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1 Chapter 1. Introduction
• Page 1-10, Additions to Table 1-1:
Government Code
Section 65302,
subdivision (g)(5)
Upon the next revision of the housing element on or
after January 1, 2020, requires the safety element to be reviewed and updated as necessary to identify
residential developments in any hazard area identified in the safety element that do not have at least two
emergency evacuation routes. (SB 99)
Safety, Climate
Resilience, Noise, and
Public Services and
Facilities
Government Code
Section 65302.15
Upon the next revision of a local hazard mitigation plan, adopted in accordance with the federal Disaster
Mitigation Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-390), on or after January 1, 2022, requires review and updates as
necessary to identify evacuation routes and their
capacity, safety, and viability, and evacuation locations under a range of emergency scenarios. A county or city
that has adopted a local hazard mitigation plan,
emergency operations plan, or other document that
fulfills commensurate goals and objectives, may use that information in the safety element to comply with this
section, and in that event, shall summarize and
incorporate into the safety element that other plan or
document. (AB 747 and AB 1409)
Safety, Climate
Resilience, Noise, and
Public Services and
Facilities
Government Code
65915
Allows projects that meet the State’s 50 percent density bonus provisions to qualify for an additional 50 percent density bonus (AB 1287)
Land Use and
Economic
Development
• Page 1-11, Tribal Acknowledgement: The City of Santa Rosa recognizes that we live in the ancestral area of the Coast Miwok, Southern Pomo, and Wappo, who are the original stewards of this region. Santa Rosa specifically is on the ancestral lands of Coast Miwok and Southern Pomo Tribal groups. These two groups now make up the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, whose territory includes what is now Santa Rosa. We respectfully acknowledge the Indigenous peoples and Southern Pomo Tribes: Indigenous peoples and Southern Pomo tribes. Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, Dry Creek Rancheria, Lytton Rancheria, Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of Stewarts Point Rancheria, and Cloverdale Rancheria. SixThese Five federally recognized tribes in Sonoma County have been stewarding and maintaining relationships 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 T tribes as part of the United States American history.
Exhibit B
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2 • Page 1-11, Paragraph 2: Indigenous and Tribal people are not just in our histories. We strive to empower Indigenous and T tribal voices to share their own history, so as to not perpetuate another form of being silenced. While recognizing the past, we honor the resiliency of Indigenous people and California American Native Tribes still in their ancestral territories in relationship with their land and culture. (Tribal Consultation)
• Page 1-11, History and Setting: Native Americans have lived in this place known now as Santa Rosa for thousands of years prior to the arrival of Europeans. Their histories speak to the creation of this place, including the surrounding mountains, valleys, creeks and lakes. Their sacred sites and tribal cultural resources still exist in this place today, despite the modern landscape. Before arrival of the Europeans, the Santa Rosa Plain was home to a rich history of Native American heritage.
Archeologists 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 Trione- 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 Dona Maria Carrillo and family, who constructed the Carrillo Adobe near the banks of Santa Rosa Creek mother in law of General Vallejo, and aunt of the Mexican Governor Io 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. (Tribal Consultation)
• Page 1-18, Plan Process:
o 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. Engagement for the Draft General Plan included five informational pop-up events; three open-house events, including two in-person and one virtual; and a web-based survey with the same information and questions as the open house events. Among community input received, was support for General Plan policies increasing active transportation opportunities, environmental justice, fire safety, and local economic development, while favoring policies that are focused more on eliminating barriers to such outcomes rather than regulating local activities. Those community comments informed the final revisions to this General Plan document. revisions in the updated Public Review Draft General Plan, released in October 2024. The updated Plan was circulated for public review and comment with the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) (Phase 6). Comments received in response to both the updated Plan and the DEIR informed revisions are reflected in this final General Plan document. (City staff) o Phase 6: Environmental Analysis. All general plans in California are subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act and must analyze Santa Rosa General Plan and
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3 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]. The City prepared an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to evaluate the environmental impact of the General Plan. The Draft EIR was released for public review in October 2024. The City addressed comments received on the Draft EIR and then published the Final EIR. (City staff) o 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] All phases of the General Plan Update process involved public review and engagement with the community. In 2025, the General Plan and Final EIR were received by the City Planning Commission and City Council in public hearings where community members had the opportunity to provide comment prior to their adoption by City Council. (City staff)
• Page 1-18, Housing Element Development: The adopted and certified Housing element, as amended, is included as Chapter 7 of the General Plan. (City staff)
• Page 1-26, Third Sentence: The most recent Santa Rosa Housing Element, which was adopted in February 2023 and amended in March 2025, covers the period through 2031. (City staff)
• Page 1-35, Paragraph 2: Some policies and actions serve to mitigate environmental impacts as evaluated in the General Plan EIR. These policies and actions use the word “shall” to ensure they are implemented as part of subsequent projects, and are denoted with an asterisk (*) “(EIR)”. (City staff)
• Page 1-36, Paragraph 3: The Sonoma County Multi-jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan which serves as the City’s Local Hazard Mitigation Plan was adopted in January 2017 December 2021.(City Staff)
Chapter 2. Land Use and Economic Development
• Page 2-2, Paragraph 4: The goals in this chapter reflect Santa Rosa’s priorities and implement the community’s vision for the future, detailed in Chapter 1, Introduction. These goals, associated policies, and actions especially support the following statements from ideals of the Santa Rosa Vision (shown in full in Chapter 1, Introduction): Santa Rosa is Just, Sheltered, and Successful. o 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. o 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. With Santa Rosa General Plan and
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4 a goal to avoid a concentration of low-income housing and services in any one area of the city.
o 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, 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. (PC)
• Page 2-5 (Final Paragraph) and 2-6 (First Paragraph): The Areas of Change are diverse, including downtown Santa Rosa which is planned to intensify with new residential and commercial uses, including entertainment uses. (City staff)
• Page 2-15, Figure 2-5, Areas of Change: Revise Area of Change 10 to read “Montecito” and Area of Change 11 to read “Flamingo”.
