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2022 GENERAL PLAN, INCLUSIONARY
HOUSING,
& GROWTH MANAGEMENT ANNUAL REVIEW
Planning Commission and City Council Report
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Table of Contents
I. GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL REVIEW .............................................................................................. 4 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................... 4 GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS IN 2021 ..................................................................................... 4 GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION .............................................................................................. 4 HOUSING ELEMENT ....................................................................................................................... 5 Population ................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Residential Growth and Development ..................................................................................................................... 5 Housing Needs and Affordability ............................................................................................................................. 7 Housing Element Objectives .................................................................................................................................. 10 Housing Policy Implementation ............................................................................................................................. 12 LAND USE / URBAN DESIGN ELEMENTS ................................................................................... 12 Non-Residential Growth and Development ........................................................................................................... 12 Annexations............................................................................................................................................................. 13 Downtown................................................................................................................................................................ 13 TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT ...................................................................................................... 14 Bicycles and Pedestrians ....................................................................................................................................... 14 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan ...................................................................................................................... 14 Bicycle and Pedestrian Project Updates ............................................................................................................... 15 Coordination with Regional Entities ....................................................................................................................... 15 Transit and Transportation Systems Management .............................................................................................. 16 Overview of Transit Services .................................................................................................................................. 16 PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES ELEMENT ............................................................................ 18 Police Services ........................................................................................................................................................ 22 Police Service Statistics ......................................................................................................................................... 22 Fire Protection ......................................................................................................................................................... 23 Fire Service Statistics ............................................................................................................................................. 23 Water Supply ........................................................................................................................................................... 24 Water Conservation and Efficiency ........................................................................................................................ 24 Wastewater ............................................................................................................................................................. 25 OPEN SPACE AND CONSERVATION ELEMENT ........................................................................... 26 Creek Stewardship.................................................................................................................................................. 26 Greenhouse Gas Emissions ................................................................................................................................... 28 Energy Efficiency ..................................................................................................................................................... 29 Renewable Energy .................................................................................................................................................. 30 Parking and Land Use Management ..................................................................................................................... 30 Improved Transportation Options .......................................................................................................................... 30 Waste Reduction, Recycling and Composting ....................................................................................................... 31
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YOUTH AND FAMILY ELEMENT .................................................................................................... 32 City’s Support Program Facility Fund ..................................................................................................................... 32 Children’s Savings Account .................................................................................................................................... 32 Santa Rosa Violence Prevention Partnership (The Partnership) ......................................................................... 32 ECONOMIC VITALITY ELEMENT ................................................................................................... 34 HISTORIC PRESERVATION ELEMENT .......................................................................................... 36 NOISE AND SAFETY ELEMENT..................................................................................................... 37 ART AND CULTURE ELEMENT...................................................................................................... 39 Public Art Program .................................................................................................................................................. 40 II. ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ............................................ 42 III. ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE ....................................... 47 HOUSING ELEMENT POLICY APPENDIX ...................................................................................... 49
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I. GENERAL PLAN ANNUAL REVIEW
INTRODUCTION
The General Plan was adopted in November 2009, and addresses the physical development and growth of Santa Rosa, and it represents the community’s aspirations for the future. The General Plan is required by State law and has a long -range focus, looking 20 or more years into the future. The General Plan guid es the City’s growth and development as well as the funding of public improvement projects, including parks and streets. A comprehensive update of the City’s General Plan is currently underway with adoption expected by year’s end 2023.
This General Plan Annual Review R eport reviews the existing General Plan. To learn more about and participate in the General Plan update process, please visit the City’s dedicated website santarosaforward.com.
Staff prepares the General Plan Annual Review Report to provide members of the public and the City’s decision makers with information relating to progress with implementing the General Plan and toward meeting City goals. This General Plan Annual Review report looks at the 2022 calendar year. All jurisdictions are required to provide this report to the California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) each year per Government Code Sections 65400 and 65700.
The report also includes an annual review of the Growth Management Program and the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance as required by local ordinance.
GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENTS IN 2022
According to City policy, the General Plan can be amended three times per year and is typically acted on by Council in spring, summer, and fall/winter. Any c hange to the General Plan requires a hearing before both the Planning Commission and the City Council . If there are multiple amendment requests, the requests are grouped together as one package.
In 2022, one General Plan amendment was approved for property located at 2210 Brush Creek Road, Assessor’s Parcel No. 182-050-004. The amendment consisted of changing the General Plan land use designation from Very Low Density Residential (0.2-2 units per acre) to Low Density Residential (2 -8 units per acre ) in order to allow for a subsequent four -lot subdivision.
GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION
The Santa Rosa General Plan contains twelve elements, or chapters, and hundreds of goals and policies which guide the daily decision making of City staff, the City Council and City boards and commissions. The following sections address City progress toward implementing General Plan elements, goals, and policies.
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HOUSING ELEMENT
Population
The California Department of Finance (DOF) estimates that Santa Rosa had 175,775 residents as of January 1, 2022, representing a 0.91 percent decrease from the 2021 population of 177,396.
Residential Growth and Development
Building permits were issued for 1,171 residential units in 2022 (excluding fire-rebuild area replacement housing). Of the 1,171 building permits issued:
• 152 permits were for
single family dwellings,
consisting of attached
and detached units
and one manufactured
home;
• 906 permits were for
multi-family dwellings,
including one triplex,
and two units added to
multi-family
apartments: and
• 113 permits were for
accessory dwelling
units, including ADUs,
Junior ADUs, and ADUs
that have been
legalized and brought
up to code.
Building permits were issued for detached and attached single-family dwellings in the Round Barn Village, Southwest Estates, Grove Village, Kerry Ranch, and Liner Village subdivisions , among others. Building permits issued for multi -family housing included units in the Aviara Apartments, the Cannery at Railroad Square, Colgan Creek Ap artments, Stony Oaks Apartments, Stony Point Flats Apartments, Acme Fami ly Apartments, and the Mahonia Glen project. Note that project names may have changed since initial applications were filed.
Several notable residential projects that are currently in the planning or building process are highlighted below.
298
488
252
126
303 345
458 447
629
1400
1171
0 200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022
Annual Building Permits Issued for
Residential Units
2012-2022
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Casa Roseland is a four story , 75 unit
100-percent affordable multi -family
housing project located within the
Roseland Priority Development Area on
Sebastopol Road in the City’s Southwest
quadrant. The project consists of one -,
two-, and three -bedroom units and
includes outdoor recrea tion areas for
children and adults. The project is
currently under building permit plan
review.
3575 Mendocino involves the
redevelopment of the former
Journey’s End Mobile Home
Park, at the intersection of
Mendocino Avenue and
Bicentennial Way, in the City’s
Northeast quadrant. Phase 1
will include up to 532 multi-
family housing units . Phase 2
consists of 37 units, all of which
are affordable for low - and very
low-income senior households.
In 2022, b uilding permits were
issued for the second phase of
the senior housing
development.
420 Mendocino Avenue is an approved eight story,
168-unit multi-family project with ground-floor
commercial units in Downtown . The project
includes a 100 -space parking garage. Residential
units offered include mi cro studio, studios, junior
one bedroom, one bedroom and two -bedroom
units.
Figure 1- Rendering of Casa Roseland
Figure 2 - Rendering of 3575 Mendocino Senior Housing
Figure 3– Rendering of 420 Mendocino Ave. Mixed-
Use Project
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Colgan Creek is an approved 65-lot
subdivision with 65 attached single family
homes and attached accessory dwelling
units located at 3011 Dutton Meadow.
Proposed single family homes will be
1,050 square feet, and the attached
accessory dwelling units will be 474
square feet. The project will provide 8%
affordable rental housing (five units on-site
and 0.2 in lieu fee).
Fountaingrove Apartments is an approved 239-unit multifamily project located at 3586 Mendocino Avenue in the Northeast quadrant. The units will be spread among six three to five story buildings, comprised of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. Amenities include a swimming pool, dog park and children’s playground.
Ridley Avenue Family Apartments is an
approved 50-unit, 100% affordable,
apartment complex located at 1801
Ridley Avenue, a vacant site south of
Northwest Community Park in the
Northwest quadrant. The project
includes two three-story residential
buildings and a two-story building with
community space on the ground floor
with residential above. Amenities include gathering areas, community garden, recreation areas and a tot lot. Building permit applications for construction are anticipated in 2023.
Figure 4– Rendering of Colgan Creek Subdivision
Figure 5 – Fountaingrove Apartments
Figure 6 – Ridley Avenue Family Apartments
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Stonebridge
Subdivision is a
residential project with
108 residential lots
that includes a mix of
single family detached
and attached for-sale
units for moderate-
income residents. The
28-acre site, located
north of Piner Road in
the Northwest quadrant, is mostly vacant, with an existing residence and agricultural outbuildings. A wildlife preserve will be incorporated on the site.
Housing Needs and Affordability
State law requires Housing Element s to be updated every eight years. The Cycle 5 Housing Element was adopted on July 29, 2014 and regulates housing needs and policies from 2015 to 2023. The Cycle 6 Housing Element was adopted by the City Council on February 14, 2023 and is currently being reviewed for certification by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD ). It will regulate housing needs and policies from its certification date in 2023 through January 2031.
California mandates each jurisdiction to create its fair share of housing, called the Regional Housing Needs Allocation, or RHNA. As part of RHNA, the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), determines the total number of new homes the Bay Area needs to build—and how affordable those homes need to be —to meet the housing needs of people at all income levels.
The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) , working with the Housing Methodology Committee, then distributes a share of the region’s housing need to each c ity, town, and county in the region. Each local government must then update the housing element of its general plan to show the locations where housing can be built and the policies and strategies necessary to meet the community’s housing needs.
In 2022, the City issued building permits for a total of 1 ,171 residential units. This includes affordable units targeted for 83 extremely low-, 192 very low-, 136 low-, and 2 moderate- income level households, as well as 758 above moderate-rate units.
Figure 7 – Stonebridge Subdivision
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The following table compares the ABAG RHNA numbers for Santa Rosa with building permit issuance by income category to illustrate the remaining need near the end of this Housing Element reporting period.
Units Issued Building Permits by Income Category
2015 – 2022 (5th RHNA Cycle)
Income Category Very Low Low Moderate Above
Moderate
TOTAL
ABAG RHNA
Objectives
1,041 671
759 2,612 5,083
2015 0 24 8 94 126
2016 38 3 16 246 303
2017 56 22 16 251 345
2018 42 13 78 325 458
2019 6 12 50 379 447
2020 83 49 25 468 625
2021 211 190 69 930 1,400
2022 275 136 2 758 1,171
Total Issued
(2015-2022)
711 449
264
3,451
4,875
Remaining Need 330 222 495 (839) * 1,047*
County Issued
Permits 2015-2021
Integrated above **
59 53 2 160 274
* While the City has issued building permits for more above -moderate residential units than required by RHNA, the additional above-moderate units do not reduce the overall remaining need for residential units in other income categories. ** With the annexation of the Roseland area on November 1, 2017, RHNA allocations and credits for three housing projects that lie within that area were transferred from the County to the City. Specifically, the transfer moved the allocations/credits for 421 h ousing units within the Crossroads, Roseland Village, and Paseo Vista projects. The transfer was approved by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) in January 2018. In 2021, b uilding permits were issued for five above- moderate income and one low-income unit within the Paseo Vista project.
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Housing Element Objectives
As part of the RHNA discussion, the 5 th Cycle Housing Element identifies six objectives and annual figures that are necessary to meet the City’s RHNA goals. Each objective is listed below, followed by an explanation of the steps taken during 2022 to meet it.
Housing Element Objective 1): Help facilitate the development of 56 extremely low - income, 56 very low income, and 68 low-income units annually to meet the ABAG Regional Housing Needs Allocation.
2022 Comment: The City of Santa Rosa Housing Authority (Housing Authority) approved loans for the following affordable new construction and rehabilitation projects in 2022:
3575 Mendocino Avenue Phase II is a new 38-unit affordable senior rental development. Four units are targeted to extremely low -income households, 24 units are targeted to very low-income households, and 9 units are targeted for low- income households. The Housing Authority approved a $ 1,560,000 loan for construction-related costs from HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds.
Burbank Avenue Apartments is a new 64-unit affordable housing complex. Twenty- four units are targeted for extremely low-income households, 27 units are targeted for very low -income households, and 12 u nits are targeted to low -income households. The Housing Authority approved a loan of $4,400,000 from the Permanent Local Housing Allocation program , Housing Grant, Real Property Transfer Tax, Mortgage Revenue Bond, and Housing Impact Fee funds.
Mahonia Glen is a new 99 -unit
multifamily affordable housing
project. Twenty -six units are
targeted for extremely low-income
households, 22 units are targeted
to very low -income households
and 50 units are targeted for low -
income households. The Housing Authority approved a $2,000,000 loan for construction-related costs from Real Property Transfer Tax program funds.
Stony Point Flats is a new 50-unit multifamily affordable housing project. Ten units are targeted to extremely low-income households, 20 units are targeted to very low- income households, and 19 units are targeted to low -income households. The Housing Authority approved a $1,200,000 loan for construction-related costs from Rental Rehabilitation, Housing Grant, Mortgage Revenue Bonds, and In -Lieu Fee funds.
Housing Element Objective 2 ): Assist in the improvement and rehabilitation of 500 units annually (extremely low, very low, and low-income housing units). 2022 Comment: Housing Choice Voucher Housing Quality Standards Inspections resumed in October 2021 after being suspended in March 2020 due to COVID-19. A total of 646 units were rehabilitated in 2022 following Housing Choice Voucher Housing Quality Standard inspections. Rehabilitations from these inspections may be Figure 8 - Elevation of Mahonia Glen
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minor in nature, and do not always require a building permit to correct. In addition, 48 building permits were issued to bring residential units to current building code standards to resolve code enforcement cases. Plumbing, electrical, and other systems were required to be brought to current building code standards to resolve the code enforcement cases.
The Housing Authority approved a loan in the amount of $750,000 for rehabilitation associated with Parkwood Apartments, an existing 55-unit affordable multifamily development with 27 units targeted for very -low-income households, and 24 units targeted to low-income households. The Housing Authority also approved a loan in the amount of $2,200,000 for rehabilitation and preservation -related costs for Vigil Light Apartments, an existing 49-unit affordable senior housing development.
