From: Patty S
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2026 1:50 PM
To: John Jay <[email protected]>
Cc: Victoria Henkel <[email protected]>; City Council <[email protected]> Subject: Public Comment: Opposition to the Proposed Grocery Outlet at the Former Rite Aid Site Dear Planning Commissioners, City StaƯ, and Members of the City Council, I wa a small business owner in Sonoma County for over 25 years. To carry the unique and significant benefits of living in Sonoma County it takes small businesses! Let’s keep Sebastopol as locally owned where the business support the people,, the greater community and principals of caring for each other.
We have plenty of big grocery stores now. I live near FIRCREST market and appreciate the desire to cater to the community it serves
I am writing to respectfully oppose the proposed Grocery Outlet at the former Rite Aid property in downtown Sebastopol.
This decision is about much more than filling a vacant building. It is about whether the City will uphold the policies and vision established in Sebastopol's General Plan and apply them consistently when reviewing development proposals.
The proposed Grocery Outlet is a new formula business proposed for the heart of downtown Sebastopol.
The General Plan establishes policies regarding formula businesses in the downtown core to preserve Sebastopol's unique identity, protect its locally focused commercial district, and maintain the character that makes our community distinctive. The central question before the City is whether approving this proposal is consistent with those adopted policies and the long-term vision established in the General Plan.
The former Rite Aid property is one of the most visible and important commercial sites in downtown Sebastopol. Decisions about its future should reflect the community's adopted planning goals, strengthen the downtown core, and support the qualities that residents, business owners, and visitors value most.
The General Plan represents years of community input and establishes the framework for how Sebastopol should grow while preserving its character. It provides predictability for residents, businesses, and property owners by ensuring that land use decisions are guided by adopted policy rather than individual projects. Those policies should be applied consistently.
For these reasons, I respectfully urge the City to deny the proposed Grocery Outlet project and instead encourage a future use for the property that is consistent with Sebastopol's General Plan and the community's long-term vision for downtown.
Thank you for your time, your service, and your careful consideration of this important decision.
Sincerely,
Patty Sanders we moved to Sebastopol in 1977 and love this town and county! Sent from my iPhone