🌱 Grove 'Club' Decision + More Developer Woes + H-Ween Weekend Events

Hey, neighbors! It's a beautiful fall Thursday in town and I'm back in your inbox with an extended Halloween weekend edition of the Healdsburg Daily — filled with everything you need to know about what's happening locally. Keep reading for news on:

• The controversial "private club" proposal on Grove Street
• A literal roadblock for the apartment complex planned behind Big John's
• A cornucopia of spooky-season events this weekend
• And much more...

But first, your weekend weather:

• Thursday: Mostly sunny. High: 75 Low: 40.
• Friday: Mix of clouds and sun. High: 75 Low: 40.
• Saturday: Mostly cloudy. High: 77 Low: 47.
• Sunday: Mix of clouds and sun again. Warmest day of the weekend! High: 79 Low: 44.
• Monday: More clouds, more sun. High: 76 Low: 48.

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 3 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. You know the old, 11-room Honor Mansion bed-and-breakfast undergoing renovations on Grove Street, just south of the skate park? It's now called "The Ruse." And the new owners recently applied for a permit to run it as a big private club serving booze — but city officials just shot down the proposal at the Planning Commission meeting Monday, much to the relief of neighbors who had been pushing back against the idea. The Healdsburg Tribune reports that at the meeting, "after hearing from both developer and city staff, as well as an hour of public comment and their own internal discussion, the planning commission voted 6-0 to support community development director Scott Duiven’s denial of a permit for the expansively and expensively remodeled Honor Mansion." The inn was reportedly sold in 2020 "for about $5 million to a group including Patrick and Jonathan Wilhelm, whose family built the Mayacama Golf Club, and Silicon Valley executive Craig Ramsey." They applied in early September for a city permit to build a "private recreational park and swim club" with a "2,392-square-foot outdoor pavilion with a full kitchen, bar area and lounge that could serve beer, wine and spirits on-site" at the old B&B. You can read more in the Trib about the specific reasons the city denied their application — and check out the meeting video, the "No Greed on Grove" petition that's been circulating or the "What's Happening Healdsburg" Facebook group thread for lots of big opinions from neighbors. (Healdsburg Tribune & City of Healdsburg & No Greed on Grove & Facebook Groups)
2. The Tribune also has a great piece in this week's issue on the "traffic tie-up" slowing down progress on the 58-unit "Dry Creek Commons" affordable housing complex proposed for the lot behind Big John's. The developer, Burbank Housing, is shooting for "a late-2023 construction start" on the city-owned property, the Tribune reports. Before then, though, they'll have to overcome lingering concerns from city planning officials about their proposal for how residents and visitors will come and go: "a right turn only out of the parking lot" along Dry Creek Road, "sending traffic west half a block to the Grove Street intersection, which would be reconfigured to allow a U-turn." The Trib quotes one commissioner as saying: "At this point, I do everything I can to avoid that intersection. The U-turn and the whole traffic component gives me a lot of anxiety." In the end, Phil Luks, chair of the commission, reportedly "moved to grant Burbank Housing the planning commission’s approval" — under the condition that the developer get input from experts about how else they could solve the "ingress/egress problem" on Dry Creek. That solution will then need the "approval of the city when Burbank applies for a building permit" circa Spring 2023. (Healdsburg Tribune)
3. The week after next is "education week" in Healdsburg — aka, the week each year when the Healdsburg Education Foundation does a big fundraising push for donations that they then distribute to local schools. The push, lasting from Nov. 6 through Nov. 12, is a "way for HEF to raise funds for the future and needs of HUSD students, teachers and schools by engaging the community and businesses," the foundation says. "Whether it is promoting HEF with POS display at your business, cash donation or a Dine to Donate/profit sharing option, the Healdsburg community has an opportunity to show their support to the children of HUSD. With your support, we can continue to support critical programs that otherwise would not be possible." If you're a local business owner who wants to work with the foundation on creative deals for customers — or just an individual who would like to donate! — you can contact foundation member Dalia Neito at dalia@hefschools.com or Sara Leffew at leffewsara@gmail.com . Or donate directly here. (Healdsburg Education Foundation)

This weekend in Healdsburg:

