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Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Introduction ..................................................................................... 1-2 Context and Background ..................................................................................................................................... 1-2 Context ........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1-2 Tribal Acknowledgement .................................................................................................................................................................. 1-5 History and Setting ................................................................................................................................................................................ 1-6 General Plan Development ................................................................................................................................ . 1-8 What Is a General Plan? ..................................................................................................................................................................... 1-8 Plan Process ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 1-8 Community Vision ................................................................................................................................................................................ 1-10 Preferred Alternative .......................................................................................................................................................................... 1-14 Santa Rosa General Plan 2050 ........................................................................................................................... 1-14 Planning Area .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1-14 General Plan 2050 Approach ........................................................................................................................................................ 1-14 Plan Structure.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1-18 Goals, Policies, and Actions .............................................................................................................................................................1-19 New to General Plan 2050 ............................................................................................................................................................. 1-20 General Plan Application and Amendments ............................................................................................... 1-20 How to Use This Plan ......................................................................................................................................................................... 1-20
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Amending the Plan .............................................................................................................................................................................. 1-21 Chapter 2. Land Use and Economic Development ................................ 2-2 General Plan Priority Areas and Populations ................................................................................................ 2-5 Equity Priority Areas ............................................................................................................................................................................. 2-5 Equity Priority Populations ............................................................................................................................................................. 2-6 Areas of Change ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 2-6 Land Use .................................................................................................................................................................... 2-11 General Plan Land Use ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2-11 Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities .............................................................................................................. 2-23 Goals, Policies, and Actions ........................................................................................................................................................... 2-25 Economic Development .................................................................................................................................... 2-29 Existing Conditions and Market Outlook ............................................................................................................................ 2-29 Goals, Policies, and Actions ........................................................................................................................................................... 2-29 Chapter 3. Circulation, Open Space, Conservation, and Greenhouse Gas Reduction ..................................................................................................... 3-2 Circulation ................................................................................................................................................................ . 3-3 Transit Network ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 3-8 Active Transportation Network .................................................................................................................................................... 3-9 Roadway Classifications .................................................................................................................................................................... 3-11 Scenic Roads ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 3-12 Goals, Policies, and Actions ............................................................................................................................................................ 3-13 Open Space and Conservation ........................................................................................................................ 3-23 Open Space .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 3-23 Agricultural Resources ..................................................................................................................................................................... 3-23 Biological Resources and Waterways ................................................................................................................................... 3-23 Citywide Creek Master Plan ......................................................................................................................................................... 3-23
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Vegetation ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3-23 Wildlife ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3-23 Air Quality ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 3-24 Goals, Policies, and Actions .......................................................................................................................................................... 3-24 Greenhouse Gas Reduction .............................................................................................................................. 3-29 Energy ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3-30 Goals, Policies, and Actions .......................................................................................................................................................... 3-30 Chapter 4. Urban Design, Historic Preservation, and Art and Culture 4-2
Urban Design ........................................................................................................................................................... 4-3 Goals, Policies, and Actions ............................................................................................................................................................. 4-5 Historic Preservation ............................................................................................................................................ 4-7 Native American Heritage ............................................................................................................................................................... 4-7 Historic Resources ................................................................................................................................................................................. 4-8 Goals, Policies, and Actions ............................................................................................................................................................. 4-8 Art and Culture ..................................................................................................................................................... 4- 10 Goals, Policies, and Actions ............................................................................................................................................................ 4-11
5. Safety, Noise, and Public Services and Facilities ............................... 5-2 Safety .......................................................................................................................................................................... 5-5 Geology and Seismicity ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5-5 Goals, Policies, and Actions ............................................................................................................................................................. 5-5 Flooding and Dam Failure ............................................................................................................................................................... 5-9 Goals, Policies, and Actions ............................................................................................................................................................ 5-12 Wildland and Urban Fire ................................................................................................................................................................. 5-13 Goals, Policies, and Actions ............................................................................................................................................................5-19 Hazardous Materials ......................................................................................................................................................................... 5-20
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Goals, Policies, and Actions ............................................................................................................................................................ 5-21 Emergency Preparedness and Evacuation ....................................................................................................................... 5-22 Goals, Policies, and Actions ........................................................................................................................................................... 5-25 Agricultural and Ecosystem Pests and Diseases ........................................................................................................... 5-29 Droughts .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5-29 Extreme Heat and Warm Nights .............................................................................................................................................. 5-29 Other Climate-Sensitive Health Risks ................................................................................................................................... 5-29 Severe Winds and Storms ............................................................................................................................................................. 5-30 Wildfires ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5-30 Goals, Policies, and Actions .......................................................................................................................................................... 5-30 Noise ......................................................................................................................................................................... 5-33 Projected Noise Sources ................................................................................................................................................................. 5-33 Noise Standards ................................................................................................................................................................................... 5-34 Goals, Policies, and Actions ........................................................................................................................................................... 5-39 Public Services and Facilities ........................................................................................................................... 5-40 Water, Wastewater, Recycled Water, Stormwater, and Solid Waste ............................................................ 5-40 Goals, Policies, and Actions .......................................................................................................................................................... 5-42 Education and Learning ................................................................................................................................................................ 5-45 Goals, Policies, and Actions .......................................................................................................................................................... 5-47 Police and Fire ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 5-47 Goals, Policies, and Actions ............................................................................................................................................................ 5-51
6. Health, Equity, and Environmental Justice ......................................... 6-2 Health for All Residents ....................................................................................................................................... 6-9 Goals, Policies, and Actions ............................................................................................................................................................. 6-9 Food Access and Urban Agriculture ............................................................................................................... 6-18
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Goals, Policies, and Actions ........................................................................................................................................................... 6-18 Violence Prevention and Equitable Policing ............................................................................................... 6-21 Goals, Policies, and Actions ............................................................................................................................................................6-21 Parks ......................................................................................................................................................................... 6-22 Goals, Policies, and Actions ........................................................................................................................................................... 6-25 Youth, Family, and Seniors ............................................................................................................................... 6-26 Goals, Policies, and Actions .......................................................................................................................................................... 6-27 Chapter 7. Glossary ........................................................................................... 7-2 Appendix A. Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy ................................ 7-2 Appendix B. Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Report ..... 7-2
List of Tables
Table 1-1 Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Environmental Justice in the General Plan ....................................... 1-18 Table 2-1 Permitted Densities/Intensities Under the General Plan .................................................................................... 2-13 Table 5-1 Climate Stressors ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5-27 Table 6-1 CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Rankings of Santa Rosa’s Census Tracts with EPA ................................................... 6-5
List of Figures
Figure 1-1: Regional Location ............................................................................................................................................................................ 1-3 Figure 1-2: Major Areas .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 1-7 Figure 1-3: Preferred Alternative .................................................................................................................................................................. 1-10 Figure 1-4: Santa Rosa Vision Diagram .................................................................................................................................................... 1-13 Figure 1-5: Planning Area ...................................................................................................................................................................................1-16 Figure 1-6: Santa Rosa General Plan 2050 Contents ...................................................................................................................... 1-15 Figure 1-7: Goal, Policy, and Action Hierarchy .....................................................................................................................................1-19
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Figure 2-1: Visualizing the Concepts ......................................................................................................................................................... 2-4 Figure 2-2: Disadvantaged Communities Under SB 535 ............................................................................................................ 2-7 Figure 2-3: Concentrations of People of Color and People Below the Poverty Line ............................................... 2-8 Figure 2-4: Equity Priority Areas ................................................................................................................................................................... 2-9 Figure 2-5: Areas of Change ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2-10 Figure 2-6: General Plan Land Use ............................................................................................................................................................. 2-12 Figure 2-7: Examples of FAR ........................................................................................................................................................................... 2-15 Figure 2-8: Downtown Maximum FAR ................................................................................................................................................... 2-17 Figure 2-9: Santa Rosa Priority Development Areas .................................................................................................................... 2-22 Figure 2-10: Disadvantaged Unincorporated Communities ................................................................................................. 2-24 Figure 3-1: Visualizing the Concepts .......................................................................................................................................................... 3-4 Figure 3-2: Existing and Projected VMT per Service Population ........................................................................................... 3-5 Figure 3-3: Transportation Network ........................................................................................................................................................... 3-6 Figure 3-4: Planned Transportation Network Improvements ................................................................................................ 3-7 Figure 3-5: Planned Pedestrian Network Improvements ........................................................................................................ 3-10 Figure 3-6: Existing and Planned Bicycle Network ........................................................................................................................ 3-12 Figure 4-1: Visualizing the Concepts .......................................................................................................................................................... 4-4 Figure 4-2: Gateways and Corridors ........................................................................................................................................................... 4-6 Figure 5-1: Visualizing the Concepts .......................................................................................................................................................... 5-4 Figure 5-2: Regional Fault Lines .................................................................................................................................................................... 5-5 Figure 5-3: Landslide Susceptibility Areas ............................................................................................................................................. 5-7 Figure 5-4: Liquefaction Zones ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5-8 Figure 5-5: Flood Hazard Zones ................................................................................................................................................................. 5-10 Figure 5-6: Dam Inundation Areas .............................................................................................................................................................. 5-11 Figure 5-7: Historic Wildfire Perimeters ................................................................................................................................................. 5-15
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Figure 5-8: Fire Hazard Severity Zones ...................................................................................................................................................5-16 Figure 5-9: Wildland-Urban Interface Areas ....................................................................................................................................... 5-17 Figure 5-10: General Plan Land Uses in Wildland Urban Interface Fire Areas ........................................................... 5-18 Figure 5-11: Evacuation Routes..................................................................................................................................................................... 5-23 Figure 5-12: Evacuation Constrained Residential Parcels ........................................................................................................ 5-24 Figure 5-13: Land Use Compatibility Standards ............................................................................................................................... 5-35 Figure 5-13 A: Comparative Examples of dBa Noise Levels. .................................................................................................... 5-36 Figure 5-14: Existing Traffic Noise Levels, 2019 .................................................................................................................................. 5-37 Figure 5-15: Existing Plus Project Traffic Noise Levels, 2050 .................................................................................................. 5-38 Figure 5-16: Cumulative Plus Project Traffic Noise Levels, 2050 .......................................................................................... 5-39 Figure 5-17: Schools and Libraries ............................................................................................................................................................. 5-47 Figure 5-18: Law Enforcement Stations ................................................................................................................................................ 5-50 Figure 5-19: Fire Districts and Stations .................................................................................................................................................... 5-51 Figure 6-1: Visualizing the Concepts .......................................................................................................................................................... 6-8 Figure 6-2: Life Expectancy ............................................................................................................................................................................ 6-10 Figure 6-3: Healthy Food Priority Areas ................................................................................................................................................. 6-19 Figure 6-4: Current and Potential Parks .............................................................................................................................................. 6-24
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CHAPTER 1 | Introduction
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1. Introduction
Santa Rosa is the urban core and economic
center of the northern Bay Area. The City of
Santa Rosa is in central Sonoma County,
approximately 55 miles north of San Francisco,
as shown in Figure 1-1. Santa Rosa grew outward
from the original downtown area oriented
around the historic Northwestern Pacific
Railroad line and Santa Rosa Creek. Historic
resources and districts like the Railroad Square
area offer a unique glimpse into Santa Rosa’s
early beginnings. Proximity to the ocean, open
space, neighboring wine country, the Russian
River, and accessibility to urban and rural
Northern California offer a unique way of life for
the Santa Rosa community and support a
diverse economy that weathers regional and
larger cycles. Santa Rosa consistently ranks high
among the nation’s top places to live and work.
This chapter offers background information
about the city, general plans in California, and
the process of developing General Plan 2050.
Context and Background
Context
The City initiated the General Plan update
process in early 2020. Since adoption of the
previous General Plan in 2009, State planning
laws have changed significantly, as have the city
and community because of the typical impacts
of growth and change over time as well as
monumental events at the local, national, and
global levels, including:
• Wildfire. The Tubbs Fire started in the
late hours of October 8, 2017, and was not
contained until three weeks later.
Starting in Calistoga, the blaze quickly
became the most destructive California
wildfire at that time, burning portions of
Napa, Sonoma, and Lake Counties. The
Tubbs Fire inflicted approximately $1.2
billion in damages in Santa Rosa alone.
Residential neighborhoods in the city,
including Coffey Park, Fountaingrove,
and Hidden Valley, suffered the most
damage from the fire, which destroyed
about 5 percent of the city’s housing
stock. Low-density, single-family housing
units were hit hardest by the fire, but it
also destroyed medium-density, attached
single-family and multifamily housing
units, commercial and industrial uses,
and schools in north Santa Rosa. Among
the nonresidential units lost were the
Hilton Sonoma Wine Country, the
Fountaingrove Inn, the Kmart store, and
multiple restaurants and wineries. The
city again suffered from wildfire in 2018
and 2020. The 2018 Kincade Fire burned
77,758 acres and threatened Santa Rosa
and many other communities, prompting
the largest evacuation in the history of
Sonoma County. The 2020 Glass Fire
touched down in Santa Rosa’s
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1-4 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Oakmont neighborhood, destroying 13
homes there. General Plan 2050 works
strategically to mitigate the risk of
wildfire and enhance evacuation capacity
in addition to addressing long-term
resilience in the face of climate change
and all natural disasters.
• Social Justice. On October 22, 2013, Andy
Lopez Cruz was shot by an on-duty
Sonoma County Sheriff's Deputy and
died at the scene. In the aftermath of the
incident, significant civil unrest resulted
in multiple protest marches and a Black
Friday flash mob at the Santa Rosa Plaza.
Protestors also convened at the
Courthouse for weeks to speak out
against Mr. Lopez Cruz’s shooting and
other officer-involved fatalities.
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd, a Black
man, was murdered by a white
Minneapolis police officer, who pinned
Floyd down by the neck with his knee for
nearly 10 minutes. In response to Floyd’s
death, protests erupted across the nation.
On May 31, 2020, numerous protesters
were injured at a rally in Santa Rosa
during a confrontation with police.
Floyd’s death and its aftermath pointed a
spotlight on systemic racism and police
brutality and awakened Santa Rosa
residents to the reality of these issues in
their own community. Further, these
events added to a larger narrative that
we need meaningful action to address
social and economic inequities that
adversely impact communities of color
and low-income households.
In consideration of these and other
events and issues, the Santa Rosa City
Council adopted Resolution 21-0980 in
2021 declaring racism a human rights
and public health crisis in Santa Rosa.
General Plan 2050 includes policies and
actions to address environmental justice,
equity, and community health with the
aim of improving quality of life for all
community members.
• Pandemic. In early 2020, just after the
Santa Rosa Forward project launched,
the global COVID-19 pandemic hit
California and Sonoma County. In March
2020, facing rising rates of infection and
death, the State ordered nonessential
businesses to close and issued a shelter-
in-place order for residents that would be
lifted and reinstated multiple times
through the end of the year and into 2021.
Businesses and employees without
remote work options, like those in the
restaurant industry, faced lost income,
businesses closed, and many individuals
lost their jobs.
In August 2021, the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) approved the first
COVID-19 vaccine. Santa Rosa gradually
“re-opened,” and in-person work has
resumed, but the disease remains a
concern, particularly for higher-risk
individuals, and its impacts to the
community are still widely felt. By early
2023, over 1 million Americans, nearly
100,000 Californians, and almost 500
Sonoma County residents had died due
to COVID-19. The death toll has not
impacted all communities equally. A
Sonoma County study revealed that a
disproportionate share of those who died
from COVID-19 were from the county’s
Latino population—12 percent of total
deaths were Latino and 3 percent were
White. Similarly, studies at the national
level found that the pandemic
contributed to significantly greater
declines in life expectancy in 2020 for
Latino and Black populations compared
to Whites.
In May 2023, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention declared the end
of the Federal COVID-19 Public Health
Emergency. Now Santa Rosa focuses on
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SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 1-5
recovery and rebounding stronger. Many
businesses have instituted permanent
remote working opportunities, changing
commute patterns and housing needs
for the foreseeable future. Some
businesses remain closed, but those that
survived or opened in the wake of the
pandemic offer more outdoor dining
opportunities and activate the streets
with sidewalk dining in parklets. Santa
Rosa’s General Plan includes
considerations for the impacts that the
COVID-19 pandemic had on the Santa
Rosa community and plans to support
the city’s economic and social recovery
and revitalization. The Santa Rosa
community has endured great hardships
but has shown incredible resilience and
emerged stronger, ready to surpass
previous norms; with this updated
General Plan, Santa Rosa is moving
forward.
• Climate Change: Human activity
increases the levels of carbon dioxide and
other greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the
atmosphere. Many daily actions produce
GHGs, such as using electricity and
natural gas in our homes and businesses,
driving a car, and throwing out the trash.
Higher levels of atmospheric GHGs result
in higher temperatures and other
changes to the global climate system.
These changes lead to more frequent
and severe natural hazards in and around
Santa Rosa. Scientists link many recent
natural disasters in the region to climate
change, including the 2017 Tubbs fire, the
2020-2023 statewide drought, and
increased frequency and durations of
extreme heat events. Many of the
communities in Santa Rosa who already
experience social and economic
inequities are expected to suffer more
than others from the effects of climate
change.
To address the threat posed by climate
change, Santa Rosa must take a
multipronged approach to rapidly and
significantly decrease the community’s
GHG emissions and to simultaneously
make Santa Rosa more resilient to the
harmful effects of climate change that
have already happened and are expected
to continue. The community will need to
transition to clean sources of energy for
buildings and transportation, reduce
waste generation and water use, retrofit
and rehabilitate vulnerable buildings and
infrastructure, and improve emergency
notification and evacuation practices,
among many other actions, to decrease
GHG emissions and achieve a more
resilient future.
Numerous actions result in GHG
emissions, and climate change affects
almost everyone and everything in Santa
Rosa. Though climate change is a
significant problem and difficult to tackle,
the benefits of addressing it are
extensive—a more sustainable and
resilient Santa Rosa, lower utility bills and
other costs, less dependence on cars,
improved air quality and other public
health benefits, and a more equitable
and just system. For these and many
other reasons, addressing climate change
is critical to Santa Rosa’s future success
and well-being.
General Plan 2050 reflects changed community
needs and priorities in the wake of recent
natural disasters; honors the lives lost, sacrifices
made, and suffering endured by community
members, particularly those who face structural
barriers and inequities; and works to ensure the
resilience of the community into the future.
Tribal Acknowledgement
The City of Santa Rosa recognizes that we are on
the ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok, Pomo,
and Wappo, who are the original stewards of this
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1-6 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
area. Santa Rosa is on the ancestral lands of
Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo Tribal groups.
The two Tribal groups now make up the
Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria. The
Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria is
culturally affiliated, and its territory includes
what is modern day Santa Rosa. We respectfully
acknowledge the Indigenous peoples and
Southern Pomo tribes: Federated Indians of
Graton Rancheria, Dry Creek Rancheria, Lytton
Rancheria, and Cloverdale Rancheria. Five
federally recognized tribes in Sonoma County
have been stewarding and maintaining
relationship on this land as knowledge keepers
for millennia. The City is dedicated to promoting
understanding and educating the public about
historical and ongoing connections between
land conservation and social inequities. This
includes the histories of genocide, forced
removal and displacement, and broken
promises with Indigenous peoples and Tribes as
a part of United States American history.
Indigenous and Tribal people are not just in our
histories. We strive to empower Indigenous and
Tribal voices to share their own history, as to not
perpetuate another form of being silenced.
While recognizing the past, we honor the
resiliency of Indigenous people and California
Native American Tribes still in their ancestral
territories in relationship with their land and
culture.
History and Setting
Before arrival of the Europeans, the Santa Rosa
Plain was home to a rich history of Native
American heritage. Archaeologists speculate
that Native American habitation in the region
began approximately 7,000 years ago. Remnants
of Native American civilization have been
discovered along Santa Rosa Creek and its
tributaries, in the adjacent alluvial valleys and
surrounding plains, in the hills, in the Annadel
State Park area, in the Laguna de Santa Rosa,
and in the Windsor area. The remains of entire
settlements, including three former villages,
have been found in northern Santa Rosa.
Santa Rosa, Spanish for “Saint Rose,” was
founded in 1833 and named after Saint Rosa of
Lima, Peru. The first non-native permanent
settlers were the family of the widow Dona Maria
Carrillo, mother-in-law of General Vallejo and
aunt of the Mexican Governor Pio Pico. By the
1850s, a Wells Fargo post and general store were
established in what is now downtown Santa
Rosa. In 1867, the county recognized Santa Rosa
as an incorporated city, and in 1868 the State
officially confirmed the incorporation, making
Santa Rosa officially the third incorporated city
in Sonoma County.
The population of Santa Rosa remained relatively
small until railroad services started in 1870 and
linked the city to the greater Bay Area and the
rest of the state. In 1949, construction on
Highway 101 through Santa Rosa began, which
resulted in bisecting the east and west sides of
the city while connecting Santa Rosa to the
north and south by car. In 1900, the city’s
population was 6,673. Santa Rosa has grown and
evolved into a diverse metropolitan community
that serves as the commercial, economic, civic,
cultural, and educational center of the northern
Bay Area region. By 2000, the population was
147,532, making Santa Rosa the largest city in
Sonoma County and the fifth most populous city
in the Bay Area. By 2019, the Santa Rosa
population had climbed to 174,885 people.
Today, the city has over 40 unique
neighborhoods and commercial districts. Figure
1-2 maps seven major areas referred to
throughout the General Plan to orient the
reader.
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1-8 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
General Plan
Development
What Is a General Plan?
A general plan is a city’s road map for the future.
It describes a community’s aspirations and
identifies strategies for managing preservation
and change. Sometimes referred to as the
community’s “constitution,” the general plan is a
comprehensive document that provides a policy
framework to guide decision making related to
land use, economic development, community
design, historic preservation, art and culture,
mobility, open space, conservation, greenhouse
gas reduction, safety, adaptation to climate
change, public service, community health,
equity, environmental justice, parks, community
services, housing, and more. California law
requires every city and county to prepare and
adopt a comprehensive and long-range general
plan that addresses eight topics (or “elements”):
land use, circulation (or mobility), open space,
conservation, noise, safety, environmental
justice, and housing. State law also allows
optional elements to be added. Any optional
element has the same policy weight as the
required elements, and the elements can be
presented in a variety of formats.
The general plan establishes the policy
framework to be used by residents, businesses,
developers, staff, council, and appointed boards
and commissions. General plans typically include
goals, policies, and implementing actions as well
as maps and diagrams. These components
together convey a long-term community vision
and guide local decision making to achieve that
vision. The general plan and its maps, diagrams,
and development policies form the basis for
zoning and subdivision ordinances and for
prioritizing public works projects. Under
California law, any specific plan, area plan,
community plan, zoning regulation, subdivision
map, and private development or public works
project has to be consistent with the general
plan. Once a jurisdiction adopts, updates, or
amends the general plan, it must amend the
zoning, subdivision, and other land use
regulation ordinances if needed to make them
consistent with the general plan.
Santa Rosa’s General Plan plays the foundational
role in regulating land use in the city; it is the
top-level planning document, providing
direction for all zoning regulations, ordinances,
guidelines, and area or specific plans. The goals
and policies throughout the General Plan are
interrelated and should be considered together
when making decisions related to land use,
mobility, growth, and development. City staff
apply General Plan policies to give direction to
development applicants and land use analysis
for the City Council, Planning Commission, and
other boards and commissions. In addition, the
General Plan actions comprise a detailed
implementation program to guide City
department work programs and budgeting.
Future land use decisions and infrastructure
improvements made by the City must be
consistent with the General Plan.
Plan Process
General Plan 2050 was developed in close
collaboration with the community and with
oversight and direction from the Planning
Commission and City Council in a multiyear
process called Santa Rosa Forward. The City
formed two advisory bodies to help guide the
planning process—a Community Advisory
Committee (CAC) and Technical Advisory
Committee (TAC). The CAC included
representatives from a variety of organizations
and perspectives, including neighborhood
associations, transportation and advocacy
groups, environmental organizations, and a
diversity of community members. The primary
role of the CAC was to act as project liaisons and
to encourage participation from a diverse
breadth of community members. The TAC was
made up of technical experts from City
departments and partner agencies that
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SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 1-9
provided feedback on the project to ensure the
plan concepts could be achieved.
The process to update the General Plan and
envision the future of Santa Rosa was divided
into phases. Preparation of the plan included the
required environmental analysis, adoption, and
any necessary changes to the City’s Zoning Code
and other City policy and regulatory plans and
documents. Each of the five phases to create the
plan involved similar, robust community
engagement efforts to guide development of
the product for that phase and included the
following steps:
• Draft Product. The project team
developed an initial product (e.g.,
Community Involvement Strategy,
Existing Conditions Analysis), guided by
research, input from the TAC, and/or prior
community input.
• Community Engagement. The project
team presented the draft product to the
community to gather additional input. In
each phase, the team used a range of
parallel outreach strategies that were
convenient to as many people as
possible, such as pop-up events,
informational videos, surveys, workshops,
and open houses.
• Joint Study Session with Planning
Commission and City Council. The team
presented the draft product and
community insights to the Planning
Commission and City Council. The
Commission and Council provided
additional input and direction for next
steps.
• Revisions and Next Phase. Based on
direction from the Planning Commission
and City Council, the project team made
revisions to finalize the product and/or
move on to the next phase of work.
Following are the eight stages of Santa Rosa
Forward:
• Phase 1: Project Initiation and
Community Involvement Strategy. In
Phase 1, the City of Santa Rosa and
consultants launched the Santa Rosa
General Plan 2050 update by publishing
a project work plan and a community
involvement strategy (CIS). The City held
four community and small group
conversations and issued a public survey
to get input on the CIS and help refine
the planned approach for engaging the
community.
• Phase 2: Existing Conditions and
Visioning. Phase 2 involved the
preparation and publication of a report
detailing current conditions in the
community. The team used this report to
develop a briefing book with high-level
takeaways that highlighted emerging
opportunities and key topics. This work,
combined with a climate change
vulnerability assessment, led to the
project visioning effort, which included
two community surveys that together
received 1,483 responses, and a series of
10 virtual workshops in summer 2021.
Through this process, the community
worked together to craft the Vision
Statement that is the guide for the
General Plan, as shown later in this
chapter.
• Phase 3: Alternatives. Phase 3 focused
on three land use and circulation
“Alternatives” for Santa Rosa’s future
development, prepared with
consideration of the existing conditions
report, equity issues, and the
community’s Vision Statement. The three
alternatives provided options for
community growth and change to
address identified challenges and
opportunities. Each alternative
implemented the community vision and
offered different approaches to distribute
future housing and mobility.
Engagement for the alternatives phase
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1- 10 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
included nine pop-up events, meetings
with 15 different community
organizations, a series of five in-person
workshops, and a virtual open house.
• Phase 4: Preferred Alternative. Phase 4
applied community feedback from the
previous phase to draft a “Preferred”
Alternative. Engagement activities in this
phase included five informational pop-up
events, two in-person open-house events,
and a web-based survey with the same
information and questions as the open
house events. Community input
supported refinements to the final
Preferred Alternative (shown on Figure 1-
3), which is the foundation of the General
Plan. The Preferred Alternative diagram
details the major circulation network
changes (e.g., road diets and bike lane
extensions) supported by the community
and identifies 21 “Areas of Change” where
the City will focus efforts to address
housing, services, connectivity, and/or
infrastructure needs to help make these
complete neighborhoods.
• Phase 5: Draft 2050 General Plan. In
Phase 5 the project team prepared this
General Plan 2050, including the
introductory chapters and the goals,
policies, and actions designed to achieve
the community vision. [Additional details
about the Draft General Plan outreach
process will be added following
completion of this phase].
• Phase 6: Environmental Analysis. All
general plans in California are subject to
environmental review under the
California Environmental Quality Act and
must analyze the environmental impacts
that would result from implementation of
the General Plan. [Additional details
about the Environmental Analysis
outreach process will be added following
completion of this phase].
• Phase 7: Public Review and Adoption.
[Additional details about the General Plan
and Environmental Analysis Public
Review and Adoption process will be
added following completion of this
phase].
• Phase 8: Additional Amendments to
City Documents. The City’s zoning
regulations and subdivision approvals
must be consistent with the adopted
General Plan. Therefore, this post-
adoption phase includes the necessary
amendments to ensure that the Santa
Rosa Municipal Code and Zoning Code,
the City’s Design Guidelines, Citywide
Creek Master Plan, Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plan, Specific Plans,
and any other documents are consistent
with the adopted General Plan.
Community Vision
• The community’s vision for the future,
developed in Phase 2 of the project,
helped to frame the Preferred Alternative
(Phase 4); inform new and updated
General Plan goals, policies, and actions;
and ensure that the General Plan fully
addresses the needs and desires of the
community. The vision is made up of 13
complementary ideals, summarized as
follows:
• Santa Rosa is a diverse, equitable, and
sustainable community built on civic
engagement that empowers everyone to
provide and support equal and affordable
opportunities to obtain good housing,
education and jobs; to enjoy vibrant
cultural events and arts; and to live
healthy lives in resilient neighborhoods
that adapt to social and environmental
change.
• The full Vision Statement, with all 13
ideals, is presented here and depicted
graphically on Figure 1-4.
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 1- 11
Figure 1-3: Preferred Alternative
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
1- 12 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Santa Rosa is:
• Just: Social and environmental justice are
achieved for everyone—all abilities, ages,
ethnicities, gender identities,
immigration status, income levels,
language speakers, races, religions, and
sexual orientations and identities—
EVERYONE.
• Sustainable: Natural resources are
restored, protected, and expanded to
provide accessible green space for
everyone in all neighborhoods, mitigate
drought, and minimize greenhouse gas
emissions.
• Inclusive: Everyone is welcome and
actively encouraged to join in
neighborhood and citywide decision
making, and barriers to participation are
identified and eliminated.
• Healthy: All neighborhoods have low
pollution level and good air quality, are
vibrant, connected, full-service
communities, with the resources to be
civically organized, and anchored by
inclusive and accessible public outdoor
spaces and buildings offering safe and
welcoming places for everyone. Every
person has the opportunity to attain their
full health potential.
• Resilient: All facets of the community,
including housing, infrastructure, and
social services are sustainable and
resilient to hazards and economic
changes.
• Prepared: The health and safety of
everyone is supported by neighborhood,
City, and county-wide efforts to prepare
for natural and human-caused hazards,
and roadways are optimized to support
efficient evacuations.
• Sheltered: A diverse mix of high-quality,
safe, thoughtfully designed, efficiently
planned, and well-served housing at all
affordability levels is available throughout
the community to accommodate
everyone, including formerly homeless,
immigrants, local workers,
multigenerational households, seniors,
students, and formerly incarcerated
people.
• Equitable: Everyone has what they need
to enjoy long, fulfilling, healthy lives,
including affordable access to meet their
daily needs—including healthy food,
recreation, education, childcare,
employment opportunities, reliable
internet, and physical and mental health
services.
• Successful: Top employers gravitate;
Black-, Latino/Latina-, and other minority-
owned businesses are in all corners of the
community; equitable investments are
made in all neighborhoods; local shops,
food and beverage establishments and
food trucks, and entertainment spaces
support a vibrant city; and meaningful
work in a thriving economy is available
for people of all ages and backgrounds.
• Connected: High-quality, reliable, and
safe transit service, bicycle and
pedestrian facilities, and other forms of
mobility connect all ages across the city
and region at all times and support
healthy lifestyles, clean air, equity, and
resilience.
• Safe: Streets are safe; public safety
services are provided by caring and
thoughtful community members who
are representative of and familiar with
the neighborhoods, groups, and
individuals they serve; and everyone,
including immigrants and people of
color, can safely access these services.
• Educated: Life-long education,
enrichment, and supportive services and
resources engage and empower young
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 1- 13
people, strengthen families (of any family
structure), connect and activate seniors,
and foster the success and well-being of
everyone.
• Cultural: Art, cultural resources, and
activities, historic assets, and live music
thrive in every neighborhood, are
accessible to everyone, and work to
celebrate our diverse community, bring
people from all areas of the city together,
and support the local economy.
Figure 1-4: Santa Rosa Vision Diagram
Santa Rosa
Vision
Just
Sustainable
Inclusive
Healthy
Resilient
Prepared
ShelteredEquitable
Successful
Connected
Safe
Educated
Cultural
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
1- 14 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Preferred Alternative
The Preferred Alternative in Figure 1-3 shows the
foundational land use and circulation network
priorities that guide the General Plan to
implement the community’s vision. The
Preferred Alternative identifies 21 Areas of
Change where the City will focus on housing,
services, connectivity, and/or infrastructure
needed to make these complete neighborhoods.
Complementing the Areas of Change are major
improvements to the transportation network,
which focus on bridging east and west and
enhancing multimodal connectivity and safety
citywide. As appropriate, goals, policies, and
actions prioritize the Areas of Change.
Santa Rosa General Plan
2050
Planning Area
The Planning Area for the General Plan defines
where the City has an interest in land use and
includes land within the incorporated city,
sphere of influence (SOI), and urban growth
boundary (UGB). Under State law, a general plan
must address all areas within the jurisdiction’s
Planning Area. Figure 1-5 shows the boundaries
of the Santa Rosa Planning Area, which covers
about 49 square miles.
The Santa Rosa city limits encompass nearly 43
square miles, 67 percent of which is developable.
An additional 13 percent of the city is made up of
local, regional, and state parkland and open
space, including creeks and waterways. The
remaining 20 percent of the city is
undevelopable because it is unusable due to
topography such as steep terrain, right-of-way
(roads and railroads), or similar.
The SOI is the unincorporated area adjacent to
the city that receives services from the city or
may in the future. As shown on Figure 1-5, the
Sonoma County Local Agency Formation
Commission (LAFCO) identifies unincorporated
neighborhoods north, northeast, south, and
southwest of the city limits as within Santa
Rosa’s SOI. To be eligible for annexation by the
City, land must be in the city’s LAFCO-
designated SOI.
As the name suggests, the UGB separates urban
areas from the surrounding natural and
agricultural lands, or greenbelts, and limits how
far out a city can expand. In 1990, Santa Rosa
voters approved a five-year UGB, followed by a
two-decade UGB measure in 1996 and an
extension in 2010 to ensure that the current UGB
will not be significantly changed until at least
2035. The UGB, as shown on Figure 1-5, covers
about 45.5 square miles and encompasses all
incorporated city land plus some
unincorporated land expected to be annexed at
some point in the future. In most cases, but not
all, the SOI and UGB coincide.
General Plan 2050 Approach
Santa Rosa General Plan 2050 consolidates the
mandated elements into five chapters that
address both required and optional General Plan
topics. The General Plan includes new optional
subjects and some optional topics that are
carried over from the previous plan (General
Plan 2035). Figure 1-6 illustrates the organization
of General Plan 2050, the distribution of State-
mandated and optional elements, and which
optional elements are carried forward from the
prior General Plan.
Two key topics of the General Plan, Greenhouse
Gas (GHG) Reduction and the interrelated
subjects of Health, Equity, and Environmental
Justice are discussed in detail in dedicated
chapters (see Figure 1-6), but other aspects of
the Plan touch on these issues as well, so there
are goals, policies, and actions throughout the
Plan chapters that address them. Table 1-1
highlights where these goals, policies, and
actions are in the Plan.
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 1- 15
In addition to the five topical chapters in the
General Plan, State law requires an update to the
General Plan Housing Element every eight years.
The most recent Santa Rosa Housing Element,
which was adopted by the City Council on
February 14, 2023, and certified by the California
Department of Housing and Community
Development on April 7, 2023, covers the
planning period through 2031. General Plan 2050
does not involve any amendments to the
Housing Element.
Figure 1-6: Santa Rosa General Plan 2050 Contents
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
1- 16 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 1- 17
Table 1-1
Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Environmental Justice in the General Plan Chapter/Subsection GHG Reduction Health, Equity, and
Environmental Justice
Land Use and Economic Development
General Plan Priority Areas
Land Use
Economic Development
Circulation, Open Space, Conservation, and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Circulation
Open Space and Conservation
Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Urban Design, Historic Preservation, and Art and Culture Urban Design
Historic Preservation
Arts and Culture
Safety, Climate Resilience, Noise, and Public Services and Facilities Safety
Climate Resilience
Noise
Public Services and Facilities
Health, Equity, and Environmental Justice
Relationship to Other Chapters
Health for All Residents
Food Access and Urban Agriculture
Violence Prevention and Equitable
Policing
Parks
Youth, Family, and Seniors
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
1- 18 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Plan Structure
The General Plan includes this introduction and
five topical chapters. The chapters cover all
elements required by California State
Government Code Section 65302, as well as
topics of particular interest to the Santa Rosa
community. The General Plan structure follows:
• 1. Introduction: Describes the context of
the General Plan update and history of
the city; provides an overview of general
plans, outlines the process to develop
General Plan 2050; highlights key
foundational milestones; identifies the
required elements of the General Plan
and summarizes the approach, structure,
and key components of General Plan
2050; and provides information on how
the plan is used by the City; how it can be
used by the community, and how and
when future updates can be made.
• 2. Land Use and Economic
Development: Provides overall land use
and economic development policies for
the city. The State-mandated land use
content addresses the connection
between land use and transportation,
utilities, and other infrastructure.
• 3. Circulation, Open Space,
Conservation, and Greenhouse Gas
Reduction: Satisfies the State law
requirement to address transportation
(circulation) in the plan and provides the
general location and extent of existing
and proposed major streets and other
transportation facilities. This chapter
correlates with Chapter 2, Land Use and
Economic Development, to provide
adequate transportation to serve both
new and existing land uses.
Transportation improvements will
support City and statewide greenhouse
gas reduction targets, though this
chapter goes further to include additional
measures to reduce emissions across
sectors. These measures correlate with
the City’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Strategy. Finally, this chapter addresses
the State law requirement for open space
and conservation elements, relating to
both the natural and built environment.
• 4. Urban Design, Historic Preservation,
and Art and Culture: Includes goals,
policies, and actions related to urban
design, historic preservation, art and
culture, and hillside development. These
are optional General Plan topics, but each
is considered essential to the character
and future growth of the Santa Rosa
community.
• 5. Safety, Noise, and Public Services and
Facilities: Addresses State-required
safety considerations. It provides
information about risks in Santa Rosa due
to natural and human-caused hazards,
and its goals, policies, and actions are
designed to protect populations,
property, and critical facilities. It
specifically addresses risks associated
with flooding and storm drainage,
geologic and seismic hazards, hazardous
materials and waste, and fires. This
chapter also includes goals, policies, and
actions addressing public services and
facilities and the legally required topic of
noise.
• 6. Health, Equity, and Environmental
Justice: Addresses the newly required
Environmental Justice element, along
with optional element topics of
community health, equity, parks, and
youth and family. The optional elements
complement the mandated element
because each topic directly impacts
environmental justice, and they all work
to support more sustainable and positive
community change.
• 7. Glossary: Defines key terms used in
General Plan 2050.
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 1- 19
• Appendices: The City’s Greenhouse Gas
Reduction Strategy and Climate Change
Vulnerability Assessment Report are
included as appendices to the General
Plan.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
General Plan 2050 is made up of goals, policies,
and actions that work together to achieve the
community’s future vision. As summarized in
Figure 1-7, General Plan goals are statements
that describe the end-state the community
wants to accomplish to resolve a particular issue
or take advantage of an opportunity. General
Plan policies and actions guide day-to-day
decision making and continued progress toward
the attainment of goals.
The goals, policies, and actions are a critical
component of General Plan 2050. Goals
determine what should be done and where.
Policies and actions together establish who will
do the work and how and when they will carry
out the goals. Together, they describe the steps
the City and the community must take to make
the vision of the General Plan a reality. The
General Plan is meant to be a useful, everyday
guide for what to do and how to make decisions
for the future. Where needed, explanatory text
ties the goals and policies to the community
vision, and every action is listed and numbered
under a specific policy. As with other City policy
documents, timing and priority for
implementing the policies and actions are
subject to the resources that the City and its
partners have to carry them out.
Figure 1-7: Goal, Policy, and Action Hierarchy
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
1- 20 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
New to General Plan 2050
General Plan 2050 introduces several changes
from the previous General Plan 2035 to serve the
community vision and enhance usability and
implementation.
• General Plan 2050 presents an
integrated and cross-sector approach
to reducing GHG emissions in Santa
Rosa. The General Plan includes goals,
policies, and actions that support
reductions from community-wide and
municipal sources of emissions
integrated throughout most chapters
and is supported by a stand-alone GHG
Reduction Strategy, which replaces the
City’s Community Climate Action Plan.
The GHG Reduction Strategy
consolidates the City’s GHG reduction
measures and presents detailed
quantification and other details
consistent with CEQA Guidelines Section
15183.5, to support ongoing reductions
through 2050.
• Since adoption of General Plan 2035, the
State Legislature passed SB 1000
requiring the inclusion of an
environmental justice element in local
general plans to address environmental
health disparities experienced by many
low-income communities and
communities of color.
• As described under the Plan Structure
section, General Plan 2050 includes goals,
policies, and implementing actions, while
General Plan 2035 included only goals
and policies. These actions guide the
City’s implementation of the plan and will
populate a work plan that will identify
responsible department(s) and/or
agency(ies) and the timeline for
implementation—near-term, medium-
term, long-term, or ongoing.
• General Plan 2050 is a streamlined
document compared to the previous
plan, designed to support ease of use by
community members, City staff, and City
leadership. Core content of General Plan
2035 that continues to serve the
community well is carried forward to this
General Plan, and many goals and
policies were omitted if they were no
longer relevant or were sufficiently
addressed by other City documents. The
2035 Urban Growth Management
Element is not included in General Plan
2050; instead this General Plan clearly
identifies Areas of Change where urban
infill will occur and acknowledges that
expansion of the city into surrounding
lands is no longer a focus of City planning
efforts. The resulting, simplified suite of
goals, policies, and actions focus on
feasibility and realization of the
community’s vision for the future.
General Plan Application
and Amendments
How to Use This Plan
Elected and appointed City officials and City staff
use the General Plan as a point of reference, as
do community members, business owners,
individuals proposing new development
projects, and others. The General Plan is useful
when making decisions regarding topics such as
subdivisions, new residential, commercial and
industrial development, capital improvements,
and neighborhood rehabilitation. The policies in
this General Plan are intended to provide clear
guidance and explanation about the City land
use decision-making processes and how Santa
Rosa may grow, change, or stay the same.
In general, actions that use "require," "prohibit,"
or "shall" are mandatory. Policies that use
"encourage," "promote," "discourage," "consider,"
or "should" are not mandatory, and the City may
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 1- 21
choose to modify its course of action in cases
where a policy may not prove appropriate for a
particular situation or if extenuating factors,
such as competing priorities or budget
limitations, would make it infeasible to follow
policy direction verbatim.
As described in Chapter 2, Planning Framework,
the General Plan update process involved a wide
variety of stakeholders and interests. As a result,
this General Plan addresses multiple and
sometimes competing policy objectives, and the
City may not be able to strictly adhere to every
policy in every decision that it makes to
implement the overall goals of this General Plan.
The City Council will continue to have discretion
over prioritizing overall policy objectives to
implement this General Plan in instances when
multiple policy objectives may affect a single
decision.
Finally, the General Plan is intended to be
understandable and easily available to the
public, in part because policies will be carried
out only if they continue to merit community
support. If and as conditions in Santa Rosa
change, the General Plan can and should be
interpreted and modified as necessary to reflect
and remain consistent with the City’s and
community’s desires and priorities.
Amending the Plan
The General Plan is intended to be as dynamic
as needed by the Santa Rosa community. As
such, it may be necessary to amend the General
Plan over time to meet any shift in needs.
Requested amendments in Santa Rosa tend to
be proposed by landowners seeking to change
the land use designation for specific properties.
In addition, the City could amend the General
Plan in response to changes in growth and
market demand or for other policy reasons.
The General Plan Land Use Diagram or the text
of any element may be amended up to four
times per year, as mandated by State law.
General Plan Amendment applications may be
filed by individual applicants or initiated by the
City.
Applications for an amendment to the General
Plan must address why an amendment is
warranted, describe events which have rendered
the General Plan inadequate or unattainable,
and describe any studies that have brought
policies or portions of the plan into question.
Applications for General Plan Amendment
and/or City-initiated General Plan amendments
should be grouped together as a single
amendment package. The Planning
Commission may conduct hearings regarding
General Plan Amendment packages in the
spring, summer, fall, and winter of each year,
followed by City Council consideration and
action.
The City is required to report annually to the
State regarding progress toward achieving
General Plan goals, and cities regularly review
General Plan goals and policies to determine
whether they still reflect the community’s values
and the city’s physical and economic conditions.