• Page 2-22, Modifications to Table 2-1
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 –
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5 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
Mobile Home
Parks
Mobile Home Park
(MH) 4.0–18.0 10.0 –
Mixed Use
Transit Village
Medium
Transit Village-
Residential (TV-R) 25.0–40.0 – 300
Transit Village
Mixed Use
Transit Village-
Mixed
(TV-M)
40.0 minimum – 300
Core Mixed Use Core Mixed Use
(CMU) – – –
Station Mixed Use Station Mixed Use
(SMU) – – –
Maker Mixed Use Maker Mixed Use
(MMU) – –
Neighborhood
Mixed Use
Neighborhood
Mixed Use (NMU) 25.0–40.0 -- --
Commercial
General
Commercial (CG)
– –
300
Retail and Business
Services
Community
Shopping Center
Neighborhood
Shopping Center
– –
Office Office Commercial
(OC) – – 250
Industrial
Business Park
Business Park (BP) – – 350
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6 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
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 – – –
Agriculture Rural Residential
(RR) 0.05 maximum – –
Notes: In accordance with State law, density bonuses are granted for provision of affordable housing, senior housing, housing for foster youth, disabled veterans, people who are unhoused, and students.
These density bonuses are 50% greater than maximum city-wide and, by the City’s Supplemental Bonus Ordinance, up to 100% greater than the maximum in the Downtown Station Area and North Station Specific Plan areas. Government Code 65915 allows projects that meet the State’s 50% density bonus provisions to qualify for an additional 50 % density bonus. Government Code Section 65915 also provides incentives to build housing for middle-income residents, allowing additional bonuses of up to 50% (not to exceed a combined density bonus of 100% per project).
(City staff, public comment)
• Action 2-1.2: Work with developers to ensure new and redevelopment respects align with the integrity and character of surrounding uses, especially when nonresidential uses are proposed adjacent to residential areas. Consider use of appropriate buffers, landscaping, and other types of screening to minimize noise, light, glare, and odor . (City staff)
• Action 2-1.3: Support creative integration of parks, civic spaces, art, and recreation facilities in public and private development. (City staff)
• 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., Establish Santa Rosa General Plan and
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7 development prioritieszing for Equity Priority Areas and Areas of Change where these spaces provide vital resources for vulnerable populations and Areas of Change where these spaces and support placemaking for neighborhoods that are becoming more complete, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. (City staff)
• Action 2-1.6: Require a Rely upon appropriate fiscal impact and marketing analysis for proposed annexations when determined necessary by staff to ensure a full accounting of infrastructure and public service costs and confirm whether revenue enhancement mechanisms are necessary to ensure net fiscal balance. (City staff)
• Action 2-1.9: Continue to meet with County of Sonoma staff to coordinate land use and economic development issues of mutual concern in the Urban Growth Boundary. (City staff)
• Action 2-1.10: Consider Pursue 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, but are not limited to, live-work units, artisan studios/shops, galleries, brew pubs, coffee shops, tasting rooms, sports and entertainment venues, and event spaces. (City staff)
• Action 2-1.12: Maintain sufficient land in areas zoned for industrial uses to accommodate a wide range of community member needs, including production, distribution, warehousing, and repair- oriented light industrial uses, including research and development, manufacturing, and food processing. (City staff)
• Action 2-2.1: Work with landowners and developers to encourage development that will increase access to goods and services that support daily life, such as access to fresh produce, recreation and sporting opportunities, community gathering places, active transportation infrastructure, and transit, especially in Equity Priority Areas and Areas of Change. (PC)
• Action 2-2.2: Explore ways to encourage regional and neighborhood shopping centers to integrate amenities, events, and programming for regional and neighborhood shopping centers that enhance the destination and its attractiveness as a shopping location and community gathering space. (City staff)
• Action 2-2.3: Explore ways Make recommendations to support farmers’ markets citywide. (City staff)
• Action 2-2.5: Explore ways to encourage development in Areas of Change and Equity Priority Areas that include services within one-half mile walking and biking distance of residential neighborhoods. (PC)
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8 • Action 2-2.6: Explore ways to eEncourage and incentivize shared parking areas and shared driveways/vehicle access points in private development. (City staff)
• Action 2-3.1: Update the Zoning Code to permit residential and mixed-use development by right in some nonresidential zoning districts, as mandated by State law. (City staff)
• Action 2-3.2: Identify Work to reduce barriers and/or create incentives to for mixed-use redevelopment in areas that are currently lacking components of a complete neighborhood and mitigate/implement these. (City staff)
• Action 2-4.2: Work with developers and landowners to encourage development of mixed-use projects with residential and retail/office non-residential uses to provide area amenities, including gathering places, art, and outdoor spaces, that can be used by the public. (City staff)
• Action 2-4.3: Create environments with safe, connected streets, sidewalks, and bicycle facilities, that include shade trees, and to establish a pleasant streetscape. (City staff)
• Action 2-5.1: Develop, maintain, and implement an Economic Development Strategyic and Implementation Plan to lay a foundation for economic vitality throughout Santa Rosa. (City staff)
• Action 2-5.2: Ensure alignment between the General Plan, Zoning Code, and all City policies, procedures, plans, and strategies, are in alignmentincluding the Economic Development Strategy and Implementation Plan. to support new development and global business values (e.g., productivity, speed-to- market, flexibility, and innovation). (City staff)
• Action 2-5.3: Develop Support and strengthen the entrepreneurship ecosystems and create pathways to successful small business ownership. (City staff)
• Action 2-5.4: Identify new program options and policies to allow and support small businesses including micro-entrepreneurship and home businesses. (City staff)
• Action 2-5.5: Strengthen and support partnerships with workforce, educational organizations and business associations organizations to align business, land, and workforce development needs. (City staff)
• Action 2-5.6: Maintain and expand industrial zoned land close to established transportation corridors, including Highway 101, State Route 12, and the SMART rail line, and focusing on areas away from minimizing impacts of growth on sensitive receptors. (City staff)
