After an appellate court denied the City of Petaluma’s efforts to block Dutra Materials from opening an asphalt plant across the river from Shollenberger Park, the company has made plans to begin building the facility as soon as possible, and hopes it will be open early next year. Those who took part in the Argus-Couriers unofficial poll were split nearly 50/50 on whether or not the plant will be a good addition in Petaluma. Here were some of the comments:
“As a 29-year Petaluma resident, I have lived through a few changes. The asphalt plant, though neither bucolic nor agricultural, is a reasonable use of the property.”
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“An asphalt plant does not belong next to a park that attracts many birds. The park is essentially a wildlife resource and industry should not be there.”
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“Anything to fix the roads. I had a blowout after hitting a crater three weeks ago and paid $300 for a new tire.”

“I can’t even imagine that the first thing we are going to see when driving into Petaluma is an asphalt plant, and next to Shollenberger, one of the treasures in town. Ridiculous.”
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“I believe that the asphalt plant will prove in the long run to be beneficial to both the County of Sonoma and the City of Petaluma.”
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“It’s not a good place for it — the park is too environmentally sensitive.”
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“As a scientist, I am aware of the new state-of-the-art technologies that will be used at Dutra’s asphalt plant just south of Petaluma, and feel confident that the operation will be safe and certainly not a threat to wildlife or people in the area.”
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“I am disgusted with those who did nothing to deter Dutra. For example, Mike Harris and David Rabbitt, who couldn’t be bothered to attend Board of Supervisor meetings to speak out against the proposed asphalt plant.”
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“Dutra jumped through all the hoops — let it be.”
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“For those of us who suffer from the hay trucks going through town, this will be another health issue we will experience and will be keeping our doctors very busy. Allergies are nothing to sneeze at and this plant really scares me because of my own fragile health.”
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“Petaluma needs more local businesses investing in the community and employing our citizens. An asphalt plant in Petaluma cuts down on trucking costs, in turn taking more trucks off our congested roadways.”

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