Housing Element Objective 3 ): Promote developm ent of 30 second dwelling units annually.
2022 Comment: The impact fees to establish an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) have been significantly reduced through a combination of State requirements and City resolutions. The tiered structure fees incentivize internal conversions and smaller size units. In 2022, building permits for 113 ADUs were issued. A total of 70 permits for ADUs were ’finaled’, allowing occupancy, in 2022.
Housing Element Objective 4): Preserve the existing emergency shelter beds and units of transitional and supportive housing. This includes 504 beds in emergency shelters, 351 units of transitional housing and 385 units of permanent, supportive housing. 2022 Comment: Temporary reductions to bed capacity at the City -sponsored Samuel L. Jones Homeless (SJH) Shelter continued in 2022 in response to COVID -19. The Family Support Center relocated with the opening of C aritas Center, increasing bed capacity from 138 to 192 beds. Residents receive full wrap-around services, including case management plans, mental health services, educ ational and job training, and more.
Housing Element Objective 5 ): Preserve the existing inventory of federally and locally funded affordable units including the 873 units with the potential to lose affordability between 2015 and 2025.
2022 Comment: All existing affordable units were preserved during 2022. The Housing Authority approved a $2,220,000 loan for rehabilitation and preservation- related costs for Vigil Light Apartments, an existing 49 -unit affordable senior housing development. Forty -eight units are targeted to very -low-income households.
Housing Element Objective 6): Preserve the 2,000 existing mobile homes, which are largely occupied by lower-income seniors.
2022 Comment: The City’s 1 6 privately owned mobile home parks provid e 2,155 spaces, most of which are rented by mobile homeowners. Of the 2,155 available spaces, 1,690 are subject to the Mobile Home Rent Control Ordinance. 12 | Page
Housing Policy Implementation
The Housing Element identifies goals and policies which provide the framework for Santa Rosa’s housing program. Housing Element policies are unique among General Plan policies in that implementation dates and responsible entities are included. While some of the goals and policies identify a specific year when the work is expected to be completed, others are identified as ongoing.
There were no specific policies slated for completion in 2022, however Housing Element goal and policy related work remains ongoing. A list of each Housing Element p olicy and its implementation status has been added as an Appendix to the report.
LAND USE / URBAN DESIGN ELEMENTS
Non-Residential Growth and Development
Non-residential projects that are currently in the planning or building process are highlighted below.
Canine Companions Early Development Center is located at 2965 Dutton Avenue. The approved project will develop a new, one-story 22,000 square foot Canine Early Development Center, a 5,200 square foot veterinary clinic and animal hospital, as well as 9,000 square feet of dog runs and play areas on a 3-acre parcel. Building permits for this project have been issued.
Figure 9 – Rendering Canine Companio ns Veterinary
Clinic/Animal Hospital, and Early Development Center
Figure 10 -Rendering Canine Companions
Water Feature
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Tierra de Rosas Public Plaza located at 665 Sebastopol Road, is a new 0.84-acre public park and plaza being built as part of the Tierra de Rosas residential and commercial project. formerly known as the Roseland Village Neighborhood Center. The Public Plaza will feature a large open lawn, an open area market, children’s play area, bocce ball court, family picnic area and a garden.
West Coast Self Storage, located at 970 Piner Road in
the City’s Northwest quadrant, is an approved three-
story 66,200 square foot self-storage building.
Improvements will include new landscaping, to
include street trees.
Airway Self-Storage proposes to
demolish the existing one-story self-
storage facility and construct a new,
62,000-square foot, two-story self-
storage facility at 3383 Industrial
Drive, in the Northwest quadrant of
Santa Rosa. The project will include a
caretaker unit, parking, and
landscaping.
Annexations
One annexation was recorded in 20 22, adding a total of 1.47 acres, resulting in a City boundary of 42.825-square miles.
Downtown
Downtown Santa Rosa is envisioned as an energetic commercial and cultural center with a wide range of housing, employment, and commercial options in a vibrant, walkable environment. Over the last 5 years the City has addressed downtown area specific polici es, fees, and processes to continue to encourage higher density, transit -oriented housing and mixed-use development. These efforts began to bear fruit in 2020, with new developer Figure 11 - Tierra de Rosas Public Plaza
Figure 13- Rendering of Airway Self Storage
Figure 12 - Rendering of West Coast Self Storage
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interest evidenced through the sale of long vacant or underutilized propertie s, and new or previously stagnant projects embarking on and/or securing entitlement. In light of the pandemic-driven delays to financing and construction, the City extended the life of the development incentives, moving the expiration date from 2023 to 2026.
In late-June 2020, the City allowed restaurants to set up dining areas in streets and curbside parking spaces to increase accessible sit -down and takeout options. The success of this temporary program drove the City to codify a permanent parklet policy, allowing curbside seating areas to remain open for outdoor dining and recreation purposes so long as the spaces meet code and all other policy requirements.
In October 2020, the City Council adopted an updated Downtown Station Area Specific Plan (DSASP). The DSASP addresses land use as well as transportation, economic development, and historic preservation issues associated with intensifying downtown housing development.
The DSASP and its Subsequent Environmental Impact Report facilitate housing production to provide a range of options for people of all incomes, abilities, and stages of life; simplify development standards; provide flexibility and choice for developers; and strengthen sense of place. Read the DSASP and the Final Subsequent Environmental Im pact Report at:
https://srcity.org/2911/Downtown-Station-Area-Specific-Plan .
In November 2020, the City Council also adopted Zoning and General Plan Amendments to implement the DSASP. The Amendments created new zoning districts and associated development standards within the DSASP area, generated new DSASP combining districts to implement the transition zone standards, implemented DSASP design standards, updated the Historic Combining District with additional preservation district character defining elements, modified the Landmark Alteration and Design Review process, and included other necessary additions or clarifications to specific land use regulations.
TRANSPORTATION ELEMENT
Bicycles and Pedestrians
The General Plan declares a vision for Santa Rosa where:
Complete streets provide safe access for pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit users of all ages and abilities. Neighborhood-scale retail and service uses, schools, and recreational facilities are connected by bicycle and pedestrian paths and transportation management programs and bicycle/ pedestrian improvements have reduced the number of single- occupancy cars on regional/arterial streets.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
Adopted in 2019, t he Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Update 2018 (BPMP 2018) establishes a vision and strategies toward improving walking and bicycling in Santa Rosa. Its primary focus is on infrastructure improvements, including new or improved sidewalks and bike lanes, but it also includes policy and program recommendations in education, encouragement, enforcement, and evaluation. The P lan recognizes that limited funding and resources will require phased implementation over many years.
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Accomplishments in 2022 include:
Launched a one-year pilot program for shared scooters in July, 2022 Completed Local Road Safety Plan including corridor studies of Fourth Street, Montgomery Drive, and North Dutton Avenue for bicycle and pedestrian enhancements.
Completed a bicycle parking inventory for Downtown and Railroad Square. Constructed several bicycle and pedestrian projects (see below). City Council adopted Vision Zero initiative in July 2022 and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board (BPAB) began to develop a City focused plan. Continued to participate in a two-county bike share pilot programs.
Bicycle and Pedestrian Project Updates
BPMP 2018 also identifies several corridors where greater community engagement and/or analysis is needed to determine what bicycle and pedestrian improvements are feasible.
Corridor studies completed in 2022 that were part of a Local Road Safety grant include:
• Fourth Street – E Street to Farmers Lane
• College Avenue – Kowell Lane to Fourth Street
• Montgomery Drive – Alderbrook Drive to Hahman Drive
• Roseland Creek Trail – Stony Point Road to Burbank Avenue • North Dutton Avenue – West College Avenue to West Third Street
These studies included significant outreach and community meetings and surveys to gather input on the design. Fourth Street and Montgomery Drive projects will be installed with the 2023 Pavement Preservation Project.
A Quick Build grant application was submitted for the North Dutton project and a Highway Safety Improvement Plan grant was submitted for the Stony Point Road enhancements project.
Mendocino Avenue, although not part of the Local Road Safety Plan, is also being reviewed and designed for the installation of bicycle lanes. Several community meetings were held to discuss the potential modifications along this corridor.
Transportation and Public Works has worked in concert with the California Public Utility Commission Rail Division and SMART to install a pedestrian activated flasher with an advance flasher at the SMART Multi-use Pathway (MUP) and Sebastopol Road crossing.
Before-and-after studies were conducted to determine the effectiveness of reducing vehicles stopping on the tracks with the advance flashing signs.
Coordination with Regional Entities
The General Plan calls for coordination of the City’s Transportation Plan with regional entities such as the Sonoma County Transportation Authority (SCTA), the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). City staff work with these agencies to secure funding and to develop strategic plans to implement transportation improvements. A few ongoing transportation planning efforts include the MTC Plan Bay Area 2050 planning process, SCTA’s Comprehensive Transportation Plan 2050, and Vision Zero. In November 2020, Go Sonoma (an extension of the existing Measure M – local transportation sales tax) was approved by voters. This measure will provide a significant
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increase in funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects and other initiatives beginning in 2025.
Staff developed a list of five project priorities which were approved by the City Council in September 2021 to submit to the SCTA Five Year Funding Program. Two of the five projects were selected by SCTA; the Hearn Multiuse Path between Corby and SMART Multiuse Path and the Downtown Connectivity to Support Housing.
The City’s Transit Division closely coordinates efforts with regional transit agencies on regional integration efforts as well as operational efforts specific to the pandemic. Most notable is the regional effort initiated in 2020 through MTC, the Blue-Ribbon Task Force, aimed to coordinate and integrate regional transit services throughout the Bay Area. Specific to Sonoma County is a SCTA coordinated effort, funded by MTC and the City of Santa Rosa, to implement the findings of the 2019 Transit Integration and Efficiency Study. To this end SCTA has convened the Future of Transit Ad Hoc committee working with the three local bus systems in Sonoma County – CityBus, Sonoma County Transit and Petaluma Transit – to implement integrated rider focused projects. The process is moving forward into a second phase with a grant from MTC to support higher-level integration activities in the areas of service planning, fare policy, public information, customer service and technology. Thus far, the effort has resulted in several changes to operator policies and procedures, including CityBus aligning holiday service levels with those used by Sonoma County Transit starting in fall of 2022. Additionally, five fare-free days per year were authorized to support community events and promote transit ridership recovery in coordination with county-wide transit operators. For paratransit services, a universal county wide eligibility application was implemented along with a pilot “one-seat” ride program that limits the need to transfer within the County for paratransit riders.
Transit and Transportation Systems Managem ent
The General Plan calls for expanding transit service, coordination of transit services with other transit operators, and encouraging ridership through marketing and promotional efforts. The City of Santa Rosa Community Climate Action Plan identifies transit as important for affordable housing, density, carbon reduction and improved transport options. The City’s Transit Division manages fixed route service, paratransit service, and other transit related programs. The City’s Transit service plans are detailed in the City’s Short-Range Transit Plan (SRTP) which is updated every 3-5 years with an adoption by City Council. The SRTP refreshes and details a 10-year vision for the City’s transit service and transit capital prog ram. The planning process involves significant public engagement and data analysis to evaluate opportunities to diversify, improve and better integrate transit services.
Overview of Transit Services
The Santa Rosa Transit Mall is the busiest Transit Hub in the North Bay. With over 3,000 trips departing the Transit Mall each week (751,500 trips per year). In addition to local CityBus fixed route service, downtown Santa Rosa is served by four regional bus transit providers (Sonoma County Transit, Golden Gate Transit and Mendocino Transit, Greyhound), and one regional commuter rail (SMART). Along with integration with transit operators, CityBus relies on and seeks to integrate with the bicycle and pedestrian network to improve first and last mile connections.
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The City of Santa Rosa provides the greatest number of
local fixed -route bus service and demand -responsive
paratransit service trips in Sonoma County. CityBus
seeks to return to pre-pandemic service levels with three corridors (four routes) operating on 15-minute frequency during weekdays, six routes operating on 30 -minute
frequency and a remaining four routes operating on 60 - minute headways. Currently, most routes begin service
between 6:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. Monday – Saturday,
and finish service between 7:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. On
Sundays, service operates between 10:00 a.m. and
5:15 p.m. Fixed-route ridership totals were 1,028,440 in fiscal year 2021 -2022, up from 760,000 in fiscal year
2020 -2021, but still down from pre -pandemic level of
1.8 million d uring fiscal year 2018 -2019. Paratransit ridership totals were 24,755 in fiscal year 2021 -2022, up from 17,500 in fiscal year 2020 to 2021; but down
from the pre-pandemic level of 35,000 during fiscal year 2018-2019. This decrease in ridership is unsurprising due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
CityBus maintains a diverse portfolio of fare options. Fare options include a cash fare, 24-hour passes, ticket books, and a 31 -day pass. Discounts or free fares are provided for SRJC students, veterans, youth, seniors, Medicare card holders, low -income adults, and persons living with a disability.
The Youth Unlimited Rides (UR Free) program has vastly exceeded ridership projections. Prior to the UR Free program, youth ridership accounted for about 10% of CityBus rid ership with about 198,000 rides per year (pre-pandemic). Following initiation of the UR Free Program in July 2021, youth ridership exceeded pre -pandemic levels within three months. During the first year of the program, youth took a total of about 250,000 trips. Over the past six months, youth ridership has averaged over 150% of the pre-pandemic youth ridership level. Ridership has continued to increase in the second year of the UR Free Program, with August 2022 youth ridership hitting a new monthly high of 28,400 rides. The Youth Unlimited Rides program was recently funded countywide from July 2023 through June of 2025 for all three fixed route operators: CityBus, Sonoma County Transit and Petaluma Transit.
Additionally, in summer of 2021, CityBus establ ished an Unlimited Rides pass program for employers, housing developers and institutions to provide deeply discount ed passes to employees, residents, and for program participants. Transit staff continue pursuing these partnerships. Additionally, a two -hour transfer policy allows unlimited transfers for riders within two hours from the purchase of a ride. Riders can transfer to SMART, Golden Gate Transit or Sonoma County Transit and receive a transfer credit using paper transfers or Clipper.