• Action 2-5.7: Identify, support and prepare land for expanded industrial and commercial growthdevelopment and redevelopment opportunities. (City staff)
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9 • Action 2-5.8: Continue to pPromote Santa Rosa as the North Bay’s premier location for clean/green technologies and innovative and entrepreneurial businesses that create new products and business models such as clean or green technologies and which attract national and international interest. (City staff)
• Action 2-5.9: Work with Santa Rosa Junior College, Sonoma State University, and private educators to provide support job training that matches local job opportunities, including housing construction. (City staff)
• Action 2-5.10: Meet with business owners from Equity Priority Populations (as defined on page 2- 6), immigrant-; Black-, indigenous, and people of color- (BIPOC); and women-owned businesses, to identify barriers to success and to build pathways for assistance and support. (City staff)
• Action 2-5.11: Maintain and disseminate rResources and one stop shop services directing new and existing smaller businesses toward training, financial assistance, and other supportive business liaising services. (City staff)
• New Action under Policy 2-5.1: Promote Santa Rosa as the North Bay’s premier location for tourism, sports, and entertainment. (City staff)
• Action 2-6.1: Expand the Downtown Asset Strategy to activate City-owned property for economic development purposes with an emphasis on which result in sustainable and walkable neighborhoods. (City staff)
• Action 2-6.2: Establish public infrastructure finance mechanisms such as an Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts to support economic indevelopment in Downtown Santa Rosa. (City staff)
• Action 2-6.3: Consider Explore and implement necessary amendments toing the Zoning Code where needed to align with economic strategies and to create flexibility for development, redevelopment, and to fill vacant spaces. (City staff)
• Action 2-6.4: Conduct gap analyses, leakage studies, and a downtown infill housing economic and fiscal impact study to understand the current state of the downtown economyics. (City staff)
• Action 2-6.5: Support development of sports and entertainment (including health and wellness) as an economic driver to bolster tourism and update the Zoning Code to allow these uses more broadly throughout all areas of the city. (City staff)
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10 • Action 2-6.6: Work with property owners, the business community, and others to support efforts to attract or expand development, redevelopment, and new businesses opportunities in vacant or underutilized business parks, and office, retail, industrial, and commercial space. (City staff)
• Action 2-6.7: Support community events and activities through policy development, direct programming, and grant funding support. (City staff)
• Action 2-6.8: Update and Implement the Public Art Program Strategic Plan. (City staff)
• Action 2-6.9: Support diversity, equity, and inclusion through all economic, planning, and development actions and allow for flexibility in programs and implementation to adapt to unexpected economic conditions. (City staff)
• Action 2-7.1: Increase economic opportunity through upstream investment, including advancement of programs which impact workers such as childcare programs and pilot programs addressing childhood poverty. (City staff)
• Action 2-7.2: Identify and capitalize on funding opportunities to extend upstream investment, workforce, and supply chain pilot programs—such as childcare and façade improvement programs—or develop new ones. (City staff)
• Action 2-7.3: Work to attract new and strengthen existing 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. (City staff)
• Action 2-7.4: Support the diverse needs of all of the seven City Council districts by coordinating regular annual district-based surveys to solicit community input from all Santa Rosa districts. (City staff)
• Action 2-8.1: SupportProvide a range of business and commercial services that are easily accessible and attractive, and which satisfy the needs of people who live and work in Santa Rosa and attract a regional clientele. (City staff)
• Action 2-8.2: Work with developers and landowners to direct region- serving, high-volume retail outlets to locations within one-quarter mile of Highway 101 to that minimize traffic and parking congestion on city streets. (City staff)
• Action 2-8.4: Require any proposal to change industrial-designated land to an alternate land use to provide include a market analysis that documents supports the need for such a change, Santa Rosa General Plan and
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11 assesses the potential impacts to the city’s industrial land inventory citywide, and which potentialdocuments potential mitigation. (City staff)
• Action 2-9.1: Promote initiatives to provide work opportunities for underserved or disadvantaged populations including high-risk youth and young adults in Santa Rosa. (City staff)
• Action 2-9.3: Update theExplore Zoning Code amendments to allow for small scale and community led development, including micro-entrepreneurial uses in residential zones, as appropriate. (City staff)
• Action 2-9.4: Require industrial developments adjacent to residential areas to provide appropriate mitigation such as buffers, and institute setbacks, landscaping, and screening requirements intended to minimize noise, light, glare, and other impacts. (City staff)
Chapter 3. Circulation, Open Space, Conservation, and Greenhouse Gas Reduction • Page 3-3, Paragraph 1: The Vision for Santa Rosa, detailed in Chapter 1, Introduction, is the foundation for the goals in this chapter and their associated policies and actions, which are especially pertinent to realizing the following aspects of the Vision: Santa Rosa is Connected and Sustainable., especially these two statements from the Vision:
o 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. o 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. (PC)
• *Action 3-1.1: For all projects with the potential to increase VMT based on the City’s VMT screening criteria, the City shallRrequire a qualified transportation engineer to prepare an analysis of projected VMT and mitigation, as necessary, as part of the project review process for projects with the potential to increase VMT consistent with the City’s VMT guidelines, as subsequently revised, supplemented, or replaced. (City staff)
• Policy 3-3.2: Bolster outreach, marketing, and education about non-automobile modes of transportation especially. Outreach should give priority to marketing efforts in pay for Equity Priority Areas and Priority Development Areas. (City staff)
• Action 3-3.14: Require new development to provide transit improvements where needed, including:
o Direct, paved pedestrian access to transit stops.
o Bus turnouts and weather-protected shelters.
