From: Rick Coates
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Ative Transportation Plan
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 1:14:59 PM
Attachments: SR Council ATP.doc
Please submit this letter to the record:
Rick Coates
Rick Coates
Executive Director
EcoRing
Promoting
EcoTourism and Green Travel.
It's the Journey not just the Destination!
Please consider the environment before printing this email.
Promoting Ecotourism and Green Travel
P.O. Box 195, Cazadero, CA 95446
www.ecoring.org
July 2, 2025
Santa Rosa Council
[email protected]
Re: Active Transportation Plan
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
EcoRing is a nonprofit organization that promotes ecotourism and green travel in the North Bay.
Our Partners are businesses in the tourism industry in Sonoma, Marin and San Francisco counties. We also advocate for the infrastructure that would allow tourists to travel safely without their automobiles using rail transit and bicycle paths.
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. We hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
It is crucial that we provide safe alternatives for both residents and tourist to travel without their polluting automobiles. The recent car-cyclist collision underscores the need for protected bike lanes.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Executive Director
[email protected] or 707-632-6070
[email protected]
From: JJ Colby
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 3:36:08 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is important to me personally as I opt to cycle wherever I can rather than driving on account of the health and environmental benefits. In regards to
the needs of the community, it seems as though the absence of easily accessible and safe bike paths is a key reason many people are reluctant to use bicycles as a primary mode of transportation.
Thank you for your support,
JJ Colby, just off Chanate
From: Koby M
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 3:36:10 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new active transportation plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
I enjoy biking and walking throughout my neighborhood with my 3 year old son, but unfortunately feel unsafe at times due to unsafe drivers and lack of safe walking and biking infrastructure.
Thank you for your support,
Koby McCauley, Rincon Valley
From: Sally Hale
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Pass and build theATP please
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 3:36:13 PM
Subject: Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because we need to encourage and promote safe bicycling.
Thank you for your vote!
Santa Rosa CA95401
Sally Hale
From: Megan Chapdelaine
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1 - Pass and Build the ATP
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 4:25:27 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers:
I am writing today to express my strong and unwavering support for the new Active Transportation Plan (ATP). As a parent and engaged member of this community, I urge you to not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as rapidly as possible.
This plan is particularly valuable to me because I go on daily walks with my toddler and would like to bike with him too. As it stands now, I do not feel safe to bike ride with my child.
The new ATP protects pedestrians, including myself and my child, and enables us to explore our community without a car. I implore you to pass this measure.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Sincerely,
Megan Chapdelaine
From: Jeff Frost
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 4:46:19 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
As a long time Sonoma County resident and more recent cyclist, I applaud the city and its improvements made to our road infrastructure for active transportation over the last few years.
Through this Active Transportation Plan, we can make Santa Rosa the standard in Sonoma county in terms of encouraging safety, fitness, and community within our ever growing city for Active Transportation.
Thank you for your support,
Jeff Frost, 95401 -> Olive Park
From: Derek Doss
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 5:00:54 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because I believe it is essential to a safe and sustainable future.
Thank you for your support,
Derek O. Doss
Aspen Leaf Ln, 95401
From: Drake Pitts
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Wednesday, July 2, 2025 5:50:27 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
As a Santa Rosa native, I have grown up in the city and lived here for over 30 years. I love riding my bike as an alternative to driving whenever I can. It's a great way to get in some cardio while enjoying the beautiful weather we're blessed with around here.
While Santa Rosa has always had some bike lanes, many roads simply required cyclists to weave unassuredly between parked cars and moving cars alike.
The bike lane improvements made in the last few years have been tremendous. These improvements have
provided not only safety to cyclists but dignity as well, making it much easier for motorists to "share the road".
This plan builds on that success to a huge extent. It would bring Santa Rosa's total of bike facilities to a whopping 250 miles throughout the city! Now that's a win.
Please pass this plan and prioritize its funding. It's a comprehensive upgrade to our transportation infrastructure in the city, and a great use of taxpayer dollars.
Thank you for your support,
Drake Pitts
SRJC Neighborhood
From: Malinda Painter
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Please Pass and Build the ATP! Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025 2:30:06 PM
Mayor Stapp and Council-members,
I am writing today to express my strong support and
encourage your support for the new Active
Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan encourages a network of walking and biking which will lead to a healthier and more connected community. It is important to create infrastructure that overlaps and weaves into the current automobile road network and
does not replicate it to create fewer dangerous
interactions. It is important to a create a network that children and others can safely roll, rock and ride in.
The
recent bike infrastructure improvements have been
excellent and benefited the community. This plan will
help Santa Rosa citizens even more.
The sidewalks within a mile of Binkley elementary, a school that is more than 50 years old, are incomplete (Canyon, Benjamin) and should be made walkable as well as other
schools’ sidewalks.
Thank you for your support to improve Santa Rosa.
—-
Malinda Painter, 95409/Rincon Valley
From: Avery Figueroa
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025 2:46:11 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Council members,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because my family enjoys biking as transportation and this plan is a good start to feeling safer biking and having our children have the independence to bike around our city.
Thank you for your support,
Avery Figueroa, 94505
From: Sierra LaBarge
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP! (please!!!) Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025 3:38:10 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilemembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
This plan is particularly valuable to me because I am a mom of a young child and we bike around Santa Rosa many times a week. We are a one car family and rely on our bikes as transportation. Having safe and protected bike infrastructure will ensure the safety of my child and our family.
Thank you for your support!
Best,
Sierra LaBarge
JC Neighborhood, 95404
From: AL Wellman
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the Active Transportation Plan Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025 8:02:58 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I encourage you to support the new Active Transportation Plan. This plan is essential for meeting Santa Rosa's goal of carbon neutrality by 2030, so I hope you can find construction funding as soon as possible in this time of fiscal austerity.
Albert Wellman PE
Santa Rosa CA 95404
From: Michelle Klimek
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Support bicycle and pedestrian protected trails Date: Friday, July 4, 2025 2:48:56 AM
Moved to California 10 years ago, assuming it was bicycle and pedestrian-friendly due to the amazing weather. My teenage daughter takes the Smart Train to school; unfortunately, I have to drive her to the Smart Train because there is no safe route for her to ride a bicycle. We can no longer afford to continue adding cars to congested roads. We need leaders who are not afraid to make big changes for the future of Santa Rosa. We must invest in protected bicycle trails; trails away from the roads will ensure a safe route for our kids.
Kids can walk and ride to school without relying on parents.
Stay fit.
Free up road space.
Less road maintenance.
More happy people.