Clipper is the all-in -one regional transit card for the Bay Area. Clipper Cards hold transit passes, cash value, or any combination of the two. Cash value works on all participating transit systems, while Clipper passes, and tickets are specific to each system. Approximately -seven Santa Rosa City Bus continues to provide
service and protect the health of
passengers and employees amid the
COVID-19 pandemic.
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percent of CityBus riders use Clipper to pay their fares. North Bay transit operators are participating in the Clipper START pilot program which allows lower income riders aged 19 to 64 to receive 20- to 50-percent fare discounts for single rides.
PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES ELEMENT
Parks and Recreation
The General Plan directs the continuing acquisition and development of neighborhood and community park facilities, along with special use facilities, throughout the City. The following Section includes highlights of park planning and improvement efforts in 2022.
Colgan Creek Park Playground
The community provided input on the
equipment selected for the playground
renovation at Colgan Creek
Neighborhood Park (2036 Bedford
Street). The new playground features
a central shade topped climbing
structure with two slides, a large
climbing net suspended within an
arched structure, a group spinner, and
the most highly requested item,
traditional swings. This project was
completed and opened to the public in
February 2022 to the enjoyment of the
community.
.
Kawana Springs Community Garden
The Community Garden for Kawana Springs Community Park (1350 Kawana Springs Road) is planned as the first phase of the approved park Master Plan. The new garden will comprise approximately .75 acres and provide for up to 100 or more garden plots. The design includes a picnic area, storage sheds, and small parking area and drop off zone to facilitate deliveries of garden materials. Construction drawings are being finalized, and construction of the garden is anticipated to begin in summer 2023.
Figure 14- New play equipment at Colgan Creek Neighborhood Park Figure 15- Kawana Springs Community Garden Plan
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Bennett Valley Golf Course
In July of 2022, Parks finalized an operation
and maintenance agreement with Touchstone,
a professional golf course management
company. The agreement includes the
operation and maintenance of the 18-hole golf
course, driving range and the Iron & Vine
restaurant and event center. The Bennett
Valley Golf Course is located at 3330 Yulupa
Avenue.
DeTurk Round Barn Park
A new paved picnic area with two tables was
installed at the south end of DeTurk Round Barn
Park (819 Donahue Street) adjacent to the dog
park and along the sidewalk on Boyce Street at
roughly the midpoint of the block between
Donahue and Prince streets. Two picnic tables
provide easy access from the neighborhood and a
tree-lined spot to visit and enjoy a picnic or a visit
with neighbors. Construction was completed in
October 2022.
Bayer Neighborhood Park
The original, precast concrete picnic tables under
the central shade structure at the park had fallen
into disrepair and were removed and replaced with
six new steel tables. The new tables are each eight
feet in length and anchored solidly to the concrete
paving. One table on either end of the picnic area
is compliant with the American Disabilities Act. The
space is a very popular meeting place and often
reserved for special events in the park, located at
1550 West Avenue.
Figure 18- Bayer Park Picnic pavilion
Figure 17- DeTurk Round Barn Park picnic area plan
Figure 16- Iron & Vine Restaurant and event center at the 10th tee
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South Davis Park
The State of California’s Per Capita
Program, funded through
Proposition 68, is being utilized to
revitalize the playground at South
Davis Neighborhood Park (712
South Davis Street). After a series
of four public meetings, an
amended park Master Plan was
presented to the Board of
Community Services, which
recommended it to City Council for
approval. The playground
renovation project is planned as the
first phase of the amended Master
Plan. Based on public input collected
during the Master Planning process, detailed design drawings are being developed and construction of the playground improvements and associated pathways is anticipated to begin in late Summer 2023.
Dutch Flohr Neighborhood Park
City Council approved a Master Plan amendment for
Dutch Flohr Neighborhood Park (1160 Exeter Drive).
The primary focus of the plan is to replace the two
play areas, bring them closer together, provide
updated and more interesting play equipment and
improve the accessibility of the pathways throughout
the park. Specific features in the plan include an
assortment of climbing structures, spinning features,
swings, a zip line and sand play area. Other fitness
equipment, game tables and new picnic areas and
pathways are planned. Design documents will be
finalized in Spring 2023 and construction is
anticipated to begin in late 2023.
Figure 20- Dutch Flohr playground renovation plans
Figure 19- South Davis Park proposed Master Plan amendment
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Finley Aquatic Center Sprayground and Renovation Project
Planning and design began in
March 2021 for the Finley
Aquatic Center Sprayground to
replace the existing wading
pool. The intent is to create a
tropical resort feel for guests to
complement the existing pools
which are to receive completely
updated decks as part of the
project. The sprayground will
create a multi-generation water
feature for improved safety.
The pool deck replacement will
greatly improve the look and
feel of the facility and ensure
compliance with current
building codes standards.
Construction is anticipated to
begin in fall 2023. The Finely Community Park is located at 2060 West College Avenue.
Parks Condition Assessment and Prioritization Report
Phase I of the Conditions Assessment Report was completed in December of 2022 and is a valuable planning tool to help the department prioritize and guide capital improvements and deferred maintenance projects throughout the park system.
Phase II of the report will develop a benchmark condition at which all parks will be considered to have appropriate
condition levels of use. Phase II is anticipated to be complete in summer 2023
Figure 21- Finley Aquatic Center Sprayground rendering
Figure 22- Condition Assessment and
Prioritization Report
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Police Services
The General Plan calls for
collaboration with local jurisdictions
regarding police services and for
increased community contact through
community-oriented policing. The
Police Department collaborates with
County partners, allied law
enforcement agencies, neighborhood associations, city departments, and community -based organizations. The Police Department maximizes these relationships to develop best practice strategies related to traffic safety, violent crime reduction, impacts of service resist ant homeless individuals, and community engagement. The Police Department also participates in the Sonoma County Public Safety Consortium which includes a multi-agency Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management System. This partnership creates a regional records database and enhances access to county, state, and federal records.
The Police Department is an active partner with the Santa Rosa Violence Prevention Partnership, which is comprised of dozens of community-based organizations and supported by city staff. Police department leadership participates in the Operation and Policy team discussions from the Violence Prevention Partnership.
The Police Department partners with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) Safe Streets Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) Regional Task Force. Detectives from the Violent Crimes Team and the Narcotics Team are assigned to these task forces. These teams are focused on violence reduction and combating the opioid crisis in Sonoma County.
The Police Department led the creation of the inRESPONSE-Mental Health Support Team and continues to manage the program. This is a multi-disciplinary mental health response team comprised of a licensed mental health clinician, a Fire Department paramedic, and a homeless engagement specialist. The team is supported by system navigators who help those in need navigate the complexities of our county mental health system and assists them in connecting with resources. The inRESPONSE team is collaborating with mental health providers from across the county to enhance the level of mental health resources provided to our community.
Police Service Statistics
The General Plan calls for expedient police response to emergency calls. The Police Department 911 Dispatch Cent er handled 203,547 calls for service in 2022, and police personnel responded to 108,507 calls for service. The Police Department investigated 12 homicides and 8 fatal traffic collisions in 2022. Police Officers conducted 33,918 proactive contacts and sel f-initiated activities in 2022, which is a 24% increase from 2021. Police Officers seized 236 firearms related to criminal investigations. 74 of these seized firearms were personally manufactured firearms or “Ghost Guns” which are unserialized firearms and are disproportionately being used in felony crimes across the city.
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Each Police Department call for service received is categorized into priority levels, the majority being Priority 1, 2, or 3. Police response times and clearance rates for investigations are greatly impacted by staffing shortages and the growth of our city. The goal is to respond to Priority 1 calls within six minutes.
Priority 1 calls are for an incident in progress that threatens life or property. In 2022, the Police Department’s median response time for Priority 1 calls was 7 minutes and 7 seconds.
Priority 2 calls are for an incident that has the potential to escalate to P riority 1 status. In 2022, the median response time for Priority 2 calls was 11 minutes and 53 seconds. Priority 3 calls are for incidents which are not in progress or those that do not require an immediate response. In 2022, the median response time for Priority 3 calls was 21 minutes and 2 seconds.
The Police Department continues to be committed to community -oriented policing efforts by assigning officers and sergeants to specific patrol beats throughout the city. There are nine beats which allows officers to become familiar with the neighborhoods a nd the unique communities across our city. The Police Department is committed to working with our community partners to make Santa Rosa a safe place to live, work, and play.
Fire Protection
The General Plan calls for collaboration with other local jurisdictions for the provision of some fire services when it improves service levels and is cost effective. The Fire Department is part of the Redwood Empire Dispatch
Communications Authority (REDCOM), a Joint Powers
Agreement for fire and emergency medical dis patch services for most cities and fire protection districts within Sonoma County.
The Santa Rosa Fire Department also has Auto Aid
Agreements with the Sonoma County Fire District and the Kenwood Fire Protection District. The Sonoma County Fire District agreement is designed to ensure the closest, most appropriate fire resources are dispatched to an incident regardless of jurisdictional boundaries. Additionally, the Fire Department participates in the Santa Rosa Mutual Threat Zone Operating Plan which is a joint response plan with the Sonoma County Fire District and CALFIRE to cover specific wildland/urban interface areas.
Fire Service Statistics
The Fire Department responded to 29,927 calls for service in 2022, a 6.5% increase from 2021, when there were 28,064 calls for service. Of the 29,927 calls for service, 19,108 (64 percent) were for emergency medical incidents. The Department provides emergency services for fire, medical, hazardous material, and urban rescue incidents, responding with ten paramedic engine companies and two paramedic ladder truck companies from ten strategically located fire stations. There were 650 fire incidents resulting in $6,391,045 of
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fire loss last year. The estimated value saved by fire response in 2022 was $17,334,820. City growth and density impacts Fire Department service delivery. Traffic congestion continues to cause delays to Fire Department response times. General Plan policy PSF -E-1 provides that first fire company arrival shall be within five minutes of dispatch center notification 90-percent of the time. This goal does not include the additional 70 second standard for the dispatch center call taking and emergency medical dispatching. In 2022, the Department’s emergency resources arrived on scene within five minutes of dispatch 59.63% percent of the time.
Water Supply
General Plan Policy PSF -F requires the City to “ensure that an adequate supply of water is available to serve existing and future needs of the City.” T he City’s water supply consists of water s upply from Sonoma Water, groundwater, and recycled water. In addition, the City implements an aggressive water conservation program that reduces current demand to help assure that future water demands are met.
In a normal water year, the total water supply available to the City is approximately 31,5 40 acre-feet per year ( AFY). Santa Rosa’s highest water us age to date was 23,993 acre-feet in 2004 compared with 16,237 acre-feet used in 2022.
Water Conservation and Efficiency
The City has promoted water use efficiency programs for more than 30 years and has invested over $ 22 million to upgrade approximately 5 6,000 toilets with ultra -low-flow and high - efficiency toilets and replac e over 3.9 million square feet of high-water use turf landscapes with low water use landscapes.
The City also promotes innovative water use efficiency programs like offering rebates for rainwater harvesting, graywater reuse, residential recirculating hot water pumps, sustained reduction of water us age, and more . Water Use Efficiency staff hold workshops on rebate programs for water efficient home fixtures, irrigation upgrades, turf removal, among others.
The City’s cumulative water use efficiency efforts result in savings of over 7,100 AFY, and per capita water use has declined by 44% since 1990.
In 2022, Water Department staff completed installation of advanced metering infrastructure, with all automatically read meters installed over the past few years . The new meters provide hourly tracking of water use as well as early leak detection which helps water conservation efforts.
Advanced metering infrastructure meters allow the City to remotely read meters more quickly while eliminating field safety concerns. These meters also allow the City to provide enhanced customer service , including a new customer portal which provides customers with direct access to their own water use in near-real time. In addition, this hourly data greatly assists water use efficiency efforts by providing staff an opportunity to analyze water use, identify
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potential pluming leaks, and educate customers about their current water use, seasonal patterns, and any continuous use.
Wastewater
Santa Rosa Water operates the Regional Water Reuse System which serves the residents in Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Cotati, Sebastopol, and unincorporated areas of Sonoma County.
The hub of the Regional Water Reuse System is the Laguna Treatment Plant (LTP) , which recycles wastewater from homes and businesses throughout the region. In 2022, 5.77 billion gallons of sewage received treatment,
or an average of 15.8 million gallons
of sewage per day.
During the winter, in times of high
rainfall and correspondingly high flow
into the plant, Santa Rosa Water is
permitted to discharge its tertiary
treated recycled water into the Laguna
de Santa Rosa. However, recycled
water discharges are kept to an
absolute minimum to support Santa
Rosa Water’s goal of 100% beneficial
reuse of both recycled water and
biosolids.
Throughout the year an average of 12 million gallons per day is sent to the Geysers Recharge Project high in the Mayacamas Mountains. The Geysers steam fields are the largest geothermal operation in the United States. Recycled water injected into the earth generates enough electricity for up to 100,000 households in the North Bay Area.
During the growing season, recycled water is used to irrigate over 6,600 acres. About 80% of this land is agricultural, growing hay, pasture grasses, wine grapes, turf, and vegetables. The remainder is urban, including parks, schools, ballfields, and a golf course. Most of the land is privately owned, giving landowners an opportunity to replace groundwater use (part of our drinking water supply) with recycled water. In 2022, Santa Rosa Water beneficially reused
1.55 billion gallons of recycled water for agricultural and urban irrigation and sent 3.71 billion gallons to the Geyser’s Recharge Project.
The facility also receives septic waste, landfill leachate, and high strength wastes (primarily grease and food production waste) from the surrounding communities. Annually over 30,000 wet tons of solids are treated to Class B standards and dewatered to 16 -percent solids content. Approximately 64-percent of the remaining solids are applied on local farmland while 28-percent is further treated off-site by a private operator, and a small amount is disposed of in the landfill. In 2022, the City land applied 21,808 wet tons of biosolids.
Figure 4 - Laguna Treatment Plant
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The Council adopted Capital Improvement Program (CIP) includes various improvements to the LTP and reuse system so that adequate capacity to treat and reuse General Plan anticipated wastewater volumes is maintained. The current system rated capacity is 21.34 - million gallons per day which is anticipated to be sufficient into the future. Previous planning and environmental work identified projects to be implemented as growth occurs. These future projects will expand the system capacity to 25.89 million gallons per day which meets General Plan projections for Santa Rosa and regional partners. In 2022 , the City began construction on the Disinfection Improvement Project at LTP which replaces the existing ultra -violet disinfection system and adds a diversion wet well and pump station. Once completed the upgraded system will be able to disinfect 25 million gallons per day and treat a peak flow of 70 million gallons per day.
