Events

GoLocal is offering a 4th movie night during Eat Local Month! Join us as Peter Lowell's Cafe, Restaurant & Wine Bar in Sebastopol for a locally-sourced, organic dinner and a movie. Don't miss it!

Peter Lowell's is a restaurant that supports local farmers who use sustainable agricultural practices, including biodynamics. Both owner Lowell and Chef Seamus have a passion for Italian recipes and endeavor to have a sustainable impact on Sonoma County, and they do this in part by sourcing their produce completely locally. Come experience their delicious creations at this movie night.

The movie being shown is Two Angry Moms, a documentary that asks the question: what happens when two fed-up moms try to change the school lunch program? Don't miss this timely topic!

The evening will begin with a short welcome, followed by dinner being served concurrently with the movie showing. Please note that drinks are not included in the price.

For details and to make a reservation for the event visit: http://sonomacounty.golocal.coop/events/eat_local_movie_night___peter_lowell_s/45/

5 miles
Follow the proposed route of the Laguna trail (not yet open to public access) from the Plaza to the Laguna and south to Laguna Farm on Cooper Road. Wear hiking shoes, bring water, a lunch, and a
hat. Return to the Plaza.

Leaders: Laguna Docents.

Download the full 2009 Sebastopol Walks schedule here.

Like to excercise & create community at the same time? The Sebastopol Walks series is a great way of doing both!

You can also visit the iWALK site which lists other scheduled Sonoma County walks and allows you to add to the calendar, too.

Inviting all interested gardeners to join in cultivating a grassroots community seed bank that supports Sonoma County gardeners with free, locally grown, open pollinated, pesticide and GMO-free seed.
Seed and Plant exchange all morning with local food potluck at 12.
Class from "Fermentation - Sauerkraut" from 10:30 - 11:30 am (bring a quart jar).
West County Community Seed Bank meets monthly on the last Saturday of the month to share seeds, plants, resources and local gardening and food information.
All are welcome, including children.

Other upcoming events:

September 26 : Wet Seed Processing. Tomato tasting and seed processing
October 31: Garlic exchange and tasting

For more information contact Sara at 829-5234 or saramc@emeraldearth.org

What you could bring:
… Plants or seeds to share
… Coin envelopes
… Books or resources for sharing with others
… Local food potluck item!

Location:
Salmon Creek School Garden
1935 Bohemian HWY
Occidental

View Larger Map

West County Community Seed Bank

Vision:
To create a grassroots community seed bank that supports Sonoma County gardeners with locally grown, open pollinated, pesticide and GMO free seeds. Anyone can become a member of the West County Seed Library, we ask for a donation of $5.00-$20.00 and a commitment to grow out and donate back seed following the library's protocol for growing clean seeds.  No on is turned away for lack of funds.   The West County Seed Library will be housed at the Salmon Creek School Garden and will be open to the public monthly for classes, resource sharing and a seed and plant exchange. The West County Seed Library will have resources available to members on growing and processing seeds.
 
Why save seed and why a local seed bank?
Our rapidly changing world gives us all the more reason to strengthen our local resources and our ability to be self-sufficient.  Local seed saving allows us to cultivate plants that do well in our region, with each generation adapting more to the local environment.   It also lets us preserve heirloom seeds that are being lost as the seed industry is being concentrated into fewer and fewer large corporations.  Seed banks are a great investment; with some plants one seed can return up to 40.000.  The abundance seed savers experience should be shared with the community and helps to model a different economic system.    We hope to cultivate a network of seed savers in the region to support each other and the seed library, which will be a resource for the expanding community of gardeners and help strengthen our local food system.

For more information contact Sara McCamant 829-5234 or saramc@emeraldearth.org

AGENDA

CITY OF SEBASTOPOL CITY COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING OF
September 1, 2009

5:00 pm – City Council Meeting Time - Meeting Location: Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA

6:00 pm – Community Development Agency Meeting Time – Meeting Location: Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, CA

Please be advised that any City Council item that follows the Community Development Agency agenda may be presented at an earlier time in the meeting, including being presented prior to the Community Development Agency Meeting.