Less pollution.
Less noise.
Put Santa Rosa on the list of best places to live! Car-free = desirability.
Michelle Klimek
Santa Rosa
From: [email protected]
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Subject: Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP! Date: Friday, July 4, 2025 9:38:36 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because my nephew would be able to be more independent with attending SRJC and going fishing currently is too dangerous for him to ride his bike or walk. Have you seen the traffic?!?!
Thank you for your support,
TinaMarie Jackson, southeast Santa Rosa
Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer
From: Adrian Covert
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Agenda Item 16.1 - Active Transportation Plan - SUPPORT Date: Friday, July 4, 2025 10:29:06 AM
Attachments: 07.03 ATP.pdf
Greetings Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
Please see the attached letter from Santa Rosa YIMBY in strong support of the proposed Active Transportation Plan.
Happy Independence Day!
Adrian Covert
Local Lead
Santa Rosa YIMBY
July 3, 2025
Santa Rosa City Council
100 Santa Rosa Avenue, Room 100
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Re: Agenda item 16.1
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
As we make progress with infill housing developments in Santa Rosa, it's critical for our Vision-Zero goals and our VMT goals that all residents have access to affordable, safe, low-emissions options for getting around. Santa Rosa is blessed with some of the best weather on planet earth—the only thing keeping us from becoming a world-class city for active transportation is our own leadership and imagination. To that end, we are extremely encouraged by the proposed Active Transportation Plan. The plan envisions:
• Nearly 80 miles of new or upgraded sidewalks (see pages 38-48 of the plan for details on pedestrian upgrades)
• Nearly 200 miles of new or upgraded bike routes, connecting to all neighborhoods in the city (see pages 49-52 for bike route improvements)
• Hundreds of intersection upgrades to reflect safer design for people traveling outside of cars (see page 43)
This plan is a watershed moment for mobility in Santa Rosa and, when combined with the city’s housing goals, puts us on track for a safer, healthier, and more vibrant future.
Santa Rosa YIMBY respectfully requests the City Council adopt the plan and to support funding its various components.
Sincerely,
Adrian Covert
Local Lead
Santa Rosa YIMBY
From: Nicholas Mallonee
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] ATP
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025 1:27:40 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because I enjoy riding bikes, and it would be so much more popular if it was safe for everyone, including children and elders. The spate of horrific crashes and deaths in recent weeks makes it clear that it is currently not safe at all.
Thank you for your support,
Nick Mallonee, Roseland
From: Debi Coish
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Active Transportation Plan
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025 1:32:02 PM
I wholly support creating safe routes for walking and cycling. I try to walk or cycle to events around town instead of driving and having to park, but so often find I have to go well out of my way to circumvent awkward, dangerous sections. The easier we make it for people to get out of their cars, the better off we’ll all be! From: Chris Bojemski
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Please Pass and Build the Active Transportation Plan Date: Friday, July 4, 2025 2:41:42 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I'm a recent addition to your community; my girlfriend and I moved to Santa Rosa this past September.
We love our new city. One of the only things I miss from our old home is the bike infrastructure. To be frank, I lucked out -- my commute was all along the peninsula's Bay Trail. Since moving to the North Bay, I've been working from home instead. Without the
occasional car commute, I barely ever use my car. In fact, it seemed like a good reason to spend as much time on the bike as possible, just as I did to explore Mountain View when I first moved there. I still think about selling my car & permanently reducing Santa Rosa's car population by one.
The only reason I can't is because of how unsafe I feel biking on our roads. Maybe I'm just getting older and the thought of a hospital
trip scares me more than it used to. Then I see how
some of our trucks drive, and I figure I might be lucky to end up in the hospital at all.
We've seen Santa Rosa Ave. before and after the traffic calming improvements and I'm a huge fan of the updates. It's one of the only main roads I feel OK riding on, and of course it's great for a walk downtown too. The improvements actually helped convince me to look for a home in our neighborhood in the first place. It would be fantastic to see similar updates across the city.
I look forward to expanding my bike's horizons and leaving my car keys at home, and I very much look forward to this plan being passed and funded as quickly as possible.
Thanks for reading & for your support,
Chris Bojemski, Luther Burbank neighborhood
From: Samantha Feld
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025 6:21:04 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
As a resident of downtown Santa Rosa, I wish to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible. I strive to regularly commute by bike and transit, but it can be a harrowing, scary experience at times. This plan is needed for Santa Rosa to become a healthier, more vibrant, and safer community. Thank you for your support!
Samantha Feld
Santa Rosa - St Rose Neighborhood
From: Joe Stein
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Agenda item 16.1 - ATP
Date: Friday, July 4, 2025 7:31:49 PM
Hello councilmembers and others to whom it may concern - I live in Santa Rosa and wholeheartedly support the proposed Active Transportation Plan. It will be a huge win for health, the environment, mobility, and for those with limited or no car access. Santa Rosa residents deserve this. Please adopt! Joe Stein, Junior College neighborhood
From: Lea Goode-Harris
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Santa Rosa"s Active Transportation Plan Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025 11:31:02 AM
Dear Santa Rosa City Council,
Please support the continuation and implementation of Santa Rosa’s Active Transportation Plan. Having 200+ miles of new low stress bike routes throughout Santa Rosa will make such a difference to both bike riders and car drivers alike, keeping bike riders safe and auto drivers from causing harm. And, having 80 miles of new and upgraded sidewalks is imperative for pedestrians and a means to navigate safely throughout town when not in an automobile.
I am so appreciative of the changes that have happened so far. Please keep this momentum going and make Santa Rosa a diverse and viable place to live in work.
Thank you,
Lea
Lea Goode-Harris, Ph.D.
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
From: Patty Somlo
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Active Transportation Plan
Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025 1:13:54 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
As a resident of the Montgomery Village neighborhood and an almost daily walker, I am especially interested in seeing safe, marked shared-use paths developed quickly in the Southeast Greenway. I frequently drive on Newanga and park near the restrooms, to walk to the Spring Creek Trail in Trione-Annadel for hikes. People walking and biking along both sides of narrow Newanga create the potential for accidents, which could be avoided by safe shared paths along the Greenway for entering Spring Lake.
Thank you for considering this.
Very truly yours,
Patricia Somlo
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
From: Jenny Bard
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Support the Santa Rosa ATP
Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025 2:27:54 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed Active Transportation Plan and urge you to approve the plan at the Tuesday council meeting.
This plan reflects the wishes of thousands of residents who have weighed in to make our community safer, more accessible, and more inviting for people who walk, bike, or use other forms of active transportation. It is a vital investment in our city's future that will have impacts decades to come.
