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River Otters are often seen in the Matanzas Creek Watershed
The Bennett Valley VOICE
In this issue of the VOICE, we have a brief discussion on possible changes in the Bennett Valley Fire District, a summary of a recent meeting concerning road safety issues on Bennett Valley Road, and an article on the status of river otters in Bennett Valley. We also have an article on road improvements in Bennett Valley and Proposition 6, an announcement of the Sonoma County Arts Trails annual program in October, and a report on the election for the BVCA board of directors.
If you have not done so already, please join or renew your membership for 2018. The dues are $20 plus any additional contribution you may choose to make. Send checks to BVCA, P.O. Box 2666, Santa Rosa, CA 95405 or pay online at www.bennettvalley.org by choosing “Join/Renew: BVCA Membership." For questions about dues contact Larissa Goliti at lgoliti@hotmail.com or 578-3453. For questions about paying online, contact Bill Finkelstein at 536-1026.
We need an editor-in-chief for the VOICE, and if you are interested please contact any board member. For the time being, we have to suspend the printed version. We apologize to members for this inconvenience.
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Should Bennett Valley Fire District Be Annexed Into Windsor Fire District?
Last week we sent out a special edition of the VOICE with an article by former VOICE editor Marilee Jensen. She summarized a study by the Sonoma Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) on whether the BV Fire Protection District should consolidate with another fire district. This type of issue is being considered countywide.
Accompanying the article was the fire district logo, which to some readers suggested the BVFPD Board of directors had written or endorsed its content. This is not the case, and we apologize for any confusion.
The BV Fire Protection District Board has invited Fire Chief Mark Heine, for both the Windsor Fire Protection District and the Rincon Valley Fire Protection District, to attend their monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 11, 7:00 pm, at the Bennett Valley Fire Station, to discuss merger issues.
Bennett Valley residents are encouraged to attend.
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Community Discusses Safety Issues on Bennett Valley Road
Over forty Bennett Valley Residents attended a lively panel discussion on August 23rd with panelists: Supervisor Susan Gorin, Santa Rosa Area CHP Captain Palacio, CHP Patrol Officer Danny Alconcel, Johannes Hoevertsz Director of Sonoma County Transportation and Public Works, and Bennett Valley/Gold Ridge Battalion Chief Darrin DeCarli.
A wide variety of topics were covered concerning the safety issues which has led to a record number of accidents and fatalities on Bennett Valley Road. Factors include the growth in commuter traffic, unsafe speed, distracted driving, and DUIs.
Captain Palacio and Battalion Chief DeCarli covered the statistics they have on accidents on Bennett Valley Road. Unfortunately, there is no centralized database where all accidents are recorded as many non-injury accidents (particularly fender benders) are not reported.
The statistics we do have are tabulated below:
| Year |
Fatal Collisions |
Injury
Collisions |
Property
Damage Only |
Total
Collisions |
| 2012 |
0 |
2 |
NA |
NA |
| 2013 |
1 |
13 |
NA |
NA |
| 2014 |
0 |
13 |
NA |
NA |
| 2015 |
3 |
16 |
10 |
29 |
| 2016 |
0 |
14 |
16 |
30 |
| 2017 |
0 |
20 |
16 |
36 |
| 2018 |
2 |
14 |
22 |
38 |
Clearly the accident rates are increasing, we’ve already exceeded last years tally just under 3 quarters into 2018.
Potential solutions discussed included increased CHP patrolling, reducing speed limits, added stop signs, speed bumps, changed signage, warning lights, and other engineering changes to the road.
Speed limit changes, additional stop signs, and speed bumps are not currently possible under California Law. Speed limits are set based solely on traffic studies. The limit is set to the speed of the 85th percentile driver (i.e. the speed 85% of the drivers don’t exceed during the survey). The courts will throw out citations if the speed limits are set lower than justified by a current traffic survey.
The increased CHP patrols by Officer Alconcel resulted in 227 traffic citations issues in just three months since the issue was brought to the CHP’s attention. The rate is substantially higher than patrols elsewhere. Captain Palacio was surprised at the scope of the problem and committed to do whatever is possible with their limited resources to increase traffic enforcement in Bennett Valley.
Transportation and Public Works Director Hoevertsz promised follow-up on four action items:
- Temporary Sign reminding people of the number of accidents to date (a permanent sign loses effectiveness. This sign would be put up periodically).
- Relocate speed limit signs right after the advisory speed signs (the speed limit signs in between the advisory signs allow folks to speed in certain areas)
- Speed Feedback signs
- Identification of high collision sites from the community, CHP, and Fire statistics. Exploring additional engineering options for those areas.
The panelists agreed to reconvene at a follow-up meeting in a few months to report on progress.
The sign changes have been partially completed, including raising the chevron signs and adding new signage. There's more to come.
