Dear Mayor and City Council members,
I am a Sebastopol resident living near A&M BBQ. I am writing to ask Council members to keep the existing zoning at this location and not change it to accommodate these large commercial outdoor barbecues. I also ask that enforcement of the existing zoning requirements resume.
My biggest concern is fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5. Wood smoke is a major source of it. These particles are small enough to travel deep into the lungs and into the bloodstream, and they are linked to heart and lung problems. There is now a fairly substantial body of evidence linking long-term exposure to PM2.5 with increased risk of dementia, particularly Alzheimer’s
disease. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12092285/?utm_source=chatgpt.com But PM2.5 often can't be seen or smelled, so a reduction in visible smoke or odor does not mean the health risk is gone.
This matters most for the older adults, children, and people with respiratory conditions who live and work nearby. The smokers have been operating for more than a year, and the existing zoning was something residents relied on when choosing to live here.
If Council does consider any path that allows the smokers to continue, I ask that approval be based on demonstrated effectiveness, not simply the installation of equipment. That should include:
- Objective performance standards that specifically address PM2.5 - Testing under real operating conditions
- Ongoing air-quality monitoring
- Required maintenance and periodic verification
Thank you for considering my comments.
Megan Finaly
Sebastopol resident