Santa Rosa Southeast Greenway: General Plan Amendment and Rezoning at their meeting on Thursday, May 23rd.

The Santa Rosa Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to consider the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Southeast Greenway project in its entirety and recommend certification of the EIR and approval of the General Plan Amendment and Rezoning at their meeting on Thursday, May 23rd.  Please note that this date is tentative. When the date is confirmed, the City will publish a public hearing notice to the project website: www.planthegreenway.com. Watch for specific information in our May eNews.

On Saturday, March 30, a group of community members participated in a unique urban hike organized by LandPaths, Community Action Partnership (CAP), and the Santa Rosa Southeast Greenway Campaign. The tour explored the Bennett Valley and Roseland neighborhoods highlighted in a 2014 report entitled “A Portrait of Sonoma County“. This study by the Sonoma County Department of Health analyzed differences in the levels of health, education, and standard of living in neighborhoods throughout the County and how these differences affect human development and services.

This year’s tour focused on parks, open spaces, community gathering places, gardens and the importance of community involve-ment.  It explored neighborhood disparities and similarities, with a focus on actions that might be taken to create a sustainable and just community. The 20 tour participants included interested residents of Bennett Valley, Roseland and other areas of Santa Rosa. After introductions and opening remarks, the group walked from Montgomery High School east along Hoen and Mayette Avenues and the Southeast Greenway, seeing what the central part of Bennett Valley really looks like and hearing what was planned in the Greenway to serve community needs. The route continued to the Friedman Event Center parking area to view a Greenway cross path, walnut orchard and garden site.

Rosie the Trolley transported the group across town for a brief stop at the Roseland Village Shopping Center, planned for housing and a cultural center. At Roseland Creek Elementary School, Vince Harper told the group what CAP was doing to organize area residents. Walking through the nearby planned Roseland Creek City Park, participants heard about the challenges involved in satisfying the diverse needs of the community in the park planning process. The walking tour ended at Bayer Farm, a vibrant City park with a large band shell, public gathering area and community garden. LandPath’s Jonathan Bravo and the Bayer Farm community gardeners provided a great lunch for the group. You can learn more about Bayer Farm Here.

As green shoots peeked out of the moist ground and buds burst on the trees and bushes, tour members made new acquaintances and connections. They learned to appreciate the challenges facing both neighborhoods and saw opportunities for working together and learning from one another. All agreed it was a day well spent.

Sonoma Land Trust, a 501(c)3 public charity, is the fiscal sponsor of the Southeast Greenway Campaign. Contributions to the Southeast Greenway Campaign are fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.