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River Otters in Bennett Valley
by Craig S. Harrison, President of BVCA
Residents are increasingly seeing river otters in the riparian corridor and nearby ponds of both forks of Matanzas Creek. The South Fork of Matanzas Creek, which roughly parallels Sonoma Mountain Road, is where many are seen, especially from Bottasso Court to North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park.
Otters are also common on the North Fork from Batsole Drive to the irrigation ponds along Bennett Valley Road (old Walker Dairy). Otters are here especially during the rainy season, but some are seen in summer at least until August. Often in family groups, otters may be denning in burrows in earthen dams. They linger in a pond until the fish, crayfish, bull frogs, or aquatic birds are consumed. Then they move up or down the creek, whether it is wet or dry, to find sustenance elsewhere.
Otters can weigh over twenty pounds with males larger than females. They have a reputation for being bold and ferocious so it is best to leave them alone.
River otters are making a comeback throughout the Bay Area. Improved water quality and habitat restoration projects in Santa Rosa Creek are contributing to healthier populations.
Matanzas Creek’s headwaters are in Sonoma Mountain, and its two forks run the length of Bennett Valley to the Matanzas Creek Reservoir. The creek then enters Santa Rosa where it joins Santa Rosa Creek en route to Laguna de Santa Rosa, the Russian River, and the Pacific Ocean. The Matanzas Creek Reservoir is now mostly dry, but recently was once a lake where otters and other aquatic wildlife thrived.
Isn’t it time to restore Matanzas Creek Reservoir?
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Much of Sonoma Mountain Road looks like this after a storm.
Road Improvements in Bennett Valley and Proposition 6
by Craig S. Harrison, Save Our Sonoma Roads
Before the rains begin, the Sonoma County Transportation and Public Works Department will undertake two asphalt concrete overlays on portions of Bennett Valley roads.
One project will improve about a mile of Crane Canyon-Grange roads, beginning at Inverness Avenue and extending east to Guenza/Peracca Road. The second project fixes about a mile of Sonoma Mountain Road. It begins at Pressley Road and extends to Postmile 23.15, past the entrance to North Sonoma Mountain Regional Park.
Asphalt concrete consists of mineral aggregate bound together with asphalt, laid in layers, and compacted. An asphalt concrete overlay produces long-lasting results, and can increase pavement life by 15 years. It can transform a tattered road surface into a like-new condition.
Proposition 6 on the November ballot asks voters to rescind SB1, which raised California’s gas tax 12 cents a gallon. The gas tax hadn’t been raised since the early 1990s, and SB1 essentially adjusts it for inflation.
SB1 provides about $10 million in pavement preservation funds annually to Sonoma County, and provides funds to widen 101. Because voters approved Proposition 69 in June, the state constitution now restricts the use of all SB1 revenue to transportation projects.
Whatever you feel about taxes in general, if voters approve Proposition 6 our roads in Bennett Valley and throughout the county will have much less chance of being improved. If Proposition 6 is approved, California roads will likely be among the worst in the nation as far as the eye can see.
Two short videos explain the issues for Sonoma County:
https://mtc.ca.gov/whats-happening/news/video-gallery/supervisor-david-rabbitt-sonoma-county-roads
https://mtc.ca.gov/whats-happening/news/video-gallery/street-stories-sonoma-county
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Art Trails Open Studio and Sale:
Sat. & Sun. October 13-14 and 21-22
Open 10 am - 5:00 pm
The Sonoma County Art Trails annual program opens the studios of participants to the public for a self-guided tour to enjoy the creative process of these local professional artists.
The following Bennett Valley artists welcome you to visit their studios. Follow the blue Art Trails signs.
Bennett Valley Art Trails Studios:
Donna DeLaBriandais Paintings #47 2927 Old Bennett Ridge Rd.
Monica Schwalbenberg-Pena Mixed-Media #46 6136 Batesole Drive
Tamera Sanchez Paintings #45 4520 Mount Taylor Drive
Peter Crompton Sculpture #44 4367 Mount Taylor Drive
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BVCA Board Election Results
by Jean LaCombe, Chair, BVCA Nominating Committee
The nominating period for the 2018 BVCA Board of Directors election has now closed. There are three vacancies to fill. At the close of nominations, three qualified residents entered their names into the running. Because there are an equal number of candidates and vacancies, these three candidates will be "Appointed As If Elected" for the coming three year term.
The following will be added to the BVCA Board of Directors roster:
Gary Barner
Nate Belden
Robert Stephens
Please refer to the BVCA web site at http://bennettvalley.org/index.php/the-bennett-valley-voice-newsletter to view candidate statements for Gary Barner (September 2015 VOICE, p. 3) and Nate Belden (September 2017 VOICE, p. 5).
Robert Stephens' candidate statement:
Bennett Valley is a pretty special place and I feel a strong commitment to promoting and preserving the rural character and natural environment here. Jacalyn and I were college sweethearts at the University of Minnesota, and we have 4 grown kids. I started The Geek Squad while in college, later selling it to Best Buy and remained an officer there for 10 years. Jacalyn got her degree in MIS, but she really would prefer a garden to a computer. We moved to San Francisco in 2012, spending the weekends driving around the north bay looking for a new place to call home. Driving up Sonoma Mountain Road through Cooper's Grove, we knew this was the place for us. We were here barely a year when the fires hit - which has brought a lot of us together.