Thank you for your leadership and continued commitment in creating a healthier, sustainable and more equitable Santa Rosa. I urge you to adopt the plan and to fund the construction as quickly as possible.
Jenny Bard
Luther Burbank Gardens neighborhood
Santa Rosa
From: JAMES MCADLER
To: CityCouncilListPublic
Cc: Sandy McAdler
Subject: [EXTERNAL] City of Santa Rosa Active Transportation Plan Date: Saturday, July 5, 2025 3:50:46 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Members of City Council,
We are writing today to express our strong support for the new City of Santa Rosa Active Transportation Plan. We hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
In terms of the relationship of the City's Active Transportation Plan to the City's newest addition to its parks, the Southeast Greenway will offer safe transportation routes for surrounding residents living in multi-family as well as single-family residences. Further, the Southeast Greenway will get pedestrians and bikers off Newanga Avenue and will provide a safe entry into Spring Lake Regional Park. Also important, the Southeast Greenway will provide surrounding schools with needed enhanced routes to make Safe Routes to School a year round event.
Thank you for your consideration and especially for your service to our community.
Sincerely,
Sandy and Jim McAdler
Santa Rosa, California
From: Carla Grady
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!Dear Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 11:08:34 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and S.R. City Council Members,
PLEASE please please APPROVE the Active Transportation Plan! It will add many much needed miles of sidewalks and desperately needed bike lanes to Santa Rosa. At this critical time when so many Americans are on the verge of losing benefits from the federal government, many will no longer be able to afford driving cars and will need to switch to bicycles and walking to get where they need to go. We are blessed with a hospitable climate that allows us to survive outdoors nearly every day of the year in Sonoma County. We should be taking advantage of our blessings and reducing carbon emissions at every opportunity! I have two friends who were killed in Santa Rosa while commuting to or from work by bicycle. You know this plan will save lives! Please make the right choice and vote to approve this plan that will make a huge improvement to our community!! THANK YOU for your consideration and your vote!!
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Carla Grady
retired SRJC prof.
(whose MANY students were unable to benefit from the freeway overpass, but who will applaud its completion! We fought hard for that and are so glad it will at long last become a reality! JC students will benefit immensely from that addition.
THANK YOU!
--
UNTIL
JUSTICE
IS REAL
-- Color of Change
From: DANIEL WHALEN
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and build the ATP
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 11:48:02 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your support,
Dan Whalen
Santa Rosa CA 95403
From: Ken M
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1 , plz Pass and Build the ATP ! Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 12:25:29 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
This is important to my family because we want to feel safe riding our bikes from home to downtown or anywhere in SR. I'm especially anxious about my kids riding their bikes along our busy roads many that have no bike lanes or a small one that shares the gutter and all the debris that gathers there.
I appreciate, so much, the progress I see to make SR a more walkable, bikeable and strollerable city and hope this continues!
Thank you!
Ken Mercado
From: Donegan, Anne
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!!!! Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 1:26:46 PM
Attachments: Outlook-cid e0c672.png
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
Santa Rosa needs to promote programs like this that will get us out of our cars by providing safe bike lanes.
This is good for everyone's physical and mental health, and important for our climate. I ride my bike to work most days, I want to see more bikers out there!
Thank you for your support,
Anne Donegan
West End Neighborhood
95401
Anne Donegan
History Professor
Social Sciences Department
Santa Rosa Junior College
All Faculty Association President
We acknowledge that we gather at Santa Rosa Junior College on the territorial traditional land of the Pomo People in Santa Rosa and the Coast Miwok People in Petaluma, past and present, and honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations.
[This email is private and confidential and is intended for the recipient only. If you think that you have received this email in error, please notify the sender immediately and delete the message.] From: Alexandria F
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Adopt & Build the ATP!
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 1:37:05 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing to share my support for the new Active Transportation Plan, and ask you to adopt this plan & fund its construction as soon as possible!
Recently, a neighbor was critically injured in a bike lane, and I encourage you to read about his experience here.
I have been thrown from my bike on busy Sonoma Ave because someone threw open their door into the bike lane without looking, and I have narrowly escaped being flattened by a speeding driver on Maple while walking in the crosswalk to the bus island. We can't avoid
all human error, but good roadway design makes everyone safer.
I choose to continue riding my bike and walking because I know that kids with asthma will breathe easier with one less car on the road, because our neighborhoods will benefit from less
noise & traffic, and because of the sheer joy of self-propulsion. I know biking and walking are the better choices, but when my husband leaves the house, I must admit that--without a network of truly protected bike lanes, raised crosswalks, & safe pedestrian infrastructure--I would prefer he drove our car instead.
With our weather and topography, so many of us want to be biking and walking to more of our destinations,
but don't feel great about the risk of potential collisions. Santa Rosa should ensure that the transportation options that are good for the world, efficient, and fun, are the options that are safest for our loved ones.
Thank you for your support,
Alexandria, Burbank Gardens
From: JX Jack
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL]
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 1:52:15 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
Santa Rosa needs to promote programs like this that will get us out of our cars by providing safe bike lanes.
This is good for everyone's physical and mental
health, and important
for our climate. I ride my bike to work most
days, I want
to see more bikers out there!
Thank you for your support,
Jack Bergmann
West End Neighborhood
95401
From: Sara Champie
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 2:13:57 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because I have two small children and I want to el teach them the wonders of biking safely instead of driving around town!
Thank you for your support,
Sara Champie
Satan Rosa 95404
"Wisdom is knowing I am nothing. Love is knowing I am everything. Between the two, my life moves." --Nisargadatta Maharaj
From: Dawn Zaft
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 2:35:52 PM
Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because my friends, children of my friends, my customers, and my neighbors all deserve to bicycle safely in our community. I have lost a dear friend and recently almost lost another to cycling.
These were both educated safe riders who had cycled for years.
Thank you for your support,
Dawn Zaft, Luther Burbank Neighborhood, 95404
From: Dylan Prindle
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 3:48:49 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your support,
Dylan Prindle 95401
From: Tanya Narath
To: City Council Public Comments
Cc: Wilson, Torina; Sprinkle, Rob; Oceguera, Alexander; Hennessey, Dan Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1: Adoption of the Active Transportation Plan Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 5:10:43 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing to express my strong support for Santa Rosa’s new Active Transportation Plan.
