Bennett Valley Voice

Bennett Valley Voice

Ennett Valley Homeowners' Association - Volume 18 Number Two-June, 1995

Michael Bates' Enchanted Garden

High on the emerald face of Sonoma Mountain aspects of the garden is how it grows and maabove Bennett Valley is a magical garden that tures, and what repercussions this has for has been the subject of numerous feature articles plantings. Spaces come and go. Plants that I was in the most prestigious of gardening magazines.

determined to find a place for outgrow their This is the home and garden of English born roles and are moved. Maintaining the balance Helen and Michael Bates, who in 1982 purbetween solids and voids, and recognizing the chased a dilapidated turn-of-the-century farmneed for the spatial energy that this balance house surrounded by weeds, asphalt, and chain creates in a garden is an important lesson, which link fences. Michael, a landscape designer with you must keep relearning as a gardener. There's an artist's eye for visualizing possibilities, has always a plant waiting to fill a space, and soon effected the transformation from an "old home there are no spaces. So ultimately what you in need of love and care," into a quintessential leave out becomes as important as what you garden display of flowering perennials and plant. You prune up to create canopies, which, shrubs surrounded by 100 different varieties of in turn, open up new avenues of sight and cascading roses.

suggest the line for a new path. But canopies axiomatically produce shade and soon you find With clients and a gutted house competing for yourself chasing the sun. Every year, just when I his attention, Michael painstakingly dug at rocks think I have it finished, my garden presents me and roots, built walkways, terraces, stonewalls, with these new opportunities." arbors, and a 120 foot pergola all carefully designed to be the foundation and backdrops for the splendor of his plantings.

Michael's love for gardening started in his childhood, and today he heads English Country Gardens, his garden design firm. Through the years Michael has developed a design style that is naturalistic and responsive to the demands of the landscape and climate, and yet stays in touch with his English gardening heritage. To achieve his naturalistic style, he uses native trees as part of the garden architecture, and mixes in plants in natural and complementary ways. He says that "although these are California not English meadows, both plants and cultures commingle happily and come to lie down together in the garden." Helen and Michael have been actively involved in the community by serving for many years on the Design Review Committee and the BHA respectively. Michael is one of the Founders of the Sonoma Mountain Preservation Committee on which he presently serves. Monet views of the Bates' garden have been featured this season in the following publications: Sunset, Horticulture, Country Living, Garden Design, Country Living Gardening, and the Press Democrat.

The garden can be viewed personally in small groups by appointment. A $3.00 per person donation is requested which is donated to the local chapter of the California Native Plant Society. English Country Gardens can also be reached at 578-5853 Michael is quoted in "Horticulture" as saying: "One of the more enjoyable but less predictable

Valley Views: Updates On Issues Of Concern

The Golf Course

The BHA is closely monitoring Plan. It was the intention of Mike the progression of the Bennett Cale that the General Plan update Valley Golf Course expansion. We relating to Bennett Valley be recently attended the scoping consistent with our Specific Plan, session, chaired by the City and but regrettably this was never quite Baseline E.I.R. Consultants, at clear to the Planning Department.

which the community voiced their We are thankful that these discrepconcerns and wishes. One of the ancies will now be corrected, and agreements that Supervisor Mike we are most grateful to Supervisor Cale has made with the City is that Cale, Planner Greg Carr, and the Golf Course must remain on Tamara Boultbee, Design Review County land and become a permaCommittee member, for their nent Community Separator, thus dedicated efforts in preserving the precluding further annexation into essential tenets of the Specific the Valley. This is a great relief to Plan.

us, and Mike has our sincere thanks. The exact acreage of the

Neuman Sub-Division

separator beyond the Golf Course has not as yet been determined. Once the E.I.R.is completed, there will be ample opportunity for public input.

Sonoma Mountain

A Study Area

After nearly a year of meetings with developer Ron Neuman and his planning consultant Mike Morrison, the BHA and the Sonoma Mountain Preservation Committee reached an agreement that was approved by the Board of Supervisors in April. Sonoma Mountain is a magnificent scenic backdrop to the Valley. Due to the growing concerns of the Sonoma Mountain Preservation Committee and the BHA regarding how the mountain will be impacted by sub-division development, Mike Cale initiated an Urgency Ordinance with a moratorium on sub-division development.

