[Local movie buffs, including Jennie Richards, protest outside of Summerfield Cinemas on July 17, 2024, in an effort to save the beloved movie house from closing in Santa Rosa - credit: Photographer, Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat]
Dear Save Summerfield Cinemas Supporter:
We hope this finds you well as we begin the lovely fall season.
First, thank you to all who gave to the GoFundMe campaign to fund the $800 City fee for the appeal!
We appreciate your support and generosity! The appeal is scheduled! See below.
Here are some important updates (and optimism!) we want to share with you - please read and we invite your thoughts.
1) IMPORTANT - Please plan to attend the Santa Rosa Planning Commission meeting where our appeal of the minor conditional use permit affecting the Summerfield will be considered.
You may recall we appealed the City Zoning Administrator's approval of the minor conditional use permit that would pave the way for the Summerfield Theater to be replaced by a Planet Fitness. The public meeting of the Planning Commission to consider our appeal will occur at 4:30pm on October 10, at the Santa Rosa City Council chambers at 100 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA. We hope you can attend to show your support – the more of us there, the better. Bring 2 friends or family who can show support in the City Council Chambers. There will brief public comments with a limit on number of speakers.
It is vital to show community sentiment for maintaining the theater as part of a neighborhood center where local small businesses can thrive.
2) New hope for the theater – A call to action: help recruit angel investors!
Citizens wanting to Save The Summerfield number in the thousands (2,032 petition signers at this writing) – we now call on you all.
In addition to our appeal hearing, there now exists a fortunate opportunity to tap all our individual connections and resources and develop a plan for new ownership of the Summerfield Cinemas theater.
The prospective developer of the center, in which the Summerfield is located, participated in a Zoom call with us on September 11, 2024. It was a good, informative call. He stated he is willing to consider selling the Summerfield building as a separate parcel, to be wholly owned apart from the rest of the center by a single investor or group. A new owner of the building would have the ability to reinvent the theater as a place for the films we love at Summerfield in addition to a venue for myriad community, cultural and educational happenings - a place where creativity and imagination are part of the fabric of a sound financial business model. Older theaters are being "adopted" by Angel investors all over the country - this can be The Summerfield's fate. We want and need your input.
See links to articles about theaters below.
Now is a time for creative action. We call on you and all Summerfield supporters to reach out to your web of connections, bring realistic ideas and discuss possibilities. Please let us hear from you!
**Note that a lessee for the current theater, able to pay market rent, is an alternative route to creating the next phase of the Summerfield.
Quentin Tarantino Buys The Vista Theater
Martin Scorsese Metro Theater, New York City
Healdsburg Theater Gets New Life
https://www.healdsburgtribune.com/movies-headed-back-to-healdsburg/
Monte Rio Theater Gets New Life
https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/monte-rio-theater-open-pink/
Sebastiani Theater in Sonoma – A Shining Vision of Local Theater
https://www.sebastianitheatre.com/mission-values-vision-1
THANK YOU to all of our signers of this petition, keep sharing it and let us know of any potential investors who may be interested in buying the building to create a new future for this local cultural landmark in our community.
- Please email us with your ideas and questions to savesummerfield@gmail.com
We welcome your ideas and any contacts we can connect with to help save the Summerfield.
Thank you for your support!
Paul Seif
Derek Stefan
Trinity Winslow
Citizens Committee to Save Summerfield Cinemas