When fully developed, the ATP will create a truly connected network of nearly 200 miles of low-stress bicycle routes. In comparison to the 2018 plan, the new ATP places a significantly greater emphasis on the use of shared-use paths and separated bike lanes to enhance safety and comfort for bicyclists of all ages and abilities. The ATP also enhances pedestrian safety and accessibility by adding 75 miles of new or improved sidewalks and over 400 pedestrian crossing improvements.
As a resident of Northwest Santa Rosa, the improvements planned for major arterials like Stony Point Road, Guerneville Road, and College Avenue will make it much easier and safer for me and my neighbors to bike and walk to work, shopping, and recreation.
I also want to take a moment to express my appreciation for the Santa Rosa Transportation & Public Works Department staff, including Dan Hennessey, Rob Sprinkle, Torina Wilson, and Alexander Oceguera, for their numerous contributions to the ATP and for their ongoing efforts to secure funding for improvements in our active transportation network.
I urge you to adopt the ATP and continue prioritizing funding for the implementation of the plan.
Thank you!
Tanya Narath, Chair, Santa Rosa Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board, resident of NW Santa Rosa (District 7)
From: Chris Matteson
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 6:50:03 PM
I wanted to voice my perspective for more pedestrian and bike infrastructure. I strongly support my tax dollars paying for more bike and pedestrian infrastructure.
I live at 914 Beaver Ln. Myself, my girlfriend, and my 6 year old child walk downtown nearly every day. Strong pedestrian infrastructure is very important to us.
Separately, I did notice that Beaver Ln was called out for its lack of sidewalks and recommended to have both sides. That I don’t really see how it could work. It’s an alley, I’d love if it was wide enough for sidewalks but I don’t see how that possible.
Chris Matteson
From: Richard Hamilton
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Re: Active transportation plan
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 7:42:24 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope that you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The development of the Santa Rosa Southeast Greenway, particularly the creation of a shared use path along the Greenway and safe sidewalk infrastructure on all streets crossing the Greenway is central to my support for the Active Transportation Plan. If developed with a shared use path, the Greenway would be a huge resource to the people of Sonoma County through the connectivity it would provide, allowing for safe and efficient pedestrian and bicyclist travel between Taylor Mountain Regional and Annadel State Parks.
Both of these popular hiking and mountain biking trails attract over one hundred thousand visitors per month. The two parks are keystones of nature access and access to exercise opportunities, making them enormously vital resources for the health and well being of the people of this county. A developed path linking the two parks to one another, as well as linking thousands of residents in the heart of Southeast Santa Rosa along the Greenway, would provide massive benefits to the community for a relatively small amount of construction.
I hope that you consider the untold benefits to the City of Santa Rosa and the county more generally that would result from this development.
Sincerely
Richard Hamilton
Graduate Student, Cultural Heritage and Resource Management, Sonoma State University From: Dan Levitis
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass (and fund) the Active Transportation Plan Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 7:59:29 PM
Hi!
I'd like to ask you to pass, and fund, the Active Transportation Plan.
I'm an avid biker and walker. But since moving to Santa Rosa 4 years ago, I often find myself driving distances that I'd be happier to bike. I drive my kids to school a few miles away because my kids would get run over if we tried to bike.
I drive from my house in the JC Neighborhood to my work at Children's Museum of Sonoma County because getting across 101 on Steele Lane by bike is dangerous and requires me to breathe very bad air while waiting at several successive stop lights. Visitors to the Museum
tell me they drive there (rather than biking or walking) for similar reasons.
Despite the good intentions and marginal improvements already implemented by the City, people in Santa Rosa who want to be part of the solution instead are forced to be part of the problem because there is often no safe convenient way except to drive. I hear all the time, "Why build bike lanes? I don't see anyone biking!" Many drivers really do seem to be unable to see bicyclists and pedestrians. The last driver who opened his car door directly in front of me in the bike lane screamed at me for "coming out of nowhere" as though I had been magically invisible until I crashed into his door. The improvements laid out in the Active Transportation Plan would make it far safer, and more inviting, to go by bike or foot.
Many of us would spend less time in cars. I would get more exercise. Our air would be cleaner. Neighbors would see each other instead of just their cars. Santa Rosans who can't afford cars would benefit most of all. Santa Rosa would be a happier, healthier, more connected city. Please make it happen.
Thank you!
Gratefully,
Dan Levitis
Santa Rosa
From: Tigerlily Levitis
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass the Active Transportation Plan Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 8:27:41 PM
Dear City Council,
I would like you to pass thei Active Transportation Plan. I am a 13 year old, my main mode of transportation around Santa Rosa is biking. It bring me great happiness to bike and attend the Taco Tuesday ride as well. I would feel much safer if I also was not afraid of being run over every time I bike to school. This is why ask you to consider passing the Active Transportation Plan.
With much appreciation,
Tigerlily Levitis.
From: Iris Levitis
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass (and fund) the Active Transportation Plan Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 8:29:26 PM
Dear City Council,
I am hoping that you all will on
Item 16.1, Pass (and fund) the Active Transportation Plan. I live in Santa Rosa and work in Petaluma. I like to bike to the Central Santa Rosa Station, ride to N. Petaluma, bike to work, and return the reverse way. Commuting by bicycle is my preferred mode, but I worry about safety. As a mother of three I don't want to die! The more our City Council can do to improve active transportation options AND safety, the better for our community! Thanks,
Iris Levitis
Iris
From: Chris Silano
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] pass the ATP plan
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 12:51:58 AM
Dear councilmembers of Santa Rosa City Council,
I am writing in firm support of the Active Transportation Plan. This is particularly meaningful to me as a Santa Rosa worker and mother to two children. I ride my bike to work and bike my children to school.
Safe roadways for all is a sign of a healthy community.
Thank you for considering this request at Monday's council meeting.
Christine Silano
NW Santa Rosa
From: Elizabeth Crane
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, pass and build the ATP
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 6:06:31 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
Our kids need safer walking and biking routes to school. I’m so impressed with this plan’s prioritizing active transportation infrastructure near schools. This has been a concern of mine for several years, especially as a parent of two kids who walk to elementary school, and who will eventually bike to middle and high school. The city staff have heard our input as parents and community members, and have incorporated our input into the ATP. This plan will greatly improve safety and quality of life in Santa Rosa.
Thank you,
Elizabeth Crane, Rincon Valley/ Calistoga Rd neighborhood, 95409 From: Rosemary LaBarge
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 7:33:23 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because my husband and I are recently retired and we loved to ride bikes.
Thank you for your support,
Rosemary LaBarge, 95409/Oakmont
Sent from my iPhone
From: Fred LaBarge
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 7:33:23 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because I am retired and have more time to enjoy this new amenity.