As a courtesy, please refrain from using cell phones during the meetings and please turn off all audible pagers and rings.

5:00 pm Sebastopol Youth Annex, 425 Morris Street, Sebastopol, Ca

ADJOURN CITY COUNCIL MEETING

6:00 pm - CONVENE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF: July 21, 2009
INFORMATIONAL REPORT(s): None
CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM(s):

7. Approval of Funding Request from Rebuilding Together (Executive Director)

PUBLIC HEARING(s): None
DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM(s):

8. Amendment to Community Development Agency Adopted Budget 2009-2010 (Executive Director/Administrative Services Director)

9. Consideration of Request from Linda Galletta, Sebastopol Center for the Arts for Sponsorship of the Sebastopol Documentary Film Festival, March 5-7, 2010 (Executive Director)

ADJOURNMENT

CONVENE JOINT CITY COUNCIL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY MEETING
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
APPROVAL OF JOINT MINUTES OF: July 7, 2009
INFORMATIONAL REPORT(s): None
CONSENT CALENDAR ITEM(s): None
PUBLIC HEARING(s): None
DISCUSSION AND ACTION ITEM(s):

10. Resolution Establishing Guidelines for Street Extensions, Street Trees, and Street Furniture in the Area Bounded by Petaluma Avenue, Laguna Park Way, Morris Street, and Sebastopol Avenue (Planning Director)

ADJOURNMENT

RECONVENE CITY COUNCIL MEETING

PUBLIC HEARING(s):
11. Public Hearing - Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Sebastopol has scheduled a Public Hearing to consider the extension of an interim urgency ordinance prohibiting the establishment of medical cannabis nurseries in Sebastopol (Planning Director)

INFORMATIONAL REPORTS (No Action Required by the City Council):
12. Status of City Council Goals and Priorities (City Manager)

DISCUSSION AND/OR ACTION ITEM(s):
13. Water System Update and Consideration to Authorize the City Manager to enter into an amended contract agreement with PES Environmental of Novato to develop performance based specifications for a treatment system for City Well 05 (Superintendent of Public Works)

14. Consideration of City Budget Amendments to the Adopted Fiscal Year 2009/2010 City Budget (Administrative Services Director)

15. Consideration of Request to Authorize Mayor to Sign Letter to California Congressional Delegation and President Obama Supporting Health Insurance Reform which will provide for all Americans (Councilmember Shaffer)

CITY COUNCIL REPORTS
16. City Manager Reports
17. City Council Committees
18. City Council Reports
19. City Council Correspondence

CLOSED SESSION:
20. Public Employee Performance Evaluation – City Manager
(Government Code Section 54957)
 

The Catalyzing Communities Group will visit the intentional neighborhood at Ecotopia Valley, aka Ecotopia Farms and the Darby Dome. This location in rural Sebastopol is another favorite where long time resident and rabble rouser, Michael Heumann, has been connecting with neighbors and creating community for many years.

The future is full of opportunity for others to join this neighborhood. Two homes are for sale on this street now, and hopefully more to come! There will be a tour of the properties currently on the market and discussion of the other areas for possible expansion.

Join the tour to experience the beauty of the place, learn from the history, and explore the future! If you're interested, you're invited to bring a towel for the solar hot tub, and natural swimming pool. Please bring a dish to share and some food for the grill.

R.S.V.P. to cassandra@regenerativerealestate.com or call Devin at 235-6854.

To learn more about Catalyzing Communities, visit their website!

There will be a screening of the documentary, "Unnatural Causes" about the inequity of health care in the US at Two-Acre Wood Co-Housing.

No admission charge.

UNNATURAL CAUSES is the acclaimed documentary series broadcast by PBS and now used by thousands of organizations around the country to tackle the root causes of our alarming socio-economic and racial inequities in health.