By statute, the General Plan is required to be
updated periodically, but no requirement says
how often, and the planning period has
traditionally been 15 to 20 years. Some cities and
counties update their General Plans as often as
every 5 years, and others update in portions over
time. The Housing Element must be updated
and certified by the State Department of
Housing and Community Development agency
(HCD) every eight years. The City must also
review and, if necessary, revise the safety
element with each revision of the housing
element or local hazard mitigation plan, but not
less than once every eight years. No other
elements of the plan have mandated update or
review periods. State law requires the California
Office of Planning and Research to publish the
names of jurisdictions with general plans older
than 10 years and to notify the respective
decision-making bodies of these jurisdictions.
CHAPTER 1 | INTRODUCTION
1- 22 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
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1. x
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2-1
2-2 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
2. Land Use and Economic Development
How land is used in Santa Rosa can make a big
difference in how people feel about and interact
in local neighborhoods and in how the local
economy operates. A successful new business,
residential development, or active community
use where once was a vacant lot can begin
transforming a whole neighborhood, improving
everything from the safety of kids going to
school to new landscaping along streets and
supporting local pride and revitalization. Such
positive change can also revitalize local
commercial areas and bring critical jobs and
community amenities to the city, increasing
economic access and vitality. Identifying feasible
locations for new and expanded educational,
vocational, and employment opportunities can
start the process to help local youth and adults
develop meaningful careers close to home.
Recognizing all this, General Plan 2050 seeks to
reinforce local pride, increase local investment,
and bolster the vitality of the city as a whole. This
chapter supports thoughtful land use planning
and economic development strategies to
enhance and build on neighborhood assets,
address current challenges, increase economic
and environmental vitality, increase personal
opportunity, and improve quality of life for
everyone in Santa Rosa.
Santa Rosa’s growth pattern over the past
century and a half has heavily influenced the
physical form of its neighborhoods. Santa Rosa
began with the establishment of the downtown
area as a commerce center for the surrounding
agricultural and timber region. The city
developed from this central core along a series
of commercial corridors into newer, more
suburban neighborhoods.
The construction of Highway 101, which started
in 1949, physically divided the east and west
sides of the city. Though the highway facilitates
connections between Santa Rosa and the rest of
the region and state, it disrupts connections
within the city. Policies and actions in this
chapter and others are intended to bridge some
of these gaps.
The goals in this chapter reflect Santa Rosa’s
priorities and implement the community’s vision
for the future. These goals, associated policies,
and actions especially support the following
statements from the Santa Rosa Vision (shown
in full in Chapter 1, Introduction):
Chapter Contents
General Plan Priority Areas and
Populations
Land Use
Economic Development
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2-3
• Just: Social and environmental justice are
achieved for everyone—all abilities, ages,
ethnicities, gender identities,
immigration status, income levels,
language speakers, races, religions,
sexual orientations and identities,
EVERYONE.
• Sheltered: A diverse mix of high-quality,
safe, thoughtfully designed, efficiently
planned, and well-served housing at all
affordability levels is available throughout
the community to accommodate
everyone, including formerly homeless,
immigrants, local workers,
multigenerational households, seniors,
students, and formerly incarcerated
people.
• Successful: Top employers gravitate;
Black-, Latino/Latina-, and other minority-
owned businesses are in all corners of the
community; equitable investments are
made in all neighborhoods; local shops,
food and beverage establishments and
food trucks, and entertainment spaces
support a vibrant city; and meaningful
work in a thriving economy is available
for people of all ages and backgrounds.
Figure 2-1 illustrates some of the key concepts
addressed in this chapter.
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2-4 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Figure 2-1: Visualizing the Concepts
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2-5
General Plan Priority
Areas and Populations
A number of policies and actions in this General
Plan give priority to specific areas or populations
in Santa Rosa. Though a policy or action may
apply broadly, this prioritization means that the
City will first concentrate efforts on historically
underserved communities and/or core
neighborhoods to advance key aims of
environmental justice, social equity, and
complete communities. These priority areas and
populations are Equity Priority Areas, Equity
Priority Populations, and Areas of Change,
described in the following sections.
Equity Priority Areas
Low-income communities and communities of
color often bear a disproportionate burden of
pollution exposure and associated health risks.
Environmental justice seeks to correct this
inequity by reducing pollution exposure in these
communities and ensuring that their input is
considered in decisions that affect them. Senate
Bill 1000, the Planning for Healthy Communities
Act, requires general plans to identify the
communities that suffer most from economic,
health, and environmental burdens and address
environmental justice for these communities. SB
1000 calls these “disadvantaged communities,”
and the General Plan terms them “Equity
Priority Areas” or “EPAs” to recognize the
immediate importance of addressing these
issues.
The California Communities Environmental
Health Screening Tool (CalEnviroScreen) is the
primary method for identifying EPAs.
CalEnviroScreen quantifies a range of factors
related to pollution burden and population
characteristics (e.g., poverty, educational
attainment, and age) to derive a composite
score for each census tract compared to the rest
of the state. In general, the higher the score, the
more impacted a community is. Census tracts in
the highest quartile of scores (i.e., 75 to 100
percent) are considered EPAs, although the law
(Senate Bill 535) encourages cities to work with
community members and stakeholders to refine
the boundaries of these communities and
identify additional communities, if appropriate,
to support planning efforts that improve
environmental justice. CalEnviroScreen identifies
two Santa Rosa census tracts as EPAs under SB
535: one at the southeast intersection of
Highways 101 and 12 and another south of Hearn
Avenue west of Highway 101, shown on Figure 2-
2. The City of Santa Rosa has worked with the
community to identify additional vulnerable
areas with overlapping concentrations of people
of color and people living in poverty, shown on
Figure 2-3. Santa Rosa’s EPAs, shown on Figure
2-4, include the EPAs identified by SB 535 and
the areas with overlapping concentrations of
people of color and people living below the
poverty line.
Equity Priority Areas or EPAs are areas in
Santa Rosa where residents suffer most from
economic, health, and environmental
burdens. EPAs are identified following
Guidance from the State tool,
CalEnviroScreen 4.0, and additional input
from community members and stakeholders.
This General Plan addresses environmental
justice needs pursuant to SB 1000 and health
and equity considerations of EPAs with goals,
policies, and actions in each chapter that
prioritize EPAs, as appropriate. Chapter 6,
“Health, Equity, and Environmental Justice,”
has the highest concentration of these goals,
policies, and actions.
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2-6 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Equity Priority Populations
Similar to the EPA designation, the City of Santa
Rosa has identified 10 Equity Priority Populations
based on characteristics that contribute to
vulnerability and/or the likelihood of being
underserved in a variety of areas, including
environmental justice, equity, health, and safety.
These populations are:
1. Low-income individuals and families
2. Racial or ethnic groups experiencing
disparate health outcomes
3. Seniors, children, youth, and young adults
4. Individuals with disabilities
5. Immigrants and refugees
6. Outdoor workers and farmworkers
7. Individuals who have limited English
proficiency
8. Unhoused people
9. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer,
intersexual, asexual, and other LGBTQIA+
communities
10. Individuals who are incarcerated or who have
been incarcerated
Though it is not a requirement under SB 1000,
one or more Equity Priority Populations may be
prioritized in General Plan goals, policies, and
actions, as appropriate.
Areas of Change
The creation of General Plan 2050 included
extensive community engagement to identify a
preferred land use and circulation diagram.
Figure 1-4 in the Introduction details the major
circulation network and land use actions
programmed in General Plan 2050. Community
members favored an approach that did not
result in any changes to land use designations
from the previous general plan, and instead
prioritized development in 21 specific “Areas of
Change,” depicted on Figure 2-5. These are
places where the City will focus efforts to
address housing, services, connectivity, and/or
infrastructure needs and help provide complete
neighborhoods with goods and services that are
easily available. Accordingly, some policies and
actions in this and other chapters focus on Areas
of Change for implementing actions related to
active transportation infrastructure, quality
housing, healthy food options, opportunities for
social connections, and access to parks and
commercial services.
Environmental Justice is the fair treatment
and meaningful involvement of people of all
races, cultures, incomes, and national origins
with respect to the development, adoption,
implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Source: California Government Code, Section
65040.12(e)
Areas of Change shown on Figure 2-5 are
places the City will focus efforts to address
housing, services, connectivity, and/or
infrastructure needs to help make these
complete neighborhoods.
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SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 11
Land Use
General Plan Land Use
The citywide land use classifications, shown on
Figure 2-6 and described in this section,
represent adopted City policy intended to
achieve the community’s vision. They are meant
to be broad enough to give the city flexibility in
implementation, and clear enough to provide
sufficient direction to carry out the General Plan.
The City’s Zoning Code has more detailed
provisions and standards. More than one zoning
district may be consistent with a single General
Plan land use classification. Table 2-1 shows the
allowed density and intensity of each land use
classification and the zoning districts that
correspond to each General Plan designation.
Density and intensity in the Core Mixed Use,
Station Mixed Use, Maker Mixed Use, and
Neighborhood Mixed Use Areas are controlled
by floor-area ratio (FAR), as shown on Figure 2-7,
except for when density maximums are
established in the Core Mixed Use land use
designation, as shown in Table 2-1.
Residential
Seven residential land use classifications provide
for development of a full range of housing types.
Densities are stated in housing units per gross
acre of developable land, and at least one
housing unit may be built on each existing legal
parcel designated for residential use. Gross
acreage includes the entire site (as opposed to
net acreage, which excludes unbuildable areas).
Development must fall within the density range
stipulated in the classification.
Some residential use classifications include
descriptions of housing types that are permitted.
Mobile home developments, if within the
stipulated density range of a residential
classification, are permitted in all residential
1 Missing Middle Housing Initiative, Task 1 Analysis, Opticos Design, Inc., October 2021
categories. In addition to housing type and
density standards in this chapter, the Zoning
Code establishes development standards,
parking, allowed uses, and other requirements.
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Junior
Accessory Dwelling Units (JADUs) are allowed in
addition to densities otherwise permitted, in
accordance with State regulations. Density
bonuses may be approved for projects with
affordable housing and housing for elderly
residents with specific amenities designated for
residents, provided the design and development
standards are in conformance with those
specified in the Zoning Code. The City also
encourages the development of Missing Middle
Housing per California Senate Bill 9, which
generally allows any lot larger than 2,400 square
feet to be divided into two lots if both can meet
City standards. In Santa Rosa, Missing Middle
Housing is compatible in medium intensity
residential zones (R-2, R 3, TV), mixed use zones,
and some planned development areas.
1 Missing Middle Housing refers to house-
scale buildings with multiple units in
walkable neighborhoods. Missing Middle
Housing adds what is often referred to as
“gentle density” because it adds dwelling
units without altering the character of
neighborhoods. Buildings are generally not
more than two and a half stories in height;
have multiple units within one building; have
amenities such as porches that contribute to
the street scape; have limited off-street
parking, generally at the rear of the structure,
reached by a narrow (single-lane) driveway;
and have some shared open space, often in
the form of a courtyard or rear or side yard.
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SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 13
Table 2-1
Permitted Densities/Intensities Under the General Plan
Land Use Corresponding Zoning
Districts
Residential
Density
(housing
units/gross
acre)
Residential
Density
Midpoint
(housing
units/gross
acre)
Square Feet
per
Employee
Residential
Very Low Density Rural Residential (RR) 0.2–2.0 1.0 –
Low Density/Open
Space
Single-Family Residential
(R-1) 2.0–8.0 4.0 –
Low Density R-1 2.0–8.0 5.0 –
Medium Low Density R-1 8.0–13.0 10.0 –
Medium Density
Medium Density
Multifamily Residential (R-
2)
8.0–18.0 13.0 –
Medium High Density Multifamily Residential (R-
3) 18.0–30.0 24.0 –
Mobile Home Parks Mobile Home Park (MH) 4.0–18.0 10.0 – Neighborhood Mixed
Use
Neighborhood Mixed Use
(NMU) 25.0–40.0 – –
Transit Village Medium Transit Village-Residential
(TV-R)
40.0 minimum – 300
Transit Village Mixed
Use
Transit Village-Mixed (TV-
M)
No
maximum – 300
Core Mixed Use Core Mixed Use (CMU) – – –
Station Mixed Use Station Mixed Use (SMU) – – –
Maker Mixed Use Maker Mixed Use (MMU) – –
Commercial – –
Retail and Business
Services General Commercial (CG) – – 300
Office Office Commercial (OC) – – 250
Business Park Business Park (BP) – 350
Industrial – –
Light Industry Light Industrial (IL) – – 400
General Industry General Industrial (IG) – – 400
Public/Institutional Public/Institutional (PI) 25.0–40.0 – 300 Parks and Recreation OSC, OSR – – –
Open Space OSC, OSR – – –
Notes: Density bonuses granted for provision of affordable housing or public amenities, up to 25 percent greater than maximum.
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2- 14 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
In addition to the primary residential uses
described in each land use, below, compatible
accessory uses are also allowed, as identified by
the City’s Zoning Code. Some of these may
require discretionary review by the City, and
some are allowed by right. Such uses include,
but are not limited to, certain recreation,
education, and public assembly uses; certain
medical, community care, and daycare facilities;
supportive and transitional housing; and certain
neighborhood-serving retail uses.
Very Low Density
Residential development from 0.2 to 2 units per
acre (i.e., 0.5 to 5 acres per unit) accommodates
rural and hillside developments within the urban
growth boundary (UGB) and is intended for
single-family detached units, but clustered
single-family attached and multifamily may be
permitted.
Low Density/Open Space
This single-family residential development is at a
density of 2 to 8 units per acre and assumed at
only 80 percent of each site due to wetlands and
similar constraints. The classification is mainly
intended for detached single-family dwellings
but attached single-family and multiple-family
units may be permitted.
Low Density
Single-family residential development has a
density of 2 to 8 units per acre. The classification
is mainly intended for detached single-family
dwellings but attached single-family and
multiple-family units may be permitted.
Medium Low Density
Housing has densities from 8 to 13 units per acre.
The classification is intended for attached single-
family residential development (such as
townhomes), but single-family detached
housing and multifamily development may be
permitted. Development at the midpoint of the
density range is encouraged but not required.
Medium Density
Housing densities are from 8 to 18 units per acre.
This designation permits a range of housing
types, including single-family attached and
multifamily developments and is intended for
specific areas where higher density is
appropriate. Missing Middle Housing types,
including Duplex-Triplex, Fourplex, and Cottage
Court, are also compatible within this zone. New
single-family detached housing is not permitted
except in historic preservation districts and
historic neighborhoods where single-family
detached units are allowed.
Medium High Density
Residential development has densities ranging
from 18 to 30 units per acre. This designation
permits a range of housing types, including
single-family attached and multifamily
developments, and is intended for specific areas
where higher density is appropriate. Missing
Middle Housing types, including Multiplex (small
and large), Courtyard buildings, Townhouses,
and Live-Work units are also compatible within
this zone. Single-family detached housing is not
permitted.
Mobile Home Parks
Residential mobile-home development of two or
more mobile home units, and densities range
from 4 to 18 units per acre. Mobile homes and
manufactured homes are the only allowed
housing type.
Mixed Use
Mixed-use development is planned downtown
and in specific neighborhood and community
shopping centers. Transit Village Medium and
Transit Village Mixed Use apply to areas around
existing and proposed rail as well as bus transfer
sites. Transit Village Medium is more residential
in nature, but ground-floor retail is desirable.
Several areas designated for multiple land uses
are distinguished by a striped pattern on the
Land Use Diagram. Single or multiple uses are
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 15
allowed in these areas, consistent with land use
designations. Missing Middle Housing is also
compatible within these areas.
The Downtown Station Area Specific Plan
(DSASP), adopted in 2020, regulates FAR without
establishing height and density standards
(mixed-use development outside downtown is
not subject to FAR, but instead is regulated by
the combination of setbacks, height limits, and
maximum lot coverage standards). FAR is a
widely used planning tool that divides total
building square footage by lot area. Figure 2-7
offers examples of FAR and how it is calculated.
Figure 2-8, from the 2020 DSASP, shows the
maximum FAR allowable for DSASP sites. The
allowed maximum FAR excludes parking areas,
outdoor recreation spaces, and areas of any
historic structure to be preserved on-site to
maximize the building square footage that can
be devoted to housing, employment, cultural,
and entertainment uses. These downtown sites
are the only areas of the city where FAR is
applied; elsewhere, the amount of square
footage allowed on a property is regulated by
the combination of setbacks, height limits, and
landscaping and lot coverage standards.
Transit Village Medium
This classification is intended to accommodate
mixed-use development within approximately
one-half mile of a transit facility. Development
should transition from less intense uses at the
outlying edges to higher-intensity uses near the
transit facility. Residential uses are required, and
ground-floor neighborhood-serving retail and
Missing Middle Housing types are encouraged,
including Live-Work uses. Housing densities
range from 25 to 40 units per acre.
Transit Village Mixed Use
This classification is intended to accommodate a
well-integrated mix of higher-intensity
residential, including Missing Middle Housing,
such as Multiplex (small and large), Courtyard
buildings, Townhouses and Live-Work units,
office, and commercial uses within one-quarter
mile of a transit facility. Development is
designed and oriented to create a central node
of activity at or near the transit facility. The
minimum housing density is 40 units per acre;
there is no maximum density requirement.
Figure 2-7: Examples of FAR
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Core Mixed Use
This classification is intended to foster a vital mix
of residential, retail, office, governmental,
entertainment, cultural, educational, and hotel
uses to activate the greater Courthouse Square
area and key transit corridors. The principal
objectives of the CMU designation are to
strengthen the role of this area as a business,
governmental, retail, and entertainment hub for
the region, and accommodate significant new
residential development that will extend the
hours of activity and create a built-in market for
retail, service, and entertainment uses. High-rise
development in all-residential or mixed-use
buildings is envisioned in a walkable, bikeable
environment with civic spaces such as plazas,
courtyards, or parks and easy access to public
transit. The Core Mixed Use designation has a
maximum FAR range of 3.0 to 8.0 except for 12
contributor properties on B, 7th, and 10th
Streets, to which height and density maximums
apply.
Station Mixed Use
This classification is intended to provide for a
range of visitor-serving uses, including retail,
restaurants, entertainment, cultural amenities,
and hotels in proximity to the Downtown SMART
station. Though commercial uses are
emphasized, new multifamily housing will also
be allowed to support daytime and evening
vitality in the Downtown Station Area. New
development will be required to respect the
historic character of the Railroad Square area,
adding to the mix of uses and enhancing the
walkable, pedestrian-oriented streets and public
spaces that attract community members,
SMART train riders, and visitors from the wider
region. The Station Mixed Use designation has a
maximum FAR range of 3.0 to 6.0.
Community Shopping Center
The vision for Community Shopping Centers is a
complex of retail services and enterprises
anchored by a large grocery store and serving a
community clientele. Typical uses include
restaurants and shops offering convenience
goods. These sites are in areas surrounded by
residential development and are intended to be
walkable areas with a mix of uses that meet the
shopping needs for surrounding neighborhoods
and provide housing integrated with
commercial development.
Residential uses shall be incorporated into the
overall design but may be provided over time as
part of a phased development. Existing
community shopping centers are not required
to include residential uses for minor alterations
or re-occupancy but are required to evaluate
and demonstrate through site planning that
future residential would not be precluded when
significant additions or reconstruction are
proposed.
Neighborhood Shopping Center
These are small groups of retail and service
enterprises providing shopping and services to
satisfy the day-to-day needs of local
neighborhoods and workplaces. Typical
neighborhood center uses include small grocery
stores, restaurants, barber or beauty shops,
cleaners, shoe repair, and shops offering
convenience goods. Residential development is
encouraged but not required. New
neighborhood centers are allowed in any land
use designation where they can be supported.
Complete Streets are streets designed and
operated to enable safe use and support
mobility for all users. Those include people of
all ages and abilities, regardless of whether
they are travelling as drivers, pedestrians,
bicyclists, or public transportation riders.
Source: U.S. Department of Transportation
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SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 17
Figure 2-8: Downtown Maximum FAR
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Commercial
Retail and Business Services
This designation allows retail and service
enterprises, offices, and restaurants. It includes
regional centers, which are large complexes of
retail and service enterprises anchored by one or
more full line department stores, and
destination centers, which are retail centers
anchored by discount or warehouse stores.
Large grocery stores are expressly permitted in
Community Shopping Centers and downtown
only, and they may be considered through a
Conditional Use Permit process on other
commercial sites.
Office
Sites for administrative, financial, business,
professional, medical, and public offices are
allowed under this designation.
Business Park
This category accommodates holistically
planned, visually attractive centers for
businesses that do not generate nuisances
(noise, clutter, noxious emissions, etc.), in
campus-like environments for corporate
headquarters, research and development
facilities, offices, light manufacturing and
assembly, industrial processing, general service,
incubator facilities, testing, repairing, packaging,
and publishing and printing. Warehousing and
distribution facilities, retail, hotels, and
residential uses are permissible on an ancillary
basis. Restaurants and other related services are
permitted as accessory uses. Outdoor storage is
not permitted.
Industrial
Light Industry
This designation supports light industrial,
warehousing, and some heavier commercial
uses. Uses appropriate to this land use category
include auto repair, bulk or warehoused goods,
general warehousing, manufacturing/assembly,
home improvement and landscape materials
retail, freight or bus terminals, research oriented
industrial, accessory offices, employee-serving
commercial uses, and services with large space
needs, such as health clubs. Professional office
buildings are not permitted.
General Industry
This category provides areas for manufacturing
and distribution activities with potential for
creating nuisances, along with accessory offices
and retailing. Unrelated retail and service
commercial uses (which can be appropriately
located elsewhere in the city) are not permitted.
Uses may generate truck traffic and operate 24
hours a day.
Public/Institutional
These lands are set aside for governmental or
semi-public facilities, such as hospitals, utilities,
and government office centers; however, such
facilities may also be allowed in areas with other
land use designations, provided they comply
with applicable zoning code standards.
Parks and Recreation
The City’s park system consists of neighborhood,
community, trail and open space parks, special
purpose parks and recreational facilities, and
civic spaces. Existing parks are identified on
Figure 2-6, General Plan Land Use Map. In 1978,
the City established the parkland service
standard of 6 acres per 1,000 residents. This
standard and City Parks are discussed in more
detail in Chapter 6.
Community Parks
Community parks are the largest areas in the
Santa Rosa Park system and are intended to
offer a variety of passive and active recreational
opportunities that attract users of all ages,
especially from within 1 mile or a 20-minute walk
that is uninterrupted by barriers to access like
highways, waterways, and railways. These parks
are at least 10 acres (20 acres or more preferable)
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 19
and often include athletic fields and courts for
organized sports; support programming with
community-wide participation, such as summer
camps and special events; and are venues for
cultural and social gatherings such as concerts
and farmers markets. Community parks also
include areas for children’s play and group
picnicking. Access to nature and wildlife viewing,
walking pathways, exercise equipment, bike and
skate parks, off-leash dog areas, and other
unique features that often require more space
and attract larger segments of the community
may also be included.
Community parks often accommodate stays of
four or more hours, with amenities including
parking, restrooms, and lighting for recreation
and parking areas and pathways. Community
parks also must consider bicycle and pedestrian
access for nearby neighbors, and public transit
access and links to local and regional trail
systems for community members living farther
away. Community parks contribute to the city
parkland standard of 6 acres per 1,000 residents.
Neighborhood Parks
Neighborhood parks are the fundamental unit of
the park system and should be equitably
distributed across the city. They serve the daily
recreational and social needs of people within a
half mile or 10-minute walk by facilitating
informal recreation, encouraging social
interaction among neighbors, reflecting
neighborhood identity, and improving the
overall quality of life for community members.
Neighborhood parks provide a mix of amenities
such as picnic areas, community gardens,
exercise equipment, and children’s play areas.
They generally have one signature amenity, such
as a water play feature, a skate spot, sports court,
or single athletic field.
Neighborhood parks generally support stays of
one hour or less, usually with no restrooms (due
to the intended proximity of the park to the
neighborhood), lighting limited to security lights,
and often with no off-street parking because of
limited space and to promote walkable
communities. Neighborhood parks contribute to
the city parkland standard of 6 acres per 1,000
residents.
Special Purpose Parks and
Recreation Facilities
These facilities typically serve a single purpose or
a specific user group and generally fall into one
of three categories:
• Golf courses.
• Recreation facilities such as gymnasiums,
aquatic centers, sports field complexes,
community centers, or senior centers.
• Historic, cultural, or social sites such as
museums, botanical gardens,
amphitheaters, performing arts centers,
and cemeteries.
Trail and Open Space Parks
These areas of varying size support both active
and passive recreation, including walking,
biking, hiking, jogging, and wildlife viewing and
can also be used as a safe, active transportation
network that connects people and places locally
and regionally. Trail and Open Space parklands
provide a variety of benefits, including visual
enjoyment, natural resource conservation (e.g.,
plant and wildlife habitats, creek corridors,
hillsides, and soils), water quality protection,
recreational use, flood control, fire management,
and transportation corridors.
Trail and Open Space parklands may contribute
to the parkland standard of 6 acres per 1,000
residents if they provide multipurpose, ADA-
compliant paved pathways and benches, trash
and recycling receptacles, wayfinding and
interpretive signage, and lighting.
Southeast Greenway
The Southeast Greenway is a continuous linear
space in southeast Santa Rosa between Farmers
Lane to the west and Spring Lake Regional Park
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2- 20 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
to the east. The majority of the Greenway is
designated for Parks and Recreation, with
smaller areas designated for Medium Density
Residential and a mix of Retail and Business
Services. Future plans for the Greenway include
separated bicycle and pedestrian paths as well
as bicycle and pedestrian connections to
surrounding neighborhoods.
Civic Spaces
Civic spaces are urban parks that provide
flexible, publicly accessible space for a range of
cultural and recreational activities, often in
places without enough land for a neighborhood
or community park. Civic spaces may be
privately owned but must be publicly accessible
year-round, at least during daylight hours;
contain vegetation; be large enough for people
to stop and stay; contain places to sit; be subject
to a deed restriction to ensure the property is
maintained; and contribute to an
interconnected system of public spaces that
meet the needs of the surrounding
neighborhood.
Civic spaces are generally less than two acres
and include multipurpose plazas for community
gathering, events, or recreation; rooftop green
spaces; pocket parks; paseos, pedestrian paths,
stairs, or other connections; off-leash dog runs;
or children’s play areas.
Open Space
These areas feature special environmental
conditions or significance; may be subject to
wildfire, flood, or geologic hazards; or contain
watershed lands or important wildlife or biotic
habitat. Where otherwise not excluded by noise,
aircraft safety, or other environmental standards,
residential development is generally permitted
at a density of 1 unit per 40 acres.
Growth and New Development
Considerations
Santa Rosa is a well-established community with
many unique assets to be maintained, though
there is room for improvement to enhance
equity and quality of life, particularly in areas
that still have vacant land and/or have
historically not received as much investment as
other areas of the city. New development within
the city limits will follow this General Plan and
other applicable City codes and guides to ensure
it complements and enhances the existing
community. Growth and change in the city will
be tailored to support maintenance and
development of complete neighborhoods,
particularly in Areas of Change. Development in
the UGB beyond the city limits will need to
demonstrate that it will not have a negative
impact on the city’s environmental resources or
fiscal health to be eligible for annexation and
development.
Plan Bay Area and Priority
Development Areas
Plan Bay Area is an integrated long-range
transportation and land-use/housing plan for the
San Francisco Bay Area, prepared by the
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC)
and the Association of Bay Area Governments
(ABAG). It includes the Bay Area’s Sustainable
Communities Strategy (SCS), in accordance with
the California Sustainable Communities and
Climate Protection Act of 2008 (SB 375), which
Complete Neighborhoods are areas with
convenient, equitable access to goods and
services needed to support daily life, such as
grocery stores, recreation opportunities,
community gathering places, active
transportation infrastructure, and transit. The
specific attributes of a complete
neighborhood will vary, depending on the
unique needs of the local community.
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 21
requires each of the state’s metropolitan areas to
prepare an SCS or similar plan to reduce GHG
emissions from cars and light trucks.
The SCS provides for the coordination of land
use, housing, and transportation to reduce GHG
emissions for cars and light-duty trucks. Plan
Bay Area directs the majority of housing growth
to designated Priority Development Areas (PDA),
with the aim of making more future
development walkable, bikeable, and close to
public transit, jobs, schools, shopping, parks,
recreation, and other amenities. There are five
PDAs in the Santa Rosa Planning Area, listed
below and shown on Figure 2-9.
1. Downtown Station Area PDA, in central
Santa Rosa, primarily north of Highway 12
and extending east and west of Highway 101.
2. North Santa Rosa Station PDA, in northwest
Santa Rosa.
3. Roseland Area PDA in southwest Santa
Rosa.
4. Sebastopol Road Corridor PDA in southwest
Santa Rosa.
5. Mendocino Avenue/Santa Rosa Avenue
PDA, extending north and south along
Highway 101.
PDAs are eligible for technical assistance from
MTC and ABAG to help further the goals of Plan
Bay Area.
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Figure 2-9: Santa Rosa Priority Development Areas
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 23
Specific Plans
Santa Rosa has adopted specific plans for three
of the PDAs that establish unique zoning and
development regulations:
• The Downtown Station Area Specific
Plan guides future transit-supportive
development around the Downtown
SMART station. The plan intensifies uses
within walking distance to SMART and
invests in infrastructure and other public
improvements. The plan establishes
regulations for land use, development
standards, densities, infrastructure
improvements, implementation
measures, and incentives to promote a
diverse mix of uses. The land use
designations of the Downtown Station
Area Specific Plan establish seven
subareas with unique characteristics that
supplement the City’s Zoning Code and
design guidelines.
• The North Santa Rosa Station Area
Specific Plan supports rail service transit
at the North Santa Rosa SMART station
by improving pedestrian, bicycle, transit,
and auto connections; increasing
residential density; promoting economic
development; and enhancing aesthetics
and quality of life within a half mile of the
station.
• The Roseland Area/Sebastopol Road
Specific Plan supports a unified, vital,
and livable Roseland community with a
focus on healthy and equitable
development. The plan aims to improve
connectivity, concentrate areas of activity,
and enhance the physical environment.
Disadvantaged
Unincorporated Communities
Senate Bill 244 requires that general plans
address the needs of disadvantaged
unincorporated communities (DUC), which are
areas of Sonoma County with an annual median
household income less than 80 percent of the
statewide annual median household income
and: within the City’s Sphere of Influence; an
island within an incorporated jurisdiction’s
boundary; or geographically isolated and has
existed for at least 50 years. DUCs often lack
adequate infrastructure to sustain public health
and safety, which can foster economic, social,
and educational inequality. Therefore, the law
requires that cities and counties identify their
DUCs, analyze infrastructure and fire service
needs and deficiencies, and assess potential
funding mechanisms for expansions of services
and facilities. With each update of its Housing
Element, the City identifies DUCs, evaluates their
infrastructure and service deficiencies, and
assesses potential funding mechanisms to
address those deficiencies. As required by State
law, this chapter includes policies and actions to
address infrastructure deficiencies in the DUCs,
which are mapped on Figure 2-10.
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SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 25
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 2-1.1: Encourage development that
supports community health and
quality of life and fosters
complete neighborhoods in both
established and emerging
neighborhoods.
Action 2-1.1: Implement and update the
following Specific Plans, as
necessary to address changing
economic and market conditions
and/or changing community
visions for these areas:
• Downtown Station Area
Specific Plan
• North Santa Rosa Specific Plan
• Roseland Specific Plan
Action 2-1.2: Update the Zoning Code to
require industrial development
adjacent to residential areas to
provide buffers, landscaping, and
screening to minimize noise, light,
glare, and other impacts.
Action 2-1.3: Require residential developments
within 500 feet of U.S. Route 101
and California Route 12 to include
construction measures that
mitigate future resident
exposures to ozone, particulate
matter, and other toxic air
contaminants (TAC) identified by
CARB.
Action 2-1.4: Address the need for gathering
places by providing amenities
such as parks, community
centers, and cultural facilities for
community members in all
neighborhoods, prioritizing EPAs
and Areas of Change.
Action 2-1.5: Address the need for access to
outdoor activity/recreation in
urban core areas by encouraging
the creative integration of such
spaces or uses in public and
private development.
Action 2-1.6: Encourage retail and housing
development in mixed-use
developments along regional
transportation routes and in
areas that serve community
members, with a focus on Areas
of Change.
Action 2-1.7: Amend the Zoning Code
regulations related to community
care facilities, including updating
the definition of community care
facility; address neighborhood
compatibility in the context of
residential neighborhoods; and
explore opportunities for
streamlining.
Action 2-1.8: Address the infrastructure and
service needs of disadvantaged
unincorporated communities.
Policy 2-1.2: Facilitate future annexations
with a thoughtfully designed
and transparent strategy that
ensures the City’s ongoing fiscal
health and supports a high
quality of life for community
members.
Action 2-1.9: Prepare a specific plan prior to
annexation of land in south Santa
Rosa, south from the current City
boundary to the UGB, to identify
and accommodate needs related
to City services, such as Fire and
Police, water, wastewater,
Goal 2-1: Ensure that growth and change
serve community needs, protect the
environment, improve fiscal stability, and
enhance quality of life for all members of
the community.
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2- 26 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
stormwater, transportation, and
parks.
Action 2-1.10: Require a fiscal impact analysis
for proposed annexations that
exceed 10 acres to ensure a full
accounting of infrastructure and
public service costs and confirm
whether revenue enhancement
mechanisms are necessary to
ensure net fiscal balance.
Action 2-1.11: Only allow annexations or City
utility connections if they are
consistent with the General Plan
and do not adversely impact the
City’s fiscal viability,
environmental resources,
infrastructure and services, and
quality of life.
Action 2-1.12: Limit annexations to land in the
UGB with adequate services
available, including
unincorporated islands within the
city limits.
Action 2-1.13: Work with LAFCO to require all
proposed annexations within a
County island to prepare a
sentiment survey of all properties
within the island to determine the
ability of annexing the full County
island.
Action 2-1.14: Prioritize the processing of
proposed annexations when
applicants provide funding for
dedicated staff time.
Policy 2-1.3: Promote and participate in
cooperative planning efforts
with surrounding jurisdictions
and the County, especially
related to Countywide and
subregional issues such as
transportation, waste
management, and affordable
housing.
Action 2-1.15: Conduct regular meetings with
County of Sonoma staff to
coordinate land use issues of
mutual concern within the UGB.
Policy 2-1.4: Ensure that City policy, codes,
programming, and practices
support a range of viable land
uses that are consistent with the
General Plan.
Action 2-1.16: Maintain an inventory of
industrial lands and sites zoned
appropriately for the retention
and expansion of key
manufacturing and industrial
businesses/employers.
Action 2-1.17: Maintain sufficient land in areas
zoned for industrial uses to
accommodate a wide range of
production, distribution, and
repair-oriented light industrial
uses, including research and
development, manufacturing,
and food processing.
Action 2-1.18: Consider updating the Zoning
Code to allow for compatible
residential and commercial uses
in office parks, light industrial
areas, and other similar areas.
Such compatible uses could
include Live-Work units, artisan
studios/shops, brew pubs, coffee
shops, tasting rooms, and event
spaces.
Action 2-1.19: Identify necessary policy changes
to enable the retention or
conversion of sites with light
industrial / light manufacturing
uses located in appropriate areas,
and implement changes as
feasible and appropriate.
Action 2-1.20: Update the UGB so that it is
coterminous with the city’s
Sphere of Influence.
Action 2-1.21: Update the Zoning Code to:
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 27
1. Rezone parcels to ensure
consistency with the General
Plan.
2. Create development
standards for Missing-Middle
Housing types.
3. Rezone Planned Development
communities into appropriate
zoning districts consistent
with General Plan Land Use.
Policy 2-2.1: Support development of
complete neighborhoods in all
Areas of Change, ensuring they
offer convenient, equitable
access to goods and services
needed to support daily life,
such as grocery stores,
recreation opportunities,
community gathering places,
active transportation
infrastructure, and transit.
Action 2-2.1: Consider development incentives
and update the Zoning Code to
require new developments in
Areas of Change to include on-
site and proximal access to goods
and services that support daily
life, including, but not limited to,
fresh-food stores, recreation,
community gathering, and
infrastructure that supports
active transportation and transit.
Action 2-2.2: Require design of mixed-use
projects to focus residential uses
in the upper stories or toward the
back of parcels, with retail and
office activities fronting the
regional/arterial street. Site
design with residential uses at the
rear is intended to reduce
potential for housing units to
exceed maximum noise levels
along a regional/arterial street.
Action 2-2.3: Work with Sonoma County and
potential developers to redevelop
sites in the unincorporated
stretch of Santa Rosa Avenue
with mixed-use, limiting and
discouraging the expansion of
existing single-use, auto-oriented
commercial establishments.
Action 2-2.4: Allow for regional and
neighborhood shopping centers
to integrate amenities, events,
and programming that enhance
the destination and its
attractiveness as a shopping
location and community
gathering space.
Action 2-2.5: Allow farmers markets by right in
shopping centers.
Action 2-2.6: Allow temporary, community-
oriented / community-amenity
uses on sites slated for
redevelopment that activate
those spaces prior to
entitlement/construction.
Policy 2-2.2: Encourage a compact rather
than a scattered development
pattern for new development
proposals, particularly in Areas
of Change.
Action 2-2.7: Require compact development
that includes services within one-
half mile walking and biking
distance of residential
neighborhoods.
Action 2-2.8: For all private development,
capital improvement projects,
Goal 2-2:Promote city-centered growth and
investment with a neighborhood-focused
approach to create complete and
connected communities that provide
community members' daily needs within
easy walking or biking distance.
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2- 28 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
and preparation of detailed area
plans, require close land
use/transportation relationships
to promote use of alternative
transportation modes and
discourage travel by automobile.
Action 2-2.9: Encourage the creation of shared
parking areas and shared
driveways / vehicle access points
in private development.
Policy 2-2.3: Ensure mixed use developments
along regional/arterial streets
are designed to reduce impacts
to community members;
encourage redevelopment with
mixed use in areas that do not
meet the community's vision.
Action 2-2.10: Maintain Priority Development
Area designations in accordance
with Plan Bay Area to maintain
consistency with regional
planning efforts.
Policy 2-3.1: Ensure that residential
developments, including
subdivisions and neighborhoods,
are designed to foster livability
and maintain a diversity of
neighborhoods and varied
housing stock to satisfy a wide
range of needs and retain local
character.
Action 2-3.1: Evaluate new development
through the development review
process to ensure neighborhood
identities are maintained.
Action 2-3.2: Update the Zoning Code to allow
residential and mixed-use
development in the Retail and
Business Services and Office land
use designations.
Action 2-3.3: Identify barriers and/or incentives
to redevelopment with mixed use
in areas that do not meet the
community's vision, and
mitigate/implement these, as
feasible.
Action 2-3.4: Work with Sonoma County and
potential developers to redevelop
sites in the unincorporated
stretch of Santa Rosa Avenue
with mixed use, limiting and
discouraging the expansion of
existing single-use, auto-oriented
commercial establishments.
Policy 2-3.2: Ensure that residential
developments achieve the
density potential of the project
site and include a variety of
housing types with a full range
of affordability.
Action 2-3.5: Require development at the
midpoint or higher of the density
range in the Medium and
Medium High Density Residential
land use designations, unless
topography, parcel configuration,
heritage trees, historic
preservation, or utility constraints
make the midpoint impossible to
achieve.
Policy 2-3.3: Ensure that mixed use
developments along
regional/arterial streets are
designed to reduce impacts to
future residents.
Action 2-3.6: Require design of mixed-use
projects to focus residential uses
in the upper stories or toward the
back of parcels, with retail and
office activities fronting the
regional/arterial street. Site
design with residential uses at the
Goal 2-3:Promote livability by creating a
variety of housing types near transit to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 29
rear is intended to reduce
potential for housing units to
exceed maximum noise levels
along a regional/arterial street.
Economic Development
Existing Conditions and
Market Outlook
Today’s Market
Santa Rosa is the fifth largest city in the San
Francisco Bay Area and is home to roughly one-
third of Sonoma County residents and
businesses. The city is the North Bay’s largest
concentration of office, industrial and retail
space, making Santa Rosa the economic center
of the region, the primary employment center,
and the default destination for healthcare and
government services. The city is also the region’s
primary retail destination, outperforming
comparable sites throughout the county and
serving both residents and visitors.
Economic Growth Potential
Over the next three decades, job growth and
related demand for office, industrial, and retail
space will be determined by the rate of local
population growth and regional demand. The
General Plan accommodates up to 24,000 new
homes to house approximately 66,000
additional residents. Combined with regional
demand factors, this additional population
would support up to:
• 2 million square feet of new office
development and 5,500 new office jobs.
• 1 million square feet of new industrial
development and 1,500 new industrial
jobs.
• 650,000 square feet of new community-
serving retail space and 1,500 new retail
jobs.
Long-term job growth opportunities are
anticipated to be strongest in health care,
advanced research and development, and
dining and food/beverage businesses.
Government and other office-based industry
sectors are likely to grow at a moderate pace,
and retail jobs may grow slowly or even decline
with the rise of online shopping.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 2-4.1: Maintain a positive business
climate in the community and
encourage diverse job types in
Santa Rosa.
Action 2-4.1: Ensure the City’s actions and
communications convey an
organizational culture and
climate that support global
business values (e.g., productivity,
speed-to-market, flexibility,
innovation), and that the City
recognizes the value business
brings to the city.
Action 2-4.2: Institute new policies and
leverage partnerships to address
the primary drivers of an inclusive
and resilient economy,
highlighting urgent economic
challenges and improved
livability across Santa Rosa.
Action 2-4.3: Maintain an economic
development strategic plan to
guide the City’s economic
development initiatives,
periodically reviewing and
funding updates to and special
reports in support of the plan to
keep current with market
conditions and economic trends.
Goal 2-4: Ensure that new growth and
development are resilient to economic
cycles and forces.
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2- 30 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Policy 2-4.2: Develop and strengthen
locational assets and business
assistance programs that
support innovation and create
an entrepreneurial business
climate attractive to technology
and entrepreneurial businesses.
Action 2-4.4: Continue to promote Santa Rosa
as the North Bay’s premier
location for clean/green
technologies and entrepreneurial
businesses that create new
products and business models
that will attract national and
international interest.
Action 2-4.5: Develop and foster City-business
connections and maintain a
Business Visitation Program for a
cross-section of City staff and
officials to ensure that industry
trends and opportunities are
identified early, and City services
are meeting the needs of
business.
Action 2-4.6: Identify necessary policy changes
and new program options to
allow and support micro-
entrepreneurialism and
neighborhood-centered
businesses/jobs creation and
implement, as feasible and
appropriate.
Policy 2-4.3: Develop strategies and work
cross-departmentally on
programs and initiatives to
retain existing businesses;
enable business expansion; and
attract new employers that
contribute to the city’s
economic vitality, use the area’s
existing labor pool, and leverage
or expand upon the region’s
existing industry clusters.
Action 2-4.7: Monitor land use and
development trends in the city to
ensure an adequate supply of
land that offers diverse use
designations and development
intensities in support of
anticipated demand for
commercial and industrial
growth; employ regulatory
mechanisms and incentives to
maintain sites and buildings in
suitable locations to attract major
employers.
Action 2-4.8: Identify sites suitable for flexible
uses and micro-entrepreneurial
opportunities in downtown,
commercial districts, and
neighborhood centers, and
promote and market small
business opportunities in these
areas.
Policy 2-4.4: Leverage City and community-
partner technical assistance and
funding to support key-sector
business development and
growth.
Action 2-4.9: Conduct periodic, industry-
specific cluster analyses to
identify targets for retention,
expansion, and innovation, with a
focus on increasing business-to-
business commerce in Santa
Rosa.
Action 2-4.10: Work with property owners to
encourage development projects
that generate local jobs and that
further inclusive economic
development objectives.
Action 2-4.11: Consider public/private
technology infrastructure projects
that support business and
municipal efficiency.
Action 2-4.12: Work with Santa Rosa Junior
College, Sonoma State University,
and private educators to provide
job training that matches local
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 31
job opportunities, including
housing construction.
Action 2-4.13: Work to attract professional,
vocational, and technical
institutions and engage
employers in the development of
education and training systems
that equip residents with the skills
and knowledge needed to
succeed in an advanced
economy.
Policy 2-4.5: Seek innovative ways to reduce
the cost burden of infrastructure
for industrial and commercial
development, without
transferring the burden to the
residential sector.
Action 2-4.14: Use funds from the statewide
Community Infrastructure
Program and other tax increment
and/or assessment-based
financing tools to support local
improvements.
Action 2-4.15: Identify opportunities to support
innovation and growth by
fostering business incubators,
accelerators, shared working
spaces, and networking
organizations.
Action 2-4.16: Attract infill developers that build
the facilities attractive to
employers with new or alternative
workplace needs.
Policy 2-4.6: Focus business attraction efforts
on filling vacancies in
commercial and industrial
structures.
