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Public Safety Facility at Fairgrounds

The City of Petaluma is building a new combined police and fire facility on 3.5 acres of the Petaluma Fairgrounds at 866 East Washington Street. The City describes the project as funded by Measure U and Measure H.2,3,4

The facility will consolidate police headquarters, fire department headquarters, Fire Station No. 4, and an emergency operations center on a single campus. In July 2026, the City Council voted 6-0 to award a design-build contract to Alten Construction for $51,573,911 (Resolution 2026-094 N.C.S.), and in April 2026 the Council voted 6-0 to authorize $30,800,000 in Measure H Sales Tax Bonds and $24,200,000 in Lease Revenue Bonds to finance construction (Resolution No. 2026-050 N.C.S., Resolution No. 2026-051 N.C.S., Resolution No. 2026-001 (Petaluma Public Financing Authority)).1,5

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12 recorded milestones

Complete project timeline

Each entry links the meeting and documents it comes from.

  1. Operational analysis identifies urgent need6

    An analysis by the Center for Public Safety Management identified an urgent need for a centrally located public safety facility.

  2. City Council accepts Master Plan and directs RFP7

    The City Council voted 7-0 to adopt Resolution No. 2023-174 N.C.S., accepting the Public Safety Facilities Strategic Master Plan and directing staff to prepare an RFP for design and project management services. The resolution was amended to acknowledge the northern corner of the Fairgrounds, at the corner of Johnson Street and Kenilworth Drive, as the preferred location, subject to the fairgrounds master planning process.

    City Council, Nov 20, 2023, item 8 →Attachment 1 - Resolution PUBLISHED 11-15, p. 1 →

  3. Fairgrounds selected as preferred site8

    The City evaluated multiple sites and chose the Fairgrounds for its central location, emergency infrastructure, and existing community role.

  4. Voters approve Measure H9

    Sonoma County voters approved Measure H, a sales tax supporting fire prevention and emergency response infrastructure.

  5. Council accepts $637,195 FEMA grant for EOC pre-construction10

    The City Council voted 6-0 to adopt Resolution No. 2025-004 N.C.S., authorizing acceptance of a FEMA Fiscal Year 2024 Emergency Operations Center Grant Program Subaward of $637,195 to fund pre-construction (architectural, engineering, and permitting) work for the EOC component.

    City Council, Jan 6, 2025, item 6 →Staff Report, p. 2 →

  6. Council authorizes Measure H funding agreement with Sonoma County11

    The City Council voted 7-0 to adopt Resolution No. 2025-008 N.C.S., authorizing the City Manager to sign a funding agreement with the County of Sonoma for disbursement of Petaluma's 7.19% share of Measure H proceeds, estimated at $3.9–4.5 million annually, which can help fund the Public Safety Facility project among other fire services.

    City Council, Jan 27, 2025, item 6 →Staff Report, p. 1 →

  7. Design phase underway12

    Architectural design work began; the facility was planned as a 45,000 sq ft two-story building on a 3.5-acre site at the Fairgrounds.

    City project page →

  8. Joint Council and Planning Commission design study session13

    The City Council and Planning Commission held a joint study session to review and provide feedback on architectural design concepts and site layout; no formal decisions were made.

    City Council, Aug 4, 2025, item 1 →

  9. Planning Commission recommends approval of CUP and SPAR3

    The Planning Commission voted 7-0 to recommend to the City Council approval of the Conditional Use Permits and Site Plan and Architectural Review for the Public Safety Facility at 866 East Washington Street, with modifications including revisions to tree conditions on Johnson Street and other adjustments.

    Planning Commission, Sep 23, 2025, item 3 →Boards Commissions Report, p. 1 →

  10. City Council approves CUP and SPAR4

    The City Council voted 7-0 to adopt Resolutions No. 2025-151 N.C.S. and No. 2025-152 N.C.S., approving the Conditional Use Permits and Site Plan and Architectural Review for the Public Safety Facility at 866 East Washington Street.

    City Council, Oct 20, 2025, item 9 →Staff Report, p. 1 →

  11. Council approves $55 million in bonds to finance construction5

    The City Council voted 6-0 to adopt Resolution No. 2026-050 N.C.S. and Resolution No. 2026-051 N.C.S. (and the Petaluma Public Financing Authority adopted Resolution No. 2026-001), authorizing $30,800,000 in 30-year Sales Tax Bonds and $24,200,000 in 30-year Lease Revenue Bonds to finance construction.

    City Council, Apr 20, 2026, item 12 →Staff Report - AMENDED 04-16-2026, p. 1 →

  12. Construction contract awarded to Alten Construction1

    The City Council voted 6-0 to adopt Resolution 2026-094 N.C.S., awarding a design-build contract to Alten Construction for $51,573,911, including Additive Alternate Nos. 1, 2, and 3.