o Bus-ready travel lanes. (City staff)
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12 • Action 3-4.1: Require traffic studies, consistent with the City’s Guidance for the Preparation of Traffic Operation Analysis, for development projects that may have a substantial impact on the circulation system and use traffic study findings to discuss improvements that would also support active public transportation. (City staff)
• Page 3-28, paragraph 3: 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 residential and agricultural burning, and reformulated consumer products. (City staff)
• Policy 3-5.3: Conserve and protect creeks, wetlands, vernal pools, wildlife ecosystems, rare plant habitats, and waterways from development. (City staff)
• *Action 3-5.7: The City shall Ccontinue to consult with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) 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 protected and sensitive populations of plants and animals currently found in the UGB. Strategies shall be based on federal, State, and local regulations relevant to the protection of the identified species, including, but not limited to, Federal or California Endangered Species Act, Santa Rosa Plain Conservation Strategy, and United States Fish and Wildlife Service Programmatic Biological Opinion, as subsequently revised, supplemented, or replaced. (DEIR)
• *Action 3-5.10: The City shall Ccontinue to require the implementation of existing regulations and procedures, including subdivision guidelines, zoning, design review, and environmental law, to conserve prior to, during, and after project approval and construction for projects that may affect wetlands and rare plants, riparian habitat and other sensitive natural communities, and essential habitat for special-status species to ensure their conservation. Existing regulations and procedures include, but are not limited to, Federal and California Endangered Species Act; CDFW 2018 Protocols for Surveying and Evaluating Impacts to Special-Status Native Plant Populations and Sensitive Natural Communities; Santa Rosa Plain Conservation Strategy; United States Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) Service Programmatic Biological Opinion; CDFW 2012 Staff Report on Burrowing Owl Mitigation; 2012 USFWS Protocol for Surveying Proposed Management Activities That May Impact Northern Spotted Owls; 2020 Estimating the Effects of Auditory and Visual Disturbance to Northern Spotted Owls and Marbled Murrelets in Northwestern California; Fish and Game Code Section 1600 et seq; Clean Water Act; and Porter Cologne Water Quality Control Act, as subsequently revised, supplemented, or replaced. (DEIR)
• *Action 3-5.11: The City shall Rrequire a qualified biologist to prepare a biological resource assessment (BRA) as part of project approval for proposed development on sites that may support or have the potential to affect special-status species, sensitive natural communities, important wildlife corridors, or regulated wetlands and waters to identify potential impacts and measures Santa Rosa General Plan and
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13 for protecting the resource and surrounding habitat prior to, during, and after project construction. The BRA shall be prepared to address conformance with all applicable federal, State, and local regulations and protocols, including, but not limited to, those listed in Action 3-5.10, as subsequently revised, supplemented, or replaced. (DEIR)
• *Action 3-5.12: The City shall Rrequire that construction or other ground-disturbing activities that may affect bird nests or nesting habitat avoid nests of native birds when the nest is in active use by implementing protection measures specified by a qualified ornithologist or biologist to ensure compliance with the California Fish and Game Code and federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Compliance guidelines are detailed in the General Plan Environmental Impact Report. If demolition, construction, ground-disturbing, or tree removal/pruning activities occur during the nesting season (February 1 and August 31), preconstruction surveys shall be conducted by a qualified ornithologist or biologist and approved by the City prior to issuance of building permits.
Preconstruction surveys are not required for construction, ground-disturbing, or tree removal/pruning activities outside the nesting season. (DEIR)
• *Action 3-5.13: The City shall Ddevelop and adopt a bird-safe design ordinance in consultation with a qualified biologist and require projects to demonstrate compliance with the ordinance prior to project approval. The ordinance shall apply to all new development and redevelopment projects and include the latest bird-safe design guidelines and best management practice strategies, such as those from the National Audubon Society, to provide specific criteria and refined guidelines as part of design review and/or project approval process of new buildings and taller structures to protect birds from injury and mortality from collisions with buildings, towers, and other human-made structures. Preserve and restore wildlife habitats and corridors. Continue to provide some protection for habitat areas in the city, such as for the rookery on West 9th Street. Prior to adoption of the bird-safe design ordinance, project applicants shall show compliance with bird-safe design requirements, consistent with best practices. (DEIR)
• *Action 3-5.19: The City shall Rrequire new development along channelized waterways to establish an ecological buffer zone between the waterway and development that also provides opportunities for shared use paths and recreation multiuse trails and recreation, consistent with the Santa Rosa Citywide Creek Master Plan and concept plans that have been developed for specific reaches of the creek network, as subsequently revised, supplemented, or replaced. (City staff)
• *Action 3-5.20: The City shall Rrequire new development to maintain an adequate setback from channelized waterways to recognize the 100-year flood elevation, with setbacks in the Creekside Development Standards in the Zoning Code as minimums and larger setbacks encouraged in accordance with Restoration Concept Plans, as subsequently revised, supplemented, or replaced, to meet restoration and enhancement goals. (City staff)
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14 • *Action 3-6.31: The City shall Rrequire projects that exceed the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMDAir District) screening sizes to evaluate project-specific operation and construction emissions in conformance with the BAAQMD Air District methodology and if operation or construction-related criteria air pollutants exceed the BAAQMD Air District thresholds of significance, require the project applicant to mitigate the impacts to an acceptable level, consistent with the BAAQMD Air District Guidelines, as subsequently revised, supplemented, or replaced. (City Staff)
• *Action 3-6.32: The City shall Ccontinue to implement the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) Air District Basic Control Measures included in the latest version of BAAQMD Air District’s California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Air Quality Guidelines, as subsequently revised, supplemented, or replaced, to control fugitive dust (i.e., particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10) during demolition, ground-disturbing activities, and/or construction. (City Staff)
• Page 3-37, First Paragraph: Like the previous Community 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. (City staff)
• Page 3-37, Final Paragraph: The GHG Reduction Strategy developed with this General Plan (Appendix A) proposes measures and actions to achieve minimum GHG reduction targets for 2030 and 2045. (City staff)
Chapter 4. Urban Design, Cultural and Tribal Cultural Resources, Historic Preservation, and Art and Culture • Page 4-3, Paragraph 1: This chapter focuses on key goals that work to implement the vision for Santa Rosa, detailed in Chapter 1, Introduction. These goals and their associated policies and actions are especially pertinent to supporting the following focus component of the Vision Statement (shown in full in Chapter 1, Introduction): Santa Rosa is Cultural. o 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. (PC)
• Action 4-1.8: Work with property owners, prioritizing those in Equity Priority Areas, 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 between the nodes. (PC)
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15 • Action 4-1.9: Provide new open space opportunities, including creek corridors, bicycle and pedestrian connections, and civic spaces, throughout the city, especially in Equity Priority Areas and other neighborhoods that have less access to open spaces. (PC)
• Page 4-9, first paragraph following Action 4-1.10: Native American Heritage The City of Santa Rosa recognizes that we live in the ancestral area of the Coast Miwok, Southern Pomo and Wappo, who are the original stewards of this region. Santa Rosa specifically is on the ancestral lands of the Coast Miwok, Southern Pomo Tribal groups that now make up the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, whose territory includes what is now Santa Rosa. 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, and 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 tribal cultural resources.