Thank you for your support,
Fred LaBarge, 95409, Oakmont
Sent from my iPhone
From: BoB
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 7:33:27 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me as recently I went to buy a bike to take my toddler out for bike rides and to bike to work but I realized that we don’t have any low stress bike routs or roads near us at all by Santa Rosa Ave. Access to any near by routes means crossing active construction sites that are packed with drivers all trying to rush though it or going through narrow two lane roads with no bike lane protection. We live off Santa Rosa Ave and have seen new multistory buildings be added in, with no infrastructure for any bike access. I hope that in the near future the residents of Santa Rosa Ave will have access to safe biking roads.
Thank you for your support,
Anthony ,95407 in the red hawk park neighborhood
From: Jacob Spangler
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 7:33:28 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan does an excellent job of connecting existing infrastructure and improving safety. My current safest bicycle commute route includes, by necessity, several sections of road without a bike lane or shoulder and requires me to share the lane with 35 mph car traffic to get from the SMART trail to low-traffic roads or bike lanes. With the extensions of the SMART Trail northward, I will be able to replace these unsafe sections with multi-use path.
As a healthcare worker who cycles to work and has cared for members of the community who have been hit by cars while cycling or walking, these improvements will vastly improve safety for the people of Santa Rosa.
Thank you for your support,
Jacob Spangler
95403, Coffee Park neighborhood
From: Minona Heaviland
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Support the ATP! Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 8:38:27 AM
Dear City Council Member,
Please support the adoption and implementation of the Active Transportation Plan for Santa Rosa. Creating safer intersections for cyclists and pedestrians is critical for the safety, health, and economic vitality of Santa Rosa and I’m hoping that you will not only pass the ATP, but also offer full support for swiftly implementing quick build changes to traffic lanes and intersections to improve safety and health of our community.
I live in Santa Rosa and my family often bikes to work and school when we can fit it into our busy schedules, and it increases our health and wellbeing every time we are able to get on bikes or walk to our destination. Implementation of the ATP will help keep my family and friends safe as we navigate our daily activities. Please dedicate funding to support implementation of the ATP as soon as possible. I think implementation of the ATP will make Santa Rosa a more desirable
place to live, work, shop, raise a family, or visit, and thus will improve the local economy. Every dollar invested in safer, more bikeable, walkable streets is worth it.
Thank you for supporting the ATP from plan to implementation.
Minona Heaviland
From: Melissa Hough
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Agenda Item 16.1 - Yes to the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 9:05:21 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I live in Santa Rosa and strongly support the proposed Active Transportation Plan. Santa Rosa residents who live car-light or car-free lifestyles deserve safe routes to get around town.
I am personally a huge advocate for biking, walking and public transportation and use an e- bike as my main form of transportation around the city. I can honestly say that there are huge improvements needed for biking and walking infrastructure, as many of the current paths put bikers and pedestrians in harm's way. It's uncomfortable as a biker to be so close to cars, and so annoying and uncomfortable as a driver to be so close to biker. Neither side wants to be next to each other, and there are lots of ways we can improve this - please consider supporting the ATP to improve these conditions.
Thank you,
Melissa Hosking, Santa Rosa resident
From: Justin Borton
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 9:14:01 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because I commute with my children to and from school. A safe way to to bike encourages healthy lifestyle, a cleaner planet, and a more vibrant city.
Thank you for your support,
Justin Borton
Santa Rosa CA 95401
From: David Peoples
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] ATP support
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 9:29:47 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because I care about the livability of Santa Rosa.
Thank you for your support,
David Peoples , SR 04
From: Arlie
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1 - my personalized plea
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 9:31:21 AM
Subject: Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because my nephew, Nick Haig-Arack, was hit by a car when a driver turned into him while he bicycled along Mendocino Ave. Nick's Facebook post below:
"I was hit by a car while pedaling down Mendocino Avenue in the bike lane on June 13. I was riding within the bike lane, at a safe speed, wearing a helmet and brightly-colored clothing. Somehow the driver still turned into me. I suffered a collapsed lung, fractured vertebrae, seven fractured ribs, a fractured sternum, and a fractured pelvis which required surgery. Now almost a month since the accident, I am thankfully out of the hospital and recovering at home… but my recovery will take a long time. I still cannot walk independently. Every day hurts.
Next Tuesday, at their July 8th meeting, the Santa Rosa City Council is having a public hearing and vote on a new Active Transportation Plan (ATP) that includes nearly 200 miles of new low-stress bike routes and 80 miles of new and upgraded sidewalks.
Here's how you can help:
Send an email to the City Council by Monday, July 7 at 5 pm. For more detailed instructions and sample text, click the link below.
https://docs.google.com/.../1cz4CnJ7DkguaqKJt3LEG.../edit... :
Nick has also identified specific areas of attention:
"The maps for bicycle improvements can be found on pages 52-57.
The maps for pedestrian improvements can be found on pages 43-48.
High-level take-away: This plan, when built out, will add nearly 80 new miles of sidewalks and nearly 200 new miles of low-stress bike routes to Santa Rosa, and provide a connected way for people on bikes to get where they are going in town! " Thank you for your support,
Arlie Haig
95404
South of Aston Ave
From: Rebecca Gordon
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 9:45:13 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Council members,
I am writing to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I sincerely hope that you will pass this plan and begin the work to fund its construction as quickly as possible.
I am extremely passionate about this plan because I bike and walk almost everywhere when I’m traveling within Santa Rosa, and only drive when I have to go much farther from the city.
There are so many area on the map that would actively make my commuting and recreational rides safer and more enjoyable. One of my favorite things about moving to Santa Rosa from the east coast in 2019 was how much better our bike infrastructure is, and especially how committed our local governments are to maintaining and expanding safety for cyclists. This plan aligns perfectly with my experiences here because it aims to expand one of the best aspects of living in Santa Rosa.
Thank you for your support,
Rebecca Gordon
Humboldt St in the JC neighborhood (95404)
From: Ari DeMarco
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 9:45:28 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
Although I have a car, I commute to work by bicycle and travel from home to downtown by bike as well. Being able to feel safe doing so is incredibly valuable to me.
Thank you for your support,
Ari D., 95405
Sent from Proton Mail Android
From: Chris Hazel
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 9:45:33 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because increasing driving alternatives is a critical part of climate change mitigation and mobility equity. Also pedestrian and bicycle use fosters a more connected community. I often wave to neighbors and make unplanned stops on my bicycle in ways that I do not when driving.