    City Council, Jul 6, 2026, item 8 →Attachment 1 - Resolution, p. 2 →

Money

  • The FY2023 budget included $5,000 for a public safety facilities assessment (CIP E11502236), with a total project estimate of $200,000.14
  • The FY2025 budget recorded $1,200,000 for CIP C11202431 (Fire Station No. 4 / Public Safety Building) with a total project estimate of $49,535,000.15
  • The FY2026 budget recorded $8,770,000 for CIP C11202431 (Petaluma Public Safety Facility) with a total project estimate of $69,830,000.16
  • The FY2027 budget recorded $33,365,000 for CIP C11202431 (Petaluma Public Safety Facility) with a total project estimate of $71,546,000.17
  • In January 2025, the City accepted a $637,195 FEMA grant for EOC pre-construction work.10
  • In April 2026, the Council authorized $30,800,000 in Sales Tax Bonds and $24,200,000 in Lease Revenue Bonds—totaling $55,000,000—to finance construction, with annual debt service of approximately $1.3–1.4 million for the first 26 years.5
  • In July 2026, a design-build contract was awarded to Alten Construction for $51,573,911, below the $55 million construction budget.1

Not in the record yet

  • Has construction started, and if so, when did it begin?
  • What is the official scheduled completion or occupancy date?
  • What does the total project budget of $71,546,000 cover beyond the $55,000,000 construction cost (e.g., design, site work, contingency)?
  • What are the three Additive Alternates (Nos. 1, 2, and 3) included in Alten Construction's contract?
  • How much of the Measure H annual proceeds will remain available for staffing and other purposes after debt service payments?
  • What is the current status of the Fairgrounds master planning process, and how does it affect the project site?
  • Will any Fairgrounds facilities or events be displaced during or after construction, and if so, what are the plans for them?
  • What are the specific modifications made by the Planning Commission to tree conditions on Johnson Street and other permit conditions?

Sources

  1. City Council, Jul 6, 2026, item 8: Resolution Awarding a Design­Build Contract to Alten Construction for the Petaluma
    Meeting → Attachment 1 - Resolution, p. 2 →
  2. The City's description of the project
  3. Planning Commission, Sep 23, 2025, item 3: Public Hearing – Recommendation to the City of Petaluma Planning Commission to Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Recommendations to the City Council to…
    Meeting → Boards Commissions Report, p. 1 →
  4. City Council, Oct 20, 2025, item 9: Recommendation to the City of Petaluma City Council to Conduct a Public Hearing and Consider Recommendations to Approve Conditional Use Permits (CUP) for the…
    Meeting → Staff Report, p. 1 →
  5. City Council, Apr 20, 2026, item 12: Public Hearing Regarding Resolutions of the Petaluma City Council and the Petaluma Public Financing Authority Authorizing the Issuance of Sales Tax Bonds by…
    Meeting → Staff Report - AMENDED 04-16-2026, p. 1 →
  6. City project record: Operational analysis identifies need
  7. City Council, Nov 20, 2023, item 8: Resolution Accepting the Public Safety Facilities Strategic Master Plan and Directing Staff to Prepare an RFP for Design and Project Management Services for…
    Meeting → Attachment 1 - Resolution PUBLISHED 11-15, p. 1 →
  8. City project record: Fairgrounds selected as preferred site
  9. City project record: Voters approve Measure H funding
  10. City Council, Jan 6, 2025, item 6: Resolution Authorizing the City of Petaluma to Accept a FEMA Fiscal Year 2024 Emergency Operations Center Grant Program Subaward
    Meeting → Staff Report, p. 2 →
  11. City Council, Jan 27, 2025, item 6: ​Adoption of a Resolution of the City Council Authorizing the City Manager to Sign on Behalf of the City a Funding Agreement with the County of Sonoma for…
    Meeting → Staff Report, p. 1 →
  12. City project record: Design phase underway
    City project page →
  13. City Council, Aug 4, 2025, item 1: Recommendation to the City Council and Planning Commission of the City of Petaluma to Receive a Staff Presentation and Provide Feedback on Design Concepts and…
    Meeting →
  14. FY2023 adopted budget, CIP E11502236 (Public Safety Facilities Assessment): $5,000 budgeted that year; total project estimate $200,000.
  15. FY2025 adopted budget, CIP C11202431 (Fire Station No. 4 / Public Safety Building): $1,200,000 budgeted that year; total project estimate $49,535,000.
  16. FY2026 adopted budget, CIP C11202431 (Petaluma Public Safety Facility): $8,770,000 budgeted that year; total project estimate $69,830,000.
  17. FY2027 adopted budget, CIP C11202431 (Petaluma Public Safety Facility): $33,365,000 budgeted that year; total project estimate $71,546,000.

This page is written with AI from the City's meeting records, staff reports, minutes and adopted budgets, and reviewed before it's published. Every statement links to its source. Last updated Oct 5, 2026. Report a problem.