ORDINANCE NO. ORD-2026-002
ORDINANCE OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA APPROVING THE REZONING OF 10 PROPERTIES TO IMPLEMENT THE GENERAL PLAN LAND USE DESIGNATION - FILE NUMBER PLN25-0650 WHEREAS, in March 2020, the City commenced the General Plan 2050 planning process for the purpose of preparing a comprehensive update to the City’s adopted General Plan 2035; and WHEREAS, the General Plan 2050 functions as the City’s primary land use regulatory tool and covers both State mandated and customized subjects including Land Use, Circulation, Open Space, Conservation, Safety, Noise, Environmental Justice, Housing, Economic Development, Greenhouse Gas Reduction, Urban Design, Hillside Policies, Cultural and Tribal Cultural Resources, Historic Preservation, Art and Culture, Climate Resilience, Community Health, and Equity; and WHEREAS, on April 24, 2025, the Planning Commission held a public hearing at which time the Commission adopted resolutions recommending that the City Council (1) certify the Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) and adopt the Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations, and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the General Plan 2050 and (2) adopt the General Plan 2050 and associated Specific Plan amendments; and WHEREAS, on June 3, 2025, the City Council held a public hearing at which time the Council adopted resolutions to (1) certify the Final Environmental Impact Report (Final EIR) and adopt the Findings of Fact and Statement of Overriding Considerations, and the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the General Plan 2050 and (2) adopt the General Plan 2050 and associated Specific Plan amendments; and WHEREAS, following adoption of General Plan 2050, staff identified that the previously proposed land use and zoning modifications for the two parcels west of the SMART rail located at 80 and 100 Sebastopol Road, were inadvertently omitted from the General Plan update; and WHEREAS, the proposed change was intended to apply the Retail and Business Services land use designation and the CN (Neighborhood Commercial) zoning classification, in combination with the existing Medium Density Residential designation, to support activation of the eastern portion of Sebastopol Road, while making no land use change to the portion of 100 Sebastopol Road designated Light Industry under the General Plan and IL (Light Industrial) on the City’s Zoning Map; and WHEREAS, as part of the General Plan 2050 implementation, staff identified parcels where existing zoning was inconsistent with pre-2050 General Plan designations, requiring zoning map amendments for consistency; and WHEREAS, General Plan implementation outreach included direct mailed notices to property owners with proposed rezoning to implement the general plan land use designations; and WHEREAS, the property owner of 1266 Janet Way contacted staff to inquire about development potential on their property which is abutting their property at 1260 Janet Way, which is designated for Medium Density Residential Development with a Missing Middle Housing Small (MMH-S) overlay; and WHEREAS, it was determined that no land use was established for 1266 Janet Way, and because otherwise the property could be developed if merged with the adjacent 1260 Janet Way address, the application of the Medium Density Residential land use and consistent R-3-15 (Multi-Family Residential) base zoning with the MMH-S combining district would allow for a development consistent with the surrounding area; and WHEREAS, as part of the General Plan implementation effort, Planning staff identified seven (7) additional parcels located along Maxwell Drive and W. College Avenue in the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan (DSASP) boundary, that were designated as Neighborhood Mixed Use when the DSASP was adopted by the Council in October 2020 and upon additional evaluation, staff has determined that these properties should be designated as Maker Mixed Use under the General Plan with implementing MMU (Maker Mixed-Use) zoning, consistent with surrounding parcels, to provide additional compatibility and opportunity for this area; and WHEREAS, on January 22, 2026, the Planning Commission adopted three separate resolutions recommending to the City Council: 1) adoption of the Addendum to the General Plan 2050 EIR which analyzes potential environmental impacts of the proposed General Plan land use diagram and Zoning Map amendments in accordance with the requirements of CEQA; 2) approval of the proposed General Plan land use diagram and Downtown Station Area Specific Plan amendments for 80 Sebastopol Road, 100 Sebastopol Road, 1266 Janet Way, 50 W. College Avenue, 1060 Maxwell Drive, 1040 Maxwell Drive, 1038 Maxwell Drive, 1056 Maxwell Drive, 1044 Maxwell Drive; and 3) approval of the proposed Zoning Map amendments for 80 Sebastopol