SVCAC 5/31/05 Meeting Agenda
SVCAC 5/31/05 Meeting Press Release
SVCAC Comments From SAD Concerning SVCAC Arnold Drive Forum

Ig Vella, SVCAC Member Has Again Announced Intentions To Pursue 'Improvements' Essentially Resembling Horrific 'Original' 1989 Arnold Drive Reconstruction Plan.
Effect: Arnold Drive North Becomes Expressway Under Flag of 'Safey Improvements' - Scenic Beauty and Sensitive Arnold Drive Environment Threatened...

Please see our recent Letter To The Editor of the Sonoma Index Tribune which outlines our concerns.

Recently we read that the Ig Vella via the SVCAC plans so-called 'Safety Improvements' for Arnold Drive. Mr. Vella thinks it would be a good idea to resurrect the original Arnold Drive Reconstruction Plan proposed by the County and championed by then Supervisor Janet Nicholas back in 1989.

Evidently, Mr. Vella feels that the hundreds of residents across Sonoma Valley that found the plan as overkill and an environmental disaster have now all disappeared. Over the course of three years and many public hearings, where hundreds of valley citizens attended, the original reconstruction plan was scaled back to include Phase I only and Phase I was considerably altered to better fit the community and protect the scenic beauty of Arnold Drive and the sensitive environmental area in the Arnold Drive Corridor.

In the 'original' Arnold Drive Reconstruction Plan there were to be 3 phases which would have re-configured the two land road to a road with two 12 foot travel lanes, a continuous 12 foot turn lane and 10 foot shoulders from Petaluma Avenue all the way North to the intersection with Hwy12 in Glenn Ellen. Over 1,200 trees would be lost, most of which are endangered valley oaks dating back to the time of the Miwok Indians..

Phase I covered Petaluma Ave to Sonoma Golf Course, Phase 2 covered up to Madrone and Phase III was to run from Madrone to HWY 12 intersection in Glen Ellen. After 3 years of very heavy public input Phases II and III were dropped and Phase I was scaled back to include new but narrower shoulders, left turn lanes and major intersections but no continuous middle lane and gentle turns in the road to preserve heritage quality valley oaks such as the one just south of the Sonoma Golf Course entrance on the east side of Arnold Drive.

Previous comments of Ig Vella that "If improvements aren't started now, ... he is afraid Arnold Drive will be turned into a four-lane highway." are confusing since we can vividly remember discussing the Arnold Drive situation years ago at a Planning Commission meeting in Sonoma directly with Ig Vella after comments we had made at the meeting where he stated that he had wished that Arnold Drive had been widened into a bypass years ago before it had become a large rural/residential area.

Based upon Mr. Vella's previous and current comments it's obvious that his true intentions are to turn Arnold Drive into a Sonoma Bypass/Vella Highway as he touted years ago when referring to the great success of such a bypass in Colusa. So, claims of 'Safety Improvements' are a large false flag used to blur the true intentions of the SVCAC and Mr. Vella. Planned changes Stage Gulch Road do not mean that Arnold Drive North needs to become a bypass extension for that corridor as dreamed for by Mr. Vella and his business associates.

Save Arnold Drive and other concerned individuals and groups have always supported and requested responsible road maintenance and improvements. One that often comes up is the near total disregard of the County in the area of normal road maintenance. Even in the 'improved' Phase I area the road is in grave disrepair along with other sections further North.

Years ago we had requested signalization of Arnold Drive at Aqua Caliente and Agua Caliente at HWY 12. Then Supervisor Mike Cale had agreed both intersections where in need of such safety improvements yet all that Supervisor Valerie Brown has delivered is a Four Way Stop Signs at Aqua Caliente and Arnold Drive which has created half-mile long backups during commute hours on Arnold Drive.

It appears that the SVCAC is again putting interests of business, tourism, etc far ahead of concerns of the average citizen. Remarks to the effect of a subcommittee be formed to 'improve' Arnold Drive are problematic since no 'improvements' to this scenic area are needed - indeed 'improvements' the kind of Ig Vella would like would destroy the unique character of the environmentally sensitive and scenic Arnold Drive Corridor. Over the last 20 years much of the unique character of Sonoma Valley has been lost. Mr. Vella , the SVCAC and the Sonoma Chamber of Commerce and his soon to be 'stacked' committe seeks to stamp out what little is left..