Director Deborah Rogers decided not to run for reelection and her term will end on December 31, 2018. I want to thank Deborah for her work on the BVEP, as well as her dedication to Bennett Valley. We will miss her.
As the Valley strives to pick up the pieces following the fires of 2017, the BVCA Board of Directors will have many challenges in the coming months and years. Thanking the entire Board in advance for its combined energy and innovation as it grapples with the issues that arise.
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Bennett Valley Community Association
Board of Directors
Craig S. Harrison, President craigspencerharrison@gmail.com 573-9990
Larissa Goliti, Vice-President and Membership Coordinator lgoliti@hotmail.com 578-3453
Gary Barner, Secretary gbarner@cds1.net 481-6196
Bill Finkelstein, Treasurer and BVCA Webmaster bill@williamfinkelstein.com 536-1026
Nate Belden, Director nate@beldenbarns.com 415-577-8552
Frank LaCombe, Director frankklacombe@gmail.com 585-3482
Deborah Rogers, Director and Bennett Valley Emergency Preparedness (BVEP) Coordinator deborahrog@comcast.net 332-4753
James Cobb, Director cobblaw@pacbell.net 586-9172
Jamie Burkart, Director bc3burkart@gmail.com 303-859-0489
VOICE editorial team: Vacant
Minutes for the previous meeting of the BVCA Board of Directors are typically posted on its web site soon after they are approved. You can find them at: http://bennettvalley.org/index.php/meetings/33-meeting-minutes
The forthcoming meeting of the Bennett Valley Community Association Board of Directors will be held at the Bennett Valley Guild Hall on, Thursday, September 20 at 7:00 PM. The public is invited to attend. The Agenda for the board meeting opens with public discussion, with each presenter invited to address the Board for up to three minutes with name, address, and concern. Following public input, the board will receive a report from the Treasurer, reports of any official notifications from the County, and a report from the Elections Committee. Additional topics of discussion will include county roads, VOICE, the BV Fire Protection District, and potential speakers for 2018.
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Bennett Valley Fire Protection District
6161 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
bennettvalleyfire.org
707-578-7761
contact@bennettvalleyfire.org
Board of Directors
President: Arnie Tognozzi
Vice-President: Joseph Mazeau
Directors: Deborah Rogers, Don D'Avanzo, and Mark Richardson
Administrative Assistant/Bookkeeper: Lesley McCormick, 823-1084
Bennett Valley Paid Firefighting Staff
Fire Chief: Dan George, 481-8105 Email: dgeorge@sonic.net
Battalion Chief: Darrin DeCarli, 823-5502 Email: ddecarli@sonic.net
Battalion Chief: Adam Schipper Email: schipper@sonic.net
Officers: Lt. Travis Brown Andrew Tognozzi; Lt. Nick Thyself
Full-time Firefighters: Scott Gratto, Brian Black, Ben Tapparo
Fire District Board Meetings: Second Tuesday each month, 7:00 PM, at the Bennett Valley Fire Station. Confirm the meeting date in advance by calling 823-1084.
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Bennett Valley Guild
Go to http://bvguild.org to learn more about the Guild, including the most current Guild calendar or, for an article on the early history of the Bennett Valley Guild. Note: Ricardo's Bar & Grill, 2700 Yulupa, Santa Rosa, is donating 10% of all day sales on the fourth Tuesday of every month in 2018 to the Bennett Valley Guild Restoration Fund. If you have any questions, please call Bill or Patty Allen, 544-3721.
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Bennett Valley Community Calendar
Mark your calendars now!
Bennett Valley Community Association: Next meeting is Thursday, September 20, 7:00 PM, Bennett Valley Guild Hall at 4145 Grange Road.
Bennett Guild BBQ Pot Luck: Thursday, September 13, 6:00 PM, at the Bennett Valley Guild Hall, 4145 Grange Rd., Santa Rosa.
Bennett Valley Fire Protection District: Board of Directors meets the second Tuesday of each month, 7:00 PM, at the Bennett Valley Fire Station. Please call 823-1084 to confirm meeting date ahead of time.
Sonoma County Board Of Supervisors: Meets most Tuesdays at varying times; 575 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa.
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Emergencies. 911.
Sheriff’s Office. 565-2121 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
Sonoma County Road Maintenance (Public Works). 565-5100 to report dangerous potholes, fallen trees, landslides, or trash in the road. After hours, 565-2121 (Sheriff’s office). If debris or objects cause imminent traffic hazards on county roads, 588-1400 (California Highway Patrol).
CalFire. (to report hazardous vegetation) 707-967-1400
Sonoma County Animal Services. 565-7100 (removal of large dead animals on the road).
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