OPEN SPACE AND CONSERVATION ELEMENT
The Open Space and Conservation Element includes goals
and policies related to open space and natural resource conservation. General Plan goals and policies support
creating new public access trails to maximize the benefits of open space, the conservation of natural and biological resources and waterways, the promotion of energy and
water efficiency, and the reduction of greenhouse gas
emissions.
Creek Stewardship
The City’s waterway conservation and stewardship
activities continued in 2022 . The Creek Stewardship
Program (CSP), a partnership with Sonoma Water, helped
care for more than 100 miles of creeks within the Urban Growth Boundary. The program continued to initiate and support:
Outreach and educational activities regarding storm water pollution prevention and the many benefits that healthy creeks provide to the community. Public participation in the care of creeks and the involvement of volunteer Creek Stewards who adopt a specific reach of creek.
Cleanups, maintenance, and enhancement of creeks and the creek trail system.
The COVID-19 pandemic continued to limit the size and number of CSP activities in fiscal year 2021-22. Despite the drop off in contact with the public during the pandemic, the CSP has continued to adapt and has started to see the community’s educational and stewardship involvement climb back towards pre-pandemic levels. More than 8,400 City residents, including 6,800 youth, participated in educational and stewardship events. Twenty -nine school and youth groups received 280 sessions of educational and stewardship activities.
Figure 24- Colorful “Ours to
Protect” signs increase awareness of
Santa Rosa’s many creeks.
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Creek Stewardship community volunteers contributed nearly 3,700 service hours towards trail maintenance, care of creek restoration projects, and removal of trash from creeks. One hundred twenty-six volunteer creek cleanups occurred on 20 different creeks. O ver 1,100 cubic yards of trash and debris were removed from waterways by the City’s Storm Water and Creeks section with help from youth corps, contractors, and volunteers. Most of the trash originates from areas where people live and
congregate along cree ks and under bridges.
The Storm Water & Creeks section partnered
with Catholic Charites , Sonoma County
Probation Department, and law enforcement to
facilitate the cleanup of debris from 410
camping areas along City waterways. Additional
cleanups of waterwa ys were conducted by
Sonoma Water, City Parks, and the City’s
Transportation & Public Works Department
staff.
Storm Water & Creeks staff responded to
residents’ reports regarding trash, trail needs,
flood concerns, and other creek-related issues.
Security fencing structures under bri dges were
maintained to prevent access and camping that
leads to the accumulation of trash and other
pollutants in waterways. Volunteers re-stock pet waste bag dispensers, which along with trash cans, help keep the creeks and creekside trail system clean.
The Storm Water & Creeks section continues to work toward restoring 1.3 miles of Colgan Creek in southwest Santa Rosa to transform an engineered flood control channel into a healthier creek ecosystem. The project will increase flood protection, enhance hab itat, improve water quality, and provide recreational opportunities.
In 2022, Storm Water & Creeks and Capital
Improvements Engineering completed
construction of Phase 2 of the project, which
restored an approximately 2,000 -linear foot
reach of the creek between Boron Avenue
and Victoria Drive. The project significantly
enlarged the channel to increase flood
protection and create room for instream
habitat structures and native plants that
enhance habitat for fish and wildlife.
Additionally, the project constructed a paved
pathway to provide recreation and
educational opportunities for area residents
and students. City staff is maintaining the
Phase 1 and Phase 2 reaches, and acquired
two grants to complete the third and final
Figure 26- Lower Colgan Creek Phase 2 after initial channel restoration
Figure 5 - Students study how water quality influences the organisms that live in creeks.
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phase of the project: a $1.5 million grant from the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District to purchase a parcel needed for the project, and a $4.3 million grant from the CA Department of Water Resources for project design and construction.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The City of Santa Rosa has two Climate Action Plans that are incorporated into the General Plan. A Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP) which includes measures to reduce
citywide emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 , and a Municipal Climate Action Plan which focuses on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in City of Santa Rosa facilities and operations.
The emission reduction measures developed for both
Climate Action Plans address a range of sectors including energy efficiency, renewable energy, parking and land use management, transportation, waste reduction and
recycling, water and wastewater, and off-road vehicles and equipment.
As part of the City’s comprehensive General Plan update and concurrent preparation of a GHG Reduction Strategy and climate action strategies , the City updated the 2007 community-wide GHG baseline inventory to reflect changes to methods and protocols since 2010 and prepared a community-wide GHG inventory for the year 2019. The City selected 2019 as the most recent year because the COVID -19 pandemic resulted in significant changes in activity for various sectors, many of which may not reflect “normal” levels for 202 0 and 2021, making them less useful as a foundation for estimating future emissions.
The updated 2007 and new 2019 GHG inventories will provide a foundation for the City’s GHG Reduction Strategy and inform updated climate action strategies which will no lo nger be in a separate CCAP but will instead be integrated within the General Plan. This approach will allow a wider range of mitigation measures in the GHG reduction strategy and ensure that climate action strategies throughout the General Plan use a consistent set of baseline conditions and growth assumptions. A memorandum providing a summary of GHG inventory results can be found on the City’s SR Forward website (
https://www.santarosaforward.com/Greenhouse-
Gas-Reduction-Strategy ).
The following information provides a synopsis of CCAP implementation process from 2022:
In response to public interest, t he Climate Action Subcommitt ee (comprised of three Councilmembers), committed to regularly scheduled monthly meetings (increased from bi - monthly meetings). These meetings provide Staff and the Council with direction to implement the Climate Action Plan and offer a forum for public participation and education.
Figure 27- The City's Community
Climate Action Plan was adopted in
2012.
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Efforts considered by the Climate Action Subcommittee in 2022 included:
The City’s transition to EverGreen;
Feedback on the City’s Gas Station Prohibition Ordinance; Review of AB 841 regarding Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program Contractor Certification Requirements;
City’s Zero Waste Program Implementation Efforts;
Cool cities Challenge: Cool Block Program Presentation (citizen driven climate action strategy);
CityBus presentation and timeline for rollout of electrification of bus fleet; All-electric only code requirement for new low -rise residential construction presentation and feedback;
City’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan presentation and recommendations request; and
Updates from The Climate Center, Regional Climate Protection Authority, WaterSmart Expo 2022, City’s drought response and activities, City’s General Plan and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory.
The Subcommittee also received presentations from the Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA) on RCPA’s Sonoma Climate Mobilization Strategy, a Countywide 2018 greenhouse gas inventory, and an update on countywide transportation improvements aimed at reducing reliance on single-occupancy vehicles. These presentations and continued collaboration are part of an effort to improve regional coordination in Climate and Transportation Planning.
In July of 2020, the City transitioned from Level of Service to Vehicles Miles Traveled (VMT) as the measure of transportation impacts under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
New development projects exceeding the VMT threshold must integrate strategies to lessen greenhouse gas emissions including increasing access to common goods and services, the provision of car, bike, or ride sharing programs, and improving pedestrian and bicycle networks or transit service.
Energy Efficiency
The CCAP provides energy efficiency and conservation goals and encourage s utilization of CALGreen building code standards for new construction. The CCAP also calls for improved energy efficiency in existing buildings, smart meter utilization, and energy efficient appliances.
City staff applied enhanced energy efficiency requirements for new construction based on the City’s All-Electric Reach Code adopted in 2019 and CALGreen building code standards. City staff continue to review new development for consistency with local and state energy efficiency requirements. In 2021, the in stallation of advanced metering infrastructure was completed for all properties with City water meters. These new meters allow for real time tracking to detect leaks and reduce energy waste associated with the transportation of
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water. The City readopted a n All -Electric Reach Code in 2022 as part of the CALGreen standards applicable through 2025 for new low-rise residential buildings.
Renewable Energy
The MCAP and CCAP call for renewable energy installations and renewable power generation. In 2022, the City continued to utilize EverGreen service for all City facilities . EverGreen is 100% renewable and is sourced by day with solar energy and by night with geothermal energy. All power is sourced within Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.
EverGreen power will also be used to power the City’s first four Battery Electric Buses (BEBs) which were purchased with a competitive grant award from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) 5339 Buses and Bus Facilities Program , c ombined with federal formula funding and various State and local awards and funding allocations . These BEBs will begin revenue service in January 2023. During 2022, renewable energy projects at Laguna Treatment Plant generated solar PV while combined heat and power engines generated electricity from digester gas.
Planning and Economic Development Department staff continue to provide expedited review for all EV charg ing stations and to require EV charging infrastructure in all new residential projects.
Parking and Land Use Management
The CCAP encourages dense residential and commercial development near existing services and transit centers within the Urban Growth Boundary to reduce vehicle miles traveled.
Planning and Economic Development Department staff continue to encourage transit use by streamlining residential, lodging, and day care projects that are located within Priority Development Areas within a half mile of frequent transit . In the fall of 2021, the conceptual design of the Highway 101 Bicycle and Pedestrian Overcrossing was reviewed by the community and the Design Review Board. This Overcrossing will provide connection between the SRJC area and Coddingtown Mall.
Improved Transportation Options
The CCAP calls for an improved bicycle and pedestrian network, improved transit, and car sharing. CityBus staff completed the following items to support SMART service in 2021: 15 - minute local bus service for the Santa Rosa Downtown Station along with 3rd Street bus stop improvement, reciprocal transfers -updated Clipper rules, design and procurement of a Figure 286 - The MCAP was adopted
in 2013.
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parking shuttle contractor (canceled after one year of service), Commuter Discounted Parking Permit, and off-platform signage for both the Downtown and North Station.
The City is looking to help connect residents with first mile last mile connections through shared mobility devices. The City Council approved the Scooter Share Pilot Program in December 2021. Following a competitive application process, the C ity awarded Bird Rides, Inc. a one-year pilot program permit. Bird flew in the first 100 electric scooters on July 1, 2022, with another 100 delivered by mid-July.
Waste Reduction, Recycling and Composting
The City of Santa Rosa Zero Waste Master Plan (Plan) aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions resulting from consumption and disposal activities and includes the following goals:
the reduction from 2.8 to one pound per person per day of franchised waste landfill disposal (currently at 2.5) and the overall diversion of at least 75 -percent (from 45-percent currently) of franchised waste from landfill disposal by 2030. Franchised waste is any waste that is processed by the City’s franchised hauler versus self-haul waste which is waste that is transported by individuals or businesses to other locations (i.e., food waste to pig farmers, corporate backhauling (i.e. Safeway with cardboard), etc.).
The Plan suggests five strategies: stem the flow of waste at its source; increase community requirements for recycli ng program participation; maximize and enhance waste diversion; increase recoverable items from construction activities; and establish the City as a leader for waste reduction behaviors and programs.
In 2021, the Council adopted the Zero Waste Food Ware O rdinance, a main strategy recommendation in the Plan. Effective as of January 2022, the Zero Waste Food Ware Ordinance regulates the use of disposable food service ware and bans the sale of polystyrene (plastic foam) and Fluorinated (PFAS) products which c ontribute to street litter, marine pollution, harm to wildlife, greenhouse gas emissions, and waste sent to the landfill.
City staff and regional partners (Zero Waste Sonoma and Recology) are focused on implementation of the provisions and requirements contained within SB 1383 - Short-Lived Climate Pollutants: Organic Waste Reductions. SB 1383 became effective in January 2020 and establishes the following statewide greenhouse gas emission reductions goals: by 2025 reduce the amount of organic material disposed in landfills by 75% from the 2014 level and by 2025, no less than 20% of edible food currently disposed must also be recovered for human consumption. SB 1383 impacts both residents and businesses and is the most aggressive waste reduction law to be adopted in California for the past 30 years.
Recology’s Zero Waste team continues to offer waste audits and waste education for Santa Rosa schools, businesses, and conferences. Recology’s Zero Waste team conducted 654 site audits/site visits, 111 trainings/presentations, initiated recycling at 24 establishments, and started composting programs for 167 accounts during 2022.
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YOUTH AND FAMILY ELEMENT
The Youth and Family Element promotes the health, safety, and welfare of children, teens, the elderly, and their families in Santa Rosa. Childcare services, youth, and senior programs are supported.
City’s Support Program Facility Fund
In 2021, the Council supported funding for the City’s Support Program Facility Fund. This Program seeks to stabilize and grow the childcare business sector, ensuring easy access to quality early childcare and education that is within families’ financial means. The goal of the Childcare Facility Fund is to award the $2.9 million in A merican Rescue P lan Act (ARPA) allocation funds via grants in support of childcare facility development and rehabilitation (less program administration costs), and to leverage the $1.4 m illion General Fund seed funding with other funding sources to be accessed through a no-interest revolving loan program (less program administration costs).
Children’s Savings Account
An investment of $1,575,000 of ARPA funds for the Children's Saving Account (CSA) was approved by the Council in 2021. CSA is a transformational investment into the future of qualifying 2–5-year-olds in the City. Building on an existing CSA program called First 5 Sonoma Futures offered by First 5 Sonoma County, this investment holds some of the most significant opportunities to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and positively impact family economic wellness and self-sufficiency.
Santa Rosa Violence Prevention
Partnership (The Partnership)
The Santa Rosa Violence Prevention
Partnership (The Partnership) is funded
through Measure H ( 2022) proceeds and
provides grants to City schools and non-
profit organizations to fund programs
related to School Readiness, Street
Outreach & Mediation, Student
Engagement & Truancy Prevention, and
Workforce Development. Since 2006, the
Partnership has provided more than
$11,000,000 to local community -based
organizations and schools.
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Together, the Partnership and Measure H CHOICE grant funded programs work together towards our shared vision, that all Santa Rosa youth are healthy, safe, and connected to their families, schools, communities, and futures. In 2022, The Partnership released a Request for Proposals for the CHOICE Cycle XI Grant Program. Eight local agencies were selected for funding, totaling $1.875 million in grant awards over the two-and-a-half-year grant cycle (July 1, 2022 – December 31, 2024).