Action 2-4.17: Encourage occupancy of new
businesses in vacant commercial
and industrial buildings through
efforts such as low-cost loans for
tenant improvements, façade
improvements, and new business
incubation.
Policy 2-4.7: Maintain vibrant, convenient,
and attractive commercial
centers that provide a range of
goods and services that satisfy
the needs of community
members.
Action 2-4.18: Identify and mitigate barriers to
locate new local-serving retail in
Plan Areas of Change.
Action 2-4.19: Locate any new region-serving,
high-volume retail outlets within
one-half mile of Highway 101 to
minimize regional traffic on city
streets.
Action 2-4.20: Work with business park owners
to encourage new distribution
and research uses in addition to
office uses.
Policy 2-5.1: Encourage retention and anti-
displacement strategies aimed
at retaining local businesses and
residents.
Action 2-5.1: Continue to maintain and
disseminate resources directing
existing smaller businesses to
training, financial assistance, and
other supportive services.
Action 2-5.2: Identify and target economic
development resources to
businesses in areas undergoing
rapid increases in commercial or
industrial rents and property sales
prices.
Action 2-5.3: Study potential adoption of
policies and programs that would
help prevent future displacement
Goal 2-5: Foster sustained, inclusive growth
that generates long-term, shared value in
the community and creates economic
opportunities for all residents.
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2- 32 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
of Santa Rosa’s longstanding
smaller businesses.
Policy 2-5.2: Support opportunities to expand
economic opportunity to all
segments of the community.
Action 2-5.4: Establish public-private
partnerships and philanthropic
initiatives to provide work
opportunities for high-risk youth
and young adults in Santa Rosa.
Action 2-5.5: Work with Santa Rosa City
Schools, Sonoma County Office of
Education, Santa Rosa Junior
College, Sonoma State University,
other educators, and the
Workforce Investment Board to
provide job training opportunities
for all segments of the population,
including high-risk youth and
young adults and Equity Priority
Populations.
Policy 2-5.3: Invest in neighborhood
entrepreneurship.
Action 2-5.6: Update the Zoning Code to allow
temporary or alternative
incubator spaces on vacant or
underutilized properties to
facilitate trial uses that may be
unique to the city.
Policy 2-5.4: Establish free citywide internet
access at a speed appropriate
for all types of businesses.
Action 2-5.7: Study the gaps in broadband
access and create a plan to
expand access where
appropriate.
Policy 2-5.5: Encourage home businesses to
support workforce participation,
decrease worker vehicle miles
traveled, and increase the
provision of goods and services
at the neighborhood scale.
Action 2-5.8: Allow and encourage home-
occupancy businesses in most
residential zones, especially EPAs,
including for uses such as family
childcare and microenterprise
home kitchen operations.
Action 2-5.9: Update the Zoning Code to allow
mobile food and crafts vendors,
farmers markets, art and artisan
pop-ups, and community
gathering events in all
nonresidential zoning districts.
Action 2-5.10: Update the Zoning Code to allow
for micro-entrepreneurial uses in
residential zones, as appropriate.
Policy 2-5.6: Expand economic opportunity in
industrial zones.
Action 2-5.11: Update the zoning code to allow
for more maker mixed-use, such
as clothing producers and 3D
printing in all industrial areas.
Action 2-5.12: Evaluate the public procurement
process with an eye to
stimulating small business
development, targeting minority-
/women-/veteran-owned
businesses; foster more equitable
procurement practices.
Policy 2-6.1: Provide a range of commercial
services that are easily
accessible and attractive, satisfy
the needs of people who live
and work in Santa Rosa, and
attract a regional clientele.
Action 2-6.1: Encourage region-serving, high-
volume retail outlets to locate
near freeway access (generally
within one-half mile of Highway
101) to minimize traffic on city
Goal 2-6: Maintain vibrant, convenient, and
attractive commercial centers.
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 2- 33
streets. Do not allow regional-
serving uses in residential
neighborhoods.
Action 2-6.2: Allow neighborhood centers that
include small grocery stores,
cleaners, and similar
establishments where they can
be supported within walking and
biking access of residential uses.
Ensure that neighborhood
centers do not create
unacceptable traffic or nuisances
for residents due to the hours and
nature of their operation.
Encourage residential
developments that are not within
walking distance of convenience
shopping to provide small centers
on-site.
Action 2-6.3: Require buildings in
neighborhood centers and
commercial corridors to actively
engage and enhance the public
realm through such techniques
as location of parking, ground-
floor transparency, building
orientation, and build-to and
setback lines.
Action 2-6.4: Allow large grocery stores on sites
citywide and in the downtown. On
sites outside of the downtown,
proposed large grocery stores
must demonstrate that the store
will not impact the viability of a
similar use on a downtown site.
Policy 2-6.2: Maintain the economic vitality of
business parks and offices and
Santa Rosa’s role as a regional
employment center.
Action 2-6.5: Require new commercial and
industrial developments to
maintain space in business parks
for distribution and research uses,
not primarily office uses. Avoid the
intrusion of office uses that could
diminish the economic vitality of
business parks.
Action 2-6.6: Allow limited support retail and
business services—such as cafes,
delis, and dry cleaners—where the
land use classification is Office or
Business Park.
Policy 2-6.3: Protect industrial land supply
and ensure compatibility
between industrial development
and surrounding neighborhoods.
Action 2-6.7: Require industrial development
adjacent to residential areas to
provide buffers, and institute
setback, landscaping, and
screening requirements intended
to minimize noise, light, glare, and
other impacts.
Action 2-6.8: Update the Zoning Code to
require outdoor storage areas to
be screened from any public
right-of-way.
Action 2-6.9: Require any proposal to change
industrial-designated land to an
alternate land use to provide a
market analysis that supports
such a change. The market
analysis should include
documentation of the need for
such a change, the potential
impacts to the City’s industrial
land inventory citywide, and
potential mitigation.
Action 2-6.10: Preserve current industrial and
business park employment
centers by supporting the
integrity of industrial zoning
and/or allowing consideration of
new manufacturing.
Action 2-6.11: Update the Zoning Code to create
the allowance for creative mixes
of land uses that accommodate
non-noxious manufacturing and
maker-type spaces.
CHAPTER 2 | LAND USE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
2- 34 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
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CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3-1
3-2 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
3. Circulation, Open Space, Conservation,
and Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Responsible management of the built and
natural environments now and in the future is
essential to ensure the well-being of current and
future generations. This chapter focuses on the
city’s transportation system, along with open
space, resource conservation, and greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions.
Mobility is the potential for movement and the
ability to get from one place to another in our
everyday lives. How we travel to jobs, schools,
homes, shopping, and leisure affects our quality
of life, and our mobility choices influence the
time we spend commuting and how much air
pollution we generate and breathe.
Like much of the United States, Santa Rosa’s
built environment caters to the automobile. Jobs
and housing in Santa Rosa are balanced enough
that more than one-third of employed
community members live and work locally. The
majority of destinations for community
members are within five miles, yet driving alone
is still the most common way to get around.
Over several decades, improvements to the
transportation system have broadened the
range of options for community members,
including the Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit
(SMART) train, expanded bus routes, and new
active transportation facilities (walking and
wheeling). This General Plan 2050 aims to
expand transportation options further and
support the mobility needs of everyone in Santa
Rosa to reduce dependence on single-occupant
vehicles and fossil fuels.
Open space in and around Santa Rosa offers
multiple community benefits, including visual
enjoyment, watershed protection, recreation
use, and reduction of hazard risk. Local open
space areas include undeveloped lands with
significant wildlife habitat and other natural
resources, plus more than 100 miles of creeks
within the city limits. Conservation is the
preservation and protection of resources. It is
closely linked with GHG emissions reduction,
and both affect every facet of community life.
General Plan Conservation Elements
traditionally include agricultural lands, air
quality, biological resources and habitat, energy,
and open space. General Plan 2050 also
integrates GHG emissions reductions in this
chapter and throughout the Plan. The City’s
approach to GHG emissions reductions
emphasizes conservation to reduce GHG
emissions from transportation, solid waste,
water, wastewater, and other services and meet
State and local pollution-reduction targets. The
separate Santa Rosa GHG Reduction Strategy,
which replaces the prior Community Climate
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3-3
Action Plan, provides an ongoing work program
to meet those targets.
The Vision for Santa Rosa is the foundation for
the goals in this chapter and their associated
policies and actions, especially these two
statements from the Vision:
• Connected: High-quality, reliable, and
safe transit service, bicycle and
pedestrian facilities, and other forms of
mobility connect all ages across the city
and region at all times and support
healthy lifestyles, clean air, equity, and
resilience.
• Sustainable: Natural resources are
restored, protected, and expanded to
provide accessible green space for
everyone in all neighborhoods, mitigate
drought, and minimize greenhouse gas
emissions.
Figure 3-1 illustrates some of the key concepts in
this chapter.
Circulation
The circulation network significantly influences
the lives of community members. It affects:
• Public health by how well it promotes
active transportation and reduces auto
travel, which impacts local air quality.
• Equity by how easily community
members of all ages, abilities, and income
levels can access their daily needs.
• Individual and City economic health by
how well it supports access to
employment, shopping, recreation, and
entertainment.
• Quality of life by how easy, affordable,
dependable, efficient, and enjoyable it is
to move around the city.
Everyone in Santa Rosa needs an equitable and
efficient transportation network to meet their
needs locally and reduce their dependence on
single-occupant vehicles. Some policies and
actions in this chapter, as in the other chapters,
elevate the needs of Equity Priority Areas, and
some goals, policies, and actions focus on the
Areas of Change identified through the General
Plan update public input process.
Chapter Contents
Circulation
Open Space and Conservation
GHG Emissions
Equity Priority Areas or EPAs are areas in
Santa Rosa where residents suffer most from
economic, health, and environmental
burdens. The General Plan prioritizes the
environmental justice needs and health and
equity considerations of EPAs in the goals,
policies, and actions of this and other
chapters of the General Plan. EPAs are
depicted on Figure 2-4 and discussed in
more detail in Chapters 2 and 6, Land Use
and Economic Development and Health,
Equity, and Environmental Justice.
Areas of Change are places where the City
will focus efforts to address housing, services,
connectivity, and/or infrastructure needs to
help make these complete neighborhoods.
Goals, policies, and actions throughout the
General Plan prioritize Areas of Change for
implementing actions that promote
complete neighborhoods, such as active
transportation infrastructure, quality housing,
healthy food options, opportunities for social
connections, and access to parks and
commercial services.
Areas of Change are depicted on Figure 2-5
and discussed in more detail in Chapter 2,
Land Use and Economic Development.
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION 3-4 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
General Plan 2050 opens opportunities for the
city to reduce vehicle miles (VMT) and GHG
emissions. The General Plan combines land use
changes and transportation improvements to
achieve a projected reduction in VMT per
“service population” (which encompasses all trip
types—to work, school, shopping, etc.). Figure 3-
2 compares existing and projected VMT per
service population in Santa Rosa and Sonoma
County.
Figure 3-3 depicts the city’s existing
transportation network, and Figure 3-4 shows
the major circulation network improvements in
General Plan 2050 that, together with its policies
and actions, support more walking, wheeling,
and transit use, as well as the comfort and safety
of all modes of travel.
Figure 3-1: Visualizing the Concepts
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3-5
Figure 3-2: Existing and Projected VMT per Service Population
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION 3-6 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3-7
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Transit Network
CityBus and Regional Transit
Santa Rosa CityBus provides local fixed-route
transit and paratransit, with regularly scheduled
service to residential neighborhoods,
educational facilities, and major job centers.
CityBus covers areas of the city with the highest
need for transit service, and its ridership levels
are the highest in Sonoma County and in the top
ten for transit providers in the Bay Area.
Regional transit operators that serve Santa Rosa
include Sonoma County Transit, Golden Gate
Transit, Mendocino Transit, Greyhound, and the
Sonoma Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART)
commuter rail system. These regional services
connect Santa Rosa with Marin County,
Mendocino County, San Francisco, Contra Costa
County, and beyond. CityBus coordinates
extensively with Sonoma County Transit,
Petaluma Transit, Golden Gate Transit, and
SMART at monthly meetings of the Sonoma
County Transportation Authority (SCTA). CityBus,
Golden Gate Transit, and Sonoma County Transit
offer paratransit services through a next-day
reservation system.
The Santa Rosa Transit Mall is the busiest transit
hub in the North Bay, served by five operators. It
provides affordable and accessible connections
to regional jobs, education, shopping, and
recreation.
SMART makes direct commuter rail connections
between Santa Rosa and Larkspur and has two
stations in Santa Rosa: the Downtown Station
and the North Santa Rosa Station. The
Downtown Station is within walking distance of
the Santa Rosa Transit Mall and has fixed-route
service on six CityBus routes. The North Station is
near the Coddingtown Transit hub.
Paratransit
The City of Santa Rosa offers next-day ADA
paratransit service seven days a week to those
who are unable (temporarily or permanently) to
use Santa Rosa CityBus because of a disability or
health condition. This service will pick up and
drop off three-quarters of a mile from CityBus
routes, in conformance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA).
Zero-Emissions Bus Rollout
Plan
CityBus developed a Zero-Emission Bus (ZEB)
Rollout Plan to meet California’s Innovative
Clean Transit (ICT) regulation (13 CCR § 2023.1).
The ZEB Rollout plans for CityBus to reach full
electrification of its 41-vehicle fleet by 2037, three
years in advance of the ICT requirement.
Coordinated Fare Payments
Across Systems
Clipper is a regional fare payment system and
the all-in-one transit card for the Bay Area.
Passengers can add value to their card and ride
any transit system in the Bay Area (seniors,
youth, persons with disabilities and low-income
riders receive discounts on all transit systems).
Clipper riders receive a discount when
transferring between SMART, CityBus, Golden
Gate Transit, and Sonoma County transit.
Fare Free Programs
CityBus has worked to remove barriers to transit
by developing fare-free programs for veterans,
youth 12th grade and younger, paratransit riders,
and Santa Rosa Junior College students. These
fare-free programs are also available to
employers, residential projects, and any other
group of 50 people or more who work under a
single entity.
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CityBus Improvements
Between March 2015 and August 2016, the City
completed a comprehensive redesign of the
CityBus system, called Reimagining CityBus. It
was the most significant change in Santa Rosa
transit service since 1958, when transit service
started. The redesign created a new transit
system for Santa Rosa, with 15-minute service in
high-ridership corridors, more direct routes,
more two-way service to reduce transit travel
time, and a more convenient and useful bus
system. The new bus system is a roadmap for
creating a modern transit system that meets the
current and future needs of community
members. The redesigned bus system is
organized into two phases. The City launched
Phase One in May 2017. Phase Two will improve
rapid bus routes with transit signal priority
corridors. The City will improve late night and
weekend service as funding becomes available.
The Short-Range Transit Plan (SRTP) updates
and further develops this approach every 3 to 5
years, as required by the Metropolitan
Transportation Commission.
Active Transportation Network
Santa Rosa’s comprehensive active
transportation network is poised to grow and
make the city a walking and bicycling
destination. The city has a mild climate, is
relatively flat, and has a large network of
sidewalks and bicycle infrastructure. The League
of American Bicyclists designated Santa Rosa as
a silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community, which
the City hopes to raise to platinum status.
Ongoing updates to the Bicycle and Pedestrian
Master Plan call for improvements to the active
transportation network to adapt to community
input and changes in bicycle technology.
The active transportation network provides
access to transit, schools, open space, hospitals,
other key destinations, and urban areas such as
the downtown, with opportunities for walking
and using wheeled devices—wheelchairs,
bicycles, scooters, and shared devices (e.g.,
bicycle and scooter rentals).
The pedestrian network forms the backbone of
the city’s transportation network. Almost all trips
begin and end with walking or using a
wheelchair or stroller, so an accessible
pedestrian network is critical to get people
where they need to go. Sidewalks, pathways, and
crosswalks make up the pedestrian network and
provide a comfortable walking environment
separated from vehicle traffic. The pedestrian
network is also essential for ADA compliance,
ensuring access and mobility for users of all ages
and abilities.
Currently, most streets have sidewalks or
pathways on at least one side. In the city limits,
property owners are responsible for sidewalk
maintenance. Some parts of the city are not
required to provide sidewalks, including rural
hillside developments or areas built under
County jurisdiction and later annexed into the
city. Figure 3-5 shows planned pedestrian
network improvements.
The comprehensive and connected bicycle
network strives to be safe, comfortable, and
attractive for people of all ages and skill levels. Its design emphasizes direct and comfortable
bicycling routes. The City’s Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plan calls for adding Class I
and Class IV facilities (separated paths) and
upgrading existing Class II and Class III on-road
facilities to Class I or Class IV. These ongoing
improvements are intended to ensure that the
bicycle network offers comprehensive
accessibility for all, with a goal of increasing the
use of bicycles for all types of trips citywide and
lowering transportation-related GHG emissions.
Bicycles are more equitable than cars for moving
around the city, and they increase health-
promoting physical activity among community
members.
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The City aims to replace vehicle trips of five miles
or less with bicycling or walking by offering a
network that is safe, convenient, comfortable,
and continuous; that links neighborhoods with
schools, parks, shopping areas, transit, and
employment centers; and that people of all ages
and abilities can use. This General Plan includes
policies and actions that reinforce the shift away
from single-occupant vehicles by increasing the
mileage of the active transportation network,
filling gaps between existing facilities, improving
what is already on the ground, and other
improvements. Figure 3-6 depicts the existing
and planned bicycle facilities network, as
presented in the 2018 Bicycle and Pedestrian
Master Plan.
Roadway Classifications
The City Design Guidelines define roadways in
Santa Rosa; require adequate egress for all
travelers, including emergency vehicles; and call
for visually attractive streetscapes that
complement surrounding uses. Roadways in the
city fall into four major categories: highways,
regional/arterial streets, transitional/connector
streets, and local streets.
Highways
Highways carry local and long-distance traffic at
high speeds to, from, and through Santa Rosa.
The highways (U.S. 101 and SR-12) are the
responsibility of the State Department of
Transportation. Regional transit operators
Golden Gate Transit and Sonoma County Transit
have services on some local highways.
Regional/Arterial Streets
Regional or arterial streets are major points of
connection with each other, neighborhoods, and
the rest of region. They include Parkways and
Boulevards.
Parkways
Parkways bring people into the city or carry
traffic through natural areas. Speeds may be 45
mph or higher. When parkways enter town, they
become boulevards. Local transit operates on
some parkways. Bicycle and pedestrian
amenities may include:
• Bike lanes or separated bike lanes
• Sidewalks
• Planter strips and shade tree
The California Department of Transportation
designates four classes of bicycle facilities:
Class I shared use paths are paved trails
completely separated from the street. They
allow two-way travel and are often
considered the most comfortable for children
and inexperienced riders.
Class II bicycle lanes are striped preferential
lanes on the roadway for one-way bicycle
travel.
Class III bicycle routes are signed routes
where people bicycling share a travel lane
with people driving.
Class IV separated bikeways are on-street
bicycle facilities that are physically separated
from motor vehicle traffic by a vertical
element or barrier, such as a curb or vehicle
parking aisle.
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Boulevards
Boulevards provide multilane access to
commercial and mixed-use areas and carry
some regional traffic, with vehicle speeds of 30
to 40 mph. Local transit operates on some
boulevards. Bicycle and pedestrian amenities
may include:
• Bike lanes or separated bike lanes
• Sidewalks on both sides
• Neck-downs at intersections to support
pedestrian crossings
• Planter strips and shade trees
Transitional/Collector Streets
Transitional or collector streets connect
residential neighborhoods to commercial
centers and service commercial districts.
Transitional streets include Avenues and Main
Streets.
Avenues
Avenues connect neighborhoods to commercial
centers and other neighborhoods and serve as
major transit routes. Vehicle speeds are typically
35 mph. - Bicycle and pedestrian amenities may
include:
• Bike lanes or separate bike lanes
• Sidewalks on both sides
• Neck-downs at intersections to support
pedestrian crossings
• Planter strips and shade trees
Main Streets
Main streets provide access to neighborhood
commercial and mixed-use areas. Vehicle
speeds are typically 25 to 30 mph. Local transit
operates on some main streets. Bicycle and
pedestrian amenities may include:
• Bike lanes or separate bike lanes
• Sidewalks on both sides
• Bulb-outs at intersection and midblock to
support pedestrian crossings
• Planter strips and shade trees
Local Streets
Local streets primarily provide access to
neighborhood destinations and make
connections within neighborhoods for
pedestrian, vehicular, and utility access. Traffic
speeds are 10 to 25 mph. The local streets
category includes Trails, Alleys, Lanes,
Neighborhood Streets, and Minor Streets.
Trails
Trails are multiuse, linear pathways through
neighborhoods or along creeks, not intended for
motorized vehicles. They often follow their own
rights-of-way or utility corridors. Trail use
supports VMT reduction, community health, and
other City goals. Amenities may include:
• Pedestrian and bicycle accessible
• Shade trees
• Lighting
• Wayfinding signage
• Benches
• Trash cans
• Bike repair stations
Alleys
Alleys are slow speed (10 mph), secondary access
ways running behind and sometimes between
rows of houses or commercial buildings. Alleys
can give service workers easy access to utilities
and sanitation and give residents access to
garages, backyards, and accessory units.
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Lanes
Lanes are narrow, often single-lane, roads that
access a small number of homes (typically 12 or
fewer), usually near parks, nature preserves, or
other locations conducive to limited access.
Depending on length, lanes may have sidewalks.
Neighborhood Streets
Neighborhood streets generally serve residential
areas with 100 or fewer homes or up to 1,000
average daily trips (ADT). These streets usually
extend from two to six blocks. Local transit
operates on some neighborhood streets.
Pedestrian amenities may include:
• Sidewalks on both sides
• Neck-downs at intersections to support
pedestrian crossings
• Shade trees
Minor Streets
Minor streets accommodate 1,000 or more ADT.
Pedestrian amenities may include:
• Sidewalks on both sides
• Bulb-outs or neck-downs at intersections
to support pedestrian crossings
• Shade trees
Scenic Roads
Scenic roads carry vehicles through areas of
notable beauty and/or with natural resources,
landmarks, historic features, or cultural interest
points. Regulations protect and enhance the
aesthetic values of scenic routes by governing
the development of property and placement of
outdoor advertising. Local transit operates on
some scenic roads. Santa Rosa’s scenic roads are:
1. Melita Road
2. Los Alamos Road
3. Calistoga Road (north of Badger Road)
4. Highway 12 (from Highway 101 west to
Fulton Road)
5. Highway 12 (from Farmers Lane to
Calistoga Road)
6. Highway 12 (from Calistoga Road to
Oakmont)
7. Montecito Avenue (north of Norte Way to
Chanate)
8. Brush Creek and Wallace Roads
9. Fountaingrove Parkway
10. Bennett Valley Road (south of Farmers
Lane)
11. Montgomery Drive (from Mission
Boulevard to Melita Road)
12. Chanate Road (from Mendocino Avenue
to Fountaingrove Parkway)
13. Petaluma Hill Road (from Colgan Avenue
to the Urban Growth Boundary)
14. Highway 101 (contiguous from northern to
southern city limit)
15. Los Olivos Road
16. Manzanita Avenue
17. Newanga Avenue
18. Francisco Avenue
19. Channel Drive
20. Wright Road South
21. Ludwig Avenue
22. Burbank Avenue (from the northerly
boundary of Roseland Creek Community
Park to Hearn Avenue)
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Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 3-1.1: Work with MTC and applicable
partner agencies to adopt VMT
thresholds.
Action 3-1.1: Develop local guidelines for
calculating the projected VMT of
future development projects and
transportation improvements.
Action 3-1.2: Require an analysis of projected
VMT as part of the environmental
review process for projects with
the potential to increase VMT.
Action 3-1.3: Adopt and maintain screening
criteria for different land uses and
project types to determine when
a VMT analysis will be required as
part of the environmental review
process.
Action 3-1.4: Adopt and maintain thresholds to
determine when a VMT impact is
“significant” under the California
Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA).
Action 3-1.5: Continue to work with SCTA and
other local and regional partners
to reduce VMT with existing
techniques and explore feasibility
of new techniques as they arise.
Action 3-1.6: Work with SCTA and other local
and regional partners to develop
a VMT mitigation bank
alternative for eligible projects to
fund VMT reduction efforts.
Action 3-1.7: Develop a process to prioritize
projects and programs on the
capital improvement projects list,
including multimodal
components, that support VMT
reduction, particularly those in
EPAs.
Policy 3-1.2: Promote land use,
transportation demand
management (TDM), and street
design practices that reduce
VMT and dependence on single-
occupancy vehicle trips.
Action 3-1.8: Use the Urban Streets Design
Guide and the Urban Bikeways
Design Guide to plan roadway
improvements and new
development.
Action 3-1.9: Continue to reduce or eliminate
vehicle parking requirements and
increase bicycle parking to
prioritize a car-free environment
in high density areas.
Action 3-1.10: Require developers of sites within
a quarter mile of transit corridors
to integrate transit-supportive
components, such as unlimited
pass programs, transit-serving
pedestrian infrastructure, and/or
transit subsidies, as appropriate.
Action 3-1.11: Work with local employers to
expand transportation demand
management (TDM) programs
and other efforts to help meet
employee transportation needs
through alternative modes that
reduce single-occupancy
automobile trips, such as:
• Unlimited access to transit
service.
• Paid incentives to bike
commuters.
• Provision of bicycle facilities.
• Carpooling and vanpooling
incentives.
Goal 3-1: Provide an integrated land use and
transportation system with safe and
efficient movement of people and goods for
all modes of travel that prioritizes reduction
of transportation-related GHG emissions.
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• Trip reduction incentive
programs.
• Car sharing programs.
• Staggered work shifts, flex
time (e.g., 9/80 work schedule),
and telecommuting.
• Paid-parking disincentives for
single-occupant vehicles.
Action 3-1.12: Continue to require TDM
measures for applicable
residential and commercial
developments to reduce VMT
generated by the development.
Action 3-1.13: Implement a TDM program for
City employees—potentially in
partnership with other local
governments, public agencies,
and transit providers—and
promote the program as a model
for local large employers.
Action 3-1.14: Establish a framework for City
transportation investment and
project decisions that prioritizes,
in order:
1. Active transportation modes,
including walking, bicycling,
and transit.
2. Other shared vehicles such as
carpool, vanpool, and
rideshare / transportation
network companies.
3. Private vehicles.
Action 3-1.15: Inventory and map the city’s
existing pedestrian network—
including sidewalks, trails, and
ADA accessibility features—to
inform future pedestrian network
improvements.
Action 3-1.16: Require multimodal and electric-
vehicle infrastructure in new
development.
Action 3-1.17: When necessary to help ensure
safety, guide travelers using
different modes to separate,
parallel streets as part of
multistreet corridors.
Action 3-1.18: Engage Santa Rosa community
members, prioritizing those in
EPAs and Areas of Change, in
planning for transportation
facilities and services.
Policy 3-1.3: Improve infrastructure, sidewalk
and bicycle linkages, and access
to transit and active modes of
transportation to better meet
daily commuting needs and
minimize VMT, especially in
EPAs and Areas of Change.
Action 3-1.19: Develop viable solutions for
regional through-traffic on north-
south corridors, such as by
extending Farmers Lane, and
travel on east-west corridors, such
as by improving the Mendocino
Avenue overcrossing of Highway
101, while remaining cognizant of
the multimodal need on each
corridor.
Action 3-1.20: Participate in discussions
addressing regional through-
traffic with SCTA, the County of
Sonoma, MTC, and other
municipalities.
Action 3-1.21: Support efforts to acquire local,
regional, State, and federal
funding for transportation
improvements, including
reconstruction of key
interchanges to accommodate all
modes of transportation,
including active transportation.
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Action 3-1.22: Explore alternative circulation
network improvements to
accommodate regional through-
traffic, focusing on
regional/arterial street circulation
and regional transportation
routes.
Action 3-1.23: Identify and analyze high-
commute-trip corridors and
improve them by:
• Preparing and implementing
corridor plans.
• Developing Park-n-Ride lots to
encourage mixed-mode
commuting.
• Designating and
implementing mobility hubs
as defined by MTC.
Action 3-1.24: Enhance pedestrian and public
transportation routes to support
safe access to retail food
establishments.
Policy 3-1.4: Reduce traffic volumes and
speeds in neighborhoods.
Action 3-1.25: Minimize through-traffic in
residential neighborhoods and
avoid traffic volumes greater than
those dictated by street design
and classification by providing
attractive regional/arterial streets
to accommodate cross-town
traffic.
Action 3-1.26: Continue to require grid street
patterns in new residential areas
to disperse local neighborhood
traffic and limit excessive volumes
on any one street.
Action 3-1.27: Implement traffic-calming
techniques on local streets that
experience high-speed or cut-
through traffic to improve
neighborhood livability:
• Narrow streets.
• Add on-street parking.
• Add chicanes, chokers, or diverters.
• Rough-pave crosswalks.
• Add rumble strips.
• Add planted islands.
Action 3-1.28: Include traffic calming by default
in regular paving and
maintenance projects unless
infeasible due to engineering or in
cases where transit or emergency
access may be blocked.
Action 3-1.29: Improve traffic flow and reduce
neighborhood traffic impacts in
all quadrants of the city by
completing needed
improvements on arterial and
collector streets.
Policy 3-2.1: Plan, build, and maintain a safe,
complete, continuous,
convenient, and attractive
pedestrian, bicycle, and multiuse
trail network in Santa Rosa that
is equitably accessible for all
ages and abilities.
Action 3-2.1: Monitor the proportions of travel
that use different transportation
options to track progress in
diversifying the city’s mode split.
Action 3-2.2: Support active transportation by
pursuing available grants and
ensure that the active
transportation network, especially
approaches to schools, are safe
Goal 3-2: Provide a safe and accessible
active and public transportation network
that reduces dependence on single
occupancy vehicles, prioritizing Equity
Priority Areas and Areas of Change.
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION 3- 18 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
for cyclists and pedestrians, with
needed amenities such as
sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes,
and traffic calming.
Action 3-2.3: Implement and update the City’s
Bicycle and Pedestrian Master
Plan, as appropriate.
Action 3-2.4: Identify and address active
transportation deficiencies,
prioritizing EPAs.
Action 3-2.5: Continue to implement the
Sonoma County Vision Zero
Action Plan and the City of Santa
Rosa Vision Zero Implementation
Plan to eliminate collisions and
traffic fatalities.
Action 3-2.6: Upgrade streets throughout
Santa Rosa for safe and
convenient walking, including
sufficient and continuous
sidewalks and safe pedestrian
crossings at reasonable distances
to encourage access and mobility
for seniors, children, and people
with disabilities and strollers.
Action 3-2.7: If it is not feasible to provide a
continuous pedestrian route,
provide a safe alternate route
that minimizes any extra
distance.
Action 3-2.8: Prioritize pedestrian projects
along transit corridors that
provide access to transit stops.
Action 3-2.9: Link the various citywide
pedestrian paths, where possible.
Action 3-2.10: Develop and implement
standards and requirements for
sidewalks in the auto mall area.
Action 3-2.11: Integrate multiuse trails along
creek corridors, railroad rights-of-
way, and in park designs.
Action 3-2.12: Continue to upgrade curb ramps
in compliance with the Americans
with Disabilities Act.
Action 3-2.13: Provide street lighting that is
energy efficient, attractive,
appropriate to the character and
scale of the neighborhood or
district, and that contributes to
pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular
safety.
Action 3-2.14: Update the Zoning Code to
require that building plans and
pedestrian facilities allow for easy
pedestrian access from sidewalks,
transit stops, other pedestrian
facilities, and parking lots.
Action 3-2.15: Update the Zoning Code to
require construction of attractive
pedestrian walkways and areas in
new residential, commercial,
office, and industrial
developments.
Action 3-2.16: Update the Zoning Code to
require any new developments
with cul-de-sacs or other limited
street connectivity layouts to
provide enhanced connectivity for
pedestrians and bicyclists.
Action 3-2.17: Allow sharing or parallel
development of pedestrian
walkways and bicycle paths
where safe to maximize the use of
public rights-of-way.
Action 3-2.18: Support pedestrian and bicyclist
needs by incorporating them into
regular planning activities for all
City projects, and include
pedestrian facility funding in all
appropriate funding requests.
Action 3-2.19: Expand the citywide system of
designated bikeways to better
serve bicyclists of all ages and
abilities and maximize bicycle use
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3- 19
for commuting, recreation, and
local transport.
Action 3-2.20: Develop street standards with
separated and/or protected
bicycle lanes.
Action 3-2.21: Provide bicycle lanes along all
regional/arterial streets and high-
volume transitional/collector
streets, prioritizing protected
bicycle lanes except where
infeasible due to engineering or
obstruction of access for transit or
emergency access.
Action 3-2.22: Finish or bridge incomplete or
disconnected bicycle routes.
Action 3-2.23: Maintain all roadways and bicycle
facilities so they provide safe and
comfortable conditions for
bicyclists.
Action 3-2.24: As part of the City’s Capital
Improvement Program, or street
and intersection projects
constructed by private
developers, install and construct
bicycle facilities, including Class I
paths, Class II and IIB lanes, Class
III route signs and road paint, or
Class IV separated paths.
Action 3-2.25: Improve intersections of bicycle
and pedestrian multiuse trails
with highly trafficked roads
through improvements such as
painted crosswalks, beacon lights,
or other improvements as
warranted to increase user ease
and safety. Ensure that there are
no physical barriers to bicyclists or
pedestrians as they cross high
traffic roadways at intersections
with Class I or Class IV facilities.
Action 3-2.26: Update the Zoning Code to
require the highest level of bicycle
facility protection that is
practicable, as part of the
development review and
entitlement process, to
encourage bicycle use and
comfort.
Action 3-2.27: Work with local education
providers to ensure that students
have safe pedestrian access to
school sites throughout the city.
Action 3-2.28: Support Safe Routes to School by
pursuing available grants and
ensuring that approaches to
schools are safe for cyclists and
pedestrians by providing needed
amenities such as sidewalks,
crosswalks, bike lanes, and traffic
calming on streets near schools
and community centers.
Policy 3-2.2: Increase transit ridership to
reduce GHG emissions and
provide convenient and efficient
public transportation to
workplaces, shopping, and other
destinations.
Action 3-2.29: Identify first/last mile challenges
citywide and work with transit
and rideshare companies to
provide solutions.
Action 3-2.30: Continue to require TDM
measures for new development,
including CityBus / Sonoma
County Transit / SMART waivers or
discounts for project occupants.
Action 3-2.31: Provide convenient, efficient
routes to major employment,
education, recreation,
community, and shopping
centers throughout the city,
SMART stations, and shopping
centers.
Action 3-2.32: Continue to implement and
periodically update Transit
Master Plans such as
Reimagining CityBus and the
Short-Range Transit Plan, and
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION 3- 20 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
work with MTC and other
agencies on regional transit-
supporting initiatives.
Action 3-2.33: Establish standards that require
new development to provide
transit improvements to meet
demand from the project,
including but not limited to:
• Direct, paved pedestrian
access to transit stops.
• Bus turnouts and weather-
protected shelters.
• Bus-ready travel lanes.
Action 3-2.34: Improve the reliability, efficiency,
frequency, and travel time of
transit service to meet or exceed
performance standards of the
most recent Santa Rosa CityBus
Short Range Transit Plan and
improve transit service along
corridors where increased
densities are planned.
Action 3-2.35: Work with local and regional
transportation agencies to
coordinate multimodal
connections throughout the city,
including timed transfers
connecting different transit routes
and future rail service, bicycle
parking and lockers at transit
centers, and transit stops at park-
and-ride lots.
Action 3-2.36: Identify and develop
opportunities to improve
pedestrian, bicycle, micromobility
(such as bike or scooter share),
and bus transit connections
between existing transit stations,
to SMART stations, and to future
mobility hubs.
Action 3-2.37: Encourage ridership on public
transit systems through
marketing and promotional
efforts and incentives.
Action 3-2.38: Coordinate plans for transit
system changes and expansions
with local land use planning to
ensure consistency with adopted
transit service allocation, service
design, and equity policies.
Action 3-2.39: Work with private and public
sector partners on “safe ride
home” transit programs and
advertising campaigns targeting
wine industry tourists or anyone
under the influence of alcohol.
Action 3-2.40: Work with SCTA and MTC to
promote Safe Routes to Transit
projects and programs and
submit applications for funding of
local Safe Routes to Transit
projects and programs.
Action 3-2.41: Expand the hours of transit
service, including during nights
and weekends.
Action 3-2.42: Invest resources to ensure that
the Transit Mall, Downtown
SMART Station, and North SMART
Station are active, safe, and
efficiently accessed by local
transit.
Action 3-2.43: Support the integration of transit
services in Sonoma County and
the region for the benefit of the
riding public, including but not
limited to, integrating passenger
information, real-time arrival, fare
structures, and coordinating
service planning.
Policy 3-2.3: Ensure that the transit system
serves all members of the
community equitably, especially
in EPAs.
Action 3-2.44: Evaluate local transit services to
identify and address any
accessibility barriers, including for
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3- 21
children, seniors, those with
disabilities, and nonnative English
speakers.
Action 3-2.45: Reduce the cost of transit,
especially for low-income
individuals and those residing in
EPAs, by expanding the unlimited
Pass Program that serves
students through grade 12, SRJC
students, City employees,
paratransit users, and veterans.
Action 3-2.46: Develop an accumulator transit
pass that reduces the cost burden
for frequent riders.
Action 3-2.47: Work with SCTA and local transit
operators to explore financial
incentives, reduced fares for
public transportation, and a
subregional or countywide
universal basic mobility program.
Action 3-2.48: Identify strategies to increase low-
income residents’ access to
transit hubs, jobs, and areas with
goods and services, such as by
enhancing existing transit hubs,
constructing new transit hubs,
and/or providing new first/last
mile services.
Policy 3-2.4: Continue to support SMART rail
service.
Action 3-2.49: Support efforts to construct future
SMART stations in Santa Rosa,
including in south Santa Rosa.
Action 3-2.50: Preserve options for future SMART
rail stations by zoning land in
proximity to the potential station
sites for higher residential
densities and/or mixed-use
development.
Action 3-2.51: Support SMART efforts to promote
tourist rail excursions as well as
rail service for commuting and
other travel purposes.
Action 3-2.52: Support SMART efforts to provide
multi-use trails adjacent to new
rail lines creating a regional trail
network for active transportation
and recreation.
Policy 3-3.1: Make sure that new
development does not impede
efficient, safe, and free-flowing
circulation.
Action 3-3.1: Require traffic studies for
development projects that may
have a substantial impact on the
circulation system.
Action 3-3.2: Monitor level of service (LOS) at
intersections to ensure that
improvements or alterations to
improve corridor LOS do not
cause severe impacts at any
single intersection.
Action 3-3.3: In areas other than the
downtown, strive to meet
intersection LOS D to maintain
adequate operations of the street
network and minimize cut
through traffic on residential
streets.
Action 3-3.4: Monitor regional/arterial street
LOS at regular intervals to
determine if local LOS goals are
being met, and provide
information needed to maintain a
calibrated citywide traffic model.
Action 3-3.5: Coordinate transportation plans
with those of Sonoma County,
MTC, and the State of California.
Action 3-3.6: Revise the Zoning Code to require
site design to focus through-
traffic on regional/arterial streets,
Goal 3-3: Ensure that traffic-related impacts
of proposed land uses are evaluated and
mitigated.
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION 3- 22 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
and employ the following design
techniques to increase driver
safety and traffic efficiency:
• Reduce the number of
driveways and intersections.
• Combine driveways to serve
numerous small parcels.
• Avoid residential access.
• Install and facilitate timing of
traffic signals.
• Ensure continuous sidewalks.
Action 3-3.7: Construct or require roundabouts
in lieu of stop/signal-controlled
intersections, where appropriate,
to improve safety, reduce delay
and idling time, and lower vehicle
emissions.
Action 3-3.8: Periodically update City impact
fees to require that development
projects pay a fair share of costs
for multimodal transportation
systems improvements and
ensure the adequacy of funding
for needed transportation system
improvements.
Action 3-3.9: Favor transportation alternatives
to reduce demand on existing
facilities in lieu of widening
roadways and further impacting
the natural environment.
Policy 3-3.2: Identify, preserve, and enhance
City-designated scenic roads
throughout Santa Rosa in both
rural and developed areas.
Action 3-3.10: Update the Zoning Code to
develop standards for scenic
roadways identified in the
General Plan that do not have
corresponding development
standards in the Zoning Code,
including:
• Highway 12 (from Highway 101
west to Fulton Road)
• Highway 12 (from Farmers
Lane to Calistoga Road)
• Fountaingrove Parkway
• Bennett Valley Road (south of
Farmers Lane)
• Montgomery Drive (from
Mission Boulevard to Melita
Road)
• Chanate Road (from
Mendocino Avenue to
Fountaingrove Parkway)
• Petaluma Hill Road (from
Colgan Avenue to the UGB)
• Highway 101 (contiguous from
northern to southern City
limit)
• Newanga Avenue
• Channel Drive
• Wright Road South
• Ludwig Avenue
Action 3-3.11: Provide bikeways along scenic
roads where right-of-way exists or
where its acquisition will not
jeopardize roadway character.
Action 3-3.12: Discourage on-street parking
along scenic roads; bus stops or
scenic overlooks may be provided
at appropriate intervals.
Action 3-3.13: Ensure that the size, number, and
placement of signage along
scenic roads does not detract
from the area’s scenic character
as much as feasible.
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3- 23
Open Space and
Conservation
Open Space
The benefits of open space include visual
enjoyment, natural resource conservation (e.g.,
plant and wildlife habitats, creek corridors,
hillsides, and soils), water quality protection,
recreational use, and hazard reduction (e.g.,
flood control and fire management).
Open spaces in and around Santa Rosa include
agriculture, greenbelts (community separators),
natural resources, and parks and recreation
areas. Preservation of open space for each of
these uses is important to the quality of life and
semirural character valued by community
members. General Plan policies address public
access to these areas and expansion of the
regional open space network. A continuous
network of open space land has more benefits
for plant and habitat conservation than
disconnected open spaces. Figure 2-6, General
Plan Land Use, shows designated open space
areas.
Agricultural Resources
Agricultural resources in the Santa Rosa
planning area give community members a
sense of rural character and access to fresh
goods and produce. Conserving agricultural
resources—including crop fields, grazing land,
and vineyards—will help sustain the sense of
nature for the greater Santa Rosa area and
contribute to the region’s health and economic
vitality.
Biological Resources and
Waterways
Biological resources in the Santa Rosa area are
concentrated on the Santa Rosa plain to the
west and in the uplands to the east, with creeks
forming critical connections. Sensitive resources
on the plain include numerous vernal pools and
their associated species, as well as surrounding
grasslands, and upland resources to the east
include hillside open spaces, creeks, and
woodlands. Biological resources within the city
include sensitive plants and animals, creeks, and
wetlands, including vernal pools.
Santa Rosa Creek originates in the headwaters
of Mount Hood and runs roughly east to west
through the city and into the Laguna de Santa
Rosa. Other streams, including the lower reaches
of Matanzas Creek, run through or near the city
on their way to joining Santa Rosa Creek.
Citywide Creek Master Plan
The Citywide Creek Master Plan sets goals and
policies for specific waterways in Santa Rosa. The
plan details the creek environments in the city
and designates areas for recreation,
enhancement, or preservation. The City expects
the Master Plan to improve wildlife habitats and
increase recreational opportunities, drainage
capacity, and flood control.
Vegetation
Vegetation types in Santa Rosa include
grasslands, woodlands, riparian areas, and vernal
pools. Small areas of discrete habitat, such as
vernal pools, support distinct sets of plant and
animal species, which are generally sensitive to
human disturbance.
Wildlife
Different vegetation types provide habitat for
different species of wildlife, and the mingling of
different habitats is an advantage for species
that use the “edges” between them. Open space
areas support smaller species, including
songbirds, rodents, and insects, and provide
habitat for sensitive species, including nesting
raptors.
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The streams flowing through the city provide
both instream and riparian habitat. Aquatic
species need instream habitat, and Santa Rosa
Creek and several of its tributaries carry aquatic
species such as steelhead/rainbow trout.
Riparian habitat supports its own community of
plants and animals, including amphibians, and
functions as a migration corridor between
habitats separated by development. Both types
of habitats support a variety of animal species,
from streambed invertebrates to the larger
fishes and animals such as herons and egrets
that feed on them. Preserving wildlife habitat
and restoring riparian corridors protects wildlife
species and provides tranquil open spaces
within the city’s urban landscape.
Air Quality
Reducing air pollutants benefits community
health and quality of life. The City of Santa Rosa
works with the Bay Area Air Quality
Management District to address air quality in
Santa Rosa, which has generally improved with
cleaner motor vehicles, less agricultural and
residential burning, and reformulated consumer
products.
