General Plan and Inclusionary Housing
Annual Review for 2025
March 24, 2026
Planning and Economic
Development Department
Sachnoor Bisla
City Planner
1Background:
Annual Review Report
Inform the public and decision makers about progress in implementing the General Plan and achieving City goals
Includes annual review of the Inclusionary Housing Ordinance Required to provide report to the State Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation (LCI) and the Department of Housing and Community Development by April 1st each year
Request to waive Council Policy 200-001 and allow Council and Planning Commission to review Annual Report separately
2 Background:
General Plan 2050
General Plan 2050 adopted by Council on June 3, 2025
Describes City’s aspirations and identifies strategies for managing growth, preservation, and change
Provides policy framework to guide decision-making and funding of public improvement projects, including parks and streets
Contains seven chapters covering numerous elements,
and goals, policies, and actions
Housing Element:
Population & New Units
178,452 residents as of
January 1, 2025 - 0.8 percent
increase from 2024
847 residential units issued
building permits:
• 739 Multi-Family Units
• 61 Single-Family Dwellings
• 47 Accessory Dwelling Units
(ADUs) or Junior Accessory
Dwelling Units (JADUs)
3 Units Issued Building Permits by Income Category
2023 – 2031 (6th RHNA Cycle)
Income Category Very Low Low Moderate Above Moderate Total 2025 Units Issued 64 60 15 708 847
2022* - 2024 Units
Issued
327 358 75 1,865 2,625
Total Units Issued in 6th
Cycle*
391 418 90 2,573 3,472
RHNA Objectives 1,252 701 771 2,602 5,326
Total Remaining RHNA
by Income Level
861 283 681 29 1,854
4 Housing Element:
Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RNHA)
*The Housing Element 6th Cycle period for RHNA began June 30, 2022, and includes units that were issued up until January 31, 2023.
Units permitted during this timeframe count toward the 6th Cycle RHNA. 5 Inclusionary Housing Ordinance
• Ordinance adopted in 2019 to expand the housing available to lower income households • 661 qualifying units subject to compliance with requirements • 186 units exempt units including: Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and lower income units • 23 allocated units provided (20 units for very-low-income households, two units for low-income households, and one unit for moderate income households) • $1,436,870 in fees collected: $1,257,641 in Housing Impact Fees, and $179,229 in Commercial Linkage fees
• No land dedicated to the City in 2025 to comply with the requirements • Staff continued implementation of Ordinance without issues; no recommended changes 6 Housing Element:
Residential Projects Under Construction
Casa Roseland (Tierra De Rosas)
• 75 multi-family units
• 30 very-low income
• 44 low-income units
• 1 manager unit
Lance Drive (Phase One)
• 372 multi-family units
• 20 very-low income units
7Land Use:
Policy Projects and New Developments
Dave & Busters: Constructed
South Santa Rosa Specific
Plan: In Progress
Stonehouse Inn: In Planning Review
Ceres Community Project: Constructed
8Economic Development:
Policy Projects and New Developments
• Completion of United Soccer Leage USL Market Opportunity Report
• Exploration of Entertainment Zones in Downtown
• Development of Conditional Use Permit Streamlining
Ordinance
• Creation of comprehensive business services
9Economic Development:
New Investments
• Implemented ongoing surveys and quarterly economic reporting to monitor district-level trends, business challenges, and service gaps
• Established the Downtown Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) as long-term tool to fund infrastructure investments to catalyze private development and enhance walkability & sustainability
• Formed partnerships with Small Business Development
Center and GoLocal
10Circulation:
Transit Network & Active Transportation
• Pilot transit maps and signs installed to improve wayfinding between from the Transit Mall to the downtown SMART Station • Successful Youth Unlimited Rides & Unlimited Ridership programs to incentivize transit use continued
• Active Transportation Plan adopted by Council in July 2025 • Received several grants in 2025 to fund transportation safety projects
• Redwood Bikeshare program launched
Open Space & Conservation:
Creek Stewardship and Restoration
• Construction started on Phase 3
of Colgan Creek Restoration
• Increase flood protection,
enhance habitat, improve
water quality, and provide
recreational opportunities