In addition to the CHOICE Grant Program, The Partnership implements other strategies to reduce and prevent violence and gang activity in Santa Rosa. In response to acts of violence in the community during 2021 and 2022, The Partnership created the S chool Outreach Pilot Program (Pilot), a 12 -week life skills course which offered participating students classes in anger management, conflict resolution, and exposure to various violence prevention strategies and activities. The Pilot was implemented at Santa Rosa Middle School and an average of six youth participated in each weekly session. Each session followed a restorative circle format, where youth were provided the opportunity to dialogue with one another about their feelings and experiences, as well as journal and engage in interactive activities centered around a weekly theme. The Pilot was modeled after the Aggression Replacement Training (ART) Program and included wraparound services provided to all participating youth and their families. Moving forward, The Partnership will continue to engage with local schools experiencing issues with violence and gang involvement on campus.
With funding leveraged by the Sonoma County Probation Department, The Partnership also continued implementation of the Guiding People Successfully (GPS) Program. GPS provides critical funding for system-level improvements to The Partnership’s referral system, while also supporting evidence-informed prevention and intervention programs, including services such as case management , in -home counseling, work readiness training, and paid work experience. Since its inception in January 2015, 376 youth have been enrolled in GPS. For FY 2021-2022, this includes 48 non-probationary youth and 12 youth on probation.
To close the gap in services and take a pro- active approach to support youth participating in the GPS Program, The Partnership created Green Spaces for All Faces (GSFAF), in partnership with Sonoma County Probation and Sonoma County Regional Parks. The goal of GSFAF is to provide a space for high school aged youth to participate in pro-social activities off campus in an outdoor setting, access the health benefits of being outdoors, earn community service hours, and learn more about local parks, and Violence Prevention Partnership services. Since the program launch in March 2022, a total of 51 youth have participated.
Finally, in conjunction with the Fire Department and the City’s Communications Team, The Partnership held the Santa Rosa Wildfire Ready Community Resource Fair on May 21, 2022.
A total of 25 community partners participated and there was a total of 200 community members in attendance. Information provided to attendees included individual and family preparedness; home and property preparedness; emergency alerts and notifications; evacuation zones for Santa Rosa residents; mental health and other wellness resources; and disaster resources for neighborhoods.
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Find more information about The Partnership online at www.srcity.org/santarosapartnership or on Facebook and Instagram @santarosapartnership.
ECONOMIC VITALITY ELEMENT
The General Plan calls for a positive business climate that includes the standard economic development programming goals of business and workforce attraction, retention and expansion in order to maintain the vitality of the city’s economic and commercial centers.
Despite the affect of global issues (i.e. the ongoing pandemic and the war in Ukraine) causing economic fluctuations that local jurisdictions are not immune to, Santa Rosa’s diverse economy remained relatively stable overall. There are, however, c ontinued resiliency and recovery discrepancies based on socio -economic status, which is likely compounded by inflation. That said, employment growth is expected at an average rate similar to that of the greater Bay Area labor market. The County added jobs in construction; trade, transportation, and utilities; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and government. Fewer jobs were available in manufacturing.
In 2022, the top occupation for unique job posting volume was for registered nurses followed by home health and personal care aides, and retail salespeople. Santa Rosa had nearly 50% of the County’s unique job postings for the year.
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In terms of vacancy rates: office, industrial, and retail were historically steady until 2020 when, mirroring national trends, all sectors saw increases in vacancies, with retail being hit the hardest. In 2021, industrial vacancy rates returned to pre -pandemic levels and have remained steady through 2022. Retail vacancy rates have stabilized, though at a higher rate than pre -pandemic levels. Office vacancies have not recovered and continue to climb throughout Sonoma County.
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.
Lastly, the programs intended to help address community inequities highlighted and intensified by the longevity of the pandemic to which Council allocated one -time funding sources, including the Childcare Facility Fund grant program, an educational savings account for eligible children under the age of 6, and a guaranteed basic income program for randomly selected qualifying residents, were developed and successfully launched in 2022.
HISTORIC PRESERVATION ELEMENT
General Plan policy calls for preserving Santa Rosa’s historic structures and neighborhoods by pursuing new designated landmarks and preservation districts, ensuring that alterations to historic buildings are compatible with the character of the building and district, and increasing public participation in the preservation process.
A Landmark Alteration Permit (LMA) is required for all exterior alterations to designated landmarks, and for all buildings within historic preservation districts , with few exceptions.
There were 12 LMA applications submitted in 2022.
The grant-funded Historic Resource Evaluation (HRE) of the Downtown Station Area (DSA) was well underway throughout 2022. The selected consultant firm, Architectural Resources Group, Inc., conducted reconnaissance surveys (a lso known as windshield surveys) on 779 age - eligible (pre -1974) properties and developed a historic context statement for the area.
California Department of Parks and Recreation 523 forms were created for each surveyed
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property and evaluated for eligibility against the criteria of the National Regi ster of Historic Places, the California Register of Historical Resources, a nd the Santa Rosa Historic Preservation Ordinance. These steps informed which of the 779 properties required more research through intensive level surveys. A final DSA HRE is expected to be presented to the Cultural Heritage Board during 2023.
A new single-family home was approved for construction in the McDonald Historic District in the Northeast quadrant on a long-vacant site at 912 McDonald Avenue. The design received approval by the Cultural Heritage Board for a Major Landmark Alteration Permit for construction of a 1,873 square foot home.
NOISE AND SAFETY ELEMENT
On November 30, 2021, the Council adopted the
Sonoma County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation
Plan (MJHMP). T he City elected to participate in the
development of an MJHMP recognizing that hazards
cross jurisdictional and political boundaries. The benefits of taking a multijurisdictional approach to hazard
mitigation planning include the ability to pool resources and eliminate redundant activities within a planning area that has uniform risk exposure and vulnerabilities,
creating opportunities for coordination and collaboration, and the ability to create stronger grant applications by joining with other agencies.
The MJHMP includes two volumes. Volume 1 contents apply to all partners and Sonoma County in its entirety. Volume 2 includes an Annex, or chapter, for each of the participating local agencies and special districts. The City of Santa Rosa Annex, found in Volume 2 Chapter 3, addresses City -specific vulnerabilities to natural hazards such as earthquake, flood, and wildfire and includes mitigation action items to minimize the effect these natural hazards have on people, property, and natural systems. The City’s Annex updates the City’s previous Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) adopted in January 2017, and incorporates all actionable items included in the City’s 2020 Community Wildlife Protection Plan. The MJHMP and LHMP update will serve as foundational documents for the Safety Element as part of the General Plan update process. Visit: srcity.org/LHMP for more information and to access the Plan.
Figure 29 – Rendering of Major Landmark Alteration Permit- approved home at 912 McDonald Ave.
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Some of the City’s recent and ongoing actions to identify, address, and prioritize mitigation projects related to flooding, drought, hazardous materials, wildfires, and other potential hazards are:
The City’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan continued to serve as a roadmap to reduce the risk of wildfires locally through education, evacuation route improvements, community wildfire education, wildfire and evacuation preparedness, structural hardening of the built environment, vegetation treatments to reduce wildfire threat, implementation of defensible space standards and increased staffing dedicated to the wildfire mitigation workload. $2.75 million was allocated for implementation of the Fire Department’s Wildland Resiliency and Response Strategic Plan in 2021. In 2022, the Fire Department took delivery of two wildland fire engines (Type 3s) and completed the overall order of apparatus that includes two addition wildland fire engines (Type 6s) and one tactical water tender. The purchases will significantly improve the Fire Department’s capacity and abilities to prevent, mitigate, and respond to wildland fires using current staffing and fire stations. The plan will also continue to provide additional resources to legislative efforts, community engagement and education, and wildland firefighting equipment. The Fire Department received approval from the State’s Housing and Community Development’s Community Development Block Grant – Mitigation Resilient Planning and Public Services Program for $500,000 to fund education, outreach and assessments in the City’s Wildland Urban Interface areas.
The Fire Department has continued to implement Phase one of two FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grants that will total $4.9 million upon completion of the programs to implement Fuel Reduction along Evacuation Routes and Wildland Urban Interface Fuel Modification ( a Home Hardening and Defensible Space Program) work. The Water Department initiated environmental review required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to construct an earthen berm around the Laguna Treatment Plant to prevent flooding. This project is in the final review phase for a $14.6 million FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance Program grant, and $ 3.2 million of Community Block Development Grant Mitigation Assistance funding.
The Water Department launched a Water Supply Alternatives project to identify the best path forward for increasing the city’s water supplies by 2045 to enhance water supply resiliency and reliability, particularly in times of drought and/or catastrophic ev ents. The project includes a study of water supply options and development of an adaptive Water Supply Alternatives Plan for achieving water supply goals by 2045. Progress was made toward the replacement for F ire Station 5, located in the Fountaingrove area, and included environmental review and land acquisition, which were approved by Council in February 2022. A design contract for construction is anticipated in January 2023
Environmental Compliance and Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Inspectors review hazardous waste manifests to ensure that hazardous materials are not being dumped to sanitary or storm sewers. These actions protect the Laguna Treatment Plant, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer collection systems. Secondary containment is verified for Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and California Non-RCRA wastes. Outside
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storage of equipment, chemicals, and materials is evaluated to verify that rain will not wash unwanted materials, especially hydrocarbons, to the storm drain system. Best Management Practices are shared as they relate to these inspection items. Additionally, businesses are encouraged to contact the local CUPA with questions. Planning and Econ omic Development Department staff review new development for compliance with building code requirements including soil stability and seismic risk evaluation and require appropriate erosion control measures during construction. In 2022, there were no incidents that required the activation of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) . The award of a State grant prompted i mplementation work in 2022 to upgrade the EOC over the next few years, which will allow the EOC to remain “hot” (permanently set -up) rather than “warm” (set up and ready to activate, but not a permanent, dedicated space), and where the space is shared among multiple departments. Emergency Management secured an Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS) certificate allowing staff to send alert and warning messages to the community separate from the County, The City c ompleted a major update to the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP), which was adopted by the Council in December 2022.
The Continuity of Operations Plan (COOP) annexes have been updated and the basic plan will be updated in early 2023.
ART AND CULTURE ELEMENT
The General Plan Art and Culture Element calls for public art throughout Santa Rosa . Over the years, the City’s Public Art Program has grown to include the following key areas:
Public Art
Projects
Site Specific
Installations
Temporary &
Permanent
Projects
Community
Based Projects
Collection
Management
Accessions &
Deaccessions
Relocations
Maintenance &
Conservation
Public Art in
Private
Development
Art on Site
Fee In-Lieu
Cultural Events
Live at Juilliard
Earth Day On
Stage
Performances
Crafts Fair
Vendor Jury
Rotating Art
Exhibits
30 Exhibits Per
Year
Installed in select
City / community
buildings
National Arts
Program Exhibit
& Competition
Street
Performer
Permits
Annual permits
issued over the
counter
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Public Art Program
In late 2018, the Public Art Program was relocated from the Recreation & Parks Department to the Planning & Economic Development Department.
Some 2022 Public Art Program highlights include:
Public Art Strategic Plan Implementation. In 2019, the program began a strategic planning process that was completed in February 2021. More about the plan can be found HERE. In 2022, the following strategies and tactics were implemented towards achieving the identified goals:
Public Art Audit initiated
Partnerships:
Office of Community Engagement
General Plan Update
Economic Development Small Business Support Program
Creative Sonoma
DEIAB professional development and mentoring for Art in Public Places Committee Grants for art organizations
The Mural Project
Artstart
Grants for artists
ArtSurround Program
Ongoing maintenance for public art collection
PR & Marketing improvements
Help Each Other Grow Mural. Installed on the 5th Street Parking Garage in downtown Santa Rosa, this mural
was created by Rough Edge Collective, the artist team
of MJ Lindo-Lawyer and Joshua Lawyer in June 2022.
The site -specific mural was selected by a jury panel
comprised of downtown residents, downtown
businesses, the Art in Public Places Committee, arts
professionals, and the City’s Parking Division. A
dedication ceremony was held on Friday, Aug ust 19,
2022.
Figure 30– Photo of Help Each Other Grow mural,
5th Street parking garage
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Maintenance & Conservation. To care for its existing collection, the Public Art Program performs annual repairs and maintenance on murals, sculptures, and mosaics. In 202 2, repairs and/or annual cleaning was performed on the following items: Peanuts by Stan Pawlowski, Marcie’s Bench by Tivoli Too, Schroeder and Lucy by Tivoli Too, Whole Some by Boback Emad, Wellspring by WOWHAUS, Jeju Way Murals by Artstart & Korean Ex change Students, Daphne by Ron Rodgers and Exit the Dragon Tile Mural by Artstart.
Figure 31 – Photo of cleaned and treated existing sculptures
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II. ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE GROWTH MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
The City’s Growth Management Ordinance regulates residential growth. In 2022 , the Growth Management Ordinance allowed 800 new residential allotments. Each allotment allows for the future issuance of a building permit.
Growth Management allotments are available from two reserves, "A" and "B," each reserve having 400 new allotments per year. Reserve "A" allotments are for accessory dwelling units, mixed use units, units affordable to very low- and low-income households, and other qualifying units. Reserve “A” q ualifying units also include all multifamily units, for-sale single family attached units with project density of 10 units per acre or more, and smaller single family attached or detached units with maximum lot size, square footage, and bedroom requirements. Reserve "B" allotments are generally for any single -family unit greater than 1,250-square feet.
Section 21-03.140 of the Growth Management Ordinance specifies that at least once each calendar year, City staff shall prepare a report on the Growth Management program. The following covers the information required by the Ordinance for the 2022 calendar year. 1) The number of building permits issued (1) with Reserve "A" all otments and (2) with Reserve "B" allotments during the time period covered by the report.
In 2022, 1,171 residential building permits were issued. Of these permits, 1,110 were issued with Reserve “A,” allotments and 91 were issued with Reserve “B” allotments. 2) The number of entitlements, if any, that remained unallotted in (1) Reserve "A" and (2) Reserve "B" during the time period. The number of Reserve "A" entitlements, if any, borrowed from the next year's Reserve "A" entitlements. The number of Reserve "B" entitlements, if any, that were reserved in future calendar year entitlements.