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 culturally rich nature of the Santa Rosa area, and the fact that about half the Planning Area has not been surveyed for tribal cultural resources, there is a high potential for finding more sites, features, places, cultural landscapes, sacred places, and objects with cultural value to Native American tribes in Santa Rosa. The City conducts consultations with the federally recognized tribes in Sonoma County related to proposed policy and development projects to ensure significant resources are protected. (Tribal Consultation)
• Policy 4-2.1: Protect tribal Native American heritage, honor the early stewards of this land, and treat Native American remains and resources with sensitivity. (Tribal Consultation)
• *Action 4-2.1: The City shall Ccontinue to review proposed developments in accordance with federal and State laws and utilize conjunction with the California Historical Resources Information System, Northwest Information Center, at Sonoma State University as a resource to determine whether project areas contain known subsurface archaeological resources, both prehistoric and/or historic-era, and tribal cultural resources, or if they have the potential to hold such resources. (Tribal Consultation)
• *Action 4-2.2: The City shall Wwork in good faith with local tribes and archaeologists interested communities to evaluate proposed development sites for the presence of subsurface historic archaeological resources, both prehistoric and/or historic era, and tribal cultural resources. These efforts may include:
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16 o Consideration of existing reports and studies.
o Consultation with Native American tribes as required by State law, o Appropriate site-specific investigative actions.
o On-site monitoring during excavation, if appropriate. o Work with local tribes to develop and apply tribal protection policies related to tribal cultural resources. (Tribal Consultation)
• *Action 4-2.3: The City shall Ccontinue to require that project areas found to contain significant subsurface archaeological resources, both prehistoric and/or historic-era, and tribal cultural resources be examined by a qualified consulting archaeologist with recommendations for protection and preservation, developed in collaboration with local Native American tribes and appropriate tribal monitors, as necessary. Recommendations shall meet the standards of the National Historic Preservation Act, Native American Historic Resource Protection Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and/or California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and applicable Santa Rosa planning guidelines, policies, and procedures to protect the resource. (Tribal Consultation)
• Policy 4-2.2: ContactCollaborate with the most likely descendants, as identified by the Native American Heritage Commission (NAHC) to identify tribes that are traditionally and culturally affiliated with the geographic area of the proposed project. (Tribal Consultation)
• *Action 4-2.4: During ground disturbance for development projects, Iif tribal cultural resources are encountered during development, halt work shall be halted 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 tribal cultural resources—which may include sites, features, places, cultural and other landscapes, sacred places, objects, animals, structures, landscapes, or plants with cultural value to the tribe(s) —and determined suitable mitigation measures. If human remains are inadvertently discovered, the County coroner shall be notified immediately. If the coroner determines that the remains are those of a Native American, the coroner must contact the NAHC by phone within 24 hours of making that determination (Health and Safety Code § 7050[c]). The City and the professional archaeologist shall contact the Most Likely Descendent, as determined by the NAHC, regarding the remains. (Tribal Consultation)
• *Action 4-3.2: For projects with known or the potential to have historic structures, the City shall require the project to Ffollow the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Preservation, Rehabilitation, Restoration and Reconstruction for the treatment of historic properties and the California Historical Building Code. (Tribal Consultation)
• Action 4-3.6: Identify and minimize or remove obstacles for owners of historic properties to support preservation, including guides for repurposing facilities. Identify resources to:
o Keep cultural surveys relevant.
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17 o Periodically update the City’s Cultural Heritage Survey to ensure consistency with current guidelines and best practices, to reflect potential changes in status, and to include properties that have become age-eligible for listing.
o Conduct cultural and/or historic inventories or surveys of areas of the city that have not been surveyed.
o Install plaques and/or educational signage, in consultation with the Historical Society of Santa Rosa and tribes, at locations of cultural significance and significant events. o Implement recommendations in the City’s Cultural Heritage studies. o Partner with 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.
o Work with local schools, and historic organizations, and local tribes to engage and interest residents of all ages in Santa Rosa’s prehistory, history, and historic sites, structures, and neighborhoods, and tribal cultural resources. (Tribal Consultation)
• Action 4-3.10: Ensure that non-confidential historic surveys are available on a dedicated City webpage, easily accessible and promoted online. (Tribal Consultation)
Chapter 5. Safety, Climate Resilience, Noise, and Public Services and Facilities • Page 5-2, Paragraph 6: The Vision for Santa Rosa, as stated in Chapter 1, Introduction, 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: Santa Rosa is Safe, Prepared, and Resilient. o 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.
o 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.
o Resilient: All facets of the community, including housing, infrastructure, and social services are sustainable and resilient to hazards and economic changes. (PC)
• *Policy 5-1.1: Prior to new development approval, where there are known geological hazards as shown on Figures 5-2, 5-3, and 5-4 and current maps from the United States Geological Survey, California Geological Survey, California Department of Water Resources, California Office of Emergency Services, the City shall ensure that Nnew development, redevelopment, and major remodels shall avoid or adequately mitigate seismic and geologic hazards through the preparation of a site-specific geologic study prepared by a California Certified Engineering Geologist and/or Geotechnical Engineer and compliance with identified measures. (DEIR)
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18 • *Action 5-1.1: Prior to new development approval, the City shall ensure site-specific geologic studies and analyses are deemed acceptable by a California Certified Engineering Geologist and/or Geotechnical Engineer for applicable to appropriately mitigate hazardous conditions. (DEIR)
• *Action 5-1.2: The City shall Rrestrict development in areas where adverse impacts conditions 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 . (City staff)
• Action 5-2.13: Identify and collect development impact fees needed to pay for mitigation of stormwater management impacts for of new development. (City staff)
• *Action 5-2.14: The City shall Rrequire 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. (City staff)
• *Action 5-2.15: The City shall Eensure creek-side paths and trails are consistent with the Citywide Creek Master Plan and Active Transportation Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, as subsequently revised, supplemented, or replaced, and are incorporated into stormwater improvement projects along creek corridors. (City staff)
• *Action 5-2.17: The City shall Rrequire implementation of best management practices for all new development to reduce discharges of nonpoint-source pollutants to the storm drain system. (City staff)
• Action 5-3.3: Seek provision of land management plans or alternative methods to fund vegetation management efforts, support defensible space maintenance on private property and create fire breaks, greenbelts, and staging areas in strategic locations in conformance with Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations for all existing and new development. (CAL FIRE)
• Policy 5-3.2: Increase wildfire resiliency using required and voluntary risk reduction regulations and strategies in addition to Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations. (CAL FIRE)