Efficient and sustainable development patterns,
strong connections between different land uses,
clean and renewable energy sources, alternative
transportation modes, open space preservation,
and construction dust abatement have all
contributed to better air quality in Santa Rosa,
but there is still room for improvement.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 3-4.1: Maximize the benefits of open
space, including by supporting
recreation and conservation
where possible.
Action 3-4.1: Cooperate with public and private
entities to create new multiuse
trails and public access pathways
to parks, open spaces, and
drainage ways in and near the
city.
Action 3-4.2: Monitor and support the progress
of the Sonoma County
Agricultural Preservation and
Open Space District in acquiring
Santa Rosa properties.
Action 3-4.3: Coordinate with public and
private entities to link open
spaces with a network of paths
and trails, including Sonoma
Water access roads and the Bay
Area Ridge Trail.
Action 3-4.4: Collaborate with regional
agencies and private landowners
to link inaccessible open spaces
where such linking would benefit
the protection of special
environments and life systems
such as wetlands, plant
communities, and wildlife
habitats and corridors.
Action 3-4.5: Promote the use of properties
unsuitable for development due
to hazards or other safety
constraints—as defined in
Chapter 5, Safety, Noise, and
Public Services and Facilities—for
open space uses if they can be
safely integrated and do not
require infrastructure, such as
fishing, wildlife observation uses.
Action 3-4.6: Preserve, enhance, and expand
an integrated network of open
space to support other uses and
benefits, such as habitat,
recreation, natural resources,
historic and tribal resources,
Goal 3-4: Protect, expand, maintain, and
restore natural resources, open space, and
agricultural land.
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3- 25
water management, nature-
based climate resilience, and
aesthetics.
Policy 3-4.2: Conserve agricultural land and
soils.
Action 3-4.7: Ensure the City’s Natural
Resources Program prioritizes
land management techniques
and agricultural practices that
reduce erosion and soil loss on
City-owned properties.
Action 3-4.8: Conduct a carbon sequestration
feasibility study of City-owned
open space, parks, agricultural
lands, and other conservation
lands, and implement the
recommendations as feasible.
This study should assess carbon
storage potential by land use type
and identify strategies to
facilitate carbon sequestration.
Action 3-4.9: Encourage the Sonoma County
Agricultural Preservation and
Open Space District to acquire
open space in and surrounding
Santa Rosa, including:
• The Community Separator
between Santa Rosa and
Rohnert Park.
• Taylor Mountain.
• Areas west and north of the
UGB.
• The Santa Rosa Creek corridor.
Action 3-4.10: Support Sonoma County efforts to
preserve unincorporated lands
adjacent to and near the Santa
Rosa UGB as viable agricultural
resources and to support the
agriculture economy and
environmental quality.
Policy 3-4.3: Conserve creeks, wetlands,
vernal pools, wildlife
ecosystems, rare plant habitats,
and waterways.
Action 3-4.11: Use existing (and/or restore
historical) natural features and
ecosystem processes for
conservation, preservation, or
sustainable management of
open space, including, but not
limited to, aquatic or terrestrial
vegetated open space, systems
and practices that use or mimic
natural processes, and other
engineered systems to provide
clean water, conserve ecosystem
values and functions, and provide
a wide array of benefits to people
and wildlife.
Action 3-4.12: Continue to implement existing
regulations and procedures,
including subdivision guidelines,
zoning, design review, and
environmental law, to conserve
wetlands and rare plants, riparian
habitat and other sensitive
natural communities, and
essential habitat for special-
status species; use the
environmental review process
and comply with the applicable
regulations and standards, such
as federal policy of no net loss of
wetlands; use mitigation
measures such as:
• Avoidance of sensitive habitat.
• Clustered development.
• Transfer of development
rights.
• Compensatory mitigation,
such as restoration or creation.
Action 3-4.13: Require a qualified biologist to
conduct a biological resource
assessment as part of
environmental review for
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION 3- 26 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
proposed development on sites
with natural habitat conditions
that may support special-status
species, sensitive natural
communities, or regulated
wetlands and waters. The
biologist should determine the
presence or absence of any
sensitive resources that could be
affected by proposed
development, assess potential
impacts, and define measures for
protecting the resource and
surrounding buffer habitat, in
compliance with City policies and
State and federal laws.
Action 3-4.14: Continue to require that potential
significant impacts on special-
status species, occurrences of
sensitive natural communities, or
regulated wetlands and waters
be minimized during the
environmental review process
through adjustments and
controls on the design,
construction, and operations of a
proposed project, or require
appropriate compensatory
mitigation where such impacts
are unavoidable.
Action 3-4.15: Continue to require that
development activities avoid
nests of native birds when in
active use to ensure compliance
with the State Fish and Game
Code and the federal Migratory
Bird Treaty Act when construction
is initiated on development sites.
If initial vegetation removal and
site disturbance cannot be
restricted outside the nesting
season (September 1 through
January 31), require that a
preconstruction survey for nesting
birds be conducted by a qualified
biologist during the bird-nesting
season (February 1 through
August 31). Where an active nest
is found on the site, an adequate
setback should be established
around any nest of a native bird
species when it is in active use
until the young have fledged and
are no longer dependent on the
nest. The nest setback distance
should be defined by a qualified
biological consultant with input
from the California Department
of Fish and Wildlife, with the
setback zone fenced or flagged,
and all construction disturbance
restricted from this zone until the
qualified biologist has confirmed
the nest is no longer in use.
Action 3-4.16: Inventory wetlands, floodplains,
marshlands, and adjacent lands
that could potentially support
climate adaptation (e.g., through
flood management, filtration, or
other beneficial ecosystem
services) and mitigation (e.g.,
carbon sequestration).
Action 3-4.17: Protect high quality wetlands and
vernal pools from development or
other activities.
Action 3-4.18: Implement the Citywide Creek
Master Plan and promote a “one
water” approach that teaches
preservation and stewardship of
local creeks and water resources.
Action 3-4.19: Establish and annually evaluate
mitigation fees for
environmentally sensitive
resource lands and/or
Sequestration is the natural removal of GHGs
from the atmosphere by soils and plants.
When previously undeveloped land is
developed, it can release previously
sequestered emissions.
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3- 27
endangered species habitat
areas that are subject to
development and apply
mitigation fees, as appropriate.
Action 3-4.20: Periodically review the status of
local creeks and plan for ongoing
restoration, planning, and
stewardship.
Action 3-4.21: Seek funding to maintain and
restore citywide creeks, including
for recreational opportunities
linked to creeks as well as for
flood control.
Action 3-4.22: Continue to consult with the
California Department of Fish
and Wildlife to identify significant
environments and priorities for
acquisition or maintenance of
open space areas based on
biological and environmental
concerns and develop a strategy
for maintaining areas that will
preserve the populations of plants
and animals currently found
within the UGB.
Action 3-4.23: Implement storm water pollution
prevention outreach to increase
community awareness of
pollution impacts to creeks and
preserve waterways.
Action 3-4.24: Do not create additional
channelized waterways unless no
other alternative is available to
protect human health, safety, and
welfare.
Action 3-4.25: Restore channelized waterways
to a more natural condition, as
feasible, that allows for more
natural hydraulic functioning,
including connection with the
stream channel and the natural
water table; and development of
meanders, pools, riffles, and other
stream features, allowing for
growth of riparian vegetation
that effectively stabilizes banks,
screens pollutants from runoff
entering the channel, enhances
fisheries, and provides other
opportunities for natural habitat
restoration.
Action 3-4.26: Ensure that construction
adjacent to creek channels is
sensitive to the natural
environment, preserves
topography and vegetation along
the creek, does not disrupt or
pollute the waterway, and
provides an adequate setback
buffer.
Action 3-4.27: Encourage multiple use of
waterways, including:
• Flood mitigation and storage;
• Groundwater recharge;
• Opportunities for restoration
and stewardship;
• Climate adaptation;
• Wildlife habitats;
• Passive recreational open
space uses;
• Nature study;
• Pedestrian and bicycle
circulation; and
• Other compatible outdoor
uses.
Policy 3-4.4: Orient development and
buildings toward creeks while
providing privacy, security, and
an open transition between
public and private open spaces.
Action 3-4.28: Require new development along
channelized waterways to
establish an ecological buffer
zone between the waterway and
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION 3- 28 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
development that also provides
opportunities for multiuse trails
and recreation.
Action 3-4.29: Require new development to
maintain an adequate setback
from channelized waterways to
recognize the 100-year flood
elevation, with setbacks in the
Zoning Code as minimums and
larger setbacks encouraged in
accordance with Restoration
Concept Plans to meet
restoration and enhancement
goals.
Policy 3-4.5: Protect groundwater recharge
areas, particularly creeks and
riparian corridors.
Action 3-4.30: Identify and map groundwater
recharge areas and provide
groundwater recharge area
maps to local agencies to foster
planning that protects
groundwater supplies.
Action 3-4.31: Update the Municipal Code to
require low-impact development
measures to reduce pollutants
and runoff flows from new
development and redevelopment
projects. Develop rain gardens
and other low impact
development features to improve
water quality and biodiversity and
enhance livability.
Policy 3-4.6: Achieve and maintain ambient
air quality standards.
Action 3-4.32: Continue to review all new
construction projects and require
dust abatement actions from the
CEQA Handbook of the Bay Area
Air Quality Management District.
Action 3-4.33: Ensure all new development is
electric vehicle charging ready at
a minimum.
Action 3-4.34: Amend the Zoning Code to
prohibit drive-through retail and
drive-through service land uses in
all Zoning Districts and provide
incentives for legal
nonconforming drive-through
uses to discontinue their drive-
throughs.
Action 3-4.35: Review and amend the City’s
Building Code and Zoning Code
to facilitate the installation of
electric vehicle charging
infrastructure at existing
development, prioritizing
properties in EPAs.
Action 3-4.36: Support efforts to install and
operate electric vehicle charging
stations and clean fuel stations
on private property throughout
the city, including hydrogen and
sustainably sourced biofuels, as
supported by market conditions.
Action 3-4.37: Expand installation and
operation of vehicle charging
stations on City properties,
including curbside in areas of the
community where other options
are limited.
Action 3-4.38: Budget for clean fuels and zero
emission vehicles in the City’s
long-range capital expenditure
plans to transition the existing
fleet of gasoline- and diesel-
powered vehicles, and work to
make the City’s fleet among the
cleanest in the North Bay by:
• Purchasing zero-emission
vehicles whenever possible
that meet or exceed
requirements under the
California Advanced Clean
Fleets Regulation. If zero-
emission vehicles are not
available, purchase plug-in
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3- 29
hybrids or other vehicle types
to minimize emissions.
• Using biodiesel and pollution-
reducing fuel additives in the
City’s diesel fuel vehicles.
Action 3-4.39: Implement the City’s Wood
Burning Appliance code to reduce
particulate matter emissions from
wood-burning appliances.
Greenhouse Gas
Reduction
The 2050 General Plan presents an integrated
and cross-sector approach to reducing GHG
emissions in Santa Rosa. The General Plan
integrates goals, policies, and actions that
support reductions from community and
municipal sources of emissions, supported by a
stand-alone GHG Reduction Strategy (Appendix
A). The GHG Reduction Strategy presents all City
GHG reduction measures and includes
quantification and other details consistent with
CEQA Guidelines Section 15183.5 to support
ongoing reductions through 2050. For the first
time, the General Plan incorporates the
community’s progressive GHG reduction goals,
State goals, and community-wide GHG
reductions. Like the previous Community-Wide
Climate Action Plan (CCAP), the integrated
Strategy includes GHG reduction measures and
implementation programs based on the City’s
ongoing implementation of the CCAP, an
updated GHG emissions inventory, and
projections of future GHG emissions. The General
Plan and GHG Reduction Strategy are consistent
with State and Bay Area Air Quality
Management District CEQA Guidelines. The GHG
Reduction Strategy builds on a strong record of
climate action stewardship in Santa Rosa and
supports other, ongoing community efforts to
reduce pollution and improve community
health, such as those led by the Regional
Climate Protection Authority.
On August 2, 2005, the Santa Rosa City Council
adopted Resolution 26341, which established
two targets:
• Reduce GHGs from City government
operations to 20 percent below 2000
levels by 2010.
• Reduce community-wide GHGs to 25
percent below 1990 levels by 2015, a level
estimated to be 37 percent below 2007
baseline levels.
In 2012, the City adopted the CCAP, which is now
replaced by the goals, policies, and actions of
this General Plan and the companion GHG
Reduction Strategy. Similar to the CCAP, the
City’s Municipal Climate Action Plan (MCAP)
includes GHG emissions inventories and
reduction measures, but it focuses on the GHG
emissions associated with municipal facilities
and operations, such as City buildings, vehicles,
and lighting.
In 2019, the City Council formed its Climate
Action Subcommittee to provide guidance and
oversight for implementation and update of the
City’s CCAP and MCAP.
On January 14, 2020, the Council adopted the
Climate Emergency Resolution, setting a goal of
achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 (15 years
ahead of the recently established State goal).
The resolution underscores the urgency of local
climate action to address future hazards and
enhance community resiliency. It commits the
City to ongoing efforts related to climate change
and GHG reductions by City departments and
collaboration with the Regional Climate
Protection Authority.
In December 2022, the California Air Resources
Board adopted an update to the State’s Climate
Change Scoping Plan, which details the pathway
to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 consistent
with adopted GHG emissions reduction targets.
The State’s adopted targets are:
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION 3- 30 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
• Reduce GHG emissions to 40 percent
below 1990 levels by 2030.
• Reduce GHG emissions to 85 percent
below 1990 levels by 2045.
• Achieve statewide net carbon neutrality
by 2045.
Many common activities of daily life generate
GHG emissions. Some daily activities release
GHG emissions in the location of the activity,
such as natural gas combustion in homes or
businesses. Other activities release GHG
emissions elsewhere, such as power plants in
other communities that generate electricity
used in Santa Rosa. In a few cases, an activity
generates emissions partially in Santa Rosa and
partially elsewhere, such as vehicle trips
between Santa Rosa and another community.
A community-wide GHG emissions inventory,
included in Appendix A, identifies GHG
emissions that result from activities of residents,
employees, and other community members. The
City prepared community-wide GHG inventories
for calendar years 2000, 2007, and 2019 that
assesses GHG emissions from the following
sectors: transportation, residential energy,
nonresidential energy, solid waste, off-road
equipment, agriculture, water and wastewater,
and land use and sequestration. In 2019, Santa
Rosa’s community-wide GHG emissions totaled
949,310 MTCO2e (metric tons of carbon-dioxide
equivalent). This is a 28 percent decrease in
emissions since 2007. Transportation is the
highest-emitting sector, representing 53 percent
of emissions in 2019. The nonresidential energy,
residential energy, and off-road equipment are
the second-, third-, and fourth-highest emitting
sectors, respectively, in 2019.
The City also prepared inventories of municipal
GHG emissions, that is, GHG emissions from City
operations, for the calendar years 2000, 2007,
and 2010. In 2007, Santa Rosa’s municipal GHG
emissions were 29,440 MTCO2e, approximately 3
percent of community-wide emissions. From
2000 to 2010, municipal GHG emissions
decreased by 5 percent. The City prepared a
Municipal Operations Climate Action Plan in
2010 that included GHG reduction targets for
2020, 2035, and 2050, with the ultimate goal to
reduce municipal GHG emission to at least 83
percent below 2007 levels by 2050. The City has
completed the most feasible GHG reduction
measures in the MCAP.
Energy
The City of Santa Rosa depends on energy to
maintain a vital economy and desirable lifestyle.
The city needs electricity and natural gas to light,
heat, and cool structures and power office
equipment, industrial machinery, public services,
and home appliances. The community also uses
petroleum products to move people and
products along transportation corridors. Energy
is vital to the continued functioning of housing,
employment, transportation, and public services
and facilities in Santa Rosa.
Reduced energy use and a shift to clean and
renewable energy sources in housing,
commercial structures, public facilities, and
transportation can help support the local
economic vitality, reduce costs, reduce GHG
emissions, and enhance sustainability and
reliability of the energy grid.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 3-5.1: Significantly reduce community-
wide and municipal GHG
emissions, achieving at least an
85 percent reduction of GHG
emissions from community
sources no later than 2045 with
a commitment to accelerate
reductions, as feasible, in
Goal 3-5: Achieve net carbon neutrality by
2030.
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3- 31
support of the City’s and State’s
carbon neutrality goals.
Action 3-5.1: Consider the effects of climate
change in updating or amending
the General Plan, disaster
planning, City projects,
infrastructure planning, future
policies, and City investments.
Action 3-5.2: Eliminate the use of fossil fuels as
an energy source in all new
building construction.
Action 3-5.3: Reduce the use of fossil fuels as
an energy source in the existing
building stock at the time of
building alteration through
requirements for all-electric
appliances.
Action 3-5.4: Evaluate and adopt reach codes
and other policies to decarbonize
the building stock.
Action 3-5.5: Implement the actions in the GHG
Reduction Strategy to achieve the
City’s GHG reduction goals.
Action 3-5.6: Continue regular inventories of
community-wide and municipal
GHG emissions, at least every five
years, consistent with the GHG
Reduction Strategy and this
General Plan.
Action 3-5.7: Provide public information to
educate residents and businesses
on the GHG Reduction Strategy
and to support individual
changes in energy and water use,
transportation mode choices,
material use, and waste
reduction.
Policy 3-5.2: Reduce energy use and increase
energy efficiency in existing and
new commercial, industrial, and
public structures.
Action 3-5.8: Require regular energy audits of
existing City-owned and operated
structures, identifying levels of
existing energy use and potential
conservation and efficiency
measures.
Action 3-5.9: Develop a capital project list and
funding strategy to complete
energy efficiency projects, and
adjust the list annually to add
new programs as needed.
Action 3-5.10: Encourage energy audits and
energy-efficient retrofits of
buildings throughout the city.
Action 3-5.11: Guide project applicants toward
site planning, solar orientation,
cool roofs, and landscaping that
decrease summer cooling and
winter heating needs.
Action 3-5.12: Encourage new buildings to
exceed State energy efficiency
requirements and/or be certified
by the U.S. Green Building
Council’s LEED (Leadership in
Energy and Environmental
Design) Program or equivalent
certification, where cost-effective
and equitable.
Action 3-5.13: Require new City facilities to be
zero net energy to the extent
feasible.
Action 3-5.14: Consider updating the Zoning
Code to require use of low carbon
construction materials.
Action 3-5.15: Assess the effectiveness of the
City’s environmentally sensitive
preferred purchasing and green
fleet conversion programs and
update the programs, as needed,
to support the City’s GHG
reduction goals.
Action 3-5.16: Use education and incentives to
promote and sustain energy-
conserving design and practices.
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION 3- 32 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Policy 3-5.3: Increase the use of renewable,
carbon free, and distributed
energy resources throughout
the city.
Action 3-5.17: Revise any existing codes and
policies that constrain or prohibit
the installation of
environmentally acceptable
forms of distributed energy
generation.
Action 3-5.18: Encourage new and existing
buildings to include battery
energy storage systems,
especially buildings with solar
energy installations and
municipal buildings that provide
essential community services.
Action 3-5.19: Participate in State and local
efforts to develop appropriate
policies and review procedures for
the installation of photovoltaic
solar and other forms of
distributed energy generation.
Action 3-5.20: Continue to participate in utility-
sponsored renewable energy
programs that allow the city to
receive a significant portion of
energy from renewable sources.
Action 3-5.21: Assist low-income homeowners
and small business owners with
identifying financing options for
installation of rooftop solar
energy systems, energy storage,
and electrification of existing
buildings.
Action 3-5.22: Support the development of local-
serving renewable energy
projects that expand the
availability of local renewable
energy, provide sustainable local
jobs, and support local and
regional housing, economic
development, and sustainability
goals and initiatives.
Action 3-5.23: Encourage the establishment of
neighborhood renewable-energy
microgrids to support resilience.
Action 3-5.24: Support State and utility efforts to
improve grid resilience and
capacity.
Policy 3-5.4: Continue the City’s role as a
leader in sustainability and
climate action.
Action 3-5.25: Integrate GHG emissions
reduction and climate resilience
into all municipal projects,
policies, and procedures as
feasible.
Action 3-5.26: Designate a Climate Action
Coordinator to lead
implementation of the City’s GHG
Reduction Strategy and climate
policies and actions in this
General Plan.
Action 3-5.27: Designate and support a Climate
Action Lead in each City
department.
Action 3-5.28: Continue to support an
Interdepartmental Climate Action
Implementation Committee.
Action 3-5.29: Support the growth of green
businesses in Santa Rosa that
support a carbon neutral
economy.
CHAPTER 3 | CIRCULATION, OPEN SPACE, CONSERVATION, AND GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 3- 33
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CHAPTER 4 | URBAN DESIGN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ART AND CULTURE SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 4-1
4-2 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
4. Urban Design, Historic Preservation, and
Art and Culture
Santa Rosa is made up of diverse
neighborhoods, corridors, and districts, each
with their own distinct character and identity.
Pride in these communities and the city as a
whole is a big part of what makes Santa Rosa a
great place to be. Attractive design of buildings
and outdoor spaces, historic preservation, and
art in public spaces together support a high
quality of life and esteem for Santa Rosa
residents and businesses. Of course, although
community character is celebrated across the
city, some areas need more investment to reach
their full potential.
This chapter considers the key characteristics
that contribute to Santa Rosa’s sense of place.
Goals, policies, and actions in this chapter
implement the community vision by supporting
the preservation of historic and cultural assets
and using design standards and public art to
shape the form and feel of neighborhoods and
gathering spaces. This chapter recognizes the
power of art to connect people, promote cultural
inclusion and diversity, create civic pride and a
sense of community, stimulate the local
economy, and inspire the creative spirit. Beyond
its impact on the built environment, a successful
Public Art Program also supports an
empowered, thriving, and inclusive Santa Rosa
community connected through the power of art.
In addition to visual character and image, the
design of the city has important implications for
adapting to climate change, reducing carbon
emissions, improving public health, and
promoting social equity. For example,
community design policies can help Santa Rosa
respond to risks from natural hazards such as
wildfire with adaptations that increase public
safety. Design-related policies can also support
conservation through increased use of
renewable energy and more efficient use of
water, and by following sustainable building
construction practices.
Some policies and actions in this chapter, as in
others, prioritize the needs of Equity Priority
Areas to support equitable outcomes. Similarly,
some goals, policies, and actions prioritize
implementation in Areas of Change to focus the
City’s resources and realize the community’s
vision for the General Plan.
CHAPTER 4 | URBAN DESIGN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ART AND CULTURE SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 4-3
This chapter focuses on key goals that work to
implement the vision for Santa Rosa. These goals
and their associated policies and actions are
especially pertinent to the following component
of the Vision Statement (shown in full in Chapter
2, Policy Framework):
• Cultural: Art, cultural resources and
activities, historic assets, and live music
thrive in every neighborhood, are
accessible to everyone, and work to
celebrate our diverse community, bring
people from all areas of the city together,
and support the local economy.
Figure 4-1 illustrates some of the key concepts
addressed in this chapter.
Urban Design
Santa Rosa has a rich landscape of historical
buildings, thoughtfully designed contemporary
developments, and views of the local landscape.
The physical form of each neighborhood,
gathering or shopping area, corridor, and district
can contribute to livability and quality of life.
Appropriate urban design standards encourage
development to highlight and not detract from
the natural and historical features of established
areas, create distinct architectural identities in
emerging areas, and protect views of the
natural, unbuilt areas surrounding Santa Rosa.
Equity Priority Areas or EPAs are areas in
Santa Rosa where residents suffer most from
economic, health, and environmental
burdens. The General Plan prioritizes the
environmental justice needs and health and
equity considerations of EPAs in the goals,
policies, and actions of this and other
chapters of the General Plan. EPAs are
depicted on Figure 2-4 and discussed in
more detail in chapters 2 and 6, Land Use and
Economic Development and Health, Equity,
and Environmental Justice.
Areas of Change are places where the City
will focus efforts to address housing, services,
connectivity, and/or infrastructure needs to
help make these complete neighborhoods.
Goals, policies, and actions throughout the
General Plan prioritize Areas of Change for
implementing actions that promote
complete neighborhoods, such as active
transportation infrastructure, quality housing,
healthy food options, opportunities for social
connections, and access to parks and
commercial services.
Areas of Change are depicted on Figure 2-5
and discussed in more detail in Chapter 2,
Land Use and Economic Development.
Chapter Contents
Urban Design
Historic Preservation
Art and Culture
CHAPTER 4 | URBAN DESIGN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ART AND CULTURE 4-4 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Figure 4-1: Visualizing the Concepts
CHAPTER 4 | URBAN DESIGN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ART AND CULTURE SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 4-5
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 4-1.1: Preserve and enhance the visual
value of the city’s natural
waterways, hillsides, historic
districts, structures, and
landscapes.
Action 4-1.1: Maintain view corridors to natural
ridgelines and natural landmarks,
such as Taylor Mountain and
Bennett Mountain, by updating
the Zoning Code hillside
development standards.
Action 4-1.2: Maintain and restore the
floodplain and riparian
vegetation along the city’s
network of creeks and further
develop trails along creeks to
serve as an alternative
transportation network.
Policy 4-1.2: Strengthen and emphasize
community focal points, visual
landmarks, and features that
contribute to the identity of
Santa Rosa by applying the
design concepts and standards
of the Zoning Code, Design
Guidelines, Preservation District
Plans, Bicycle and Pedestrian
Plan, and the Citywide Creek
Master Plan, including, but not
limited to, Old Courthouse
Square, DeTurk Round Barn,
Railroad Square Water Tower, St.
Rose School, Hotel La Rose,
Santa Rosa Creek, Luther
Burbank Home and Gardens,
Juilliard Park, and views to the
hills.
Action 4-1.3: Update the City’s Design
Guidelines, Objective Design
Standards, and/or Zoning Code,
as appropriate, to:
• Expand objective standards for
residential development in
compliance with State
requirements.
• Require landscape design to
be related to the natural
setting and graded areas in
new development and
revegetated with native plants
as fire resistance allows.
• Require structures in new
developments to step with the
slope of the site and absorb
site topography through use
of split-level designs.
Policy 4-1.3: Enhance and strengthen the
visual quality of major entry
routes into the city and major
corridors that link
neighborhoods with downtown.
Action 4-1.4: Develop and implement a
strategy for gateways, depicted in
Figure 4-2, that enhances their
visual quality and supports
placemaking, economic
development, active
transportation, and other,
complementary City goals.
Goal 4-1:Improve health and well-being for
all community members by emphasizing
community health in all City policies,
programs, actions, and activities.
CHAPTER 4 | URBAN DESIGN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ART AND CULTURE 4-6 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
CHAPTER 4 | URBAN DESIGN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ART AND CULTURE SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 4-7
Action 4-1.5: Where feasible and prioritizing
EPAs and Areas of Change,
provide planting strips with large
canopy trees between the road
and sidewalk to buffer
pedestrians from traffic and help
define the street space along
commercial streets, and install
pedestrian amenities such as:
• Street lighting
• Seating
• Bus stop shelters
• Bicycle racks
• Mailboxes
Action 4-1.6: Update the Zoning Code to
require screening of development
along Highway 101 with dense
landscape.
Policy 4-1.4: Avoid strip patterns of
commercial development and
improve the appearance and
operation of existing
commercial strip corridors,
especially in Areas of Change.
Action 4-1.7: Work with property owners to
restructure existing strip
developments to cluster
commercial uses in neighborhood
nodes, with higher-density
housing included where possible
and lower-density residential,
office, or institutional uses that
generate less traffic located
between the nodes.
Policy 4-1.5: Create public/civic spaces at the
neighborhood, city, and regional
scale to serve residents of all
areas of the city, prioritizing
EPAs.
Action 4-1.8: Provide for new open space
opportunities throughout the city,
especially in neighborhoods that
have less access to open spaces,
including creek corridors, bicycle
and pedestrian connections, civic
spaces, and publicly accessible
conservation areas.
Action 4-1.9: Enhance pedestrian activity and
safety by requiring that streets,
buildings, pathways, and trails
have lighting and wayfinding
signage, and provide a visual
connection with public spaces,
such as parks and Santa Rosa
Creek, where possible.
Historic Preservation
Native American Heritage
Native American habitation in the Santa Rosa
region began about 7,000 years ago, and the city
contains almost 200 recorded Native American
resources, according to the California Historical
Resources Information System. Remnants of
Native American civilization have been
discovered along Santa Rosa Creek and its
tributaries; in the adjacent alluvial valleys,
surrounding plains, hills, the Trione-Annadel
State Park area, and the Laguna de Santa Rosa.
The Santa Rosa Basin encompasses the
Planning Area and includes six major drainages
(Santa Rosa, Matanzas, Piner, Rincon, Austin, and
Brush Creeks), each of which may contain
additional, undiscovered Native American
archaeological sites.
Trione-Annadel State Park in the southeast
corner of the Santa Rosa Planning Area was an
important obsidian source for Native American
tools. Resources there include chert and
obsidian flakes, projectile points, mortars,
pestles, shell and bone debris, and human
remains. The remains of entire settlements,
including three former villages, have been found
in northern Santa Rosa. Given the
archaeologically rich nature of the Santa Rosa
area, and the fact that about half of the Planning
CHAPTER 4 | URBAN DESIGN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ART AND CULTURE 4-8 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Area has not been surveyed for archaeological
resources, there is a high potential for finding
more Native American sites in Santa Rosa.
Historic Resources
Historic resources include sites, structures,
districts, landmarks, or other physical evidence
of past human activity generally more than 50
years old. Santa Rosa has a rich architectural
heritage spanning many periods—Mexican
adobes, nineteenth-century Gothic structures,
Greek Revival and Italianate houses, turn of the
century Stick/Eastlake homes, early 20th-century
Craftsman and California bungalows, 1920s
Spanish Revival houses, and 1930s Art Deco
buildings.
Numerous well-preserved structures represent
the eclectic styles and periods that contribute to
the city’s character and identity. Some of the
more notable historic resources are the Luther
Burbank Home and Gardens, Rosenberg
Department Store, Flamingo Resort Sign Tower,
DeTurk Round Barn, Church of the One Tree,
Carrillo Adobe, Fountaingrove Winery (the
Fountaingrove Round Barn was lost in the 2017
Tubbs Fire), and Santa Rosa Rural Cemetery.
Recognizing the value of Santa Rosa’s historic
resources, the City Council adopted a
preservation ordinance in 1988 and created the
Cultural Heritage Board to:
• Undertake and update historic
inventories or surveys.
• Recommend designation of landmarks
and preservation districts.
• Review proposed alterations to historic
buildings.
• Promote public awareness of
preservation issues.
With Cultural Heritage Board guidance, the City
has prepared inventories to document historical
buildings and neighborhoods. The resulting
Cultural Heritage Survey is not just a list but also
a narrative and pictorial summary of the city's
past that documents the architectural style of
each structure and historical features by
neighborhood. The Cultural Heritage Board has
designated especially significant structures and
sites that have a specific historical,
archaeological, cultural, or architectural value as
Landmarks, and key historic neighborhoods as
Preservation Districts. The districts designation
officially recognizes these places as key
components of the city’s heritage. Santa Rosa
has 21 Landmarks and 8 designated historic
Preservation Districts, which are Burbank
Gardens, Cherry Street, McDonald, Olive Park,
Railroad Square, Ridgway, Saint Rose, and West
End.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 4-2.1: Protect Native American
heritage and honor the early
stewards of this land.
Action 4-2.1: Continue to review proposed
developments in conjunction with
the California Historical Resources
Information System, Northwest
Information Center, at Sonoma
State University to determine
whether project areas contain
known archaeological resources,
prehistoric and/or historic-era, or
have the potential for such
resources.
Action 4-2.2: Continue to require that project
areas found to contain significant
archaeological resources be
examined by a qualified
consulting archaeologist with
recommendations for protection
and preservation.
Goal 4-2: Protect the historic and cultural
resources of Santa Rosa and enrich the
sense of place and understanding of the
city’s history and prehistory.
CHAPTER 4 | URBAN DESIGN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ART AND CULTURE SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 4-9
Action 4-2.3: Work in good faith with
interested communities to
evaluate proposed development
sites for the presence of
subsurface historic,
archaeological, and tribal cultural
resources. These efforts may
include:
• Consideration of existing
reports and studies.
• Consultation with Native
American tribes as required by
State law.
• Appropriate site-specific
investigative actions.
• Onsite monitoring during
excavation if appropriate.
Policy 4-2.2: Treat Native American human
remains with sensitivity and
dignity and ensure compliance
with the California Health and
Safety Code and the California
Public Resources Code.
Collaborate with the most likely
descendants, as identified by
the Native American Heritage
Commission.
Action 4-2.4: If cultural resources are
encountered during
development, halt work to avoid
altering the materials and their
context until a qualified
consulting archaeologist and
Native American representative (if
appropriate) have evaluated the
situation and recorded identified
cultural resources—which may
include animals, structures,
landscapes, or plants—and
determined suitable mitigation
measures.
Policy 4-2.3: Preserve Santa Rosa’s historic
structures and neighborhoods.
Action 4-2.5: Establish priorities for and pursue
designating new landmarks and
historic preservation districts,
following study by the Cultural
Heritage Board.
Action 4-2.6: Follow the Secretary of the
Interior Standards for
Preservation, Rehabilitation,
Restoration, and Reconstruction
for the treatment of historic
properties.
Action 4-2.7: Integrate the common goals of
the City’s green ordinances and
historic preservation objectives
when reviewing proposals related
to historic structures or places.
Action 4-2.8: Provide building owners of older
and historic structures clear and
cost-effective options to
measurably enhance energy
efficiency while maintaining the
structure’s historic integrity to the
greatest degree possible.
Action 4-2.9: Pursue designation as a Certified
Local Government Program by
the National Parks Service to
assist in funding local historic
preservation.
Action 4-2.10: Seek funding and establish
mechanisms, such as periodic
flyers, to educate property owners
in preservation districts about the
steps required for changes to
historic properties.
Action 4-2.11: Consider removing or simplifying
obstacles for owners of historic
properties to support
preservation, including guides for
repurposing facilities and
concurrent review of entitlement
and building permit applications.
Action 4-2.12: Update the building code to
require the preservation of
materials, such as historic
CHAPTER 4 | URBAN DESIGN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ART AND CULTURE 4- 10 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
windows, doors, siding, and trim,
when historic structures are
demolished or renovated.
Action 4-2.13: Work with the local tourism
industry, property owners,
businesses, nonprofit
organizations, and other public
agencies to develop and promote
Heritage Tourism opportunities,
integrating efforts with ongoing
initiatives for economic
development and the creative
economy.
Art and Culture
For several decades the City of Santa Rosa has
collaborated with community partners to build a
thriving Public Art Program, including the
recent adoption of the 2021-2024 Public Art
Program Strategic Plan. Recognizing the value
of Santa Rosa’s public art and cultural resources,
the City Council adopted the Public Art Policy in
1996 and created the Art in Public Places
Committee (APPC) to oversee the Public Art
Program in Santa Rosa. The Program:
• Develops projects that focus on issues
and places that are important to Santa
Rosa civic dialogue.
• Develops projects in collaboration with
other public agencies, nonprofit cultural
groups, and curators.
• Reviews projects, gifts, and loans
proposed by others for City property.
• Reviews murals that are publicly funded
or on City property.
• Facilitates community participation in
the development of public art projects.
• Stimulates public awareness of public art.
• Reviews projects initiated by developers.
• Organizes exhibitions in City facilities.
• Manages the existing collection through
assessment, maintenance, and
conservation.
Public art and cultural facilities enhance the
city’s identity, pride, and image. Gathering
places contribute to community bonding and
pride, support a positive business climate, and
provide a draw for tourism. Public art and arts
districts can help revitalize underserved areas,
fulfill the need for affordable live-work space for
artists, and bring increased tax revenue to the
City. Art in educational programs can foster
skills, develop creative and critical thinking
needed for the contemporary workforce, and
provide a vital outlet for youth to express
themselves. The City’s art and culture programs
celebrate and build on Santa Rosa’s rich cultural
diversity.
The mission of the Public Art Program is to
champion artistic expression and amplify
community voices through a diverse array of
public art experiences to support an
empowered, thriving, and inclusive Santa Rosa
community connected through the power of art.
Public art is art—in any media—that is
created for the benefit of the general public.
Public art is inherently expansive, needing
only to be visually and/or physically accessible
to the public. Public art is placemaking,
meaning-making, and community-building,
made by art makers of any discipline,
practice, background, and vision.
CHAPTER 4 | URBAN DESIGN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, AND ART AND CULTURE SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 4- 11
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 4-3.1: Champion artistic expression
and amplify community voices
through a diverse array of public
art experiences, especially in
Areas of Change.
Action 4-3.1: Continue to implement current
Public Art Master Plans and
Strategic Plans and update as
needed.
Action 4-3.2: Represent, include, and celebrate
diverse voices in the
programming, process, outreach,
and infrastructure of the Public
Art Program.
Action 4-3.3: Partner and build strong
relationships with culturally
diverse local and regional
community organizations and
associations.
Action 4-3.4: Infuse all neighborhoods with art
and empower community leaders
across the city to champion arts
programming.
Action 4-3.5: Integrate public art in capital
improvement projects, especially
in streetscape design on major
corridors and arterials and at
gateways, where feasible.
Policy 4-3.2: Fund and maintain public art as
a core component of
placemaking and economic
development, prioritizing public
art in EPAs and Areas of Change.
Action 4-3.6: Better leverage public art to drive
economic activity.
Action 4-3.7: Increase staff capacity and
strategic collaborations for public
art.
Action 4-3.8: Improve outreach and demystify
APPC and Public Art Program
processes.
Goal 4-3: Support an empowered, thriving,
and inclusive Santa Rosa community
connected through the power of art.
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CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5-1
5-2 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
5. Safety, Noise, and Public Services and
Facilities
The beautiful environment that attracts people
to Santa Rosa also creates potential risks from
hazards such as fires, floods, droughts,
earthquakes, and slope instability that can harm
people and property and cause economic and
social dislocation.
The climate crisis has severely impacted Santa
Rosa. In recent years, the city has experienced
deadly and damaging wildfires, which have
destroyed parts of the built and natural
environment and have caused extremely poor
air quality. In addition, recent local and regional
droughts have been among the most intense
ever recorded. Temperatures are increasing,
extreme heat events are expected to get worse,
and precipitation patterns are changing,
increasing the risk of both floods and drought.
Wildfires across the region, state, and nation are
becoming more frequent, severe, damaging,
and deadly.
The City’s General Plan must include a safety
element that identifies and mitigates potential
short- and long-term risks and hazards that
affect the community. It also must include a
climate change vulnerability assessment,
measures to address identified vulnerabilities,
and a comprehensive hazard mitigation and
emergency response strategy.
This chapter focuses on ensuring that Santa
Rosa is resilient to hazards and equipped to
recover from future events through goals,
policies, and actions for climate resilience, safety,
public services and facilities, and noise.
To support equitable outcomes, some policies
and actions in this chapter, as in others, prioritize
the needs of Equity Priority Areas and Equity
Priority Populations.
The Vision for Santa Rosa is the foundation for
the goals in this chapter. The following
components of the Vision are especially
pertinent to these goals and their policies and
actions:
• Safe: Streets are safe; public safety
services are provided by caring and
thoughtful community members who
are representative of and familiar with
the neighborhoods, groups, and
individuals they serve; and everyone,
including immigrants and people of
color, can safely access these services.
• Prepared: The health and safety of
everyone is supported by neighborhood,
City, and county-wide efforts to prepare
for natural and human-caused hazards,
and roadways are optimized to support
efficient evacuations.
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5-3
• Resilient: All facets of the community,
including housing, infrastructure, and
social services are sustainable and
resilient to hazards and economic
changes.
Figure 5-1 illustrates some of the key concepts
that this chapter addresses.
Chapter Contents
Safety:
− Geology and Seismicity
− Flooding and Dam Failure
− Wildland and Urban Fire
− Hazardous Materials
− Emergency Preparedness and
Evacuation
Climate Resilience:
− Agricultural and Ecosystem Pests
and Diseases
− Drought
− Extreme Heat and Warm Nights
− Other Climate-Sensitive Health
Risks
− Severe Winds and Storms
− Wildfire
Noise
− Projected Noise Sources
− Noise Standards
Public Services and Facilities:
− Water, Wastewater, Recycled
Water, Stormwater, and Solid
Waste
− Education and Learning
− Police and Fire
Equity Priority Areas or EPAs are areas in
Santa Rosa where residents suffer most from
economic, health, and environmental
burdens. The City has also identified 10 Equity
Priority Populations, groups with
characteristics understood to contribute to
vulnerability and/or the likelihood of being
underserved.
1. Low-income individuals and families
2. Racial or ethnic groups experiencing
disparate health outcomes
3. Seniors, children, youth, and young adults
4. Individuals with disabilities
5. Immigrants and refugees
6. Outdoor workers and farmworkers
7. Individuals who have limited English
proficiency
8. Unhoused people
9. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer,
intersexual, asexual, and other LGBTQIA+
communities
10. Individuals who are incarcerated or who
have been incarcerated
Environmental justice needs and health and
equity considerations of EPAs and Equity
Priority Populations have priority in some of
the goals, policies, and actions in this and
other chapters of the General Plan.
Figure 2-4 shows the locations of EPAs,
chapters 2, Land Use and Economic
Development, and 6, Health, Equity, and
Environmental Justice, discuss EPAs in detail.
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Figure 5-1: Visualizing the Concepts
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Safety
Geology and Seismicity
The relatively flat valley floor adjacent to
highland areas in and around Santa Rosa
signifies the presence of active earthquake
faults, as depicted on Figure 5-2, Regional Fault
Lines. The primary seismic hazard to existing and
new development is shaking and fault rupture
from the Rodgers Creek-Healdsburg fault zone
that transects the city. Other notable faults that
could produce strong seismic shaking in Santa
Rosa include the San Andreas, Hayward,
Calaveras, Mayacamas, San Gregorio, Concord,
Green Valley, and Greenville faults. These active
faults are close enough that the city has a high
probability of experiencing a magnitude 6.7 or
greater earthquake by 2043, most likely along
the San Andreas and Rodgers Creek-Hayward
Fault systems. Secondary earthquake hazards of
concern are landslides and liquefaction—when
loosely packed, water-logged sediments at or
near the ground surface lose their strength in
response to strong ground shaking—as seen on
Figures 5-3, Landslide Susceptibility Areas, and
5-4, Liquefaction Zones.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 5-1.1: Ensure that new development,
redevelopment, and major
remodels avoid or adequately
mitigate seismic and geologic
hazards as part of the City’s
project review process.
Action 5-1.1: Prior to development approval,
ensure geologic studies and
analyses are deemed acceptable
by a California Certified
Engineering Geologist and/or
Geotechnical Engineer for
applicable hazard conditions.
Policy 5-1.2: Restrict development in areas
where adverse impacts
associated with known natural
or human-caused geologic
hazards cannot be effectively
mitigated, as determined by a
California Certified Engineering
Geologist and/or Geotechnical
Engineer.
Policy 5-1.3: Do not allow development of
critical facilities—hospitals, fire
stations, emergency
management headquarters,
broadcast services, sewage
treatment plants, and places of
large congregations—in high-
risk geologic hazard zones (e.g.,
Rodgers Creek Fault zone,
liquefiable soils, areas of slope
instability).
Policy 5-1.4: Better understand and
ultimately mitigate seismically
vulnerable structures in the city.
Action 5-1.2: Develop and periodically update
an inventory of seismically
vulnerable structures that
includes unreinforced masonry
construction, soft-story
construction, and nonductile
concrete construction.
Action 5-1.3: Require retrofitting and
abatement of structural hazards
to levels of risk acceptable to the
Building Official.
Action 5-1.4: Prioritize retrofitting and
abatement of City-owned
buildings in areas determined to
experience strong ground
shaking during an earthquake.
Goal 5-1: Minimize community exposure to
seismic and geologic hazards.
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Action 5-1.5: Require owners of potentially
vulnerable structures to report on
the progress of seismic
retrofitting.
Action 5-1.6: Ensure that seismic retrofitting of
commercial, industrial, and public
buildings meets the latest State
requirements and industry best
practices.
Action 5-1.7: Retrofit and harden water
storage facilities, wastewater
conveyance and treatment
facilities, electricity transmission
lines, roadways, water detention
facilities, levees, and other utilities
near the Rodgers Creek Fault.
Policy 5-1.5: Promote erosion-control
strategies that reduce hazards
to structures, properties, and
drainages.
Action 5-1.8: Identify enhanced erosion-control
measures for properties that
exhibit high erosion potential, are
in areas of steep slopes, or have
experienced past erosion
problems.
Action 5-1.9: Ensure the Community Wildfire
Protection Plan is periodically
updated to identify slope stability
and wildfire hazard areas and
mitigation strategies to reduce
post-wildfire erosion.