In 2022, 400 new Reserve “A” allotments became available, with 1,110 Reserve “A” qualifying unit s permitted. Pursuant to City Code section 21 -03.090 Untitled entitlements, Reserve “A” entitlements which are not allotted in a particular calendar year shall be added to the new Reserve “A” entitlements which will become available in the next calendar year. In 2022, 710 of the 966 Reserve “A” allotments that remained available from 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 were used. Of the 400 new Reserve “B” allotments made available in 2022, 91 allotments were used including the recordation of the Bellevue Ranch 7 final subdivision map.
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3) An evaluation of the coordination of planning and development decisions, including infrastructure planning, with policies related to growth management.
Residential development is not approved without acknowledging the requirements of the Growth Management Ordinance. Residential development applications must indicate the total number and type of units proposed and for what year reserve allotments are requested.
The relationship between infrastructure planning and the growth management program is indirect. Infrastructure planning is done on a broad basis, to ensure there is sufficient infrastructure to serve General Plan buildout a s well as to support individual project requirements. The Downtown and North Santa Rosa Station Area Specific Plans outline the infrastructure needs and cost estimates for future development within each respective plan area.
Development impact fees are used to finance capital improvement projects. Projects programmed in the City’s Capital I mprovement Program (CIP) are reviewed annually by the Planning Commission to ensure that the CIP is consistent with improvements identified by the General Plan.
4) An analysis of the provision of public services, and if those services, including fire and poli ce response, parks, water, and wastewater services, have sufficient capacity to meet the needs of Santa Rosa.
Planning to ensure sufficient capacity to meet the future service needs of Santa Rosa is ongoing. The City meets each of the above noted service needs in the following ways:
Parks
Santa Rosa’s Park acreage
includes approximately 1 ,036
acres of neighborhood and
community parks, open
space, special purpose parks,
recreational facilities, public
plazas and gathering spaces,
and a golf course. The City
maintains an additional 65
acres of medians, roadway
landscapes and frontages.
The Ge neral Plan standard is
6 acres of park land per 1,000
residents, with city parks
(community, neighborhood, and special purpose) making up 3.5 acres per 1,000 residen ts, publicly accessible school recreational land accounting for 1.4 acres per 1,000 residents, and public serving open space accounting for 1.1 acres per 1,000 residents Figure 32– Finali Park entry sign
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Conditions That Could Affect Water Supply
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and Sonoma Water to ensure protections for three salmon species that are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act: Central California coast steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss); Central California Coast Coho salmon ( O. kisutch ); and California Coast Chinook salmon ( O. tshawytscha) . City restoration efforts include the protect ion and enhance ment critical habitat and managing waterway flow rates among others. Adhering to NMFS waterflow requirements could impact Sonoma Water’s ability to meet peak water demands during prolonged dry seasons.
Sonoma Water and USACE completed
construction of the final elements of Phases
I through III including habitat enhancement
in six reaches along the 14 -mile length of
Dry Creek between Lake Sonoma and the
Russian River confluence.
In 2022, Sonoma Water and the Army Corps
of Engineers continued to make progress on
Phases IV through VI of the habitat
enhancement project under a cost -share
partnership where the Corps of Engineers
covers 65% of the cost and implements the
actual construction. Construction on Phase IV began, with instream work on bo th Reach 13 sites completed, with the exception of an inlet to 13B, which will be completed in 2023 . The nine Reach 10 sites will be constructed in 2023 . The additional Phase V site in Reach 5B, immediately upstream of the Phase III site constructed in 2021 in Reach 5, is in the 60% design Phase. Sonoma Water right -of-way staff have nearly completed negotiations with the property owner. The Corps completed their Biddability, Constructability, Operability, Environmental and Sustainability (BCOES) review on the 100% level bid documents and the design consultant is addressing the final comments received. Right-of-way agreements for all Phase V owners will be su bmitted to the Corps for certification in January 2023. Phase V construction will begin in 2023, and Phase VI is tentatively planned for construction in 2024.
A successful project will enable flow rates in Dry Creek to meet the current and future water demands of Sonoma Water, further stabilizing the region’s water supply.
Future Water Supply
The City adopted its 2020 Urban Water Management Plan (UWMP) and submitted it to the State Department of Water Resources on June 30, 2021. The UWMP provides an updated analysis of the City’s projected water demand, water supply, and water supply reliability for the next 25 years. The City’s projections integrate population growth, forecasted development, Figure 33 - USACE and Sonoma Water employees work to
improve Dry Creek waterflows and salmon habitat.
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potential climate change impacts, and anticipated water savings from plumbing codes and regulations. The UWMP includes an analysis of water supply reliability in the event of five consecutive dry years for 2021-2025 and for each five-year increment through 2045.
In addition, the City prepared and adopted an up dated Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) in June 2021. The WSCP describes how the City will respond to water shortage conditions in times of drought, supply reductions, or emergencies to ensure the City is prepared to respond to water shortages ranging from mild (up to 10%) to severe (over 50%).
Short-term water supply shortages are anticipated in the City’s long -term water supply planning and are not expected to constrain new development. The City adopted an Amended WSCP on November 30, 2021, with changes to the Excess Use Penalty structure and revisions to the offset requirements for any new development that may occur during severe shortages (Stages 5-8).
The City’s 2020 UWMP water demand analysis indicate s that the City water supply will be adequate to meet demand through 2045 in normal and some dry year scenarios. As described in the WSCP, the City will enact the appropriate stage of its Shortage Plan as needed to ensure water demand does not exceed supply.
On April 21, 2021, the Governor declared a drought emergency in Sonoma County due to historically low rainfall in 2020 and 2021 . On June 14, 2021, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) issued a Temporary Urgency Change Order approving Sonoma Water’s request to reduce their releases from Lake Sonoma into the Russian River, the source of 95% Santa Rosa’s drinking water. The SWRCB Order also required that Sonoma Water, the regional water supply wholesaler, reduce the amount of water it supplies to communities by 20 percent, compared to 2020 levels, from July through December of 2021.
In Santa Rosa, this triggered a need to enact a water shortage declaration with prohibitions and water use restrictions to ensure the Santa Rosa community reduce d water use immediately. On June 29, 2021, the Santa Rosa City Council declared a Stage 3 water shortage and adopted a mandatory 20 percent communitywide reduction in water use and initiated water prohibitions and restrictions. These actions were in additio n to the City’s ongoing Water Use Efficiency programs and ongoing enforcement of its Water Waste Ordinance.
Due to ongoing drought conditions, City remained in a Stage 3 water shortage in 2022, requiring a 20% reduction in water use compared to 2020. The community has achieved a cumulative 18% reduction in use since the water shortage was declared by City Council in June 2021.
Santa Rosa plans to continue to enact Stage 3 of its WSCP until sufficient rainfall replenishes Lake Sonoma and the Russian River watershed.
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Wastewater
The City’s wastewater collection system, inclusive of scheduled, planned, and anticipated CIP projects, is anticipated to adequately serve existing and future development needs as predicted by the General Plan. Example CIP projects include on-going annual replacement of wastewater collection and trunk pipelines, improvements to wastewater lift stations, and maintenance and repair of the City’s wastewater system.
Wastewater from Santa Rosa is treated at the Laguna Subregional Wastewater Treatment Plant (LTP) and is reclaimed in the Santa Rosa Subregional Water Reclamation System. The CIP includes LTP and reclamation system improvements t hat are intended to maintain adequate capacity to treat and reclaim General Plan anticipated wastewater volumes. The reclamation system’s current 21.34 -mgd capacity is anticipated to be sufficient into the future. Projects that would expand the existing re clamation system to 25.89 -mgd to meet General Plan projections for Santa Rosa and other subregional partners have been identified. 5) A listing of any significant problems which arose during the time period covered in administering the Growth Management program.
No specific Growth Management administration problems were experienced in 2022; however, there is overall conflict between the program and realization of City housing production goals and Regional Housing Needs Assessment requirements. The maximum allowable 800 residential allotments per year is further limited on a per project basis to 75 single-family allotments per year and 200 multi-family allotments per year and Council action is required to allow more than 400 allotments per calendar year for most detached single - family construction. During both 2020 and 2021, Reserve “A” allotments were borrowed from previous years, however, this may not be a viable way to achieve housing goals depending on the number of residential units in future years.
6) A listing of any staff recommendations, with regard to changes or revisions to the adopted program to improve its effectiveness and/or administration.
See item seven (7) response below.
7) A recommendation, if any, together with factual supporting data, as to whether the Growth Management Element of the General Plan and/or the Growth Management program should be substantially revised or discontinued.
The Growth Management Ordinance, Chapter 21 -03 of the City Code, sunset at the end of 2020, however, General Plan Policy GM-B -1, in the Growth Management Element, provides housing allocations through 2035. Staff is evaluating amendments to the Growth Management General Plan Element as a part of the comprehensive General Plan update with considering the City’s current and projected need for housing development including affordable housing.
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III. ANNUAL REVIEW OF THE INCLUSIONARY HOUSING ORDINANCE
The City's 2016 Housing Action Plan seeks to increase development of affordable housing. A key tool in that effort is the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance. The Inclusionary Housing Ordinance requires that housing projects include on -site affordable units or the payment of “in lieu” funds which are used for affordable housing development. Allocated units are defined as a newly constructed “for-rent” or “for-sale” dwelling unit which is:
• Made available and occupied by a household of lower or moderate income; • Subject to occupancy and affordable rent or sales price controls for a period of not less than 55 years;
• Compatible with the design of other units in the residential housing developmen t of which it is part in terms of exterior appearance, materials and quality finish; and • A similar unit type and bedroom mix to the overall residential development.
Pursuant to City Code Section 21 -02.140, City staff reports on the effectiveness of the inclusionary housing ordinance at least once each calendar year including the items listed below.
1) The number of allocated units, both on and off site, issued building permits during the time period covered by the report.
Between January 1 and December 31, 2022, a total of 402 allocated units were issued building permits on the respective housing development site.
The number of qualifying units, owner/builder units, accessory dwelling units, very low- or low- income units and mixed-use units issued building permits during the time period covered by the report.
Between January 1 and December 31, 20 22, 1,058 units were subject to the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance. In 2022, 113 building permits were issued for Accessory Dwelling Units (excluding the fire rebuild area), which are exempt from the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance.
Building permits were issued for 413 units targeted to lower income households, including 78 units for extremely low-income households, 197 units for very low-income households , 136 units for low -income households , and 2 for moderate-income households . A total of 527 owner/builder building permits were issued outside of the fire rebuild area last year. 2) The amount of housing impact fees collected.
In 2022, $1.79 million was collected in Housing Impact fees, representing a 13 percent increase from 2021, when $1.58 million was collected. The amount of Housing Impact fees collected since the Ordinance’s adoption in 1992 is nearly $ 35 million . A total of 2,010 affordable units have been supported through this fee.
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3) The amount of acreage by land use category dedicated to the City.
No land was dedicated to the City through the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance during 2022.
4) A listing of any staff recommendations, with regard to changes or revisions to the adopted program to improve its effectiveness and/or administration.
The Inclusionary Housing Ordinance was updated in December 2019. Planning and Economic Development and Housing and Community Services staff continued implement ation of th is Ordinance in 2022 without issue. There are no staff recommended changes at this time.
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HOUSING ELEMENT POLICY APPENDIX
2022 ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT
Policy Objective Housing
Element
Timeframe
Policy Implementation Status
H-A-1 Ensure adequate sites are
available for development
of a variety of housing
types for all income levels,
including single and
multifamily units, mobile
homes, transitional
housing, and homeless
shelters.
Ongoing The City has ensured adequate sites are available for development of a variety of housing types for all
income levels, including single-and multifamily units,
mobile homes, transitional housing, and homeless
shelters. The 2014 Housing Element identified
vacant parcels available for construction of
residential units at various densities. Subsequent
rezones in the SMART station areas increased the
number of sites zoned for high density residential
housing. The City Council adopted an updated
Downtown Station Area Specific Plan in October
2020 which offers strategies designed to encourage
density and increase housing production for all
income levels. The City is currently updating its
General Plan which will update the inventory of
vacant parcels and explore density increases within
appropriate areas. Planning staff are also working
on the development of a Missing Middle Housing
Ordinance which would increase the residential
densities on many sites located within walkable
neighborhoods.
H-A-2 Pursue the goal of meeting
Santa Rosa’s housing
needs through increased
densities, when consistent
with preservation of
existing neighborhoods.
The number of affordable
units permitted each year,
and the adequacy of higher
density sites shall be
reported as part of the
General Plan Annual
Review report.
Ongoing The City continues to pursue its goal of meeting housing needs through increased densities when
consistent with preservation of existing
neighborhoods. The City's Density Bonus Ordinance
was updated in November 2021 to comply with
State density bonus law which now allows qualified
affordable housing projects at 50% density increase
and further reduces parking ratios, especially for
projects served by transit. The City’s supplemental
density provision has not changed and allows up to
a 100% density bonus, depending on project
location.
H-A-3 Promote conservation and
rehabilitation of the
existing housing stock and
discourage intrusion of
incompatible uses into
residential neighborhoods
which would erode the
character of established
neighborhoods or lead to
use conflicts.
Ongoing City staff continue to implement the City’s Zoning Code regulations, which consider land use
compatibility in residential neighborhoods, on a
project-by-project basis. In 2022, City staff
continued to administer the Neighborhood
Revitalization Program, which focuses on
rehabilitating existing housing stock throughout the
City, in particular housing units for low-income
households.
H-A-4 Meet and confer with
Sonoma County Planning
staff on a regular basis to
address housing needs of
lower income and special
Ongoing The City continues to meet and confer with Sonoma County Planning Staff on a regular basis to address
housing needs of lower income and special-needs
groups, to coordinate regarding issues including
infrastructure, zoning, and land use, annexations,
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needs groups, to
coordinate regarding
issues including
infrastructure, zoning and
land use, annexations,
community acceptance
strategies, homeless
shelters, farmworkers,
persons with disabilities,
environmental issues,
funding, and impact fees.
community acceptance strategies, homeless
shelters, farmworkers, persons with disabilities,
environmental issues, funding, and impact fees.
Santa Rosa planners attend monthly Planning
Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings, comprised of
Planning staff from each of the nine cities within the
County and County of Sonoma staff, to collaborate
on State Legislation related to housing and to work
on annexation initiatives.
H-A-5 Improve community
acceptance of higher
density housing through
community-based
outreach, recognition of
existing livable
neighborhoods, and
assurance of well-designed
high-density projects.