Thursday, October 27

• Open House & Ribbon Cutting for New Healdsburg Business "Pack, Ship & More" (3-6PM)
• Albert & His Dreamboats and The Heavy Heavy Perform at Little Saint (5:45PM)
• Stand-Up Comedy Night at Furthermore Wines, Featuring Nina G (6PM)
• 100th Anniversary Film Screening at the Raven Theater: "Nosferatu," Unofficial Dracula Adaptation (7PM)
• Chicago Blues Master Rockin' Johnny Burgin Live at the Elephant in the Room (7-10PM)

Friday, October 28

• Spirit Friday at West Side Elementary School: Farmer Day (All Day)
• Healdsburg Library Hosts Family Storytime at Giorgi Park (9AM)
• Friday Evening Wine & Song at Hudson Street Wineries, Feat. Live Music by Junk in the Trunk (5-8PM)
• Halloween Cub Scouts Host Movie Night Fundraiser at the Villa Chanticleer Annex: "Casper" (6-8PM)
• AVFilm Hosts Drive-In Move at the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds: "Beetlejuice" (6:30PM)

Saturday, October 29

• "Hallowine Run" Half Marathon at Orsi Family Vineyards (All Day)
• Healdsburg Saturday Farmers Market (8:30AM-12PM)
• Pumpkin Festival & Halloween Costume Contest at the Healdsburg Farmers Market (8:30AM-12PM)
• "Ultimate" Garage Sale at 545 Matheson St. (9AM)
• Día de Muertos Celebration & Procession in Windsor (4-8PM)
• Read to a Dog at the Healdsburg Library (Weekly, 11AM)
• Sonoma County Library Hosts Halloween Event for Kids at the Coddingtown Mall, Feat. Family Storytime, Crafts & Costumes (11AM)
• "Coco" Movie Screening at the Healdsburg Community Center, Featuring Food & Performances by Ballet Folclórico (5PM)
• Reverso, Trans-Oceanic Chamber Jazz Ensemble, Performs at THE 222 (7PM)
• Night of the Lovin' Dead Live at the Elephant in the Room (7-10PM)
• Second Street Band Live at Coyote Sonoma (8-11PM)

Sunday, October 30

• Annual Pancake Breakfast for Geyserville Volunteer Firefighters’ Association (8-11AM)
• Fall Colors Festival & Vintage Car Show in Geyserville (10AM-3PM)
• Halloween Kids Carnival at Francis Ford Coppola Winery (11AM-1PM)
• Día de Muertos Festival at the Healdsburg Plaza (12-6PM)
• "Spooky Sheep & Ghoulish Goats": Family Halloween Goat Hike & Social at Riverfront Regional Park, Benefitting Goatlandia & Sheepy Hollow Farm Animal Sanctuaries (12-4PM)
• Final Day of Healdsburg Scarecrow Auction (11:45PM)

Monday, October 31

• Trick-or-Treating in Downtown Healdsburg, at Businesses Surrounding the Plaza (3:30-5:30PM)
• Halloween Spooktacular Event at Pacifica Senior Living Community, Feat. Craft Activities, Trick-or-Treating & Costume Parade (5:30-7:30PM)

Healdsburg pic of the day:

Note from Simone: Want me to feature one of your photos in the newsletter? Send it on over. Please just confirm in your email that you took the photo, and that Patch has permission to republish it. 📸

From my notebook:

• Here's a list of the 30 — count 'em, 30! — downtown Healdsburg businesses participating in the annual trick-or-treating event around the plaza early Monday evening. (Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce via Facebook)
• Early in-person voting begins this weekend for the Nov. 8 election. Our local voting location is the Healdsburg Community Center. (County of Sonoma & Healdsburg Tribune)
• Seeing some smoke to the southeast? It's likely coming from the 100-acre-plus burn that firefighters are staging today at Pepperwood Preserve, situated between Franz Valley and the Mark West area. (Healdsburg Patch)
• The big annual book sale hosted by the Friends of the Healdsburg Library will be held next week at the library. (Friends of the Healdsburg Library via Facebook)

That's all for today, folks. I'm taking a couple of days off on either end of the upcoming holiday weekend, so I won't be back in your inbox until next week. Hope everyone has a safe and spooky and overall super epic Día de Muertos and Halloweeeen! See you on the other side...

— Simone Wilson

About me: I was born and raised in Healdsburg, CA, where I was the editor of the Healdsburg High School Hound's Bark. I have since worked as a local journalist for publications in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York City and the Middle East. I'm currently a senior product manager for Patch.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Healdsburg Daily? Contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com