This will allow time to identify and correct the land use and zoning ordinance discrepancies between the 1989 General Plan update and the 1978 Bennett Valley Specific Although there werecompromises on both sides, we believe that the final project has some positives. Mr. Neuman has dedicated in perpetuity the top 80 acres of his property to be used as a public trail to someday access Jack London Park when other connecting properties can be acquired. The other plus is that Sonoma Mountain Road will not be widened the several hundred feet in front of the property, which was to be a condition of approval for the project.

Residents have historically objected to so called "road improvements" because they do not want Sonoma Mountain Road to become a thoroughfare thus increasing traffic and raising the risk of accidents. The better the road, the faster they go. Mr. Neuman has pledged to continue to cooperate with us as he develops the C.C.&R's for the Homeowner's Association he proposes to put in place. Compliance with these regulations will be critical to assure that the four homes sited on the slope of the mountain will be well blended into the landscape.

Design Reulew

New Committee Members

Our plea for committed people to serve on the Design Review Committee successfully brought forth many interested applications. Mike Cale interviewed and appointed three new members, Roger Creer, Les DeLaBriandais, and Spencer Humphrey. Those applicants not appointed at this time will provide a much needed pool on which to draw as openings arise. Thanks to all of you who showed a willingness to serve on this important committee.

A Reminder From The

Fire Chief

Since this year's high grass is especially hazardous, it is important to mow weeds thirty feet away from your home.

MEMO FROM THE BOARD Our grateful thanks to all our new and renewed members for supporting our work. Without your membership, we would not have the means to keep in communication with the community and to pay for consultants when needed. A special thanks to the Babineaux, Gregerson, Landreth, MacIver, Simon, Bill Sullivan families, and to former Bennett Valley TIC for their generous additional contributions to our Preservation Fund. Having this added funding has given us a solid position in conflict resolutions. Although we have always ried to work cooperatively and have so far avoided litigation, it is comforting to know that if necessary, we now have an additional tool to protect Bennett Valley.

Bennett Valley T-Shirts

In exploring ways in which we could raise money for our Fire Protection District, we have designed a beautiful Bennett Valley T-shirt which will be for sale at the Fire Station after mid-June. It will also be available at Community Day in August. The T-shirts were designed by our own local artist Nancy Dell'Ergo, and they are being silk screened and distributed by our own local funny man Dan Felciano.

The shirts will be in the Valley colors of Oaktree green or in natural, and they will depict the beauty of our rolling hills. The cost will be $12 for sizes M, L, and XL, and $14 for XXL. We hope to sell hundreds of them to swell the Fire District coffers, so do support our volunteer firemen while at the same time making a unity fashion statement.

New County Planning Process

Board Of Directors

Lois Brown Roger Creer Marge Simon Sharon Delaney Eve Boling Bill Sullivan Geoff Hornsby President Vice-President Secretary Treasurer Voice Editor Jerry Toso Marilyn Stocks The Board meets the 3rd Wednesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. at the Fire Station. Your attendance and participation are welcomed.

The Planning Department has reorganized and consolidated the permit process. The Department will be moving July 6th to 2550 Ventura Ave. There will now bea more convenient and efficient "non-stop shopping process" for buildings, road encroachments, sewers, wells, and grading permits. The Planning staff has been trained to inform Bennett Valley applicants that they must first go before the Bennett Valley Design Review Committee. Hopefully no more slipping through the cracks!

Aetna Liennes

LLANNA!

Bennett Valley

Community Day

Sunday, August 27, 1995

12:00-5:00 P.M.

Matanzas Creek Winery

Bring the whole family to Bennett Valley's biggest social event of the season. Have a wonderful time wine tasting, indulging in a sumptuous lunch, and visiting with your neighbors. All proceeds support our Volunteer Fire Department, and this is our opportunity to thank our fire fighters for their dedicated service to us.