2018 The City continues to improve community
acceptance of higher-density housing through
community-based outreach, recognition of existing
livable neighborhoods and assurance of well-
designed high-density projects. This policy is also
implemented on a project-by-project basis. In 2022,
Planning staff continued to hold neighborhood
meetings utilizing a virtual format in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Neighborhood meetings
provide an opportunity to raise public awareness of
proposed projects, to ensure transparency, and to
receive public input. Additionally, projects which
utilized the City’s Pre-Application Meetings and/or
Concept Design Review benefitted from early
feedback regarding the project and project design.
H-B-1 Rehabilitate 50 housing
units annually through the
city’s rehabilitation
programs, focusing on very
low- and low-income
beneficiaries.
Ongoing The City continues to improve the living conditions in the City’s neighborhoods through active code
enforcement and the Neighborhood Revitalization
Program. A total of 48 units were rehabilitated in CY
2022 as a result of the inspections performed by
the City’s Code Enforcement Team. The resolution of
these code enforcement cases includes bringing
plumbing, electrical, and other aspects of the
residence up to current building code requirements.
H-B-2 Discourage the subdivision
of mobile home parks or
conversion to other uses
through enforcement of
the Conversion of Mobile
Home Parks chapter of the
City Code.
Ongoing Implementation of the City's Mobile Home Parks
Conversion ordinance is conducted on a project-by-
project basis. The City continues to discourage the
subdivision of mobile home parks or conversion to
other uses through the enforcement of the
Conversion of Mobile Home Parks chapter of the
City Code.
H-B-3 Retain federal, state and
locally subsidized
affordable units which may
be lost through contract
termination.
Ongoing No locally funded affordable units were lost to market rate during 2022, or during the Housing
Element Cycle 5 planning period.
H-B-4 Continue improving living
conditions in the city’s
neighborhoods through
active code enforcement
and the Neighborhood
Revitalization Program.
Ongoing In 2022, the City Code Enforcement Team issued 48 building permits to bring residential units to current
building code standards, to resolve code
enforcement cases. The resolution of these code
enforcement cases includes bringing plumbing,
electrical, and other aspects of the residence up to
current building code requirements.
H-B-5 Revise the Condominium
Conversion Ordinance to
2018 The existing Condominium Conversion Ordinance
has not been updated; however, the City has not
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preserve rental apartments
from conversion to
ownership units.
received any applications or inquiries related to
condominium conversions since the 2014 General
Plan Housing Element update.
H-B-6 Administer the federal
Section 8 Housing Choice
Voucher rental assistance
program.
Ongoing The Housing Authority continues to administer the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program, aiding
over 2,000 households.
H-B-7 Continue to designate a
portion of the Real
Property Transfer Tax,
through annual budget
appropriations, to
affordable housing
programs.
Ongoing The Department of Housing and Community
Services (HCS) continues to use a portion of the
Real Property Transfer Tax (RPTT) for affordable
housing citywide. The City Council authorized annual
increases to the percentage of RPTT transferred to
the HCS until it reaches 100%.
H-B-8 Review and document the
performance of affordable
housing programs
annually. Report the
number of affordable units
developed from various
funding sources, the
number and income levels
of households assisted
through various programs
and the number of existing
homes sold at affordable
prices.
Ongoing The City continues to review and document the
performance of affordable housing programs
annually, including reporting the number of
affordable units developed from various funding
sources, the number and income levels of
households assisted through various programs, and
the number of existing homes sold at affordable
prices. This policy goal is met by various ongoing city housing programs and is reported annually to HCD
and the City Council, in compliance with State law.
H-B-9 Continue to operate the
Mobile Home Repair Loan
and Mobile Home Rent
Deferral programs.
Ongoing In early 2022, the program became inactive due to lack of funds. .
H-B-10 Recognize existing
nonconforming residential
uses which are located in
non-residential land use
categories. Allow such uses
to be zoned residential and
to be found consistent with
the General Plan on an
interim basis, until the
area is ready to convert
and rezone to non-
residential uses
Ongoing This policy is implemented on a project-by-project basis, as allowed through the non-conforming
section in the City's Zoning Code.
H-C-1 Amend the Housing
Allocation Plan, the city’s
inclusionary housing
ordinance, to change the
trigger for provision of
affordable units from acres
to units and to consider
elimination of the
exemption for mixed use
developments and a
commercial linkage fee.
Complete This implementation measure has been completed.
In 2019, the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance was
amended to (1) revise the inclusionary (on-site)
affordable unit percentage requirement, (2) modify
the Housing Impact Fee structure, (3) reduce the
inclusionary percentage and housing impact fee for
multifamily housing and mixed-use development in
the Downtown Area to help encourage higher
intensity development, and (4) establish a new
Commercial Linkage Fee to increase affordable
housing development within the City.
H-C-2 Implement the Housing
Allocation Plan to increase
Ongoing The City continues to implement the Housing
Allocation Plan to increase the number of affordable
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the number of affordable
units in Santa Rosa, both
on site and through
collection of in lieu fees
and subsequent
development of affordable
units.
units in Santa Rosa, both onsite and through
collection of in-lieu fees used to subsidize affordable housing projects in various stages of financing. In
2022, $1.79 M was collected through In-Lieu
Housing Impact fees and will be used to subsidize
affordable housing projects.
H-C-3 Utilize fees generated
through the Housing
Allocation Plan for the
development of housing
units affordable to
extremely low-, very low-,
and low-income
households.
Ongoing Fees generated through the In-Lieu Housing Impact fees from the City's Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
are used for the construction of affordable units.
Since 1992, more than 2,010 affordable units have
been supported through this fee.
H-C-4 Consider a Commercial
Linkage Fee for non-
residential development to
increase funds available
for the development of
housing units affordable to
very low- and low-income
households
Complete This implementation measure was completed
through the 2019 update to the City's Inclusionary
Housing Ordinance.
H-C-5 Rezone Medium and
Medium High-Density sites
of two acres or more
concurrent with the
adoption of this Housing
Element to facilitate the
development of higher
density sites
Complete This implementation measure has been completed.
H-C-6 Rezone residential and
mixed-use sites in the
Downtown Station Area
Specific Plan boundary to
allow residential uses by
right.
Complete This implementation measure has been completed.
H-C-7 Utilize the Santa Rosa
Housing Trust to maximize
and leverage available
federal, state, and local
funding to assist in the
development of affordable
housing, the preservation
and rehabilitation of low-
income housing, the
development and
maintenance of homeless
shelters, and the
acquisition and
development of facilities
for the physically and
developmentally disabled
Ongoing The City continues to use the Santa Rosa Housing Trust to maximize and leverage available federal,
State, and local funding to assist in the
development of affordable housing, the preservation
and rehabilitation of low-income housing, the
development and maintenance of homeless
shelters, and the acquisition and development of
facilities for the physically and developmentally
disabled. The Santa Rosa Housing Trust partners
with many private and non-profit organizations to
develop, rehabilitate, and preserve affordable
housing and to convert market rate housing to
affordable housing. Through the Trust, the Santa
Rosa Housing Authority has supported the creation
of approximately 5,000 affordable units,
representing $120 million invested in affordable
housing in Santa Rosa.
H-C-8 Continue to provide
funding for affordable
Ongoing The City continues to provide financing for
affordable housing projects through various ongoing
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housing projects,
particularly if a portion of
the project units are
targeted to extremely low-
income households.
grant programs and the use of in-lieu fees.
H-C-9 Allow Low Density sites of
3 acres or less to develop
at densities up to 15 units
per acre under the
following conditions:
• Where infrastructure is
sufficient to support the
increased density;
• When the project design
is compatible with the
surrounding residential
neighborhood in terms of
building mass, setbacks
and landscaping;
• Where at least one very
low or two low-income
rental units are included
for every 10 market rate
units with affordability
maintained for 10 years;
and
• Where affordable
housing units are
incorporated into the
neighborhood using
superior design such that
affordable units are
indistinguishable from
market rate units.
Ongoing The City implements the policy for allowing density sites that meet certain conditions, including being 3
acres or less in size, to develop at densities up to 15 units per acre on a project-by-project basis.
H-C-10 Encourage production of
residential units downtown
as envisioned by the
Downtown Station Area
Specific Plan.
Ongoing The City Council approved an updated Downtown
Station Area Specific Plan in October 2020. The
updated plan utilizes floor-area ratios (FAR) to
encourage maximum density, reduces parking
requirements, and provides fee-reduction incentives
and other streamlining measures for downtown
development. The City's Resilient City Development
Measures encourage housing and economic
development within the City, including reduced
review authority for certain uses within the
Downtown Station Area. As of January 2023, 287
residential units were under construction, and
1,044 residential units were under planning review
or had been approved, in the Downtown Station
Area Specific Plan area.
H-C-11 Provide opportunities for
higher density and
affordable housing
development on
regional/arterial streets
and near the rail transit
corridor for convenient
Ongoing The City's General Plan 2035, the Northwest Station Area Specific Plan, and the Downtown Station Area
Specific Plan, designate higher density sites along
regional/arterial streets and the rail corridor.
Ongoing streamlining efforts incentivize
development in these areas through reduced
parking requirements, increased height limits, the
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access to bus and rail
transit.
City's density bonus ordinance and fee incentives.
The ongoing General Plan update process will
include review for possible increased housing
densities citywide.
H-C-12 Promote the development
of second units. Discuss
this option with residential
developers during initial
development application
meetings.
Ongoing The City continues to facilitate the development of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). The City-approved
zoning code revisions comply with State law and
create setbacks, parking exceptions, and fee
reductions for ADUs. In addition, utility connection
fees were eliminated for ADUs less than 750 square
feet. In 2022, Planning staff continued coordination
with the Napa Sonoma ADU Foundation, a non-profit
devoted to promoting the production of ADUs, by
participating in educational webinars and
collaborating on a variety of resources geared
toward homeowners. The City’s ADU permit review
times continue to be shorter than review times
mandated by State law, and building permits were
issued for 133 ADUs in 2022.
H-C-13 Support affordable housing
sponsors by continuing to
provide funds to subsidize
the production of
affordable housing.
Ongoing The City continues to support affordable housing sponsors by providing funds to subsidize the
production of affordable housing. Through the
Housing Authority, the City provides annual funding
from a compilation of federal and local sources and
programs to finance affordable housing production.
As of January 2023, the Housing Authority Loan
Portfolio includes approximately $178 million in
loan funds for over 4,500 subsidized units, across
all funding sources.
H-C-14 Continue commitment of
redevelopment area tax
increment funds for
affordable housing
programs. Utilize the
Redevelopment Low- and
Moderate-Income Housing
Fund for affordable
housing targeting
extremely low-, very low-,
low-, and moderate-income
households.
Ongoing With the dissolvement of redevelopment by the
Governor of CA in 2011, loan repayments are used
to rehabilitate existing dwelling units, acquire land
for development of new affordable units, and
provide financial assistance to permanent
supportive housing units.
H-C-15 Participate in tax credit
and mortgage revenue
bond programs which
provide tax exempt, low-
cost financing to
developers of projects
making a portion of the
units affordable.
Ongoing The City continues its participation in tax credit and mortgage revenue bond programs by providing tax
credit applications and serving as the sponsor for
affordable housing bond issuances.
H-C-16 Aggressively participate in
available federal, state,
and private non-profit
programs for the provision
of affordable housing.
Ongoing The City continues to participate in available federal, State, and private non-profit programs for provision
of affordable housing. This is done by City staff who
work with HUD and HCD to access all available
resources and grants to sustain and expand
affordable housing in Santa Rosa.
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H-C-17 Allow mobile homes on
single family lots through
issuance of a certificate of
compatibility
Ongoing The City continued to permit mobile homes that
meet the standards on single-family lots citywide.
H-C-18 Continue participation in
the Mortgage Credit
Certificate program to
assist lower income and/or
first-time homebuyers in
purchasing new homes
Ongoing Mortgage Credit Certificates are not currently
available. Staff is reviewing the ability to reestablish the program.
H-C-19 Investigate development of
a Community Land Trust
program for Santa Rosa to
determine its feasibility
and affordable housing
production possibilities
2012 The City continues to support the Housing Land
Trust of Sonoma County’s (HLTSC) efforts to work
with developers and non-profit organizations to
further homeownership opportunities throughout
the County.
H-C-20 Encourage the
development of units with
three or more bedrooms in
affordable housing
projects.
Ongoing The City encourages the development of units with three or more bedrooms in affordable housing
projects. The staff continuously meets and confers
with applicants to address and encourage all levels
of housing types and affordability.
H-D-1 Continue existing programs
for persons with special
needs, including disabled
persons, elderly, homeless,
large families, single
parent households, and
farmworkers.
Ongoing The City continued to support existing programs, including-- the Housing Accessibility Modification
(HAM) Program and Housing Opportunities for
Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), which is funded by
HUD, The City supports developments through loans
from the Housing Authority—for persons with special
needs, including disabled persons, elderly,
homeless, large families, single-parent households,
and farmworkers. The Housing Authority provides
funding and regulatory oversight for properties that
serve special-needs individuals and families.
H-D-2 Require new units
specifically for households
with special needs by
conditioning new
multifamily construction to
meet federal and state
requirements for
accessibility and/or
adaptability for disabled
persons.
Ongoing By conditioning new multifamily construction to meet federal and State requirements, the City
achieved accessibility and adaptability for disabled
persons during the 5th Cycle planning period.
H-D-3 Evaluate issues of
“visitability” in residential
building design and
develop a program for
implementation of
appropriate policies and/or
standards
2011 The California accessibility codes the City adopted have “visitability” standards for new multifamily
residential development
H-D-4 Investigate and promote
incorporation of universal
design features in new
residential construction by
developing an ordinance
based on the state’s
voluntary model ordinance
2011 The California accessibility codes the City adopted have “visitability” standards for new multifamily
residential development.
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H-D-5 Encourage special housing
arrangements, including
shared and congregate
housing and single room
occupancy facilities
(SROs), by helping
sponsors obtain federal
and state funds. Commit
city funds (to the extent
such funds are available
for the purpose in light of
competing housing
objectives) to help non-
profit developers of such
housing types.