Go to http://www.unnaturalcauses.org/ for more information.

The series crisscrosses the nation uncovering startling new findings that suggest there is much more to our health than bad habits, health care, or unlucky genes. The social circumstances in which we are born, live, and work can actually get under our skin and disrupt our physiology as much as germs and viruses. This viewing will include two episodes:

1) In Sickness and In Wealth (56 min.) How does the distribution of power, wealth and resources shape opportunities for health? and...

2) When the Bough Breaks (29 min.) Can racism become embedded in the body and affect birth outcomes?

Location:
Two Acre Wood Common House
680 Robinson Rd.
Sebastopol, CA
Note: Please park on the street or in the lot at St. Stephen's church at 500 Robinson Rd. and walk to the community.

RSVP:
Please email Diana Laczkowski at dianala50@hotmail. com to RSVP and for directions if needed.

Location:
Thai Issan
7503 Healdsburg Ave.
Sebastopol, CA

Pedestrian Issues Meeting

Location: Library Forum Room

The Sebastopol City Traffic Committee and Bike/Walk Sebastopol will co-host this meeting to answer questions and take comments from the community about pedestrian issues in our city.

Hope you will attend.

Kathleen Shaffer
Council Member

8:30-4:30
Location:
City Corporation Yard
714 Johnson St.
Sebastopol
What we accept:

 
• Computer equipment (computers & monitors, laptops, keyboards, printers, mice, hard drives, tape & zip drives etc.)
• Consumer electronics (DVD players, VCRs, gaming devices, stereo components, radios, PDAs, cell phones, cables, etc.)
• Televisions (CRTs/LCDs)
• Office equipment (telephones, fax machines, copiers, etc.)
• Kitchen appliances (blenders, toaster ovens, coffee makers, microwaves, etc.)
• Household appliances (hair dryers, irons, curling irons, vacuum cleaners, etc.)

 
We will not accept:

• Large appliances (refrigerators, freezers, ovens, stoves, dishwashers, air conditioners, water heaters, etc.)

 
What happens to the e-waste?
ASL Recycling mechanically dismantles devices into commodity streams (dark & light plastic, ferrous & non-ferrous metals, etc.). To learn more about ASL’s recycling process, please visit www.aslrecycling.com
Questions ASL Recycling 408.468.0230

8:30-4:30
Location:
City Corporation Yard
714 Johnson St.
Sebastopol
What we accept:

 
• Computer equipment (computers & monitors, laptops, keyboards, printers, mice, hard drives, tape & zip drives etc.)
• Consumer electronics (DVD players, VCRs, gaming devices, stereo components, radios, PDAs, cell phones, cables, etc.)
• Televisions (CRTs/LCDs)
• Office equipment (telephones, fax machines, copiers, etc.)
• Kitchen appliances (blenders, toaster ovens, coffee makers, microwaves, etc.)
• Household appliances (hair dryers, irons, curling irons, vacuum cleaners, etc.)

 
We will not accept:

• Large appliances (refrigerators, freezers, ovens, stoves, dishwashers, air conditioners, water heaters, etc.)

 
What happens to the e-waste?
ASL Recycling mechanically dismantles devices into commodity streams (dark & light plastic, ferrous & non-ferrous metals, etc.). To learn more about ASL’s recycling process, please visit www.aslrecycling.com
Questions ASL Recycling 408.468.0230

This outstanding day starts full-on with Brock Dolman at the Occidental Arts & Ecology Center, an amazing 80-acre nonprofit organizing and education center, organic farm and home to the intentional community, Sowing Circle.

Into its second decade, this organization has consistently addressed environmental, social and economic crises with innovative, practical solutions, style and beauty. Witty and reverent, Brock Dolman, Director of OAEC’s Permaculture, Basins of Relations, and Wildlands Biodiversity Programs, will satiate you with his wealth of knowledge and pepperings of natural history, wildlife biology, native California botany, watershed ecology, habitat restoration and regenerative human settlement design. We’ll meander through gardens containing over 3,000 varieties of heirloom annuals and 1,000 varieties of edible, medicinal and ornamental perennials.

