Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2026 12:56 PM
From: Danielle Connor
To: Mary Gourley <[email protected]>; City Council <[email protected]>; Phill Carter <[email protected]>
Subject: The Commons Project - thoughts ahead of the mtg Tues Hi all,
I wanted to reach out ahead of the meeting next Tuesday and share some thoughts on the proposed Commons project. I have met with several of the organizers involved in the Commons project and I appreciate the enthusiasm and vision for the space. I am well aware that there is a big need for several organizations in Sebastopol including the Senior Center, City Hall, the Library, Community Center... the list goes on! I certainly want them to have spaces that suit their needs and understand this is a complex situation.
At the same time, I do have great concern about additional vacancies in the heart of downtown Sebastopol and what the loss of all of these institutions might do for foot traffic downtown. Has this been researched? What would the plan be for the vacant buildings in downtown - especially the library and city hall?
The benefit of having these core places in downtown Sebastopol is that they are within walking distance to all of our small businesses on Main Street, who help make downtown a vibrant place to go. They are also within walking distance of many neighborhoods that frame downtown Sebastopol. The library and senior center in particular are so great to have downtown - so many people visit small businesses like mine before or after their trip.
I am also concerned about the city's ability to be a landlord to such a large space and the potential for crushing monthly rent costs if this project were to move forward. I hope that is being clearly looked at and considered from a fiscal perspective as well. I would hate for the city to get into another grim financial situation knowing that we are not currently sitting on a surplus of funds year over year.
I appreciate the outreach that is being done to the community, after all they are the heartbeat of these spaces, but I would also encourage you to reach out to the small business community who would also be impacted by the decision to relocate.
Thank you,
Danielle
Danielle Connor, she/her
Co-Founder, Head of Operations,
Retrograde Coffee Roasters