends of Shollenberger Park, PO Box 2114, Petaluma, 94953 Go to http://www.saveshollenberger.com/ to make on-line contribution.
Go out to Shollenberger Park and enjoy the view, the fresh air, the wildlife, and the peace and decide what you are willing and able to do to preserve the park for you and your family.
Joan Cooper
Friends of Shollenberger
Thank you to Supervisors Zane and Brown for voting NO.
A sad day for Petaluma. Profit over people and short term gain over long term vision.
Now the community comes together.
Go to http://www.saveshollenberger.com and find out how to help fund raising for the lawsuit today.
Be part of the real community representation to protect our citizens, wetlands and wildlife.
Also, folks, it was learned today at the hearing that BRIAN SOBEL is the person who wrote the guest commentary that was supposedly authored by Cynthia Murray.
Brian has been the PR representative for both Dutra and Barella (for Roblar).
No big surprise. All more of the same.
Can you believe the arrogance of these supervisors, creating jobs in the county! They should all be fired and get some green minded folks who understand that high unemployment is just the price we have to pay to save the environment. Someone should sue!
Wow – what a thought! having a local resource in our backyard again…what happened to being and thinking green! All the fears of dutra will subside once the plant is actually in operation and doesnt create the controversy or chaos all the anti-dutra people have created!
Sorry David Keller. The public knows what government is doing. Get your head out of the sand.
What a very sad day for Petaluma.
The thought makes me sick that we will have an asphalt plant at the gateway to Petaluma/Sonoma County and across from Shollenberger Park. The drawbacks far outweigh the benefits.
Thanks for the lack of consideration county supervisors…