Flooding and Dam Failure
Santa Rosa is in the Russian River watershed and
has experienced flooding in the past. Rain events
can overwhelm local drainages, especially the
low-lying areas in the southwest part of the city,
where critical sewer treatment facilities are
located. When flooding occurs, creeks in the
watershed can erode, which can lead to
mudslides and landslides. As shown on Figure 5-
5, Flood Hazard Zones, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) has mapped many
of the drainages in the city (Spring Creek,
Matanzas Creek, Colgan Creek, Naval Creek,
Roseland Creek, and Kawana Springs Creek)
within 100-year and 500-year flood hazard zones.
Santa Rosa Creek and key tributaries also can
flood even though they are not currently
delineated on FEMA maps.
Proximity to these creeks and drainages
increases the risks of flooding. Many of these
drainages are also susceptible to inundation
from dam failure. The Department of Safety and
Dams regulates 10 dams in or near the city that
could inundate portions of Santa Rosa if they fail.
Figure 5-6 depicts these dam inundation areas.
The dams that pose the greatest risk to the city
are Fountain Grove, Lake Ralphine, Matanzas
Creek, Salinger, and Warm Springs
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Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 5-2.1: Ensure land use strategies
consider flood impacts and
stormwater management tactics
to reduce the effects of future
inundation.
Action 5-2.1: Incorporate flood management
strategies into land use analysis
and development review.
Action 5-2.2: Complete and implement the
Storm Drain Master Plan;
prioritize discussions with
Sonoma Water Flood Protection
Zone Advisory Committee
regarding flood zones and land
use designations.
Action 5-2.3: Require flood mitigation
strategies in all planning activities
along creeks and waterways.
Policy 5-2.2: Promote the enhancement and
expansion of areas of open
space and, where appropriate
and safe, recreation, to use for
flood management.
Action 5-2.4: Protect floodplains by retaining
and expanding, as feasible, open
space areas that can retain
stormwater, recharge
groundwater/aquifer, and
prevent/reduce flooding.
Action 5-2.5: Limit the use of areas designated
for flood control to passive
recreation activities (e.g., hiking,
fishing, bike riding), consistent
with requirements to maintain
the integrity of these areas to
protect public safety.
Policy 5-2.3: Comply with all applicable FEMA
flood-management regulations
and requirements.
Action 5-2.6: Continue to maintain and
periodically update flood hazard
data, and coordinate with federal,
state, and local agencies
responsible for flood hazard
analysis and management
activities.
Action 5-2.7: Continue to incorporate features
and appropriate standards into
public works projects that reduce
flooding hazards, including
daylighting culverts in urban
areas such as downtown.
Policy 5-2.4: Ensure that the design of new
development in a flood zone
provides adequate flood
protection without negatively
impacting adjacent or
downstream properties.
Action 5-2.8: Require an evaluation of flood
hazards and appropriate on-site
mitigation options by a qualified
professional for any project within
a FEMA- and Department of
Water Resources (DWR)–
designated flood zone during the
development review process.
Policy 5-2.5: Protect public and private
properties from dam inundation.
Goal 5-2: Effectively manage the potential
effects of flooding and dam failure.
Low-impact development refers to systems
and practices that use or mimic natural
processes that result in the infiltration,
evapotranspiration, or use of stormwater to
protect water quality and associated aquatic
habitat.
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency, 2023.
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Action 5-2.9: Coordinate with dam
owners/operators to ensure that
dam safety inspections are
conducted annually, as required
by the California Division of Safety
of Dams (DSOD).
Action 5-2.10: Prioritize investment in flood-
control mitigation that also
reduces impacts associated with
dam failure.
Policy 5-2.6: Manage, maintain, and improve
stormwater drainage and
capacity.
Action 5-2.11: Require dedication, improvement,
and ongoing maintenance of
stormwater management and
retention areas as a condition of
development approval.
Action 5-2.12: Identify the necessary
development impact fees to pay
for mitigation of stormwater
management impacts for new
development.
Action 5-2.13: Require stormwater
management improvements that
maintain and improve the storm
drainage system citywide and
prioritize areas needing
significant investment, consistent
with the Santa Rosa Citywide
Creek Master Plan goals of
preserving natural conditions of
waterways and minimizing
channelization of creeks.
Action 5-2.14: Ensure creek-side pathways,
consistent with the Citywide
Creek Master Plan and Bicycle
and Pedestrian Master Plan, are
incorporated as part of
stormwater improvement
projects along creek corridors.
Policy 5-2.7: Provide storm drainage facilities
that accommodate increased
development and enhanced
water quality.
Action 5-2.15: Cooperate with Sonoma Water
and the Northern California
Regional Water Quality Control
Board on assessments of
stormwater drainage facilities, to
ensure adequate capacity to
accommodate increases in
residential and commercial
development.
Action 5-2.16: Require implementation of best
management practices for all
new development to reduce
discharges of nonpoint-source
pollutants to the storm drain
system.
Wildland and Urban Fire
Santa Rosa and Sonoma County are prone to
wildfire. Wildfires in the region can be intense
and uncontrollable—many large-scale fires have
started in other locations and ended up in Santa
Rosa. Figure 5-7 identifies historic wildfire
perimeters.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection (CAL FIRE) has identified the areas of
greatest risk in the city and surrounding county,
shown on Figure 5-8, and the areas of wildland-
urban interface, on Figure 5-9. The City has
taken steps to regulate fire-prone areas,
including properties in the very high fire hazard
severity zone as well as the wildland-urban
interface. These areas are considered the
Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area, defined in
the municipal code as a geographical area that
the City identifies as a “Fire Hazard Severity
Zone.” These areas have a significant risk of
wildfire and therefore must conform to higher
standards for protection under the California Fire
Safe Regulations.
Figure 5-10 shows General Plan Land Uses in the
Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area. A key risk
management strategy is to regulate the location
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and intensity of uses in high-risk areas and
ensure that new developments address wildfire
risks during planning and development review.
Ensuring access and evacuation potential for
existing development in these areas is also
essential to emergency response and can help
reduce the need for recovery activities.
The Santa Rosa Community Wildfire Protection
Plan (CWPP) was approved on September 18,
2020. The purpose of the plan is to enhance
protection of human life and reduce the wildfire
threat to community assets in the city. Key goals
in this plan are:
• Minimize the wildfire threat to safety.
• Reduce the wildfire threat to at-risk
assets.
• Develop priorities to mitigate risks and
hazards.
• Determine potential impacts of climate
change on the local fire environment and
how they could change wildfire hazard
and risk in the mid-21st century.
• Establish a plan to track and monitor
implementation of action items.
The wildland-urban interface is the zone of
transition between unoccupied land and
human development. It is the line, area, or
zone where structures and other human
development meet or intermingle with
undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels. In
the different zones, the intermix zone is land
with at least one housing unit per 40 acres
and 50 percent or more vegetation cover and
the interface zone is land with at least one
housing unit per 40 acres and less than 50
percent vegetation cover.
In Santa Rosa, the wildland-urban interface
fire area is a geographical area identified by
the City as a “Fire Hazard Severity Zone” in
accordance with the Public Resources Code,
Sections 4201 through 4204, and
Government Code, Sections 51175 through
51189, or other areas designated by the
enforcing agency to be at a significant risk
from wildfires.
Source: U.S. Fire Administration, 2023
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Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 5-3.1: Adhere to State and local
regulations and requirements of
the Community Wildfire
Preparedness Plan that address
wildfire risk and vulnerabilities.
Action 5-3.1: Continue to require new
developments and major
remodels in the Wildland Urban
Interface Fire Area to comply with
Table 15, Mitigation Actions and
City Codes, from the 2020 Santa
Rosa CWPP as the equivalent of a
Fire Protection Plan.
Action 5-3.2: Continue to require new
development and redevelopment
to incorporate fire-safe design
and comply with the CWPP, local
ordinances, and state
requirements for fire hazard
reduction around buildings and
structures.
Action 5-3.3: Continue to require conformance
with the California Fire Safe
Regulations for existing
nonconforming properties in the
Wildland Urban Interface Fire
Area (includes the very high fire
hazard severity zone).
Action 5-3.4: Continue improving the City’s
previously developed post-wildfire
recovery framework to assist with
future post-wildfire
redevelopment activities.
Action 5-3.5: Implement the fire mitigation
projects in the CWPP.
Action 5-3.6: Establish a monitoring program
to track the effectiveness of
CWPP fuel-treatment activities.
Policy 5-3.2: Promote new development in
areas of the community that
have lower risk of wildfire
hazards.
Action 5-3.7: Locate new essential public
facilities outside of identified
hazard areas (wildfire hazard
zones, flood zones, fault rupture
zones) whenever possible.
Facilities that remain in hazard
areas should be designed,
located, and constructed to
withstand the identified
hazard(s).
Action 5-3.8: Develop siting criteria for
essential public facilities,
including potential mitigation
strategies if the only feasible
location is in a recognized hazard
area.
Action 5-3.9: Consider updating the Zoning
Code to prohibit land uses in the
wildland-urban interface that
serve mobility-limited persons,
such as assisted care facilities.
Action 5-3.10: Explore the development of a
managed retreat pilot program
for areas in the wildland-urban
interface fire area.
Action 5-3.11: Create a transfer of development
rights or managed retreat
program in fire-prone areas (very
high fire hazard severity zone and
wildland-urban interface) to
proactively relocate existing
Goal 5-3: Increase community resilience to
future wildfire threats.
Managed retreat is the process of proactively
moving people, structures, and infrastructure
out of harm's way before disasters or other
threats to avoid damage, maximize benefits,
and minimize costs for communities and
ecosystems.
Source: U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit and
the Georgetown Climate Center
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 20 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
development out of high-risk
areas.
Action 5-3.12: Explore the ability to prohibit
increased densities or intensities
of uses in fire-prone areas (very
high fire hazard severity zone and
wildland-urban interface fire
area).
Policy 5-3.3: Implement the vegetation
management strategies and
enhanced roadway standards of
the CWPP throughout fire-prone
areas.
Action 5-3.13: Develop mitigation standards
and thresholds for vegetation
management and roadway
standards to bring existing
nonconforming developments
into compliance with California
Fire Safe Regulations (Title 14 of
the California Code of
Regulations) in the very high fire
hazard severity zone and
wildland-urban interface fire
area.
Policy 5-3.4: Ensure all community members
and businesses are informed
and empowered to address
hazard vulnerabilities,
considering the specific needs of
Equity Priority Populations.
Action 5-3.14: Continue to conduct multilingual
and culturally appropriate
education and outreach
campaigns that assist property
owners with defensible space,
fire-safe landscaping, home
hardening, and wildfire
preparedness, as identified in the
CWPP.
Action 5-3.15: Prioritize wildfire mitigation
education and outreach efforts to
vulnerable populations who may
not receive typical outreach
materials/information; provide
culturally appropriate education
content and materials in multiple
languages and formats
appropriate for people with
access and functional needs as
outlined in the CWPP.
Action 5-3.16: Identify at-risk populations/
developments in wildfire-prone
areas and ensure emergency
management planning and
training include efforts to increase
resilience in these areas.
Action 5-3.17: Develop a program that
leverages California’s Property
Assessed Clean Energy financing
through the Sonoma County
Energy Independence Program to
assist low-income households
with maintaining defensible
space around their homes and
properties.
Action 5-3.18: Update the CWPP every five years
to reflect the needs of the
community and the changing
risks in the wildland-urban
interface fire area.
Hazardous Materials
The California Health and Safety Code defines a
hazardous material as one that poses a
significant present or potential hazard to human
health and safety or the environment if released
into the workplace or environment due to
quantity, concentration, and/or physical or
chemical characteristics. Substances that are
flammable, corrosive, reactive, oxidizing,
radioactive, combustible, or toxic are considered
hazardous. Hazardous materials can be found
throughout the community, and though their
presence may not be a significant hazard, their
release in an uncontrolled manner or in a certain
location could harm plants, animals, and people.
Uncontrolled releases can go unnoticed or cause
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 21
impacts that are not known or understood until
years later.
The Santa Rosa Fire Department has regulatory
oversight of hazardous materials in the city. It is
the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA),
which manages and monitors the use, transport,
and disposal of these materials. If a release
happens, the Department sends its Hazardous
Materials Response Unit to ensure the safety of
community members and businesses. Human
error is the most common cause of hazardous
materials releases, but events like earthquakes
and floods can also cause a release. In addition,
accidental releases on major transportation
routes through the city can pose a risk to the
community.
As a CUPA, the Fire Department must produce
an Area Plan that local government agencies
use to respond to and minimize impacts from a
release or threatened release of a hazardous
material. The CUPA establishes and Area Plan in
coordination with local emergency response
agencies to:
• Identify hazardous materials that pose a
threat to the community.
• Develop procedures for emergency
response.
• Provide for notification and coordination
of emergency response personnel.
• Provide for public safety, including
notification and evacuation.
• Establish training for emergency
response personnel.
• Identify emergency response supplies
and equipment.
• Provide for feedback and follow-up after
a major incident.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 5-4.1: Reduce the potential for
hazardous materials exposure to
community members, visitors,
and employees.
Action 5-4.1: Continue to require remediation,
cleanup, and risk evaluation prior
to changes in site use in areas
where hazardous materials and
petroleum products have
impacted soil or groundwater.
Action 5-4.2: Continue to require that
hazardous materials used in
business and industry be
transported, handled, and stored
in accordance with federal, State,
and local regulations.
Action 5-4.3: Continue to restrict future siting
of businesses—including
hazardous waste repositories,
incinerators, or other hazardous
waste disposal facilities—that use,
store, process, or dispose large
quantities of hazardous materials
or wastes in areas subject to
seismic fault rupture or significant
ground shaking.
Policy 5-4.2: Ensure adequate capacity and
safeguards on routes used to
transport hazardous materials to
prevent or minimize impacts
from accidental release.
Action 5-4.4: Where applicable, ensure
regional and local routes for
transportation of hazardous
materials and waste are
adequately marked and unsafe
Goal 5-4: Protect all community members
and businesses from hazardous materials
exposures and releases.
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conditions are adequately
addressed, where feasible.
Action 5-4.5: Require that fire and emergency
personnel can easily access
routes needed for response to spill
incidents.
Policy 5-4.3: Facilitate commercial and
industrial compliance with the
Sonoma County Hazardous
Materials and Waste
Management Plan.
Action 5-4.6: Support public awareness and
participation in household waste
management, control, and
recycling through County
programs, including the Sonoma
County Household Hazardous
Waste Management Plan.
Policy 5-4.4: Minimize risks to human health
from hazardous materials.
Action 5-4.7: Inventory brownfield sites and
identify necessary measures to
remediate hazards.
Action 5-4.8: Work with landowners and
support funding identification
and cleanup of identified
brownfield sites, particularly in
EPAs.
Action 5-4.9: Seek funding and technical
assistance to facilitate brownfield
redevelopment, including federal
Tax Incentives for brownfields
sites, DTSC Revolving Loan Fund
Program, Cleanup Loans and
Environmental Assistance to
Neighborhoods Loan Program,
Brownfields Tax Incentives, and
the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency brownfields grant and
loan programs.
Emergency Preparedness and
Evacuation
A key City function is preparing for and
responding to emergency events, and a central
concern is being able to use identified routes
during an evacuation, shown in Figure 5-11,
including for locations with constrained access,
shown in Figure 5-12. Since Santa Rosa is
vulnerable to a variety of hazards (earthquakes,
storms, floods, and wildfires), the City has
developed a “Know Your Ways Out” online portal
to make sure that City staff and community
members know where these routes are and can
prepare for future evacuation.
The Sonoma County Multi-jurisdictional Hazard
Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) identifies hazard
conditions, analyzes risk to people and facilities,
and provides mitigation actions to reduce or
eliminate hazard risks in the county. The
MJHMP’s “City of Santa Rosa Annex” describes
hazards, capabilities, and mitigation actions
specific to Santa Rosa, in accordance with the
federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and
FEMA Local Hazard Mitigation Plan guidance.
The mitigation actions in the MJHMP address
similar issues as covered in the General Plan, but
the Safety Element framework of goals, policies,
and actions has broad application across the
whole city over the next 20 years, while the
MJHMP focuses on more-specific and short-
term actions. The current MJHMP, adopted by
FEMA, is incorporated into this chapter by
reference according to California Government
Code Section 65302.6; the MJHMP is on the City’s
website at: https://www.srcity.org/540/Local-
Hazard-Mitigation-Plan.
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Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 5-5.1: Encourage City staff and
community members to be
prepared for and capable of
responding to emergency
events.
Action 5-5.1: Maintain and periodically update
the City’s Emergency Operations
Plan.
Action 5-5.2: Coordinate with staff of the
Sonoma County Operational Area
(which consists of the cities,
special districts, and
unincorporated areas of the
county) to update joint
emergency response and disaster
response plans, as needed.
Action 5-5.3: Promote public awareness of the
natural hazards and potential
effects of disasters in the
Planning Area through the
Citizens Organized to Prepare for
Emergencies (COPE) volunteer
organization.
Policy 5-5.2: Continue to ensure all
community members and
businesses are informed and
empowered to address hazard
vulnerabilities, considering the
specific needs of EPAs and
Equity Priority Populations.
Action 5-5.4: Provide multilingual and
culturally appropriate
educational materials to increase
awareness of hazard risks/
vulnerabilities and strategies that
community members and
businesses can employ to
mitigate risks/vulnerabilities.
Action 5-5.5: Incorporate strategies from the
Community Wildfire Protection
Plan, Local Hazard Mitigation
Plan, and other resilience-
building plans into outreach and
educational information.
Policy 5-5.3: Promote emergency response
and preparedness training for
City staff, community members,
and businesses to increase
community resilience.
Action 5-5.6: Participate in emergency
response exercises in the
Operational Area that involve key
hazards of concern for the city.
Policy 5-5.4: Prioritize projects and strategies
that mitigate hazards and
increase community resilience.
Action 5-5.7: Implement the Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan and update it
every five years.
Action 5-5.8: Integrate mitigation actions and
strategies into the City’s Capital
Improvements Program and
annual budgeting process.
Action 5-5.9: Develop a tracking methodology
for potential funding sources to
support retrofitting publicly and
privately owned structures.
Policy 5-5.5: Ensure coordination with the
City and Operational Area
continuously improves to meet
the changing risks of the
community.
Action 5-5.10: Continue to implement mutual
aid, automatic aid, and
California’s Mutual Master Aid
System to provide effective
emergency response.
Action 5-5.11: Maintain effective mutual-aid
agreements with neighboring
cities and Sonoma County to
Goal 5-5: Santa Rosa is prepared for future
emergencies.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 26 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
support emergency
management.
Action 5-5.12: Continue to execute mutual-aid
agreements with public and
private entities to support
community emergency
management.
Policy 5-5.6: Prioritize investments that
expand and enhance evacuation
capacity and capabilities.
Action 5-5.13: Require all new development
projects to provide adequate
access for fire and emergency
response personnel.
Action 5-5.14: Prohibit the creation of new
single ingress/egress roadway
conditions in the city.
Action 5-5.15: Retrofit existing single-access
residential neighborhoods to
include additional access routes
or other provisions to increase
evacuation safety.
Action 5-5.16: Analyze the capacity, viability,
and safety of evacuation routes
for areas in wildfire-prone
locations (wildland-urban
interface fire area) and
incorporate the results into the
City’s Emergency Operations
Plan.
Climate Resilience
Scientists expect climate change to increase the
frequency and intensity of natural hazards in the
future. Santa Rosa has already experienced
changes in precipitation patterns—severe
storms and drought, urban flooding, extreme
heat, and wildfires. According to California’s
1 Bedsworth, Louise, Dan Cayan, Guido Franco, Leah Fisher, Sonya Ziaja. (California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California Energy Commission, California Public Utilities Commission).
Fourth Climate Change Assessment,1 these
changes will continue, including in Santa Rosa.
In 2021 the City conducted a Climate Change
Vulnerability Assessment (see Appendix B) to
investigate how climate change may affect
people, buildings, infrastructure, and other key
community assets pursuant to California
Government Code Section 65302(g)(4) and in
accordance with the California Adaptation
Planning Guide.
Table 5-1 shows how the primary climate
stressors—changes to precipitation patterns and
higher average temperatures—will cause
secondary climate stressors at the regional and
local level. The assessment evaluates how
climate change exacerbates eight natural
hazards (agricultural and ecosystem pests and
diseases, drought, extreme heat, climate
sensitive health risks, landslides, severe wind,
severe storms, and wildfire) and the effects on 65
different population groups and community
assets. Each population or asset received a score
ranging from low to high vulnerability for each
relevant hazard. The Climate Change
Vulnerability Assessment indicates that among
all natural hazards exacerbated by climate
change Santa Rosa populations and assets are
most vulnerable to wildfire. Additional details on
the method, population and assets evaluated,
and results are in the General Plan Appendix B.
The results of the Climate Change Vulnerability
Assessment are integrated into the Safety and
Climate Resilience sections of this element.
2018. Statewide Summary Report. California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment. Publication number: SUMCCCA4-2018-
013.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 27
Table 5-1
Climate Stressors
Primary
Climate
Stressors
Secondary Climate
Stressors
Climate Stressor Impacts
Increase in
Average
Temperatures
Increased frequency and
intensity of extreme heat
days and warm nights
• Increased heat-related illness and death, particularly among vulnerable populations.
• Greater demand for emergency services, public spaces that provide relief from extreme heat (e.g., libraries, community centers), and water- dependent recreation.
• Increased frequency of preemptive power outages for wildfire prevention, resulting in the loss of air conditioning, greater risk of food/medication spoilage, disruptions to public services, and other impacts.
Earlier snowpack melt and
more precipitation falling
as rain instead of snow
• Less water available later in the water-year for agricultural and domestic uses.
Increased evaporation and
evapotranspiration rates
• Reduced growth and productivity of agricultural crops and native vegetation due to heat stress and increases in evapotranspiration. • Decreased vegetation moisture leading to increased susceptibility of a wildfire.
Increased human and
ecosystem pests and
diseases
• Harm to agriculture, public health, and native plants and wildlife.
Changes in
Precipitation
Patterns
Fewer, more intense
precipitation events
• Increased risk of injuries/death and property damage or loss during extreme flooding and landslides.
Increased frequency and
intensity of drought
• Reduced water availability due to declining surface water supplies and groundwater recharge combined with increased demand for agricultural and household use.
• Increased cost of food and water.
• Increased stress and mortality in agricultural crops and native vegetation. • Economic losses due to crop failures and loss of tourism associated with water-dependent activities.
Increased frequency of
flooding and landslides
• Increased runoff during heavy rainfall events that follow dry periods, resulting in greater risk of landslides and flash floods.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 28 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Table 5-1
Climate Stressors
• Damage to roadways and/or temporary loss of access to isolated neighborhoods.
• Interruption of public services and possible public health impacts following damage to utilities.
• Economic impacts of damage to businesses and agricultural operations.
Decrease in wildfire fuel
moisture
• Increased potential for wildfire.
• Increased risk of injuries and death due to burns and smoke inhalation, as well as longer-term health impacts related to eye and respiratory issues. • Damage and loss of homes, businesses, and other infrastructure, particularly within the wildland-urban interface (WUI). • Possible disruption of critical supply chains, access to public services, and other linkages.
• Economic losses due to direct damages (i.e., to businesses) as well as declines in tourism and recreation following fire.
Source: EcoAdapt, “Projected Climate Changes And Associated Impacts For Santa Rosa, CA,” Workshop Handout, 2020.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 29
Agricultural and Ecosystem
Pests and Diseases
The 2021 Sonoma County Agricultural
Commissioner Crop Report indicates that
agriculture and livestock production had a value
of $811 million in 2021 and supported roughly
8,500 agricultural laborers. The largest-grossing
crops include wine grapes and milk. Agricultural
pests and diseases can affect crop plants,
livestock, and nurseries, as measured in terms of
pest and disease incidents, which are likely to
increase because higher temperatures allow
insects to reproduce more rapidly and lengthen
the activity window for pests and diseases. Pests
and diseases can slow the growth of and inflict
damage on agricultural crops and ecosystems,
harming economic drivers and people who
depend on them.
Droughts
Emerging climate change projections show that
Sonoma County, along with the rest of California,
will experience an increase in the intensity and
severity of extreme hazard events. We can
expect longer, more severe droughts, which will
likely strain agribusinesses, habitats, and water
supplies. Droughts may be twice as frequent by
2050 than they were in the past, and
precipitation will come in fewer, more intense
storms with longer dry seasons. Although Santa
Rosa will likely experience an increase in overall
annual precipitation levels compared to historic
averages, the wet season will be shorter because
of climate change, which will cause droughts to
last longer and be more intense.
2 2 EcoAdapt, 2021, “Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report for Santa Rosa”.
3 EcoAdapt, 2021, “Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report for Santa Rosa”.
Extreme Heat and Warm
Nights
Extreme heat happens when temperatures rise
significantly above normal levels. The Sonoma
County Office of Emergency Management
defines extreme heat as an extended period of
intense heat and humidity with temperatures
above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Maximum
temperatures are projected to increase by 7.5
degrees Fahrenheit by 2100, causing an increase
of 20 days per year of extreme heat and 29
additional frost-free nights.
3 Extreme heat poses
a significant human health risk to Equity Priority
Populations, especially to those without air
conditioning, seniors, young children, pregnant
women, persons with chronic diseases, outdoor
workers, immigrant communities, and persons
experiencing homelessness. Very high
temperatures also can damage energy delivery
and rail infrastructure and services, constraining
their ability to meet community needs.
Extreme daytime temperatures intensify human
health risks when there is a lack of cooling
overnight. With warmer nighttime
temperatures, heat stress continues to build and
increases the risk of heat illnesses and death.
Heat waves kill more people in the United States
than any other natural disaster.
4 Other Climate-Sensitive Health
Risks
Climate influences the infection rates of various
diseases, which are transmitted to humans and
other animals by vectors—mosquitoes, flies,
ticks, mice, rats, etc. Vectors carry bacteria and
viruses that can pass from one host to another.
Warmer temperatures and more precipitation
often lead to larger populations of disease-
carrying vectors and a greater risk of. This
4 National Weather Service, 2022. “Weather Related Fatality and Injury Statistics.” https://www.weather.gov/hazstat/ CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 30 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
includes vector-borne diseases spread by ticks,
such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain
Spotted Fever; by mosquitos, such as West Nile
Virus, Zika Virus, and Dengue Fever; and by rats
and mice, such as hantavirus; and water-borne
diseases.
Severe Winds and Storms
Severe winds and storm events, such as
thunderstorms, hail, heavy rainfall, and flooding,
have become more frequent and intense as a
result of climate change. In Santa Rosa, most
severe storms are linked to “atmospheric rivers,”
which are long, narrow storm systems that carry
water vapor from the tropics to higher latitudes.
When they reach land, they can quickly blanket
the region in heavy precipitation. The storms are
likely to become more extreme in the future
because of warmer temperatures and changes
in precipitation patterns.
Severe wind events have sustained winds of 40
miles per hour, or wind gusts of 58 or more miles
per hour. Severe winds and storms can cause
secondary hazards, such as Public Safety Power
Shutoffs (PSPS), which especially affect people
who rely on electrical medical devices. The types
of dangers posed by severe winds and storms
vary widely and include injuries or deaths,
damage to buildings and structures, disrupted
economic drivers, and roads blocked by debris or
fallen trees.
Wildfires
Warmer temperatures, an increase in drought
conditions, and severe wind events are likely to
create faster-moving and hotter-burning
wildfires, leading to a greater chance that a
spark will grow into a dangerous blaze. Climate
change is also expected to extend the fire
season throughout much of the year, creating
an overlap with high-velocity wind events.
Because wildfires burn the trees and other
vegetation that help stabilize hillsides and
absorb water, more areas burned by fire could
lead to an increase in landslides and debris flows
during or after heavy precipitation events.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 5-6.1: Support legislative and
regulatory items that further
climate resilience.
Action 5-6.1: Ensure all current and future City
plans and updates include
climate change considerations—
include specific plans, Bicycle and
Pedestrian Master Plan, Design
Guidelines, Hazard Mitigation
Plan, Citywide Creek Master Plan,
Municipal Climate Action Plan,
Urban Water Management Plan,
Water Shortage Consistency Plan,
“Our Water Future” Water Supply
Alternatives Plan, Community
Wildfire Protection Plan, and
others.
Action 5-6.2: Update the City’s Climate Change
Vulnerability Assessment with
new climate projections and data
during each Safety Element
update.
Action 5-6.3: Evaluate a Zoning Code update
that will include a Resilient City
code to increase adaptation and
resilience in the city.
Goal 5-6: Santa Rosa is a resilient city able to
adapt to, recover from, and thrive under
changing climate conditions.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs or PSPS are
preemptive measures to reduce the risk of
fire caused by electric infrastructure during
extreme weather events because high winds
can blow tree branches and debris into
energized lines and cause fires.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 31
Policy 5-6.2: Support neighborhood resilience
during extreme weather events.
Action 5-6.4: Invest in community predisaster
planning efforts and exercises.
Policy 5-6.3: Elevate extreme heat to a major
hazard of concern in Santa Rosa.
Action 5-6.5: Develop a plan, consistent with
the California Extreme Heat
Action Plan, that includes
establishing community cooling
centers, weatherizing City
buildings, and planning cooling
strategies for persons engaged in
outdoor work and persons
experiencing homelessness.
Action 5-6.6: Continue to build public
awareness about extreme
weather events through
multilingual targeted
communications campaigns
focusing on EPAs and Equity
Priority Populations.
Action 5-6.7: Coordinate with Sonoma County
Transit, Santa Rosa Transit and
CityBus, and SMART to increase
shading and heat-mitigating
materials on pedestrian
walkways at transit centers,
transit stops, and train stations.
Action 5-6.8: Increase the number of Santa
Rosa Transit stops with shade
cover and shelters to provide
protection from extreme heat and
severe storms, prioritizing stops in
EPAs.
Action 5-6.9: Establish standardized
temperature or air quality
triggers for opening City-operated
community resilience and cooling
centers.
Policy 5-6.4: Encourage collaboration among
departments and with nonprofit
organizations to create a
network of equitably located
resilience centers throughout
the city.
Action 5-6.10: Partner with neighborhood
groups and nonprofit
organizations to establish a
network of equitably located and
universally accessible community
resilience centers throughout
Santa Rosa that are situated
outside of areas at risk from
hazard impacts to the extent
possible.
Policy 5-6.5: Seek funding to upgrade
existing warming and cooling
centers to have the ability to
offer refuge from extreme heat
events and poor air quality due
to regional wildfire smoke and
be equipped with renewable
energy generation and backup
power supplies.
Action 5-6.11: Seek grant funding to identify
and map existing community
facilities, such as libraries,
gymnasiums, community centers,
and auditoriums, that can serve
as community resilience centers
and support people with access
and functional needs during
hazard events.
Action 5-6.12: Continue to provide backup
power and emergency supplies at
critical City facilities, emergency
shelters, community resilience
centers, and cooling centers in
case of power and water outages.
Action 5-6.13: Coordinate with transit providers
to identify and advertise ways for
individuals with restricted
mobility to reach resilience
centers, cooling centers, and
alternate care sites.
Action 5-6.14: Evaluate updating the Noise
Ordinance to allow outdoor
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 32 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
workers to shift working hours to
earlier or later in the day, or
alternative days, between May
and September to reduce heat-
related illnesses.
Action 5-6.15: Update the City’s Zoning Code
and Public Improvement
Standards to remove
inconsistencies for promoting and
expanding the use of drought‐
tolerant green infrastructure,
including street trees and
landscaped areas, as part of
cooling strategies in public and
private spaces.
Action 5-6.16: Conduct a community-wide tree
canopy assessment to quantify
how much of the City’s land area
is covered by trees, including the
streets with street tree canopy
cover; identify the location of
those trees, and identify
opportunities to plant trees.
Action 5-6.17: Update the Santa Rosa Street
Tree list to include native,
drought-tolerant, and low-water-
use tree species that are
appropriate for street
landscaping.
Action 5-6.18: Create and regularly update an
Urban Greening Plan, consistent
with the Climate Resilient Tree
List, to increase the urban tree
canopy, green spaces, and green
roofs to reduce the heat island
effect in the most vulnerable
areas of the city.
Policy 5-6.6: Reduce the spread of human
health hazards, including pests,
diseases, and viruses.
Action 5-6.19: Coordinate with the
Marin/Sonoma Mosquito and
Vector Control District to
minimize mosquitos, ticks,
rodents, and other vectors that
may carry or spread human
health hazards.
Action 5-6.20: Work with local employers to
provide resources to help protect
employees from environmental
hazards, including poor air quality
and pests and diseases.
Policy 5-6.7: Strengthen the community’s
ability to respond to the risks
and negative effects of power
outages, including PSPS events,
and other climate-related
threats.
Action 5-6.21: Support efforts to underground
electrical transmission
infrastructure throughout the city,
including substations, prioritizing
high-voltage transmission lines
and areas in the Wildland-Urban
Interface Fire Area.
Action 5-6.22: Work with property owners to
incorporate sustainable, energy-
efficient, water-efficient, and
environmentally regenerative
features into facilities, landscapes,
and structures.
Action 5-6.23: Collaborate with Pacific Gas &
Electric, Sonoma Clean Power,
and organizations such as the
Disability Services and Legal
Center to ensure that those who
depend on electricity supply for
medical devices and refrigerating
medication have backup energy
supplies during outages,
including during extreme heat
and extreme wind events.
Policy 5-6.8: Increase the resiliency of City-
owned structures to severe
weather events and support
homeowners and business
owners to increase the resilience
of their buildings and properties
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 33
through retrofits,
weatherization, and other
improvements.
Action 5-6.24: Develop a database of
information related to retrofits,
weatherization, and other
improvements.
Action 5-6.25: Install backup power, preferably
from renewable energy sources,
and water resources at
emergency shelters, resilience
centers, and cooling centers.
Noise
Noise is unwanted sound. In most of Santa Rosa,
noise can be characterized as routine
background sound and unusual or intermittent
events. Cars, trucks, buses, trains, air
conditioning systems, and aircraft generate
background noise. Intermittent and sometimes
excessive noise can come from leaf blowers,
helicopters, train whistles at grade crossings,
chain saws, unmuffled motor vehicles, and
similar sources. Excessive noise can cause
annoyance, health problems, economic loss, and
even hearing impairment.
Sound waves traveling outward from a source
exert a sound pressure level usually measured in
decibels (dB). Environmental noise is usually
measured in A-weighted decibels (dBA), a
metric corrected for the human ear response to
various frequencies (some animals can hear
sounds outside the human range). Most people
can detect a change in sound level of about 3
dBA, and an increase of 10 dBA is perceived by
the human ear as a doubling of loudness.
Projected Noise Sources
The major sources of noise in Santa Rosa
throughout the General Plan time frame include:
U.S. Highway 101 and State Highway 12.
Highways 101 and 12 generate significant noise
levels because of high traffic volumes and
speeds. Tire interaction with the roadbed and
truck engines create noise. In terms of sound
energy, noise from one truck is equivalent to 20
autos.
Regional/Arterial streets. Major regional/arterial
streets with high noise levels include Fulton
Road, Guerneville Road, Bellevue Avenue, Stony
Point Road, Mendocino Avenue, Fountaingrove
Parkway, Calistoga Road, Summerfield Road,
and College Avenue. In general, automobile
traffic volumes will increase by 2050 along with
noise levels.
Railroad operations. Railroad noise is most
noticeable from horn soundings and at-grade
crossings. The city has 14 at-grade crossings—
Bellevue Avenue, Hearn Avenue, Barham
Avenue, Sebastopol Avenue, W. 3rd Street, W.
6th Street, W. 7th Street, W. 9th Street, W.
College Avenue, Guerneville Road, W. Steele
Lane, Piner Road, and San Miguel—and one
potential at-grade crossing at Jennings Avenue.
Emergency medical helicopters and vehicles.
Emergency medical vehicles with sirens create
intermittent but significant noise. Helicopter
operations can affect a large population, and the
City has received complaints regarding medical
helicopter operations at Providence Santa Rosa
Memorial hospital.
Landscaping equipment. Landscaping
equipment, such as gasoline-powered leaf
blowers, generate noise and are regulated by
the City’s Noise Ordinance.
Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport.
Airport operation is addressed in the Sonoma
County General Plan and the Comprehensive
Airport Land Use Compatibility Plan (ALUC).
Industrial and commercial facilities. Industrial
and commercial facilities are sometimes noise
sources, particularly auto wrecking and
commercial loading operations. The City receives
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 34 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
occasional complaints about noise generated by
these types of businesses.
Figure 5-13 shows land uses in the city with
compatible noise levels. Figure 5-13 A offers
comparative examples of dBA noise levels.
Figure 5-14 shows the existing traffic noise levels
in the city. Figures 5-15 and 5-16 show the
projected traffic noise levels; 5-15 shows future
noise levels assuming there are no changes in
the city beyond those planned, and 5-16
accounts for changes anticipated outside of
Santa Rosa through 2050.
Noise Standards
State law requires general plans to use the
Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) or the
Day/Night Average Sound Level (Ldn) to
describe the community noise environment (in
dBA) and its effects on the population; Santa
Rosa uses Ldn. The noise standards used by the
City include the Land Use Compatibility
Standards for community noise environment,
depicted in Figure 5-13, State of California Noise
Insulation Standards (California Code of
Regulations, Title 24, Part 2), and applicable
standards in the City of Santa Rosa Noise
Ordinance. General Plan policies and actions
address noise attenuation along major
regional/arterial streets through location of land
uses, site design, architectural standards,
barriers, and street materials.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 35
Figure 5-13: Land Use Compatibility Standards
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 36 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Figure 5-13 A: Comparative Examples of dBa Noise Levels.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 37
Figure 5-14: Existing Traffic Noise Levels, 2019
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 38 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Figure 5-15: Existing Plus Project Traffic Noise Levels, 2050
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 39
Figure 5-16: Cumulative Plus Project Traffic Noise Levels, 2050
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 40 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 5-7.1: Maintain and enforce an
acceptable community noise
level to protect the health and
comfort of people living,
working, and visiting in Santa
Rosa.
Action 5-7.1: Continue to prohibit noise-
sensitive uses in proximity to
major noise sources, with the
exception of adequately buffered
residential buildings near rail
stations to promote transit
ridership.
Action 5-7.2: Continue to require acoustical
studies prepared by qualified
acoustical consultants for:
• All new projects proposed for
areas with existing ambient
noise above 60 dBA Ldn, and
mitigation shall be required to
reduce noise levels below 45
dBA Ldn in habitable rooms
and 60 dBA Ldn in private and
shared recreational facilities
(additions to existing housing
units are exempt).
• All new projects that could
generate noise greater than
allowed by adopted City
standards.
Action 5-7.3: Use the Federal Transportation
Authority’s construction noise and
vibration thresholds to assess
impact significance at receiving
land uses surrounding new
projects sites.
Action 5-7.4: Use the Federal Transportation
Authority’s train vibration
thresholds to assess land use
compatibility for new projects
within 150 feet of train tracks.
Action 5-7.5: Require conditions of approval or
mitigation for new projects that
have the potential to create
ambient noise levels more than 5
dBA L
dn above existing
background, within 250 feet of
sensitive receptors.
Action 5-7.6: Require conditions of approval or
mitigation for existing uses to
reduce new noises exceeding
normally acceptable levels unless
the activities are specifically
exempted by the City Council on
the basis of community health,
safety, and welfare, such as
emergency medical vehicles,
helicopters, and sirens.
Action 5-7.7: Work with private parties to
reduce or eliminate nuisance
noise from industrial and
commercial sources that impact
nearby residential areas, and if
progress is not made within a
reasonable time, issue abatement
orders or take other legal
measures.
Action 5-7.8: Consider reduced speed limits,
improved paving texture, and
traffic controls to reduce roadway
noise to normally acceptable
levels in areas where noise
standards may otherwise be
exceeded (e.g., where homes front
regional/arterial streets and in
areas of mixed-use development).
Action 5-7.9: Use conditions of approval to
achieve measures to reduce noise
impacts primarily through site
planning, and avoid engineering
Goal 5-7: Protect the community from
adverse noise impacts that can decrease
quality of life.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 41
solutions for noise mitigation,
such as sound walls, if possible.
Action 5-7.10: Update the Zoning Code to
require residential developers to
provide buffers other than sound
walls and allow sound walls only
when other techniques would not
prevent projected noise levels
from exceeding adopted land use
compatibility standards.
Action 5-7.11: Work with Caltrans to assign a
high priority to traffic noise
mitigation programs and support
construction of attractive sound
walls, as necessary, along
Highway 101 and Highway 12.
Action 5-7.12: Prohibit new helipads in
developments of industrial,
commercial, office, or business
park uses, unless the helipad will
provide a significant benefit for
community health, safety, and
welfare.
Policy 5-7.2: Promote opportunities for local
music and entertainment
venues without compromising
acceptable noise levels.
Action 5-7.13: Identify noise mitigation
measures and other strategies to
allow the establishment, growth,
and/or continuation of music and
entertainment venues.
Public Services and
Facilities
Water, Wastewater, Recycled
Water, Stormwater, and Solid
Waste
Water Supply
The Russian River watershed supplies the
majority of the city’s potable water supply, and
the Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA)
delivers the water under contractual agreement.
SCWA is the primary provider of potable water in
Sonoma County and holds water rights to divert
92 million gallons of water per day (mgd) from
the Russian River, with an annual maximum of
75,000 acre-feet per year. SCWA also has three
groundwater wells in the Santa Rosa Plain that
provide an additional supply averaging 3,870
acre-feet per year. SCWA uses its transmission
and delivery system to serve eight major water
contractors, of whom Santa Rosa is the largest.
Under its current agreement with the SCWA, the
city is entitled to receive 56.6 mgd (average day
peak month) up to an annual volume of 29,100
acre-feet.
Santa Rosa also has two active production wells
that together can pump up to 2,300 acre-feet
per year to supplement the city’s potable water
supply. The City operates these wells for up to
eight months per year, typically between April
and October. These wells produce an average of
1,100 acre-feet of drinking water per year, which
is about 6 percent of the city’s total annual water
supply. The City also owns and operates the
Subregional Water Reuse System, which
provides about 140 acre-feet per year of recycled
water for nonpotable uses. Population and
employment increases under the General Plan
2050 could result in a total water demand of
23,813 acre-feet per year (an average of 21.3 mgd)
in the planning area. The 2020 Urban Water
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 42 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Management Plan projects water supply
(potable and recycled water), as far out as 2045,
of 31,540 acre-feet per year for normal
hydrological years (average rainfall), and projects
water demand of 25,097 acre-feet per year by
2045, meaning that the projected demand will
not surpass projected supply through buildout
of the General Plan in normal hydrologic years.
Water Distribution
The City’s water distribution system includes 20
booster pump stations, 24 storage tanks, 624
miles of water mains, and more than 54,000
water service connections. The City evaluated
this system in 2014 as part of the Water Master
Plan (WMP) update for its ability to meet
established water system service and
performance standards under various existing
water demand conditions. In general, the
evaluation found deficiencies in meeting peak-
hour and maximum-day demand flows to some
higher-elevation service locations. Mitigation for
these peak-hour and maximum-day demand
deficiencies involves the installation of individual
or localized booster pumps in the affected low-
pressure areas. The WMP update also identified
fire-flow deficiencies at some booster pump
stations in high-elevation pressure zones, where
mitigation would involve the replacement of the
existing booster pumps. Pipeline capacity issues
under fire-flow conditions were also noted at
several locations on a court or other dead-end
roadway.
Wastewater
The City’s sewer system collects sewage from
residential, commercial, and industrial uses in
the city and transports it to the Laguna
Subregional Wastewater Treatment Plant (WTP)
for treatment and disposal. The city sewer
collection system includes approximately 610
miles of sewer mains and 17 sewer lift stations.
The Laguna WTP is currently permitted to treat
up to 21.34 mgd, and average dry weather flow of
wastewater is 14.4 mgd per day. The WTP
existing and planned capacity is sufficient to
meet the city’s wastewater needs through 2050.
Recycled Water
The City of Santa Rosa manages the Laguna
WTP, which also receives wastewater from the
cities of Cotati, Rohnert Park, and Sebastopol,
plus portions of unincorporated Sonoma County.
Depending on the amount of rainfall in any year,
an average of 95 percent of the wastewater
treated at the Laguna WTP is recycled for urban
and agricultural irrigation and to replenish the
geysers steam fields to produce clean, green
energy.
Stormwater
The City of Santa Rosa storm drain system
consists of more than 340 miles of piped
infrastructure and over 100 miles of open
channels, ditches, and creeks. The system also
has detention facilities that attenuate peak flows
and allow sediment to settle before flows
continue downstream.
