Small Is Beautiful’s seemingly boundless appeal lies in its central theme: self-determination for local communities facing external mandates.
— Nate Seltenrich, Sonoma Magazine
In the heart of Sonoma Valley, in a region repeatedly scarred by catastrophic wildfire, a small rural community finds itself on the front lines of a battle that echoes far beyond its borders. Small Is Beautiful: The Quest to Save the Valley of the Moon, produced and directed by Carolyn M. Scott, is a gripping short documentary that chronicles the fight to stop a massive luxury development planned for the former Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) — a state-owned property — and former campus of a care facility for the disabled for almost a century – nestled between Eldridge and Glen Ellen at the base of Sonoma Mountain.
Long regarded as an ecological jewel, the SDC sits within a critical wildlife migration corridor. The property also lies squarely in a high-risk wildfire zone, surrounded by communities devastated by recent infernos. Yet despite these realities, the State of California has advanced a sweeping redevelopment plan: 990 housing units, 400,000 square feet of commercial space, and a luxury hotel and conference center — all proposed for a site served by narrow two-lane roads, constrained water resources, and limited evacuation capacity. For residents, fire professionals, and environmental scientists, the proposal is not simply controversial — it is potentially catastrophic.
Featuring testimony from fire chiefs, environmental experts, housing advocates, and a former San Francisco Housing Commissioner turned whistleblower, Small Is Beautiful: The Quest to Save the Valley of the Moon reveals how California’s aggressive housing mandates are fundamentally reshaping communities across the state.