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Accompanying Written Statement and City Summary |
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Accompanying Written Statement and City Summary |
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Click Here for Measure A's
Ballot Wording
The City Attorney has prepared the following title and summary of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure:
AN INITIATIVE MEASURE REGARDING THE LEASE AND SALE OF CERTAIN
REAL PROPERTY BEHIND MOUNTAIN CEMETERY OWNED BY THE CITY OF SONOMA
The City of Sonoma owns certain undeveloped land behind Mountain
Cemetery. This measure would prohibit the City from leasing or
selling all or any part of the approximately sixty acres of land
referred to as APN 127-051-008 situated in the undeveloped hillside
area behind Mountain Cemetery for the development of a resort
and/or hotel.
The text of the initiative is as follows:
Whereas, approximately 60 acres of City owned real property
situated in the undeveloped hillside area behind Mountain Cemetery
is invaluable as a potential park or nature preserve, and
Whereas, the development of a resort and/or hotel on the property
would be detrimental to the ecology and environment and change
the hillside area forever, and
Whereas, we determine that the City of Sonoma should not lease
or sell all or any part of the property for development of a resort
and/or hotel.
NOW THEREFORE, the people of the City
of Sonoma do ordain as follows:
The City shall not lease or sell all or any part of approximately
60 acres of real property referred to as APN 127-051-008 situated
in the undeveloped hillside area behind Mountain Cemetery for
the development of a resort and/or hotel.
If any part of this ordinance or the application thereof to any
person or circumstance is held invalid, the rest of it shall remain
in effect.
Notice is hereby given pursuant to Section 9202 of the Elections Code by the registered qualified voters of the City of Sonoma whose names appear hereon of their intention to circulate a petition within the City of Sonoma. The purpose of the petition is to introduce an ordinance preventing the City of Sonoma from leasing or selling all or any part of approximately 60 acres of real property situated in the undeveloped hillside area behind Mountain Cemetery for the development of a resort and/or hotel.
A statement of the reasons for the proposed action as contemplated in the petition are as follows:
On January 4, 1999, the Sonoma Index
Tribune reported that the City Council held a closed session on
September 29, 1998 to discuss the sale or lease of approximately
60 acres of City owned real property in apparent violation of
the Brown Act. Three council members running for reelection in
November 1998 attended the closed session. Since the subject of
the closed session was not publicly known until after the election,
voters had no opportunity to question candidates as to their positions
with respect to the lease or sale of this City owned property.
The proposed lease or sale of the property is of major consequence
to the City and the voters.
The property has been owned by the City for more than 100 years
and is situated in the undeveloped hillside area behind Mountain
Cemetery. The Technical Appendix to the Environmental Resources
Element of the 1995-2005 General Plan refers to this area as part
of a greenbelt. As a potential park or nature preserve, the property
is invaluable.
Private investors seek to develop the property as a resort hotel
for affluent quests. Substantial tax revenue would accrue to the
City. Such a development would be detrimental to the ecology and
environment and change the area forever.
Since the credibility of four council members who attended the
closed session has been compromised, the voters alone should make
this momentous decision.
PETITION FOR SUBMISSION TO VOTERS OF INITIATIVE MEASURE REGARDING THE LEASE AND SALE OF CERTAIN REAL PROPERTY BEHIND MOUNTAIN CEMETERY OWNED BY THE CITY OF SONOMA
To the City Council of the City of Sonoma:
We, the undersigned, registered and qualified voters of the
State of California, City of Sonoma, pursuant to Section 9201
of the Elections Code present to the City Council of the City
of Sonoma this petition and request that the initiative measure
be immediately submitted to the registered and qualified voters
of the city for their decision at a special election on a date
to be determined by the city council.
The City Attorney has prepared the following title and summary
of the chief purpose and points of the proposed measure:
AN INITIATIVE MEASURE REGARDING THE LEASE AND SALE OF CERTAIN
REAL PROPERTY BEHIND MOUNTAIN CEMETERY OWNED BY THE CITY OF SONOMA
The City of Sonoma owns certain undeveloped land behind Mountain
Cemetery. This measure would prohibit the
City from leasing or selling all or any part of the approximately
sixty acres of land referred to as APN 127-051-008 situated
in the undeveloped hillside area behind
Mountain Cemetery for the development of a resort and/or hotel.
NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: THIS PETITION MAY BE CIRCULATED
BY A PAID SIGNATURE GATHERER OR A VOLUNTEER. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT
TO ASK.
The printed names, signatures, and residence addresses of the
voters are as follows:
1. _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
2. _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
3. _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
4. _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
5. _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
6. _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
7. _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
8. _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
9. _____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
10._____________________________ _____________________________
_____________________________ _____________________________
DECLARATION OF PERSON CIRCULATING SECTION OF VOTER INITIATIVE
PETITION
The undersigned declares as follows:
1. My residence address is _______________________________________
and I am a registered voter in the City of Sonoma.
2. I personally circulated the attached petition for signing.
3. I witnessed each of the appended signatures being written on the petition and to my best information and belief, each signature is the genuine signature of the person whose name it purports to be; and
4. The appended signatures were obtained between the dates of _________________ and _______________, inclusive.
I declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the foregoing is true and correct.
Executed on __________ at Sonoma, California.
* (red text added for clarity
and emphasis)
