Real estate developer EKN Development, which is based in Newport Beach, Calif., is working on the Appellation Petaluma hotel, which is expected to debut in Petaluma, Calif., in 2028. Pictured is a rendering of the forthcoming project. 

A controversial luxury hotel by acclaimed chef Charlie Palmer is moving forward in Petaluma, despite resistance from locals who fear it will destroy the historic downtown district. 

The four-story Appellation Petaluma hotel is set to include a rooftop restaurant with sweeping views of the city, an underground “speakeasy” and a ground-level restaurant led by Palmer, a James Beard-winning chef whose restaurants like Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg and Aureole in New York City have earned him over 20 Michelin stars throughout his culinary career. 

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On Tuesday, Petaluma’s Historic and Cultural Preservation Committee unanimously approved the revised design concept for the roughly 34,000-square-foot boutique hotel, which is anticipated to generate millions of dollars for the small Sonoma County town. In a statement emailed to SFGATE, Appellation Hotels and EKN Development wrote that they felt “very encouraged” by the decision and said they looked forward to working together to “enhance our community.”

But locals have spent the last four years fighting the project, saying the original six-story plans would raise the cost of living and allow future dense development in the mid-sized city. The opposition included former U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey, who commented at a meeting last year that “nobody wants this.” Locals were less resistant after the developer reduced the building to four stories.

Appellation Petaluma is a forthcoming hotel owned by celebrated chef Charlie Palmer. The project is set to bring a multilevel hotel to a vacant lot in the historic downtown of Petaluma, Calif. 

Brian Oh, the director of community development for the city of Petaluma, told SFGATE via email that building permits are expected to be submitted before the end of 2026 and that the project is expected to be completed by 2028. He agreed that the hotel would be an economic boon for the city. 

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“It will be a catalyst for a section of downtown that has not rebounded post-pandemic and my hope is that this project encourages a new generation of economy to thrive in Petaluma for years to come,” Oh told SFGATE in a statement.  

During the Tuesday meeting, Greg Powell, the principal planner for the city of Petaluma, said that the proposed hotel is expected to bring $15.7 million in annual economic activity and create more than 130 jobs.........

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