• Action 5-3.4: Adhere to the most current State and local regulations and recommendations for the Community Wildfire Protection Plan that address wildfire risk and vulnerabilities and adopt the latest versions of the fire hazard severity zone maps released by CAL FIRE. (CAL FIRE)
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19 • Action 5-3.6: Continue to require conformance with Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations the California Fire Safe Regulations for existing nonconforming properties in the Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area (WUIFA) (includes the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone). (CAL FIRE)
• *Action 5-3.8: The City shall Rrequire the preparation of fire protection plans for new development and major remodels in the City’s Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and Wildland- Urban Interface Fire Area (WUIFA). Require that fire protection plans be consistent with requirements of the California Fire Code and include a risk analysis, fire response capabilities, fire safety requirements (e.g., defensible space, infrastructure, and building ignition resistance), mitigation measures, design considerations for non-conforming fuel modifications, wildfire education maintenance and limitations, and evacuation plans. (CAL FIRE/City Staff)
• Policy 5-3.3: Promote new development in areas of the community that have lower risk of wildfire hazards (outside of the WUIFA). (CAL FIRE)
• Action 5-3.14: Establish a maintenance and monitoring program to track the effectiveness and long-term financial capabilities of Community Wildfire Protection Plan fuel-treatment activities, such as community fire breaks, and roadway (public/private) clearance. (CAL FIRE)
• Action 5-4.6: Work with landowners and support funding identification and cleanup of identified brownfields sites, prioritizing sites particularly in Equity Priority Areas. (City staff)
• Page 5-34, Emergency Preparedness and Evacuation
• Page 5-35, Paragraph 1: 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. (City staff)
• Page 5-35, Paragraph 2: The City has established designated evacuation zones to facilitate organized and efficient evacuations during large-scale emergencies. Residents can identify their specific zones using the interactive Evacuation Zone Look-Up Tool, enabling them to respond promptly to evacuation orders. Santa Rosa evacuation zones are coordinated with the Sonoma County system, ensuring consistency across the region. Residents can cross-reference their zones using the Sonoma County Evacuation Map, which provides interactive features to look up evacuation status and road closures (Sonoma County Evacuation Zone Map), and the City has developed enhanced evacuation zone and road closure maps. During active wildfires, the City Evacuation Constrained Parcels: parcels of land that are located on single ingress/egress roadways or in locations that require extended travel to access an evacuation route.
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20 coordinates and communicates directly with the Sonoma County Department of Emergency Management, ensuring effective and efficient evacuation throughout the county and city. (CAL FIRE)
• Page 5-35, Paragraph 4: The City is collaborating with Sonoma County on the 2026 MJHMP to assess and enhance evacuation capabilities. This plan will evaluate current strategies, identify infrastructure improvements, and integrate best practices for various evacuation scenarios, including wildfires, earthquakes, and floods. As part of the City’s annex to the MJHMP , Santa Rosa will conduct a detailed evacuation analysis. This study will evaluate current evacuation strategies, identify potential improvements, and integrate best practices to ensure the safety and well-being of the community during emergencies. (CAL FIRE)
• Policy 5-5.2: Ensure all community members and businesses are informed and empowered to address hazard vulnerabilities, including especially those in Equity Priority Populations. (PC)
• *Action 5-5.14: The City shall Rrequire all new development projects to provide adequate access for fire and emergency response personnel. (City staff)
• *Action 5-5.15: The City shall Pprohibit the creation of new single ingress/egress roadway conditions in the city. (City staff)
• *Action 5-5.16: The City shall Rretrofit existing single-access residential neighborhoods to include additional access routes or other provisions to increase evacuation safety. (City staff)
• *Action 5-5.17: The City shall Aanalyze the capacity, viability, and safety of evacuation routes and evacuation locations throughout the city under a range of emergency scenarios for hazard areas in the city (e.g., WUIFA) and incorporate the results, as necessary, into the Safety Element of the General Plan. City’s Emergency Operations Plan. (EIR). This analysis will be completed as part of the City’s Annex to the Sonoma County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan in 2026. (CAL FIRE)
• Action 5-6.5: Continue to build public awareness about extreme weather events through multilingual targeted communications campaigns, focusing on prioritizing Equity Priority Areas and Equity Priority Populations. (City staff)
• *Action 5-7.1: The City shall Ccontinue to require acoustical studies prepared by qualified acoustical consultants in accordance with Municipal Code standards. (City staff)
• *Action 5-7.2: The City shall Uuse the Federal Transit Administration’s construction noise and vibration thresholds as applicable to assess impacts to surrounding land uses and identify Santa Rosa General Plan and
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21 mitigation measures during the project approval process to ensure the threshold is met prior to project approval. (City staff)
• *Action 5-7.3: The City shall Rrequire conditions of approval or mitigation development projects to reduce noise exceeding normally acceptable levels as identified in Figure 5-13, 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. (DEIR)
• *Action 5-7.7: The City shall Wwork with Caltrans to evaluate and develop traffic noise mitigation programs along Highway 101 and State Route 12. (DEIR)
• *Action 5-7.9: Use conditions of approval to achieve The City shall require development projects to implement measures to reduce noise and vibration impacts primarily through site planning, and avoid engineering solutions for noise and vibration mitigation, such as sound walls, if possible. (DEIR)
• *Action 5-7.10: The City shall Uupdate the Noise Ordinance to incorporate construction best management practices (BMP) to minimize construction noise, and require projects to demonstrate compliance with the BMPs prior to project approval. (DEIR)
• Action 5-8.1: Consider an update to the Noise Ordinance to add conditions that would allow for temporary increases in noise in certain locations, such as downtown, mixed-use areas, construction zones, and areas near rail lines, to facilitate and encourage entertainment uses. (City staff)
• Action 5-8.2: Consider an update to the Noise Ordinance to identify noise mitigation measures and other strategies to allow support the establishment, growth, and/or continuation of music, sports, and entertainment venues. Encourage and allow these uses with appropriate noise thresholds. (City staff)
• Action 5-9.11: Continue working with the Santa Rosa Plain Cooperate with the State and Groundwater Sustainability Agencyies to in implementing the Sustainable Groundwater Sustainability Plan and Management Act, achieveing the sustainability goal for the Subbasin, and seeking any available State or federal assistance to support of local groundwater resources management programs. (City staff)
• *Action 5-9.30: The City shall Eevaluate stormwater capture and reuse consistent with goals of the Santa Rosa Citywide Creek Master Plan and the MS4 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to preserve natural conditions of waterways, minimize channelization of creeks, and protect water quality, and identify, educate, and label to promote community awareness that storm drains flow untreated into creeks. (City staff) Santa Rosa General Plan and
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22 Chapter 6. Health, Equity, and Environmental Justice • Page 6-3, Chapter Contents, Paragraph 2: This chapter is organized around key goals intended to implement the community’s vision for Santa Rosa, detailed in Chapter 1, Introduction. These goals and their associated policies and actions are especially pertinent to the following components of the Santa Rosa General Plan 2050 Vision Statement community Vision: Santa Rosa is Just, Inclusive, Healthy, Equitable, Safe, and Educated.