Road, 100 Sebastopol Road, 1266 Janet Way, 50 W. College Avenue, 1060 Maxwell Drive, 1040 Maxwell Drive, 1038 Maxwell Drive, 1056 Maxwell Drive, 1044 Maxwell Drive; and WHEREAS, on February 24, 2026, the Council adopted a resolution approving the Addendum to the General Plan 2050 EIR which analyzes potential environmental impacts of the proposed General Plan land use diagram and Zoning Map amendments in accordance with the requirements of CEQA; and WHEREAS, on February 24, 2026, the Council adopted a resolution approving the proposed General Plan land use diagram amendments for 80 and 100 Sebastopol Road, 1266 Janet Way, 50 W. College Avenue, and 1060, 1040, 1038, 1056, and 1044 Maxwell Drive; and WHEREAS, the proposed Zoning Map amendments on Sebastopol Road, Janet Way, W. College Avenue, and Maxwell Drive allow for the zoning district of these 10 properties to implement the existing General Plan land use designations, consistent with California Government Code Section 65860 which requires that the City’s Zoning Ordinance is consistent with the General Plan; and WHEREAS, Government Code Section 66300, the Housing Crisis Act, restricts local agencies from taking any action that would reduce the allowable residential density, intensity, or overall housing development capacity unless specific findings related to the protection of public health or safety are made; and WHEREAS, staff has evaluated the proposed Zoning Map amendments for compliance with the requirements of Government Code Section 66300 and finds that the proposed amendments would result in a net increase of potential housing units and therefore, the amendments do not constitute a downzoning or reduction in allowable residential intensity under the Housing Crisis Act; and WHEREAS, because the proposed Zoning Map amendments increase the overall residential capacity within the city, the action complies with the Housing Crisis Act, and no health or safety findings under Government Code Section 66300 are required; and WHERAS, none of the 10 properties subject to the Zoning Map amendments are identified in the City’s adopted Housing Element sites inventory, nor were they rezoned pursuant to the Housing Element to accommodate the City’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation; and WHEREAS, accordingly, the amendments do not reduce the residential capacity of the City’s identified housing sites under Government Code Section 65863; and
WHEREAS, the City remains in substantial compliance with its adopted Housing Element and continues to maintain adequate sites to accommodate its remaining RHNA; and WHEREAS, following a duly noticed public hearing held on February 24, 2026, the Council of the City of Santa Rosa finds that the existing zoning classification of 10 properties located within the City boundaries, identified below, is no longer appropriate, and that rezoning said properties is necessary to promote public convenience, necessity, and general welfare, to implement the General Plan 2050, and to ensure consistency with Government Code Section 65860.
THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The Council finds, based on the evidence and records presented, that the Proposed Zoning District identified in Section 2 are appropriate for the properties listed below (“Subject Properties”), and that the reclassification to the Proposed Zoning Districts are appropriate for the properties identified in Section 2 to allow implementation of the General Plan 2050.
The Council, pursuant to Zoning Code Section 20-64.050 (Findings), hereby finds and determines that:
A. The proposed amendments are consistent with the goals and policies of all elements of the General Plan 2050, and all applicable specific plans including the Downtown Station Area Specific Plan, in that the amendments would implement the existing General Plan land use designations for each of the affected properties.
B. The proposed amendments would not be detrimental to the public interest, health, safety, convenience or welfare of the City in that they would implement existing General Plan uses reviewed by City staff members, decision makers, and analyzed in accordance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
C. The proposed project has been reviewed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CEQA Guidelines Section 15164 requires lead agencies to prepare an addendum to a previously certified EIR if only minor technical changes or additions are necessary or none of the conditions described in Section 15162 calling for the preparation of a subsequent negative declaration or EIR have occurred. The Planning Commission has reviewed and considered the Addendum for the proposed Project and the certified General Plan 2050 EIR and finds that those documents taken together contain a complete and accurate reporting of all of the environmental impacts associated with the proposed Project.