Having become more literate with the landscape, we’ll head to Sunrise Ridge Gardens where Erik Ohlsen will guide us through this 7-acre garden sanctuary. Erik designed it to emphasize diversity with energy efficiency and showcase heirloom fruit, berries, and lavender. Beauty, functionally and good stewardship underlie the carefully arranged swales and channels that minimize erosion and maximize percolation of runoff into the ground. Erik Ohlsen, owner of Permaculture Earth Artisans, is a Permaculture designer, teacher and community organizer.

At the end of the day, you’ll be full up with the delightful possibilities for life in flow with nature.
 

Location:

Occidental Arts and Ecology Center (OAEC)
15290 Coleman Valley Road
Occidental, CA

For more information and to register please visit:
http://www.dailyacts.org/index.php?option=com_jevents&task=icalrepeat.detail&evid=132&Itemid=141

Location:
Pine Cone Cafe
162 N. Main Street
Sebastopol, CA

Learn all about how to save money with energy efficiency and solar and how to fund it through the county's Energy Independence Program.

Speakers include:
Introduction by Michael Kyes who lives in a zero energy home
Paul Rosen on energy audits
Martha Baeli on PG&E energy efficiency programs
Marty Roberts on solar and Solar Sonoma County as resource
John Haig and Liz Yager on Sonoma County Energy Independence Program

Location:
Sebastopol Community Center on Morris Street.

Water is life and with the state of our water crisis, we are excited to partner with the City of Cotati to save water while creating a diversity of benefits including saving money, educating and empowering citizens and transforming resource-intensive lawns into delectable edible and beautiful landscapes. This hands-on lawn conversion workshop will include water conserving site design, hands-on sheet mulching, earthworks and drip irrigation. We will also tour two water conserving lawn conversions for further inspiration.
 

Location:

Cotati, CA

For more information and to register please visit:
http://www.dailyacts.org/index.php?option=com_jevents&task=icalrepeat.detail&evid=149&Itemid=141

To learn more about OAEC, Permaculture and their other excellent programs, visit their website!

Please join The Ceres Project amidst the beautiful gardens of Lynmar Winery to celebrate The Project’s work and provide the support for our continued growth in 2010

Location:
Lynmar Winery
3909 Frei Rd. Sebsastopol

COME & ENJOY...

*Mellow jazz by The Urban Professionals

*Silent & Live Auction

*Tours of Lynmar Winery's food gardens with gardeners Sara McCamant & Michael Pressley

*An inside look at The Ceres Community Project's plans for 2010 and beyond with staff, board, clients, teen and adult volunteers

Food & Wine Pairings featuring:
Lynmar Winery
Iron Horse Vineyards
Skipstone Ranch
Alexander Valley Vineyards
First Light Farm
Gourmet Mushroom
Laguna Farm
Meadow Song Farm
Oliver's Markets
Redwood Hill Farm & Dairy
Whole Foods Sebastopol

Check out the event website here: http://www.ceresproject.org/LynmarEvent.html

TICKETS
Tickets $50 to $100 sliding scale.
*Reserved tables available.
$100 per person for up to six people per table.

To purchase tickets, send a check to
Ceres Project/Lynmar Event
PO Box 1562
Sebastopol CA 95472

To order tickets using a credit card,
email LynmarEvent@ceresproject.org
and send us your phone number,
or call
829-5833 ext.4
and leave a message.

We will call you to get your credit card information.

You will receive a confirmation email when we receive your payment
as well as a reminder email the week before the event.

To learn more about OAEC, Permaculture and their other excellent programs, visit their website!

To learn more about OAEC, Permaculture and their other excellent programs, visit their website!

To learn more about OAEC, Permaculture and their other excellent programs, visit their website!

To learn more about OAEC, Permaculture and their other excellent programs, visit their website!