o 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. o Inclusive: Everyone is welcome and actively encouraged to join in neighborhood and citywide decision making, and barriers to participation are identified and eliminated. o Healthy: All neighborhoods have low pollution levels 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. Chapter Contents è Health for All Residents è Food Access and Urban Agriculture è Recreation and Parks è Children and Families 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 access to fresh food, recreation opportunities, community gathering places, active transportation infrastructure, and transit. Some goals, policies, and actions throughout the General Plan prioritize Areas of Change for activities that promote complete neighborhoods. Areas of Change are depicted on Figure 2- 5 and discussed in more detail in Chapter 2, Land Use and Economic Development. o 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.
o 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.
o 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. (PC)
• Goal 6-1: Improve health and well-being for all community members by emphasizing community health in all city policies, programs, actions, and activities. (City staff)
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23 • *Action 6-1.5: As recommended by the California Air Resources Board, the City shall require projects that would result in construction activities within 1,000 feet of residential and other land uses that are sensitive to toxic air contaminants (e.g., hospitals, nursing homes, day care centers), as measured from the property line of the project, to prepare a construction health risk assessment in accordance with policies and procedures of the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMDAir District) California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines that identifies mitigation measures and appropriate enforcement mechanisms capable of reducing potential cancer and non-cancer risks below the BAAQMD Air District threshold. (City staff)
• Page 6-10, Text Box: Health Risk Assessments help determine which potential air quality hazards from development projects are most significant on a community. An HRA estimates the increase in health risks for people living, working, or attending schoolscholl near a development that may be exposed to a development’s emissions of toxic air pollutants. Bay Area Air Quality Management District, 2024 (City staff)
• *Action 6-1.6: The City shall Rrequire an operational health risk assessment for new industrial or warehousing development projects that 1) have the potential to generate 100 or more diesel truck trips per day or have 40 or more trucks with operating diesel-powered transport refrigeration units, and 2) are within 1,000 feet of a sensitive land use or Overburdened Community, as defined by BAAQMD the Air District. The operational HRA shall be prepared in accordance with policies and procedures of the State Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment and BAAQMD the Air District. If the operational HRA shows that the incremental cancer risk exceeds 10 in a million, the noncancer hazard index of 1.0, or the thresholds as determined by BAAQMD the Air District, require the project applicant to identify and demonstrate measures, such as those listed in the General Plan Environmental Impact Report, that can reduce potential cancer and noncancer risks to acceptable levels. (City staff)
• Policy 6-3.1: Ensure meaningful public engagement processes and events that make it possible for everyone—including Equity Priority Populations and in Equity Priority Areas, to participate and influence outcomes. (PC)
• Action 6-3.1: Engage all community members—particularly those living in Equity Priority Areas, low-income populations, and individuals with limited English proficiency—in City planning and decision-making processes by using culturally appropriate and accessible channels. (City staff)
• Action 6-3.2: Use equitable outreach tactics that engage all segments of the community, giving priority to including Equity Priority Populations and those living in Equity Priority Areas, including by:
o Using participatory facilitation techniques.
o Holding meetings in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-compliant locations.
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24 o Hosting pop-up outreach in popular community spaces and at well-publicized events, to reach people where they are already gathered. Holding engagement opportunities in different locations throughout the community at different times of the day and week and use parallel methods such as in-person and online.
o Offering free childcare and food at workshops and other organized events. o Collaborating with local community-based organizations to help plan and conduct outreach. including providing a stipend when feasible.
o Offering free bus passes to those who participate in public outreach events or activities, such as surveys.
o Providing translation services for materials and discussions. (City staff)
• Policy 6-3.3: Empower every resident of Santa Rosa, particularly those in Equity Priority Areas, to participate in local decision making and engage meaningfully in planning efforts. (PC)
• Action 6-3.4: Identify, evaluate, and eliminate existing barriers—such as age, income, and voter registration status—for Santa Rosa residents to serve on and engage with City council, boards, committees, and commissions, prioritizing Equity Priority Populations and residents of Equity Priority Areas and Equity Priority Populations. (PC)
• Action 6-3.11: Establish and continue ongoing relationships with individuals and organizations that represent and work with Equity Priority Areas EPAs to build trust and create reliable channels for community participation and input, including engagement outside of specific projects or policy processes. (City staff)
• Action 6-3.14: Seek opportunities to involve young people throughout the city, giving priority to youth including in Equity Priority areas, to meaningfully and authentically to develop their confidence and leadership skills. (City staff)
• Action 6-5.8: Seek funding for identifying and remediating lead and other environmental hazards for low-income residents of and those living in Equity Priority Areas. (City staff)
• Action 6-6.2: Consider an update to the Zoning Code to allow farmers’ markets in all nonresidential zoning districts by right with standards and where they will not be located on the same parcel as an existing grocery store. (Public Comment)
• Action 6-6.5: Consider streamlining permitting for full-service grocery stores in Healthy Food Priority Areas and Equity Priority Areas underserved areas, as well as areas identified for increased residential development and mixed use. (PC)
• Action 6-6.9: Consider developing Develop an Urban Agriculture Ordinance that includes strategies to increase access to healthy food—particularly in Equity Priority Areas and Healthy Food Priority Areas—and standards for operation and soil mitigation. (Public comment) Santa Rosa General Plan and
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25 • Figure 6-2: Add the following notation: *This information was obtained from the USDA in 2023.
The City acknowledges that it does not reflect the location of every market in the City, and the location of markets will continue to change over time.
• Page 6-23, 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 one-half mile, or a 10-minute walk, by facilitating informal recreation, encouraging social interaction among neighbors, reflecting neighborhood identity, and improving the overall quality of life for residents. Neighborhood Parks are between two and ten acres in size.