D. The proposed amendments are internally consistent with other applicable provisions of the Zoning Code in that they create consistency between the General Plan land use designations and Zoning classifications as described in Table 2-1 (Zoning Districts) in Zoning Code Section 20-20.020.
E. The sites are physically suitable (including absence of physical constraints, access, compatibility with adjoining land uses, and provision of utilities) for the requested zoning designations and anticipated land uses/developments.
Section 2. All conditions required by law having been satisfied and all findings with relation thereto having been made, Title 20 of the Santa Rosa City Code is amended by amending the “Zoning Map of the City of Santa Rosa,” as described in Section 20-20.020, so as to change the classification of the following Assessor’s Parcel Numbers to the District listed under Proposed Zoning:
Assessor’s Parcel Number (APN)
Address
Existing Zoning
Proposed Zoning
010-421-011
50 W College Avenue
NMU (Neighborhood Mixed Use)
MMU (Maker Mixed Use)
010-421-004
50 W College Avenue
NMU (Neighborhood Mixed Use)
MMU (Maker Mixed Use)
010-132-014
1060 Maxwell Drive
NMU (Neighborhood Mixed Use)
MMU (Maker Mixed Use)
010-132-017
1040 Maxwell Drive
NMU (Neighborhood Mixed Use)
MMU (Maker Mixed Use)
010-132-018
1038 Maxwell Drive
NMU (Neighborhood Mixed Use)
MMU (Maker Mixed Use)
010-132-011
1056 Maxwell Drive
NMU (Neighborhood Mixed Use)
MMU (Maker Mixed Use)
010-132-012
1044 Maxwell Drive
NMU (Neighborhood Mixed Use)
MMU (Maker Mixed Use)
125-181-023
100 Sebastopol Road
R-3-18-MMH-S (Multi-Family Residential - Missing Middle Housing - Small)/ IL (Light Industrial) CN-MMH-S (Neighborhood Commercial - Missing Middle Housing - Small)/IL (Light Industrial) 125-181-008
80 Sebastopol Road
R-3-18-MMH-S (Multi-Family Residential - Missing Middle Housing - Small) CN-MMH-S (Neighborhood Commercial - Missing Middle Housing - Small) 014-283-024
1266 Janet Way
R-1-6 (Single-Family Residential)
R-3-15-MMH-S (Multi-Family Residential – Missing Middle Housing Small) Section 3. Environmental Determination. The Council finds that the adoption and implementation of this ordinance has been reviewed in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). CEQA Guidelines Section 15164 requires lead agencies to prepare an addendum to a previously certified EIR if only minor technical changes or additions are necessary or none of the conditions described in Section 15162 calling for the preparation of a subsequent negative declaration or EIR have occurred. The Council has reviewed and considered the Addendum for the proposed Project and the certified General Plan 2050 EIR and finds that those documents taken together contain a complete and accurate reporting of all of the environmental impacts associated with the proposed Project. / / /
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Section 4. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase or word of this ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid and/or unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance.
Section 5 Effective Date. This ordinance shall take effect on the 31st day following its adoption.
This ordinance was introduced by the Council of the City of Santa Rosa on February 24, 2026.
IN COUNCIL DULY PASSED this 10th day of March 2026.
AYES: (5) Vice Mayor Okrepkie, Council Members Alvarez, Bañuelos, MacDonald, Rogers NOES: (0)
ABSENT: (2) Mayor Stapp, Council Member Fleming
ABSTAIN: (0)
RECUSE: (0)
ATTEST: _________________________ APPROVED: ______________________________ Deputy City Clerk Vice Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM: ________________________
City Attorney
Ord. No. ORD-2026-002