From: Jennifer van Leeuwen
Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 2:15 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: Letter of Support – A&M BBQ
To the Sebastopol City Council,
I am writing as a regular customer of A&M BBQ to express my support for this business and to respectfully ask that the Council allow them reasonable time to complete their planned relocation.
My family and I have dined at A&M BBQ on multiple occasions. Every visit has been a genuinely wonderful experience. The food is exceptional, the staff is warm and attentive, and the atmosphere reflects exactly the kind of locally rooted business that makes Sebastopol a special place to live and visit.
I want to address the concerns raised about traffic and air quality, because frankly they don’t match my experience. I have never encountered traffic issues visiting the restaurant, and the only thing I’ve ever noticed in the air is the smell of great barbecue. I understand neighbors have raised concerns, and I respect that, but I’d encourage the Council to weigh those against the many positive experiences customers like me have had.
A&M BBQ is already working toward a solution. They’ve been actively searching for a new location for nearly a year. That’s not a business trying to avoid accountability. That’s a small business doing the right thing while navigating a genuinely complex process. They deserve the time to finish it.
I hope the Council will support keeping this business, and its staff, in our community while they work toward a responsible transition.
Respectfully,
Jennifer van Leeuwen
Forestville, CA 95436