Ongoing The City encouraged special housing arrangements, such as shared congregate housing and single-room
occupancy facilities (SROs), by helping sponsors
obtain federal and State funds. In addition to
committing city funds, the City continues to facilitate and support innovative housing approaches on a
project-by-project basis to provide a variety of
housing opportunities.
H-D-6 Encourage the
development of Single
Room Occupancy facilities,
consistent with the Single
Room Occupancy
Ordinance.
Ongoing The City continues to facilitate and support
innovative housing approaches, including Single-
Room Occupancy facilities, on a project-by-project
basis, to provide a variety of housing opportunities.
H-D-7 Support the development
of rental housing for
seasonal and permanent
farmworkers.
Ongoing The City continues to encourage the inclusion of units for farmworkers in new affordable housing
projects and provides consultation assistance and
support in the State funding application process to
affordable housing developers providing farmworker
units. In 2022, the Housing Authority awarded an
additional $2M in funds to the Mahonia Glen project
which has farmworker housing, No new projects
pursuing Joe Serna farmworker grants were
awarded.
H-D-8 Amend the Zoning Code to
include a provision
allowing agricultural
employee housing for six or
fewer residents as a
permitted residential use
in residential zoning
districts.
2010 The City amended the Zoning Code to include a
provision allowing agricultural employee housing for
six or fewer residents as a permitted residential use
in residential zoning districts.
H-D-9 Provide funding to groups
providing shelter and other
services to the homeless.
Ongoing The City provides funding annually for homeless shelters and services such as Catholic Charities,
Community Action Partnership, Living Room, and
YWCA Sonoma County. The current annual budget
for these services is up to $6 million.
H-D-10 Amend the Zoning Code to
allow emergency shelters
as a permitted use in the
General Commercial (CG)
district, subject to the
same development
standards as other
permitted uses in the CG
zone.
2010 The City achieved amending the Zoning Code to
allow Emergency Shelters by right in the City's
General Commercial (CG) zoning district.
H-D-11 Amend the Zoning Code to
define supportive housing
in the glossary and to allow
2010 The City achieved amending the Zoning Code to
define supportive housing in the glossary and to
allow transitional and supportive housing as
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transitional and supportive
housing as residential
uses, subject to the same
regulations as other
residential uses in the
same zoning district.
residential uses, subject to the same regulations as
other residential uses in the same zoning district.
H-D-12 Support programs which
address long term
solutions to homelessness
including job training and
placement and which
provide other supportive
services.
Ongoing The City invests approximately $5 million annually in services to support persons experiencing
homelessness, including daytime support, street
outreach, a winter warming center, emergency
shelter and housing assistance. In Fiscal Year
2021/2022, the City committed an additional $2.3
million for the Safe Parking Pilot Program, which
opened in March 2022. During the COVID-19
pandemic, the City invested approximately $10
million to protect vulnerable members of the
community experiencing homelessness through non-
congregate shelter and a safe, managed campsite.
The City has made additional investments through
the launch of an innovated mental health response
team, InResponse, and has received $24.6 million
in State Homekey funds for two projects that will
provide 90 units of interim and permanent
supportive Housing for persons experiencing
homelessness.
H-D-13 Provide incentives for
development of housing for
the elderly, particularly for
those in need of assisted
and skilled nursing care.
Incentives may include
density bonuses, reduced
parking requirements or
deferred development
fees.
Ongoing The City continues to provide incentives for
development of housing for the elderly, particularly
for those in need of assisted and skilled nursing
care. Incentives may include density bonuses,
reduced parking requirements or deferred
development fees. The most recent Zoning Code
includes reduced parking ratios and density bonus
options for senior housing and community care
facilities.
H-D-14 In new senior housing built
receiving any development
incentives or money from
the city, require that a
substantial portion, at least
25 percent, be available to
low-income seniors.
Ongoing The City implements on a project-by-project basis, that any development building receiving incentives
or money from the City are required to substantiate
that at least 20 percent of units be available to low-
income seniors.
H-D-15 Encourage development of
senior housing not
receiving city funding or
concessions to provide a
substantial number of
units affordable to low-
income seniors
Ongoing The City continues to encourage on a project-by- project basis the development of senior housing not
receiving city funding or concessions, to provide a
substantial number of units affordable to low-
income seniors. Through design guidelines which
encourage innovative housing programs, the City
hopes to stimulate development of senior housing
to address the housing needs of the senior
population in Santa Rosa. Additionally, with use of
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LEAP (Local Early Action Plan) funding ($500,000),
the City is launching House Santa Rosa which will
provide more transparency on available incentives
and programs that are offered by the City.
H-D-16 Through flexibility in design
guidelines which
encourage innovative
housing programs,
stimulate development of
senior housing which
addresses the housing
needs of the senior
population
Ongoing The City continues to implement on a project-by- project basis, design guidelines that can encourage
innovative housing programs and stimulate the
development of senior housing, which will address
the housing needs of the senior population.
H-E-1 Eliminate discrimination in
housing opportunities in
Santa Rosa and assure
that access to housing will
not be denied on the basis
of race, ethnic or national
origin, religion, marital
status, sexual orientation,
age or physical disability.
As an exception, mobile
home parks and other
developments designed
specifically for seniors or
the disabled will be
permitted to exclude
children as permanent
residents.
Ongoing The City continues to eliminate discrimination in housing opportunities in Santa Rosa and assure
that access to housing will not be denied on the
basis of race, ethnic or national origin, religion,
marital status, sexual orientation, age or physical
disability. As an exception, mobile home parks and
other developments designed specifically for seniors
or the disabled, will be permitted to exclude children
as permanent residents. The City promotes the
activities of Fair Housing Advocates of Northern
California (Fair Housing). Fair Housing prints
brochures that are provided to the City of Santa
Rosa for distribution to every Housing Choice
Voucher (HCV) client and others wishing this
information. Fair Housing provides a number of
services including mediation and resolution of
tenant/landlord disputes and provides outreach
services. Brochures are also provided to local
service providers such as Becoming Independent
and Disability Services and Legal Center. In 2019,
the City added a Housing Anti-Discrimination
chapter to the City Code to prohibit housing
discrimination based on source of income, including
HVC, and other rent subsidies.
H-E-2 Continue to fund and
support Fair Housing of
Sonoma County, which
serves as the city’s equal
opportunity housing
agency.
Ongoing The City continues to fund and support Fair Housing of Sonoma County, which serves as the City’s equal
opportunity housing agency. In addition, as a U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
entitlement jurisdiction, the City provides annual
funding for Fair Housing services. The City currently
has a contract with Fair Housing Advocates of
Northern California.
H-F-1 Ensure that residential
projects are heard by the
first decision-making
board, within a period not
to exceed 120 days of
receipt of an application
for development approval
Ongoing The City continues to ensure that residential
projects are heard by the first decision-making
board, within a period not to exceed 120 days of
receipt of an application for development approval.
As part of the Planning and Economic
Development’s Housing Action Plan, Planning staff
have been working on a suite of internal and
external process improvements to assist applicants
and staff when submitting and reviewing residential
projects. In 2022, despite ongoing challenges due
to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City continued to
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improve interdepartmental coordination and
effectively prioritize residential entitlement review,
particularly residential projects with an affordable
component. Planning staff continue to implement
the Universal Permit Application created in 2020,
which streamlines and encourages more complete
permit submittals, shortening project review
timelines.
H-F-2 Fast track all development
projects which are
comprised fully of units
affordable to extremely
low-, very low-, and low-
income households with
long term affordability
restrictions. Utilize a fast-
track schedule mutually
acceptable to the project
applicant and the city.
Ongoing The City continues to fast track all development projects, which are comprised fully of units
affordable to extremely low, very low-, and low-
income households with long-term affordability
restrictions. The City also uses a fast-track schedule, mutually acceptable to the project applicant and the
City. The City continues to prioritize affordable
housing projects by coordinating and focusing staff
efforts across departments on residential projects
particularly those with high unit counts, and
affordable units.
H-F-3 Acquire sites for potential
affordable housing
projects, with subsequent
disposition to affordable
housing providers.
Ongoing The City continues to provide first right of refusal for surplus city land to developers of affordable
housing. As determined by budget and goal setting
processes, the Housing Authority funds property
acquisition and banks land acquired for later
provision to affordable housing developers. The
Economic Development and Housing staff also
continue to seek opportunities to acquire sites.
H-F-4 Defer payment of
development fees for
affordable units.
Ongoing The City continues to allow applicants to defer impact fees to final occupancy instead of permit
issuance. Many projects, including affordable
housing developments, use the option to defer
impact fees to final occupancy, though the City does
not track specific numbers.
H-F-5 Revise the local Density
Bonus Ordinance to ensure
it reflects state law and to
simplify the city process of
obtaining a density bonus.
Complete The City continues to modify the local Density Bonus Ordinance to reflect State Law. On November 9,
2021, the City Council adopted an ordinance to
implement Assembly Bill 2345, which increased the
maximum density bonus from 35% to 50% above
the maximum general plan land use density and
permits a 100% density bonus for 100% lower
income housing developments in some locations
H-F-6 Develop a checklist
specific to affordable
housing developments
which will facilitate such
projects in the Design
Review process.
Complete The City Council adopted Objective Design
Standards for Streamlined and Ministerial
Residential Developments (Zoning Code Chapter 20-
39) effective December 20, 2019, to incorporate
the intent of the Santa Rosa Design Guidelines to
the greatest extent possible while complying with
the intent of State legislation (Senate Bill 35) to
facilitate and expedite the construction of housing in
Santa Rosa.
H-F-7 Ensure that regulations
contained in the Santa
Rosa Zoning Code provide
development standards,
parking requirements, and
use allowances which
Ongoing The Zoning Code contains several concessions and a reduced parking requirement to facilitate the
development of housing for all income groups,
including through the density bonus program
(updated in 2021 in accordance with State law) and
the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance. The
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facilitate the development
of housing for all income
groups
Inclusionary Housing Ordinance was amended in
2019 to (1) revise the inclusionary (on-site)
affordable unit percentage requirement, (2) modify
the Housing Impact Fee structure, (3) reduce the
inclusionary percentage and housing impact fee for
multifamily housing and mixed-use development in
the Downtown Area to help encourage higher
intensity development, and (4) establish a new
Commercial Linkage Fee to increase affordable
housing development within the City. In 2022,
housing impact fees totaled $1.79 million, and
building permits were issued for 347 deed-restricted
affordable units.
H-F-8 Continue to participate in
regional conservation
efforts regarding sensitive
habitat and endangered
species to ensure that
mitigation opportunities
are available to maintain
adequate sites at
appropriate densities to
accommodate the City’s
RHNA
Ongoing The City continues to participate in regional
conservation efforts regarding sensitive habitat and
endangered species to ensure that mitigation
opportunities are available to maintain adequate
sties at appropriate densities to accommodate the
city’s regional housing needs allocation. On a
project-by-project basis, the City continues to
implement the requirements of CEQA as they
pertain to California Tiger Salamander and other
sensitive species, ensuring that appropriate
mitigation is required when necessary.
H-G-1 Maximize energy efficiency
in residential areas.
Ongoing The City continues to maximize energy efficiency in residential areas. The City participates in the County
Property Assessed Clean Energy retrofit program,
the Sonoma Clean Power renewable utility provider,
and implementation of CALGreen building standards
and select Tier 1 standards. The City has adopted
all-electric reach code standards for new low-rise
residential development effective January 1, 2020.
New residential projects are reviewed for
compliance with the Climate Action Plan.
H-G-2 Require, energy efficiency
through site planning and
building design by assisting
residential developers in
identifying energy
conservation and efficiency
measures appropriate to
the Santa Rosa area.
Ongoing The City continues to require energy efficiency through site planning and building design by
assisting residential developers in identifying energy
conservation and efficiency measures appropriate
to the Santa Rosa area.
H-G-3 Promote energy efficiency
in the provision and use of
water in all residential
developments
Ongoing The City promotes energy efficiency in the provision and use of water in all residential developments. In
2021, the City completed its upgrade citywide from
manually read water meters to Advanced Metering
Infrastructure (AMI) meters that report hourly usage
rates, detect leaks and water waste. In addition,
new development is required to comply with
CALGreen building standards, the Water Efficient
Landscape Ordinance, and the Climate Action Plan.
H-G-4 Reduce the amount of
water used, encourage the
use of recycled water for
landscaping where
available, and require
Ongoing The City continues to reduce the amount of water used and requires compliance with the City’s Water
Efficient Landscape Policy. The City also administers
rebate programs for turf replacement.
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compliance with the city’s
Water Efficient Landscape
Policy
H-G-5 Continue to require the use
of fuel-efficient heating
and cooling equipment and
other appliances, in
accordance with the city’s
green building program.
Ongoing The City continues to require the use of fuel-efficient heating and cooling equipment and other
appliances, in accordance with the City’s green
building program. The City continues to implement
CALGreen building standards and select Tier 1
standards for energy efficiency in new construction.
CALGreen building standards are required also for
additions and remodels. The City adopted all-electric
reach code standards, applicable for most new
residential development.
H-G-6 Continue to fund energy
conservation through the
Housing Authority’s
rehabilitation loans and
develop programs to assist
low-income households
and rental properties in
meeting weatherization
and energy conservation
needs.
Ongoing The City continues to fund energy conservation
through the Housing Authority's rehabilitation loans
and continues to develop programs to assist low-
income households and rental properties in meeting
weatherization and energy conservation needs. The
Housing Authority continues to utilize its affordable
housing funds to construct new, energy efficient
units, and to rehabilitate residential units to include energy efficiency. In addition, the Housing Authority
tracks energy efficiency improvements that will be
considered in the future.
H-G-7 Work with organizations
specializing in green
building measures to
develop public-private
partnerships supporting
energy efficiency retrofit
programs for existing
residential structures.
Ongoing The City continues to work with organizations
specializing in green building measures to develop
public-private partnerships supporting energy
efficient retrofit programs for existing residential
structures. The City continues to participate in the
County's Property Assessed Clean Energy loan
program for energy efficient retrofits of existing
residential structures.
H-G-8 Increase local energy
awareness
Ongoing The City continues to increase local energy
awareness and updates its web resources on an
ongoing basis to direct residents and developers to
opportunities for energy efficient rebate programs,
Property Assessed Clean Energy retrofit programs,
and other energy efficiency resources.