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 skate spot, sports court, or a single athletic field.
• Policy 6-7.1: Work to eEnsure adequate funding to keep parks safe, attractive, and responsive to community needs, including funding for park acquisition, planning, capital improvements, lifecycle replacement of amenities, recreating programming, recreation centers, and maintenance operations. (City staff)
• Action 6.7.2: Evaluate park development and maintenance costs periodically. impact fees annually to address projects that meet the Quimby Act guidelines as well as those for projects that do not meet Quimby Act guidelines. Work to ensure sufficient funds for park acquisition, development, and maintenance. from developers. (City staff)
• Action 6-7.3: Use the Parks Condition Assessment and Prioritization Report’s data-driven evaluation of park assets to develop a replacement schedule for park amenities and plan for future budgetary needs. (City staff)
• Action 6-7.6: Develop and maintain a five-year capital improvement plan for acquisition, development and replacement that considers equity by providing opportunities for public input and prioritizing investment in the parks and recreation sites in areas of the city where need is greatest. (City staff)
• Action 6-7.8: When diversion or disposal of parkland is determined to be in the public interest, work to acquire additional parklands to replace those lands, preferably within the same quadrant of the city. (City staff)
• Action 6-7.16: Explore uUpdateing the City Code to require dedication of new parkland or recreation center sites when redevelopment of a developed site results in increased residential densities that create a need for such facilities. (City staff)
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26 • Action 6-7.17: Facilitate equitable, authentic community engagement in recreation and parks planning to identify the needs and priorities of all segments of the community, including individuals in Equity Priority Areas and those unable to attend public meetings. (PC)
• Action 6-7.31: Work to Pprovide continuous maintenance, renovation, and rehabilitation of the City’s parklands to maintain the long-term viability of the parks system and enhance quality of life of all community members. (City staff)
• Action 6-7.45: Engage residents community members, including youth, in communities most affected by crime and violence with planning through prevention-based and place-based strategies/solutions for their neighborhoods to address safety. (City staff)
• Action 6-8.3: Update the Zoning Code to require Encourage new residential development to provide places for childcare and youth-oriented facilities and programs. (City staff)
• Action 6-8.5: Work with Encourage schools to continue and expand the provision of before-and after-school care on or near school sites. (City staff)
• Action 6-8.7: Continue the City’s permitting fee deferral and rebate program for provision of childcare facilities, as feasible. (City staff)
• Action 6-8.9: Work with Encourage local senior groups that serve the elder community to provide input on facilities planning and needs to support seniors. (City staff)
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27 Revisions to GHG Reduction Strategy to Maintain Consistency with the General Plan
Global edit: Replace Bay Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) with Bay Area Air District or Air District as applicable in text. In January 2025, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District rebranded and changed its name to the Bay Area Air District. (List of Abbreviations, pages 3, 8, 12, 50, 53, and 56)
Measure 1 Regulatory Program 1.1:
1.1.1 Implement the City’s General Plan and update the Zoning Code to maximize new development in mixed-use areas and around Transit Emphasis Corridors and Key Transit Hubs, including upzoning vacant and underused parcels in suitable areas, and encourage the establishment of neighborhood-scale services in suitable locations in residential areas, including, but not limited to, implementing the following General Plan Actions:
a. Work with landowners and developers to encourage development that will increase access to goods and services that support daily life, such as access to fresh produce, recreation and sporting opportunities, community gathering places, active transportation infrastructure, and transit, especially in Equity Priority Areas and Areas of Change. (General Plan Action 2-2.1) b. Explore ways to encourage development in Areas of Change and Equity Priority Areas that include services within one-half mile walking and biking distance of residential neighborhoods. (General Plan Action 2-2.5)
c. Explore ways to eEncourage and incentivize shared parking areas and shared driveways / vehicle access points in private development. (General Plan Action 2-2.6) d. Update the Zoning Code to permit residential and mixed-use development by right in some nonresidential zoning districts, as mandated by State law. (General Plan Action 2-3.1) e. Identify Work to reduce barriers and/or create incentives for mixed-use redevelopment in areas that are currently lacking components of a complete neighborhood and mitigate/implement these. (City staff) (General Plan Action 2-3.2) f. No change
g. Work with developers and landowners to direct region- serving, high-volume retail outlets to locations within one-quarter mile of Highway 101 to that minimize traffic and parking congestion on city streets. (General Plan Action 2-8.2) h. Identify new program options and policies to allow and support small businesses including micro-entrepreneurship and home businesses. (General Plan Action 2-5.4)
Measure 2, Regulation Program 2.15
2.15.1 Establish standards that require new development to provide transit improvements, where needed, to meet demand from the project, including, but not limited to:
a. Direct, paved pedestrian access to transit stops.
b. Bus turnouts and weather-protected shelters.
c. Bus-ready travel lanes. (General Plan Action 3-3.14) d. Park-n-rides
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28 e. Real-time information displays
Measure 7, Education, Outreach, and Coordination Program 7.11
7.11.1 Support Bay Area Air Quality Management District enforcement and education activities related to Bay Area Air Quality Management District requirements to replace water and space heaters with zero-NO2 models beginning in 2027. (Air District Name Change) Measure 13, Municipal Program 13.4
13.4 The City shall Eevaluate stormwater capture and reuse consistent with goals of the Santa Rosa Citywide Creek Master Plan and the MS4 National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit to preserve natural conditions of waterways, minimize channelization of creeks, and protect water quality, and identify, educate, and label to promote community awareness that storm drains flow untreated into creeks. (General Plan Action 5-9.30)
Measure 14, Supportive General Plan Policies:
General Plan Policy 3-5.3: Conserve and protect creeks, wetlands, vernal pools, wildlife ecosystems, rare plant habitats, and waterways from development. (General Plan Policy 3-5.3)
Measure 15, Education, Outreach, and Coordination Program 15.2
15.2. Continue to pPromote Santa Rosa as the North Bay’s premier location for clean/green technologies and innovative and entrepreneurial businesses that create new products and business models such as clean or green technologies and which attract national and international interest. (General Plan Action 2-5.8)
Measure 16, Regulatory Program 16.3
16.3. Consider developing Develop an Urban Agriculture Ordinance that includes strategies to increase access to healthy food—particularly in Equity Priority Areas and Healthy Food Priority Areas—and standards for operation and soil mitigation. (Public comment)