Runoff from Santa Rosa ultimately drains
westward via nine watershed areas into the
Laguna de Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa Creek is a
part of the city’s largest drainage basin, draining
the northern portion of the city as well as the
downtown area. The eastern section of the city
drains through watersheds consisting of Brush
Creek, Oakmont Creek, Spring Creek, and
Matanzas Creek, which are tributaries to Santa
Rosa Creek. Piner Creek and Paulin Creek collect
runoff from the western portion of the city and
are also tributaries to Santa Rosa Creek. To the
south, Colgan Creek and Roseland Creek
accommodate drain system discharge and are
direct tributaries to Laguna de Santa Rosa. Todd
Creek also provides drainage for a southern
portion of the city and is a tributary to Laguna de
Santa Rosa via the Bellevue-Wilfred Channel.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 43
Solid Waste
Santa Rosa contracts with Recology Sonoma
Marin to provide weekly solid and organic waste
and recyclable material collection to Santa Rosa
community members. The California
Department of Resources Recycling and
Recovery (CalRecycle) sets the target per-capita
disposal rate for jurisdictions and reported a
statewide average of 5.2 pounds of waste per
person per day. In 2018, the city’s disposal rate
was 2.8 pounds of waste per person per day (well
below the CalRecycle target).
Santa Rosa complies with the goals of the 2018
Santa Rosa Zero-Waste Plan to achieve at least
75 percent diversion of waste from landfill
disposal by 2030 and decrease per-capita
disposal of waste collected by Recology by 10
percent each year through 2030. By 2040, the
City seeks to decrease the diversion rate to less
than 1 pound of waste per-capita day by
reducing the amount of waste created at the
source and reusing materials already in the
existing waste stream.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 5-8.1: Ensure that a sufficient supply of
water is available to serve
existing and future needs of the
city.
Action 5-8.1: Continue to use high-quality
water from the Sonoma Water
aqueduct system as the primary
water supply.
Action 5-8.2: Continue to require that water
supply capacity and
infrastructure are in place prior to
occupancy of new development.
Action 5-8.3: Maintain water, wastewater, and
recycled water system integrity
and capacity by seeking funding
for maintenance, rehabilitation,
and replacement of existing
infrastructure.
Action 5-8.4: Decline requests for extension of
water beyond the Urban Growth
Boundary, except in cases of
existing documented health
hazards and in areas where the
City has entered into prior
contractual agreements to
provide services, in collaboration
with the County and LAFCO.
Action 5-8.5: Evaluate the City’s long-term
water supply strategies, including
development of new sources of
water supply, enhanced water
efficiency programs, expanded
use of recycled water, and
implementation of appropriate
growth control measures if
deemed necessary by the City.
Action 5-8.6: Work with State agencies to
identify water quality issues and
apply for remediation funds as
needed.
Action 5-8.7: Complete and implement the
Water Supply Alternatives Plan to
mitigate potential impacts of
climate change, drought, and
natural or human caused
catastrophic events by enhancing
water supply resiliency and
reliability.
Action 5-8.8: Continue working with the Santa
Rosa Plain Groundwater
Sustainability Agency to
implement the Groundwater
Sustainability Plan and achieve
sustainability of local
groundwater resources.
Goal 5-8: Provide adequate and high-quality
city services for water, wastewater, recycled
water, stormwater, and solid waste.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 44 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Policy 5-8.2: Conserve water and maintain
water quality.
Action 5-8.9: Regularly monitor water quality
to maintain high levels of water
quality for human consumption
and for other life systems in the
region.
Action 5-8.10: Require new development
projects to provide water-efficient
landscaping in accordance with
the City’s Water Efficient
Landscape Ordinance.
Action 5-8.11: Continue to educate community
members about low-cost water
efficiency improvements in
homes and businesses.
Action 5-8.12: Continue to comply with
statewide regulations for long-
term urban water use efficiency.
Action 5-8.13: Promote water efficiency through
public education, incentives,
rebates, technical assistance, and
information about indoor and
outdoor water use efficiency
measures.
Action 5-8.14: Encourage property owners to
install rainwater catchment and
greywater systems in new
developments or major retrofits.
Action 5-8.15: Encourage property owners to
install permeable paving,
bioswales, and other green
infrastructure components in new
and significantly renovated
hardscape projects.
Policy 5-8.3: Ensure water distribution lines
are adequate for existing and
future populations.
Action 5-8.16: Continue to require that
developers improve water
distribution infrastructure if
needed to serve the demands of
new development.
Action 5-8.17: Continue to identify funding
sources for water infrastructure
projects on the Capital
Improvement Program list.
Action 5-8.18: Evaluate both the upfront
(capital) and ongoing
maintenance cost commitments
of new projects and/or programs
prior to approval.
Action 5-8.19: Evaluate costs and benefits of
new and existing water projects
before diverting
funding/resources needed for
proper management of existing
infrastructure.
Action 5-8.20: Actively maintain an inventory of
existing infrastructure and
associated operations and
maintenance requirements
(staffing and budget) in addition
to capital and operations and
maintenance of planned
infrastructure.
Policy 5-8.4: Ensure that adequate sewer
capacity is available to serve
existing and future needs of the
city.
Action 5-8.21: Maintain existing levels of
wastewater service by preserving
and improving infrastructure,
including replacing sewer mains,
as necessary.
Action 5-8.22: Decline requests for extension of
sewer services beyond the Urban
Growth Boundary.
Action 5-8.23: Implement the Sewer Master
Plan via projects identified in the
Capital Improvement Program.
Action 5-8.24: Regularly review wastewater
treatment and biosolids
management strategies to
accommodate growth.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 45
Action 5-8.25: Work with regional partners
(notably Rohnert Park, Cotati,
Sebastopol, Southpark County
Sanitation District, and Sonoma
Water) to build consensus on
maintenance, rehabilitation,
modernization, and resilience
improvements at facilities that
provide service to them, such as
the Laguna Treatment Plant.
Action 5-8.26: Complete and implement the
Storm Drain Master Plan.
Action 5-8.27: Improve stormwater
management to increase
infiltration, provide treatment,
promote groundwater recharge,
reduce flood risk, capture trash,
and/or enhance the environment.
Action 5-8.28: Implement mitigation measures
to mimic the pre-development
water balance through
infiltration, evapotranspiration,
and capture and reuse of
stormwater.
Action 5-8.29: Evaluate stormwater capture and
reuse consistent with goals of the
Santa Rosa Citywide Creek
Master Plan and the MS4 NPDES
permit to preserve natural
conditions of waterways,
minimize channelization of
creeks, and protect water quality;
identify, educate, label, and
promote community awareness
that storm drains flow untreated
into creeks.
Action 5-8.30: Maintain an inventory of storm
drain facilities and maintenance
needs.
Policy 5-8.5: Meet the city’s solid waste
disposal needs, while
maximizing opportunities for
waste reduction and recycling.
Action 5-8.31: Continue public education
programs about waste reduction,
including recycling, composting,
yard waste, wood waste, and
household hazardous waste.
Action 5-8.32: Aim to achieve multibenefit
projects for a “one-water”
approach to include stormwater
quality (low impact development
features) on a large scale, flood
mitigation, creek restoration, and
increased groundwater recharge.
Policy 5-8.6: Identify and alleviate impacts
from groundwater threats and
solid waste.
Action 5-8.33: Consult with appropriate
regional, State, and federal
agencies to monitor water quality
and address local sources of
groundwater and soil
contamination, including possible
underground storage tanks,
septic tanks, and industrial uses,
as necessary, to achieve State
and federal water quality
standards.
Action 5-8.34: Monitor the Solid Waste
Information System (SWIS) and
Closed, Illegal, and Abandoned
(CIA) Disposal Sites Program to
identify solid waste sites and
facilities that are illegal,
abandoned, or have not met the
standards for closure. Work with
State agencies to investigate and
enforce standards for sites, with
prioritization of sites within and
near EPAs.
Action 5-8.35: Identify solid waste and
hazardous waste facilities that do
not comply with standards for
preventing contamination of air,
water, and soil with hazardous
waste. Work with owners of those
facilities to upgrade those
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 46 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
facilities to meet those standards,
prioritizing facilities in EPAs.
Education and Learning
Schools
As shown on Figure 5-17, the Planning Area is
served by eight public school districts, a
community college, and 27 private schools
ranging from nursery/preschool to college. The
public school districts cover the entire Planning
Area, and private schools are sprinkled
throughout the community offering alternative
religious, special-needs, and other specialized
programs. Santa Rosa Junior College also offers
continuing education programs. The City is not
responsible for administration of any schools but
works cooperatively with each district and
school to support student success.
Libraries
The Sonoma County Library serves the Santa
Rosa community and operates four branches in
the Planning Area: Central Library, Northwest
Santa Rosa Library, Rincon Valley Library, and
Roseland Community Library, as shown on
Figure 5-17.
These facilities are critical to supporting public
education, supplementing local school library
resources, and providing access to the internet
for members of the public, including those who
may lack those resources at home.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 47
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 48 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 5-9.1: Provide high-quality educational
opportunities for all members of
the community, especially
children, youth, and seniors.
Action 5-9.1: Work with schools to locate sites
and facilities to serve all
neighborhoods and the
educational needs of all sectors of
the population, including:
• Safe pedestrian and bicycle
access and traffic-calming
measures in the vicinity.
• Attractive design that
contributes to neighborhood
identity and pride.
• Partner with the Police
Department to create a safe
learning environment.
Action 5-9.2: Continue cooperation with Santa
Rosa Junior College
administration to improve
accessibility and quality of local
community college education.
Policy 5-9.2: Support the ability of physical
library facilities and online
platforms to meet the needs of
the community.
Action 5-9.3: Continue to work with County
library officials to provide a wide
range of library services through a
strong central facility plus local
branches needed to equitably
serve a growing and diverse
population.
Action 5-9.4: Support the development of
additional library facilities,
especially where needed to serve
Equity Priority Populations, and
assist the library administration in
its attempts to secure State and
federal funds for facilities and
services.
Action 5-9.5: As feasible, require community
shopping centers and other major
developments to incorporate sites
and/or building spaces for branch
facilities, pursuant to the library
administration’s Master Plan.
Police and Fire
Police Services and Facilities
The Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD),
Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office (Sheriff),
California Highway Patrol, and on-campus Santa
Rosa Junior College District Police provide law
enforcement services in the Santa Rosa
Planning Area. The SRPD has primary
responsibility within the city limits, the Sheriff’s
Office provides services to unincorporated areas
of the Planning Area, and the California Highway
Patrol provides traffic enforcement on State and
local freeways and unincorporated County
roadways. Mutual-aid agreements between
these agencies allow for joint responses to
emergencies.
SRPD services include community-oriented
patrol operations and traffic enforcement. The
main Santa Rosa Police Department station
(shown with other law enforcement offices on
Figure 5-18) is next to Santa Rosa Fire
Department Station 1. This complex is commonly
referred to as the Public Safety Building.
Although SRPD does not have plans to expand
its facilities, the Public Safety Building is aging
and in need of extensive repairs and updates.
Based on current conditions and anticipated
growth, SRPD has stated that it needs:
• A larger facility with an on-site training
center within the next 10 years.
Goal 5-9: Help provide superior and lifelong
educational opportunities for all community
members.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 49
• Two additional substations, one in east
Santa Rosa and one in the Roseland
neighborhood.
To better serve the community, the City recently
formed a new crisis response program—
inRESPONSE: Mental Health Support Team—
that works in partnership with SRPD to answer
calls for service with a “mental health first”
approach. The team consists of a licensed
mental health clinician, a paramedic, and a
homeless outreach specialist, with multiple
supporting services providers available to assist.
Fire Protection Services and
Facilities
Santa Rosa Fire Department (SRFD) is
responsible for protecting life, property, and the
environment from fire, explosion, and hazardous
materials incidents. SRFD responds to calls
involving structure, wildland, and other fires;
alarm responses; medical emergencies;
hazardous materials incidents; automobile
accidents; and citizen calls for assistance.
The City operates 10 fire stations throughout the
city to expedite response times, as shown on
Figure 5-19. In addition, the Fire Department has
an automatic-aid agreement with the Sonoma
County and Kenwood Fire Protection Districts,
plus CAL FIRE in some areas of the City. To
continue to provide high service levels in the
future, SRFD has identified the need to develop
one new fire station and relocate two existing
stations.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 50 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 51
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES 5- 52 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 5-10.1: Increase investments in
community safety.
Action 5-10.1: Maintain efficient, well-trained,
and adequately equipped police
and fire personnel.
Action 5-10.2: Periodically review and update
the Santa Rosa Fire Department
Strategic Plan and Standards of
Coverage to address the following
needs if necessary:
• Staffing levels
• Station location/placement
• Changing equipment needs
• Training requirements
• Response time criteria
• Areas lacking adequate service
• Projection of future
emergency service needs
Action 5-10.3: Periodically update first
responder training requirements
to meet local, State, and federal
standards.
Action 5-10.4: Enhance police department
staffing to achieve a response
time of under 6 minutes
anywhere in the service area.
Action 5-10.5: Expand the equity and diversity of
emergency personnel to better
reflect the makeup of the city.
Action 5-10.6: Enhance employee wellness and
mental health support to enable
better service to the community
by all emergency personnel.
Policy 5-10.2: Collaborate with neighboring
communities to better serve
community members and
businesses.
Action 5-10.7: Coordinate with Sonoma County
on police and fire services to
achieve cost-effective
improvements to service levels.
Policy 5-10.3: Focus policing efforts on
community-based solutions.
Action 5-10.8: Assist neighborhoods and
increase community contact
through the Community Oriented
Policing Program.
Action 5-10.9: Study and actively pursue
infrastructure improvements as
needed, including, but not limited
to, constructing new police and
fire stations (outside of high
hazard risk areas) and acquiring
new emergency vehicles and
equipment.
Action 5-10.10: Study the opportunities and
constraints of a community
benefit fund compared to
impact fees as part of the next
Fee Study Update.
Action 5-10.11: Enhance and explore ways to
expand the InRESPONSE model
and continue to provide a high
level of mental health support to
the community.
Action 5-10.12: Enhance police services using
innovative technology and an
equitable approach for resource
allocation.
Action 5-10.13: Prioritize violent crime reduction
and traffic safety solutions
through innovative strategies
and partnerships with key
stakeholders.
Goal 5-10: Provide efficient and effective
police and fire services for all members of
the community.
CHAPTER 5 | SAFETY, NOISE, AND PUBLIC SERVICES AND FACILITIES SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 5- 53
Action 5-10.14: Partner with other public and
private organizations to create
public awareness of the
existence of various forms of
racism and discrimination,
explicit and implicit bias, and the
health inequities they
exacerbate.
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CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6-1
6-2 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
6. Health, Equity, and Environmental
Justice
Like many communities, Santa Rosa faces long-
standing inequities and health disparities
between certain areas and groups in the city.
The General Plan aims to name these issues and
present meaningful solutions.
The focus of this chapter is on promoting
physical and mental health; creating equity
across all aspects of the built, economic, and
social environments; and fostering
environmental justice. Awareness about equity
and environmental justice is increasingly
common, with consensus building around
definitions like the ones here.
Health, equity, and environmental justice are key
priorities for the Santa Rosa community. With
the passage in 2016 of California Senate Bill (SB)
1000, the Planning for Healthy Communities Act,
Environmental Justice is now among the
mandatory elements in a general plan, to
advance environmental justice for the areas that
suffer most from a combination of economic,
health, and environmental burdens. As
introduced in Chapter 2, Land Use and
Economic Development, in Santa Rosa these are
termed Equity Priority Areas (EPAs). Santa Rosa’s
EPAs are depicted on Figure 2-4 (Chapter 2).
The City used the California Communities
Environmental Health Screening Tool
(CalEnviroScreen) to help identify significant
community health factors impacting each EPA.
CalEnviroScreen (discussed in detail in Chapter
2) scores a range of factors related to pollution
burden and population characteristics. Table 6-1
shows the scores for select factors for each
census tract with an EPA. The factors in the table
are those in which any of the identified EPA
tracts has a score of 75 or greater (marked by an
asterisk), indicating that it fares worse in that
category than 75 percent or more of all census
tracts in the state. Each tract with an EPA scores
in the top quartile of several factors.
Equity is the state, quality, or ideal of being
just, impartial, and fair. It involves providing
people what they need to enjoy full, healthy
lives.
Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2023
Environmental Justice is the fair treatment
and meaningful involvement of people of all
races, cultures, incomes, and national origins
with respect to the development, adoption,
implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and policies.
Source: California Government Code, Section
65040.12(e)
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6-3
Goals, policies, and actions in all chapters of the
General Plan address the top factors impacting
environmental justice (see Table 6-1), health, and
equity, prioritizing the needs of EPAs and
selected Equity Priority Populations, as
appropriate. Similarly, some goals, policies, and
actions prioritize implementation in the Areas of
Change that the community identified for focus
of City resources.
This chapter is organized around key goals
intended to implement the community’s vision
for Santa Rosa. These goals and their associated
policies and actions are especially pertinent to
the following components of the Santa Rosa
Forward Vision Statement:
• Just: Social and environmental justice are
achieved for everyone—all abilities, ages,
ethnicities, gender identities,
immigration status, income levels,
language speakers, races, religions,
sexual orientations and identities,
EVERYONE.
• Inclusive: Everyone is welcome and
actively encouraged to join in
neighborhood and citywide decision
making, and barriers to participation are
identified and eliminated.
• Healthy: All neighborhoods have low
pollution level and good air quality, are
vibrant, connected, full-service
communities, with the resources to be
civically organized, and anchored by
inclusive and accessible public outdoor
spaces and buildings offering safe and
welcoming places for everyone. Every
person has the opportunity to attain their
full health potential.
• Equitable: Everyone has what they need
to enjoy long, fulfilling, healthy lives,
including affordable access to meet their
daily needs—including healthy food,
recreation, education, childcare,
employment opportunities, reliable
internet, and physical and mental health
services.
• Safe: Streets are safe; public safety
services are provided by caring and
thoughtful community members who
are representative of and familiar with
the neighborhoods, groups, and
individuals they serve; and everyone,
including immigrants and people of
color, can safely access these services.
Equity Priority Areas or EPAs are areas in
Santa Rosa where residents suffer most from
economic, health, and environmental
burdens. Environmental justice needs and
health and equity considerations of EPAs
have priority in some of the goals, policies,
and actions in this and other chapters of the
General Plan.
Areas of Change are places the City will
focus efforts to address housing, services,
connectivity, and/or infrastructure needs to
help make these complete neighborhoods.
Some goals, policies, and actions throughout
the General Plan prioritize Areas of Change
for activities that promote complete
neighborhoods, such as active transportation
infrastructure, quality housing, healthy food
options, opportunities for social connections,
and access to parks and commercial services.
Areas of Change are depicted on Figure 2-5
and discussed in more detail in Chapter 2,
Land Use and Economic Development.
Chapter Contents
Health for All Residents
Food Access and Urban Agriculture
Violence Prevention, Safety, and
Equitable Policing
Parks
Youth, Family, and Seniors
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6-4 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
• Educated: Life-long education,
enrichment, and supportive services and
resources engage and empower young
people, strengthen families (of any family
structure), connect and activate seniors,
and foster the success and well-being of
everyone.
Figure 6-1 illustrates some of the key concepts
addressed in this chapter.
Relationship to Other
Chapters
In addition to the goals, policies, and actions in
this chapter, other elements and chapters of the
General Plan have goals, policies, and actions
that are relevant to health, equity, and
environmental justice:
• The Housing Element includes goals,
policies, and programs to address the
community's housing needs, including
housing quality and affordability.
• Chapter 2, Land Use and Economic
Development, and Chapter 3, Circulation,
Open Space, Conservation, and
Greenhouse Gas Reduction, have policies
that support reduced exposure to GHG
emissions from vehicular traffic and
emissions reductions overall.
• Chapter 3, Circulation, Conservation, and
GHG Reduction, also includes policies
and actions supporting increased
opportunities for physical activity with
improvements to the city's active
transportation network.
• Chapter 5, Climate Resilience, Safety,
Noise, and Public Services, addresses
safety from hazardous waste exposure
and brownfield site cleanup.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6-5
TABLE 6-1
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Rankings of Santa Rosa’s Census Tracts with EPAs Equity Priority Area
(by Census Tract)
3104 3200
Overall Percentiles
CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Percentile 75* 73
Exposures
Diesel Particulate Matter 96* 31
Traffic 78* 73
Lead from Housing 87* 47
Environmental Effects
Groundwater Threats 98* 89*
Hazardous Waste 47 76*
Solid Waste 36 98*
Sensitive Population
Asthma 80* 80*
Cardiovascular Disease 89* 89*
Socioeconomic Factors
Education 82* 74
Linguistic Isolation 81* 56
Poverty 78* 62
Housing Burden 88* 83*
Source: CalEnviroScreen 4.0, 2023.
* Top 75 percent of all census tracts in California.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6-6 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Equity Priority Area
(by Census Tract) 2801 2802 2100 2903 3001
Overall Percentiles
CalEnviroScreen 4.0
Percentile
44 46 47 34 51
Exposures
Diesel Particulate Matter 66 57 88* 22 64
Traffic 74 78* 85* 33 79*
Lead from Housing 23 47 62 56 53
Environmental Effects
Groundwater Threats 78* 91* 96* 72 97*
Hazardous Waste 96* 59 88* 56 65
Solid Waste 36 0 59 13 91*
Sensitive Population
Asthma 64 66 42 66 48
Cardiovascular Disease 60 62 36 62 50
Socioeconomic Factors
Education 54 81* 49 80* 54
Linguistic Isolation N/A 79* 62 74 44
Poverty 37 73 45 70 63
Unemployment N/A 41 65 47 78*
Housing Burden 32 62 61 47 64
Source: CalEnviroScreen 4.0, 2023.
* Top 75 percent of all census tracts in California.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6-7
Equity Priority Area
(by Census Tract) 3002 3103 3102 1402 1401
Overall Percentiles
CalEnviroScreen 4.0
Percentile 51 48 61 74 43
Exposures
Diesel Particulate Matter 66 66 83* 77* 34
Traffic 77* 37 86* 85* 41
Lead from Housing 62 61 72 36 46
Environmental Effects
Groundwater Threats 98* 86* 92* 97* 82*
Hazardous Waste 57 46 46 76* 54
Solid Waste 91* 51 12 87* 12
Sensitive Population
Asthma 64 80* 80* 51 48
Cardiovascular Disease 71 89* 89* 56 53
Socioeconomic Factors
Education 69 83* 79* 73 77*
Linguistic Isolation 56 75* 64 74 45
Poverty 51 68 69 78* 62
Unemployment 31 58 56 55 73
Housing Burden 40 26 41 68 46
Source: CalEnviroScreen 4.0, 2023.
* Top 75 percent of all census tracts in California.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6-8 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Figure 6-1: Visualizing the Concepts
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6-9
Health for All Residents
The City of Santa Rosa is committed to
maintaining and enhancing the health and
quality of life for the community by integrating
“Health in All Policies,” a practice that
incorporates community and individual well-
being into decision-making across all City
government sectors and policy areas. This
philosophy recognizes that a variety of
environmental, social, and socioeconomic
factors impact health outcomes, which are
collectively called “social determinants of
health.”
Residents in Santa Rosa EPAs suffer from high
rates of asthma and cardiovascular disease (as
shown in Table 6-1). Leading causes of these
diseases include environmental factors like air
pollution, as well as factors such as poor diet and
smoking. Many EPAs have lower life
expectancies than other local communities, as
shown on Figure 6-2. Once an individual has a
health issue requiring medical assistance,
addressing the issue necessitates access to
affordable care, which is not currently available
to all community members.
Social determinants of health impacting
community outcomes in Santa Rosa are best
understood and addressed by working in
partnership with impacted community
members, engaging EPAs and Equity Priority
Populations in the planning and decision-
making processes. Unfortunately, these
processes have often overlooked or excluded
low-income populations and people of color. To
overcome this historical pattern and
meaningfully address health, equity, and
environmental justice, the City of Santa Rosa
must take proactive measures to eliminate
barriers to participation in these processes.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 6-1.1: Promote efforts to improve
community health outcomes
and ensure that City
investments support community
health goals whenever possible.
Action 6-1.1: Apply for grants to fund programs
and projects to improve
community health outcomes.
Action 6-1.2: Work with health service
organizations, including Sonoma
County Health and Human
Services, to identify
environmental risk factors for
asthma, especially in EPAs and
areas where more than 10
percent of adults have asthma.
Goal 6-1: Improve health and well-being for
all community members by emphasizing
community health in all City policies,
programs, actions, and activities.
Social determinants of health are the
conditions in which we live, learn, work, and
play. These conditions include a broad range
of socioeconomic and environmental factors,
such as air and water quality, the quality of
the built environment (such as housing, land
use, transportation access and availability;
street, park, playground, and workplace
safety), opportunities for employment,
income, early childhood development and
education, access to healthy foods, health
insurance coverage and access to health care
services, safety from crime and violence,
culturally and linguistically appropriate
services in all sectors, and protection against
institutionalized forms of racism and
discrimination.
Source: Let’s Get Healthy California
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6- 10 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6- 11
Action 6-1.3: Adopt a Health in All Policies
ordinance and strategy to
institutionalize a collaborative
approach to improving the health
of Santa Rosa residents by
incorporating health,
sustainability, and equity
considerations into City decision
making across all sectors and
policy areas.
Action 6-1.4: Apply Health in All Policies criteria
to all capital projects to ensure
that they promote health equity
(e.g., supporting safe and active
transportation).
Action 6-1.5: Develop a channel or protocol for
Health in All Policies City inter-
departmental collaboration,
including task forces, training,
and formal and ad hoc working
groups to coordinate
implementation of the General
Plan and other City initiatives.
Action 6-1.6: Provide training for City staff and
officials about how the built
environment and transportation
choices affect health equity,
economic opportunity, well-being,
and quality of life.
Action 6-1.7: Maintain at least one City staff
position that bridges planning,
transportation, health, and equity.
Action 6-1.8: Adopt healthy development
guidelines or checklists to track
and monitor how new
developments are incorporating
health-promoting features (such
as opportunities for physical
activity, healthy food, drinking
water, urban farming, quality
affordable housing, and
sustainable design).
Action 6-1.9: Update the Zoning Code to
require health impact
assessments for nonresidential
developments of 100,000 square
feet or more in EPAs to identify
and mitigate any potential
negative health implications of
the project.
Action 6-1.10: In annual reports on General Plan
implementation, include updates
regarding community-wide
health, such as changes in life
expectancy and other relevant
metrics related to social
determinants.
Action 6-1.11: Distribute social and economic
resources equitably throughout
the city so EPAs enjoy equal
benefits of the city and are not
disproportionately burdened by
environmental pollution or other
hazards.
Action 6-1.12: Prioritize funding for services,
amenities, and infrastructure in
EPAs.
Policy 6-1.2: Ensure that all Santa Rosa
residents can easily access
primary and emergency health
care facilities and medical
services.
Action 6-1.13: Evaluate whether the circulation
network or transit system needs
changes to improve access to
medical facilities, including by
active transportation modes, for
everyone in Santa Rosa, including
transit-dependent people, low-
Health Impact Assessments help evaluate
the potential health effects of a plan, project,
or policy before it is built or implemented.
They provide practical recommendations to
increase positive health effects and minimize
negative health effects.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
2016
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6- 12 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
income community members,
seniors, and people with
disabilities.
Action 6-1.14: Explore incentives for the
establishment of neighborhood-
serving health clinics and
facilities.
Action 6-1.15: Implement any necessary
changes to the circulation
network or transit system to
ensure accessibility to medical
facilities, prioritizing EPAs.
Action 6-1.16: Participate in collaborative efforts
with Sonoma County, State
agencies, and health
organizations to provide
information and outreach about
options for accessing medical
coverage and care, prioritizing
EPAs and Equity Priority
Populations likely to have trouble
accessing care, including low-
income individuals and families,
racial or ethnic groups
experiencing disparate health
outcomes, individuals who have
limited English proficiency, and
people who are unhoused.
Policy 6-2.1: Promote awareness and
recognition of the role of social
determinants of health and
health inequities, and ensure
that City policies, services,
programs, and actions can
improve the lives and well-being
of everyone in the community,
especially in EPAs and among
Equity Priority Populations at a
higher risk for health inequities,
including low-income
individuals and families, racial or
ethnic groups experiencing
disparate health outcomes,
individuals with limited English
proficiency, and people who are
unhoused.
Action 6-2.1: Evaluate and adjust City policies,
programs, and services, including
budget allocation, to ensure that
they promote fairness, equity, and
justice, including within EPAs.
Action 6-2.2: Modify City processes, programs,
and materials, as needed, to
address social determinants of
health and support the needs of
EPAs.
Action 6-2.3: Identify resource distribution gaps
and provide and distribute
internal and external City
resources in ways that are
equitable and transparent.
Action 6-2.4: Participate in Health Action
Together, the nonprofit public-
private partnership leading and
supporting cross-sector efforts to
reduce inequities across Sonoma
County identified in the 2021
Portrait of Sonoma report on well-
being and access to opportunity.
Action 6-2.5: Implement and update, as
needed, the Santa Rosa Equity
Workplan, to advance diversity,
equity, inclusion, and belonging in
the City as an employer and in
the plans, policies, and practices
that the City institutes for the
benefit of all who live, learn, work,
or play in Santa Rosa.
Goal 6-2: Advance health equity by
understanding and addressing key social
determinants of health.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6- 13
Action 6-2.6: Coordinate with Sonoma County
Health and Human Services and
other health organizations to
provide public outreach and
education on how lifestyle
changes can affect health
through newsletters, the City
website, and social media.
Policy 6-2.2: Encourage community, social,
and emotional health—the
ability to understand and
manage emotions and to form
social connections and
relationships—for everyone in
Santa Rosa, eliminating health
inequities due to race and
income.
Action 6-2.7: Develop and implement
standards, policies, strategies,
and practices that value and
foster an internal culture of
employee well-being,
transformation, and belonging
throughout the City organization,
as well as wellness strategies and
trauma care programs to support
physical, mental, and emotional
health.
Action 6-2.8: Implement policies, programs,
and actions that increase social
and emotional health and self-
care for everyone in Santa Rosa.
Action 6-2.9: Partner with Sonoma County
Health and Human Services and
criminal justice, school, faith-
based, and other organizations to
create public awareness and
sensitivity to the needs of people
with behavioral health challenges
and provide support for those
needing services, particularly in
EPAs and among Equity Priority
Populations.
Action 6-2.10: Develop and promote
opportunities for Santa Rosa
community members to
experience or participate in arts,
cultural, and related activities
that can enhance mental health
and connection with other
community members.
Action 6-2.11: Implement regional, State, and
national policies and best
practices that promote racial
equity.
Action 6-2.12: Continue to build organizational
and institutional skills and
commitment to advance racial
equity and eliminate institutional
and structural racism.
Action 6-2.13: Partner with other public and
private organizations to create
public awareness of the existence
of various forms of racism and
discrimination, explicit and
implicit bias, and the health
inequities they exacerbate.
Policy 6-2.3: Prevent, disincentivize, and
reduce harmful addictive
behaviors.
Action 6-2.14: Restrict tobacco and alcohol
retailers near schools, youth-
populated areas, and senior
facilities, and in areas with a high
density of existing tobacco
retailers, particularly in EPAs.
Action 6-2.15: Partner with local, regional, and
State organizations to promote
The Equity Work Plan comprises 30
recommendations from City employees to
improve equity, diversity, and belonging in
City operations. These include better
recruiting among underrepresented groups,
promoting people equitably, decreasing
workplace isolation, forming an employee
task force, and hiring a Diversity, Equity, and
Equal Employment Officer.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6- 14 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
public awareness about the
potential risks of opioid abuse,
and the use of alcohol, tobacco,
and other drugs that affect Santa
Rosa community members.
Action 6-2.16: Update Zoning Code sections
governing nonconforming uses to
consider phasing out
nonconforming uses over time.
Policy 6-2.4: Address conditions contributing
to risk of asthma and adverse air
quality.
Action 6-2.17: Work with Sonoma County Public
Health Division to reduce risk of
asthma through land use
planning and programs across
the city.
Action 6-2.18: Evaluate the efficacy of the City’s
existing Breathe Easy program to
minimize exposures to tobacco
and consider program
modifications, if appropriate.
Action 6-2.19: Work with Sonoma County,
surrounding agricultural
producers, and farmers to protect
areas with sensitive populations
from pesticide drift by restricting
the use of pesticides in these
areas. Promote alternatives such
as integrated pest management
and regenerative agriculture.
Action 6-2.20: Disseminate information to
tenants and property owners
about methods to reduce asthma
and other health issues by
improving indoor air quality,
including by adding air
conditioning and reducing and
preventing indoor mold growth.
Policy 6-3.1: Ensure meaningful public
engagement processes and
events that make it possible for
everyone—especially EPAs, low-
income populations, and
limited-English proficient
individuals—to participate and
influence outcomes.
Action 6-3.1: Engage all community
members—prioritizing EPAs, low-
income populations, and
individuals with limited English
proficiency—in the planning and
decision-making processes by
using culturally appropriate and
accessible channels, including:
• Provide translation services
relevant to the area.
• Provide childcare.
• Hold engagement
opportunities in different
locations throughout the
community, at different times
of the day and week, and use
different channels (e.g., in
person and online).
• Use participatory facilitation
techniques.
• Provide healthy food and
water for people who attend in
person meetings.
• Meet in ADA-compliant
locations.
Action 6-3.2: Explore developing City guidelines
and best practices to compensate
low-income residents for
engaging in City planning and
decision making to eliminate
barriers to participation.
Action 6-3.3: Identify, evaluate, and eliminate
existing barriers—such as age,
income, and voter registration
Goal 6-3: Promote meaningful community
engagement and empower residents
through inclusive communication, outreach,
and capacity-building to participate in City
planning and decision making.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6- 15
status—for Santa Rosa residents
to serve on and engage with City
council, boards, committees, and
commissions, and prioritize
addressing barriers impacting
EPAs.
Action 6-3.4: Establish a Communication and
Public Participation Working
Group that includes staff from all
City departments to collaborate
on how to engage community
members to be part of planning
or decision-making efforts,
leverage resources, avoid
duplication of efforts, and
enhance effective and
meaningful public participation,
particularly EPAs.
Action 6-3.5: Develop City communication
standards and style guidelines
addressing writing style and
translation protocols and
including guidance for web, social
media, and printed documents,
so they are accessible to all
residents.
Action 6-3.6: Create City of Santa Rosa
community engagement
standards, including guidance for
different City departments, to
engage with all residents
considering the unique needs of
districts, EPAs, and those most
affected by a specific issue under
consideration.
Action 6-3.7: Implement an engagement
system/method to track issues
and priorities identified at the
neighborhood level to inform the
development of policies,
programs, projects, and services
and to share information across
departments.
Action 6-3.8: Consider establishing advisory
committees and commissions
that consist of EPA community
members to review policy
considerations and advise the
City Council. Consider creating ad
hoc committees to study issues
and report findings to the City
Council.
Action 6-3.9: Identify and implement strategies
to ensure that the composition of
City committees, boards, and
commissions reflect the diversity
of the community, with particular
attention to include EPA
community members.
Action 6-3.10: Create an equity evaluation
framework for the annual budget
and all policies and programs
considered by the City Council to
ensure policy decisions respond to
and are accountable to EPA
residents and needs.
Policy 6-3.2: Inform, engage, and collaborate
with residents, organizations,
the private sector, and public
agencies to develop and
implement plans and projects
that improve community health.
Action 6-3.11: Support the establishment of
neighborhood associations in
EPAs. Consider providing grants
to neighborhood groups for block
parties and other neighborhood
events.
Action 6-3.12: Establish formal and ongoing
relationships with individuals or
organizations that represent and
work with EPAs to build trust with
and create reliable channels for
community participation and
input, including engagement
outside of specific projects or
policy processes.
Action 6-3.13: Partner with community-based
organizations that have
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6- 16 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
relationships, trust, and cultural
competency with non-English-
speaking and English-as-a-
second-language EPAs and
stakeholders to reach out on local
initiatives and issues.
Policy 6-3.3: Empower every resident of
Santa Rosa, prioritizing EPAs, to
participate in local decision
making and engage
meaningfully in planning efforts.
Action 6-3.14: Develop bilingual educational
content and provide training
programs and workshops about
civic involvement and processes
for Santa Rosa residents,
including how to participate in
City Council, board, committee,
and commission meeting, as well
as how to apply for City jobs and
become a City Council member.
Action 6-3.15: Support local organizations in
collaborative engagement efforts
and their specific missions by
providing technical assistance,
meeting spaces, funding, data,
and other assistance, as resources
allow.
Action 6-3.16: Seek opportunities to involve
young people, meaningfully and
authentically, particularly those in
EPAs, to develop their confidence
and leadership skills.
Action 6-3.17: Maintain and expand existing
City internship programs and
fellowships so younger
community members can get
exposure to careers in the public
sector while gaining professional
experience.
Policy 6-3.4: Ensure the City has the
necessary resources to conduct
equitable, inclusive, and
meaningful community
engagement, including staff,
technology, funding, and
systems.
Action 6-3.18: Require each public-facing
department of the City to
maintain staff to engage with
and empower residents to be part
of planning and decision-making
activities.
Action 6-3.19: Develop flexible but sustained
infrastructure for two-way
information sharing between City
and partner agencies and
community members.
Action 6-3.20: Require that all meetings,
materials, and other engagement
opportunities that use technology
are accessible by mobile devices
and support access for people
with disabilities.
Action 6-3.21: Expand digital access and
engagement opportunities by
working with other public and
private partners to invest in high-
speed internet in communities
that have low access to internet,
prioritizing access for EPAs.
Action 6-3.22: Provide free internet access in
public facilities, particularly those
in EPAs.
Policy 6-4.1: Ensure access to information by
identifying language diversity
gaps to continue engaging the
community in City projects,
programs, and services.
Action 6-4.1: Establish a Language Access and
Justice Working Group that can
identify barriers to language
Goal 6-4: Maintain and enhance a culture of
language access and justice in City
communications and public participation in
planning and decision-making processes.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6- 17
access and justice in
communications and public
participation and define policies
and practices for translation and
interpretation for the City of
Santa Rosa.
Action 6-4.2: Identify public documents, forms,
and events that require
translation and/or interpretation
and develop yearly budgets,
including staff time for in-house
services.
Policy 6-4.2: Continue to provide
interpretation and translation
services as well as assistance to
access community meetings,
services, and programs, and
direct engagement with EPAs,
low-income individuals, limited
English proficiency individuals,
and other vulnerable
populations that request
additional support.
Action 6-4.3: Develop and implement a
Language Access and Justice
Plan to recognize and address the
city’s language diversity; define
policies and practices for
translation and interpretation for
every department in the City that
engages with the public.
Action 6-4.4: Implement language assistance
measures for front desks or
counters, meetings, telephone
lines, services, events, documents,
forms, materials, website, apps,
and other points of contact with
community members.
Policy 6-5.1: Minimize displacement and
gentrification in Santa Rosa.
Action 6-5.1: Identify strategies to ensure that
future improvements in EPAs will
not result in a net loss of
affordable housing or significant
preventable displacement of
residents.
Action 6-5.2: Identify opportunities to preserve
the affordability of federal- and
State-subsidized units at risk of
conversion to market rate or
other affordable housing
resources.
Policy 6-5.2: Ensure that housing in Santa
Rosa provides safe and sanitary
environments for residents.
Action 6-5.3: Prompt property owners to repair
and rehabilitate all substandard
housing, especially in EPAs.
Action 6-5.4: Expand the focus areas
addressed by the City's
Neighborhood Revitalization
Program to include EPAs, with the
mission to improve living
conditions and safety and
increase property values.
Action 6-5.5: Seek grants and support current
efforts to improve conditions in
older homes that may have mold,
mildew, and other contaminants.
Action 6-5.6: As the City’s housing stock ages,
pursue all available federal and
State funds to assist with housing
preservation and rehabilitation.
Action 6-5.7: Investigate and implement
programs that incentivize
landlords to maintain properties
free of Municipal Code violations.
Action 6-5.8: Require applicants for residential
remodel and rehabilitation
projects to remediate
environmental health hazards,
Goal 6-5: Minimize risk of displacement and
gentrification while ensuring housing is safe
and sanitary for all residents.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6- 18 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
such as lead-based paint, mold,
mildew, and asbestos, as a
condition of approval.
Action 6-5.9: Seek funding for identifying and
remediating lead and other
environmental hazards for low-
income residents of EPAs.
Food Access and Urban
Agriculture
Access to fresh foods, whole grains, and other
unprocessed or minimally processed foods is
essential to people’s health. In addition to retail
stores, Santa Rosa currently features five active
community gardens that help provide healthy
food options to community members.
Community gardens play a critical role in the
city, sometimes serving as the primary food
source when costs of and/or access to retail
stores are limiting factors.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture maps census
tracts where a significant number or share of
residents is more than a specified distance from
the nearest supermarket. Figure 6-3 shows the
tracts in Santa Rosa where residents are low
income and a half mile or more from the nearest
supermarket. The City designates such areas
“Healthy Food Priority Areas” to target efforts to
meet the nutritional needs of these
communities.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 6-6.1: Attract and support a range of
healthy food retailers,
prioritizing EPAs and Healthy
Food Priority Areas, so that all
residents live within one mile of
a full-service grocery store, fresh
produce market, or others
offering fresh produce.
Action 6-6.1: Partner with Sonoma County
Health and Human Services to
encourage stores in Santa Rosa
to participate in the Federal Food
Assistance Program.
Action 6-6.2: Require convenience stores,
supermarkets, liquor stores, and
neighborhood and ethnic
markets to carry fresh produce,
especially in EPAs and Healthy
Food Priority Areas.
Action 6-6.3: Update the Zoning Code to allow
farmers markets in all
nonresidential zoning districts by
right with standards.
Action 6-6.4: Consult with the local hospitals,
clinics, local school districts, Santa
Rosa Community College, and the
California State University
Extension to produce and provide
educational materials and
programs aimed at promoting
and facilitating healthier
lifestyles.
Goal 6-6: Ensure that all households and
individuals have convenient, daily access to
affordable healthy food, including fresh
produce.
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CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6- 20 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Action 6-6.5: Explore programs with the Santa
Rosa City School District, Sonoma
County Public Health Division,
community garden groups, and
other advocates to provide
healthy foods in schools and other
public institutions.
Action 6-6.6: Distribute information and
educate low-income families and
people experiencing
homelessness about food
assistance programs.
Policy 6-6.2: Encourage the establishment of
local restaurants and businesses
that serve healthy food.
Action 6-6.7: Update the Zoning Code to
require conditional-use-permit
review for any chain restaurant
with more than five outlets in the
nine-county Bay Area.
Action 6-6.8: Require at least 300 feet between
any two fast-food chain
operations.
Action 6-6.9: Seek resources to facilitate
establishment of “microenterprise
home kitchen operations”—that
is, restaurants operated out of a
private residence—in EPAs, as
allowed by Assembly Bill 686.
Action 6-6.10: Develop a program to provide
fast-track permitting for healthy
food and grocery stores in
Healthy Food Priority Areas and
underserved areas, as well as
areas identified for increased
residential development and
mixed use.
Policy 6-6.3: Facilitate urban agriculture,
farming, gardening, and local
food production, especially in
EPAs and Healthy Food Priority
Areas.
Action 6-6.11: Provide the necessary resources
to retain the city’s existing
community gardens.
Action 6-6.12: Support the creation of additional
community gardens or other
urban agriculture opportunities,
particularly in EPAs and Healthy
Food Priority Areas.
Action 6-6.13: Consider updating the Zoning
Code to allow all forms of urban
agriculture by right in all zoning
districts where appropriate,
including community, yard,
rooftop, indoor, and other
gardens; community food
production (as defined by the
State); and on-site exchanges and
sales.
Action 6-6.14: Develop an Urban Agriculture
ordinance that includes
strategies to increase access to
healthy food—particularly in EPAs
and Healthy Food Priority Areas—
and standards for operation and
soil mitigation.
Action 6-6.15: Explore the feasibility of enacting
an Urban Agriculture Incentive
Zone (per Assembly Bill 551) to
allow landowners to receive tax
incentives for putting land into
agricultural use.
Action 6-6.16: Partner with the County,
nonprofits, school districts,
neighborhood organizations,
faith-based organizations, and
others to identify and develop
sites for urban agriculture
potential, and support all urban
agriculture types in schools, parks,
hospitals, correction facilities, and
other public land and spaces
suitable for urban agriculture
development, including public
easements and rights-of-way.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6- 21
Action 6-6.17: Evaluate the potential presence
of contaminants that may be
harmful to human health on land
proposed for urban agriculture,
including by performing site
history assessments and soil
testing.
Action 6-6.18: Identify financial resources for soil
testing and remediation on
identified sites for urban
agriculture.