But walking and biking is made dangerous because driving/drivers are dangerous. Without robust and safe infrastructure, active transportation is discouraged.
Thank you for your support,
Chris Hazel, 95404
From: Lindsay Kiyama
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Support ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 9:45:42 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction for the safety of families of bikers like my own.
I am raising two children in Santa Rosa after spending years in Davis, California and Portland, Oregon where biking is a normal way for a kid to get to school, a parent to get to work and friends to meet up downtown. We want this way of life to be made possible for all families in Santa Rosa! We want safe streets for all bikers in the beautiful community! Please support this plan for the future of our city.
Thank you for your support,
Lindsay Kiyama (and Nora and Evelyn Scholtz ages 5 and 2) Santa Rosa, CA 95404
From: Madalyn Berg
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 9:45:56 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your support,
Madalyn Berg, 95404, Foutaingrove
--
Madalyn Sarena Peratoner Berg (she /ella)
Herbalist @communitymedicinecabinet
Lead Practitioner & Clinical Herbalism Program Coordinator @thebotanicalbus From: Benjamin Smith
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1: pass the Active Transportation Plan! Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 10:02:51 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and councilmembers,
I am writing in strong support of the Active Transportation Plan. I hope that it is passed, and that it is brought to fruition as soon as possible.
I own a townhouse on Dutton Avenue near 3rd Street, and I see folks jumping on scooters or bikes to head to the SMART train or to the Santa Rosa Creek Trail every day. I also see families walking towards Sebastopol Road (kids to school, and parents to get groceries). I myself am an active user of these roads and trails - as a pedestrian and a scooter rider.
As currently constructed, this area is unsafe. Cars buzz by along Dutton at 50+ mph. Car parts get flung off as drivers sprint over the creek bridge and the unsigned pavement imperfections a bit to the south of the bridge. The yard in front of the townhouses where I live is littered with fenders and bumpers and car parts.
Pedestrians, scooter-riders, and bicyclists put their lives at risk travelling up and cutting across Dutton, given the scale and speed of the cars.
A tragedy will happen, and small tragedies are already happening (car accidents, damage to cars, the everyday stress of walking through these areas for food and school.) I humbly think that the ATP is inadequate to what is needed. For example, it is unclear to me from reading the ATP whether the area on Dutton between 3rd street and the Santa Rosa Creek trail will receive sufficient upgrades for pedestrian and bike/scooter safety.
Despite this concern, I believe that it deserves immediate and unqualified support.
My best,
Ben Smith
, Santa Rosa, 95401
--
Benjamin Smith (he/him/él)
https://sonoma.academia.edu/BenjaminSmith
Associate Professor of Human Development
Chair of the Anthropology Department
HD Program Coordinator
[email protected]
1801 E. Cotati Avenue
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Sonoma State University
Students: for office hours, sign up using my calendar.
Click on this link to go into zoom for office hours.
From: Katrina Smith
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 10:11:02 AM
Hi!
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
A bikeable city is a healthy and happy city. I would like to be able to safely bike east to west with my children and it is not possible now. Connect the isolated neighborhoods of Santa Rosa!
Thank you for your support,
Katrina Smith 95409 Rincon Valley
From: Megan Marcus
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 10:11:07 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
I appreciate this plan because biking and walking are good for health and the environment and I think Santa Rosa should do its part to support both. As a parent raising a child near Downtown I would like safe transportation options and bike routes for the youth. With the consolidation of schools in our area, safe routes are even more crucial to our children’s safety. I appreciate your vote to pass the Active Transportation Plan.
Thank you for your support,
Megan Silver
95404
JC Neighborhood Santa Rosa
Sent from my iPhone
From: Victoria Petersen
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, pass and build the ATP
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 10:11:07 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because I just returned from a trip to Copenhagen where I experienced the many bike-only paths and routes. So many riders at all times of the day and night! I would love to be able to commute via bike throughout Santa Rosa while feeling safe. Communities like Davis, CA make it work too, and it contributes greatly to well-being, ease, and clean air.
Thank you for your support,
Victoria Petersen
95403, Larkfield-Wikiup in Santa Rosa
From: [email protected]
To: City Council Public Comments; CityCouncilListPublic Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1 Public Hearing - Adoption Of The Active Transportation Plan Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 10:14:31 AM
To: Mayor Stapp, Vice Mayor Álvarez, and Members of the Santa Rosa City Council:
Re: Amend the ATP for a walkway on Lance Drive
Pedestrians are at grave risk on our southernmost end of Lance Drive, a long block -- about 0.4 mile -- between Jennings Avenue to the north and West College Avenue to the south. It's narrow two-lane blacktop, with nothing but drainage ditches on one or even both sides in some places.
There's some limited provision for pedestrians in the north third of the block, but none the rest of the way south. Worst is a nearly blind reverse curve just north of West College, with drainage ditches on both sides and road shoulders so eroded that pedestrians can only walk there in the roadway.
The need was already so well-recognized that Lance was designated in the "2018 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan Update" for sidewalks both sides. Even before that, a pedestrian walkway on one side had been planned and funded. Yet years later, we still don't even have that simple blacktop walkway, let alone sidewalks both sides.
The "Final Active Transportation Plan (April 2025)" (ATP) at least retains the previous recommendations, but still only prioritized as an "Opportunity Project" rather than the appropriate "High Priority" needed.
I would argue that there are serious issues of equity and social justice involved and I question the process in developing the ATP priorities.
This block of Lance is in a City of Santa Rosa Priority Area and a Metropolitan Transportation Commission "High Need" Equity Priority Community. Yet to some extent the ATP development seems to have been more which project could get the most comments or "likes" rather than an impartially studied evaluation of need. For Lance residents, opportunities for input were limited by time and place, if they were known at all, and for many with limited computer skills the complicated Alta online interface presented further barriers.
The ATP explicit goals are to "Prioritize implementing ... pedestrian safety projects in equity priority communities" and "to promote equitable distribution of infrastructure." (Table 2, Recommended Equity Programs and Policies, p. 57.) Despite that, there is still no "High Priority" to provide this block of Lance even minimum pedestrian safety.
This cannot just be left as an "Opportunity Project" awaiting an opportunity which might never arise.
I urge you to amend the ATP to assign "High Priority" at the very least for a blacktop walkway on one side of this block of Lance Drive. Let's hope this won't be like the traffic signal we couldn't get on a nearby intersection on West College years ago until someone was killed there! Johanna James
Santa Rosa 95401
From: Barbara Phillips
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 10:22:02 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because Iive near downtown Santa Rosa and regularly walk and ride my bike to shop and recreate. Low stress bike infrastructure means fewer cars on the road as riders feel safe on their bikes.