Location:
Pasta Bella
796 Gravenstein Hwy. S.
Sebastopol, CA

To learn more about OAEC, Permaculture and their other excellent programs, visit their website!

SAVE THE DATE!
Sebastopol has been hard-hit by national and global economic forces.
What can we do as a community to enhance local economic sustainability?
The Sebastopol Economic Summit, jointly sponsored by the Chamber and the City of Sebastopol, will highlight the state of the local economy, identify resources, and provide a forum for moving forward, together.

Download the Schedule of Events and Registration Form here!

Location:

Sebastopol Youth Annex
425 Morris Street
Sebastopol, California (see map below)

Sebastopol Area Chamber of Commerce
City of Sebastopol

Contact for more information:
Kathy Ono, Economic
Development Specialist
econ@sebastopol.org

Phone: 707-823--3032
Fax: 707-823-8439
www.sebastopol.org

View Larger Map

Meditation is a resource for inner strength and resilience to enable us to respond wisely to challenges in our lives, including those facing us in this era of peak oil, climate change and energy descent. This non-sectarian collective meditation will draw on the insights and inspiration from various traditions to support and strengthen personal meditation practice. 

Transition Sebastopol is pleased to be co-sponsoring this event, bringing Vicki Robin, Author of Your Money or Your Life to a northern California audience.

Transition - but how?
Insights and Advice from seasoned sustainability activist, and author Vicki Robin
 
We've heard the bad news. Peak oil, peak gas, peak water, peak everything. Climate Change. And as for the economic meltdown, we hear stories every day about people losing their jobs and pensions and savings.
 
What's the good news? Is it that Obama's on the job? That the economy is "coming back"? Or is it what you can do in your personal economy and what your community can do to transition to a way of life that's rich, secure and prosperous - no matter what happens "out there"?
 

To learn more about OAEC, Permaculture and their other excellent programs, visit their website!

To learn more about OAEC, Permaculture and their other excellent programs, visit their website!

4 miles

Walk from the Plaza through neighborhoods to Ragle Ranch Park. Take the loop trail in the bottomland along Atascadero Creek, and back to the Plaza. Or, meet at the Ragle Peace Garden at 10:00 for a short walk. Wear comfortable shoes for trail walking.

Leaders: to be announced.

Download the full 2009 Sebastopol Walks schedule here.

Like to excercise & create community at the same time? The Sebastopol Walks series is a great way of doing both!

You can also visit the iWALK site which lists other scheduled Sonoma County walks and allows you to add to the calendar, too.

Sonoma County Farm Trails is celebrating our 36th anniversary! During fall harvest our farms will open their doors for a special weekend of fun activities and informative tours.

Printable Weekend Farm Trails Maps
Join us on Weekend Along Farm Trails: * Special farm tours * See animals on the farm * Visit pumpkin patches with fun activities for kids * Learn gardening and landscaping tips * Visit unique nurseries with a variety of plants * Meet Sonoma County food artisans * Taste freshly picked fruit and vegetables * Connect with the farmer that grows your food * Savor a restaurant meal featuring local ingredients * Visit wineries during crush and harvest season 

Location:
Various Locations
Sonoma County, CA 

For more information please visit:
http://weekendalongfarmtrails.com/

Inviting all interested gardeners to join in cultivating a grassroots community seed bank that supports Sonoma County gardeners with free, locally grown, open pollinated, pesticide and GMO-free seed.

Seed and Plant exchange all morning with local food potluck at 12:00 pm.
Class on "Wet Seed Processing- Tomatoes " from 10:30 - 11:30 am.

West County Community Seed Bank meets monthly on the last Saturday of the month to share seeds, plants, resources and local gardening and food information.
All are welcome, including children.

Other upcoming events:

October 31: Garlic exchange and tasting

For more information contact Sara at 829-5234 or saramc@emeraldearth.org

What you could bring:
… Plants or seeds to share
… Coin envelopes
… Books or resources for sharing with others
… Local food potluck item!