• Continuation of Creek
Stewardship Program to care for
more than 100 miles of creeks
within the Urban Growth Boundary
11 12Open Space & Conservation:
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Council adopted the General Plan 2050
• Includes a Greenhouse Reduction Strategy to reduce GHG emissions by specified targets
Planning and Water staff established process to create a public-facing dashboard featuring:
• Citywide GHG inventories dating back to 1990
• Tracking of all 17 GHG Reduction Strategy measures, organized by implementing programs
• Program-level details, including status, responsible
department/division, and relevant updates, to be updated quarterly
13Historic, Cultural Resources, and Tribal
Cultural Resources
• The Cannery at Railroad Square
• 128 units, 100% affordable
• Preserves historic Del Monte Cannery
building walls
• Relaunched Self-guided Historic Walking
Tours in December 2025
• Ongoing collaboration and consultation
with Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria
and Lytton Rancheria
14 Art & Culture
Expanded use of temporary public art to
activate public spaces, support artists,
and foster community connection
Installed a Temporary Art Walk in October
2025 for a two-year period, extending
from downtown through Railroad Square
Launched Arts Roundtable to establish a
non-governmental advisory framework
that encourages open community
dialogue
15 Safety and Climate Resilience
• Updates to the City’s Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Boundary • Commencement of update to Community Wildfire Protection Plan • Completed Public Draft of Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan update
• Collaboration with FEMA on Preliminary Flood Maps for Santa Rosa Creek Watershed
• Finalized contract to conduct evacuation analysis
• Strengthened emergency preparedness, coordination and operational readiness
16 Public Services:
Police Protection and Fire Services
• Downtown Substation opened at the Santa Rosa Plaza to enhance presence in the area
• SRPD continues to oversee inRESPONSE Mental Health
Support Team program
• SRPD response times to Priority 1 Incidents in 2025
represented a 5% improvement over previous year
• SRFD experiencing increasing volume of calls for service - approximately 12% increase over the past three years
• A Standards of Cover and Community Risk Assessment
for the Fire Department currently underway
• Construction of Fire Station 5 completed
17 Public Services & Facilities:
Water and Wastewater
• Water use efficiency programs and state and
local requirements have resulted in a 50%
decrease in demand for potable water over the
past 35 years
• 177 gallons per capita per day in 1990 to 88
in 2025
• Laguna Treatment Plant is undergoing upgrades
to the disinfection system. Once completed, the
system will be able to disinfect a peak flow of 70
million gallons per day
18Health, Equity & Environmental Justice
• Health impact assessments required for large
nonresidential projects in Equity Priority Areas to
address potential health impacts
• Implemented Tobacco Retail License program capping
the number of tobacco retailers
• Advanced Conditional Use Permit streamlining draft
ordinance, including reduced permitting requirements
for grocery stores; scheduled for Council consideration in April 2026
19 Children & Families
• Partnered with regional childcare agencies to
identify barriers and created a guide to help
residents launch licensed home-based childcare
businesses, supporting families and workforce
stability
• Violence Prevention Partnership developed and
launched the Street Outreach and Crisis Response
Team in January 2025, and the Teen Culinary Job
Training Pilot Program in June 2025
20 Parks & Recreation
Dutch Flohr Neighborhood Park in Northwest Santa Rosa
underwent a complete renovation
Plans for major court renovation projects at both Howarth and Galvin Community Parks were finalized and approved
Martin Luther King Jr. Neighborhood Park Master Plan approved by Council in February 2026
Initial segment of Roseland Creek Trail pathway installed improving bike and pedestrian connection across future
Roseland Community Park site to access nearby schools
Recommendation
The Planning and Economic Development Department
recommends that Council, by motion:
1) Waive the Council Policy 200-01 requirement for a joint study session with the Planning Commission to review the status and implementation of the General Plan; and
2) Review and accept the General Plan and Inclusionary Housing Annual Review Report for 2025.
21 Questions?