Thank you for your support,
Barbara Phillips
JC neighborhood 95404
From: Dan Ford
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 10:38:02 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me
because I have mainly used a bicycle for transportation the last 4 years and feel unsafe sharing the road with car drivers constantly.
Thank you for your support,
Dan Ford, South Park 95404
From: Daniel Karbousky
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 11:08:58 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because I bike as much as possible when commuting in Santa Rosa and not having safe bike paths is one of my top deterrents
to hopping on my bike. Putting in more safe bike routes not only keeps people safer, but helps eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, cuts down on vehicular traffic, and helps improve people's physical health.
Thank you for your support,
Daniel Karbousky, 95405
From: Tara Csavas
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 12:12:39 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The plan is particularly valuable to me because I have two young children and bike and walk a lot in our
Rincon Valley neighborhood. I hope you will
prioritize intersections near schools in the implementation, particularly Sequoia Elementary and Calistoga Road.
Thank you for your support,
Tara Csavas
95409
Rincon Valley
From: Leah Woody
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Active Transportation Plan
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 12:28:33 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Council members,
I am a lifelong resident of Sonoma County, a High School College and Career Counselor of Sonoma County, and an active community advocate and volunteer. I am writing today to express my enthusiastic support for the new Active Transportation Plan. My volunteerism for the Greenway Project coupled with my work with school districts has offered a deep dive into Santa Rosa's dire need for improved alternate transportation.
The ATP offers so many wins! Some of which are literally life saving while others allow Santa Rosa to be a model of creative and collaborative infrastructure planning.
Some of the wins the ATP offers:
Safe transportation routes for surrounding residents living in multi-family homes, no more car/cyclist accidents! Get cyclists off Newanga and offer safe and beautiful entry into our beloved Spring Lake.
Surrounding schools NEED enhanced routes to school year round.
Connectivity with the construction of the Greenway linking existing bike/pedestrian pathways for our neighborhoods and commerce. Districts and commerce and families will all benefit!
Design the Greenway as a destination for kids and families. Include sidewalks on both sides of the streets that front the greenway.
This list is certainly not an exhaustive one but as you can see, the ATP is a win-win-win, there are literally no losers.
I urge you to not only pass this plan but also fund its construction as quickly as possible! Santa Rosa has waited far too long for plan and the time is NOW!
Help create the legacy Sonoma County residents believe in, please support and bring this vision to reality, give us our very own Golden Gate Park. Build Santa Rosa to have inclusive and inviting alternative transportation that makes sense for all!
Thank you for your service to our wonderful city and county! Sincerely,
Leah Woody
Sonoma County Inspired
From: Chris Guenther
To: CityCouncilListPublic
Subject: [EXTERNAL] 16.1, Active Transportation Plan, 7/8/25 Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025 5:28:36 PM
Attachments: City Council Letter ATP 7-8-25.pdf
See attached letter for upcoming Council meeting.
Chris Guenther
Co-Lead, Bikeable Santa Rosa
m. 415-265-9378
bikeablesantarosa.org
July 3, 2025
Santa Rosa City Council
100 Santa Rosa Ave, Room 10
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Dear Mayor Stapp, Vice-Mayor Alvarez, and Councilmembers,
On behalf of Bikeable Santa Rosa, we are excited to write in support for the proposed Active Transportation Plan.
From the beginning of our campaign three years ago, our mission has been “to catalyze the rapid completion of a safe and low-stress bicycle network connecting all neighborhoods in Santa Rosa.”
We believe people who need or choose to use bicycles for transportation have the right to safe passage, and we believe the city has a responsibility to support modes of transportation that reduce air pollution, noise pollution, road damage, and traffic violence. An active city is a healthy, vibrant city.
For all these reasons, we strongly support the plan, especially the inclusion of separated bike infrastructure on major north-south and east-west corridors; the completion of sidewalks in historically underrepresented neighborhoods; and smarter, safer intersection design.
We hope you will not only pass but also fund and quickly build out this plan.
Sincerely,
Alexa Forrester Chris Guenther
Co-Lead, Bikeable Santa Rosa Co-Lead, Bikeable Santa Rosa
bikeablesantarosa.org • [email protected]
From: CONGAS
To: CityCouncilListPublic; Stapp, Mark; Alvarez, Eddie; MacDonald, Dianna; Fleming, Victoria; Banuelos, Caroline; Okrepkie, Jeff; Rogers, Natalie
Cc: Wilson, Torina
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Agenda item 16.1 - Council meeting on July 8 - Active Transportation Plan Date: Friday, July 4, 2025 9:20:35 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
Happy Independence Day! I hope you are doing well and have some fun plans for the weekend.
I'm the co-coordinator of the Coalition Opposing New Gas Stations (CONGAS).
Founded in Sonoma County in 2019, CONGAS' mission is to stop the construction of new gas stations in Sonoma County and beyond.
I'm writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan update, outlined on the city's website. When built out, the plan will add nearly 80 new miles of sidewalks and nearly 200 new miles of low-stress bike routes to Santa Rosa, and provide a connected way for people on bikes to get where they are going in town! That's
great and very exciting to imagine!
From its founding in 2019, CONGAS has advocated more than just replacing gas cars with
electric cars. Cities should be planned so that fewer car trips are needed in the first place. Amenities for pedestrians, cyclists, and other forms of active mobility, along with clean-emission public transportation, should be prioritized in city planning. The Active Transportation Plan before you is an excellent example of this thinking. Kudos to staff for their great work! CONGAS is committed to the transition away from fossil fuel-based transportation, and we support plans and policies that will give residents more options for low- or zero-emission transportation. For this reason, we are happy to support the new Active Transportation Plan. We hope you will not only adopt the plan, but also fund its implementation/construction as quickly as possible.
Here's to independence from fossil fuels!
Thank you for your consideration,
Woody Hastings, Co-coordinator,
Coalition Opposing New Gas Stations
www.con-gas.org
707-238-2298
From: zachary santucci
To: CityCouncilListPublic
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Bike infrastructure
Date: Sunday, July 6, 2025 2:38:02 PM
Dear Members of the Santa Rosa City Council,
I am writing as a concerned resident and regular cyclist in Santa Rosa to urge the City Council to take bold, immediate steps to make our city safer and more accessible for bicyclists.
