Petaluma's City Attorney Threatened Me After I Shared Concerning Connections Between the Deputy Planning Manager & Firm Conducting Traffic Studies for Downtown Overlay
Although Deputy Planning Manager Robbe is married to the Associate Principal of W-Trans, the City claims there have been zero acts of nepotism or intermediaries while developing the contracts
I recently informed the City of Petaluma that I would be turning in a legal claim against the City at the upcoming Council Meeting on Monday, November 4, 2024. On October 7, 2024, at the Petaluma City Council Meeting, City Attorney Eric Danly provided misinformation to the general public regarding the number of cases and complaints which are actively open with the Fair Political Practices Commission. His misrepresentation of facts appeared to be due to his hatred of women of color. In previous years, the Petaluma Argus-Courier shared that he used the ‘N word’ around his Black paralegal which made her fearful to displease him.
This evening, Petaluma’s City Attorney Eric Danly sent me a threatening letter after publishing an article exposing concerning connections between Petaluma’s Deputy Planning Manager Tiffany Robbe and her spouse, the Associate Principal of W-Trans, Mr. Zack Matley.
Within the article, I stated that Ms. Robbe utilized her spouse’s transportation engineering firm to complete the traffic studies for the downtown overlay project and hotel. I provided a summary of my findings, supporting documentation, my inquiries, and the law, to allow constituents to develop their own conclusions based on the facts presented. My concerns were prevalent because Ms. Robbe appeared to utilize studies from her husband’s firm for projects in previous years in which she served as the City’s Senior Planner.
On August 28, 2001, a public hearing was held for Washington Creek Village by Cobblestone Homes. This was presented by Project Planner Tiffany Robbe.
Mr. Bruce Aspinall, Planning Consultant, Cobblestone Homes, complemented Tiffany Robbe on the staff report. He referenced the traffic study prepared by Alan Tilton of W-Trans within his discussion of the proposal.
On May 13, 2003, Ms. Tiffany Robbe, Project Planner, City of Petaluma issued a Memorandum to the Planning Commission regarding an application to subdivide a 17-acre parcel at 710 Sonoma Mountain Parkway into 49 single-family lots and 48 townhome lots, and to rezone the property to a planned unit district, and adopt the development plan.
At the time this traffic study was being utilized, Ms. Robbe’s husband was actively employed with W-Trans.
Attachment G, the updated traffic impact analysis, was completed by W-Trans.
On December 13, 2005, the City of Petaluma’s Senior Planner Tiffany Robbe issued a Memorandum to the Planning Commission regarding Centex Homes’ Casa Grande Subdivision.
The environmental review cited Attachment F, traffic impact analysis completed by W-Trans.
On May 28, 2019, Senior Planner Tiffany Robbe presented the Haystack Pacifica Mixed Use Project Site Plan and Review to the Planning Commission.
The traffic study was completed by W-Trans.
Ms. Robbe’s spouse, Mr. Zack Matley acted as the Associate Principal which completed the study.
City Attorney Danly sent me the following letter at 8:05 pm, PST this evening, and copied the City Manager, Council and City Clerk:
I have emailed the Council, City Attorney and Staff dozens of times, but they have solemnly responded. Responses from Administration have been primarily regarding legal matters and California Public Records Act requests. Being that they do not respond to inquiries, I am unsure as to how Mr. Danly would like for me to present inquiries as I conduct forensic investigations.
To delight Mr. Danly, I made minor amendments to my article by removing a few images. Legally, I did not have to proceed as such.
As City Attorney, Mr. Danly stated that I ‘appeared to allege that Ms. Robbe has violated Section 1090’. I have never witnessed an attorney use such bizarre and ignorant language in my lifetime.
Mr. Danly stated within the letter:
“Your October 30, 2024 article containing false allegations directed at the City’s Deputy Planning Manager may also to expose you to liability under Section 45 of the Civil Code, California’s libel law. Section 45 defines libel as “a false and unprivileged publication by writing, printing, picture, effigy or other fixed representation to the eye, which exposes any person to hatred, contempt, ridicule or obloquy, or which causes them to be shunned or avoided, or which has a tendency to injure their reputation.”
I am wondering why Mr. Danly and Councilman Brian Barnacle’s violations of Section 45 are considered lawful. I have been on the receiving end of slanderous attacks by Petaluma City officials for months. Why do they feel the necessity to protect a Caucasian woman who appears to be acting nefariously while ridiculing a woman of color with the tactics described within the Civil Code? Their projection as defined could be considered political gaslighting.
I believe in transparency and conducting my business in the light. The public deserves for these conversations between the City and I to be transparent, so they may develop their own opinions on the matter. Why has Ms. Robbe’s work as City Planner been so intertwined with the reference to traffic studies provided by her husband’s transportation firm? Just because she is not signing off on the final contract approval, how can the public trust that there are no intermediaries, Brown Act adherence exists, and no backdoor deals have been made? Why am I being reprimanded by City Staff for asking this?
“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” -John 1:5
You could tell he was heated when we typed that up hence his weird phrasing and a whole lot of copying and pasting.
Omg! It appears these public officials are skimming funds off the top. Is they how they are getting rich after several terms in office? Is everyone named “Daryl” too? A Bob Newhart tv sitcom show reference.