Action 6-6.19: Work with the County Agricultural
Preservation and Open Space
District to establish food hubs
throughout the city where
community members can meet
and exchange excess home-
grown produce.
Action 6-6.20: Partner with the County
Department of Health Services,
local schools, and nonprofit
organizations to provide
education about the nutritional,
social, economic, and
environmental benefits of urban
farming and locally grown and
ecologically sound foods; urban
agriculture opportunities; food
production safety; food literacy;
cooking; and food waste
reduction.
Action 6-6.21: In accordance with the
Neighborhood Food Act
(Assembly Bill 2561), educate
landowners, apartment
complexes, and homeowners
associations (HOA) about the
benefits of urban gardening and
edible landscaping, and work
with them to remove any barriers
that renters and owners with an
HOA face when trying to grow
food for self-consumption,
exchange, or sale.
Action 6-6.22: Establish incentives for private
property owners and developers
to provide opportunities for
residential gardening and urban
agriculture, and similar
opportunities to food producers
who are emerging, have limited
resources, and/or are people of
color.
Action 6-6.23: Require public development
projects to provide access to
sustainable food for residents.
Action 6-6.24: Work with the County to protect
the agricultural land base in the
Sphere of Influence, including
urban gardens, farms, and
ranches.
Violence Prevention and
Equitable Policing
Uncertainty or fear regarding personal and
family safety is a significant negative health
determinant. If people don’t feel safe, they don’t
want to leave their home to congregate,
exercise, or travel to appointments. Sometimes
parents keep their children away from school
because of their concern for the child’s safety.
Ensuring safety for the entire community is a
major step toward achieving equity and
promoting community health.
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 6-7.1: Increase neighborhood safety
and promote neighborhood
development, particularly in
EPAs.
Goal 6-7: Ensure community safety and
foster neighborhood environments that are
welcoming to all ages, cultures, races, and
ethnicities.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6- 22 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Action 6-7.1: Engage community members
and youth in communities most
affected by crime and violence
with planning through place-
based strategies/solutions for
their neighborhoods to address
safety.
Action 6-7.2: Design safe walking and biking
routes in neighborhoods and
around schools with high crime
and gang activity, using Crime
Prevention Through
Environmental Design, to ensure
that all community members can
live, work, and play without fear.
Action 6-7.3: Through collaboration between
the Violence Prevention
Partnership and the Police
Department, create
comprehensive community safety
plans that include equitable
resource allocation across the city
and strategies to prevent
violence.
Action 6-7.4: Proactively engage potential
perpetrators through fellowships
or conflict mediation facilitated
by the Violence Prevention
Partnership.
Action 6-7.5: Support community-based
initiatives to reduce violence by
promoting local economic
participation and success, such as
neighborhood job and vocational
training facilities, community
benefit districts, community
development councils, and
business improvement districts.
Action 6-7.6: Collaborate with County of
Sonoma to establish a re-entry
system for formerly incarcerated
individuals that promotes a safe
and thriving community to ensure
they experience healthy
reintegration in Santa Rosa,
particularly for 2011 Assembly Bill
109 populations (individuals
sentenced to nonserious,
nonviolent, nonsex offenses).
Action 6-7.7: Continue to train City staff to
develop and implement trauma-
informed models that are
culturally relevant for Santa Rosa
community members, like the
City’s Green Spaces for All Faces
program, which was designed
with a trauma-informed lens and
leverages partnerships to provide
high-quality outdoor
programming and community
services opportunities for
probation youth.
Parks
Santa Rosa features a wonderful network of
parks offering a variety of recreation
opportunities. Parkland in Santa Rosa is well
distributed geographically, and a majority of
community members have access to parks or
open space areas within a half mile of their
homes; however, some areas do not have easy
access to park space, and the City has not yet
met its established park service goal.
General Plan 2050 continues the City’s long-
established goal to provide 6 acres of parkland
Crime Prevention Through Environmental
Design is a multidisciplinary approach that
uses urban and architectural features to
reduce victimization, deter offender decisions
that precede criminal acts, and build a sense
of community among inhabitants so they can
gain territorial control of areas, reduce crime,
and minimize fear of crime.
Source: The International Crime Prevention
Through Environmental Design Association,
2023
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6- 23
for every 1,000 residents—twice the State
standard but below the national average of 8.9
acres of parkland for every 1,000 residents. This
General Plan sets sub targets for how the City
will meet its goal:
• A minimum of 3.5 acres per 1,000
residents of Community Park and/or
Neighborhood Park space.
• The remaining 2.5 acres per 1,000
residents may be met through a
combination of Community Park,
Neighborhood Park, and/or Trail and
Open Space parkland.
As of 2019 (the base year of this General Plan),
Santa Rosa had approximately 4.3 acres of
parkland for every 1,000 residents. This is a
shortfall of approximately 370 acres to serve the
existing population, and 740 acres to serve the
total future population accommodated by this
General Plan. Figure 6-4 depicts existing parks
and general locations where new community
parks or neighborhood parks are desired to fill
an existing or anticipated community need.
Parkland Definitions
Neighborhood parks are intended to be
accessible to community members within
one-half mile or a 10-minute walk.
Neighborhood parks provide a mix of
amenities, such as picnic areas, community
gardens, exercise equipment, and children’s
play areas, and generally have one signature
amenity, such as a water play feature, a skate
spot, sports court, or a single athletic field.
Community parks are intended to be
accessible to residents within one-mile or a
20-minute walk. They are at least 10 acres
large and often include athletic fields and
courts; event venues; programed activities
and events, such as summer camps, concerts,
and farmers markets; and areas for children’s
play and group picnicking.
Trail and Open Space parks vary in size. They
can support both active and passive
recreation, including walking, biking, hiking,
jogging, and wildlife viewing, and can also be
used as a safe, active transportation network
that connects people and places locally and
regionally. To be counted toward the city’s
progress in meeting its parkland acreage
goals, trail and open space parks must
provide multipurpose, Americans with
Disability Act (ADA)-compliant paved
pathways and benches, trash and recycling
receptacles, wayfinding and interpretive
signage, and lighting.
Additional details on City parkland
classifications are in Chapter 2, Land Use and
Economic Development.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6- 24 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6- 25
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 6-8.1: Provide parklands with
opportunities for physical
activity, recreation, and
relaxation, including those
offering trauma-informed
services (to address long-
standing health issues for
individuals), culturally
appropriate programming, and
safe spaces for everyone,
especially in EPAs.
Action 6-8.1: Facilitate equitable, authentic
community engagement in
recreation and parks planning to
identify the needs and priorities of
all segments of the community,
including individuals with special
needs, EPAs, and those unable to
attend public meetings.
Action 6-8.2: Acquire and develop new
parkland to achieve a citywide
standard of 6 acres of parkland
per thousand residents, using
Community Parks (CP),
Neighborhood Parks (NP), and
qualifying Trail and Open Space
Parks.
Action 6-8.3: Prioritize new park acquisition
and development in EPAs, Areas
of Change, and redevelopment
areas, including downtown.
Action 6-8.4: Design new parks with clear lines
of sight from adjacent streets and
neighborhoods to increase
perceived safety.
Action 6-8.5: Where feasible, consider
renovating and expanding
existing parks to provide more
acreage, increased capacity of
athletic fields for organized sports,
and a greater range of recreation
activities, while maintaining park
standards.
Action 6-8.6: Seek land and partnership
opportunities to develop large
sports complexes and/or multiuse
event venues to accommodate
tournaments, concerts, athletics,
and other community events and
activities.
Action 6-8.7: Develop new athletic fields and
retrofit existing fields to support
year-round use; include lighting
for night use; and accommodate
the growing community need for
organized sports and physical
activities by expanding the hours
and seasons of use.
Action 6-8.8: Pursue development of civic
spaces where provision of a
neighborhood park is not feasible,
particularly where they can be
connected to existing public
spaces using pathways, trails, or
other forms of connection.
Action 6-8.9: Develop special-purpose parks
and recreation facilities
throughout the city, including, but
not limited to, multigenerational
recreation centers, aquatic
centers, education and
community service centers, and
other unique facilities, prioritizing
facilities in EPAs, Areas of Change,
and other high growth areas.
Action 6-8.10: Develop multiuse pathways and
trail parks along creeks
designated by the Santa Rosa
Citywide Creek Master Plan.
Action 6-8.11: Create a system of
interconnected linear parks that
provide access to parks and open
Goal 6-8: Make parks the center for
improving personal and community well-
being.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6- 26 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
space and offer passive
recreation opportunities, such as
hiking and wildlife viewing.
Policy 6-8.2: Ensure adequate funding for
parks and recreation facility
improvements and
maintenance.
Action 6-8.12: Annually evaluate the park
development impact fees allowed
under the Quimby Act to ensure
sufficient funds to acquire,
develop, and maintain parks,
consistent with General Plan
targets for park service.
Action 6-8.13: Annually evaluate park impact
fees to ensure sufficient funds for
park acquisition, development,
and maintenance from proposals
that do not meet Quimby
guidelines.
Action 6-8.14: Develop a systemwide Park
Master Plan for park and
recreation facility maintenance
that addresses core versus
noncore services, appropriate
levels of service, and factors that
affect park maintenance
practices.
Action 6-8.15: Encourage innovative
approaches for maintenance of
parks and open space areas by
maintaining and developing
partnerships with schools,
neighborhoods, and businesses.
Youth, Family, and
Seniors
The health, safety, welfare, and support of youth,
families, and seniors are high priorities for the
City of Santa Rosa. The City aims to enhance
opportunities for young people, families, and
seniors to enjoy a high quality of life with age-
appropriate services and the ability to age in
place. Affordable childcare is fundamental to
protecting the welfare of youth and families so
that parents and caregivers are able to earn a
living. The cost of childcare is a challenge for
many families. Some may qualify for subsidies or
other financial assistance, but they may sit on
long waitlists before they can access care.
Though childcare services are generally offered
by private and nonprofit organizations and may
be funded in part or full by private grants and
State programs like the California Work
Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids
(CalWORKs) Child Care Program, the General
Plan offers policies and actions to enhance the
availability of affordable childcare in the city. The
built and social environments also affect the
health and well-being of families and
community members of all ages. Goals, policies,
and actions in this section and throughout the
General Plan are intended to foster a supportive
community environment with amenities,
services, and programs that serve the needs of
youth, families, and seniors.
Areas of Change, identified through the
General Plan community engagement
process, are areas throughout the
community where the City will focus efforts
to address housing, services, connectivity,
and/or infrastructure needs to help make
these complete neighborhoods—
neighborhoods with convenient, equitable
access to goods and services needed to
support daily life, such as grocery stores,
recreation opportunities, community
gathering places, active transportation
infrastructure, and transit.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6- 27
Goals, Policies, and Actions
Policy 6-9.1: Create an environment where
children can grow and develop
in secure and supportive
families and neighborhoods.
Action 6-9.1: Collaborate with parents, youth,
schools, libraries, businesses,
nonprofit agencies, religious
organizations, law enforcement,
and others to prioritize needs and
establish programs and services
for children and youth, especially
in EPAs.
Action 6-9.2: Promote development of
multiuse buildings/community
centers that can be used for
seniors, youth, and teen activities
and childcare, including at parks,
strip malls, and commercial
centers.
Action 6-9.3: Coordinate with community-
based organizations to promote
the provision of educational and
community services, including
child care/early education,
English as a second language
courses, after-school programs,
and recreational activities.
Policy 6-9.2: Expand childcare services to
meet the existing and future
needs of Santa Rosa.
Action 6-9.4: Update the Zoning Code to
encourage new residential
development to provide places for
childcare and youth-oriented
facilities and programs.
Action 6-9.5: Encourage school districts to
continue and expand the
provision of before- and after-
school care on or near school
sites.
Action 6-9.6: Endorse the development of new
childcare facilities in all areas of
the city, including residential
neighborhoods, employment
centers, and school sites.
Action 6-9.7: Promote development of new
childcare facilities during review
of new development projects.
Action 6-9.8: Across the park system, allow use
of a portion of city parkland for a
childcare center to be developed
and maintained by an outside
entity.
Action 6-9.9: Continue the City’s permitting fee
deferral and rebate program for
provision of childcare facilities.
Action 6-9.10: Foster partnerships between the
business community and the
childcare community to provide
information to employees about
childcare options.
Action 6-9.11: Maintain the high-quality mix of
recreation programs, classes, and
current maintenance standards
for city parks and recreational
facilities.
Action 6-9.12: Work with local sport leagues
that serve youth on facilities
planning and needs to support
increased participation in
organized and alternative posts,
especially among elementary-
aged children and teens.
Action 6-9.13: Work with local organizations
that serve the elder community,
including the Council on Aging
Sonoma County, on facilities
planning and needs to support
increased participation in
Goal 6-9: Foster environments that support
families and community members of all
ages with high-quality, equitably accessible
amenities, programs, and services.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
6- 28 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
recreation programs, classes, and
maintenance standards for parks
and recreational activities.
Policy 6-9.3: Increase teen participation in
organized activities.
Action 6-9.14: Continue to solicit direct
involvement from teens in
planning future community
parks, recreational activities, and
programs for teens to provide
recreational programs geared
toward modern interests.
Action 6-9.15: Cooperate with businesses,
governmental agencies, nonprofit
groups, and educational
institutions to develop
apprenticeship programs for
teens and young adults.
Policy 6-9.4: Modernize senior services in all
areas of Santa Rosa, especially
EPAs.
Action 6-9.16: Continually monitor and analyze
the needs of the city’s senior
population and expand services
and programs to meet emerging
and changing needs.
Action 6-9.17: Explore designation of an age-
and dementia-friendly
community.
CHAPTER 6 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 6- 29
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6. x
CHAPTER 7 | GLOSSARY
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 7-1
7-2 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
7. Glossary
Accessory dwelling unit (ADU): A smaller,
independent residential dwelling unit on the
same lot as a stand-alone (i.e., detached) single-
family home.
1 Action: A measure, procedure, or technique
intended to implement one or more policies to
help reach a goal (see definition of “Goal”). An
action may be ongoing or something that can
be completed in a discrete timeline.
Active transportation: Any human-powered
mode of transportation, such as walking or
bicycling.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
accessibility, compliance: Facilities, services,
programs, and activities accessible to individuals
with disabilities, consistent with ADA standards.
Areas of Change: Places the City will focus
efforts to address housing, services, connectivity,
and/or infrastructure needs to help make these
complete neighborhoods. There are 21
designated Areas of Change in Santa Rosa,
identified in the Preferred Alternative phase of
the General Plan Update process.
1 American Planning Association, 2023, “Knowledgebase
Collection: Accessory Dwelling Units,” accessed June 20, 2023,
Atmospheric river: Long, narrow storm systems
that carry water vapor from the tropics to higher
latitudes.
Brownfield: A property with the presence or
potential presence of a hazardous substance,
pollutant, or contaminant.
Buildout: The development of land to its full
potential, or theoretical capacity, as permitted
under current or proposed planning or zoning
designations.
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA):
Legislation and corresponding procedural
components established in 1970 by the State of
California to require environmental review for
projects anticipated to result in adverse impacts
to the environment. (see “Environmental Impact
Report”)
Capital Improvement Program (CIP): A
program that schedules permanent
improvements, usually for a minimum of five
years in the future, that fits the projected fiscal
capability of the local jurisdiction. The program
generally is reviewed on an annual basis for
conformance to and consistency with the
General Plan.
https://www.planning.org/knowledgebase/accessorydwelling s/.
CHAPTER 7 | GLOSSARY
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 7-3
Carbon neutral: Reducing greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions to zero, either by entirely
eliminating all GHG emissions or by balancing
out all remaining GHG emissions through
carbon removal practices so that the “net”
emissions are zero.
Climate Change: A change in the state of the
climate that can be identified by changes in the
mean and/or the variability of its properties, and
that persists for an extended period, typically
decades or longer. In the context of this plan,
this term refers to changes brought on by
human activities.
Community members: The individuals who
make up a community, including residents,
workers, business owners, and students.
Complete neighborhoods: Neighborhoods built
at the walkable and bikeable human scale
offering people of all ages and abilities safe and
convenient access to the goods and services
needed in daily life. This includes a variety of
housing options, grocery stores, and other
commercial services, quality public schools,
public open spaces and recreational facilities,
transit, and active transportation options.
Complete street: A transportation facility that is
planned, designed, constructed, operated, and
maintained to provide comfortable and
convenient mobility, and improve accessibility
and connectivity to essential community
destinations for all users and abilities, regardless
of whether they are travelling as pedestrians,
bicyclists, public transportation riders, or drivers.
Complete streets are especially attuned to the
needs of people walking, using assistive mobility
devices, rolling, biking, and riding transit.
Critical facility: A facility whose continued
functioning is necessary to maintain public
2 Federal Emergency Management Agency, 2013, February,
“Living with Dams: Know Your Risk,”
https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/2020-
08/fema_living-with-dams_p-956.pdf.
health and safety following a disaster, and where
damage or failure could pose hazards to life and
property well beyond their immediate vicinity.
Dam inundation zones: The area downstream
of the dam that would be flooded in the event of
a failure (breach) or uncontrolled release of
water, and is generally much larger than the
area for the normal river or stream flood event.
2 Defensible space: The buffer between a
structure and the surrounding area. Adequate
defensible space acts as a barrier to slow or halt
the progress of fire that would otherwise engulf
a property. Defensible space is the first line of
defense for structures against wildfire.
3 Disadvantaged Unincorporated Community
(DUC): Areas with an annual median household
income less than 80 percent of the statewide
annual median household income and within
the City’s Sphere of Influence (see definition for
“Sphere of Influence,” an island within an
incorporated jurisdiction’s boundary, or
geographically isolated and has existed for at
least 50 years.
Environmental Impact Report: A study required
pursuant to the California Environmental Quality
Act that assesses all the environmental
characteristics of an area, determines what
effects or impacts will result if the area is altered
or disturbed by a proposed action, and identifies
alternatives or other measures to avoid or
reduce those impacts. (see “California
Environmental Quality Act”)
Environmental justice: The fair treatment and
meaningful involvement of people of all races,
cultures, incomes, and national origins with
respect to the development, adoption,
3 CAL FIRE, 2023, “Defensible Space,” accessed June 27, 2023, https://www.fire.ca.gov/dspace.
CHAPTER 7 | GLOSSARY
7-4 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
implementation, and enforcement of
environmental laws, regulations, and policies.4
Equity Priority Area (EPA): Areas in Santa Rosa
where residents suffer most from economic,
health, and environmental burdens. EPAs are
Santa Rosa’s equivalent of “disadvantaged
communities” under Senate Bill 1000, which
requires the identification of disadvantaged
communities to address their needs in the
Environmental Justice Element.
Equity Priority Populations: Groups identified
as having characteristics that contribute to
vulnerability and/or the likelihood of being
underserved in a variety of areas, including
environmental justice, equity, health, and safety.
Santa Rosa has identified 10 Equity Priority
Populations:
1. Low-income individuals and families
2. Racial or ethnic groups experiencing
disparate health outcomes
3. Seniors, children, youth, and young adults
4. Individuals with disabilities
5. Immigrants and refugees
6. Outdoor workers and farmworkers
7. Individuals who have limited English
proficiency
8. Unhoused people
9. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer,
intersexual, asexual, and other LGBTQIA+
communities
10. Individuals who are incarcerated or who have
been incarcerated
4 California Government Code, Section 65040.12(e)
5 U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2023, “Extreme Weather,” accessed June 27, 2023,
Equity: The state in which each individual or
group is allocated the resources needed to reach
an equal outcome.
Exposure: The presence of people;
infrastructure; natural systems; and economic,
cultural, and social resources in areas that are
subject to harm.
Extreme weather: Occurrences of unusually
severe weather or climate conditions that can
cause devastating impacts on communities and
agricultural and natural ecosystems.
5 Farmers’ market: Two or more local farm
vendors or their representatives selling
agricultural products directly to consumers at a
common recurrent physical location in Santa
Rosa.
Fire Hazard Severity Zone: An area of
significant fire hazard based on fuels, terrain,
weather, and other relevant hazards.
Flood, 100-Year: In any given year, a flood that
has a 1 percent likelihood (a 1 in 100 chance) of
occurring, and is recognized as a standard for
acceptable risk. Also known as the “base flood.”
Flood, 200-Year: In any given year, a flood that
has a 0.5 percent likelihood (a 1 in 200 chance) of
occurring. Senate Bill 5 requires a 200-year level
of flood protection for urban communities in the
Central Valley.
Flood, 500-Year: In any given year, a flood that
has a 0.2 percent likelihood (a 1 in 500 chance) of
occurring.
Goal: An ideal future end related to the public
health, safety, or general welfare. A goal is a
general expression of community values and,
therefore, may be abstract in nature.
https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/content/extreme-
weather.
CHAPTER 7 | GLOSSARY
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 7-5
Consequently, a goal is generally not
quantifiable or time dependent.
Greenhouse gas (GHG): A gas that allows
sunlight to pass through but reflect heat
radiated from the earth’s surface, trapping heat
in the lower atmosphere. Common GHGs
include water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2),
methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O). They
may be emitted by natural or human processes.
Hazard mitigation: Sustained action taken to
reduce or eliminate long-term risk to people and
their property from hazards and their effects.
Hazardous material, Hazardous waste: A
substance or waste that, because of its physical,
chemical, or other characteristics, may pose a
risk of endangering human health or safety or of
degrading the environment. This does not
include household hazardous waste, universal
waste, or electronic waste, as they do not
contain the quantity, concentration, and/or
types of products significant enough to pose a
substantial risk to human health and safety or to
the environment.
Junior accessory dwelling unit (JADU): Units
created by adding a small kitchen and exterior
door to space in an existing single-family
dwelling. A JADU may be up to 500 square feet
in size.
Land use designation: One particular category
in a classification series of appropriate use of
properties established by the General Plan Land
Use Element.
Land use: The occupation or use of an area of
land for any human activity or purpose.
Liquefaction: A process by which water-
saturated granular soils transform from a solid to
a liquid state during strong ground shaking.
6 United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2023,
“Particulate Matter (PM) Pollution,” accessed June 27, 2023, Missing Middle Housing: Refers to house-scale
buildings with multiple units in walkable
neighborhoods.
Mitigation: Modification to avoid, reduce,
minimize, or eliminate a negative impact. There
are various types of mitigation, including
environmental impact mitigation, hazard
mitigation, GHG emissions mitigation, and more.
Mode split: The share of travel that is carried by
each mode of transport, such as automobile,
bus, walking, and biking.
Neck-downs: Raised curb extensions that
narrow the travel lane at intersections or
midblock locations intended to slow the flow of
vehicular traffic.
Noise-sensitive receptors: A location where
people reside or where the presence of
unwanted sound could adversely affect the use
of land, such as residences, schools, and
hospitals.
Particulate matter (PM): The term for a mixture
of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the
air that are so small, they can be inhaled and
cause serious health problems. Particles less
than 2.5 micrometers in diameter, also known as
fine particles or PM
2.5, pose the greatest risk to
health.6
Policy: A specific statement that regulates
activities in the city, guides decision making, and
directs implementing action to achieve a goal
(see definition of “Goal”).
Public safety power shutoff (PSPS) event:
Preemptive measures to reduce the risk of fire
caused by electric infrastructure during extreme
weather events because high winds can blow
tree branches and debris into energized lines
and cause fires.
https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollution/particulate-matter-pm- basics.
CHAPTER 7 | GLOSSARY
7-6 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
Resilience center: A well-used community-
serving facility with year-round programming
that also provides local communities with
shelter, water, and electricity during hazardous
events or disasters.
Resilience: The ability of a social or ecological
system to absorb disturbances while retaining
the same basic structure and ways of
functioning, the capacity for self-organization,
and the capacity to adapt to stress and change.
Riparian area: Lands that occur along the edges
of rivers, streams, lakes, and other water bodies.
Examples include streambanks, riverbanks, and
floodplains. Riparian areas are different from the
surrounding uplands because their soils and
vegetation are shaped by the presence of water.
7 Special-status species: Species that are
considered sufficiently rare that they require
special consideration and/or protection and
should be, or have been, listed as rare,
threatened, or endangered by the federal and/or
State governments.
8 Sphere of influence (SOI): The probable physical
boundaries and service area of a municipality or
special district, as determined by the Local
Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) of the
county.
Sustainability: Meeting the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.
Traffic calming: The combination of mainly
physical measures that reduce the negative
effects of motor vehicle use, alter driver behavior,
7 National Park Service, 2023, “Riparian Zones: It’s All About the Water,” accessed June 28, 2023,
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/nrca_glca_2021_riparian.ht m#:~:text=What%20are%20riparian%20zones%3F,by%20the%
20presence%20of%20water.
8 Sacramento County, 2023, “Special Status Species,”
accessed June 28, 2023,
https://planning.saccounty.gov/InterestedCitizens/Pages/ER_Speci and improve conditions for nonmotorized street
users.
9 Transportation demand management (TDM): A
set of strategies aimed at maximizing travel
choices.
10 Trauma informed: An approach that reflects six
key principles identified by the Department of
Health and Human Services and Trauma-
Informed Care Implementation Resource
Center: safety; trustworthiness and transparency;
peer support; collaboration and mutuality;
empowerment, voice, and choice; and cultural,
historical, and gender issues.
Urban agriculture: The practice of growing and
processing fresh food in an urban area.
Urban growth boundary (UGB): A community-
established boundary that separates urban areas
from the surrounding natural and agricultural
lands, or greenbelts, and limits how far out a city
can expand. In 1990, Santa Rosa voters approved
a five-year UGB, followed by a two-decade UGB
measure in 1996 and an extension in 2010 to
ensure that the current UGB will not be
significantly changed until at least 2035.
Vulnerability assessment: An analysis of how a
changing climate may harm a community and
which elements—people, buildings and
structures, resources, and other assets—are
most vulnerable to its effects based on an
assessment of exposure, sensitivity, potential
impact(s), and the community’s adaptive
capacity.
Wildland-urban interface (WUI): An area that
includes both houses and wildland vegetation,
alStatusSpecies.aspx#:~:text=%22Special%20Status%20Species %22%20is%20a,Federal%20and%2For%20State%20governments
9 Lockwood, Ian. ITE Traffic Calming Definition. ITE Journal, July 1997, pg. 22.
10 Federal Highway Administration, 2023, “Transportation Demand Management,” accessed June 28, 2023,
https://ops.fhwa.dot.gov/plan4ops/trans_demand.htm.
CHAPTER 7 | GLOSSARY
SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050 7-7
creating a significant threat to human life or
property from wildfires.
Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Fire Area: A
geographical area identified by the City of Santa
Rosa as a “Fire Hazard Severity Zone,” in
accordance with the Public Resources Code,
Sections 4201 through 4204, and Government
Code, Sections 51175 through 51189, or other
areas designated by the enforcing agency to be
at a significant risk from wildfires.
Youth-populated areas: Spaces where people
under 24 years old gather or visit on a regular
basis, including playgrounds, community
centers, sports centers, gyms, museums, youth
clubs, and malls.
CHAPTER 7 | GLOSSARY
7-8 SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN 2050
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CHAPTER 7 | HEALTH, EQUITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
APPEDNDIX A | GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION STRATEGY
The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Strategy is
currently under development and will be
available in Fall 2023.
Draft | June 2023
Climate Change
Vulnerability Assessment
Appendix B
June 2021 | General Plan Update
CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY
ASSESSMENT REPORT
City of Santa Rosa
Prepared for:
Client
Contact: Andy Gustavson, Senior Planner
City of Santa Rosa
100 Santa Rosa Avenue
Santa Rosa, California 95404
707.543.3236
Prepared by:
PlaceWorks
Contact: Charlie Knox, Principal
2040 Bancroft Way, Suite 400
Berkeley, California 94704
510.848.3815
[email protected]
www.placeworks.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............ 1 Community Profile..................................................................................................................................... 1 Regulatory Framework .............................................................................................................................. 2 Climate Science Overview ......................................................................................................................... 2 Method ...................................................................................................................................................... 3 Climate Change Hazards of Concern ................................ ................................ ................................ ......... 8 Populations and Assets ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 8 Populations ................................................................................................................................................ 9 Buildings and Infrastructure ...................................................................................................................... 9 Economic Drivers ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Ecosystems and Natural Resources ......................................................................................................... 10 Key Services ............................................................................................................................................. 10 Critical Vulnerabilities ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................ 11 Populations .............................................................................................................................................. 11 Buildings and Infrastructure .................................................................................................................... 14 Economic Drivers ..................................................................................................................................... 16 Ecosystems and Natural Resources ......................................................................................................... 17 Key Services ............................................................................................................................................. 18 Conclusion ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............. 19 Appendix A: Abbreviations and Glossary ................................ ................................ ................................ 20 Abbreviations .......................................................................................................................................... 20 Glossary ................................................................................................................................................... 20 Appendix B: Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Results Matrix ................................ .................... 23 Endnotes ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............... 28
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Figure
Figure 1. California Adaptation Planning Guide Vulnerability Assessment Method .................................. 3 Tables
Table 1. Rubric for Impact Scoring............................................................................................................. 6 Table 2. Rubric for Adaptive Capacity Scoring ........................................................................................... 7 Table 3. Vulnerability Scoring Matrix ......................................................................................................... 7 Table 4. Population Groups for Critical Vulnerabilities ............................................................................ 11
CITY OF SANTA ROSA GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REPORT
1 INTRODUCTION
The City of Santa Rosa (City) prepared this Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Report in conformance with State of California requirements, as established in California Government Code Section 65302(g)(4), to assess climate change vulnerability and address climate change adaptation and resilience as part of Santa Rosa Forward, the City’s General Plan Update. The goal of the State’s requirement is to enable the community to prepare for, respond to, withstand, and recover from disruptions exacerbated or caused by climate change. This report discusses the regulatory framework and method for integrating adaptation and resilience into City policies, the climate change hazards affecting the resilience of Santa Rosa, specific populations and assets included in the assessment, and a summary of the climate change vulnerability assessment results. The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Report builds off the workshop series conducted by EcoAdapt in January 2021 and uses the Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report for Santa Rosa for climate change hazard projections, populations and assets, potential impacts, and adaptive capacity. A more detailed description of climate change hazard projections can be found in the EcoAdapt report.
Appendix A provides a list of abbreviations and key terms used throughout the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Report.
Community Profile
The City of Santa Rosa is in the central portion of Sonoma County, about 45 miles north of San Francisco.
The Northern California Coast Ranges rise to a maximum height of 8,098 feet above sea level and the city sits in the southern portion of this mountain range at 164 feet above sea level. Santa Rosa has a Mediterranean climate, with rain in the winters and hot, dry summers. According to the General Plan Update’s Existing Conditions Report, Santa Rosa is home to approximately 181,000 residents.
Santa Rosa covers approximately 41.1 square miles and was originally home to the Graton Rancheria, Southern Pomo, and Wappo Tribal Nations. Approximately 90 percent of the city is developed; 64 percent is residential; 17 percent is commercial, industrial, public/institutional; and 9 percent is parks. The remaining land is agriculture, open space, or vacant land. Santa Rosa is also the regional hub of Sonoma County, offering a variety of services, job opportunities, and entertainment options for residents in nearby communities in Sonoma County.
State agencies divide California into several distinct climate zones, and Santa Rosa is part of Climate Zone
2. This climate zone covers the hilly Northern Coastal range and expands east to the Northern Central Valley and south to the San Francisco Bay Area.1 In Santa Rosa, annual average high temperatures range from 55 degrees Fahrenheit in January to 84 degrees Fahrenheit in July. Low temperatures range from 37 degrees Fahrenheit in January to 52 degrees Fahrenheit in July and August. The city receives an average of approximately 38 inches of precipitation. Most precipitation falls between October and May, with rare occurrences of summer storms. The Mediterranean climate and cold, rainy winters make Santa Rosa a prime location for agricultural production and outdoor recreation activities.
Santa Rosa’s primary transportation access is from Highway 101, the primary highway in central Sonoma County, and State Route 12 (SR-12). SR-12 runs perpendicular to Highway 101, connecting Sebastopol to the City of Sonoma. Other major roadways include Fountaingrove Parkway, Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa Avenue, and College Avenue. The Santa Rosa Transit Mall is the busiest transit hub north of the Bay Area. Local transit is provided by CityBus, while Sonoma County Transit, Golden Gate Transit, Mendocino Transit, and Greyhound provide regional bus services. Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) provides commuter rail services to Santa Rosa and other communities in the region.
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2 Regulatory Framework
In 2015, the State of California adopted Senate Bill (SB) 379, establishing Section 65302(g)(4) of the California Government Code to require the Safety Element of the General Plan to include more information about wildfire hazards, flooding risks, and other short-term and long-term threats posed by climate change. SB 379 is the foundation for climate adaptation and resiliency in General Plan Safety Elements, as it requires local governments to conduct vulnerability assessments as part of their long- range public safety planning efforts and to prepare policies that will protect against harm caused by climate change.
Other important updates to Section 65302(g) of the California Government Code related to Safety Elements, climate change, and resiliency include SB 1035, SB 99, and Assembly Bill (AB) 747. SB 1035 amended Section 65302(g)(3) of the California Government Code to require local governments to review, and update as needed, their Safety Element during an update to their Housing Element or Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) (or no less than every eight years). Any revisions to the Safety Element should include updated information related to flood hazards, fire hazards, and climate adaptation and resilience.
SB 99 amended Section 65302(g) of the California Government Code and requires jurisdictions to review and update the Safety Element to include information identifying residential developments in hazard areas that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes. AB 747 added Section 65302.15 to the California Government Code, which will go into effect in January 2022, and will require local governments to identify the capacity, safety, and viability of evacuation routes in the Safety Element or LHMP. The City’s climate change vulnerability assessment, along with the update to the Safety Element, will help the City meet the State’s requirements and support consistency with and integration of the General Plan and LHMP.
The State of California prepared a guidance document, the California Adaptation Planning Guide (APG), to
assist communities in addressing climate adaptation and resilience, and complying with Section 65302(g)(4) of the California Government Code. This guide presents a step-by-step process for gathering the best available climate change science and projections of future conditions, completing a climate change vulnerability assessment, creating adaptation strategies, and integrating those strategies into General Plans and other policy documents. The City’s climate change vulnerability assessment is consistent with the guidance and recommended methods provided in the APG.
Climate Science Overview
Climate change is a long-term change in the average meteorological conditions in an area. Currently, the global climate is changing due to an increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that trap heat near the Earth’s surface. While some levels of these gases are necessary to maintain a comfortable temperature on Earth, an increased concentration of these gases due to human activity traps additional heat, changing Earth’s climate system in several ways. These effects can lead to an increase in frequency and intensity of climate change hazards, which according to the APG, have the potential to cause fatalities, injuries, property and infrastructure damage, interruption of business, and other types of harm or loss. These hazards can include extreme heat, severe storms, wildfires, landslides, and drought conditions, among others. This Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Report evaluates the impacts created by these hazards in and around Santa Rosa and the ability of Santa Rosa’s populations and community to resist and recover from these hazards, to assess which aspects of the community are most vulnerable to climate change.
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3 Method
The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment analyzes how a changing climate may harm the City of Santa Rosa, and which aspects of the community – including people, buildings and infrastructure, ecosystems and natural resources, services, and economic drivers – are most vulnerable to its effects. The vulnerability assessment primarily follows the recommended process published in the APG in 2020 by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and recommended by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research. This includes a four-step process: (1) characterizing the community’s exposure to current and projected climate hazards; (2) identifying potential sensitivities and potential impacts to community populations and assets; (3) evaluating the current ability of the City, populations, and assets to cope with climate impacts, also referred to as its adaptive capacity; and (4) identifying priority vulnerabilities based on systematic scoring. These steps are shown in Figure 1 and further described in
this section.
Figure 1. California Adaptation Planning Guide Vulnerability Assessment Method
Step 1: Identify Exposure. The goal of this step is to characterize the community’s exposure to current and projected climate change hazards. Many projections of climate change hazards rely on multiple scenarios that reflect different levels of how global GHG emissions and atmospheric GHG concentrations may change over time. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an organization that represents the global scientific consensus about climate change, has identified four climate scenarios, also called Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs), that can be used to project future conditions.
RCPs are labeled with different numbers (e.g., RCP 2.6, RCP 6) that refer to the increase in the amount of energy that reaches each square meter of Earth’s surface under that scenario. The four RCPs are:
• RCP 2.6: Under this scenario, global GHG emissions peak around 2020 and then decline quickly. • RCP 4.5: Under this scenario, global GHG emissions peak around 2040 and then decline. • RCP 6: Global emissions continue to rise until the middle of the century. • RCP 8.5: Global emissions continue to increase at least until the end of the century.
The Cal-Adapt database, which provides California-specific climate change hazard projections, uses RCP
4.5 for a low emissions scenario and RCP 8.5 for a high emissions scenario. The Governor’s Office of Planning and Research Planning and Investing for a Resilient California document and the APG recommend using RCP 8.5 for analyses considering impacts through 2050, as there are minimal differences between emission scenarios for the first half of the century. The APG also recommends using RCP 8.5 for late-century projections, for a more conservative and risk-adverse approach. The City used the RCP 8.5 GHG emission scenario results provided by the Cal-Adapt database and other resources for this assessment.
Step 1. Identify Exposure
Step 2. Identify Sensitivities & Potential Impacts
Step 3. Assess Adaptive Capacity
Step 4. Prioritize Vulnerability Scoring
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4 The first step of this Climate Change Vulnerability
Assessment was to confirm hazards expected to occur in the City of Santa Rosa. The City identified eight climate change hazards for this assessment, listed here and discussed in more detail in the Climate Change Hazards of Concern
section and EcoAdapt’s Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report for Santa Rosa.i
1. Agricultural and Ecosystem Pests and Diseases
2. Drought
3. Extreme Heat
4. Human Health Hazards
5. Landslides
6. Severe Wind
7. Severe Storms
8. Wildfire
The City derived the climate change hazard data from up-to-date information, including the Cal-Adapt database, the APG, the California 4th Climate Change Assessment, the California Geological Survey, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), the Santa Rosa 2016 LHMP and EcoAdapt’s Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report for Santa Rosa.
Step 2. Identify Sensitivities and Potential Impacts. This step included evaluating past and potential future climate change impacts to community populations and assets. The City first identified a list of populations and assets to include in the assessment with the following five categories:
1. Populations: People that experience a heightened risk and increased sensitivity to climate change and have less capacity and fewer resources to adapt to or recover from climate impacts.
2. Buildings and Infrastructure: Structures that provide various services to Santa Rosa community members and visitors.
3. Economic Drivers: Economic sectors and activities that make significant contributions to the Santa Rosa economy.
4. Ecosystems and Natural Resources: Types of wild and natural lands within the city boundary.
5. Key Services: Important functions to community members provided by government agencies and private companies.
This list included 20 populations, 23 infrastructure and building types, 8 economic drivers, 6 ecosystems and natural resources, and 8 key services. (The Populations and Assets section presented later in this report describes these populations and assets.) The populations and assets for the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment were derived from the results of the EcoAdapt Climate Change Adaptation Workshop series held in January 2021, which included participants from various City departments, Sonoma County, and community-based organizations. After confirmation of this list, the City looked at which hazards are likely to affect which populations and assets, because not all hazards will affect all populations or assets. For example, human health hazards are likely to impact most populations but are
i Please refer to EcoAdapt’s Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report for Santa Rosa report when reading through the Climate Change Hazards of Concern section and Critical Vulnerabilities section of this report.
Sensitivity: The level to which a
species, natural system, or
community, government, etc., would
be affected by changing climate
conditions.
Source: California Adaptation Planning Guide
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5 not likely to physically affect parks and open space or school buildings. The outcome of this step was an
applicability matrix that identified whether a population or asset is likely to be exposed to a hazard. If a population or asset has the potential to be affected directly or indirectly by a hazard, a “yes” was indicated in the appropriate box.
Direct impacts affect buildings and infrastructure, health or populations, or immediate operations of economic drivers or community services, and they can lead to indirect
impacts on the broader system or community, including
populations or asset types in a different category. For example, severe wind can directly damage electrical transmission lines causing power outages, which can indirectly impact persons with chronic illnesses who depend on the electricity for life support systems.
Therefore, both electrical transmission lines and persons with chronic illnesses were marked as “yes” for being affected by severe wind and would be evaluated in the assessment.
After the applicability review, the City evaluated potential impacts to the applicable populations and community assets. To identify how great the impacts of each relevant hazard are on the populations and community assets, the City considered a number of different questions that helped ensure the assessment broadly covered a range of potential harm. Examples of these questions include:
• Could the hazard(s) cause injury or damage?
• Is there a risk of behavioral or mental harm, loss of economic activity, or other nonphysical effects?
• How many people or community assets could be harmed both directly and indirectly? • How long would the impacts persist?
• Is there a substantial chance of death or widespread destruction? Based on the results of the impact assessment, the City ranked each population and asset low, medium, or high for each relevant hazard. Impact is considered a negative quality, and therefore a higher impact score means that there is a higher potential for harm to a population or asset. A lower impact score means that there is a lower potential for harm to a population or asset.
Table 1 provides more detail
about what each score means.
Exposure: The presence of people,
infrastructure, natural systems, and
economic, cultural, and social resources
in areas that are subject to harm.
Impact: The effects (especially the
negative effects) of a hazard or other
conditions associated with climate
change.
Source: California Adaptation Planning Guide
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6 Table 1. Rubric for Impact Scoring
Impact
Score Meaning (People and Ecosystems) Meaning (Buildings and Infrastructure, Services, and Economic Drivers)
Low Impact
Community members may not notice any
change. If noticed, effect would be minor with
only occasional disruptions.
Damage, interruption in service, or impacts on
the local economy is small or intermittent
enough to mostly go unnoticed. If noticed,
effects are only minor.
Medium
Impact
There is a marked impact to the community.
Quality of life may decline. Impacts may be
chronic, and at times substantial.
Damage, service interruptions, and other
impacts are clearly evident. Impacts may be
chronic and occasionally substantial.
High Impact
The well-being of the community declines
significantly. The community’s current lifestyle
and behavior may no longer be possible. There
is a severe risk of widespread injury or death to
people, or of significant or total ecosystem loss.
Buildings, infrastructure, and services often or
always cannot function as intended or needed
to meet community demand. Large sections of
the economy experience major hardships or are
not feasible.
Step 3. Assess Adaptive Capacity. Adaptive capacity is the ability of populations and community assets to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the impacts of climate change.
Each population and asset was evaluated for adaptive capacity by considering the following questions:
1. Are there existing programs, policies, or funding to provide assistance?
2. Are there barriers that limit response or recovery? Are these barriers created by financial limitations, political challenges, lack of access to technology or other
resources, or other factors?
3. Do alternatives exist in or near Santa Rosa that community members can use? Based on the results of the adaptive capacity assessment, the City ranked the adaptive capacity of each population or asset as low, medium, or high. Adaptive capacity is considered a positive attribute, so a higher adaptive capacity score will mean that a population or asset may be more adaptable to the hazard.
A lower adaptive capacity score means that a population or asset may have a harder time adjusting to the changing conditions. Table 2 provides more detail about what each score means.
Adaptive Capacity: The “combination
of the strengths, attributes, and
resources available to an individual,
community, society, or organization
that can be used to prepare for and
undertake actions to reduce adverse
impacts, moderate harm, or exploit
beneficial opportunities.”
Source: California Adaptation Planning Guide
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7 Table 2. Rubric for Adaptive Capacity Scoring
Adaptive Capacity Score Meaning
High Adaptive Capacity
Adaptation solutions are feasible for most or all sensitivities. There may be occasional or small-scale challenges to implementing adaptation methods, but populations and assets can adapt with little or no effort. Many alternatives exist in the area that can provide similar services.
Medium Adaptive Capacity
Some adaptation methods are available, but not always feasible. Adapting may create significant challenges for some sensitivities. Some alternatives exist within the jurisdiction area that can provide similar services.
Low Adaptive Capacity
Adaptive solutions are available, but they are not used due to cost, technological or other resource constraints, and/or not supported by decision- makers or the community. Alternatives may not exist that can provide similar services. Some assets may not have feasible means to adapt.
Step 4. Prioritize Vulnerability Scoring. The City used the impact and adaptive capacity scores for each population and asset for each relevant hazard to determine the
vulnerability score. The vulnerability score reflects how susceptible a population or asset is to harm from a
particular hazard. Vulnerability is assessed on a scale of low, medium, and high. Low vulnerability does not mean that
the population or asset will be unaffected by climate
change, but that the effects are likely to be less substantial.
The matrix in
Table 3 shows how impact and adaptive
capacity scores combine and translate into a vulnerability score. For example, extreme heat would create a high impact on energy delivery services as mechanical failures, heat damage, and high demand for electricity from cooling equipment can disrupt this service. Adaptive capacity is low because many community members need to use more electricity on extreme heat days to keep cool and retrofitting electrical equipment can be expensive. Therefore, energy delivery services have a high vulnerability to extreme heat.