While Santa Rosa has many qualities that make it well-suited for biking— pleasant weather, a relatively compact layout, and a strong community interest in sustainability—riding a bike here is still far too dangerous. I have personally experienced this danger many times: despite strictly obeying all traffic laws, I have had multiple close calls where I was nearly hit by drivers, often at intersections or while riding in painted bike lanes that provide little to no real protection.
These near misses aren’t isolated incidents—they reflect a systemic issue with the city’s current bike infrastructure. Many roads lack protected bike lanes entirely, and the ones that do exist often end abruptly, forcing riders to merge into fast-moving traffic. Intersections are particularly hazardous, with limited visibility and a lack of clear signage or separation to protect cyclists. These conditions create a city where biking is not just inconvenient—it feels actively unsafe.
Santa Rosa needs to do better. I urge you to:
1. Build a connected network of protected bike lanes, especially along major corridors like Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa Avenue, and College Avenue.
2. Address key safety hotspots where collisions or near-misses are frequent, including poorly designed intersections and streets without any bike infrastructure.
3. Add more secure bike parking in commercial areas, near schools, and at public transit hubs.
4. Incorporate biking into traffic calming efforts—especially in residential areas and along school routes—by lowering speed limits and redesigning streets to prioritize people over cars.
5. Fund public awareness and enforcement campaigns to educate drivers about sharing the road and yielding to cyclists.
Cycling should not feel like a daily gamble with one’s safety. I want to live in a city where biking is a viable, safe, and encouraged mode of transportation—not just for the confident few, but for families, seniors, and anyone who wants to ride.
I appreciate your attention to this issue and urge you to make meaningful investments in the safety and sustainability of our streets.
Sincerely,
Zachary santucci
From: Andrew Rich
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 1:52:28 PM
Dearest leaders
Please pass the ATP! It’s a great start and needs to be ratified and be paid for !! From: Chris Bowen
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Active Transportation Plan
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 1:58:40 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and members of the City Council,
I want to urge you to support the new Active Transportation Plan. I believe this plan is essential to the future of Santa Rosa and that you should not only approve the plan, but fund its construction as soon as possible.
Some of the benefits of implementation of the Active Transportation Plan will be:
- A safer route for pedestrians and bicyclists to Spring Lake Park when the paths for walkers and bicycles are built on the Southeast Greenway. I have lived near the Newanga Ave. entrance to the Park for over 35 years and have always found the walk to the park treacherous for both pedestrians and bicyclists.
- Building the pedestrian and bicycle paths on the Greenway will provide greater equity for the residents of multifamily residences near the Greenway as they will have more safe ways to walk and bicycle to nearby areas for shopping, recreation, and education.
- Safer routes to schools, not just in my area, but in many areas throughout the city.
Thank you for your consideration.
Chris Bowen
Santa Rosa
From: Hunter Dennis
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Comments regarding a new Active Transportation Plan Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 3:17:27 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
My name is Hunter Dennis, and I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope that you not only pass the plan, but that you also fund its construction, so that it can be built as soon as possible.
The plan will be of immense benefit to the residents of Santa Rosa. It will promote more equity for all by making safer bicycle and pedestrian routes more available. This encourages people to use more active forms of transportation (including riding a bike and walking), as opposed to relying too much on their cars. The routes will also be clearly marked and of shared use, and the addition of sidewalks will be good for the neighborhood as well.
This plan will especially be of benefit to those that live in multi-unit housing, as well as children. Children will have safer routes that they can use to get to/from school or other places in the neighborhood. A traffic garden will be great for the children as well, not only because they can use it as a destination, but also because the garden can be used and maintained by the neighborhood (especially with food-growing plants in them).
Please do all that you can to help make the new Active Transportation Plan a reality. The community will greatly appreciate it, and so will I.
Thank you,
Hunter Dennis
From: Christine Byrne
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Please Pass the ATP
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 3:18:14 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
My name is Christine Byrne, and I’m writing to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only adopt the plan, but also prioritize funding its construction as soon as possible.
As a bike rider in Santa Rosa, I believe this plan is a critical step toward making our city safer, healthier, and more accessible for everyone—whether they’re commuting, running errands, or simply enjoying the outdoors. Improved bike and pedestrian infrastructure supports a cleaner environment, active lifestyles, and a more vibrant community.
Thank you for your leadership and commitment to a more connected Santa Rosa.
Sincerely,
Christine Byrne
From: Heather Thurber
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Active Transportation Plan
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 3:46:10 PM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
The Greenway will provide opportunity for residents of Sonoma county/Santa Rosa and will be a wonderful, safe place for all.
Thank you for your consideration.
Heather
--
Heather Thurber
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Heather Thurber
Real Estate Broker | Redwood Empire Realty
Diamond Certified | Host of American Dream TV “Selling the Bay” DRE #02003398
4625 Sonoma Hwy
Santa Rosa, CA 95409
Phone: 707-480-4376
Email: [email protected]
Visit our website
Schedule some time
Information provided by third parties has not and will not be confirmed or verified.
From: P.A.MacLean
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Bikeable Santa Rosa
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025 4:52:37 PM
I want to express my strong support for the new bikeable Santa Rosa plan, (Active Transportation Plan.) I hope you will pass this plan, and fund its construction as quickly as possible.
I'm retired but was a bike commuter during my career. Now at 75, it's extremely important to me to have bike paths and separated bike lanes that are safe for school children and senior riders, and well, everybody.
Thank you for your support,
Pam MacLean
MacDonald District
95404
From: Greg Fisher
To: City Council Public Comments
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Item 16.1, Pass and Build the ATP!
Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2025 7:32:43 AM
Dear Mayor Stapp and Councilmembers,
I am writing today to express my ardent and strong support for the new Active Transportation Plan. I hope you will not only pass this plan, but also fund its construction as quickly as possible.
We have ceded our public roads to private motor vehicles for decades to the expense of personal safety, noise, congestion, and environmental damage. People are getting hurt, including my own friend, Santa Rosa resident Nick Haig-Arack who was hit just a few short weeks ago on his bike while riding on Mendocino Avenue, suffering serious and substantial injuries.
The cultural push is towards making this problem worse, not better, as our single-use management of our streets becomes more and more calcified and entitled in the hearts and minds of Americans.
I appreciate that the citizenry is driven (literally) by single vehicle convenience. I’m one of them.
But the break from this thinking must happen at some point and every day it doesn’t, it gets harder and harder to implement.
I applaud the City’s stances in the past to make meaningful differences on our streets, but this moment demands more momentum, more energy, more action, if we are to realize a better way to move through our community.
Thank you for your support,
Greg Fisher