Past events and recordings
Catch up on Petaluma Urban Chat events you may have missed — and explore curated videos that highlight our four pillars: housing, transportation, city finances, and climate action.
Use the category filter to find what you’re looking for. Select ‘event’ to see recordings of Urban Chat past events.
Filter categories:
The Civic Brand and how Petaluma engages
October 22, 2025
Petaluma is a town full of strong opinions—and that’s a strength. But how do we turn those voices into shared purpose? Author Ryan Short joins Know Before You Grow to discuss The Civic Brand. He explores what builds trust in public engagement—and what erodes it…
How StrongTowns Views Land Use and Municipal Financial Sustainability
October 8, 2025
In this session, we explored how city design, transportation, and development choices shape a community’s long-term health. Featuring short, engaging videos from Not Just Bikes—created in collaboration with Strong Towns—the discussion connected these big-picture ideas to Petaluma’s own path toward sustainable, financially resilient growth…
The SMART Initiative: What's at stake for the North Bay
August 27, 2025
Join Urban Chat’s Know Before You Grow forum as political consultant Dennis Rosatti discusses the future of the North Bay’s community rail system, the coalition behind the proposed SMART Initiative, and how Petalumans can help keep trains running…
New problem-solving tools
July 9, 2025
Like many California cities, Petaluma faces complex land-use and transportation challenges in the decades ahead. Finding solutions that are broadly supported by the community may require new approaches…
The politics of Affordable housing
June 11, 2025
Join us to hear from Ali Gaylord, Assistant Housing Director for the City of Oakland and Petaluma resident, as she unpacks how local, state, and federal dynamics are shaping the future of affordable housing…
An evening with Appellation Hotels and EKN Development
April 9, 2025
In the expectation that the Downtown Overlay will be approved by the City Council two evenings earlier, the proposed hotel developer and operator will talk to Urban Chat about the next step, the anticipated April 22 Planning…
Building neighborhoods for people, not machines
March 12, 2024
Living car-free is a goal for many in Petaluma. Culdesac gave the residents of Tempe, Arizona a chance to reach this goal. So have other places like Barcelona's Super Blocks and the under-construction Merwede District in the Netherlands. Come hear a veteran of people-first developments…
Downtown living for active seniors: How downtown senior living would work
February 26, 2025
As Petaluma seeks to enhance the downtown retail and considers zoning to bring more residents downtown, Jason Reyes of Calson Management will join us to discuss how he views senior housing in the heart of Petaluma.
Intro to the Film Festival, then Parking reform now: How you can help!
January 22, 2025
Join Know Before You Grow in learning about how parking alternatives can result in better outcomes, outcomes that other cities are already accomplishing. Learn from the lessons offered by parking guru Donald Shoup and the Parking Reform Network founder Tony Jordan…
Bringing Affordable Housing to Petaluma: BAHFA and Proposition 5
October 23, 2024
Join Petaluma Mayor Kevin McDonnell and Calum Weeks, Policy Director of Generation Housing (Gen H) in a discussion of the affordability and availability of housing in Sonoma County and Petaluma….
Why on Y: The arguments for renewing Petaluma's UGB
October 9, 2025
Petaluma's Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) is up for renewal in this year's election. Urban sprawl is one of the biggest challenges facing modern societies: Sprawl results in the loss of valuable agricultural land we all rely on for our food; sprawl means…
Land Use Policy Framework: Will its proposals meet Petaluma's needs?
September 17, 2024
After a dozen years of Petaluma Urban Chat educating about and advocating for better land use practices in our community, how does the Land Use Policy Framework for the upcoming General Plan update reflect our efforts?
Petaluma Transit is fare-free!
August 28, 2024
Petaluma Transit going fare-free in July has raised questions about how public transportation is funded. Rachel Ede, the Transit Director of Santa Rosa City Bus, has agreed to talk with us about transit funding in California…
Old is New: Transforming historic buildings for modern uses
August 21, 2024
Join Petaluma Historian Katherine Rinehart at Crooked Goat Brewing, one of Petaluma’s newest breweries, for a presentation on how historic industrial and commercial buildings are being revitalized in cities similar in size to Petaluma in a way that harmonizes the old with the new…
Washington Commons: Affordable housing from MidPen Housing
August 14, 2024
MidPen Housing, already well into construction of their project at 414 Petaluma Boulevard North, at the corner of Oak Street, is also working toward a project they've named Washington Street Commons. It would be on the vacant property across E. Washington Street from the library…
“Hall of the Above”: What’s coming to the former Seed Bank location?
July 24, 2024
Most of us have presumably become aware of the improvements being made to the former bank building at 199 Petaluma Boulevard North, the southwest corner of PBN and E. Washington. Some of us have probably also stopped to read the intriguing notes about the coming “Hall of the Above”…
Parklets: A pandemic necessity but also part of Petaluma's future?
July 10, 2024
Join us for a discussion of parklets! Parklets sprung up during Covid to enable safe, open-air dining and to keep our restaurants in business. How have they fared? What does the public think about parklets?
Building Small: A discussion of pocket neighborhoods
June 26, 2024
Join us to continue the discussion of pocket neighborhoods, small, incremental, infill projects that build community. Jim Heid and Ann Edminster will offer their thoughts as a developer and a resident of North Bay pocket neighborhoods…