Table 3. Vulnerability Scoring Matrix
Adaptive Capacity Score Low Impact Medium Impact High Impact Low Adaptive Capacity Medium High High
Medium Adaptive Capacity Low Medium High
High Adaptive Capacity Low Low Medium
Vulnerability: The degree to which
natural, built, and human systems
are susceptible “…to harm from
exposure to stresses associated with
environmental and social change and
from the absence of capacity to
adapt.”
Source: California Adaptation Planning Guide
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8 CLIMATE CHANGE HAZARDS OF CONCERN
As described in the APG, hazards are events or physical conditions that have the potential to cause fatalities, injuries, property and infrastructure damage, interruption of business, and other types of harm or loss. Some natural hazards are not climate change related, such as earthquakes, which do not have a known connection with climate change. Climate change hazards are natural hazards that can change in frequency and intensity due to climate change. The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment assessed the climate change hazards that are most relevant to the City of Santa Rosa. The following list generally describes the climate change hazards included in the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment:
• Agricultural and Ecosystem Pests and Diseases: Pests and diseases that may affect crops, plants, vineyards, and wildlife.
• Drought: A drought is a period of drier than normal conditions that result in water-related problems for people, agriculture, and ecosystems.
• Extreme Heat and Warm Nights: Extreme heat conditions are defined as conditions that are much hotter than average for Santa Rosa. Extreme heat days in Santa Rosa are considered days with temperatures above 98.1 °F and warm nights in Santa Rosa are considered nights with temperatures above 56.3 °F.
• Human Health Hazards: Human health hazards are bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other organisms that can cause diseases in people. Climate-related human health hazards are usually diseases carried by animals that are considered pests, such as mice and rats, mosquitos, and ticks.
• Landslides and Debris Flows: A landslide happens when a slope, like the side of a hill or mountain, becomes unstable during heavy rainfall events, causing soil and rocks to slide down slope. • Severe Storms: Severe storms result in heavy rainfall, hail, lightning, and flooding. • Severe Wind: Severe wind occurs when sustained wind speeds exceed 40 miles per hour and last for 1 hour or longer, or winds of 58 miles per hour for any duration. • Wildfire: Wildfires are defined as any unplanned fire in a wildland area or in the wildland-urban interface. Wildfire can spread into developed areas by crossing the wildland-urban interface (the zone where undeveloped wildland meets developed areas) and cause significant damage to people and property.
The climate change hazards data is based on projections provided by Cal-Adapt, the California Fourth Climate Change Assessment, the California Geological Survey, FEMA, and scholarly research. A more detailed description of specific climate projections for the City of Santa Rosa can be found in EcoAdapt’s Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report for Santa Rosa (http://ecoadapt.org/workshops/santa-rosa- adaptation-workshop). The Critical Vulnerabilities section presents how these hazards are expected to affect the populations and assets included in the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment.
POPULATIONS AND ASSETS
Populations and assets are the people, infrastructure, services, economic drivers, and other community features in the City of Santa Rosa that can be affected by climate change. The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment looks at how each population and community asset may be affected by each of the climate change hazards discussed above. The APG provides a general list of populations and assets, which the City refined and used to develop a list of 65 populations and assets that fall into five distinct asset categories: (1) populations, (2) buildings and infrastructure, (3) economic drivers, (4) ecosystems
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9 and natural resources, and (5) key services. The following sections describe the populations and assets included in each of the five categories.
Populations
The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment evaluated 20 populations. These populations have age, financial, health, mobility, or other characteristics that make them more likely to be directly affected by hazardous events. The City gathered data for many populations listed from the 2020 Santa Rosa Forward Existing Conditions Report, the Healthy Places Index,2 EcoAdapt’s Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report for Santa Rosa, and the 2020 Sonoma County Homeless Census Comprehensive Report.3 The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment included the following populations:
1. Children (under 18)
2. Cost-burdened households
3. Households in poverty
4. Immigrant communities
5. Linguistically isolated persons
6. Low-income households
7. Low-resourced people of color
8. Outdoor workers
9. Overcrowded households
10. Persons experiencing homelessness
11. Persons living in mobile homes
12. Persons living on single-access roads
13. Persons with chronic illnesses and/or
disabilities
14. Persons without a high school degree
15. Persons without access to lifelines
16. Renters
17. Seniors (65+)
18. Seniors living alone
19. Students
20. Unemployed persons
Buildings and Infrastructure
The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment assessed the vulnerability of 23 different types of buildings and infrastructure systems in Santa Rosa. These infrastructure categories help daily activities, economic drivers, community services, and emergency response events. Several of these assets support the transportation network, energy delivery, water and wastewater services, and recreation and tourism activities. The infrastructure section of the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment focuses on the physical effects of climate change hazards on infrastructure itself instead of the services or economic activity they provide. The City derived information on buildings and infrastructure from the 2020 Santa Rosa Forward Existing Conditions Report; EcoAdapt’s Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report for Santa Rosa; and other local, State, and federal sources. The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment included the following building and infrastructure assets:
1. Biking and pedestrian trails
2. Bridges
3. Communication facilities
4. Community centers
5. Dams
6. Electrical transmission infrastructure
(substations and power lines)
7. Emergency operation buildings
8. Evacuation and cooling centers
9. Flood-control infrastructure and storm
drains
10. Government administration facilities
11. Hazardous materials sites
12. Homes and residential structures
13. Libraries
14. Major roads and highways
15. Natural gas pipelines: Pacific Gas and
Electric Company (PG&E)
16. Parks and open space
17. Public safety buildings
18. Railway
19. Schools
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10 20. Single-access roads
21. Solid waste facilities
22. Transit facilities
23. Water and wastewater infrastructure
Economic Drivers
The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment evaluated the vulnerability of nine distinct economic drivers in the City of Santa Rosa. These economic assets include agriculture-related assets, major employment industries, and recreation and tourism within the city and on surrounding regional and state lands. The City obtained information on economic drivers from the 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and the 2020 Santa Rosa Forward Existing Conditions Report. The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment included the following economic driver assets:
1. Agribusiness
2. Education
3. Healthcare
4. Major employers, including Public
Administration
5. Outdoor recreation and tourism
6. Retail trade
7. Research, development, and
manufacturing
8. State and regional parks
Ecosystems and Natural Resources
There are six primary ecosystems in Santa Rosa, although many can be subdivided into specific habitats.
The ecosystems and natural resources section of the vulnerability assessment focuses on how the plants and wildlife in ecosystems are likely to be affected by climate change hazards and the current ability of these systems to adapt to changing conditions. The primary resource for this analysis is the City of Santa Rosa General Plan 2035 Draft Environmental Impact Report, Biological Resources chapter. The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment included the following ecosystems and natural resources:
1. Aquatic/Riverine
2. Douglas-Fir Forest
3. Grassland
4. Oak Woodland
5. Riparian Woodland
6. Wetlands
Key Services
The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment evaluated the vulnerability of eight different types of services in Santa Rosa. These key service categories provide essential goods, utilities, and services to residents and visitors in the city. These services are provided by public and private agencies, as well as volunteer organizations. The key services section of the vulnerability assessment focuses on the actions and services provided in these categories instead of the physical buildings and infrastructure that support the services. The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment included the following key services:
1. Communication services
2. Emergency medical response
3. Energy delivery
4. Government administration &
community services
5. Public safety services
6. Public transit services
7. Solid waste removal
8. Water and wastewater
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11 CRITICAL VULNERABILITIES
The vulnerability assessment evaluates the impact and adaptive capacity of each population and asset for each relevant hazard. Vulnerability scores were assigned on a scale of low, medium, and high (as shown in Table 3) to reflect how susceptible the population or asset is to harm posed by the hazard. In total, the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment considered 360 different pairings for vulnerability. This section provides a summary of the key vulnerabilities within Santa Rosa. For a complete list of vulnerability scores for all populations and assets, refer to Appendix B.
Populations
The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment evaluated 20 populations that may be disproportionately harmed by climate change hazards. Of the 20 populations evaluated in the vulnerability assessment, 16 scored as having high vulnerability for at least one hazard type. Populations are generally most vulnerable to wildfire, extreme heat, and human health hazards. The most vulnerable populations include households in poverty, outdoor workers, low-resourced people of color, seniors living alone, and immigrant communities. The critical vulnerability descriptions below group populations together that may face similar vulnerabilities.
Table 4 shows how the 16 populations were grouped into 8 populations for these descriptions.
Table 4. Population Groups for Critical Vulnerabilities Population Group Populations Included
Households with limited financial resources
Households in poverty
Cost-burdened households
Low-income households
Unemployed persons
Persons that spend a significant amount of time outdoors Children Outdoor workers
Persons with health conditions or limited mobility
Persons with chronic illnesses and/or disabilities
Persons without access to lifelines
Seniors
Seniors living alone
Low-resourced and immigrant communities Immigrant communities Low-resourced people of color
Persons experiencing homelessness Persons experiencing homelessness Persons living in mobile homes Persons living in mobile homes Persons living on single-access roads Persons living on single-access roads Overcrowded households Overcrowded households1
1. Based on the Santa Rosa General Plan 2035 Housing Element and U.S. Census, overcrowded households are defined as households with more than one person per room (including all rooms except bathrooms). Persons living in households with more than 1.5 persons per room are considered severely overcrowded.
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12 Households with limited financial resources are highly vulnerable to nearly all hazards that will impact Santa Rosa, with the exception of agriculture and ecosystem pests and diseases. These persons, especially households in poverty, are more likely to live in homes with less insulation, less structural stability, or lack of air conditioning, increasing exposure to unsafe living conditions due to mold and mildew damage from severe storms, high indoor air temperatures from extreme heat, and poor indoor air quality from wildfire smoke. Households in poverty may lack the financial means to recover from property damage, increases in water and electricity bills, or illness caused by climate change hazards. Financial assistance programs and incentives, such as the Sonoma County Energy Independence Program’s property assessed clean energy (PACE) financing, rebates, and tax credits are available to assist with upgrades to some homes.
However, households with financial instability may be unaware or unable to participate in these services.
Persons that spend a significant amount of time outdoors, such as children and outdoor workers, are highly vulnerable to extreme heat and wildfire. Outdoor workers are also highly vulnerable to agricultural pests and diseases, drought, human health hazards, severe wind, and severe storms.
Children tend to spend more time outdoors than many adults and may not be aware of the onset of heat- related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Reduced air quality from wildfire smoke can also decrease the ability of young children to adapt to warmer temperatures over time.
Outdoor workers are directly exposed to extreme heat, human health hazards, and the smokey air quality conditions due to the outdoor nature of their occupations. Outdoor work often involves physically intense work, which can increase the risk of medical complications. Outdoor work can be halted during hazardous conditions, such as severe storms, severe wind, and wildfire, creating economic hardships for outdoor workers. Drought, extreme heat, and agriculture pests and diseases may also harm the crops, vineyards, and livestock that outdoor workers in the agriculture industry rely on causing additional economic hardship for outdoor workers. This may limit the ability of outdoor workers to seek medical attention for heat or air quality-related illnesses. Some outdoor workers may be able to transfer industries through educational programs within the Sonoma County Adult Education Program; however, this may not be feasible for all individuals.
Persons with existing health conditions or limited mobility, such as persons with chronic health conditions and/or disabilities, persons without access to lifelines, seniors, and seniors living alone are highly vulnerable to nearly all hazards. These individuals may have compromised immune systems that make it more difficult for health professionals to treat heat, human health, or smoke-related illnesses. Seniors in particular are usually more susceptible to heat-related illnesses, pathogens, and smoke conditions because they are more likely to have medical conditions that can worsen with extreme heat, and often take medicine that makes it harder for them to stay cool. These individuals may not be able to maintain their homes or properties in defense of wildfire and severe wind, as well as have difficulty evacuating during emergencies cause by severe storms, wildfire, or landslides. Power outages from Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events due to extreme heat or severe wind can also isolate these persons and potentially cause life-support systems to fail.
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13 Low-resourced and immigrant communities, such as immigrant communities, linguistically isolated persons, and low-resourced people of color, are highly vulnerable to drought, extreme heat, human health hazards, severe wind, severe storms, and wildfire. These populations may be hesitant or unable to seek help due to language barriers, citizenship or immigration concerns, and racially based discrimination or profiling.4 These individuals may live in low-lying areas or less resilient structures that can be damaged by severe storms, severe wind, and wildfires. Immigrant communities and low-resourced people of color may not have the financial means to pay for increased utility costs for water and electricity due to extreme heat and drought, or increased medical costs because of human health hazards, wildfire smoke, and extreme heat. Financial assistance programs, such as PACE, are available to assist with upgrades to some homes and FEMA assistance is available post-disaster; however, they may not be accessible for those with language barriers or for immigrant communities.
Persons experiencing homelessness lack permanent and often temporary shelter, which can leave them directly exposed to high temperatures, smoke from wildfires, severe wind, flooding from severe storms, and human health hazards. These persons may not have access to cool locations, water, sunscreen, or protective equipment to increase resiliency to extreme heat, human health hazards, and smoke conditions. High winds and heavy rainfall can damage or destroy temporary shelters and personal property of persons experiencing homelessness, and recovery can be difficult for these populations.
Persons living in mobile homes are highly vulnerable to extreme heat, landslides, severe wind, and wildfire. Mobile homes are generally less resilient than other housing types, making them more susceptible to damage from landslides, severe storms, and wildfire. People who live in mobile homes are more likely to suffer harm during a hazard event due to the methods and materials used for mobile home construction. Mobile homes may also lack sufficient insulation or air conditioning, which can increase indoor air temperatures for persons living in mobile homes during extreme heat conditions and exposure to wildfire smoke. Mobile home residents may be able to receive some financial relief from the California Department of Housing and Community Development if their home is damaged in a disaster; however, not all mobile homes may qualify for this assistance.
Persons living on single-access roads can become isolated from the community if their access routes or roadways become blocked or impassable due to landslides, wildfire, downed trees and debris from severe winds, severe storms that cause flooding, and other forms of severe weather. Blocked access routes can prevent evacuation during an emergency and access by emergency personnel and first responders.
Residents and business owners who live on single-access roads may be unable to obtain medical care or vital goods such as food and medicine if their access routes or roadways become blocked or impassible.
Overcrowded households are highly vulnerable to human health hazards as overcrowding conditions facilitate the spread of contagious diseases, such as respiratory diseases including influenza, COVID-19, and pneumonia. Crowded housing conditions can increase interior moisture, providing a habitat for respiratory viruses, mites, roaches, and molds. While some households may be able to install improved air filtration and ventilation systems to reduce the spread of respiratory diseases, others may lack the financial means to make these retrofits.
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14 Buildings and Infrastructure
Buildings and infrastructure vulnerability include the structures that support the economic drivers and services in the City of Santa Rosa. These assets are most vulnerable to severe storms, landslides, and wildfire. Of the 23 different types of buildings and infrastructure, 10 scored as having a high vulnerability to at least one hazard. Transportation infrastructure, including major roads and highways, railways, and single-access roads have similar vulnerabilities, and are therefore combined herein.
Electrical transmission infrastructure is highly vulnerable to extreme heat, landslides, severe wind, severe storms, and wildfire. Electric transmission infrastructure is dependent on overhead power lines owned and operated by PG&E. Extreme heat can cause mechanical failure of electrical equipment, heat damage to the aboveground infrastructure, and a high demand for electricity due to air conditioning units.
Increased electricity usage for air conditioning during heat waves can overtax electrical transmission lines and transformers, which may malfunction or fail, causing power outages. Severe winds can cause transmission lines to sway near each other, potentially leading to arcing. This can generate sparks, excessive heat, and line damage. Landslides can damage electrical transmission lines if their foundations are undermined or fail. Wildfires can also damage power lines and substations. PG&E is currently conducting a climate vulnerability assessment to assess the risk and vulnerability of the infrastructure they operate to climate change hazards, which includes identifying any necessary improvement.
However, some measures can both be expensive and require yearly or seasonal management activities.
Homes and residential structures are highly vulnerable to landslides, severe wind, severe storms, and wildfire. Homes in northeastern, eastern, and southern Santa Rosa are located Santa Rosa’s Wildland- Urban Interface Fire Area and contain some areas identified as CAL FIRE’s Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones and California Geological Survey’s landslide potential areas. These hazards can damage or destroy homes. Homes in western Santa Rosa and along the creeks are in the 100-year or 500-year floodplains and can be damaged by heavy rainfall that causes flooding. If flooding does not destroy a home, it can lead to mold and mildew, making the structure uninhabitable. Homes, especially older homes, can also be damaged by downed trees and debris from severe winds and other forms of severe storms. Funding sources such as PACE programs and rebates for energy-efficiency upgrades can help homeowners, including low-income residents, retrofit their homes. Homes can also be hardened against severe wind, severe storms, and landslides, and defensible space can be created to minimize damage from wildfires.
However, these adaptive options can be expensive and are not always feasible for residents.
Transportation infrastructure, including major roads and highways, railway, and single-access roads are highly vulnerable to extreme heat, landslides, severe wind, severe storms, and wildfire. Major roads, which are frequently used as evacuation routes, can be blocked or closed due to catastrophic events and natural disasters such as wildfires, landslides, or flooding from severe storms, disrupting commute patterns and preventing effective evacuations during emergencies. Railways, which provide both freight and passenger services, can deform and buckle under extreme heat conditions or be flooded by heavy rainfall during a severe storm. If one section of a railway is damaged and becomes unusable, there are no alternative railway routes that can be used until the railway is repaired. However, roadways can serve as alternative transportation routes if railways become unusable. Single-access roads are the most vulnerable transportation asset, as alternative routes may not be available if these roadways are damaged or become impassable due to landslides, heavy rainfall that causes flooding, downed trees from severe wind, and wildfire. This could trap or isolate residents and business owners who live and work on
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15 single-access roads, preventing them from evacuating, seeking medical care, or from obtaining vital goods such as food and medicine.
Dams are highly vulnerable to landslides and severe storms. Four dams in and surrounding the city are located within a landslide susceptibility area, which can cause instability of a dam or seepage within dam structures.5 Heavy rainfall from severe storms may cause reservoirs to fill too quickly for the capacity of the spillway and dam structure. This can cause water to spill over the dam, damage spillways, and ultimately cause dam failure, resulting in major flooding downstream. The California Division of Dam Safety regulates dams in California. Upgrades or repairs to dams can be expensive and take many years to complete.
Parks and open spaces in the city are highly vulnerable to drought and landslides. Drought can cause unirrigated open spaces to lose plants and wildlife, reducing the available ecosystem services and quality of the open space.6 Some parks and open space may function as intended during drought conditions, especially those managed with native and/or drought-tolerant landscaping and water and soil conservation and moisture retention techniques. Some public and private parks and green spaces, such as Nagasawa Community Park, Fountain Grove Golf Course, Howarth Memorial Park, Spring Lake Park, East Skyhawk Park, and others are in landslide susceptibility areas. Landslides can undermine walking and biking paths or damage park facilities in the city. Park facilities, trails, and paths can be retrofitted to prevent damage from landslides or rebuilt after landslides; however, this can become expensive for facilities that are repeatedly lost or damaged due to hazards.
Communication facilities are highly vulnerable to severe wind. Communication facilities can be damaged by debris carried by severe winds, causing them to malfunction and become unable to meet the demands of the community. In some cases, communication systems can be overloaded during a hazard event or a power outage, preventing the system from functioning as needed. Communication facilities can be retrofitted to prevent damage from severe wind or repaired after severe wind events to ensure reliable communication services. However, this can be expensive for facilities that are repeatedly lost or damaged due to hazards.
Flood-control infrastructure, such as flood-control channels, basins, and storm drain infrastructure, are highly vulnerable to severe storms that increase the risk of floodwaters overflowing banks during periods of heavy rainfall, as well as blockage of storm drain systems from landslides and wildfires. This can lead to the failure of flood-control systems or damage to infrastructure that drains stormwater away from both rural and urban areas, resulting in increased risks of flooding, damage to creek ecosystems, and degradation of water quality. Upgrades to flood-control infrastructure can be expensive and require coordination with multiple regional and state agencies, delaying the upgrade process.
Water and wastewater infrastructure are highly vulnerable to severe storms that cause flooding due to heavy rainfall. Although water infrastructure is likely to experience only minor effects, the Santa Rosa Laguna Treatment Plant is within the 100-year flood hazard zone. 7 During heavy rainfall, the wastewater
infrastructure plant could be flooded and damaged, causing raw sewage to backup and flow into the water and soil surrounding the plant. The wastewater treatment plant currently has a temporary floodwall, but a permanent solution is needed. Furthermore, various aspects of the plant can be upgraded and retrofitted to prevent damage from flooding associated with severe storms. However, this can be expensive and take several years to complete once funding is available.
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16 Economic Drivers
Economic driver vulnerability includes the economic assets and activities that support the Santa Rosa economy. These assets are most vulnerable to extreme heat and wildfire. Of the eight different types of economic drivers evaluated, three scored high for at least one hazard. Due to similar impacts and adaptive capacity, outdoor recreation and state and regional parks have been combined into one critical vulnerability discussion.
Agribusiness is highly vulnerable to agriculture and ecosystem pests and diseases, drought, extreme heat, severe wind, severe storms, and wildfire. Agribusiness including agricultural services and processing is highly dependent on the region’s thriving agricultural production, which is highly vulnerable to these hazards. Drought can reduce water supplies, making less water available for crop irrigation and reducing yields or forcing farmers to change crop patterns or even the crops themselves. Extreme heat can damage vineyards and crops that depend on long, cold winters which may become less frequent. For example, cold-hardy crops, such as lettuce and apples, may become less suitable as temperatures increase, and melons and sweet potatoes may become more common because they can withstand high temperatures. Severe storms can harm or kill crops and agricultural infrastructure, reducing yields and causing costly repairs. Smoke from wildfires can not only damage crops such as vineyards, but can also harm farmworkers, which can impact the ability to effectively manage and harvest the products that are processed in Santa Rosa. In some cases, farmers may be able to find crop varietals that are more resilient to these changes; however, the processing of these crops may be different due to growing constraints.
Agriculture pests and diseases may become more common as temperatures rise and droughts become more frequent, and some farmers may not be able to adjust to an increase in pests, reducing the amount of agricultural goods being processed in the city. Improved drainage and other infrastructure, changes to pest management activities, and increased personal protective equipment at farming operations may help reduce damage from hazards and help maintain the agribusiness industry in Santa Rosa. However, many of these actions can be expensive and may not be appropriate for all types of farming operations.
Outdoor recreation and tourism within the city and in surrounding state and regional parks is highly vulnerable to agriculture and ecosystem pests and diseases, drought, extreme heat, landslides, and wildfire. Drought and ecosystem pests and diseases can harm the plants and wildlife in state and regional parks, reservoirs, or creeks within and surrounding the city. Outdoor recreation facilities may close or reduce hours during extreme heat, smoke, or wildfire conditions, and after landslides. People may be less willing to travel to the city for outdoor recreation activities. Smoke created by wildfires can also curtail outdoor recreation activities as poor air quality can be harmful to people participating in outdoor activities. Defensible space and slope stabilization can be created around some sites, and outdoor recreation activities can be relocated to areas with accessible roadways and away from poor air quality or high temperatures, but these areas may not be in the city or attract as much economic activity.
Education is highly vulnerable to wildfires as students, faculty, and staff may relocate after a wildfire has occurred in the city. In the aftermath of the Tubbs Fire in 2017, school enrollment dropped significantly, preventing the education system from fully recovering. This pattern may decrease the number of education sector employment opportunities within the city. Education as an economic driver is highly dependent on the number students in a school district or at a college, and therefore the industry may have a difficult time recovering.
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17 Ecosystems and Natural Resources
Ecosystem and natural resources, such as plants, trees, wildlife, and ecosystems in Santa Rosa, are most vulnerable to drought and extreme heat. Of the six different types of ecosystems and natural resources, four scored as having a high vulnerability to at least one hazard.
Aquatic and riverine ecosystems are highly vulnerable to drought, extreme heat, landslides, severe storms, and wildfire. Drought can lower water levels and water quality of aquatic and riverine ecosystems, contributing to algal blooms that lower the concentrations of dissolved oxygen, causing harm to fish and other aquatic species.
Extreme heat can raise water temperatures in aquatic systems, also increasing dissolved oxygen content and decreasing overall water quality.8 Landslides, heavy rainfall associated with severe storms, and fire retardants used to fight wildfires, can alter water courses and increase sediment, contaminants, and harmful nutrients in these systems. Sufficient precipitation, cooler temperatures, and improved water quality are necessary for recovery of fish and plant populations.
Douglas-fir forests are highly vulnerable to ecosystem pests and diseases, drought, extreme heat, and wildfire. Higher temperatures and drought can stress Douglas-fir trees and make them more susceptible to damage from pest infestation, such as the bark beetle, which prevents the flow of nutrients the forests need to survive. Bark beetle eggs typically will not survive a hard freeze2 so warming temperatures have allowed the insects to flourish. Diseased or dying forests are more susceptible to wildfire and provide fuel for a fire to progress. Many Douglas-fir forests have reduced capacity to effectively recover from extreme heat events, prolonged drought, or pests and diseases. Seed longevity is projected to decrease, and fertility can decline slightly, making it harder for forests to reestablish themselves. This can create barriers to continuity (interconnected patches of a particular ecosystem) and dispersal (when seeds move from one site to a growing site) due to the rural and remote nature of the county.9 These forests can also be managed to prevent or lessen the severity of wildfires; however, land management faces regulatory, financial, and personnel restrictions that limit the ability to effectively manage forests.10 Oak woodlands are highly vulnerable to ecosystem pests and diseases and severe wind. Sudden oak death and other pests and diseases can devastate oak woodlands, which may worsen with extreme heat and drought. Severe wind can cause sudden oak death to spread more rapidly within the ecosystem, harming oak trees and the wildlife that depend on these woodlands. Oak woodlands can typically recover from natural disturbance regimes, including pests and diseases. However, the spread of sudden oak death may not be manageable with increased drought conditions. 11 Wetlands are highly vulnerable to drought and extreme heat. These ecosystems are largely dependent on precipitation for their water sources, and drought can reduce precipitation and soil moisture, leading to tree and shrub ecosystem encroachment.12 Extreme heat can reduce the quantity and quality of water available for wetland habitats. Due to low connectivity and fragmented distribution of wetlands, these ecosystems may face difficulty adapting to extreme heat and drought conditions. This ecosystem is also highly dependent on water availability and may not be able to recover without an influx of water. 13 Ecosystem managers can restore wetland functions and create new wetlands; however, this can require coordination with land managers and can be expensive to complete.
2 A hard freeze occurs when air temperatures fall to 28 degrees Fahrenheit or lower and then stay below 32 degrees Fahrenheit for several hours or days.
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18 Key Services
Key services vulnerability includes the essential goods, utilities, and services to residents and visitors in the city. These assets are most vulnerable to wildfire. Of the eight different types of key services, four scored as highly vulnerable to at least one hazard.
Energy delivery services are highly vulnerable to extreme heat, landslides, severe wind, and wildfire.
These services are dependent on overhead power lines and underground natural gas pipelines owned and operated by PG&E, which are susceptible to extreme heat, fallen trees from severe winds, landslides, and wildfire. Extreme heat can cause power outages due to mechanical failure of electrical equipment, heat damage to the aboveground infrastructure, and a high demand for electricity due to air conditioning units. Solar and hydroelectric energy production could decrease due to extreme heat. Solar photovoltaic panels experience a decrease in efficiency due to excessive heat of converting solar energy to electric energy by 10 to 25 percent as temperatures rise. Solar panels can also experience a decrease in energy output by as much as 20 percent due to smoke and ash conditions. 14 The reservoirs that produce
hydroelectric energy may experience higher rates of evaporation, which reduces the amount of water available to generate electricity. Electrical lines that are close to forested areas could be damaged by falling trees that result from severe wind. These impacts could become chronic as forest ecosystems weaken due to extreme heat and drought. Landslides can damage electrical transmission lines if their foundations are undermined or fail. High winds can also cause PG&E to turn off electricity to prevent sparks, as part of a PSPS event, which disrupts energy delivery to Santa Rosa. Wildfires can also damage power lines, natural gas lines, and substations. PG&E is currently conducting a climate vulnerability assessment to assess the risk and vulnerability of the infrastructure they operate to climate change hazards, which includes identifying any necessary improvements. However, some of these measures can both be expensive and require yearly or seasonal management activities.
Water and wastewater services are highly vulnerable to drought, landslides, severe storms, and wildfire.
Drought can reduce water available from the Russian River, which is the primary source of wholesale water supply provided by Sonoma Water. This can lead the City to use more groundwater to meet the demand of residents, government and other institutions, industries, and businesses and/or to declare a water shortage emergency and implement its Water Shortage Contingency Plan. Landslides can damage the pipelines carrying water to residents and wastewater to the wastewater treatment plant, and services could be suspended until repairs are made. Heavy rainfall caused by severe storms can cause flooding that can overwhelm the Santa Rosa Laguna Treatment Plan and untreated effluent could leak into the surrounding water and soil. Wildfires could degrade the surface water quality that Santa Rosa relies on due to ash content or fire retardants that contaminate surface water supplies. Increased water conservation measures, use of more recycled water, and more extensive treatment equipment can protect water services throughout the city.
Wastewater services may have a more difficult time adapting due to the expensive nature of moving and retrofitting wastewater infrastructure.
Public transit services are highly vulnerable to severe wind, severe storms, and wildfire. These hazards can cause delays or rerouting of bus transit and may delay or block railway transit services. Transit services could be delayed for hours or days, depending on the severity of the event. Transit users may also be deterred from using transit if roadways and bus stops are flooded or during smoke conditions from wildfires. In some cases, buses can be rerouted if roads become impassable due to flooding or wildfire. However, this is not possible for rail-based transit services.
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19 Emergency medical services are highly vulnerable to human health hazards as an increase in vector-borne and other illnesses may cause the demand to outweigh the capacity of emergency medical response services. There may be shortages of healthcare facilities, equipment, pharmaceuticals, and personnel if healthcare workers become sick or if supply chains are disrupted. Local and regional medical centers and providers can strengthen medical supply chains and prepare emergency contingency plans for if or when human health hazards increase in frequency and intensity. However, this may take time and require extensive coordination.
CONCLUSION
Out of the 65 populations and assets Santa Rosa analyzed, 40 are highly vulnerable to one or more hazard condition. Wildfire is responsible for the largest number of high vulnerability scores, followed by extreme heat and severe storms. The resilience of these populations and assets can increase through the implementation of adaptation and hazard mitigation goals, policies, implementation programs, and projects, such as those discussed in the 2016 Santa Rosa Local Hazard Mitigation Plan or EcoAdapt’s Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report for Santa Rosa. Adaptation is the adjustment to natural and human systems in response to actual or expected changes in climate conditions to reduce the harmful effects of actual or expected changes.
15 The results of the Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and the reports discussed above can be used to develop General Plan goals, policies, and actions to reduce the critical vulnerabilities and increase resilience throughout the City of Santa Rosa.
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20 APPENDIX A: ABBREVIATIONS AND GLOSSARY
Abbreviations
AB: Assembly Bill
APG: Adaptation Planning Guide
Cal OES: California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services CAL FIRE: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency
GHG: greenhouse gas emissions
IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
LHMP: local hazard mitigation plan
PACE: Property Assessed Clean Energy
PG&E: Pacific Gas and Electric Company
PSPS: Public Safety Power Shutoff
RCP: Representative Concentration Pathway
SB: Senate Bill
Glossary
The Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment uses some terms specific to adaptation planning. The following identifies and defines key terms used throughout the vulnerability assessment. For a more comprehensive list of terms commonly used in adaptation planning, consult the California Adaptation Planning Guide (https://www.caloes.ca.gov/climate
).
List of Terms16
Adaptation: Making changes in response to current or future conditions (such as the increased frequency and intensity of climate-related hazards), usually to reduce harm and to take advantage of new opportunities.17, 18
Adaptive Capacity: The “combination of the strengths, attributes, and resources available to an individual, community, society, or organization that can be used to prepare for and undertake actions to reduce adverse impacts, moderate harm, or exploit beneficial opportunities.” 19 Climate Change: A change in the state of the climate that can be identified by changes in the mean and/or the variability of its properties, and that persists for an extended period, typically decades or longer.
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21 Community Asset: A valued feature of a community that may be harmed by climate change. Community assets may include buildings, infrastructure, community services, ecosystems, and economic drivers. See also “Populations and Assets.”
Drought: A drought is a period of drier than normal conditions that results in water-related problems including, but not limited to, water supply shortages that impact people, agriculture, and ecosystems.
Economic Driver: Economic assets in Santa Rosa, including three agricultural-based sectors, major employment industries, and recreation and tourism on regional, State, and federal lands.
Exposure: The presence of people, infrastructure, natural systems, and economic, cultural, and social resources in areas that are subject to harm.20
Extreme Event: When a weather or climate variable exceeds the upper or lower thresholds of its observed range.21, 22
Extreme Heat: When temperatures rise significantly above normal levels and is measured by the number of extreme heat events per year and heat wave duration. An extreme heat day in Santa Rosa is where temperatures reach at least 98.1 degrees Fahrenheit.
Frontline Population: Those disproportionately affected by climate change. See “Vulnerable Populations.” Hazard: An event or physical condition that has the potential to cause fatalities, injuries, property damage, infrastructure damage, agricultural losses, damage to the environment, interruption of business, or other types of harm or loss.23
Hazard Mitigation: Sustained action taken to reduce or eliminate the long-term risk to human life and property through actions that reduce hazard, exposure, and vulnerability.24 Impact: The effects (especially the negative effects) of a hazard or other conditions associated with climate change.
Populations and Assets: Populations and assets are the people, infrastructure, services, and economic drivers in the City of Santa Rosa that can be affected by climate change.
Resilience: The capacity of any entity—an individual, a community, an organization, or a natural system— to prepare for disruptions, to recover from shocks and stresses, and to adapt and grow from a disruptive experience. Community resilience is the ability of communities to withstand, recover, and to learn from past disasters to strengthen future response and recovery efforts.
Risk: The potential for damage or loss created by the interaction of hazards with assets such as buildings, infrastructure, or natural and cultural resources.
Sensitivity: The level to which a species, natural system, or community, government, etc., would be affected by changing climate conditions.25
Susceptibility: A person or population’s potential for vulnerability due to demographic, socioeconomic, and geolocation characteristics.
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22 Vulnerability: Climate vulnerability describes the degree to which natural, built, and human systems are susceptible “…to harm from exposure to stresses associated with environmental and social change and from the absence of capacity to adapt.”26
Vulnerability Assessment: An analysis of how a changing climate may harm a community and which elements—people, buildings and structures, resources, and other assets—are most vulnerable to its effects based on an assessment of exposure, sensitivity, the potential impact(s), and the community’s adaptive capacity.
Vulnerable Populations: Vulnerable populations include, but are not limited to, elderly, children, agricultural and outdoor workers, and those suffering from pre-existing cardiovascular or respiratory conditions.27, 28
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23 APPENDIX B: CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT RESULTS MATRIX
POPULATIONS AND ASSETS
AGRICULTURE
& ECOSYSTEM
PESTS &
DISEASES
DROUGHT EXTREME
HEAT
HUMAN
HEALTH
HAZARDS
LANDSLIDES SEVERE
WIND
SEVERE
STORMS WILDFIRE
Populations
Children (under 18) - - High Medium Low Medium Medium High Cost-burdened households - Low Medium Medium Medium Low Low Medium Households in poverty - High High High High High High High Immigrant communities Medium Medium High High Medium High High High Linguistically isolated persons - - Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium High Low-income households - Low Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium High Low-resourced ethnic minorities Medium High High High Medium High High High Outdoor workers High High High High Medium High High High Overcrowded households - - Medium High Low Low Low Medium Persons experiencing
homelessness - - High High - High High High
Persons living in mobile homes - - High Low High High Medium High Persons living on single-access
roads Low - - Low High Medium Medium High
Persons with chronic illnesses
and/or disabilities - - High High Medium High Medium High
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24 POPULATIONS AND ASSETS
AGRICULTURE
& ECOSYSTEM
PESTS &
DISEASES
DROUGHT EXTREME
HEAT
HUMAN
HEALTH
HAZARDS
LANDSLIDES SEVERE
WIND
SEVERE
STORMS WILDFIRE
Persons without a high school
degree - - Low Low Low Low Low Medium
Persons without access to
lifelines
- - Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium High
Renters - - Low Low Medium Low Medium Medium
Seniors (65+) - - High High High Medium High High
Seniors living alone - - High High High High High High
Students - - Low Medium Low Low Low Low
Unemployed persons - Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium High Buildings and Infrastructure
Biking and pedestrian trails Medium - - - Low Low Low Medium Bridges - - - - Medium Medium Medium Medium
Communication facilities - - Medium - Low High Low Medium Community centers - - Low - - Medium Low -
Dams - - - - High Low High Low
Electrical transmission
infrastructure
- - High - High High High High
Emergency operation buildings - - Low - - Low Low -
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25 POPULATIONS AND ASSETS
AGRICULTURE
& ECOSYSTEM
PESTS &
DISEASES
DROUGHT EXTREME
HEAT
HUMAN
HEALTH
HAZARDS
LANDSLIDES SEVERE
WIND
SEVERE
STORMS WILDFIRE
Evacuation and cooling
centers - - Low - - Medium Low -
Flood-control infrastructure - - - - - - High -
Government administration
facilities - - Low - - Low Low Medium
Hazardous materials sites - - - - Medium - Medium Medium Homes and residential
structures
- - Medium - High High High High
Libraries - - Low - - Medium Low -
Major roads and highways - - Medium - Low Low Medium High Natural gas pipelines: PG&E - - - - Medium - Low Low
Parks and open space Low High Medium - High Low Low Medium Public safety buildings - - Low - - Medium Low High
Railway - - High - - - High Low
Schools - - Medium - Low Medium Medium Medium
Single-access roads Medium - Low - High High High High
Solid waste facilities - - - - - Low Medium -
Transit facilities - - - - Medium Low Medium Medium
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26 POPULATIONS AND ASSETS
AGRICULTURE
& ECOSYSTEM
PESTS &
DISEASES
DROUGHT EXTREME
HEAT
HUMAN
HEALTH
HAZARDS
LANDSLIDES SEVERE
WIND
SEVERE
STORMS WILDFIRE
Water and wastewater
infrastructure - Low - - Medium - High Medium
Economic Drivers
Agribusiness High High High Medium Medium High High High Education - - - Medium Low - Low High
Healthcare - - Low Medium Low - Low Medium
Major employers, including
Public Administration - - - Low Medium - Low Medium
Outdoor recreation and
tourism
Medium Medium High Medium Low Medium Medium High
Retail trade - - Medium Low Low - Medium Medium
Research, development, and
manufacturing - - - Low Low - Low Low
State and regional parks High High High Medium High Medium Medium High Ecosystems and Natural Resources
Aquatic/Riverine Low High High - High Low High High
Douglas-Fir Forest High High High - Low Low Low High
Grassland Medium Medium Low - Low Low Low Medium
Oak Woodland High Low Low - Medium High Low Low
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27 POPULATIONS AND ASSETS
AGRICULTURE
& ECOSYSTEM
PESTS &
DISEASES
DROUGHT EXTREME
HEAT
HUMAN
HEALTH
HAZARDS
LANDSLIDES SEVERE
WIND
SEVERE
STORMS WILDFIRE
Riparian Woodland Medium Medium Medium - Medium Medium Medium Medium Wetlands Low High High - - Medium Medium Medium
Key Services
Communication services Low - Low - Low Medium Low Medium Emergency medical response Low - Medium High Medium Low Medium High Energy delivery Medium Low High - High High Medium High Government administration
and community services - - Low Low Low Low Low Low
Public safety response Medium - Low Medium Medium Medium Medium High Public transit access Low - Medium Low Medium High High High Solid waste removal Medium - Medium Low Medium Medium Low Medium Water and wastewater - High Low - High Low High High
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28 ENDNOTES
1 PG&E. 2006. The Pacific Energy Center’s Guide to California Climate Zones. https://www.pge.com/includes/docs/pdfs/about/edusafety/training/pec/toolbox/arch/climate/california_climate_z ones_01-16.pdf.
2 Public Health Alliance of California (PHAC). 2018. "The California Healthy Placed Index." https://map.healthyplacesindex.org/.
3 Applied Survey Research. 2020. Sonoma County Homeless Census Comprehensive Report. file:///C:/Users/jprotsman/Downloads/2020_Sonoma_County_Homeless_Census_Comprehensive_Report.pdf . 4 Roos, Michelle. (E4 Strategic Solutions). 2018. Climate Justice Summary Report. California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment. Publication number: SUM-CCCA4-2018-012.
5 Schuster, Robert. 2006. Interaction of Dams and Landslides—Case Studies and Mitigation. https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/2006/1723/pdf/P1723_508.pdf.
6 EcoAdapt. 2021. Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation Report for Santa Rosa. 7 FEMA. 2018. FEMA Flood Zones (Map Service).
https://tpc.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=6a010cc179554536ac70a9637db8f245 8 Loose EL, Hilberg LE, Reynier WA, Kershner JM. 2019. Rivers, Streams, and Floodplains: Northern California Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Synthesis. Version 1.0. EcoAdapt, Bainbridge Island, WA. 9 EcoAdapt. 2020. Climate change vulnerability assessment for the Northern California Climate Adaptation Project. http://ecoadapt.org/programs/adaptation-consultations/norcal/products. 10 Grantham. Teodore (University of California, Berkeley). 2018. North Coast Summary Report. California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment. Publication number: SUM-CCC4A-2018-001. 11 EcoAdapt. 2020. Climate change vulnerability assessment for the Northern California Climate Adaptation Project. http://ecoadapt.org/programs/adaptation-consultations/norcal/products. 12 Sims, SA, Hilberg LE, Reynier WA, Kershner JM. 2019. Wet Meadows and Fens: Northern California Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Synthesis. Version 1.0. EcoAdapt, Bainbridge Island, WA. 13 Sims, SA, Hilberg LE, Reynier WA, Kershner JM. 2019. Wet Meadows and Fens: Northern California Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Synthesis. Version 1.0. EcoAdapt, Bainbridge Island, WA. 14 Siler-Gonzales, Marco. 2020, September. “Wildfire Smoke Decreases California Solar Energy Output”. Accessed May 27, 2021 at https://www.kqed.org/news/11837543/wildfire-smoke-decreases-california-solar-energy-output. 15 California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). 2020. California Adaptation Planning Guide. https://www.caloes.ca.gov/climate.
16 California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, “California Adaptation Planning Guide”, 2020. 17 Louise Bedsworth, Dan Cayan, Guido Franco, Leah Fisher, Sonya Ziaja, “Statewide Summary Report,” in California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment, publication number: SUMCCCA4-2018-013, 2018. 18 California Natural Resource Agency, Safeguarding California Plan: 2018 Update: California’s Climate Adaptation Strategy, 2018, http://resources.ca.gov/docs/climate/safeguarding/update2018/safeguarding-california-plan-2018- update.pdf.
19 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, “Annex II: Glossary,” ed. K. J. Mach, S. Planton, and C. von Stechow, in Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report, ed. Core Writing Team, R. K. Pachauri, and L. A. Meyer (Geneva, Switzerland: IPCC, 2014), p. 117–130, https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/syr/. 20 Louise Bedsworth, Dan Cayan, Guido Franco, Leah Fisher, Sonya Ziaja, “Statewide Summary Report,” in California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment, publication number: SUMCCCA4-2018-013, 2018. 21 California Natural Resource Agency, Safeguarding California Plan: 2018 Update: California’s Climate Adaptation Strategy, 2018, p. 231.
22 International Panel on Climate Change, “Glossary of Terms,” in Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation, special report of Working Groups I and II of the IPCC, ed. C. B.
Field et al. (Cambridge, UK, and New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012), p. 555–564, https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/03/SREX_Full_Report-1.pdf.
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29 23 California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, California State Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2018, https://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/hazard-mitigation/hazard-mitigation-planning/state-hazard-mitigation- plan.
24 California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, California State Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2018. 25 California Natural Resource Agency, Safeguarding California Plan: 2018 Update: California’s Climate Adaptation Strategy, 2018, p. 231.
26 Neil Adger, “Vulnerability,” Global Environmental Change 16 (2006): 268–281, https://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/~nabo/meetings/glthec/materials/simpson/GEC_sdarticle2.pdf . 27 California Natural Resource Agency, Safeguarding California Plan: 2018 Update: California’s Climate Adaptation Strategy, 2018, p. 231, http://resources.ca.gov/docs/climate/safeguarding/update2018/safeguarding -california- plan-2018-update.pdf.
28 California Health and Safety Code, Division 112, Part 1, Chapter 1, “Organization of the State Department of Public Health,” Section 131019.5.