--
From: Craig Boblitt
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2026 7:12 AM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: commons rebutal
Please review and distribute the attached document to the City Council Craig Boblitt
9/14/2026
TO: Sebastopol city council and city manager
From: Craig Boblitt, concerned citizen and commercial property owner I served on the Board of Directors for the Sebastopol Area Senior Center for about 9 years.
During that time, I attempted to get the 3 major nonprofits (Center for the Arts, Senior Center & Community Center) to talk/work together. The idea of the commons rings true to my beliefs. Adding city hall and the Library COULD make sense if it resulted in SAVINGS & EFFICIENCY.
ThecurrentCommonsproposalin frontof youhasmanyflaws,falsedata and wishful calculations. I intend to address the one I’m most familiar with – Officerentalsand expecting profitsto be used to support the “Commons”.
I’m concerned about the plan to depend on an additional 45,000 sq ft rent to provide income to defray costs for the city occupied space. My expertise comes from our personal experience.Wecurrentlyown and managea 7,200sq ftofficebuildingin Sebastopol on the corner of Burnet and Petaluma Ave. In the past we’ve owned and managed, along with real estateprofessionalsJonesLangeLaSalle,a 48,000sqftofficebuildingin Sacramentoanda 10,000 sq ft office building in Phoenix AZ. Office rentals havebecomesignificantlymore challenging because of remote work. Quotes in the PD article about the County Library purchasing a building in Petaluma show vacancy is 28% in Petaluma, 25% in Rohnert Park, 13% in Santa Rosa, 17%+ county wide. In Sebastopol the Colonial Manner building has 40% vacancy.Significant!!Purchasing45,000sq ftmorethan needed anddependingon rental income to pay forthe“Commons”45,000 sq ft is foolish. We have 14 tenants in our building, all of which are on month-to-month leases.When wehad thelargebuildingin Sacramento the best we could do was 3 yr leases with a decade at 50% + vacancy. In the committee’s info they talk about triple net for the tenants – good luck. Tenants these days want a gross lease and in our case all utilities are included. This makes Sebastopol vulnerable to a HUGE DEFICIT rather than a source of funds. Cities are meant to take care of governmental and resident’s needs, not manage real estate.
I cannot support the current Commons proposal at the O’Rielly property. I’m very concerned thatSebastopolwillend upfinanciallyliableformillionsof dollarsitdoesn’thave. Myeffortswillbetoprotect/preservetheSeniorCenterand CommunityCenterwhilelooking for other alternatives.
I’d like to add that as treasurer for “Measure U” I URGE the council to use the additional sales taxrevenue to restore support for the Senior Center and Community Center rather than spendingon a proposalthathasnohopeof financialviabilityin itscurrentform.