Step one in new Springs development plan
The creation of a Springs Area Plan, a binding County document to guide development in the Highway 12 corridor, took the first step in a two-year process with the formation of a Community Advisory Team (CAT). From 65 applicants, 15 citizen volunteers will be chosen to join representatives from County departments including Parks, Health, Public Works and the Sheriff’s Office, among others.
Guiding the project are consultants from the DeNovo Group, retained by the County with a $450,000 grant from Sonoma County Transportation Authority and the Regional Climate Protection Authority. The grant will cover the costs of the planning team, planning process, county staff resources, community outreach, development of the specific plan and environmental documents.
The planning area covers Highway 12 from Fetters Hot Springs, south through Boyes Hot Springs to the border of Maxwell Farms Park on Verano Avenue. It extends back several parcels from the highway corridor.
Yolanda Solano of the County’s Permit and Resource Management Department (PMRD) outlined the process at a January 14 meeting at Sonoma Charter School. She said the 15 local members of the advisory team represent a solid cross-section of the community. At least half will be Hispanic, she said.
The CAT will not be a policy making entity but will rather review, and make recommendations and comments to the DeNovo Group. It will also act as conduit to inform the community of the plan’s progress, she said.
Five community workshops, open to the public, are planned, the first targeted for February 29 at Altimira School. From these the CAT will develop its recommendations to DeNovo, whose final document will be presented to the Board of Supervisors for approval.
As for projects now underway or soon to begin, Solano said that until the Springs Area Plan is adopted, such projects only need conform to regulations currently in place. Solano said if a project was in the official pipeline prior to the Springs Area Plan being formally adopted, such plans would not be subject to it. Supervisor Susan Gorin added that local developers are excited by this planning process and will likely work in good faith to observe the vision of the Springs Area Plan as it develops.
One thought on “Step one in new Springs development plan”
Comments are closed.
Congratulations are due the good people of “The Springs” for their tireless efforts to create a shared vision for their communities. Glen Ellen produced a similar plan, still on file with county, some 20 years ago.
A cautionary tale: Glen Ellen’s design guidelines are pretty much gathering dust in a corner somewhere in Santa Rosa. Don’t let the current buoyancy of politicians’ promises overshadow history.
For more on the selling out of Sonoma County residents, visit the Preserve Sonoma County Neighborhoods Facebook page.