Location:
Salmon Creek School Garden
1935 Bohemian HWY
Occidental

View Larger Map

West County Community Seed Bank

Vision:
To create a grassroots community seed bank that supports Sonoma County gardeners with locally grown, open pollinated, pesticide and GMO free seeds. Anyone can become a member of the West County Seed Library, we ask for a donation of $5.00-$20.00 and a commitment to grow out and donate back seed following the library's protocol for growing clean seeds.  No on is turned away for lack of funds.   The West County Seed Library will be housed at the Salmon Creek School Garden and will be open to the public monthly for classes, resource sharing and a seed and plant exchange. The West County Seed Library will have resources available to members on growing and processing seeds.
 
Why save seed and why a local seed bank?
Our rapidly changing world gives us all the more reason to strengthen our local resources and our ability to be self-sufficient.  Local seed saving allows us to cultivate plants that do well in our region, with each generation adapting more to the local environment.   It also lets us preserve heirloom seeds that are being lost as the seed industry is being concentrated into fewer and fewer large corporations.  Seed banks are a great investment; with some plants one seed can return up to 40.000.  The abundance seed savers experience should be shared with the community and helps to model a different economic system.    We hope to cultivate a network of seed savers in the region to support each other and the seed library, which will be a resource for the expanding community of gardeners and help strengthen our local food system.

For more information contact Sara McCamant 829-5234 or saramc@emeraldearth.org

As the Equinox draws near, please consider taking a few hours to clean your drawers and closets. As you sort and organize summer and winter belongings, pull out your unwanted items: clothing that doesn’t fit, accessories that no longer suit your lifestyle, sale items that did not work out… Be sure to include those unwanted but well meaning gifts - such as books you don’t want to read or holiday sweatshirts embellished with merry pigs. (Sorry, Mom!) Give these items to friends, neighbors or local charities, sell them at garage sales or on-line, post them as free-bees on local bulletin boards or bring them to a clothing swap!

A clothing swap is a fun, ecological way to get new-to-you clothes and give away unwanted reusables. Yes, the term swap is a somewhat of a misnomer, but that is how it was introduced to me in the early 80’s, and the name stuck. Since then I have organized one or more swaps per year and have saved tens of thousands of dollars for myself and many other people. (i.e., $500 per year x 25 years = $12,500.)

Whether you prefer small intimate gatherings or large public events, the idea is pretty simple: invite people to bring unwanted clothing, accessories and perhaps small reusables and have them to put their goods out in an organized manner. Then everyone can take what they want - for themselves, their family and perhaps friends. The remainder is boxed up and given to non-profits. Often magical events, swaps help ease tight budgets and allows you to try on and perhaps take home items you would never dream of buying. Swaps also helps spread the wealth, raises awareness about reuse and reduces the amount going to landfill.

Men and women are welcome and kids must be monitored at all times. Each participant over 12 is asked to volunteer for one hour or donate of $5 to help cover costs. No one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Tasks include planning, promoting, set-up, working the door, staffing the repair center, monitoring, clean-up. Many hands make lite work…

Please bring your friends and carpool. Drop your passengers and goods at Synergy and park in the commercial area one block east.

We at LITE enjoy advising potential organizers, posting swaps to our announcement list and collaborating. It would be great to have the assistance of an ongoing pool of swap lovers - especially some focused on kids for back to school swaps, prom dresses (see article below) and costumes/gifts/toys. For those that want to organize your own swaps, kits are available for low rental fee: portable racks, 100+ hangers, sample signs and invitations.

Location:
LITE Initiatives, Synergy Sustainability Center
4019 Sebastopol Rd. (one short block east of Fulton/Wright Road)
Santa Rosa, CA

Contact:
For more information or to be put on the swap announcement list send a note to lite@sonic.net.

Source:
Press Democrate's LivingGreen Blog (9/1/09). "Clothing Swaps – A Ritual For Changing Seasons."