Greenway Project Meets Major Milestone
Good news! For over a decade, the Southeast Greenway Campaign has been working with the City of Santa Rosa and other Greenway Partners to acquire the Greenway property from the State. We are pleased to report that Caltrans has officially approved the detailed survey maps and parcel descriptions for the property! The City expects approval of the sale by the State Department of General Services soon.
The State has also decided that the City of Santa Rosa may acquire the 47 acres planned and zoned for public parks now, and the State will retain the 10 acres designated for residential and mixed use for a later and separate sale to developers.
Several major steps are required to complete the parkland acquisition process. First, the City Council will need to approve a purchase contract with Caltrans, reaffirm the planned public use of the property, and complete a formal appraisal of property value. Finally, the California Transportation Commission must approve the Purchase and Sale Agreement worked out by the State and City.
Whew! Our Greenway Partners have been busy, and plenty of work lies ahead. Over two million dollars in grants and donations have been raised for the parkland acquisition. Our major funding organizations have set a deadline of October 2024 to use the grants. Sonoma Land Trust has communicated this deadline to Caltrans, the City, and other Greenway Partners, providing an urgency and common goal for completing the acquisition. We have requested that the City Council make this project a priority and approve funding of the City staff time needed in the coming year.
Our kudos go to the staff of the City’s Real Estate Division and other departments, Sonoma Water, Sonoma Land Trust, and the other Greenway Partners for the extensive behind-the-scenes work needed to advance the project this far. The Southeast Greenway is a great example of how public/private partnerships can collaborate on projects that continue to make Santa Rosa a great place to live. Working together, we will make this happen!
Bob Gaiser is a co-chair of the Southeast Greenway Campaign.