From: Michelle Batty
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2026 12:22 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: A&M BBQ
Good Morning,
I would like to address the current concerns regarding A & M BBQ.
This is a restaurant that the City Council previously approved to open in its current location.
Since opening, Forbes listed it as one of the top local restaurants in Sonoma County. This is the kind of successful small business that helps bring people into downtown Sebastopol and supports our local economy.
A & M BBQ is part of our community and gives back in many ways, often more than many local businesses do. My understanding is that they use only two smokers for the meat they serve, and the smoking process is not done daily. I also know there are other local restaurants that use smokers as part of their business operations, and I ask that this be kept in mind as these concerns are discussed.
I believe the owners take great care in maintaining and cleaning their smokers to avoid harmful impacts. My family has been in Sebastopol for five generations, and we have supported this restaurant since they operated as a food truck. We regularly recommend that friends and family visit downtown Sebastopol and stop at A & M BBQ.
I respectfully ask the City Council to carefully consider all options and work toward a reasonable solution that allows this growing restaurant to remain in our town. As residents, we already see too many empty storefronts and vacant spaces in Sebastopol. That is not the Sebastopol I grew up in, and I hope we do not lose another local business.
thank you
JeƯ and Michelle Batty.